The soaring hawk

Official Newsletter of Hamilton Elem/Middle

November 2015

Parent Editio
n

Hello, Hamilton Family,

What to do When Your Child is Struggling

We are well into the school year and Hamilton is buzzing with activity. We just finished with Halloween, and Thanksgiving and the holidays are right around the corner. With everything that we do, we try to
provide an academic focus. By now you should have received your
childs i-ready results for grades 3-8, and Amplify results for K-2. This
important district assessment accurately indicates where your child is
performing in reading and/or math. The teachers use this information to
guide their instruction, target intervention, and provide enrichment.
Please work closely with your childs teachers to understand the results,
to know where your child is and where he or she needs to go. When we
partner with families, we all work toward the goal of having all children
meet grade level proficiency.
Please continue to encourage your children to take part in afterschool
activities. We have so many offerings at Hamilton, and research shows
that children who participate in clubs do better in school. And, of
course, continue to read each night with your children and make sure
they do their homework.
October was bullying awareness month. We talked a lot about what
bullying is, how it can affect you, and what to do if you are a witness.
We also speak about the child who is being accused of bullying. They,
too, need our help. Please refer to the flyer sent home and have those
conversations with your children. Together we can stamp out bullying.

When your child is struggling academically, the teacher is the first

point of contact and support.
All teachers have weekly coach class. Check the website or ask the
teacher for the schedule.
The district assessments (Amplify, I-Ready) provide a host of suggestions for next steps in instruction based on the students needs. Discuss with your teachers what can be done in class and what you can do
at home. Together, the team will formulate an intervention plan,
which could include small group pull or extra computer time. The
team will also rule out whether negative behaviors are interrupting
your student's learning.
Once interventions and support have been put in place but your child
still is not making progress, at that point you or the teacher should
make a referral to the Student Support Team (SST). The Student Support Team can document your interventions- what has been tried, what
works, and what has not worked- and perhaps provide additional interventions and supports instead of, or in addition to, what you have tried
as the classroom teacher.
When students do not respond to sound instruction and interventions
as expected through the SST process, it is at that point that perhaps a
disability may be suspected. It is at that point where the teacher
and SST would make a referral to the Child Study Team (CST) (the
IEP Team). The first question the IEP Team asks is: Do we suspect a
disability? That team will work with you through the process of
determining whether a disability is present.

Sincerely,
Dr. Patricia Otway-Drummond
Proud Principal, Hamilton Elementary Middle School

Intervention plans take time and much effort on everyone's part. Regular communication with the team will ensure that everyone is on
board with supporting your child to academic success.
Breakfast with Santa & Winter Mart

Hamilton is Holding a Health Fair

On December 21, 11:45-2:30 pm, we will be holding a health fair in our gym. If
you or someone you know has a background in the fields of wellness, fitness,
nursing, nutrition, medicine, etc., we invite you to be a part of this exciting event.
We are also seeking volunteers to help set up and run the fair. Please contact our
P.E. teacher, Mrs. Morrison, for more information and to let her know how you
can assist. cmmorrison@bcps.k12.md.us

Teacher Tuesdays areTaking Off

Every Tuesday, parent volunteers are invited to join us in the Parent Resource
Room at 8 am for coffee, tea, and treats, and then stay for a while to help our
teachers with tasks to lighten the heavy workload. Make some new friends and
make a teacher smile. Its a win-win!

Coat Drive at Hamilton

On November 17, 8-9 am, we are holding a Coat Swap. Please bring clean,
gently used or new coats to school on or before the 17th to be used for the swap.
Then, join us for light refreshments in the Parent Room on the morning of the
swap to pick up some coats, hats and gloves to help keep your family warm
throughout the winter. Please see Parent Liaison Therese Hankey in the front
office for more information.

On Sat., Dec. 5, 9 am-2 pm, we will be holding our Breakfast with Santa &
Winter Mart! Bring the whole family and invite your friends and neighbors to
join us for this popular annual event. Breakfast will be served from 9-12, and
the flea market runs from 9-2. Of course, You Know Who will be there
from 9-11 to visit with your kids and pose for pictures. Table space for the
flea market will be available for just $15. Please contact Mr. Forcellese at 410
-396-6375 or 410-746-7792 to reserve yours before they are all taken!
Lateness
The school day begins at 7:45 am for all students. Lateness interrupts the learning in the
classroom and causes disruption to the school day. We ask that you please be sure that
you respect the learning of all students by making sure your children arrive at school on
time and ready to learn every day.

Dismissal

Hamilton Food Pantry

Our food pantry is making a great difference in the community. If you need to
shop, know of a family in need, or would like to volunteer, the pantry distributes
food on the 3rd Wednesday of every month, 3-5 pm, on the ground floor. Please
mark your calendar for these distribution dates:
Nov. 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 16, April 20, May 18

Keep Collecting Box Tops! Please keep turning in your

Box Tops to earn money for our school.
https://www.boxtops4education.com/bonus-box-tops/
sweepstakes/2015/scott-tube-free?

Dismissal time is 2:25 pm for all students. Early dismissal is disruptive to many in
the building and interrupts instruction in the classroom. We ask that you honor the
learning of all children by avoiding early dismissal. When absolutely necessary,
early dismissal should take place no later than 2:00. After that time, we ask that
you wait until regular dismissal time.
All car-riding students should be picked up and dropped off on the side streets.
Having students cross Old Harford Rd. is a safety hazard and several students are
hit by cars each year.
All students should cross with the crossing guard.

