“Each day, our mission at Hoover Elementary School is to provide a joyful and engaging environment, which inspires a love of learning.”

Hoover Highlights

A Publication for the Hoover Elementary

School Community September 24, 2013

  

A note from the PrincipalGreetings Hoover Families,

Communication is key! We are working hard to communicate with our Hoover families to keep you connected. The partnership we share with you makes such a positive impact

on the school experience for your child. We encourage all

students to be respectful, responsible, kind, proud, and safe members of our community. Families, staff, and our community, work together to ensure that your child will have a positive and productive school experience. It is our privilege to educate your child every day at Hoover Elementary School.

Thank you to our PTA Executive Board for their help in starting up the school year. We have such a talented, energetic, and committed group of parents working with us this year. They have already been very busy planning events, assembling packets, decorating the lobby, organizing practical fun, fundraisers and keeping our sign messages up to date.

Thank you to all of the parents who attended Open House/Curriculum Night—

we appreciate your time with us. If you were not able to attend, your child’s teacher has sent

home the information packet for you to review.

Be sure to check out our website, as well as to sign up for e-News and classroom news. We hope to have ALL of our families who have access to the internet signed up for these important messages. Right now, we’re about 60% of the way there!

For families new to Hoover, you will be seeing this key communication piece

“Hoover Highlights” every third Tuesday through e-news or on our website. If you need a hard copy to come home via backpack mail with your child please complete the form which is located on the last page.

Another great way for me to keep in touch with our

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendars!

Sept. 27 Family Outdoor Movie Night 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 2 Market Day Pick Up 5 - 6:00 p.m.Oct. 3 No School Professional

Development Day for TeachersChuck E. Cheese Fundraiser 3-9:00 p.m.

Oct. 4 Spirit Day Gum DayOct. 8 MEAP Begins Reading Day One Oct. 9 MEAP Reading Day TwoOct. 10 MEAP Writing Day One

4th Grade onlyOct. 15 MEAP MathOct. 16 MEAP Writing Day Two

4th Grade OnlyOct. 16 PTA Meeting 10:00 a.m.Oct. 22 Picture Retake DayOct. 25 Hoot N’Howl 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.Oct. 31 Halloween Parade (2:45),

PartiesNov. 1 End of the Marking PeriodNov. 5 No School Work Day for

TeachersNov. 13 Evening Parent Teacher

ConferencesNov. 14 No School Day & Evening

Parent Teacher Conferences Nov. 15 No SchoolNov. 27-29 No School Thanksgiving Break

parents is at our “Coffee with the Principal”. Last Thursday, I was so pleased to welcome parents for our coffee talk. You were a terrific audience…please come back again!! We took a few minutes to discuss some homework suggestions including the PNP sandwich method. When you begin to support your child with homework, always start with a positive comment (P), than a correction which could be interpreted as a negative (N) and then provide another positive statement (P). For example:P: “Good job bringing home your folder”.N: “I noticed that we need to take a look at #2 and #3 again”.P: “I like the way you stuck with it even though it was challenging”.

Welcome Table! We love the PTA-sponsored welcome table. In the front lobby, you will find a Hoover parent volunteer hosting the table everyday between 9:00-9:30 a.m. The Welcome Table assists during that busy morning time checking in students who arrive late, and writing out bus passes. If you arrive at school with items your child has forgotten, please drop them at the Welcome Table and they will be delivered to your child.

Thank you to the cub scouts for the landscaping work around the sign and in front of the school entrance. They were able to spread mulch, pull weeds, and plant flowers. We appreciate all of the pride they have shown as Hoover Rockets.

Our purpose at Hoover Elementary School is to make learning our first priority. As a principal, I will support that goal by being present in classrooms, observing teaching and learning. Therefore, I may not be immediately available in the office when you visit, but I will always contact you within 24 hours. If there’s an emergency, please leave a message with Mrs. Holmes and she will notify me.

