A Welcome to You

  Welcome to Malcolm C. Hursey Elementary School! 
 
 Home of the Helpful BULLDOGS!
  
The Hursey Constellation Guides your Children to Brighter Horizons ~ We Light the Way for Literacy and Learning.
 

From the Principal

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
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  • 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.
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  • 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

Upcoming Events 

Monday, May 26
Holiday/Schools and Offices Closed
Wednesday, June 4
Half day for students
Thursday, June 5
Last Student Day –(180th day)—Half day for students
Friday, June 6
TW Workday/No Students
Friday, July 4
Holiday/Schools and Offices Closed
Monday, May 12, 2008
View Monthly Calendar

Weather 

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Today, 5/12/2008
High: 78 | Low: 49
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Tomorrow, 5/13/2008
High: 74 | Low: 51
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