A Letter from the Principal...

December 6, 2012

SCHOOL CALENDAR

December

12 Winter Concerts

2:00 assembly

Band/Orchestra, 6:30 pm

Chorus, 7:15 pm

21 Christmas Holiday/Winter

Break begins at End of

School Day.

January

2 Hampton closed for stu-

dents. MOVING DAY

3 School reopens for

Hampton students.

12 Applebee’s Flapjack

Breakfast Fundraiser

8:00 am to 10:00 am

21 Dr. Martin Luther King

Jr.’s Birthday Observed—

Schools and Offices Closed

25 Second Marking Period

Ends

28 Professional Development

Day—schools closed for

students

February

7 Report Cards Distributed

18 Presidents’ Day—schools

closed

Hampton Elementary

School

Dear Parents and Families, In November many parents, guardians, and other relatives visited classrooms to see their children learning and interacting with peers and teachers. Although the rooms can be very crowded, the children are so proud when an adult focuses on him/her. Thank you very much for taking time to visit during American Education Week. During November teachers scheduled conferences and phone confer-ences to discuss the strengths and needs of each child. If you were unable to meet with a teacher by telephone or in person, please contact your child’s teacher. Our solid home-school connection is valued at Hampton. December arrived quickly, and our community is planning for upcoming assem-blies, concerts, holiday celebrations, etc. Yesterday the Radical Ropers, students from Dumbarton Middle School, amazed our students with their precision jump roping and inspired everyone to start jumping. Later this month the fourth and fifth graders will perform for the student body during the day and then for their parents during the evening performances. The band, orchestra, and the fourth grade chorus will perform on Wednesday, December 12th at 2:00 PM. Again this year we will hold two separate performances on the same evening. The band and orchestra will perform at 6:30 PM, and then the parents and children will leave. The fourth grade chorus will perform at 7:15 PM. These performances always give us pause during our busy schedules to appreciate the way our chil-dren and teachers can set a goal and work collaboratively and collectively to pro-duce beautiful music. As 2012 comes to a close I would like to thank all of the volunteers who work at

Hampton or behind the scenes to improve the lives of our children. As parents

and educators we help our children each day as we clearly communicate the im-

portance of hard work, caring, and responsibility. Please enjoy the holiday sea-

son with your children, friends, and family. Remember that Hampton will reopen

with a different look on Thursday, January 3rd.

Regards,

PAGE 2 HAMPTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOLUME VI , I SSUE I I I

From the Office. . .

Construction Junction

Existing School Interior masonry walls 100% complete at upper level (south)

Interior masonry walls 100% complete at lower level (north)

Interior walls framing 100% complete at upper level (south)

Drywall finished 90% complete at upper level (south)

Door frames set 100% complete at upper level (south)

Electrical wall and ceiling ruff in 90% complete at upper level (south)

Interior wall blocking 100% complete at upper level (south)

Plumbing ruff in walls and ceiling 90% at upper level (south)

Chiller installation 100% complete at upper level

Chiller enclosure 98% complete at upper level

Site concrete 70% complete

Site utilities 65% complete

Steel upgrades 50% complete

Interior wall framing lower level 40% complete (north)

Door frames set lower level 50% complete (north)

Casework installed 70% complete upper level (north)

Painting 65% complete upper level (north)

Flooring 65% complete upper level (north)

Ceramic tile 70% complete upper level (north)

Doors installed 45% complete upper level (north)

Help Hampton spread a little holiday cheer! This holiday season Hampton students are asked to design and decorate a holiday card for elder community resi-dents in area nursing homes. Parents, you can help your child gather the materials they need at home to make their one-of-a-kind greeting card. Students are asked to bring in their finished cards to school by Monday, December 17. Thank you for help-ing our students spread a little joy and light this holiday season!

What: The Baltimore County Department of Health will hold a flu vaccination clinic next week. Baltimore

County residents can get a FREE flu vaccination on a first-come, first-service basis. Anyone six months

and older is encouraged to receive an annual flu vaccination.

