10.18.19

Hello Hoover Rockets,

Thank you for attending Parent Teacher Conferences this week.  We appreciate your time and commitment to teaming with our staff to improve our Hoover Rocket's academic performance.

Fire Safety
Last week our first graders learned about Fire Safety from Livonia Fireman Tim Eskin.  They learned that Firemen are helpful and not scary even when wearing all of their equipment.

Rocket Pad/Acts of Kindness

It was a successful first day at the Rocket Pad (School Store).  We pulled our first 15 tickets winners on Monday and they won a gift card to the store.  Every Monday we will pick more winners!  Keep up all the acts of kindness.  The Rocket Pad will be open on Mondays for 1st and 2nd grade shoppers and on Wednesday for 3rd and 4th grade shoppers.  

 Book Fair
Thank you for stopping by the Book Fair to support our library.  We will still be open on Monday during lunch and first recess.


Hiring Noon Monitors
We are looking for kind, compassionate, reliable, and fun parents to work as a noon monitor. We have part time positions (2-3 days) available. Noon monitors spend 30 minutes outside with students supervising the playground and 20 minutes in the lunchroom. Please contact either Mrs. Holmes or Mrs. Linn for more information.

Normal Conflict verses Bullying Behavior

October is Bullying Prevention Month. Developmentally children in elementary are learning a lot about social interactions and relationships. It is normal for conflict to arise as they share a classroom with their peers and a playground with many more children. We find the chart below very helpful in determining whether a situation might be a normal conflict or more serious.

Normal Conflict	Bullying Behavior
Happens once in a while	Is repeated behavior
Not planned – happens when someone is upset	Planned or on purpose
Both people are upset	Person being bullied is more upset than the bully
Both children try to work out their problem	The bully does not want to work things out, they want control

Unfortunately, in our technology driving world, children are actually playing less and less. This is causing some social delays in their development. Learning to compromise, negotiate, apologize, and communicate all takes practice. Finding time to arrange play dates and social experiences will greatly benefit your children.

When issues are brought to our attention, we do meet with the students to help them resolve and learn from the situation. We often call parents to include them in the process and make them part of the team. Thanks for working together to make our kids great!

Who:    Kindergarten-4th graders
What:   Hands-on STEM activities
When:   November 23, 2019  1:00-4:00 pm
             Check-in 12:30-1:00 pm
Where: MSU Engineering Building & Anthony Hall

Why:   To have fun learning about Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math!

Registration is required and students must be chaperoned. 

Chaperones may bring up to three students.

Registration deadline is November 8, 2019

OR until maximum capacity is reached.

Register at:  https://www.egr.msu.edu/wie/k-12/programs-outreach

Register Online at:

Questions? Contact us at wie-outreach@egr.msu.edu or 517-432-1273

Sponsored by: Fisher Scientific, Sparrow Health System, Eaton, MSU IT Services

Student Check-Out

Please remember that a parent must come into the office to sign-out his/her student for appointments or early exit. The office will then call down for the student, and the child leaves the office with his/her parent. Children cannot be dismissed directly from the classroom, lunchroom, or the playground to the parent.

We must have record of the adult picking up the child and be able to provide visual recognition of this adult, or check the identification of another adult who has been sent in the parent’s place. Please know that some of our staff who are new to Hoover may not recognize you and may ask for ID—this is for your child’s safety and well being. Thank
you for cooperating with this important procedure.

Going Home
Going home with another Student. Many of our students enjoy planning play dates with friends after school. If you have given permission for your child to go to a friend’s house after school, a NOTE from the parent of EACH student involved MUST be sent to school. The written
note documents permission and ensures safety without confusion. Also, when a bus is involved, the office is required to have students give the
bus driver a Guest Bus Pass.

