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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="043d4c03.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="newsletter_m.htm#dear_students" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Newsletter"><U>Monthly Newsletter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="newsletter_m.htm#september_" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Newsletter"><U>Dismissal Policy</U></A></div> <div>    <IMG SRC="05295fa0.png" border=0 width="149" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#EEEEEE" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Arial" ><B>Principals' Page</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" >   |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Principals Page"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="academics.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Academics"><U>Academics</U></A>   |   <A HREF="activities.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Activities"><U>Activities</U></A>   |   <A HREF="calendar_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar of Events"><U>Calendar of Events</U></A>   |   <A HREF="nclb.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="No Child Left Behind NCLB"><U>No Child Left Behind "NCLB"</U></A>   |   <A HREF="bully_free_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bully Free Zone"><U>Bully Free Zone</U></A>   |   <B>Newsletter</B>   |   <A HREF="involvement.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Parent Involvement"><U>Parent Involvement</U></A>   |   <A HREF="homework_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homework Help"><U>Homework Help</U></A>   |   <A HREF="resume.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Resume"><U>Resume</U></A>   |   <A HREF="goals.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="School Goals"><U>School Goals</U></A>   |   <A HREF="conduct_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Conduct Code"><U>Conduct Code</U></A>   |   <A HREF="enrichment_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Enrichment Opportunities for Children"><U>Enrichment Opportunities for Children</U></A>   |   <A HREF="contact.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact"><U>Contact</U></A></div> <div> Newsletter</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="539" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFCC80 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 2132 WIDTH="533"><div> November 2008</div> <bR> <div> Dear Meeting House Hill Families,</div> <bR> <bR> <div> As Teacher-Parent conferences approach we thought you might appreciate some tips from the <I>American Education Association</I>, on how to make the most of this time in order to benefit your child.</div> <bR> <div> <B>How To Make Parent-Teacher Conferences Work for Your Child…</B></div> <div> You've been asked to attend a regularly scheduled "report card" conference with your child's teacher. Or you've gotten a special note from your child's teacher asking to see you. In either case, you might be a little nervous.</div> <div> Well, relax. Teachers don't want to put parents on the spot. They just like to meet with parents from time to time to discuss how to help students do their best in school.</div> <div> All children learn in different ways. They have their own individual personalities, and their own listening and work habits. To help their students learn new knowledge and skills, teachers must know as much as they can about each child's likes and dislikes. No one knows more about these things than you, the parents. And no one has more influence over your children than you.</div> <div> That's why teachers need your help to do a first-class job. Working together, you and the teacher can help your child have a successful school year.</div> <div> <B>Here Are Some Things To Keep in Mind</B></div> <div> Start the conference right: be there on time, and plan not to run over the amount of time that has been set aside. </div> <div> If you are a working parent who can't arrange to meet during regular hours, make this clear to the teacher and try to set up a time to meet that is good for both of you. </div> <div> The best conferences are those in which both teachers and parents stay calm and try hard to work together for one purpose and one purpose only: to help your child do well. Arguing, or blaming each other for problems your child is having, helps no one. </div> <div> <B>Getting Ready</B></div> <div> Each teacher will probably come prepared with samples of your children's work and with ideas to help them do even better in school. You should get ready for each conference, too.</div> <div> Talk to your children before the conference. Find out what they think are their best subjects, and what subjects they like the least. Find out why. Also, ask your children if there is anything they would like you to talk about with their teachers. Make sure your children don't worry about the meeting. Help them understand that you and their teacher(s) are meeting together in order to help them.</div> <div> Before you go to the school, write notes to yourself about:</div> <div> things about your child's life at home, personality, problems, habits, and hobbies you feel it's important for the teacher to know </div> <div> your concerns about the school's programs or policies </div> <div> questions about your child's progress </div> <div> how you and the school can work together to help your child </div> <div> If your spouse can't attend the conference with you, ask for his or her concerns and questions.</div> <div> <B>The Conference</B></div> <div> Some good questions to ask are these:</div> <div> Is my child in different groups for different subjects? Why? </div> <div> How well does my child get along with others? </div> <div> What are my child's best and worst subjects? </div> <div> Is my child working up to his or her ability? </div> <div> Does my child participate in class discussions and activities? </div> <div> Has my child missed any classes other than ones I contacted the school about? </div> <div> Have you noticed any sudden changes in the way my child acts? For example, have you noticed any squinting, tiredness or moodiness that might be a sign of physical or other problems? </div> <div> What kinds of tests are being done? What do the tests tell about my child's progress? </div> <div> How does my child handle taking tests? </div> <div> It's a good idea to ask your most important questions first, just in case time runs out before you and the teacher, have a chance to discuss them all. Be sure to ask the teacher for specific suggestions on ways to help your child do better. This is the most important part of the meeting. It will become your action plan. If the teacher says something you don't quite understand, don't be shy about asking for an explanation. It's a good idea to end the conference by summing up decisions you've made together. If needed, ask to meet again.</div> <div> Sincerely,</div> <div> Sarah McLain and Carrie Kilian</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFCC HEIGHT= 969 WIDTH="533"><div>   <A NAME="september_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>September 4, 2007</div> <bR> <div> Dear Parents:</div> <bR> <div> As we welcome you to Meeting House Hill School, we would like to remind you of our procedurefor dismissal.  </div> <div> In the past we noticed an over abundance of parents picking their children up early.  As a result, our students were losing important afternoon instructional time - often science experiments, read-alouds and homework assignment reviews.  When students in a class leave early, it poses a disruption for the student, the class and the teacher. </div> <div> Dismissal is a very busy time for the students and their teachers.   Students are trying to pack up their belongings and listening to the end of day announcements.  Early dismissal interruptions often cause students to misplace and/or forget items.</div> <bR> <div> These are the revised procedures we will follow:</div> <bR> <div> To preserve the end of day instructional time, <U>NO </U>child will be paged and dismissed from class before 3:15 pm UNLESS it is an emergency.  Emergencies DO NOT include after school activities.</div> <bR> <div> Buses will be called at 3:15 pm as we usually do. Students cannot be paged for dismissal after we begin calling buses.  We recommend that your child take the school bus every day in order to arrive and depart from school on time.  </div> <bR> <div> If for some reason you do not want your child to ride the bus, he/she is considered a “walker”.  Walkers are dismissed at 3:25 pm, <U>after</U> all buses are called.  If your child is a “walker,” please do not drive up to the front of the school until 3:25 pm.  If you are delayed past 3:30 pm, your child will be waiting in the main office, as staff are not available to supervise outside.</div> <bR> <div> We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding in this educational and safety matter.</div> <bR> <div> Sincerely,    </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>           Sarah McLain               Carrie Kilian</div> <div>           Principal               Assistant Principal</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFCC HEIGHT= 24 WIDTH="533"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="24" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="533" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>