HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL
HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL A Recognized New York State Blue Ribbon School of Excellence A Bill and Melinda Gates Small Learning Communities Demonstration Site National School Change Award Winner An Educational Partner with New Visions for Public Schools 160-05 Highland Avenue Jamaica Estates, New York 11432 718-658-5407 David T. Morrison, Principal Volume 19 No. 2 www.hillcrestweb.com Desiree Cameron, P.T.A. President Fall 2014 From the Principal’s Desk Dear Parents: Chancellor Fariña recently released her Capacity Framework for schools, while reviewing the document I realized that our school aligns nicely with this vision for successful schools. The Capacity Framework encourages parents and educators to work together to improve student achievement. This is the collaborative focus that we have here at Hillcrest to ensure that every child is consistently ready for the next grade, level, and set of challenges. Below is a summary of the Framework: Rigorous Instruction: Instruction at Hillcrest is customized, inclusive, motivating, and aligned to the Common Core. High standards are set in every classroom. Students are actively engaged in ambitious intellectual activity and developing critical thinking skills. Supportive Environment: At Hillcrest, we have established a classroom and school culture where students feel safe, supported, and challenged by their teachers and peers. Collaborative Teachers: At Hillcrest, the teachers are committed to the success and improvement of their classrooms and the school. They have the opportunity to participate in professional development within a culture of respect and continuous improvement. Effective School Leadership: At Hillcrest, the leadership leads by example and nurture the professional growth of teachers and staff, developing and delivering the instructional and social-emotional support that drives student achievement. Strong Family-Community Ties: At Hillcrest our Small Learning Community Directors and Parent Coordinator bring resources from the community into the school building by welcoming, encouraging, and developing partnerships with families, businesses, and community-based organizations. Trust: Everyone at Hillcrest works toward the shared goal of improving student outcomes, preparing students for success in school and beyond. Across the school community, there is respect. School staff, parents, students and administrators value each other. I hope to see you at Parent Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 from 5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. and Friday, November 7, 2014 from 12:45 P.M. – 2:45 P.M. Remember to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions or comments. Yours truly, David T. Morrison School Directory David T. Morrison, Principal [email protected] 1462 John Michalos, A.P. Guidance [email protected] 1100 Eliot Finkelstein, A.P. Security [email protected] 1181 Deborah Ziozis, A.P. Organization [email protected] 1440 Justin Follyga, A.P. LOTE; Music; Art; Theatre; Business [email protected] 1165 John Binet, AP English [email protected] 1163 Stacie Sugarman, A.P. Intervention Specialist Support [email protected] 1166 Jose I. Rios, A.P. Mathematics [email protected] 1173 Tarek Ali, A.P. Health & Phys. Ed / Tech. [email protected] 1020 Amar Nepal, A.P. Data Analyst [email protected] 1042 Russell Wasden, A.P. ESL [email protected] 4871 Pedro Cubero, A.P. Social Studies [email protected] 1162 David Ricaurte, A.P. Science/Health Sciences [email protected] 1167 Salima Khan, Director Public Service & Law Institute [email protected] 4301 Cristina Piccirillo-Ganesh, Director Pre Med Institute [email protected] 3881 Christine Peterson, Director BizTek Institute [email protected] 2801 Maureen Reilly Gasior, Director CTE Programs [email protected] 3620 Kevin Meichsner, Director Theatre Institute [email protected] 2081 Aarti Bhanot-Haque (Guidance Counselor) Teachers of Tomorrow Institute [email protected] 3341 Bibi Nazila Ramjan, Director Newcomers Institute [email protected] 4803 Gloria Zotti-Meltzer, Director Health Sciences Institute [email protected] 3620 Brian Panepinto, Director Academy of Media, Arts & Music [email protected] 3802 Ena Baxter, Director iZone Senior Academy [email protected] 2530 Claude Ertel Guidance Counselor, Pre Med [email protected] 3871 Judy Cancel-Valerio Guidance Counselor, Public Service/Newcomers [email protected] 4421 Regine DeJean Guidance Counselor, Academy of Media, Arts & Music [email protected] 3780 Habeebullah Hussaini Guidance Counselor, I.S.S. [email protected] 3630 Natalie Hiller Guidance Counselor, I.S.S. [email protected] 3522 Cassandra Johnson Guidance Counselor, Health Sciences [email protected] 3512 Jamie Olechowski Guidance Counselor, Newcomers [email protected] 4871 Audra Manganiello Guidance Counselor, Theatre [email protected] 2010 Anthony Rico Guidance Counselor, BizTek [email protected] 2880 Aarti Bhanot-Haque Guidance Counselor, Teachers of Tomorrow [email protected] 3341 Aralis Adames Attendance Teacher 1164 Maria Santos Transportation 1570 Bilquees Akhtar Parent Coordinator 1161 Deborah Ziozis A.P. Organization Breakfast/Lunch Program Has your child submitted a lunch application? We urge you to submit a lunch application to ensure on-going educational benefits for our students. Due to the submission of lunch applications, we are a Title I school. Through Title I funding, we can afford our students many avenues to enhance their education. Applications must be submitted yearly. Below is the website for the ONLINE SCHOOLFOOD APPLICATION. (If you apply online, please bring us a copy of your confirmation page for our school records.) The online application will take 24 hours to process where as the paper application will take 3-4 weeks to process. https://www.applyforlunch.com/Application All Hillcrest High School students have been issued a Point of Sales (POS) PIN number. This is an automated system used in our cafeteria. The system identifies the meal status of each student. Meal status is assessed by evaluation of lunch applications. The POS number is needed for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is served daily – free of charge. We know that good nutrition is essential to every young person’s health and development. Although breakfast is widely regarded as the most important meal of the day, many of our students go without breakfast. Youngsters who eat regular, well-balanced meals are better able to concentrate and learn. Hillcrest High School distributes “Bag and Go” breakfast in the school lobby. As students enter the building, they have access to a free nutritious breakfast. Although breakfast is FREE, students must have a POS number in order to be eligible. Metrocards Students who are eligible for full and half-fare metrocards received them in the beginning of the semester. Metrocards are valuable tools, allowing students living at a distance to travel to school for little or no cost. These cards are extremely valuable. Please talk to your student about the importance of keeping their Metrocard in a safe place. Thank you. Parent Teacher Conference Open School Evening will be Wednesday, November 5, 2014 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Open School Afternoon will be Friday, November 7, 2014 from 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. John