HOOT & HOWL
It's almost Halloween time Hoover Rockets! Our annual HOOT & HOWL event is sneaking up soon (10/25 6-8), so plan to join us for a spooktacular night of fun. Everyone is welcome to dress up in costume. We kindly request no masks or weapons please. There will be guessing games, Halloween games, prizes, face painting, tattoo station, haunted obstacle course, music, dancing and Dan The Creature Man for some creepy crawly fun! Dinner will be available for purchase. Complimentary cider & donuts will be served later in the evening while we announce the winners of the guessing games.
Canned Food Drive
***The Girl Scouts will also be doing their annual "Cans For Candy" collection for the Livonia Goodfellows charity. Bring canned goods and receive a candy treat at the door.***

Thursday, October 24th is Picture Retake Day.  Students who need picture retakes should bring in their picture envelopes on Thursday, October 24th and they will get their picture taken.

I wanted to introduce myself and let you know a little about me.  I attended Western Michigan University where I received my bachelors in Elementary Education.  From there I went on to earn my Masters degree from Marygrove College in Detroit.  This will be my 25th year in Livonia teaching second through fifth grades and I am really excited to be working in 4th grade this year at Hoover.  I live in Monroe with my husband John and two children Nieko (12th grade) and Colleen (10th grade) and our Goldendoodle Stella.  Our family stays busy with extracurricular activities including friends, school, sports and of course homework!

HOOT & HOWL FRIDAY, October 25^th 6:00-8:00 pm:  It’s almost Halloween time Hoover Rockets!  Our annual HOOT & HOWL event is sneaking up soon so plan to join us for a spooktacular night of fun.   Everyone is welcome to dress up in costume.  We kindly request no masks or (toy) weapons please.  There will be guessing games, Halloween games, prizes, face painting, tattoo station, haunted obstacle course, music, dancing and Dan The Creature Man for some creepy crawly fun!  Dinner will be available for purchase, and Dan The Kona Man will be selling his flavored freezies.  Complimentary cider & donuts will be served later in the evening while we announce the winners of the guessing games.  

The Girl Scouts will also be doing their annual “Cans For Candy” collection for the Livonia Goodfellows charity.   Bring canned goods and receive a bag of candy at the door.    

If you would like to volunteer your time or make a donation to the event, here is the sign-up genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f48acae2ba7f49-hoover4

NATIONAL PTA REFLECTIONS CONTEST: Calling All Artists! Is your Hoover Rocket a visual artist, photographer, write, dancer, musician, or film maker? Then keep reading because the PTA has a program for them! Students make projects that are inspired by a theme. This year's theme is "Look Within”.  They can make a project in as many categories as they want. It is free to enter!  LPTSA will judge all the entries from Livonia Public Schools. They will choose four winners in each age range and category. Then they send those winners on to be judged at the state level. Top winners at the state level go on to national judging. Information and student entry forms went home this week. The deadline to turn in projects is November 15, 2019. The Reflections Ceremony will be held on January 30, 2020 at Stevenson High School in the Performing Arts Center.  All of the Livonia Public Schools entries will be on display. Please contact our Hoover PTA Reflections Chair, Christina Testa, Christina.testa.80@gmail.com    A flyer recently went home in backpack mail.

PALS (Parents At Lunch) You can sign up to come in the lunch room and help students open items in their lunch so they have more time to eat. Click on the link and select the days that you are available. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C49AFAB29A7FD0-pals2

Welcome Table If you would like to greet students in the morning and help with the late arrivals please click on this link and select the days that are available:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f094caaad22aaf94-hoover1

10/22 Flak and Harris Field Trip to Matthaei
10/24 Picture Retake Day
10/25 Peer and Vince Field Trip to Matthaei
10/25 Hoot N'Howl 6-8:00 p.m.
10/31 Halloween Parties, Stevenson Marching Band Assembly
11/4 Zap Zone Fundraiser
11/5 No School Professional Development Day, California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser
11/11 & 11/13 4th Grade Field Trip to Creature Conservancy
11/12 PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m.
11/15 Spirit Day UM/MSU, Reflection Projects Due
11/27-11/29 No School Thanksgiving Break
11/29-12/15 Five Below Fundraiser

10.11.19

Hello Hoover Rockets,

We are looking forward to sharing your child’s progress next week. Parent teacher conferences will be taking place October 16-18th. If you are unable to make your scheduled conference day and time, please contact Mrs. Holmes in the office for assistance. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Conferences!

