Welcome to
Hillcrest Intermediate School
The Intermediate Years
• Physical, social and emotional growth and
maturity
• Rapid physical growth, deepening
friendships, new responsibilities and
academic challenges
• Children need help to mature emotionally
and intellectually but need more freedoms
• Strong relationship between school and
home provides benefits to children during
these years
2014-2015
3 person teams
• Three classrooms create a team.
• Students switch for:
– Math
– ELA (English Language Arts)
– Science and Social Studies
• Students move as a homeroom to their specials.
• ER (Enrichment and Remediation) 4 days a cycle.
• Accelerated Math in 5th grade begins next year
for students who qualified.
Homeroom and Team Assignments
• Homeroom assignments will be made
over the summer.
• A letter will be sent to your home the end
of July in time for the August 7, 2014
(1:00-3:00) visitation with his/her room
assignment along with the list of supplies
to purchase for school.
• Example Room assignment: 103A– Room
103 Team A
Fifth Grade Core Courses
• 6-day cycle
• Mathematics (86 minutes per day)
• ELA (86 minutes per day)
• Science (43 minutes per day)
• Social Studies (43 minutes)
• ER (43 minutes -4 days per cycle day)
• Activity period (end of every day)
Fifth Grade Specials”
• Informational Technology (1 time per
cycle)
• Library (1 time per cycle)
• Art (2 times per cycle)
• Music (2 times per cycle)
– Chorus or Band or Strings for 2 days in a
cycle
• Physical Education/Health (2 times per
cycle)
Homeroom in the Morning
• The day begins with a moment of silent meditation, the Pledge,
morning announcements, daily exercises and words of wisdom
Other Classroom Activities
• Whole Grade Activities
– Hillcrest Environmental Learning
Program (H.E.L.P.)
– STEM Day
– Fun Day in May
– Jump Rope For Heart
– Valentine’s For Grace
– Heavenly Hat Parade
– Food Drive
Evaluation and Report Cards
• 9-weeks in a grading period
• Skyward electronic report cards
• Family Access provides real time
feedback on student progress (must
register for the service)
Grading Scale
A = 92% and above
B = 82% - below 92%
C = 70% - below 82%
D = 60% - below 70%
F = below 60%
Activity Period
• 28 minutes at the end of every day.
• Activities such as chorus, band, orchestra,
art club or Principals Council meet during
activity period.
• Students can go to any of their teachers
during activity period to ask for help.
• School Store is open 3 days during activity
period
PTA Sponsored Activities
•Reflections
•Science Fair
•Book Fairs
(Fall and Spring)
•Yearbook
•Assemblies
Arriving at School
• Students can begin entering the building
at 7:35 AM.
• Students arriving between 7:35 AM and
7:45 AM go to the cafeteria to wait until it
is time to go to homerooms.
• School Breakfast Program is available.
Riding the Bus
Grades 5 through 8
ride the same buses
Hillcrest students sit
in the FRONT of bus
Middle School
students sit in the
BACK of the bus
Bus drivers may
assign seats
Principals may
assign seats
Busing – Dismissal
Dismissal starts at 2:50 and continues until the
last bus arrives at approximately 3:10.
There are three waves of buses that load over
250 children every 4 – 6 minutes.
Bus Rules
Students must ride their assigned bus.
Eating and drinking on bus is prohibited.
The drivers (or building principals) may
choose to assign seats.
Bus activities are video taped and
periodically reviewed or requested when
bus incidents are reported.
Communication with the Middle School
Principals occurs concerning bus
behavior.
Drop-off and Pick-up
Bus riding is STRONGLY encouraged
Students must walk on sidewalks
Drivers are to stay in their cars
Drivers must follow direction from school
personnel – NO PASSING
School vehicles and buses have the right of
way
Students will be supervised between
parking area and the school by teachers.
Drop-off and Pick-up
Drop-off times are between 7:35 and
7:50 AM.
Drop-off is in the lower lot.
NO Non-School vehicles are permitted in
the loop while buses are loading or
unloading.
Pick-up is after all the buses depart –
approximately 3:10 PM
Drivers may pull into the loop after the
last bus departs to pick-up students
Attendance
• Attendance is extremely important
• An e-mail or voice message is not a legal excuse
• Excused Absences
–
–
–
–
Illness
Death in immediate family
Quarantine
Impassible roads
• Unexcused Absences
– Hunting/fishing
– Oversleeping
– Missing the bus
Attendance
• Tardiness – excuse required
• Early Dismissal – note required
– Parent must pick student up in the office
• Educational Vacations - prior approval
required
Attendance
• 7 days of absence will cause a letter to be
generated stating that a medical excuse
may be required.
• 10 days of absence will cause a letter to
be generated requiring a medical excuse
for each absence.
• 3 days of illegal days of absence will
result in charges being filed before a
magistrate.
Food Services – Cafeteria
• Food Court style cafeteria
• “Regular lunch menu” plus extras
• Lunches are served during 10:14 AM to 12:10 PM
2013-2014 prices
• Breakfast price – $1.25
• Lunch price - $2.30
• Milk is $0.60
Food Services – Breakfast
• Hot and cold meals available
• Meals served from 7:30 – 7:50 AM
• Daily breakfast price - $1.25
Cafeteria - Buying your meal
The self-serve style of cafeteria at Hillcrest
is new to most students. The teachers and
cafeteria staff try to be exceptionally
helpful in the first few weeks of school as
students adjust to this new meal service
style.
• Three Lunch Periods:
Lunch
Lunch 1: 10:14-10:44
Lunch 2: 10:57-11:27
Lunch 3: 11:40-12:10
• Students sit with their
homeroom then team for the
first 4-6 weeks to socialize with
their teammates.
• 30 minutes to eat lunch and
socialize.
• Teachers escort their class to
and from the cafeteria.
• Teachers monitor the lunches
along with Mrs. Banasick and
currently Mrs. Dvorchak.
Norwin Food Services
Financial Procedures
• Students are warned when account funds
become low.
• Students are notified with a reminder note when
there are no funds in their lunch account.
Character Education in Norwin
Through quality
educational experiences,
the Norwin School
District prepares
students to become
productive and
responsible citizens in
an ever-changing
society.
Goals
• An end to bullying.
• An improved professional
relationship between
students and all professional
and support staff personnel.
• A platform for students to
build the attributes of good
character.
• An opportunity for
professional development.
• An opportunity to improve
service learning.
Character Education in Norwin
The Seven Character
Traits
• September – Respect
• October – Responsibility
• November – Courage
• December – Caring
• January – Fairness
• February – Honesty
• March – Perseverance
• April & May – Honoring
students who have
demonstrated all traits
How does Character Education
Support SWPBIS?
• What is Character Education? Comprehensive character education
addresses many tough issues in education while developing a
positive school climate. Character education includes educational
approaches such as whole child education, service learning, socialemotional learning, and civic education. All share a commitment to
helping young people become responsible, caring, and contributing
citizens.
• How does Character Education Support SWPBIS
• Goal setting
• Simialr vocabulary with traits and keys
• Demonstration of traits leads to school wide reinforcers
• District wide K-12 Curriculum character
School-Wide Positive Behavior
Support Program
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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A proactive systems approach for creating and maintaining safe and effective learning
environments in schools, ensuring that all student have the social/emotional skills needed
to ensure their success at school and beyond, It focuses on efficient use of data to guide
decisions for improving schools.
A proactive approach to discipline that promotes appropriate student behavior and
increased learning with explicit teaching of the expectations.
Hillcrest was awarded a $15,000 grant in 2011-2012 from the state to implement SWPBS
in 2012-2013 .
A team of core teachers analyzed the data from a teacher survey to identify the areas of
need.
Homework and bullying were areas that could be improved upon through a research based
approach.
The staff met and identified the matrix of areas in the building where students have less
self discipline and behavioral expectations were identified on posters.
The “Keys to the Castle” evolved with the ‘Keys to the Classroom,’ ‘Keys to the Hallway,’
‘Keys to the Cafeteria,’ ‘Keys to the Restroom’ and ‘Keys to the Bus’ were created.
2012-2013 was the first year the program was implemented with fidelity resulting in
Hillcrest being recognized at the PBIS Sate Implementers Forum in May , 2013 as a
Pennsylvania PBIS school. In May , 2014, Hillcrest is presented a badge recognizing our
success in implementing with fidelity Tier 1.
Hillcrest Intermediate School Expectations Matrix
Expectation
Respect
Yourself
Cafeteria



