BILLIE NEWS!

P leasant Hi l l E lementary Schoo l

Pleasant Hill Elementary

36386 Highway 58

Pleasant Hill, Or 97455

Ph: (541) 736-0400

Attendance Phone Line:

(541) 736-0411

Fax: (541) 736-0446

Volume 4 Issue 9 January 6, 2014

Pleasant Hill Elementary

Food Services

Ph.: (541) 736-0490

Breakfast—$1.10 served

daily 7:40—7:55 a.m.

Lunch—$2.20

www.pleasanthill.k12.or.us

Happy New Year!

Welcome back and Happy New Year from the staff of Pleasant

Hill Elementary and the Pleasant Hill School District. To all of

our families, friends and community members.

Thank you to all of our families who graciously donated over 350 pounds of

food to the food drive before winter break. We will have another food drive

in the Spring.

Thank you to all of those families who donated items to the Billie Spirit /

White Elephant Sale. In addition, thank you to the many volunteers who set-

up the sale and assisted our students in making their purchases.

Mrs. Miller, our Title I teacher and Literacy Coordinator, with the assistance

of the PTO has arranged to have Robert Young, a local children’s author,

known for writing many non-fiction high interest books for kids will be visit-

ing our school Thursday to kick off the new year, and the remainder of the

school year with an emphasis on writing throughout the year. This does not

mean we are going to stop emphasizing other areas of the curriculum, just

highlight an area sometimes overlooked as an art form as well as a communi-

cation tool.

Classroom teachers will be sending home an order form listing book titles and

prices if you are interested in ordering one of Mr. Young’s books. We are ex-

cited to have him on campus sharing his craft with all students on Thursday.

Safety Week

After every major break, such as winter break, our building

safety committee made up of school staff and community

members implemented a safety week to review safety drills and procedures.

This week does not take the place of the required monthly drills.

Therefore, this week is safety week. Today, Monday the staff will be spend-

ing time reviewing school wide expectations around the campus.

Tuesday we will be practicing a fire drill. During a fire drill everyone evacu-

ates the building and meets in a common designated area.

Wednesday we will be practicing an earth quake drill. During an earth quake

drill the teacher instructs students to get down under either their desks or

tables. When the teacher determines it is safe to exit the building, they will

lead their classes out of the building.

USDA and Pleasant Hill

School District are equal

opportunity providers,

educators and employers.

Volunteers /

Visitors

Thank you to all of

our volunteers who

completed the yearly

background check forms.

If you are planning on

assisting with field trips,

classroom activities or

activities around school

please take time to com-

plete this form available

in the office. All visitors

and volunteers need to

sign in and pick up a

badge in the office be-

fore entering a class-

room.

Page 2 BILLIE NEWS! Vo lume 4 Issue 9

Thursday all classes will be practicing room clears. During this drill students leave one room and enter

another classroom.

Friday a lock down drill implemented if there is some form of danger in the building such as a chemical

spill in the halls or an intruder. During a lock down drill teachers lock their classrooms, close the blinds

and gather students into an area away from windows and doors. In addition, all building doors are

locked and no one is allowed to enter the building during this drill.

In addition, Friday afternoon our transportation team , First Student, will be conducting bus evacuation

drills and reviewing bus safety expectations too. Each class will be participating in these drills as all

students do ride the buses when our classes travel away from the building, taking field trips.

PHES Billie Spirit on the Bus

We are partnering with First Student to ensure your students have a safe and pleasant ride

to and from school. This Friday every student will be participating in a review of what to do in

case of an emergency on the bus. In addition, the bus drivers will be reviewing bus expectations. Stu-

dents have an opportunity to earn special Billie Bucks, Billie Bus Bucks, for demonstrating Responsible,

Respectful and Safety on the bus. These Billie Bucks are worth two regular Billie Bucks. Billie Bucks are

redeemable in and out of the classroom for various rewards.

Please review the PHES bus expectations with your child.

Bus Transportation

First Student Transportation is the district transportation provider. Thank you for

being flexible with the schedule they have provided. A copy of this schedule can be

accessed on the web, www.pleasanthill.k12.or.us or by calling the office. First student

tries their best to estimate what time your child will be picked up or arrive home each day by providing

you with 5 minute window as to when a bus can be at your stop.

If you have questions or concerns related to transportation, please contact First Student at 541-988-

5859, the Pleasant Hill station, or 541-688-0454, the main office in Bethel. If your concerns are not

addressed, please feel free to contact me, 541-736-0400, as well.

Responsible Respectful Safe

Be on time Use appropriate and polite lan-

guage

Stay seated

Help younger students Talk quietly Face forward with feet out of

the aisle

Hands, feet, objects and com-

ments to yourself

Keep the bus clean No talking at railroad crossings

Keep food and drink off the

bus

Watch for the driver before

crossing or moving

Cross in front of the bus

Page 3 BILLIE NEWS! Vo lume 4 Issue 9

Bad Weather, School

Delays or Closures This is a reminder that school closures, delays, or changes in bus routes, snow routes, may

result from emergencies such as inclement weather conditions. School decisions are typically made by

6:00 a.m. after transportation personnel have examined the local conditions.