 The following guidelines were developed to help parents have successful conferences. I hope a few of these hints will be helpful to you:

*Decide in advance the questions you want to ask the teacher. It's a good idea to jot them down. Pinpoint specific situations and avoid generalities.

*Ask your child if there is anything she/he would like you to discuss with the teacher.

*Be ready to tell the teacher what she needs to know. Teachers are not prying when they ask about your child's health, hobbies, homework habits, or feelings about school. Knowing these things will be helpful in her teaching approach to your child.

* If you're concerned about something you have heard, or something your child has told you about school, keep an open mind until you hear the facts.

* Ask how you can work together with the teacher to meet your child’s needs.

* Take notes during the conference and review them when you get home. Start right away on the action steps you and the teacher agreed upon.

The conference doesn't end here. You have the right to know, at any time, about your child's progress. A telephone call to your child's teacher, will allow you to set up an appointment at a time convenient to both of you. Teachers value the interest and opinions of parents.

We look forward to seeing you at parent-teacher conferences and I hope you will feel free to stop in and visit with me.

Rocket Pad-School Store

It is with great excitement that we are happy to announce that The Hoover School Store, The Rocket Pad opens on Monday.  This year, the students on the Hoover Leadership Team will be working at the store and helping customers with their purchases.  The store sells everything from pencils to glue sticks and look for special surprises during the holiday seasons.  The Rocket Pad will be open on Mondays only this year.  Items range in price from a nickel to three dollars.  Gift cards are also available in fifty cents and $1.00 denominations.

Climate Character Trait for November BE KIND - This month, we will be focusing on acts of kindness. Students could share pencils, provide care when friends are injured, walk peers to the office, open milk containers for younger students or help classmates zip coats.

Canned Food Drive

Hoover Girl Scouts are collecting food for the Livonia Goodfellows.  The Goodfellows have been helping Livonia families since 1936 and are completely run by volunteers.  This drive will support their “No Child without a Christmas” campaign.  All food goes to area families.  Please bring non-perishable can or boxed food.  There will be boxes in the lobby and in each hallway.  They will be collected through November 15^th.  Your support is greatly appreciated!

Helping Hearts
Unfortunately, the economy has presented challenges for many of our families. Please know there are agencies in the area that offer holiday assistance. While it may seem early many of these programs are already accepting applications. I do have applications available but if you prefer to contact them directly their information is listed below. Additionally, Hoover Elementary has the Helping Hearts Fund which is used to support our families in a time of need. Any information shared will remain confidential. We care deeply about our families and respecting their privacy. For more information, please contact Jan Bice at 734/744-2730 ext. 20120, Livonia Goodfellows 313-438-0862, Salvation Army 313-563-4457 or Toys for Tots Linda Rankin at 248-777-0510.

Halloween

We will be having Halloween parties at Hoover but not a parade. Students can bring in their costume and change for the party or they could wear “Halloween Spirit clothes” such as orange and black or shirts with the word “boo” written on them. The teachers will be communicating with you what time the Halloween parties will begin. 

PS….As you are picking out those awesome costumes, please note that masks, weapons, blood, etc… are not allowed for the party or Hoot N Howl.  Thank you.

Picture Retakes
Picture Retakes will be Thursday, October 24th in the morning.  Please send in your child's picture envelope on October 24th and we will have their picture taken again.

Caring Community
Mrs. Holmes will be returning to Hoover on Monday morning.  Her husband George Holmes passed away after fighting a long battle with cancer.  She appreciates all the support and love that our Hoover Community has given her during these difficult times.  Thank you to Mrs. Gregg, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Papich for all the extra help in the office.  Hoover is truly a caring community!

Hello! My name is Emily Gage and I am one of the new 1^st grade teachers this year! This will be my 4th year of teaching and my first year here at Hoover! I received my undergraduate degree from Columbia College Chicago in Early Childhood Education and a minor in dance. Following graduation, I moved back to Michigan and began my career in Detroit. I spent my first three years of teaching between first and second grade.  I am currently working towards my Masters in Literacy at Madonna University. I am so excited to be a part of the Hoover Rocket Family!

