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Wildcat News- March 2016 of 23

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Walker Wildcat News March Edition

Hilda Walker Intermediate School

19900 S. 80th Avenue

Tinley Park, IL 60487

www.summithill.org PHONE (815)464.2285 // FAX (815) 464.2160

PRINCIPAL’S PAGE – Ms. Goebel

Dear Parents & Students:

At this point, I certainly hope the snow and winter weather is

behind us! We are all in need of some warmth and with that being

said, spring break! Regardless, I am sure we will continue to

experience all of the varieties that our Chicagoland weather

promises. Please make sure your child is dressed for the weather.

Often times, we see students sporting sweatshirts and shorts despite

the frigid temperatures.

As you know, our sixth graders completed In-View testing last

month. Results will be sent home with third quarter report cards on

April 8th. This month staff will continue focusing on prepping

students for PARCC and wrapping their prep up utilizing mock

tests. Students will be practicing these mock tests on their tablets.

Teachers have focused their attention on standards and meeting

varied needs of students, so I am confident that Walker and the

entire District will continue to do well on this state exam. You are

welcome to contact your child’s teacher or me if you have any

questions or concerns about this assessment. As a reminder, the

PARCC test will be scheduled to begin April 5th for both our 5th and

6th graders. It will assess reading and math and will look a bit

different than last year. The test will incorporate three ELA

sessions/four math sessions for 5th grade and three ELA

sessions/three math sessions for 6th grade. Testing sessions will

range in length from about sixty-110 minutes.

Remember that our District’s SHEF event will be held on Sunday,

March 20th. The students attended an assembly rallying together

to support staff playing for this Battle Ball title! It was a fun

assembly watching our staff battle against each other and show

Upcoming Events

March 4

Social Media Presentation by

Det. Bonarek for Grade 5 & 6

SHHW AB World Cup Soccer

March 7

No School/Pulaski Day

March 10

D.A.R.E. Graduation

PAWmart

March 11

SHEF Pizza Day

March 15

No School/Election Day

March 18

National Action against

Bullying & Violence Day

March 19

SHHWAB – 3-on-3 Basketball

March 22

Spring Pictures in am

March 25-April 1

No School/Spring Break

(Classes Resume on April 4)

http://www.summithill.org/


off their skills. Hopefully you will be able to see for yourself what an

exciting event this will be! Buying a ticket will help raise funds for

our education foundation. SHEF has been responsible for giving

back hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants that enrich the

academic environment of all our 161 schools. They are a

wonderful group of people who volunteer their time to benefit our

students- please consider joining SHEF and supporting their

outstanding efforts!

Before we know it, it will be the end of third quarter and spring

break will be upon us. Although we are securely in the second half

of the year and assessment season is upon us, please continue to

help us promote a positive academic attitude with your child. We

have a variety of events happening this month some of which

include our upcoming Social Media Program (March 4), 5th grade

DARE graduation (March 10), The Lion King Drama Performance

(March 17-18), and Student Council Spirit Week (March 21-24).

Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow- that’s part of the

Walker Way! Thank you for your continued support!

Kindly,

Ms. Laura C. Goebel, Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’S PAGE – Mr. Hantson

Dear Parents & Students,

Everyone here at Walker is full steam ahead as we move into the

Spring season. There will definitely be a lot happening in March, but

one event that I am truly looking forward to is the DARE graduation.

Our 5th grade students have worked very hard all year with Officer

Adamski and on March 10th the students will be rewarded for all of

their hard work as we celebrate their success at the ceremony. In

addition to that, Walker student Patrick Isom, will be participating at

the Will County Regional Spelling Bee on March 3rd. If Patrick wins he

will move on to the National Bee in Washington D.C. Good luck!

