Dear Hursey Family and Community Friends,
Hursey has been implementing the Charleston Plan for Excellence
for three years and using the instructional calendar and coherent
curriculum as the essential guides with your children. We have made
striking gains in our classrooms as shown by our MAP gains and
diminished discipline referrals due to our implementation of PBS
(Positive Behavior System). We are embarking on a new journey as we
restructure Hursey implementing Montessori Primary (40 students
ages 3-5). Our students will continue in the multi-age setting with
their same Montessori teachers next year. We have also implemented
single gender classrooms at 5th grade across three content areas
and reading is taught in a mixed gender setting. We also have a
single gender male 4th grade class.
The Neighborhood Planning Team has just completed meeting and
planning to submit their proposal to the district for partial
magnet status. Hursey is planning to become an OASIS school:
Opportunities Advance Students' Thinking in Systems. The OASIS
summer program was around for over 26 years in CCSD under the care
of Dr. Gary Awkerman. Mrs. Conroy was an OASIS teacher in the
program and then coordinated OASIS for the county for several
summers. We plan to have OASIS classes for CD-5th grade beginning
in fall of 2009. Two teachers will pair as a team and offer the
system to both sets of students. We will plan two years worth of
systems for studying with the children. We will take field trips
for the beginning and/or middle of the system's study. Each
classroom will have a Smart Board, LCD Projector and Lap Top to
access the real world through video streaming and the Post and
Courier Smart Edition. The children will learn the language of the
system's approach, such as input, output, interface, process skills
like, brainstorming, designing, planning, etc. The system's
language will be evident through all grades and school wide. Each
month the students will learn about a new system- evidence of
student learning will be through products and presentations. Thank
you parents for sending back survey results for the school. Fifth
grade parents please return the state survey in the white sealed
envelope by March 31.
We ask you to continue visiting your school regularly and
communicate with your child's teacher - without your cooperation
and involvement none of our success would be possible.
No Child Left Behind (NC LB) requires that a school restructures
itself when the percentage of gains are not high enough nor
sustained in a timely manner. Our restructuring meetings were very
successful Parents - the restructuring surveys you sent back gave
the school leadership team much feedback in regard to your school
progress and needs. Your input was necessary and vital.
Teacher workday is scheduled for April 4- No School for
Students. 3rd quarter report cards are coming out April 9. Our
1st-5th grade parents will especially want to arrange a time to
review your student's spring MAP data and compare it to the fall to
winter MAP testing session as you look at your student's academic
progress and revise the academic plan for the 2007-2008 school
year. We urge you to arrange your conference time with your child's
teacher. We are excited about this opportunity to meet with you to
share strengths as well as listen to you share recommendations
about your child at this meeting. You and the teacher will make
plans on how you are both going to accelerate your student's
progress for the remainder of this school year.
Supplemental Education Services or Extended Day Tutoring is held
at Hursey, hosting a variety of companies. Your child stays after
on T and THC from 2:45-5:00 for extra tutoring. This opportunity is
free and provided by the federal legislation of the NC LB. Bus
transportation after tutoring will vary for each company.
Our PTA meeting is April 8 from 7-8 PM. Third grade will perform
and this night is set aside for Parents Preparation for PACT.
The Montessori classrooms will host their 4th and final Family
Literacy/Parenting Night April 2- 5:30-6:30. We will be watching
for more families on April 8. (Pre-2nd) Help your child become a
stronger reader so their literacy journey takes them places. Show
your support by coming to listen, make and gain ideas with teachers
about reading.
Your school has been implementing the Hursey Hope Worldwide 1st
Century Extended Day Grant. Mrs. Hazel Lowman is successfully
coordinating over 85 children K-5th grade M-F from 2:45-5:45 PM.
Saturday Academy is in full operation. We are very fortunate
to have been selected for this rare opportunity for your children
and families. April 12 is Clean Cities Sweep where Hursey's Saturday
Academy and volunteers will spruce up our community and school
yard. Ms. Lowman won the $100.00 grant for Hursey. Consider these
possibilities:
- visit your child's classroom often
- communicate regularly with your teacher by way of the written
log (the black and white source book)
- telephone and face-to-face conferencing
- help with homework
- check homework
- sign the communication log (silver folder)
- set quiet time aside each evening to read with or to your child
(keep reading log current by signing and listing the title of the
book)
- attend our parenting workshops and family literacy classes (2
each semester)
- serve on Hursey's PTA board and School Improvement Council
(SIC) Our meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month 4:30
for the PTA Board and SIC at 6 PM. 6 members of the SIC attended
the fall conference training session in November at Burke HS.
- volunteer in the library, clinic, or office.
It is most important to set time aside daily to talk about the
school day, to set short and long term goals with your children and
prepare for this year's learning journey. Attendance is key for
student achievement- getting to school on time and everyday are
number one priorities. Arriving late or tardy keeps your child from
establishing a healthy work routine or practicing the marketable
skills of punctuality and promptness. Arriving late causes
embarrassment in front of their peers. Please do your part in
bringing your child to school on time. Partnerships are key as we
build relationships and improve student learning.
Our parent educator is here to serve your family's needs. We
continue to set high expectations for our students, families and
teachers because Excellence is our Standard. We are expecting ALL
students to "Read for the Record- recording books read each evening
and in school. We won the Community of Reader's Award- Hursey was
recognized as one of the "nifty nine" - one of the 9 outstanding
schools for best reading practices in CCSD.
If you are a patron of Sellars Hardware, please thank Johnny
Sellars, our business partner; Lamar Metts, your local barber and
Alys Campaigne with I'ON GROUP and Mr. Corbin at Corbin's Trailer
Hitch business. They are staunch supporters of public schools. We
strive for excellence in educating your children. We celebrate
reading, writing and math problem solving. We apply our reading
strategies and math understandings to social studies and science.
We read authentic texts and expose our students to a wide variety
of genres. We are working to increase the technology capacity for
your child's learning enhancement. We set high expectations for
everyone involved with your child's education. We know we can count
on your involvement and commitment because Malcolm C. Hursey
is:
Lighting the Way for Learning - "The Hursey Constellation"
guides your children to brighter horizons.
Fondly,
La Dene' Conroy
Principal
Upcoming
Events!!
- Thank you for all you do for the Hursey family.
Remember, smiles and hugs cost nothing and can make someone feel
welcomed and wonderful.
- Remember- Books are presents that can be opened again
and again and enjoyed by many. Research shows that parents who read
with their children each evening for 20 minutes opens the doors to
success for their children.
- Celebrations! Your school principal, Ms. La Dene'
Conroy, was selected as one of 18 to serve and honored as a charter
member in the Leadership Fellows Program with SDE.
- PTA meeting April 8 at 7PM We love you!
6-8PM
.
- Carmen Malamug, 2nd grade teacher, is Hursey's
Distinguished Reading Teacher.
- Myra Summers, third grade teacher, is Hursey's Teacher
of the Year for 2007-2008. Please congratulate these exemplary
teachers when you see them.
.
- Julia Smith, Montessori teacher, is Hursey's Rookie
Teacher of the Year.
- Samuel Cox, Paraprofessional, is Hursey's Classified
Employee of the Year.
Ladene A Conroy