October 2017

It has been a month of exciting learning opportunities in HCPS!

Helping Hands

In collaboration with the Boy Scouts of America, students at Axton Elementary will be collecting items to to send to victims of Hurricane Harvey at their annual Back to School PTO night. In order to prepare, students at Axton decorated boxes that will hold the supplies that are going to Houston. 

Goal 5: Family & Community Engagement 

Shooting Hoops

Members of the Harlem Wizards basketball team visited Collinsville Primary School during the school day before they played for a fundraising event at Bassett High School in September. Players use basketball tricks to talk with students about self-esteem and character.

Goal 5: Family & Community Engagement

We are Family

Families visited classrooms at G.W. Carver Elementary during the month of September and completed activities to learn strategies for use in supporting learning and literacy at home. 

Goal 5: Family & Community Engagement 

Much More than Legos

Students at John Redd Smith have been enhancing their engineering, critical thinking, coding, and cooperation skills this month while building LEGO WeDo robots with Mrs. Phyllis Meade during library time. Perfecting command codes is ensuring that students are developing the essential skill of attention to detail as well.

Goals 1 & 4: High Quality Instruction, Innovative & Cutting-Edge Technology 

Student Support Systems

The Mount Olivet PTO and faculty hosted an Open House for families in September. The night’s focus was “All About Me”, featuring presentations and posters created by students. Later that week, grandparents were invited to enjoy lunch at school with students. School staff and family members enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate as they work to support student growth and development.

Goals 4 & 5: Innovative & Cutting-Edge Technology, Family & Community Engagement

Making Senses

Kindergarten students at Rich Acres had a scrumptious day recently! Students were given the opportunity to put one of the five senses to work while sampling one of their teacher's favorite snacks - popcorn and Milk Duds! They were able to identify the sweet and salty tastes of their snack during their experiment and are looking forward to many more hands-on activities as they continue their science unit on the five senses! 

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Full STEAM Ahead

On September 12th, Sanville Elementary held its STEM Family Night of the year. Teachers welcomed large numbers of parents and children of all ages to challenges involving science, technology, engineering, and math. Donna Hicks, Bassett High School ITRT, and Phyllis Meade, STEM Coordinator, shared interactive coding activities. There was also a little extra STEAM added to the night with Mr. Kendall's Art challenge. When asked about her evening, one parent replied, “I’m having so much fun, but it’s not easy!”  

Goals 1, 4 & 5: High Quality Instruction, Innovative & Cutting-Edge Technology, Family & Community Engagement

Liberty and Justice for All

The words, “I pledge allegiance to the flag…” took on new meaning for students in Mrs. Draper’s first grade class at Stanleytown this month as students learned about the American flag and other American symbols. As part of their unit on symbols and patriotism, students created their own flags, made a Bald Eagle and the Washington Monument, and sang patriotic songs.

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction  

Shape Shifting

In honor of National Arts Education Week, FC Middle School 8th graders worked with the second element of art – shape - to create imaginative portraits based on the human condition. Students are learning what it means to compose imagery using the techniques of contemporary artist Erin Chase. Student will write artist statements and critique the works of their peers as projects are seen to completion. 

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Love from the Lancers

Students and staff at Laurel Park Middle School recently held a water drive to help victims of Hurricane Harvey's devastation in Texas. Members of the community, and the HCPS Maintenance Department, generously donated water as well. The Lancer community was excited to be able to share over 150 cases of water with those in need.

Goal 5: Family & Community Engagement

Eclipse Mania

At Bassett High School, Mrs. Kendall’s marketing class took on the recent solar eclipse as a marketing project. Students were to adopt the role of today's advertisers and use the eclipse to create slogans and ad campaigns for a product of their choosing. The students then created flyers to hang in the hallway for all to see. This project allowed students to see how advertisers use popular events and culture to convince a buyer that their product is the best and most relevant.

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction 

Coaching Careers

Rachael Wingfield, Patrick Henry Community College Career Coach, worked with English 12 students at Magna Vista High School to complete the resume and job application portion of their Senior Portfolio during the month of September. These important pieces will be used by students over the course of the next year as they work to prepare for their futures beyond high school.   

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction 

Read with Me

Staff members from around the division visited elementary schools on National Read a Book Day in September. The students love to welcome visitors into their classrooms and enjoy showing visitors the skills they have mastered so far. Readers engaged the students in conversation and emphasized the importance of becoming fluent readers by practicing the skill every day. 

Goals 1 & 2: High Quality Instruction & High Quality Professionals 

Congratulations!

Axton Elementary’s Heather Via won an Apple TV for use with her students in the classroom

Goals 2 & 4: High Quality Professionals, Innovative & Cutting-Edge Technology

Congratulations to the Henry County Public Schools employees who received the Superintendent's Starfish Award this quarter! 

Right: Angie Wood, bookkeeper at Magna Vista High School

Left: Sheila Lopez, who works in the Curriculum & Instruction department

Goal 2: High Quality Professionals