Warm regards,

Julie Linn

A few other notes & reminders…Student Check-OutPlease remember that a parent must come into the office to sign-out his/her student for appointments or early exit. The office will then call down for the student, and the child leaves the office with his/her parent. Children cannot be dismissed directly from the classroom, lunchroom, or the playground to the parent. We must have record of the adult picking up the child and be able to provide visual recognition of this adult, or check the identification of another adult who has been sent in the parent’s place. Please know that some of our staff who are new to Hoover may not recognize you and may ask for ID—this is for your child’s safety and well being. Thank you for cooperating with this important procedure.

Going Home with another StudentMany of our students enjoy planning play dates with friends after school. If you have given permission for your child to go to a friend’s house after school, a

note from the parent of EACH student involved MUST be sent to school. The written note documents permission and ensures safety without confusion. Also, when a bus is involved, the office is required to have students give the note to the bus driver.

Student Drop Off: What would a start-of-the-year newsletter be without a few reminders about the parking lot!! Mr. O’Loughlin, Mrs. Nowotny, Mrs. Paris, Ms. Lasecki, Mrs. Flak and I ask for your cooperation with the following:

*In the north parking lot used for student drop off and pick up, cars must be continuously moving through the right drop off lane, stopping only to drop off your student. If you are desirous of watching your child walk to the line-up area, please use one of the many parking spaces to park your car - even those

waiting only a short time delay the other families waiting to drop off. *When dropping off, please move as far forward as possible so that additional cars are able to move in behind you. Our boys and girls do just fine walking those few extra yards, and it allows traffic to move freely.

*In the area marked “NO PARKING” cars should NOT be parked, or left sitting, in that lane, as it disrupts the flow

off all other traffic. You are welcome to use a parking spot if you would like to assist your child out of the car - please only use the lane if your child will be independently exiting the vehicle. *When walking from the parking lot to the school, please always use the crosswalk so that we can ensure your safety and the safety of your child. Our parking lot supervisors, Mr. O., Mrs. Nowotny, Ms. Lasecki, and Mrs. Flak are happy to stop traffic so that you and your family are able to cross. *This year, we have four Kindergarten classes dismissing in the afternoon. Many of these parents are parking in the lot and walking their children back to their car. If you have older students, perhaps they could cross Levan, with our wonderful crossing guards and you could meet them at the swim club parking lot or across the street. *For parent pick up at the end of the day, as well as during drop off in the morning, please DO NOT use the south lot, which is for staff and busses only. All parents and visitors are asked to use the NORTH LOT. Thank you.

BUS STOP RULESThe school rules apply at all of our bus stops as well. For the safety of our Hoover Rockets, we ask parents to please refrain from smoking or bringing dogs to the bus stop. Thank you for your support. 2013 – 2014 DAILY SCHEDULES

All Grades 8:49 a.m. Entry bell rings 8:54 a.m. Classes begin 3:58 p.m. DismissalLUNCH AND RECESS SCHEDULE Kindergarten, Third and Fourth Grade 12:10-12:30 p.m. Recess 12:30-1:00 p.m. LunchFirst, and Second Grade 12:10-12:30 p.m. Lunch 12:30-1:00 p.m. RecessAFTERNOON RECESS SCHEDULE All Grades 2:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Attendance CallsAt Hoover, we use an automated calling system for students who are absent from school. Parents do not have to call the school to report an absence. You only need to call in the event of an extended absence or in cases of communicable diseases, such as head lice, chicken pox, measles and pinkeye. Your child’s safety is of greatest concern to us. In order to ensure safety and to confirm that a child is absent with parent knowledge, an automated system will make calls on the day of the absence. Hoover Handbook HighlightsEach edition of the Hoover Highlights, we will summarize a selection of our student handbook. It is important to read and review the student handbook with your child. You can access it under the “For Parents” tab on our website at http://www.livoniapublicschools.org/Hoover.cfm Forbidden Articles - Students will not bring

forbidden articles to school such as tobacco, matches, lighters, caps, knives, or laser pointers. Students may never bring explosives, weapons, weapon look-alikes, or toy weapons of any kind to school. Glass containers are unsafe and should not be brought to school. Electronic toys, games, and equipment are not allowed. Students may not carry electronic communication devices such as pagers, handheld computing devices or cellular phones, on school grounds or on the bus, except when approved by the principal.