Student safety is essential here at Walker and following bus behavior

expectations is very important so that the drivers can get the

students to and from school in a safe manner. Please be sure to

follow the Walker Way on the bus and be respectful by keeping

hands, feet and objects to yourself and following the driver’s

instructions. Be responsible by reporting problems to your driver and taking your belongings off the

Important

Announcement

SCO Treat Day, March 3

(chocolate-covered pretzels

from Kernel Sweet Tooth)

PBIS Popcorn March 24

SCO Hot Lunch, March 18

(Noodle & Co.-Mac and

Cheese, fruit snack, piece of

fresh fruit, bag of chips and

Icee frozen treat)

In the Community

Board of Education Meeting

@AC March 9 and March 23

SHEF

SHEF Battle Ball Event on

Saturday, March 20 @SHJH


bus. Also, let’s not forget to be safe by staying seated and out of the

aisles. Following bus procedures is necessary to keep everyone safe.

Let’s keep this momentum rolling into Spring Break and as the

weather gets nicer out before you go out and have fun get your

homework done.

Remember to always follow the Walker Way because every day is a

great day to be a WILDCAT!

Thanks for all you do.

Mr. Don Hantson, Assistant Principal

IMPORTANT NEWS…

Remember if you need to contact any of our staff, please email

them using the first letter in their first name and full last name

[email protected]

Spelling Bee

On Thursday, January 28, students from Hilda Walker Intermediate

School participated in the Summit Hill 161 District Spelling Bee. The

Spelling Bee was held at Summit hill Junior High and featured the top

spellers from grades 5 through 8. After a great display of intelligence

by all of the competitors, Walker student Patrick Isom was declared

the winner! Patrick will move on to compete in the Will County

Regional Spelling Bee in March. Congratulations to all of the Walker

students, Tarrah Mottley, Katarina Wojick, Kyle Cavitt, Michaela Buck,

and Jillian Mills, who participated in the District Bee.

Illinois Grade School Music Association Contest

On Saturday, February 13th, about 250 of our Hilda Walker &

Summit Hill Jr. High Band, Orchestra, and Choir students participated

in the annual Illinois Grade School Music Association contest. They

were joined by about 1500 other students from many different local

area school bands, orchestra, and choir programs. The contest was

hosted by band directors Jason Collins and Scott Wagstaff here at

Hilda Walker. All students performed solos and/or small ensembles.

Each performance was heard by a judge who awarded the

Progress Reports/

Report Cards

Quarter Three: 4/8

Quarter Four: 5/2, Last

day of school

*Check PowerSchool

weekly for updated

student grades as well as

teacher websites at

www.summithill.org

A Good Idea…….

Some students need to call

home from time to time: A

good idea would be to jot

down parent’s cell phone

numbers and work numbers

on a note card. The card

can be placed in a small

zipper area of your student’s

back pack and will be

readily available to them

when needed.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.summithill.org/


performance with either a first place, second place, or third place rating. All District 161 students

received either first or second place medals. We applaud all of these students for their extra efforts

and outstanding achievements. Congratulations to all participants!

Lane Williams and Kyle Hankosky’s Duet

PREVENTING BACKPACK INJURIES

Experts warn that overloaded backpacks often result in back injuries among children.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) advises parents and caregivers to pay

close attention to children's posture and not wait for them to complain about back pain before

lightening their load.

Backpack injuries are commonly caused by wearing overloaded backpacks, as well as lifting and

carrying them incorrectly. Parents and teachers should guide kids to take preventative measures.

The academy suggested several additional ways to help children avoid pain and discomfort from

wearing a backpack:

Use both shoulder straps to evenly distribute the weight of the backpack.

Tighten the straps and use a waist strap if available.

Place the biggest items in the backpack closest to the back, but remove anything that is too

heavy.

Bend at the knees and use the legs when picking up a backpack.

Only carry essential items in the backpack. Leave extra books at home or school whenever

possible.

Do not leave backpacks in aisles or walkways to avoid falls.

Parents and caregivers should encourage children to speak up about any pain or discomfort

they feel while wearing their backpack, particularly numbness or tingling in the arms or legs.

Children should only wear backpacks that are appropriate for their size.