When weather related emergencies occur, announcements are usually broadcast by the local television

media (KEZI, KVAL, KMTR, KLSR) and announced on radio stations (such as KUGN, KPNW, AND

KEED/KSND). The media obtains and broadcast their information from Flash News, www.flashnews.net.

You may also go to their site for information regarding our districts operations or our district website,

www.pleasanthill.k12.or.us, if accessible during weather related emergencies.

Inclement Weather Bus Routes In cases when road conditions are such that the district transportation sys-

tem will be restricted the following changes in bus routes will take place. If

there are no announcements transportation will operate as usual.

Rattlesnake Road: The area from Kimball Road to Lost Valley Lane will be BYPASSED and the

bus will pick up students at the intersection of Kimball Road and Rattlesnake Turn around, then

again at the intersection of Lost Valley Lane and Rattlesnake.

Hills Creek Road: The bus will travel as far up Hills Creek Road as the Weyerhaeuser Road.

This will be the turn around.

McCumber Road: This road will be BYPASSED and students will be picked up at the intersec-

tion of Hills Creek Road and McCumber.

Lost Valley Lane: This road will be BYPASSED. Students between Lost Valley Educational

Center and Rattlesnake will be picked up at Rattlesnake. Students between Lost Valley Educa-

tional Center and Lost Creek Road will be picked up at Lost Creek.

Wallace Creek Road: The bus will pick students up at the intersection of Wallace Creek Road

and Weyerhaeuser Road then turn around.

North Morningstar: This road will be BYPASSED. The bus will pick up students at the inter-

section of North Morningstar Road and Enterprise Road.

Lost Creek Road: The bus will go as far up Lost Creek Road as Guilley Creek Road, pick up stu-

dents then turn around.

It’s Cold Outside!

It ‘s a little chilly outside. Our students go outside for recess daily rain or shine. Also our

5th and 6th grade vocal students walk to the high school each day. All students are en-

couraged to wear a jacket.

Please label the inside of your child’s jacket. If you write your child’s name inside their coat, should

they become separated from their coat we make every effort to return it to them. Also, please en-

courage your child to check lost and found.

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Bus Loading / Unloading Zone and Katie’s Lane

Katie’s Lane is closed to two-way traffic from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. when school

is in session. Buses enter the campus from Highway 58 to drop off students in the

morning and drive down Katie’s Lane to the high school. In the afternoon, the

buses exit our campus after loading students via either Highway 58 or Katie’s Lane. Throughout the

day students and community members use the pedestrian walk on Katie’s Lane to access the music area,

Reach Out Mentoring or the Family Resource Center.

If you drop your student off at the gate on Katie’s Lane, on the high school side of our K-12 campus, in

the morning, we ask that you not stop and park your car in the turn around. Pull up, let your child out of

the car and leave. Also, please remind your child to use the sidewalk by the music building or walk di-

rectly next to the chain link fence on the side closest to the library, not the middle of the lane. In ad-

dition, with the cold weather, the gate does not always work, so please remember that during the

school day Katie’s Lane is part of the bus loading and unloading zone and not as an access to Highway

58.

Immunizations Just a reminder now is the time to make sure your child’s immunizations are up-to-date.

State law requires that all children in public schools either have vaccinations or a religious

or medical exemption.

If your child needs additional immunizations, you should have received a letter in the mail from our

school office. Children will not be able to attend school starting Feb. 19 if their records show

missing immunizations.

REMINDERS FROM THE OFFICE

ARRIVAL TIME—7:40 a.m.: We have supervision in the cafeteria for K-2 students and 3 –6 students

in the gym until they are dismissed for classes; students who arrive earlier are unsupervised which is

not a safe situation. Students in grades 5 and 6 may enter their classrooms starting at 7:45 a.m. Stu-

dents in grades 3 and 4 may enter their classrooms at 7:50 a.m. Classes start promptly at 8:00 a.m.

ABSENCES: If you are keeping your child home, PLEASE call the office attendance line, 541-736-

0411, otherwise we will be calling you to verify your child’s absence as required by law.

PHONE MESSAGES: We really appreciate and request that all of our families who discover through-

out the school day their child's after school plans need to change please call the school office before

1:30 p.m. Our wonderful school secretaries, send bus notes to the classrooms around 1:45 daily.

On Early Release Days please call in the messages before 12:30 pm. It is important to allow as

much time as possible on those days.

TREATS IN THE CLASSROOM:A lot of our students like to celebrate birthdays and other events

with their classmates by bringing snacks to share in the classroom. If you would like to bring treats we

ask that you let the teacher know at least 24 hours in advance. The Health Department requires that

any snacks served to students at school be purchased from a licensed bakery or store. Home baked

goods are not allowed to be served to students.