On Tuesday, September 17th the boys and girls participated in the

“Freedom Run” to celebrate all of the special freedoms we share as citizens of the United States of America.  We formed a giant U-S-A as a school and sang the Star Spangled Banner.  Thank you to Mr. O’Loughlin, the PTA and the numerous parent volunteers who made this day so successful.

On Friday, September 20th, Hoover celebrated International Day of Peace. Many students wore white and we reviewed our mission behaviors of “BEING SAFE

AND BEING KIND” during the lunch period. Mrs. Bice and Mrs. Linn went into each classroom last week to review our behavior expectations, including being kind and keeping our hands to ourselves.

Notes from the Kitchen: Welcome Back! A few notes on breakfast and lunch:

Lunch Payments:Lunch cost is $3.25, reduced lunch is 40 cents. Sending in your child's payment to school is the fastest way to get it on their account. Payments received by 10:30 a.m. will post that day. Note: Please remember to put your child's first and last name on any payments you send in. Domino's Pizza day - A reminder that an extra slice (limit one extra slice per child, please) is $1.00. If your child has a balance on his/her account, it is NOT necessary to send in an extra dollar. If you pay daily, the price is $4.25 for a two-slice lunch. Children who are free/reduced must pay for the 2nd slice.BreakfastTime: 8:40 - 8:55 a.m.Place: The GymPrice: $1.75

Reduced - 30 centsDetails: We offer a daily variety of tasty, quick breakfasts for your child (ren) that is nutritionally balanced. These include bagels, mini cinnamon rolls, banana bread, cold cereal and many other choices. Children arriving before 8:50 a.m. may eat at the lunch table, after that, they can take their food "to go".

Please note: Children who want cereal MUST arrive by 8:45 so that they have time to eat it in the gym. We cannot allow them to take it to their classrooms.If you have any questions, please feel free to stop by the kitchen or give us a call. Thank You!Mrs. Kathy Ryan - Kitchen ManagerMs. Karen Wilcox - Kitchen AssistantMove toward Waste-Free Lunch PackingEver heard of waste-free lunches?  Not only are they easier on the environment, but they are also easier on the wallet!  Instead of packing

disposable bags, containers, drink boxes, etc; opt for reusable lunch boxes, containers, water bottles, utensils and cloth napkins.  By buying in bulk and packing reusable

containers, families can recycle bulk containers at home to help the environment, while saving an estimated $246 per school year on lunches! Give it a try!Meet our

new staff member….About Mrs. Miller Thank you very much for the warm welcome to Hoover! I feel blessed to be part of this friendly and supportive community. I’m looking forward to learning more about all of you and your families! I'm happy to say that I have a loving and supportive husband named Mike, a 3 year old son Nathan, and a little one on the way. We enjoy spending time together as a family. Camping, golfing, sports, and cooking are among a few things that we do during our summers. Most of all, Mike and I enjoy being parents. I have taught Kindergarten for 13 years and also spent 5 years as a Reading Recovery teacher and Elementary Literacy Specialist. I’ve been trained to work with gifted and talented children as well.  Differentiating instruction for all learning levels and styles is a teaching method I implement and enjoy. I hold a Master Degree with several additional endorsements in Early Childhood, Reading,

Science, and Math. I’ve taught for Grand Valley State University as an adjunct professor during my summers, but I’m very excited to have made it full circle back to All Day Kindergarten. I taught All Day Kindergarten for several years in the past and it’s my favorite program to teach! Teaching little ones to read and write is my passion! I’m looking forward to an exciting year of learning and growing with this wonderful community! Cynthia Miller

PTA NewsA Note for our President

Marilyn Friedrich….

Here’s what’s happening!It is an exciting time of year as we watch the yellow school buses transporting our precious cargo down the neighborhood streets. Inside, our children are filled with curiosity and enthusiasm on their way to the familiar routine that the new school year brings. Welcome, new Hoover students and families and welcome back to our returning students and families as we celebrate the successful start to the new school year! My name is Marilyn Friedrich and it is an honor and privilege to serve as your PTA President. Being part of the Hoover PTA has been an enormously rewarding experience. Each day, I am humbled and inspired by the Hoover staff and by so many amazing volunteers who dedicate their time and talent to help make each child’s elementary school experience one that will be remembered fondly for years to come.