Parents and caregivers should be aware of any posture changes in their child or red marks on

their shoulders from wearing their backpack.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/kids-health/school-aged-children.aspx

http://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/back-pain/index.aspx

http://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/index.aspx


Video Club

With only one more scheduled meeting left, the Walker Video Club will put the finishing touches on

the Walker Orientation Video. There have been many pieces to the puzzle and everyone has done

their best to bring the production to life.

Computer Club

The 5th and 6th grade Computer Club concluded their sessions by working on

Soundation. Soundation is an online audio studio where students can create music. The creative

imagination is endless with the amount of sounds, effects, and instruments available on

Soundation. Students layered tracks to create their own musical master piece. Thank You to

everyone who participated this year.

PBIS

PBIS Nacho day was on the February 25th. PAWmart will be on March 10th! PBIS Popcorn day will be

on March 24th.

We will have a Quarter 3 PBIS Celebration on Wednesday, March 23rd. Students will be having a

celebration with their Team. Each room will have a different reward time.

Drama Club

It’s almost time for the Hilda Walker Drama Club to perform our spring musical, The Lion King! Our

cast and crew of over 65 students have been working since January to put together an amazing

production. Some favorite familiar songs from the Disney film, along with new songs from the hit

Broadway Musical, will be showcased by our amazingly talented cast of 5th and 6th grade students!

Tickets for the production will be $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Tickets will be available

at the door. The production will run March 17th and 18th at 7:00pm in the Walker School gym! We

look forward to seeing you there!

Track

The Walker Track Team will soon be starting!! Be on the lookout for permission forms,

announcements, and check out Mr. Acevedo’s web page. Track is a great opportunity for athletes

of any sport or anyone that has never participated in an organized sport. Challenge yourself and

join the Hilda Walker Track Team!


Safety Patrol

The Hilda Walker Safety Awareness Team is busy working on two projects. The team has decided to

make games, crossword puzzles, and word searches using the various themes related to safety.

Once the project is completed they will be taking their products to one of the elementary schools

to use on days that they have indoor recess.

The second project is called “GOT THE DOT.” This program is sponsored by the Illinois Department of

Transportation and could save your life or any member of the family. This is a statewide initiative

designed to provide vital medical information on vehicle drivers or passengers to not only first

responders, but hospital personal immediately following a serious crash. This program involves filling

out an informational card on each member of the family, placing the information in the glove

compartment, and placing a dot on the rear-facing window on the driver’s side. Students will be

available at the Spring Play to hand out available packets and if not enough packets are available

they will take orders to send home at a later date. If you are not able to attend the play, but would

like a packet please send a note with your student to their homeroom teacher asking for a packet

to be sent home.


Team Ohio State University Mrs. Amy Bednarz, Mr. Michael Doody, Mrs. Colleen Maranto, & Mrs. Nicole Rafa

Team Ohio State has been working hard to review our PBIS goals. We are proud to announce that

the students earned a game day because of their positive behavior. Everyone had a great time!

Students also took the time to research George Washington and list numerous facts about his life.

These facts were put on hearts that are on display outside of the gym so all of Hilda Walker can learn

about him as we celebrated President’s Day.

Students have been working hard getting ready for the upcoming PARCC Test by adding,

subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals. Once they have finished decimals, we will be

moving on to fractions.

In addition to working hard in math, students are continuing to learn about our forefathers and how

they set up our great country. Students have been learning about the U.S. Constitution and why our

political parties were formed. Students are encouraged to tune in to coverage of the current

presidential election.

In science, students are learning about our solar system or our body systems. Students studying our

solar system will be creating a new constellation and telling a story of why it came about.

Team Ohio State Second Quarter Junior Buckeye Recipients


News from Team Alabama

Mrs. Chikerotis, Mrs. Gallagher, Mr. Klosak,

Mrs. Milazzo, and Mrs. Pelkowski

Team Alabama continues to work hard as we have successfully made it to the third quarter of the

school year! February was a busy month in the classroom but also a month filled with great memories

made at the George Washington assembly from Face to Face Productions. Fifth graders were able

to enjoy a musical performance that followed the life of George Washington. It was amazing how

well the performance paralleled what the students have been learning in Social Studies.