INVITATIONS TO PARTIES: If your child is having a party and wants to hand out invitations at

school, they will need to invite the entire class. If not all the students are being invited, you will have

to mail or hand the invitations at other functions.

Page 5 BILLIE NEWS! Vo lume 4 Issue 9

Dress Code The dress code for our school is, that all students are expected to dress appropriately, same as those

students attending the high school. Students are asked not to wear clothing that would hinder or inter-

rupt their own learning or others around them.

Therefore, inappropriate clothes to wear to school would be:

1. Anything that is offensive or disruptive due to vulgar language or reference to drugs/alcohol.

2. Garments that promote discrimination, harassment, prejudice or racism.

3. Garments that are dirty, torn, or pose a health or safety hazard.

4. Garments that are provocative such as mid-riff shirts see through clothing, shirts with

plunging necklines, shirts with spaghetti straps or strapless shirts, baggy pants that

expose undergarments.

5. Garments identified with membership to a gang.

Students that arrive at school wearing these items will be given other attire to wear over that which is

considered against the dress code. If students refuse to wear the provided clothing, parents will be

called to bring the child a change of clothes.

Please also keep in mind when assisting your child in selecting their clothing and footwear for the day,

all of our students do participate in physical education classes in the gym at least twice a week, and a

minimum of two recesses a day outside on the playground rain or shine.

Billie Spirit Alert Nominees

Billie Spirit Alert Nominees for the weeks of December 9th and December 16th are: Zoey

S., Robert H., Dakota R., Caiden I., Logan M., Kayla L., Victoria N., Eli L., Zachary S., Trey P.,

Elijah B., Kesslyn B., Samantha L., Rachel B., Avery S., Cam O., Seth R., Ronnie S., Deanna H., DJ

H., Kaden T., Cesca T., Kayanna M., Alejandro Z., Kaeden H. and Austin C.

Congratulations to Cesca T., Robert H., Kesslynn B. and Dakota R. for demonstrating the Billie Spirit

expectations of being respectful, responsible and safe daily and winning a Billie Spirit T-shirt.

BRAIN BOWL FOR SIXTH GRADE STARTS IN JANUARY Brain Bowl teams will start forming in mid-January. This opportunity is open to

students in grades 6, 7 and 8. The teams meet weekly to practice during their

lunch/recess period. A county-wide tournament is held at the University of

Oregon on April 21, with separate divisions for Grades 6, 7 and 8.

Students are welcome to come to the first couple of meetings to see if this fits their style. After

that, regular attendance is important to discover team strengths. Teams of up to seven members form

from those who really enjoy showing off what they know and how quickly they can "buzz" in.

Million Minute Reading Challenge Update

Collectively as a school we have read 388,676 minutes as of December 20th. I wonder

whose class will be winning the Golden Book for having the greatest number of daily aver-

age reading minutes? Don’t forget to turn in your reading logs for December to your class-

room teacher.

Page 6 BILLIE NEWS! Vo lume 4 Issue 9

Kids Eat, District Saves Money—Free Lunch and

Breakfast Program

In these economic times many families who have never before needed assistance are sud-

denly finding themselves struggling financially. If your family is in this situation you may not be aware

that our district participates in the free or reduced lunch program available to qualifying families.

The program is designed not only to help you financially, but the district as well by reimbursing the dis-

trict in commodities for lunches served. In addition, the number of students participating in the Na-

tional School Lunch Program assists in determining the type of Title I program we are able to offer at

our school.

To obtain an application you can stop by school, call the office, 541-736-0400, or download an applica-

tion on-line at www.pleasanthill.k12.or.us. Fill out the application and return to school. You will be noti-

fied by phone and mail whether or not your children qualify for either free or reduced meals, break-

Calendar of Events: January 9—Guest Author Visit, Robert Young

January 13—7:00 p.m. School Board Meeting, PHCC

January 14—2:30 p.m. PTO Meeting, PHCC

January 15—1:15 p.m. Dismissal for Early Release / Workshop Wednesday

Community Opportunities and Events:

Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth is gearing up for another season of America's favorite pastime. To get ready

for Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth's 2014 Baseball Season, please mark your calendar with the following

events.

Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth 2014 Baseball Clinics

Sunday, January 19th 1:00 - 4:00 and Sunday, January 26th 1:00 - 4:00

PLEASANT HILL BABE RUTH 2014 BASEBALL EVALUATIONS Pleasant Hill, Lowell, Dexter, Oakridge

Saturday, February, 1st

7-9 Year Old: 8:30 - 9:30 & 12:30 - 1:30

10-12 Year Old: 9:30 - 10:30 & 1:30 - 2:30

13-14 Year Old: 10:30 - 11:30 & 2:30 - 3:30

Sunday, February, 2nd

7-9 Year Old: 11:30 - 12:30

10-12 Year Old: 12:30 - 1:30

13-14 Year Old: 1:30 - 2:30

For questions or more information: Call: 541-510-0769

Web: http://pleasanthillbaberuth.com,

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pleasant-Hill-Babe-Ruth/712498592110520