ALL NEW! Outdoor Movie Night…You don’t want to miss this! Please mark your calendar for Friday, September 27th at 7:00 p.m. Outside on the

playground we will watch Despicable Me on the side of our very own Hoover Elementary School! How fun! Save room for popcorn!

Hoot-n-HowlGet ready for a HOWLIN’ great time! The Hoot-n-Howl will be held on Friday, October 25,

from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Children are welcome to dress in costumes (no masks, blood or weapons, please). We will be offering a few

games, refreshments, and a DJ.  Also, the drawing for our fundraising cash raffle will be drawn at the end of the celebration!

Dinner is served!   DJ and Dancing Games and Activities all evening Raffle fundraiser drawing will be at the

end of the evening Watch for an “e-blast” with a link to

Signup Genius to volunteer during the event

Please contact Beckie VanHollebeke at Beckie@canovan.com if you would like to help organize decorations, food or games.

Hoover PTA Membership PTA Membership Dues are $13.00 for a family membership (2 adults) and $7.00 for a single membership (1 adult). Did you

know that last year, every teacher at Hoover Elementary was a PTA Member? Thank you for supporting our AMAZING HOOVER ROCKETS!

Hoover Spirit WearWe are super excited to be offering NEW SPIRIT WEAR! If you did not have a chance to purchase before the September deadline, Spirit Wear will be back this spring! We hope you will wear your Hoover Spirit Wear with pride!

Hoover PTA Cash RaffleThis year our cash raffle will be

our main fundraiser. Tickets are just $2.00 each and we are asking

that each Hoover family sell 30 tickets. Purchase these tickets for yourself (and improve your odds of winning) or share the cost with friends, family or neighbors and co-workers. There are three prizes:

1st Prize - $5752nd Prize - $3753rd Prize - $275

All tickets (sold and unsold) are due by October 16, 2013 with one check payable to, “Hoover PTA” (no cash please). To order tickets just send an email to HooverPTARaffle@gmail.com with your child's name and teacher's name and 30 raffle tickets will be sent home in your child's backpack mail. We realize that selling raffle tickets is not for everyone so if you would prefer, we are also

accepting cash donations. Please keep in mind that every little ticket sold and every donation big or small directly benefits our students. The raffle drawing will take place at the Hoot N’ Howl on Friday, October 25th.  Good luck and thank you for your participation!

A Call for Masterworks Volunteers Masterworks is looking for parent volunteers! Your children love when you share Masterworks Art with their class!  Masterworks is a series of fine art prints volunteers

take into the classroom.  Teachers remain in the classroom.  Most art visits are 20-30 minutes in length and are scheduled about once a month.   No art experience or art history background needed.  We have lots of experienced presenters who can help you with fun ideas for your classroom visit. And you are always welcome to watch an experienced volunteer during their classroom fine art visit.  Masterworks is a great way to get involved with your child’s classroom! Please contact hoovermw@gmail.com to learn more or to sign up as a volunteer.  Thank you!

Market Day is your school’s monthly fundraiser.  Participate as often as you’d like.  Get great food items, both frozen and non-perishable, for your family while Hoover receives 10-20% of the sale.  The money earned from Market Day helps to fund field trips, assemblies, playground improvement, supplies and year-round events for our kids.  Go towww.MarketDay.com when prompted enter Hoover Elementary account # 13255 to open your account and place your order today! We need your help packing our Market Day orders.  Come join us in the gym right after school from 4:15 to 5:00 pm.  Bring your school aged kids to help!  Whether it’s a onetime offer or every month, we can use 45 minutes of your time to help sort and pack our orders.  You can simply come to the gym at 4:15 on Wednesday Oct. 2, or go to signup genius at www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A4DA5A82DA20-market  and schedule a day that works for you!  Your help is greatly appreciated!  See you there!

PTA Community RewardsThere are so many ways to earn free and easy money for our school. Which one or two of these can you easily work into your shopping routine?

Box Tops for Education -- Find the small box top logo and cut it out.