In Science, the students have just begun studying cells and the body systems. Many of the students

completed a lab where they tried to recreate the digestion system. Students are also working in their

technology class to create a body systems PowerPoint that correlates with the science unit. It is so

fun to see the students so excited to learn something new. Go Team Alabama!


TEAM ISU Mrs. Boudreau, Mrs. Cramer, Mrs. Davault, Mrs. Schaefer, Mrs. Stokoski, Mrs. Zitkus

Team ISU, along with all fifth grade classes, had the awesome opportunity to view a live program

titled “George Washington’s Follies” presented by Face-to-Face Productions. This program went

along perfectly with our Social Studies curriculum, which excited the students even more! This

presentation was set on April 30th, 1789. It was Inauguration Day for the first President of the United

States, Mr. George Washington. He was nervous about his new role as President and was extremely

tired from being up all night worrying about his new job. He dosed off and was visited by King

Charlemagne, Cleopatra, and Confucius in his dream. Each of these individuals shared their

thoughts and feelings about leadership with George. With their help, George had a better

understanding on how to lead the nation ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people.’ This

was a fantastic presentation! The students, as well as the staff, thoroughly enjoyed every minute of

it!

.

The students of Team ISU are working diligently on showing their PBIS behaviors daily in order to have

a chance at earning a free pass to Odyssey Fun World. The students are very excited to earn their

pass! Special thanks to Odyssey Fun World for their generous donation to our PBIS program! We really

appreciate it!


Notre Dame Team

Mrs. Sajewich, Mrs. Mc Farland, Ms. Mittelstadt, Mrs. Dermody and Mrs. Dempsey

Mrs. Sajewich’s/Mrs. Mc Farland Reading/Language Arts Classes

In ELA, students are continuing to read Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief. We are aligning the

novel to many myths and finding key elements of mythology to make connections between texts.

We are also working on ‘Theme’. We will be finishing up the novel and watching the movie for

comparison. Students will then write a persuasive letter to the movie director. They will get an

opportunity to express their concerns at all the differences found in the movie.

In Summit, ELA students have completed the novel, The Giver. They are presenting character

interviews. Our next novel is The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. This is the first book in the trilogy.

Our focus is on dark vs. light during this new novel.

Ms. Mittelstadt’s Math Class

In Math, the students have been learning about proportions. They have been using proportions to

find distances on maps. They have also been using proportions to convert measurements. The next

module focuses on percents. Please continue to practice multiplication facts!

In Summit Math, the students have been working on geometry. The students completed a scale

drawing project. They learned about cross sections of three-dimensional figures. The students have

also been measuring angles, drawing triangles, and learning about angle relationships such as

supplementary angles and complementary angles. The next geometry module focuses on

circumference, area, and volume.

Mrs. Dermody’s Social Studies Class

The students just finished up creating posters recruiting others to join Sparta or Athens. We are now

focusing on the culture of the ancient Greeks as expressed in their religion, literature, and art. The

students will learn about Greek Mythology, poetry and different fables that taught Greek values.


Mrs. Dempsey’s Science Class

In Science, the students are currently working on fossils and the geologic time scale, which has

allowed them to see what has occurred on Earth over the past 4.6 billion years. Once we have

finished those topics, the students will learn about plate tectonics and how movement under the

Earth’s crust causes natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanoes. From there we will begin

to look and weather and the different patterns that occur across the continents. Continue to review

vocabulary and material with students throughout the chapter as they prepare for assessments.