Voice #1
ID Ready
Voice #0 for
dismissal
Bus
Voice #1
Kind words
Sit facing
forward, feet
on floor
Hands to self
Stay seated


Hands and feet

to self
Use manners:

chew with mouth
closed
Kind words:
please, thank you 
Sit in correct
spot
Wait your turn in
line
Hands and
feet to self
Kind words:
please, thank
you, excuse
me
Allow bus
driver to
focus on
driving

Area cleaned up 
before you leave
Trash thrown
away

“Leave it better
than you found it.” 
Bus is trash
and graffiti
free
Backpacks
stay closed
Keep
belongings to
yourself






Respect
Others





Respect
Property


Hallway








Voice #0
Look where
you are going
Take stairs
one step at a
time
Stay to the
right
Classroom



Voice #0,1
Bring a
positive “I
can” attitude
Bring all
materials
needed for
class
Restrooms




Voice #1
Go, flush,
wash, return
Wash hands
thoroughly
Go right back
to class
Hands and

feet to self
Walk to the
right

Single file line
Use kind
words: excuse
me
Allow others
to pass
Take care of 
your own
property

Use kind
words: please,
thank you,

excuse me
Clean up after
yourself
Respect
privacy of
others
Kind words:
please, thank
you, excuse
me
Hallways are
trash and
graffiti free
Work
displayed on
walls is
untouched
Only open
your own
locker
Care for your
own and
other’s
property
Leave other’s
property
untouched
Bathroom
products used
sparingly
Trash is
thrown in can
Bathroom is
graffiti and
clutter free
“Leave it
better than
you found it.”





Teaching the Keys to the
Café
• Daily
• Interactive
• Formative
• Gaining Influence
• Recognizing Barriers
• Follow Through
• Universal
• Achievement Focused
• Personalization
• Ownership
• Visible
• Interdependence
Ever-changing, Sustainable, student guided Motivation
Reality Tour
• CANDLE, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit that has developed the
innovative parent & child drug prevention program called the
Reality Tour sponsored by the Norwin Lions Club.
• Reality Tour is…..
• an evening program for children age 10+, who must be accompanied
by their parent.
• a 3 hour interactive program that gives families the tools needed to
reduce the risk of substance abuse.
• an award winning program recognized locally, nationally, and
internationally!
• Held at the JB Bright Beginnings School (formally Scull School) the
second Tuesday of the month.
Reality Tour Student/Parent Comments
Questions?