Collect and then send the box top to school with your child. Each box top is valued at .10 cents each and when we all pool together, they add up fast earning us hundreds of dollars a year! Find Box Tops for Education on Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Juicy Juice, Cheerios, Chex, Hefty, Pillsbury, Progresso, Cottonelle, Kleenex, Yoplait, Ziploc and many more well-known products. Go to www.boxtopsforeducation.com for a complete product list.

Labels for Education -- Simply clip the UPC from a “Labels for Education” product, collect them and send them to school with

your student. Hoover can trade UPC’s for all kinds of things like gym equipment, school supplies, technology and more! Keep your eyes peeled! It’s more than just Campbell’s soup! Check out Goldfish Crackers, V8 Splash, Bic pens, Prego spaghetti sauce, Glad products and Pop Secret. Go to www.labelsforeducation.com for a complete list!Busch’s Cash for Education -- We have a supply of Busch's Cash for Education cards that are linked to the Hoover Elementary account. Request your card and then go online and register it with Busch's. Once registered, when you finish shopping you scan your card at the register. We then earn a percentage of your purchase of up to 5%! Simply request a card by sending a note to the PTA with your student's name and teacher, or pick one up at the next PTA Meeting.

Kroger Plus Card -- If you do not already have a Kroger Plus card,

please stop by the Kroger customer service counter. Once you have your card, please register it at: www.krogercommunityrewards.com and link it to Hoover. Each quarter we will receive a check based on the total amount of our Hoover families purchases! Please note that this program runs from May 1st – April 30th of each

year, so you must re-enroll by April 30 of each year. Once you have registered your Kroger Plus Card for the community rewards, go to www.elabelsforeducation.com and register it there. Each time you buy a “Labels for Education” product and scan your card we get an EXTRA label credited to our account. Thank you for your extra effort!Meijer Community Rewards SM -- This is a free service and can be done in store or online at www.Meijer.com/rewards . The Meijer 1 CardSM is a shopper card that can be used with cash, PIN-based debit card, or a Meijer Credit Card to link your purchases to your Meijer Community Rewards SM account. If you already have a Meijer Credit Card, just call 1-800-962-7011 to add Meijer Community RewardsSM to your Meijer Credit Card account. Then simply swipe your Meijer 1 CardSM whenever you shop at Meijer using cash, debit or credit. Hoover will automatically receive a percentage of your purchase totals, with double the rewards when you use your linked Meijer Credit Card!

GFS (Gordon Food Service) -- When you check-out, Hoover can

receive a percentage of your purchase. Simply tell the cashier that you would like to credit Hoover Elementary at the register.

Office Depot -- When purchasing school and office supplies at Office

Depot, Hoover will receive a 5% credit (of qualifying purchases) for free supplies when you use the Hoover Elementary school program ID number: 70051278.

TARGET “Take Charge of Education” -- If you have a Target

credit or debit card in your wallet, just go online: http://www.target.com/redcard/main or call 1-800-316-6142. Once your card is registered to Hoover we will earn 1% of your purchases. A check is mailed each quarter to our school! ALSO! The “Give with Target” Contest has been extended through September 30th, 2013! Vote now to help us exceed our goal of 500 votes by visiting: http://givewith.target.com/school/21683?fb_action_ids=10201095737709009&fb_action_types=givewithtarget%3Avote&fb_source=other_multiline&action_ob

ject_map=%5B145970162278398%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22givewithtarget%3Avote%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5DThis is as major fundraising opportunity if we all do our part! Your efforts turn to cash which then turn into field trips, bus rides to field trips, school assemblies, classroom enrichment and so much more! Thank you for participating!

PTA Involvement OpportunitiesPTA Committee Chairperson’s WANTED!

If you would like to chair an event at Hoover, there are still a few seats remaining. If you are interested, please see the roster in the school lobby or please feel free to contact any one of the PTA Executive Board Members. Chairing an event at Hoover is an excellent way to:

Get Connected -- There's no better way to know what's happening in our school.

Witness Improvement -- Play an important role in fundraising to provide building improvements, curriculum-based programs and social events, all vital to our school's success.

Watch Yourself Grow -- By volunteering, you’ll gain valuable experiences and personal confidence. It's an opportunity to put your skills and talents to good use for a great cause!