Team University of Michigan

Mrs. Anita Becker, Mrs. Tracy Decesare, Ms. Marianne Hourihan, Mrs. Dawn Krueger,

Mrs. Jen Medendorp & Mrs. Tucker

Mrs. Becker and Ms. Hourihan’s Reading and Language Arts Classes

Team Michigan’s Language Arts students will be working hard on argumentative writing. Students

have explored parts of an argument essay which include: claim, reasons, data, counterclaim, and

a rebuttal. After reading three pieces of text, students learned how to support a claim with logical

reasons, relevant evidence, and demonstrate an understanding of the topic. Students completed

a unit on Pronouns. Students will continue to study Greek and Latin prefixes and work on Daily Oral

Language skills.

In Reading students are finishing the novel Lightning Thief. Students continued to practice how to

align two texts and explain the relationship between the texts. Triad groups have been making

connections between the key elements of mythology and the current novel. To conclude our novel,

we will be watching the movie Lightning Thief (rated PG). As a class, we will be comparing and

contrasting the differences between the film and the novel (CCSS RL 6.7). A permission slip will go

home and will need to be signed to watch the movie. Ms. Hourihan’s Class will be starting online

research for a Greek God Project.

Mrs. DeCesare’s Math Classes

This month students will be starting Module 8: Percents. We will start with understanding percent

and move to solving percent problems. As a culminating project, students will do an activity where

they will “pretend” they are going to a restaurant for a family. They will get a budget to spend, but

within their budget, they will have to calculate tip and sales tax. If anyone has extra menus laying

around, we could use them in class for this activity. Thank you.


Mrs. Medendorp’s Science Classes

In science, students are exploring how different forces shape our planet. The forces of compression

and tension are responsible for many of the geologic features on the surface of our planet. These

forces are created from plate movement, and the forces of compression and tension create the

tallest mountains on Earth, the deepest ocean trenches at the bottom of the sea, and enormous rift

valleys on land. Students will identify many different geologic formations and connect the

formation back to the specific geologic force. The students will then shift their focus to how

weathering can affect the landscape of our planet.

Mrs. Krueger’s Social Studies Classes

Our study of Ancient Greece is coming to an end. We recently started the last section of this unit.

In this section, students will learn all about the culture of Ancient Greeks as expressed in their

religion, literature, and art. Some various topics of discussion will be mythology, poetry & fables, the

Trojan War, Greek drama (tragedies and comedies), and architecture. While reading, students will

make connections to how Ancient Greeks have influenced writers and architects today. Once we

have finished with our unit on Greece, we will begin the unit on Ancient Rome.

Team Michigan Student of the Month: February


Team University of Illinois

Mrs. Lauren Driscoll, Mrs. Leah Fischer, Mrs. Kelly Higgins, Mrs. Tammy Johnson, & Mrs. Julie Nance

Social Studies—Mrs. Driscoll

We will be continuing our study of Ancient Greece. Students will be learning about the culture of

ancient Greeks including, Greek poetry, drama, art, architecture, and mythology. Students will be

able to connect to their understanding of Greek Gods from their novel, Percy Jackson: The Lightning

Thief. We will be simulating an architectural dig and discovering ancient city-states Sparta, Athens,

or Troy. In addition, students will also complete a mini-research activity comparing Greek

architecture to architecture today.

Science—Mrs. Fischer

Throughout the next month, Mrs. Fischer’s science classes will be diving into the unknown parts of

our Earth. The students will be learning about tectonic plates and Earth’s crust. As we move further

into Chapter 4, we will be learning about how the Earth has been shaped by the movement of our

continents and ocean floor.

ELA—Mrs. Higgins

Throughout our novel, Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief, students have had the

opportunity to read many different myths about different Gods and Goddesses

mentioned throughout the story. All myths have key elements that are typical or

common. These repeated elements include symbols, themes, patterns, and

characters. Students are continuing to learn how to analyze literary and

informational text using these myths to the key elements of mythology. Did you know

according to Greek mythology we have the seasons because Demeter is sad during the winter

months because her daughter Persephone is in the Underworld and she won’t let anything grow?

Did you know according to Greek mythology we have spiders because of the Goddess Athena?

Did you know that Cronus ate all of his children? Did you know that the goddess Athena was born

full grown out of Zeus’s head? These are just a few fun things we have learned aligning Greek

mythology with Percy Jackson.