Michalos A.P. Pupil Personnel Services The first marking period of the school year ended on October 24, 2014. All students received report cards on November 3, 2014. The second marking period ends on December 5, 2014 and the second report card will be distributed on December 16, 2014. Please be sure to ask your child for his/her report card. You should spend some time going over your child’s grades. There is a section on the report card for teacher comments. It is important to read what the teachers are saying about your child. If you are concerned about a class or a grade on the report card, you should contact your child’s Guidance Counselor to discuss your concerns. By this time, you should have visited www.nvpupilpath.com, which is your direct link to how your child is progressing in school. This is a website that contains your child’s current program, attendance, test scores, school transcript, and other vital information. You may contact our Parent Coordinator, Ms. Bilquees Akhtar at 718-6585407, ext 1161 or via e-mail [email protected] for further information on Pupil Path. We encourage ALL parents to become familiar with this wonderful resource! It is essential for students to attend school on a regular basis. Students with poor attendance generally do poorly in class. Parents are encouraged to monitor their children’s attendance by speaking to their children, checking notebooks and contacting the school at the first sign of a problem. SLC’s are conducting Town Meetings with all students to discuss school issues, such as graduation requirements and promotion requirements, State Regents Exam requirements, school safety concerns and other important matters. The guidance department is here to help you and your child. It is the beginning of a new school year, filled with opportunities. We hope this will be a successful year for your child. As always, you may contact us at 718-6585407 ext.1120 or via e-mail [email protected] to discuss any guidance issues. Jose Rios A.P. Mathematics I trust that you had a pleasant beginning to the new school year. This is my fourth year as the Assistant Principal for Mathematics and I continue to be excited about new initiatives that I trust will result in even stronger mathematics achievement this year. This year’s math classes will build off last year’s momentum and continue to push for more technology use in the classroom, more access for students to external resources, increased focus on assessment and practice through Castle Learning, on-line access to textbooks, and more familiarity with and use of graphing calculators by students. Most significantly, though, is the continued role out and implementation of the Algebra I Common Core Standards and Curriculum for incoming 9th graders, and Common Core Geometry for 10th graders. The Common Core Standards for Algebra I and Geometry heavily streamline the traditional math curriculum, while at the same time requiring much more though, justification and explanation by student. Each module will provide numerous opportunities for student and group collaboration, exit tickets to provide immediate assessment opportunities on lessons, and problem sets that provide homework and additional opportunities to better master the standards. Learning across modules will be encouraged and expected. The Common Core initiative is meant to improve student outcomes, and strengthen college and career readiness in the future. This effort is consistent with the overall mission of Hillcrest High School – both this year and moving forward. For your information, the role out of Common Core Trigonometry will occur in the 2015-2016 school year. I look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences. This year the conferences will be held on Wednesday, November 5th, in the evening and on Friday, November 7th in the afternoon. As always, I am open to suggestions. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or [email protected] Eliot Finkelstein, A.P. Security & Student Life Hillcrest H.S. students have both the rights and responsibilities that will provide a safe and secure surrounding in which to learn and in which all people are treated with respect and courtesy. We are committed to working with staff, students, parents and community organizations for this purpose. School rules and regulations have been developed to ensure that the rights of everyone are protected. Students have received information specifically outlining their “Rights and Responsibilities.” Please review it and discuss it with your child. It is inappropriate for students to have large sums of money or wear expensive jewelry to school. We do not have all day storage lockers for outer wear; therefore we recommend that students do not wear very expensive coats to school. The school day consists of four regular entry periods. Students must arrive at the following times as they will not be allowed to interfere with ongoing instruction if late. Period Arrival Time Entry Closes 1 2 3 7:20 A.M. 8:30 A.M. 9:15 A.M. 8:20 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 9:45 A.M. Detention will be given for students arriving after last entry. We require our students to follow all rules and regulations. Beepers/Cellular phones and unauthorized electronic equipment and potentially dangerous items are not permitted in school and will be confiscated. A dress code is in effect. A copy of the dress code is available from the Dean’s office. Students are required to follow all rules and regulations: *No hats may be worn in classrooms/offices/auditorium presentations. *No "doo" rags/stocking caps/neck beads may be worn anywhere in the building. *No electronic equipment including beepers, walkmen, diskmen, and cell phones may be brought into the building and will be confiscated. We are a zero tolerance school. We will suspend and/or arrest any person violating the law, Chancellor’s regulations, and/or city- wide code of conduct. We strive to keep Hillcrest High School a safe and secure environment so that teaching and learning can thrive. We need your support and cooperation. Justin A. Follyga, A.P. Foreign Language Arts/Music/Theatre/Business We in the Foreign Languages, Music, Arts, Theatre and Business Departments welcome all of our parents and students. We hope you are all ready as we embark for the new journey that will introduce all of us to instructional modals that will better service our students this school year 2014-2015. Each and every student at Hillcrest will continue to receive instructions in foreign languages at his/her assigned small learning community. We are offering Spanish levels 1, 2, 3, & 4; French levels 1, 2, 3 & 4. In music, we will offer Band, Strings and Chorus classes and students who had taken any of these classes in Junior H.S. should report to their guidance counselors in order to be enrolled. We are also looking for talented students who play instruments to contact Mr. Lance, our music and art coordinator so they can be scheduled for any of these classes. Do you love arts? Please enroll in an art class if your schedule permits it. Ms. Boghosian and Ms. McQueen will be organizing a trip to Montreal and Quebec City, Canada in the spring 2015 (possibly May 22-25) and we encourage parents to afford their children this great opportunity to discover other languages, people and their cultures. As always, the Foreign