When: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 2:00 to 7:00 pm

Where: Baltimore County Department of Health, Drumcastle Government Center, 6401 York Road, 3rd Floor

PAGE 3 HAMPTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOLUME VI , I SSUE I I I

Physical Education:

Two of the four fall cross-country runs were a big success with over 180 runners from 9 different schools. Thirty-two 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders from Hampton signed up to participate! The Rodgers Forge and Timonium Elementary races were canceled due to wet grounds. Thank you to all the parents who were flexible with the afternoon changes for two cancelled races. Congratulations to all the runners listed below for completing the races at Pinewood and Riderwood Elemen-tary. Race results and pictures are posted in the gym lobby.

Hampton Runners John G. * Katie S. Anna S. Sarah S. Nada S. Lia K. Trevor M. * Braden M. Liam M. Riley M. Noah K. Andy S. Cavan O. * Malek D. Allison T. Jordan L. Alex T. Hannah D. Theresa B. Charlotte B. Sophia B. Poorni B. Ethan K. Zack G. Ayden M. Evan W. David L. Kendel I. Colin K. Ryan F.

* Ribbon Winners (1st-10th place) We participated in soccer activities in October in grades 2-5. In November, we started Fitnessgram testing in P.E. classes. Testing for Fitnessgram includes aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and flexibility for all stu-dents in 1st through 5th grade. We are learning ways to improve fitness levels at home with fun activities. Stu-dents in grades 4 and 5 will receive a computerized printout of their fitness levels and students in grade 1, 2, and 3 will receive a worksheet to show the Healthy Fitness Zones for each test.

Table Tennis was set up in the gym for the month of November. We did a parallel unit with Fitnessgram using the tables for activities like Blow Pong, Hand Pong, Hand Catch Pong, Air Hockey, King of the Hill, and scoring activities.

Kindergarten students continue to improve running endurance by jogging on our roller coaster run each time they enter the gym. Students are working on aerobic dance songs and basic skills of rolling, tossing, throwing, and catching. We all had a good time with hula hoops and the parachute. Kindergarten students are also learning how to jump rope.

Marathon Kids: Your child should be almost through the marathon log. Logs are due January 22. Congratula-tions to Nicholas M. for finishing up the marathon by November.

From the classrooms. . .

PAGE 4 HAMPTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOLUME VI , I SSUE I I I

Gotta keep reading……..woo hoo! Have you heard this song (to the tune of The Black Eyed Peas’ song I’ve Got a Feelin) from some of the students at Hampton? We sing this every Wednesday morning as we prepare for the updates for 100 Book Challenge. One Hundred Book Challenge is a motivational read-ing program that is designed to maximize the effectiveness of the reading curriculum. This is done by increasing the amount of reading a student is expected to do at home and at school. The goal for Baltimore County students is an extra 30 minutes a day (15 at school and 15 at home) during the school week and an extra 15 minutes over the weekend. This equates to 11 fifteen minute steps a week. Our present goal is 154 steps by December 7. It is important to understand that 100 Book Challenge focuses on independent reading. In-dependent reading is reading that a child can do without any help from a teacher or parent. The child’s experience with independent reading should be that reading is fast, fun, and easy. Teachers have placed your child in a level that may be easier than classroom materi-als or textbooks. This independent level is the zone where students learn most effectively from their reading. In addition to evaluating your child’s oral reading, the teachers also assess the degree to which your child can successfully apply specific learning standards to his/her independent reading of text. So, be sure to support your child’s independent reading at home; establish a routine that includes daily reading; and be sure to check back each month for new updates and further information on 100 Book Challenge at Hampton. And…… keep reading, and reading, and reading, ……….woo hoo!!

Toy Safety

Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards for

younger children.

Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully.

To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don’t give young children (under age 10) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical

outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated.

Young children can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under

age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.

Children can have serious stomach and intestinal problems – including death -- after swallowing button batteries and magnets. In addition to toys, button batteries are often found in musical greeting cards, remote controls, hearing aids and other small electron-

ics. Keep them away from young children and call your health care provider immediately if your child swallows one.

Children can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons; do not allow children under age 8 to play with them.

Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.

Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.

Parents should store toys in a designated location, such as on a shelf or in a toy chest, and keep older children’s toys away from

young children. - Holiday Safety Tips

American Academy of Pediatrics

From the health suite. . .