Should texting and driving be banned in all 50 states? Students will be sending their argumentative

essays about texting and driving to the White House. We have spent the last few weeks finding data

and explaining how we feel about the topic of texting and driving. Students have learned how to

organize an argumentative essay that includes a claim, data, and in-text citations.

ELA—Mrs. Johnson

The students just finished reading The Lightning Thief. While told in a humorous tone and cast as a

fantasy adventure, The Lightning Thief explores serious issues that are highly relevant to the young

reader. Percy is a young man whose learning disabilities and family problems have given him a

negative self-image. He is self-conscious and needs acceptance. At the same time, he is fiercely

loyal to his friends and his mother, and has a strong sense of justice and fair play. When he finds out

his father’s true identity, Percy must redefine who he is.

We covered the following issues/questions while reading the novel:

1. What can one individual do to benefit an entire civilization?

2. What is “Western Civilization” and have its central principles changed since its origins in

Classical Greece?

3. What is the nature of a family, and what are the duties and responsibilities of a parent and a

child?

4. What is the definition of a hero?

5. Is one’s destiny predicted, or can one overcome?

6. What qualities make a true friend?

7. Does classical mythology still have a role to serve in modern society?

In English, students are working on an outline for their argumentative essay. They will use this outline

to complete a 5 paragraph essay on texting and driving.

Mrs. Nance’s Math Classes

This month students will be starting Module 8: Percents. We will start with understanding percent

and move to solving percent problems. As a culminating project, students will do an activity where

they will “pretend” they are going to a restaurant for a family. They will get a budget to spend, but

within their budget, they will have to calculate tip and sales tax. If anyone has extra menus laying

around, we could use them in class for this activity. Thank you.


P.E. Team

The past four weeks in PE have really SET us up for success!! The month of January ended with a

weeklong dance unit. Our students were taught the importance of understanding a rhythmic

sequence within music, and how to coordinate different body movements or exercises to those

sequences. They were able to identify movement patterns and implement them with our various

dances. The dance unit ended with a glow in the dark dance party where the students could

perform all of the dances taught to them throughout the week with glow sticks and fun light up

props. We had a blast! Following our dance unit was volleyball. We spent the first two weeks of

volleyball practicing the skills of the forearm pass, and the serve. We taught the importance of

getting under the ball, squatting while in an athletic stance, and making contact with flat arms.

After days of practicing the forearm pass and the serve, our students became quite skilled and

showed that they were ready to move on to mini games. We have spent the last two weeks

helping the students use the volleyball skills we have taught to them within our mini games. They

have done a great job!

While the gym has been rocking and rolling with volleyball our fitness center was focused on

speed and agility. Our students learned the importance of training with an agility ladder. We

taught them that it helps with eye and foot coordination, injury prevention, and boosts our

cardiovascular health. They did a good job learning beginner, intermediate, and advanced

ladder workouts!

Lastly, with the assistance of Bill Nye the Science Guy, our students learned about the heart. Our

students watched a video that covered the importance of keeping our heart healthy, and how

our cardiovascular system allows our bodies to move blood to our muscles. We had our students fill

out a worksheet that went along with our educational movie. It was a unique and fun way to look

at just how important our heart is!

Thank you for reading. Stay fit!

-Hilda Walker PE Staff


March Art News

Mrs. McCarthy-Weglewski

Art to Remember

Our school, in conjunction with Art to Remember, is offering a program that reproduces your child’s

personal artwork onto a variety of colorful products. Some include: magnets, key chains, quilt blocks,

beverage insulators, matted prints wall calendars, bookmarks, ceramic mugs, sports towels, mouse

pads, heart ceramic ornaments, journals, art sketchbooks, placemats, CD cases, stainless steel travel

mugs, pillows, teddy bears with T-shirts, tote bags, ceramic tiles, aprons, and T-shirts.

Your child will create artwork following the art class curriculum. Order forms will go out in March.