Language, Music, Arts, Theatre and Business teachers will continue to dedicate themselves to our students by providing them with a quality education that would prepare each and every one of them to compete in today’s global economy. Amar Nepal A.P. Data Analyst Did you know you can easily monitor your child’s homework assignments and quiz grades? All subject teachers will be utilizing the Online Gradebook feature in Pupil Path. We strongly urge you to monitor your child’s homework, classwork, and exam average in all classes. Pupil Path is a web based system that will give you access to a variety of information on your child. Pupil Path can be accessed from any computer or smart phone 24 hours a day. You can instantly send messages to your child’s teacher which is the easiest and most effective form of communication. If you have not signed up yet but would like to, please contact our Parent Coordinator – Ms. Akhtar at (718) 658-5407, ext. 1161, or [email protected] You can also log on to www.HillcrestWeb.com and click on the Pupil Path link for more information. Special training sessions will be offered at our Parent Teacher Conference Days, Nov. 5th & 7th. Come to the library in room 230 to register if you have not signed up for Pupil Path. The process will be faster is you sign up for you own email account at home. For a free email account, go to www.gmail.com and click on “Create an Account.” Students should take advantage of our in-school tutoring on Thursdays and Fridays. For the latest tutoring schedule, please visit www.HillcrestWeb.com and click on “Tutoring Schedule” on the Quick Links section. If you would like to reach me, my telephone number is (718) 658-5407 ext. 1042. My office is room 104 (Attendance Office). The best way to reach me is via email: [email protected] Please do not hesitate to contact me for any reason. Stacie Sugarman, A.P. Intervention Specialist Support The school year has gotten off to a smooth start and by now students are all working hard to receive passing grades for the first and second marking periods. While studying and completing all assignments is a sure way to improve academic success, sometimes we all need a little extra help. I would like to remind all students to take advantage of the many support programs offered at Hillcrest. The Saturdays at Hillcrest program will begin in November, tutoring is available through SLCs every Thursday and Friday, special regents preparation marathons will be run prior to the January regents, and of course teachers and administration are always here to help and come up with an individual plan for academic intervention. If your child finds himself/herself behind in credits please have him/her stop by and visit me in room 116 E so that we can work together to develop a plan for success! Our support team in the Instructional Support Service department (ISS) continues to work with students to ensure that they receive all the resources and support needed to ensure a successful school year. This year we have approximately 50 classes that are co-taught with two teachers. The co-teaching model allows students to have twice the amount of support they would normally receive in a traditional classroom. Students in these classes have the advantage of learning the necessary curriculum from not one, but two educators. In many cases, one teacher is an expert in the subject area while the other is an expert on teaching methodology. We believe that by creating a class with these two professionals, we are ensuring the success of all types of learners. In addition, we have a Resource Room with a computer lab that gives students with IEPs the opportunity to learn and practice information from their other classes by using technology. I look forward to meeting you during Parent Teacher Conferences on November 5th and 7th and working with you to help your child succeed this school year! If you have any questions, or I can be of assistance to you, please feel free to email me at [email protected] Tarek Ali, A.P. Health & P.E. / Technology We need your help modeling and advocating for the benefits of an active lifestyle. Our youngsters are in need of a major change for their sedentary lifestyle. Your encouragement is always welcome to help your child attend and pass their physical education class. As it is a required subject for graduation and it also trains our students for maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Here are some of the benefits that you and your child can receive when he or she attends our PE and athletic program. Mental and Emotional Benefits of Physical Activity include: Causes an increase in endorphins - (the "feel-good" chemicals in the brain responsible for mood elevation, also the body's natural pain killers) Causes an increase in serotonin levels - (Another feel-good chemical in the brain, associated with a sense of well-being and impulse control) May help prevent depression Decreases anxiety levels Releases anger, frustrations or tensions of everyday life Increases creative thinking and mental sharpness Increases energy levels Makes you feel good about yourself and increases your confidence Health Benefits of Physical Activity include: Reduces risk of heart disease by strengthening the heart muscle (Cardiovascular/interval training exercise a minimum for 20 minutes five times a week ) Reduces risk for stroke (brain attack) Reduces risk of some types of cancer Reduces LDL cholesterol levels ("bad" cholesterol) Raises HDL cholesterol levels ("good" cholesterol) Improves blood flow especially to your the brain ( enhance academic achievements) Protects against osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) Increases muscle mass with appropriate diet (body tone) Strengthens the immune system (improve attendance) Decreases body fat levels by conserving muscle mass and increasing the body's ability to burn calories (Fat burning /cardiovascular exercise for a minimum of 45 continuous minutes every day) Social Benefits of Physical Activity include: Opportunity to share time with friends and family Opportunity to participate in beneficial positive activities that replace negative pressured ones Opportunity to develop positive social skills to make you more popular with your peers, teachers, and family members Opportunity to develop leadership skills and a positive character Opportunity to learn the benefits of being team players to achieve more complex goals Our athletic program consists of 22 teams for boys and girls. The goal of the program is to provide the students with the opportunity to acquire the competitive edge while learning the social skills to be a team player and the discipline of playing by and following rules. Your recognition, support, and encouragement of the children to maintain their academic excellence are greatly appreciated. Your presence will be the highlight of their games. Here is the link to find our games and meets schedule, and, in addition, the hyperlink for those proud students in your class or SLC. http://www.psal.org/profiles/school-profile.aspx#28522 http://www.psal.org/events-and-standings/school-calendar.aspx?schid=28522 Pedro Cubero A.P. Social Studies The Social Studies Department is excited by the start of this new school year. With the assistance of our eight Small Learning Communities we believe we’re in a stronger position than ever to offer your child a quality education, and