All Enrolled Students To Eat At No Cost

Great news: Beginning August 25, the first day of classes, all Academy students will enjoy breakfast and lunch at no cost, as a benefit of the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program’s CEP. 

Breakfast and lunch menus will include more whole grains, more fresh fruit and vegetables and is more student-friendly. The school nutrition department will also focus efforts on nutrition education for students as well as parents. 

What does this mean for parents/guardians?

• You do not have to complete a free/reduced lunch application. All students eat at no cost.
• You have peace in knowing your child receives nutritious, healthy meals every school day. No child goes hungry.

Breakfast is served each school day from 7:30 a.m. until 8:05 a.m. Lunch service begins each school day at 11:00 a.m. 

School lunch via Carroll K

5 Things To Do Before Summer Ends

How has the summer gone for you--has it flown by before you could get in enough days at the pool or are you more than ready for crisper air and chilly nights? Either way, it's likely we'll miss the lazy days grilling out or taking the drive down I-70 to the beach come January and February. 

And so, we've compiled this list of must-do activities in the Raleigh-Durham area to be completed before August 25th (the official first day of HSA's 2014-15 school year!):

1. Visit the beach. 

NC Beach via http://trendspig.com

We had to add it to the list because it's so quintessentially "North Carolina Summer." Whichever beach you choose to frequent, remember to know sunscreen recommendations to avoid painful burns and keep your kids safe with these water safety tips. And if you're headed to Wilmington/Wrightsville, one of the closest shorelines, check out these family-friendly summer events to add some more activity to the trip. 

2.  Pick up fresh produce from the farmer's market.

Raleigh Farmer's Market via Lillizalous Blog

Both Raleigh and Durham have excellent farmer's markets that consistently produce some of the finest fruits, vegetables and more every week. Learn valuable advice about what to buy, what to bring, how to plan recipes and more from this helpful article. Just remember to check hours beforehand and plan your trip wisely, as the venues can become very crowded at certain times of the day.

3.  Learn about animals at the Asheville Zoo.

Asheville Zoo via Mix 965 Asheville

If you haven't been to Asheville (or its zoo), now is a wonderful time to make the trip. Only about a 4 hour drive from Raleigh/Durham, the mountain setting offers a nice break from the sweltering temperatures that dominate most of NC in the month of August. Visit the Asheville Zoo's website for more information on special events, buying tickets in advance and other must-know pointers. We have no doubt your kids will be fascinated by the array of animals, large and small, and will learn many useful facts about the natural world.

4. Cool off at a water park.

Water Park via VisitNC

If you'd rather avoid the sand, but still want to cool off, why not try one of NC's many water parks? Visit this site for a comprehensive list of water parks in the Raleigh-Durham area. Just remember to check out these tips and recommended items to bring before you set out. We suggest you leave early in the day to avoid crowds and make the most out of this fun-filled activity.

5. Cheer on the Durham Bulls.

Durham Bulls Stadium via The Southern Photographer

If you haven't been to a Durham Bulls game this summer, you're missing out! Even if you're not a huge baseball fan, these games will give you the chance to sit back, relax and witness one of America's favorite summer pastimes. The Durham Bulls even offer the opportunity to camp out on their famous field during select dates. Check out availability here. 

What do you plan to do with the rest of your summer? Remember to make the most of it!

Congratulations To Our Student Of The Month For June!

Jordyn has shown a great deal of growth since starting school in August of 2013. Jordyn has the ability to retain information learned in one subject area and build upon it in all of her subjects. She is a very friendly, outgoing, loving, and understanding young lady. Jordyn is always up for any challenge presented to her with the support of her family, friends and school. The excellence that Jordyn shows is a strong indicator that she is focused on her education and working on being a future leader in whatever she would like to do. 

Congratulations, Jordyn, HSA student of the month!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Please take note of these important upcoming events:

May 28 - June 2: End-of-Grade Tests

June 3: Awards Day at 1:30 p.m.

June 4: Field Day at Forest Hill Park 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 

June 9: Graduation 
Kindergarten at 9:00 a.m. 
8th Grade at 11:00 a.m.

June 10: Last Day of School (early dismissal at noon)

Summer Reading Program

Barnes & Noble is offering a Summer Reading Program to encourage students to read books of their own choosing and earn a FREE book to help them on their way. Follow these three easy steps: 

1. Read any eight books this summer and record titles in the Imagination’s Designation Journal (provided by your homeroom teacher).

2. Bring your completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 20 and September 2, 2014. 

3. Choose your FREE reading adventure from the book list featured on the back of the journal. 

Homeroom teachers will be sending home Imagination’s Destination Reading Journals.

Helping Your Child Avoid “Test Anxiety”

It’s good for your child to be concerned about taking a test. It’s not good for him to develop “test anxiety.” Test anxiety is worrying too much about doing well on a test. It can mean disaster for your child. Students with test anxiety can worry about success in school and about their future success. They can become very self-critical and lose confidence in their abilities. Instead of feeling challenged by the prospect of success, they become afraid of failure. If your child worries too much about taking tests, you can help to reduce the anxiety by encouraging the child to do the following things:

• Plan ahead. Start studying for the test well in advance. Make sure that you understand what material the test will cover. Try to make connections about what will be on the test and what you already know. Review the material more than once.

• Don’t “cram” the night before. This will likely increase your anxiety, which will interfere with clear thinking. Get a good night’s sleep.

• When you get the test, read the directions carefully before you begin work.

• Look quickly at the entire text to see what types of questions are on it (multiple choice, matching, true/false, essay). See if different questions are worth different numbers of points. This will help you to determine how much time to spend on each part of the test.

• If you don’t know the answer to a question, skip it and go on. Don’t waste time worrying about one question. Mark it and, if you have time at the end of the test, return to it and try again.

Basic Facts About The End-Of-Grade Tests (EOG)

English Language Arts & Reading - Grades 3-8

• The language arts/reading tests are multiple-choice tests.
• The tests are aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts.
• Students read authentic selections and then answer questions related to the selections.
• The reading selections are comprised of literary and informational selections based on the Common Core State Standards.
• Knowledge of vocabulary is assessed indirectly through application and understanding of terms within the context of the selections and questions.

Mathematics - Grades 3-8

• The EOG mathematics tests at grades 3 and 4 are multiple-choice tests.
• The EOG mathematics tests at grades 5-8 are multiple-choice and gridded-response tests.
• All EOG mathematics tests are aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics.
• For grades 3-8, the mathematics tests consist of two parts: calculator inactive and calculator active. Students are allowed to use calculators during the calculator active part of the test; students are now allowed to use calculators during the calculator inactive part of the test.

Science - Grades 5 and 8

• The EOG science tests at grades 5 and 8 are aligned to the Essential Standards for Science.
• The online EOG science questions are multiple-choice and technology enhanced questions.
• The paper-and-pencil science tests are multiple-choice tests (technology enhanced items are found only in the online science assessments).

For additional information about the North Carolina Testing Program, visit the Accountability Services Division website at www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/.

Sample EOG tests are available online at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/eog/