You will have the opportunity to purchase a variety of products featuring your child’s artwork. You

are under no obligation to purchase. However, we believe you will be excited by these unique

personal keepsakes and a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Hilda Walker Art Program. They

make great gifts for family and friends. We are excited to share this unique art program to promote

your child’s art!

Walker Art Club

Art Club meets on Thursdays for 5th Grade or on Tuesdays for 6th in either the Science Lab or the Art

Room. Please listen to announcements at school on the day of art club for the materials that you

will need to bring to class that day. We will be experimenting with different materials and techniques

each time we meet so that you can experience the various aspects that the art has to offer.

Art Club is after school until 3:55 PM. Students can arrange for a ride with parents in the front of the

school. Thank you in advance for your help in this matter.

5th Grade Art Club will meet on Thursdays this year from December 3rd-February 8th.

6th Grade Art Club will meet on Tuesdays this year from December 1st- February 16th.


Art Club has been working on Woodsies. The students first created creatures out of different

wooden shapes and now they are painting them before adding features.

Left to Right-Izabella Miranda, Karlie Dillon, Esther Spreadbury, Alyssa Swiech, and Ellie Pipikios.

Second Picture Left to Right- Nathan Loera, Justin Miller, Ivie Sidler, and Olivia Burghard.


Technology Times

Word(s) of the Week- tab, crop, format, accuracy, browser, graphic, link, URL,

resources and bibliography

5th Grade Technology

In technology class,

the 5th grade students

are working hard on

finishing up their Power

Point presentations.

The children have

learned new skills such

as adding new slides,

changing the design,

manipulating the

colors, playing with

different fonts, inserting

pictures, adding

transitions and

animations, and a few

other tasks along the

way. The students have

done a great job and

put a lot of creativity

into his or her work. The

projects are saved to

their flash drives, and

are able to be viewed

at home!

6th Grade Technology

6th graders have been

finishing up lessons on

bibliographies and

citations. Next, we are

learning the basic

functions of Microsoft

Excel! Students will be

starting off by creating

a grocery shopping list

and then learning how

to use commands,

within the program, to

perform simple functions

such as addition and

multiplication.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCPHEk9nPiMgCFUuAkgodp7EBUw&url=http://msroziertech.weebly.com/&psig=AFQjCNGrPpsB4_0iPJiZXDpLQ06wL-UeZA&ust=1442941844055968


Reading Strategy of the Month

Ms. O’Dell and Mrs. Stupay, Reading Specialists

Read to your Children – One of the most important things you can do for your reader is to read to

him or her. Read things that they are interested in and things for just pure enjoyment. Stop and

talk about what you have just read – you thought it was funny; you liked the way the author said

something, etc. Talk about any part of the story or writing that you want.

Point out different aspects of the text like: see how the pictures help tell the story, did you hear all

those rhyming words, what do you think will happen next, look at all the lines that repeat, see how

long that word is, we already know a lot about this story because of something else we’ve read or

heard about, etc.

Remember, as a significant adult in your reader’s life, your uses of reading and writing for real

purposes, including enjoyment and information, are powerful demonstrations you can give. Just

as your child learned about speaking from your demonstrations, he or she will learn about reading

through your modeling of it.

Math Strategy of the Month

Jennifer Matos, Math Interventionist

Help your child master their math facts

One of the biggest obstacles students face when trying to solve a math problem is not knowing their

basic math facts. This can really slow the student down and hinder them, even causing them to get

an incorrect answer if they don’t know their facts. There is a simple solution to this problem. There

are many apps for tablets and phones that parents can download and have their child practice 5

or 10 minutes a day. They can be done while driving in the car, while waiting for dinner to be made,

or even before your child can have free time after their homework is completed. If a phone or

tablet is not available, flashcards can be bought at the dollar store or even made at home for no

cost. If you want your child to have an easier time with math, have him or her master their math

facts!