we continue to strive to ensure that all students meet rigorous graduation requirements and are College and Career Ready. Those unfamiliar with the Social Studies requirements should be aware that all students are required to pass a full four years of Social Studies classes. In addition to this coursework students must also pass two separate Social Studies Regents examinations, the Global History and Geography Regents in June of sophomore year (10th Grade) and the US History and Government Regents, which all juniors (11th Grade) take in June. Students should be aware that these exams are cumulative and will be based on all work done in ninth and tenth grades on the Global exam, and all work done in eleventh grade on the US History exam. Juniors and seniors (12th Grade) who have not yet passed the Global History Regents, and seniors who have not yet passed the Global or US History Regents, will be scheduled to take these exams in January 2015. To prepare students that have failed a Social Studies Regents class all have been programmed to take a “Women in History” course in addition to their regular Social Studies class to have him or her meet with success when retaking their Regents. Please check our website for when Saturdays at Hillcrest will begin. This together with tutoring offered by the Small Learning Communities during the school day will give your son or daughter to better chance to pass these rigorous exams. If your child is scheduled for one of these January exams, please encourage him/her to take advantage of these opportunities. As the semester progresses parents should be aware that report card grades are based on a standardized set of marking rubrics used in all Social Studies classes; your child should have received a copy in his/her class at the start of the semester. Factors considered in the determination of report card grades include class exams, homework, participation and attendance, and required projects. In addition to the state mandated Social Studies curriculum, our department, in conjunction with York College, is offering History 100. Students enrolled in this class will graduate with three college credits. Those interested in law or community service should take advantage of the many programs we offer, regardless of SLC. Last year, for example, students volunteered to be a part of our Moot Court and/or Mock Trial teams. Students also interned at various law offices throughout the Borough of Queens. We are happy to have begun this school year. If you have any questions or concerns about the Social Studies requirements or your child’s progress please do not hesitate to call us at 718-658-5407 ext. 1162. Russell Wasden A.P. ESL Now in its third full year as a large SLC, Newcomers is moving forward. We have several success stories from last year: namely, we surpassed our goal of increasing the number of students who scored “Proficient” on the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT). Over 122 students reached this benchmark this year, and 65% of our students increased at least one level on the same test. We heartily congratulate these students for this remarkable achievement, and we wish them well in college and in their new SLCs. They should remember that as Former English Language Learners (F-ELLs) they are still eligible for our After School Programs as well as extended time and use of bilingual glossaries/dictionaries on all major assessments like the Regents exams. All of this is very good news, and we sincerely thank the teachers, counselors, school aids, deans, and everyone else in the building who helped us reach this goal. Looking forward, we anticipate many more good things this year. Currently we have scheduled our Annual Family Fun Night for the third week of November. We also will be holding a series of Town Hall Meetings to address the needs of students who are not passing their Regents in a timely fashion and to make students in our SLC more college ready. Finally, we are placing a major emphasis on tutoring this year. Each teacher in Newcomers will mentor a small group of students by gathering and analyzing their data. From there, we will make changes to the way we teach these students, which will impact the way they learn. As always, Newcomers will have a rigorous After School and Saturday program that will address the needs of our special group of students from other countries. We consistently emphasize to our parents, students, teachers and support staff that in order to be successful in the United States, our students need to work twice as hard as students who were born in this country and speak English as a first language. This is not easy. It means our students stay after school every day. They sit for 4.5 hours on the exams instead of 3 hours. They look up words in their dictionaries and glossaries, and create graphic organizers for themselves on the test when other students simply answer the questions. We know that by doing these things, they will be working twice as smart. As a faculty, we are ready to work hard and smart with our students. Their achievements are our achievements, and we hope to see many more in the near future! Newcomers institute is an SLC of high expectations with high support. This year in our SLC we will fully embrace the school motto: “Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow.” David Ricaurte A.P. Science The Science Department is enthusiastic by the start of this school year. Our vision is to produce responsible learners who use science as a process to make informed decisions, solve problems, and enrich their lives. One of our goals for the Science department this school year is to provide authentic learning opportunities that allow students to apply scientific principles to real-life situations. All students are required to pass at least three years of Science. All students will take one year of biological science, one year of physical science and one year of elective science. Depending in the SLC, your child will need additional courses and services to meet their requirements. In addition to the coursework students must also pass a Science Regents examination. We strive for our students to obtain an advanced regents diploma and the role of the science department is to ensure our students pass as many science regents such as Living Environment, Earth Science, Chemistry and Physics Regents. Students who have not yet passed a Science Regents are scheduled for Investigative Science to prepare them to pass in January. Saturdays at Hillcrest will offer review classes for regents’ preparation, additional tutoring and lab make-up. All Small Learning Communities offer tutoring during the school day. If your child is scheduled for one of these January exams, please encourage him/her to take advantage of these opportunities. Science classes that terminate in a regents examination has a lab component. All students must complete a minimum of 1200 minutes of participation in lab to be certified to take the science regents. Students are scheduled to attend lab once a week throughout the school year. You can track their progress in PupilPath, report card and/or parent teacher conferences. The Science department invites you to attend Parent Teacher Conference on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 from 5:30 pm -8:00 pm and/or on Friday, November 7, 2014 from 12:45 pm – 2:45 pm. This will be a great opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and support our goal of sharing the responsibility for advancing our school’s vision and producing global learners. If you have any questions or concerns about the Science requirements or your child’s progress please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or by phone at 718-658-5407 ext. 1167. John Binet A.P. English With the words of master poet Emily Dickinson “Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn.” I greet you all and hope you are enjoying the season. Parents, the English department is happy to announce all of our classrooms are embarking in Common Core aligned essential questions fostering great thinking, reading , writing and rich discussions. Whether your child is just beginning at Hillcrest or is a seasoned veteran, they will be enhancing their reading closely skills by using reader response strategies such as Visualizing, Mark and Highlighting, Reacting and Connecting, Clarifying, Predicting and Questioning a text. Please be our partners in education and ask them to explain each of these strategies to you and how they work in a close read. It is important you extend the learning at home by asking them what they learned today in their English class. You should also model the importance of reading with them by setting aside some family time for reading. Even if it is just for 20 minutes, the investment will do wonders for their reading stamina. Finally, I am setting up focus groups with students to learn more about how they learn best. The goal is for me to take this data and articulate it to my staff so we can better serve our students. Their voices are so important if we want to be at our best. I look forward to meeting you all during Parent Teacher meetings on November 5th and 7th. Please feel free to email me at [email protected] with any questions, concerns or even starting a conversation about a book you are currently reading at home with your child. Teachers of Tomorrow Institute Aarti Bhanot-Haque (Guidance Counselor) This fall, the Teachers of Tomorrow Small Learning Community is delighted to announce our participation in a plethora of learning activities to promote student success and growth into dynamic individuals. Students will be getting the opportunity to build their financial literacy with a trip to American Express in which they will learn about personal finance and shadow a representative. Additionally keeping true to our SLC’S theme, our students will also continue to hone their teaching skills by participating in Junior Achievement, a program which allows our students to teach in local elementary schools for an entire day. Our SLC is committed to ensuring all students succeed and thus we ask for your support by suggesting that you ask your child daily what he/she learned in class. Additionally please encourage your child to attend our G.O.L.D (Goal Oriented Learning Development) tutoring, 7th period every Thursday and Friday. In our SLC, our teacher teams along with the director and guidance counselor, meticulously analyze our students’ data to best serve their needs by targeting areas for growth and providing one-on-one tutoring to strengthen their academic progress. We look forward to speaking further with you at our Parent Teacher Conference in early November. Theatre Institute Kevin Meichsner, Director The Theatre Institute is so excited about this fall semester! The teachers in our Small Learning Community are committed to providing the best possible education to all the students in the Theatre Institute. Our Institute will be providing extra support to students this fall through our Office Hours tutoring program which we hope most students will take full advantage of. The International Thespian Society will continue their charity work this year with UNICEF. Last October the Thespians raised over $400 for UNICEF! We will also continue to look for new partnerships to help give back to the community. This fall and winter our students will be given the opportunity to see off-Broadway and Broadway shows. Also, this year we will continue our work with LEAP and one of our students will have the opportunity to have their original one-act play produced on a Broadway stage. In December look for your child in the Thespian Society production of the August Wilson classic Fences. In addition, our Senior Theatre class will continue the tradition of the “Senior Show” by holding auditions for their spring production of Our Town. In an effort to give all actors time on stage, our juniors and sophomores have begun to prepare for their chance to shine in their own showcases coming in May and June! We didn’t forget about you 9th graders—come to our monthly Poetry Readings and Open Mic Nights to show off your talents! Students from all SLCs can audition for our spring musical in December. The Theatre Institute will continue its partnerships with LEAP and the Shakespeare and August Wilson Monologue competitions to bring its students numerous opportunities to advance their creativity. Please remember to have your child come to school each day with the proper supplies- pens, pencils, notebooks, and folders; and don’t forget their ID cards and Programs! We hope you and your child have a wonderful school year. Feel free to call Mr. Meichsner anytime or email at [email protected] BizTek Institute Christine Peterson, Director Fall is upon us and we welcome the change of the season. Change is good in any context. We are excited to welcome the Class of 2018 and excited about the many changes that the Class of 2014 will encounter in college, work, and life. Biztek looks forward to seeing all of our parents and guardians at the upcoming Parent Teacher Conferences. The evening conference will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, from 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. The afternoon conference will convene on Friday, November 7, 2014, from 12:45 p.m.-2:45 p.m. Please bring any questions and concerns you may have. Remember, we are partners in the education of your children. Enjoy and embrace the Fall season along with the changes it will bring! Public Service & Law Salima Khan, Director The Academy of Public Service & Law is having an extremely successful fall 2014. Our teachers and Guidance Counselor have managed to create an effective learning community where three hundred students feel connected and validated. They have significantly raised educational standards in every single subject area. Through the use of available data and inquiry, these dedicated professionals have changed their pattern of instruction to target the academic needs of all students and have managed to change many students’ attitude to school. Our main goal is to graduate your child high school in four years while facilitating a readiness for college. Literacy is being infused in all content areas to help our students understand important academic language and to develop essential language skills. Our teachers have mounted Word Walls in all classrooms and are infusing the Essentials of Writing in all subject areas. Extensive tutoring is offered to all students during period four on Thursdays and Fridays every week. Our law program has been transformed this term into a three year sequence. We are offering classes in Introduction to Law, Constitutional Law, Legal Studies /Mock Trials and Forensics & the Law. We