Dear Henderson Mill Community,

Our teachers and I are often asked, “What can we do at home to support what is going on in the classroom?”  Although there are a number of ways that this can be accomplished:

• Checking the student agenda/planner to stay informed as to upcoming tests and projects
• Checking your child’s completed homework and graded assessments
• Reading the classroom newsletter to stay informed as to upcoming instruction and events
• Using our available technology resources to reinforce taught concepts and to advance your child
• Connecting with the teacher/classroom on social media to find out more about what the students are doing and to engage your child with follow-up questions
• Reading with your child every night for 30 minutes
• Discussing what they learned every night at dinner
• Attending our parent engagement nights

There is one piece on which I would like to focus.  HMES and our Foundation set aside a considerable amount of funds to ensure that technology resources are available to teachers and students during the day as well as to you as parents in the afternoons and on weekends for use with your child.  These programs are engaging and fun, and they are designed to meet your child where he/she is and to advance them.  Below are a list of the programs that we rely on here at HMES.

Program	Purpose	Grades	Home or School Use
Xtramath	Math Calculation	1st-5th	Both
Math Magician	Math Calculation	1st-5th	Both
Raz-Kids	Promote Book Reading (online)	K-5th	Both
iStation	Assesses Student, Differentiate Instruction to Improve Skills in Math Reasoning, Upper Level Calculation, Math Reasoning, and Reading Skills	K-5th	Both
MAP	Assess Students in Reading, Math (ELA and Sci in 3rd-5th)	K-5th	School
AR	Promote Reading of Fictional Text	K-5th	School
TrueFlix Freedom Flix	Improve Student Knowledge of the People, Places and Events that Shaped Our World (SS)	1st-5th	School

These tools can be used every day both at home and at school.  Your child’s teacher may be using additional interactive web applications.  If your child is unsure how to access any of the four major school/home tools, please contact your child’s teacher or Ms. McDowell in the Media Center.  Thank you for helping to support our efforts here at school by doing your part at home.

To meaningful collaboration,

Mitch
Mitch Green
Principal