College Day

We had our first College Day at Hiawatha on Friday.  Staff, parents, and students wore college shirts or the colors of a favorite college.  Halls and classrooms were decorated as well. Teachers showed virtual tours of colleges to the students.  During the lunchtime, students watched a slideshow of the various colleges represented at the school.   Look for the slideshow of the highlights on our website.

ipads for math

Ms. Dastice's 4th graders practice math facts daily by logging on to an ipad app, "ArithmeTrack."  The students take a timed test.  Each student's score is tracked daily in the program as well as by the student.  

PTA Fall Sock Hop

Thanks to Mrs. Zaworski for providing dance lessons throughout the sock hop. 

We are grateful to Mrs. Trejo for the great video show.  It felt like the 50's and 60's in the Hiawatha gym!

Mr. Trejo was an excellent DJ!  He read the crowd well and knew how to get them all on the floor and jiving!

A big "shout-out" to the Hiawatha PTA for bringing our families together for this great event!  See the full slideshow on:    http://www.bsd100.org/hiawatha/

Increasing oral language

Our School Improvement Team identified the goal to increase the English oral language skills of our students in self-contained bilingual classrooms through mixing English and bilingual classrooms during music and physical education class.  The second graders that I observed today are working out together in PE class.  This is an additional opportunity for both groups of students to help with language and to build tolerance towards individual differences.

Small group guided reading groups

Two students working together reading and answering comprehension questions.

I took pictures today in Ms. Patzke's 4th grade class of students working independently and with the reading teacher Ms. Kruder or with Ms. Patzke.

Start of School

It's so exciting to see all the kids again!  As I visited the classrooms last week, it was great to see the enthusiasm for learning that I witnessed.  All of the kids have moved classrooms, but the teachers are in different classrooms and some with different co-teachers.  We have several new teachers as well.

We made some changes this summer to the drop off and pick up of students.  Any student who arrives after 8:15 can line up on the playground rather than joining study hall.  Students arriving between 8:50-8:15 should enter the gym ready to read or study.  Those students will be sent to the classrooms at 8:25.  Students lined up outside will be picked up by their classroom teachers.

If you are using the drop off/pick-up zone on East Ave., let your child' teacher know that it is ok to send your student out to East Ave. to the pick up zone.  We are expecting cars to move along quickly through that area rather than waiting for students.

We heard your voice last Spring and are working on a schedule of clubs and sports programs that both stay within our budget and will be open to a wider range of ages.  Look for that schedule after Labor Day.