are happy to announce that several of our students were accepted as interns to the High School Law Institute at Columbia/ New York Universities and the Quest Youth Court. We also offer Coop-Students internships on our school campus. We celebrated Constitution Day on September 17th and our students are currently being rigorously coached for Moot Court, and Mock Trial tournaments, which prepares them for the city wide championships. Our students take college classes in Psychology, Criminal Justice, Calculus, Health Science, Anthropology and Cultural Diversity at school and at York College and Queensborough Community College. Students also take Advanced Placement and Honors classes in all subject areas. Many of our students were given and will be given the unique opportunity to participate in a City Breast Cancer Walk and Christmas Walk under the auspices of the National Council for Unity. Council students in Public Service & Law are also involved in numerous public service ventures such as Cunningham Park clean up and Clean Environment programs. They plan to bring cheer to the babies in the LYFE Center during the Holiday season and foster a culture of “Thankfulness” throughout the school. They also sponsor hikes, trips, dances and visits to the opera and museums. We are presently involved in doing rigorous outreach to parents. Hundreds of letters and phone calls have already been made since September to target students with truancy, tardiness, academic and behavioral issues. Please log on to https://pupilpath.skedula.com by using your password (your child has this information) to access his/her progress and attendance. We reward our students who do well in class, by electing Students of the Month in all the subject areas. An Honor Roll and a Perfect Attendance List are generated at the end of each marking period and displayed throughout the Academy in many prominent places. We are looking forward to meet all parents at Parent/Teacher Conference on Wednesday, November 5 th between 5:30-8:00pm or on Friday, November 7th between 12:45-2:45pm. We will be extremely delighted to welcome you to this important meeting and are quite eager to develop a partnership with you to plan for your child’s education. Health Sciences Institute Gloria Zotti-Meltzer, Director Fall is always a busy time of year in Health Sciences. Our new freshmen class of 2018 attended our Freshmen Orientation and Ice Cream Social in August; they are working hard and have become an integral part of our SLC. During September each student cohort attended a town hall meeting with their director, Ms. Zotti-Meltzer, their guidance counselor, Ms. Johnson, and their teachers. Our principal, Mr. David Morrison, welcomed our freshmen and our College Office Coordinator, Ms. Feriz- Gordon, spoke to Juniors and Seniors about the tricky maze of College applications and scholarships. Our CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) program and EMS (Emergency Medical Services) classes continue to flourish. We are also pleased to add to our faculty another RN Ms. Ann Utke. This month, CNA students have started Clinicals at Margaret Tietz Nursing Home. During October, we also began recruitment for HOSA (Future Health Professionals). Last year we had a great team that competed in the regional competition in Syracuse NY; we hope to duplicate or even surpass our successes this year. Our students continue to work on their required SLC and Community Service volunteer hours. Through the work of our CTE director Ms. Reilly-Gasior, many of our students have also received paid internships in places such as New York State VA Nursing Home in St. Albans, Queens. On PSAT day, Oct. 15th, our seniors participated in a school trip to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not in Manhattan. On a more serious note- trips have also been scheduled for Nov 5 to attend a college class and visit the nursing lab and admission office at QCC. On Oct 14, QCC came to us- nurses visited our SLC and spoke to Health Sciences juniors and seniors about domestic violence. Reminders to all Health Sciences students: Parent-teacher Conferences are Wednesday Nov 5th - 5:30-8:00 pm and Friday, Nov 7th - 12:45-2:45 pm. Students are receiving report cards on Monday, Nov 3rd. Tutoring is school wide – every Thursday and Friday - there are teachers available for tutoring for nearly every period. Make sure you attend! Saturdays at Hillcrest has started and will continue throughout November and December. Seniors, please be sure to schedule your meeting with Ms. Feriz-Gordon at the College Office; follow up on College deadlines and keep those grades up! We wish all of you success for the rest of the semester. Contact us if you have any concerns. Hope to see you and your parents at Parent Teacher conferences. Gloria Zotti-Meltzer - Health Sciences Director - [email protected] Cassandra Johnson - Guidance Counselor - [email protected] Maureen Reilly-Gasior - Hillcrest CTE Director - [email protected] Pre Med Institute Cristina Piccirillo-Ganesh, Director As a new school year begins the Pre-Med Institute would like to welcome all newcomers and those already with us as we embark on new adventures that will surely leave students with great experiences and everlasting memories. As the year progresses the teachers will be working with students and parents to ensure success in all their academic endeavors. Being in the Pre-Med Institute, expectations are higher than usual but nothing the students cannot handle with the right amount of dedication and determination. From the beginning, students are instilled with hard working ethics executed by teachers that will surely help overcome obstacles posed by challenging classes. Such classes include: AP Calculus, AP Spanish, AP Art History, AP Global and American History, AP English Composition and Literature, AP Biology and Environmental Sciences, Medical Laboratory, Micro Biology, College Now courses, and many Honor level classes. For students seeking assistance, tutoring is now available Thursdays and Fridays Period 6. There will also be tutoring classes possibly offered on Saturdays at Hillcrest in the near future from 8:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. For further information, please keep checking Hillcrest’s website for any updates: www.hillcrestweb.com A reminder to all about volunteer hours: it is a requirement to complete a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer service by the time the student graduates. Volunteer hours can be done anywhere the student chooses. We want students to like where they volunteer rather than force them to do it in places of our choice. The manner in which a student keeps a log on hours volunteered will need to be discussed with the institution they are volunteering. After the volunteer work is completed, a letter, on letter head, needs to be provided from the institution stating: student’s name, the hours of service, description of what their responsibilities were, a name of contact and phone number. This letter needs to be given to Mr. Ertel or Mrs. Piccirillo-Ganesh by beginning of May during their 12th grade year. Of course, it can be given in before as well. It is crucial that all parents be logged onto pupilpath. Pupilpath is a system in which you, as the parent, can keep track, daily, of your child’s: grades, attendance, assignments, and progress (college