PPS Team – Mrs. Linke, Mrs. Rybczynski and Ms. Collins

Helping Your Child Overcome Test Anxiety

Providing students with tools and strategies that build both emotional skills and healthy physical habits

when preparing for a test can help them overcome test anxiety and the associated symptoms, while

improving their ability to prepare for and perform on critical testing. It is important to help students identify

what they are feeling and give them tools that will help them learn to manage emotions such as anxiety,

self-doubt, anger or frustration. The proper physical habits enable students to have enough energy and

stamina for their brain to do its job of thinking and analyzing for a sustained period of time.

Share these tips with your children ahead of time to better prepare them emotionally and physically for

test taking.

PRACTICE THE NEUTRAL TOOL: When you have negative feelings about whether you will do well on

the test, practice the neutral tool. It’s important to catch negative mind loops that reinforce

self-doubt. Every time you catch a negative thought repeating itself, stop the loop and

practice going to neutral. Start by focusing on the area around your heart. This helps to take

the focus off the mind loop. Then breathe deeply. Breathe as if your breath is flowing in and

out through the center of your chest. Breathe quietly and naturally, four-five seconds on the in-

breath, and four-five seconds on the out-breath. While you’re breathing, try and find an

attitude of calmness about the situation. Do this in the days leading up to the test, right before

and during the test.


ADDRESS THE WHAT-IF QUESTIONS: A lot of times before we have to do something like take a test,

much of the anxiety we feel is a build-up from negative “what-if’” thoughts. What if I fail, what

if I can’t remember anything, or what if I run out of time. Try writing a what-if question that is

positive and can help you take the big deal out of the situation and begin to see things in a

different way. Examples of these kinds of questions are, “What if I can remember more than I

think I can?” “What if I can feel calmer than I think I can?”

THINK GOOD THOUGHTS: Science is showing that good feelings like appreciation can actually help

your brain work better. When you feel nervous or anxious, try this. You can do it as many times

as you need to or want to. Remember something that makes you feel good. Maybe it is your

pet or how you felt when you got a big hug from your mom, or how you felt after a super fun

day at the amusement park with your friends. After you remember how you felt, hold that

feeling. Pretend you are holding it in your heart. Let yourself feel that feeling for 10-20 seconds

or more. Practice this tool right before the big test.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP: Big tests require a lot of energy and stamina to be able to focus for several

hours. Make sure you get at least eight-10 hours of sleep the night before the test.

EAT A HEARTY BREAKFAST: The brain needs a lot of energy to maintain focus on a big test for

several hours. Eat a hearty and healthy breakfast, including complex carbohydrates and

protein to make your energy last as long as possible.

This material has been provided by the Institute of HeartMath, a nonprofit research and education organization specializing in research on how

stress and emotions impact learning and performance. www.heartmath.org.

http://www.heartmath.org/


EXPECT RESPECT … Be respectful, Be Responsible, & Be Safe, The Walker Way!

The sixth National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is the being held on Friday, March

18 and will be one of a few breakout sessions from our March 4 Social Media Program. Hilda

Walker students and staff will be participating in lessons geared towards understanding the true

meaning of bullying and how it can effect daily lives.

Staff will guide students to answer the following inquiry questions in order to scaffold a

collaborative discussion with students as a whole class or in small groups:

1. What do we mean by a respectful relationship within a community/group?

2. How do we build respect within communities?

3. What might happen if you choose to be a passive bystander?

4. What do we mean by power in relationships?

5. What do we mean by a power structure within a classroom (or peer group)?

6. What do we mean by misuse of power?

These inquiry questions are designed to encourage students to think deeply about many issues

surrounding the concept of bullying. Students will most likely come up with a variety of responses

which should always have a reason that will allow for ongoing discussion.

Staff will be able to use probing questions to deepen the students’ line of inquiry. These probing

questions will be based on student response and will allow students to thing about alternative

perspectives.

At the end of each breakout session, students will be able to reflect on their learning. They will

focus on how they can apply these new experiences to their relationships at school with peers and

beyond school at outside social events.

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