We would especially like to encourage parents with students in the 3rd and 4th grades to continue their involvement. You, more than anyone know all of the programs that the PTA has provided your child through their years at Hoover and can pass along your knowledge and experience to families that are new to our school. And to parents of younger children or those who are new to Hoover, your involvement is invaluable.PTA MeetingsThanks to all that attended our first PTA Meeting last week. Your enthusiastic participation is important to the success of our PTA. I would personally like to invite you to be part of our PTA by becoming a member and attending monthly PTA meetings (did I mention that they are only once a month and there are a few morning meetings scheduled this year). This gives you a vote (voice) on how your fundraising dollars are

spent on our school and our AMAZING HOOVER ROCKETS! Our next PTA meeting is Wednesday, October 16th at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome! Hoover Elementary School PTA on Facebook

Become a fan of Hoover Elementary PTA on Facebook so you’ll always be aware of upcoming meetings, unique offers and the latest school news.

Hoover Families for all your support.

Hoover Highlights Hard Copy

If you would like a hard copy of the Hoover Highlights please complete the form below. We are trying to be environmentally friendly and reduce the amount of paper that we are using.

Please indicate the name of one child in your family, who you would like to receive the hard copy, as well as their teacher’s name. Please return this form to Hoover. If you do not turn in this form, you will not receive a hard copy of the Hoover Highlights. We will be sending the Hoover Highlights through the e-news. If you have not signed up for e-news, please go to our website. Thanks for helping us to save resources.

Mrs. Linn Principal

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Please send a hard copy of the Hoover Highlights home with:

________________________ _______________________Student Name Teacher

Please cut and return this portion to Hoover. Thank you!

Hoover PAL’s (Parent’s At Lunch) are Parent/Grandparent volunteers who are committed to giving their time to assist in providing students at Hoover Elementary a healthy, positive lunch experience.

Why PAL’sStudent’s do enjoy the routine that the school year offers and part of that routine is a healthy lunch. In order to ensure that your child makes the highest and best use of his or her time in the lunchroom, PAL’s are assisting with wrappers and straws, opening milk, thermos’ and pudding cups and helping clean up the occasional spill. The PAL’s main purpose is to make sure that your child has everything that he or she needs for an enjoyable, hassle-free lunch.

Get InvolvedPlease consider being a PAL at Hoover Elementary. This is an excellent opportunity to spend a small amount of time to be a big help. After just one lunch hour, you will understand the importance of volunteers in the lunchroom while finding the experience to be one that is rewarding. It only takes one hour a day and scheduling your time is easy. Simply go to: SignUpGenius.com now and schedule week to week, month to month or schedule your time for the entire school year in advance.

Should you have any questions or require assistance, please feel free to contact PAL’s Coordinator, Marilyn Friedrich @marilynfriedrich@hotmail.com.

Livonia Public SchoolsBullying: When a person or group purposely engages in actions intended to harm someone else emotionally or physically.

RECOGNIZING THE DIFFERENCE

Normal Peer Conflict Bullying

Equal power between students Imbalance of power between students

Happens occasionally Repeated negative actions

Similar emotional reaction Strong emotional reaction from victim with little or no reaction from bully

Effort to solve the problem No effort to solve the problem

Not seeking power or attention Seeking power, control or material thingsRemorse-will take responsibility No remorse-blames victim or others

Not serious (no serious intent to harm) Serious with threat of physical or emotional harm

Adapted from Bully proofing Your School

Bullying often consists of a series of cruel acts repeated over time. Children being bullied need and deserve adult intervention and help.

Normal Peer Conflict…What Bullying Is NotIt is important to note that peer conflict is a normal part of a child’s life experience and all children will experience conflict at some point during their childhood and adolescence. As children learn the give and take of friendship, of group cooperation, and of social interaction, conflict naturally occurs. Age-typical conflicts arise and can sometimes be resolved independently, and at other times, require adult intervention. To help make the distinction between “bullying” behavior and “age-typical peer conflict”, please review the following student behaviors:

In Livonia Public Schools, we believe everyone has the right to be safe from any action, word, or gesture that hurts a person’s body, feelings, friendships, reputation or property, regardless of the intent.