Dear Henderson Mill Community,

It took us four weeks, but we finally accomplished it.  With the January holidays, the threat of ice, and actual snow and ice, it’s amazing, but this was the first 5 day week of the semester!  I know what a strain it is for you when there’s any type of disruption to our typical routine, whether it is closing school early, starting school late, or losing a day due to inclement weather.  What is a parent to do?

I know that you are doing whatever you can or have to do to make it work.  You’re calling on other family members or friends, you’re taking time off from work, and you’re looking for ways to help make the days as productive as you can.  There’s time to play in the snow with friends, and there’s also reading time, but I know that when we close our doors, many of you are directing your students to some of our online resources to ensure that learning is continuing to happen even when school is not in session.

At HMES, we’ve tried to make this as easy as possible for you by focusing our online resources to a few, high-powered ones:

• iStation
• xtramath
• raz kids for younger grades

If you’re missing login information for any of these sites or other sites that your child’s teacher may be using, the best thing to do is to contact your child’s teacher directly.  If you still are having trouble accessing a site, please connect with Ms. McDowell in the Media Center.

Overall, we’ve received great feedback on these technology resources, that your students enjoy them, are challenged by the content, and are mastering new skills and gaining new knowledge.  That’s great!  On occasion, I’ve heard that the work may be too easy, specifically on iStation.  What can you do?  Although reviewing previously learned material is beneficial, we’re hopeful that your child’s work will meet her right where she is and help to bring her forward.  If your child’s iStation work is too easy, it means that he did not perform as well as he should have on the monthly ISIP, the assessment that each child completes at the beginning of the month.  This could happen for a variety of reasons.  What’s the solution? Contact your child’s teacher directly.  She will go into the system and make sure that the next time your child gets on iStation when he is here at school, that he will retake the monthly ISIP.

We’re committed to ensuring that your child gets the best education that he can.  Thank you for your close eye on things, for supporting our efforts, and for providing your child with additional learning opportunities every day, even when the weather forces us to close our doors.

To engaged learning,

Mitch
Mitch Green
Principal
Henderson Mill Elementary School