ready). This is also the system in which you can communicate with all teachers by email. All parents have been assigned a code so that you are able to log on (the code is different than your child’s – do not give your child your password). You must also have an email address to link it to. If you do not have your code, please call Mrs. Bilquees Akhtar at extension 1161 to receive your code. You can also get set up during Parent Teacher Conference on November 5 th and 7th in the Library, room 230. Please have an email address ready in order to do so that day. It will help to facilitate all parents getting registered. As a reminder to all parents, the first Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held Wednesday, November 5th from 5:30 – 8:00 and Friday, November 7th from 12:45 – 2:45. For more information on NYC’s academic calendar please refer to: http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/13CCC114-2DC8-40F2-B79E8ED316C3C1F7/0/20142015SchoolYearCalendar.pdf Expectations are high and in the Pre- Med Institute success is inevitable! Faculty and students are all optimistic for yet another productive year. Good luck and best wishes to all! Newcomers Institute Bibi Nazila Ramjan, Director With great fortitude and zest, Newcomers enters its third year as the home to all students who speak English as a Second Language. While learning English is a challenge, the last school year was a great success as we continue to see a marked increase in the number of students who tested out of ESL and are now with other small learning communities. We pledge to continue the hard work as we learn today and lead tomorrow. As always, our after-school tutoring - Passport to Success, will begin in November. Classes will be held in literacy, and all subjects that culminate in regents examinations. We will continue to utilize the computer lab in room 460 every day so that students can do castle learning homework, research, or print materials that they need to support their learning experience. This year, we will introduce a class in leadership - Building Leadership across Cultures (BLAC). Students are asked to look for the schedule for all after-school classes and activities in the 480 complex. Students are also advised to attend tutoring on Thursdays and Fridays during period five (5) or as specified on their programs. In December, before students leave for vacation, we will have an academic challenge for students who will be taking the regents exams in January. We hope that this will help to prepare them for the upcoming exams, as well as build collegiality among students and staff. During the fall semester, Newcomers holds its annual Family Fun Night in November. This is an event where students and their families - parents/guardians, grandparents, and siblings of students- are invited to play games, enjoy a delicious meal, and dance to ethnic music. We will take the opportunity to distribute certificates to all the students who are on Honor Roll (90 and above), and to acknowledge meritorious students for attendance, participation and good citizenship. The Newcomers Institute is a unique small learning community where barriers are broken down and we are not afraid to try new things to promote good relationships among our students, parents and teachers. The staff of Newcomers Institute looks forward to another year of hard work and dedicated service to our wonderful students and parents from all over the world. We plan to involve our students in a wide array of activities that promote good relationships and work attitudes that will assist them to become productive citizens in an ever-changing global community. We look forward to meeting parents/guardians during parent/teacher conference on November 5th and 7th, 2014. Please check with your child and Pupil Path for time schedules. For those of you who are new to the Newcomers community, welcome to a place where “learning today” makes leaders of tomorrow. Academy of Media, Arts and Music Brian Panepinto, Director Welcome back students and staff to The Academy of Media, Arts and Music. We have had a good first month of classes and our teachers are motivated to helping our students succeed for the year. Our SLC is now structured to meet the needs and talents of our artistic and creative students while still maintaining previous high standards and rigor of academic achievement. Our students are taking Honor classes in English, Math, Science, History and Foreign Language, as well as over a dozen Advanced Placement courses including AP English, AP Art History, AP Biology, AP Calculus, and AP History. In addition to this rigorous slate of classes, our students are now engaged in their media, arts and music tracks that invites them to explore their own creative and artistic talents. Parents are reminded to check in on their child’s academic progress by attending Hillcrest’s Parent-Teacher Conference, which runs on November 6 and November 7. We are excited for our annual Humanities Week that takes place during the week of October 17. The heart of Humanities Week includes our 8th Annual Humanities Day, in which students will partake in a variety of communitybuilding events such as an Academic Bowl, Pop Culture Bowl, and Athletic Events. The day is seen as a huge celebration of the fun side of academics and community by our students and staff and will culminate in a Back-toSchool Dance that night in our 380 Area. We are only one month into the new school year, and yet we have had some great accomplishments at our institution that we wanted to share with you! Senior Amrita Kalicharan won a business scholarship offered from The University of Ulster in Birmingham, United Kingdom to study overseas. She will be graduating early and enrolling at the UK University in January! Her story was published in the Queens Chronicle and Queens Press -- http://queenspress.com/senior-wins-scholarship-ingreat-britain/ Junior artist Teyanah Cleve's artwork was a winner of the New York City High School Directory Cover Competition, and her work is the cover of the New York City Middle School Directory that every student entering middle school receives. You can see her work at the top of the page here: http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/613553F13356-429D-8578-36517F61B007/0/MS_fairguide20142.pdf Senior Sarah Khimjee, the AMAM Valedictorian with a near 100 cumulative average, recently introduced Melinda Gates at the Social Good Summit held last month in New York City. Sarah was one of 20 members of the Girl Up Organization selected from a nationwide search to attend this prestigious conference. Her blog detailing her amazing story is located here: http://www.girlup.org/blog/let-girls-lead-social-good-summit.html Junior Zainab Tahir, the AMAM Valedictorian of the 2015 cohort with a 98 average, was one of 20 selected NYC students to participate in the Mock NYC City Council Project. Zainab, currently a senior member in our awardwinning Model United Nations class, will be receiving college credits and acting as a City Council Member at City Hall. More information about the project can be found here: http://collegenow.cuny.edu/model-city/ We are also proud to announce a partnership for our Art Students with the Museum of The Moving Image. Our 9th grade Art students will be working with experts from the museum in video game design. Students will flex their art muscles by