When I am not at school, you can find me teaching dance, training for my upcoming half marathon, and spending time with my husband and our one and a half year old black lab mix Maizey! We spent the summer traveling around Northern Michigan and went abroad to Mexico; traveling is one of our favorite hobbies! During the fall, you will find us spending our Saturdays in Ann Arbor cheering on our Wolverines…Go Blue! I am looking forward to an amazing school year!

WALK-A-THON - Totals are in and $13,105.26 was raised for Hoover!  We met our goal and there will be a dunk tank on Field Day.  Way to go Rockets!!  Certificates will be awarded to all Hoover Rockets for their participation. In addition, the top earning classroom will each receive a $100 to spend as they choose, the highest earning student will receive a small gift and lunch with a staff member of their choice, and the top earning classroom at Hoover will get a class party.  

Here are the results:

Winning Classes by Grade Level

KG  Poteracki $1,141.24 TOP EARNING CLASS

1st  Grade Neville $737

2nd  Grade Vince $862

3rd  Grade Cowher $812

4th  Grade McCurry $1092

Student Winners

KG Jonah V (Poteracki) $230

1st Adelynn S (Neville) $200

2nd Dylan Barry (Vince) $302

3rd Mackenzie H (Cowher) $300

4th Dylan Zachos (Lipinski) $310

We are so proud of our Hoover Rockets for making this such a success!

BOOK FAIR, Oct 16-18: Hoover will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair during conference week!  This is an exciting event for our students and a great way to get some early holiday shopping done for parents.   It is also the largest fundraiser for the library.  Mrs. Jungwirth and the Book Fair Committee could use some help with; set-up, helping students make wish lists during preview times, sales, and taking the fair down.  If you are able to help out, please sign-up at  bit.ly/HooverBookFair2019. 

BUFFALO WILD WINGS FAMILY FUNDRAISER: Wednesday, October 16^th Buffalo Wild Wings will be doing a Hoover FUNdraiser.  Part of the proceeds from food sales will go back to the Hoover PTA.  Watch for a flyer in backpack mail for details.  They are located right on 6 mile across from Laurel Park Mall.  Enjoy dining out during conference week and support Hoover.  

SPIRIT DAY: Friday, October 18^th is GUM spirit day.  Students can donate $1.00 to enjoy chewing gum at school.  It is also a half day of school.

HOOT & HOWL FRIDAY, October 25^th 6:00-8:00 pm:  It’s almost Halloween time Hoover Rockets!  Our annual HOOT & HOWL event is sneaking up soon so plan to join us for a spooktacular night of fun.   Everyone is welcome to dress up in costume.  We kindly request no masks or (toy) weapons please.  There will be guessing games, Halloween games, prizes, face painting, tattoo station, haunted obstacle course, music, dancing and Dan The Creature Man for some creepy crawly fun!  Dinner will be available for purchase, and Dan The Kona Man will be selling his flavored freezies.  Complimentary cider & donuts will be served later in the evening while we announce the winners of the guessing games.  

The Girl Scouts will also be doing their annual “Cans For Candy” collection for the Livonia Goodfellows charity.   Bring canned goods and receive a bag of candy at the door.    

If you would like to volunteer your time or make a donation to the event, here is the sign-up genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f48acae2ba7f49-hoover4

NATIONAL PTA REFLECTIONS CONTEST: Calling All Artists! Is your Hoover Rocket a visual artist, photographer, write, dancer, musician, or film maker? Then keep reading because the PTA has a program for them! Students make projects that are inspired by a theme. This year's theme is "Look Within”.  They can make a project in as many categories as they want. It is free to enter!  LPTSA will judge all the entries from Livonia Public Schools. They will choose four winners in each age range and category. Then they send those winners on to be judged at the state level. Top winners at the state level go on to national judging. Information and student entry forms went home this week. The deadline to turn in projects is November 15, 2019. The Reflections Ceremony will be held on January 30, 2020 at Stevenson High School in the Performing Arts Center.  All of the Livonia Public Schools entries will be on display. Please contact our Hoover PTA Reflections Chair, Christina Testa, Christina.testa.80@gmail.com    A flyer recently went home in backpack mail

Masterworks

Masterworks is an art appreciation program looking for volunteers to present a series of fine art prints in the classroom. No art experience or art history background needed. We will provide you with all of the information you need. Presentations are typically 30 minutes and are scheduled 6 time throughout the school year. Masterworks is a unique and enriching learning experience that our Hoover Rockets love! Please see the Sign-Up Genius link below.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4eaba62ca7fd0-hoover4
If you have any questions, please contact hoovermw@gmail.com to learn more!