Safety First!
Please, be sure to put down your devices, reduce your speed and drive cautiously when dropping off or picking up your children. Kids may dart into the
street without warning. We would rather your child was a few minutes late to
school than to have any child injured due to unsafe driving. Thank you for
helping to keep our students safe throughout the school year and always!

Hamilton Elem/Middle
Working harder to get smarter.

The soaring hawk

Official Newsletter of Hamilton Elem/Middle
October/November 2015

Parent Editio
n
www.hemschool.org

Open House Events at Hamilton

Hamilton is holding two open house events for prospective Ingenuity and zoned
students only. Join us to learn more about our Ingenuity, Honors, Gifted and
Talented, and Stellar Arts Integration programs. The dates for these events are :
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 8:30 am-10:00 am
&
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 4-5:30 pm
Please R.S.V.P. to school counselor Shana Clark by 11/6/15 at
sdclark@bcps.k12.md.us or 410-396-6375.

Hour of Code Events

Hamilton is excited to be participating in the Hour of Code, a one-hour introduction to computer science designed to show that anyone can learn the basics. We
will be hosting events in classrooms throughout the school from Dec. 7-13, and
parent volunteers are encouraged to offer their support to all participating teachers. Schools with 100% participation can enter to win $10,000 in technology for
our students, so lets all take part in this exciting event!

Get Involved! After school activities keep children excited and

engaged in school. Here are a few of the wonderful clubs and
teams that we offer our students. Some are coming soon and some
are already off to a great start:

Green Club
Crochet Club
Basketball
Wrestling
GEMS (girls group)
Flag Football
Science Club
Math Competition
National Academic League
(NAL)
Junior & Senior Bands

Science Olympiad
Playworks Soccer
Basketball
Girls Running Club
Game Club
Art Club
Cheerleading
Technology Club (robotics &
3D printing)
Chess Team
Tap Dance

Hamiltons Award-Winning Bands

The Hamilton E/M School band program is up and running! We are still seeking students in the 4th through 8th grades who are interested in learning to play
a musical instrument and be a part of our award-winning bands. Everyone from
beginners to experienced players are welcome to join. 6th, 7th and 8th graders
can also join our Guitar Ensemble, no experience required! Be positive, be
musical! See Mr. Gold for more details.

PTO Corner:
The results of our elections are in and we are pleased to congratulate
and introduce the officers of our new executive board! They are...
President Tamika Witherspoon, Vice President Patricia Wolf, Treasurer
Evette Matthews, and Recording Secretary Shemel Taylor.

Many thanks to our former board members for their two years of
dedicated service and excellent work! We know we can count on
their immeasurable support during the transition and after, as we all
continue to work together to make Hamilton such a great school.
Trunk or Treat Was a Smash!
Many Hamilton families came out for the PTOs 2nd annual Trunk or
Treat and had a wonderful time! The candy was flowing, the music
was fang-tastic, the trunk decorations were spook-tacular, and the
costumes were a real treat. Thank you to all who participated and we
cant wait to do it again next year!

Join the PTO for the current year! Membership dues are still just $5 per
family. Provide your email address and ph. # to stay informed about
upcoming PTO and school events and activities.
PTO meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, 6-7 pm in
the school library. Please join us to find out about PTO and schoolrelated activities and share your ideas with other Hamilton parents,
teachers, administrators, and community partners. See you there!

Join Us for Family Science Night

Our Gardens are Growing...Their Fan Base
Hamilton's School Gardens took the world by storm when 5th grade science teacher Scott Hartman presented at the 44th annual North American
Association of Environmental Educator's conference in October. Mr.
Hartman showcased the greening efforts at Hamilton over the last several
years, and provided insights into how to create a sustainable, engaging
schoolyard garden and outdoor classroom. This month, Mr. Hartman will
host Green Leaders from around the Baltimore City School System as
they seek information and ideas about starting schoolyard environmental
education programs at their schools. Hamilton is proud to act as a model
for other schools here in Baltimore, and around the world.

Hamilton is holding a Science Night on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 5:30-7:30pm, in

the gym. Visiting scientists from the Maryland Science Center are setting up
activity stations where students and their families will be able to do some enjoyable hands-on learning. Be sure to join us for some educational fun and get to
know other members of the Hamilton Family. Light refreshments will be served.

No School This Friday

There will be no school for students this Friday, Nov. 6, as this is a professional development day for teachers. Report cards are being sent
home on Nov. 12, and parent/teacher conferences will be held on Friday, Nov. 6, from 10-2. Please contact your childs teachers to schedule
a time to meet with them to discuss your childs progress.
Ms. Morrisons Monthly Wellness Workout

This month's workout is weightless with a cardio-muscular endurance

theme. With a family member, perform the following exercises 3-4 times a
Be Great, Join Debate! Learn how to argue like a lawyer. Practices are Mon- week: 10 chair squats, repeat 3x, run steps 5x (you go, then your family member
days and Thursdays, from 2:45-3:30pm. Please contact Ms. Probert for more info: goes for a total of ten), basic elbow plank, hold for 20 seconds, progress to 30,
amprobert@bcps.k12.md.us
progress to 40. Please check the school website for more info.

Color Run Was a Runaway Success!

Individual Pictures will be taken on Fri., Nov. 20. Students who prepay for pictures and all 8th Grade students will be photographed. Please
look for packets coming home with your kids.

Many thanks to all of the families, teachers & staff who participated in the Color
Run. Together we raised awareness of the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle
as well as over $1500 for field trips! We look forward to holding this event
again next year, so lets keep training!