developing interactive games. Not only are our students amazing in the classroom, but they love to get involved and bring fun and/or humane projects to our community. Our Student Council has organized trips to Salem, Massachusetts (home of the Salem Witch Trials) for a fun Halloween trip and Broadway show in December. Our council is working towards securing a Toy Drive and book reading for Christmas at St. Luke's Children's Hospital, and a Food Drive for the less fortunate on Thanksgiving. As you can see, things are very busy for us here! We are excited about the new happenings in our SLC and wish our incoming students luck and success this school year. iZone Academy Ena Baxter, Director iLearnNYC @ Hillcrest High School is up and running. Our students are taking advantage of this virtual teaching and learning system that offers online courses provided by New York City Department of Education. We have expanded our course offerings, to assist all seniors and some juniors in all SLC’s (Small Learning Community). Our iZone program covers various subjects and gives our students a chance to complete courses that they need to make up or explore courses that are not offered during regular scheduled classes. Students are able to work at their own pace with teacher guidance. These courses are Common Core aligned and consist of instructional webbased materials that are accessible in the class and at home. They offer a variety of resources which includes text and research options for our students to explore. This commitment, “to prepare students for success in college and career by personalizing learning to meet the needs, motivations and strengths of each student” (ILearnNYC), mirrors our theme for this year “learning today, leading tomorrow”. We continue to explore options that keep abreast with the digital age. College Office News Norma Feriz Parents and students are encouraged to read their pupilpath messages; important information is being shared. Seniors should have already registered to take the October or November SAT for the last time. Seniors should be in the process of preparing for the college application process by gathering information and finalizing their personal statements, asking for letters of recommendations, and applying to scholarships. A message was sent to the students with access to hundreds of scholarships. Sophomores and Juniors are highly encouraged to sign up to take SAT preparation courses. We are finding that students that do not complete a formal SAT preparation course are not getting the minimum required scores for the colleges of their choice. Students that are participating in a SAT prep course are better prepared and have more options with respect to scholarships and more competitive colleges. Juniors should take the SAT beginning in January and again during their junior year in May or June. Students can take SAT Subject tests as soon as they complete the coursework as early as their sophomore year, only if required by their prospective colleges. If any students have concerns regarding their immigration status; they should meet with the college office as soon as possible to explore the options available and obtain resources that can provide free or low cost services. In October, the college office will provide the seniors with forms that will need to be completed in order to prepare for the college application process. Students applying to SUNY and/or private schools should have already started their applications. Students can visit the college office prior to submitting their application with questions and to have them reviewed. CUNY applications will be completed in school during the students' Senior Government classes. Students are encouraged to prepare financially. The CUNY application fee is $65.00 and 6 schools may be selected. Deadlines are very important, please remind your children to stay on top of their courses, regents, and the college application process. Parents, I look forward to meeting you during parent-teacher conferences to answer your questions about the college application process and financial aid. Look forward to working with you and our students. If you wish to contact us sooner, please do so by sending a pupilpath message to Ms. Norma Feriz-Gordon or by emailing [email protected] Parent Coordinator Bilquees Akhtar Parents thank you for being part of Hillcrest High School family. Please stay informed and engaged by: o Signing-up for Pupilpath (contact me for more information) o Check your email regularly o Get to know your child’s guidance counselor o Attend PTA meetings and Parent/Teacher Conferences The PTA will conduct workshops on the new Common Core Standards (Math, English, Social Studies, and Science), FAFSA, and other relevant topics. At every meeting, there is a theme and a guest speaker. It is very important to be involved in the PTA. Each meeting provides wealth of information, latest updates, chance to voice your concerns, learn about various parent and student opportunities. Monthly meetings are held on Tuesdays at 6pm. Here are the dates for the fall of 2014: October 21, 2014 November 18, 2014 December 16, 2014 January 20, 2015 The Fall Parent Teacher Conference is on November 5 (5:30pm-8:00pm) and November 7 (12:45pm-2:45pm). Please attend because this is your opportunity to speak to your child’s teachers and learn more about his/her progress in school. “Every home is a university and the parents are the teachers.”-Mahatma Gandhi Parent Teacher Association Desiree Cameron, President On September 16th, The Parents Association of Hillcrest held its first meeting for the 2014-2015 school year. It was heartening to see the auditorium full of parents, like myself, who are involved in their children’s education. In addition to parents, many students were in attendance. What was most impressive is the number of parents who wished to volunteer. A BIG thank you to all who made donations! Special thanks to Mr. Morrison for being present and for addressing questions and concerns raised by parents. We are especially grateful to Mr. Hussaini, ISS Guidance Counselor, for an excellent and informative presentation on graduation requirements. We hope that future meetings will be as successful as we strive to provide parents with tools and information that benefit students and to support the teachers and staff at Hillcrest. On behalf of Sackelia Webb-Edwards, Regina Whitlow and Bibi Ashraf Stegger, I would like to wish students, parents and staff a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays in December. Let’s hope the great weather continues! IMPORTANT DATES PTA MEETINGS (6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.) October 21, 2014 November 18, 2014 December 16, 2014 January 20, 2015 ACT Exams October 25, 2014 December 13, 2014 SAT Exams November 8, 2014 December 6, 2014 January 24, 2015 QUEENS HIGH SCHOOL FAIR Francis Lewis High School – 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. October 18, 2014 October 19, 2014 OPEN HOUSE @ HILLCREST H.S. (11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. October 22, 2014 END OF FIRST MARKING PERIOD October 24, 2014 REPORT CARDS TO STUDENTS November 3, 2014 December 16, 2014 February 3, 2015 PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE November 5, 2014 – 5:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. November 7, 2014 – 12:45 P.M. to 2:45 P.M.
© Copyright 2024