10/16 Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
10/17 Half Day Dismissal at 12:10, Afternoon and Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
10/18 Half Day Dismissal at 12:10, Afternoon Parent/Teacher Conferences
10/18 Spirit Day Gum Day ($1)
10/22 Flak and Harris Field Trip
10/24 Picture Retake Day
10/25 Peer and Vince Field Trip
10/25 Hoot N'Howl 6-8:00 p.m.
10/29 Hearing Rescreenings
11/5 No School Professional Development Day
11/5 California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser
11/12 PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m.
11/15 Spirit Day UM/MSU
11/27-11/29 No School Thanksgiving Break
11/29-12/15 Five Below Fundraiser

10.4.19

Hello Hoover Rockets,

Thank you to all our Hoover families for supporting our biggest fundraiser with the Walk-a-thon.  Final numbers will be in next week!  The students and staff had a great time on Wednesday walking despite the rain outside.  Paws was a wonderful surprise.  He was reading, listening to Mrs. Cornellier in class and participated in a math lesson.

The Book Fair is Coming

We will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair during conference week!!  This is an exciting event for our students and a great way to get some early holiday shopping done for parents.   It is also the largest fundraiser for the library.  Mrs. Jungwirth and the Book Fair Committee could use some help with:  set-up, helping students make wishlists during preview times, sales, and taking the fair down.  If you are able to help out, please sign-up at bit.ly/HooverBookFair2019.  Thanks!

Congratulations Robert S.!

Robert's artwork has been selected to be on display at Sam's Place restaurant on the corner of Five Mile and Farmington Road for the Months of October and November.  Displaying student art in public spaces part of Livonia Public School's Art in the Community program to bring attention to the talent, skills and creativity of our students.  Congratulations Robert!  

Hoover Handbook Highlights

It is important to read and review the student handbook with your child.  We will summarize a sections of our student handbook each week.  You can access it under the Quick Links sections on our website at https://www.livoniapublicschools.org/Domain/19

Arrival: Students should not arrive at school before 8:40 a.m. The first bell rings at 8:50 a.m. and our doors open. School begins at 8:54 a.m., when the second bell rings. Teachers have preparation and meetings before school starts and are unable to supervise students. Please help your child to arrive at school at the right time. Students are not allowed in the school before the first bell rings. Please do not ask to enter a room before the school day begins. Students in the SACC program remain in the SACC room until the first bell rings. Students are expected to line-up at the area designated for their grade level. While in line, children are expected to follow all applicable school behavior guidelines. If a student arrives after 8:50 a.m. he/she may enter through the front door and proceed to the classroom. If a student arrives after school begins at 8:54 a.m., he/she must check-in at the welcome table or office before going to class.

Dismissal: The school day ends at 3:59 p.m. Students are dismissed from their grade level or arrival/dismissal door. Parents are requested to wait outside the building for their child. Please do not meet your child at the classroom. It is expected that a child is picked up from school in a timely manner if the child is not utilizing LPS bus transportation. If a child is not picked up by the close of the main office and his/her parent/guardian cannot be located, the Person(s) listed on the emergency care cards will be contacted. If neither the parents/guardians or persons listed can be contacted, then the local police agency will be contacted.

Bus Stop Rules

The school rules apply on the bus and at all bus stops. For the safety of our Hoover Rockets, we ask parents to please refrain from smoking or bringing dogs to school and to the bus stop.  Thank you for your support.

Reporting An Absence

All absences must be verified. Parents may either complete an online form or call our attendance hotline to report an absence. We encourage you to complete the online attendance document to report your child’s absence. This might be one you want to keep in your favorites or in your cell phone for busy mornings.

Here is the link:
Hoover Attendance Form

As mentioned above, you may also call the school at 734-744-2731 to report your child’s absence. Thank you for your assistance!

Attendance Calls

At Hoover, we use an automated calling system for students who are absent from school. Your child’s safety is of greatest concern to us. In order to ensure safety and to confirm that a child is absent with parent knowledge, an automated system will make calls on the day of the absence.

Parent/Teacher Conferences
If you have not signed up for a Parent/Teacher Conference it is not too late.  The sign up sheets are still located in the lobby outside the office.  

My name is Maddie Vince, I graduated from Michigan State University in 2018 with Bachelor's Degrees in both Child Development and Elementary Education. During the 2018-2019 school year I student taught in Waterford School District in a second grade classroom. This is my first year teaching and I am looking forward to growing more as an educator throughout the school year at Hoover! In my free time I love spending time with my family, especially my two nephews Henry and Franklin. I also enjoy reading, drawing, doing puzzles, and playing with my dog Riley. 

WOW…..THANK YOU HOOVER ROCKETS!!  Our annual Walk-a-Thon was a huge success!!  We surpassed our $13,000.00 goal for pledges!  Now the PTA will find creative ways to give back to our staff, students and school.  We appreciate all the support from our amazing community!   The weather didn’t stop us from having a blast indoors.  Each grade took turns walking laps through Hoover while enjoying all the crazy antics of the Tiger Mascot PAWS.  He certainly kept everyone entertained!  There was music, laughter and lots of camaraderie among the kids.  We also want to say THANKS to our friends and family who took time out of their day to cheer on the students. 

OCTOBER PTA MEETING – Tuesday October 8^th at 6:30 pm is our next PTA meeting in the media center.  Come join us as we recap recent activities and share ideas for upcoming events here at Hoover.  Enjoy light snacks and fun conversation.  There is always a drawing for a small gift for all who attend.    Everyone is welcome….come mingle with other Hoover parents! 

HOOT & HOWL – Friday, October 25^th is an evening full of spooktacular fun!  Keep an eye out for details about this upcoming favorite event.  It’s going to sneak up on us quickly.  We will send out a sign-up genius for donations and volunteers.   

BOX TOPS – Remember to save box tops for Hoover.  This is an easy way for us to earn “free money”.  We have raised over $800 in the past!  The PTA will be sending out more information soon.  We plan to do something special for the classroom from each grade who collect the most.  You are welcome to participate by downloading the Bonus Box Top App to your smart phone. Simply download the app, create or login to your Box Top account, look for Bonus Offers, buy the products and upload a picture of your receipt to the app for points. Look for more details to come home as the contest approaches.

OTHER THINGS TO WATCH FOR – Local Family FUNDraisers, Masterworks and the National PTA Reflections Contest.  Details coming soon.

DON’T FORGET TO REFER TO YOUR HOOVER PTA MAGNET AS A GUIDE FOR IMPORTANT EVENT DATES!  PUT IT RIGHT ON YOUR FRIDGE OR ON ANYTHING MAGNETIC!

Masterworks

Masterworks is looking for volunteers to present a series of fine art prints in the classroom. No art experience or art history background needed. We will provide you with all of the information you need. Presentations are typically 30 minutes to an hour and are scheduled 6 times throughout this school year. Masterworks adds something truly unique and enriching to our children's learning experience! Please see the Sign-Up Genius link below. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4eaba62ca7fd0-hoover4  

If you have any questions, please contact hoovermw@gmail.com to learn more!

Welcome Table 

If you would like to greet students in the morning and help with the late arrivals please click on this link and select the days that are available:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f094caaad22aaf94-hoover1

10/8 PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m.
10/11 3rd Grade Field Trip to Henry Ford
10/16 Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
10/17 Half Day Dismissal at 12:10, Afternoon and Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
10/18 Half Day Dismissal at 12:10, Afternoon Parent/Teacher Conferences
10/18 Spirit Day Gum Day ($1)
10/22 Flak and Harris Field Trip to Matthaei
10/24 Picture Retake Day
10/25 Peer and Vince Field Trip to Matthaei
10/25 Hoot N'Howl 6-8:00 p.m.
11/5 No School Professional Development Day
11/12 PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m.
11/27-11/29 No School Thanksgiving Break