🎄A Season of Joy & Gratitude✨

As we step into December, I hope each of you have the chance to enjoy a restful and meaningful Thanksgiving spent with family and friends. This time of year brings with it a special blend of gratefulness, memories, good food, twinkling lights, crackling fireplaces, and the joy of being together. As Christmas approaches, we’re reminded of the deeper meaning of the season—generosity, compassion, and the importance of helping others in need. The holiday spirit is already alive and well in our school community, and it’s a joy to witness.

Reflecting on the school year so far, it’s incredible to see how much our students have grown since August. They’ve found their groove as we near the end of Quarter 2 and Semester 1. Classrooms are buzzing with new learning, curiosity, and confidence. Teachers and students have built strong routines and established clear expectations. Our Panthers continue to show what ROAR looks like each day—Respect, Ownership, Attitude, and Responsibility—through their actions in the classroom, hallways, cafeteria, and playground.

This month is a wonderful opportunity to focus on gratitude and winter kindness. Whether it’s lending a hand, offering a smile, demonstrating patience, or celebrating someone’s success, each act makes our school a better place. I’m proud of the effort, perseverance, and positivity our students show, and I’m equally grateful for the families and staff who support them every step of the way.

As we move into this festive season, may your homes be filled with warmth, your hearts with joy, and your days with moments that matter. Thank you for sharing your children with us and for being part of the Hershey Panther family.

Wishing you all a wonderful December filled with peace, kindness, and the magic of the holidays.

🏫 Schoolwide Highlights & Celebrations

🎉 Semester 1 ROAR Program Celebrations - Since launching the Panthers ROAR positive-behavior program, our students have done a tremendous job living up to the values of Respect, Ownership, Attitude, and Responsibility. Teachers report strong classroom engagement, routines are well-established across grade levels, and hallways, lunchrooms, and playgrounds are showing evidence of behavior that matches our ROAR expectations.

It’s wonderful to see so many Panthers stepping up — making good choices, showing kindness, helping peers, and reinforcing a culture of respect and responsibility.

Hershey Panthers Host First-Ever PK–6 ROAR Assembly

🌟 “Student of the Month” Spotlight - We’re proud to celebrate our TK–6 November nominees for HPS Student of the Month. These students were selected by their classroom teachers for consistently modeling ROAR values in classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and playground.

TK-6 HPS November Student of the Month Nominees

Congratulations to this month’s Student of the Month winner — Kyler Klein! Kyler has stepped into a leadership role by volunteering for Safety Patrol, Bank-Teller Duty, and helping out at the Book Fair. His upbeat attitude, dependability, and kindness make him a joy to have in class — and a model Panther for us all.

TK-6 HPS November Student of the Month: Kyler Klein

👏 Teacher & Staff Shout-Outs - We also want to give a big thank-you to outstanding staff making a difference. This month’s spotlight goes to Tracy Ballentine, our Elementary Special Education teacher. Her dedication, compassion, and positive impact on students make her a true asset to our school community. 💙

🍁November Teacher Spotlight - Mrs. Tracy Ballentine

📸 Snapshot of Recent Events

Our students and staff participated in meaningful Veterans Day activities, honoring those who have served and helping our Panthers learn about respect, sacrifice, and community gratitude.

Hershey Honors Service at 2025 Veterans Day Program

Across classrooms this fall, students have completed a variety of projects — exploring new content, applying skills, working collaboratively — showing great growth and engagement as we head into the winter months.

Beyond academics, many students have begun volunteering and helping in school initiatives such as “Bank Teller Duty,” safety patrol, and student-led events — embodying ROAR values and strengthening our school community.

AimswebPlus is a screening and progress-monitoring system used for reading and math skills (from early literacy/numeracy through more advanced grades). It uses brief, timed measures (CBMs — curriculum-based measures) and standards-aligned assessments to gauge foundational skills and overall reading/math achievement.

The main purpose is to quickly identify beginning gaps or skill needs, monitor growth over time, and help teachers adjust instruction or plan interventions before small weaknesses become bigger problems.

Results from aimswebPlus are reported using percentiles, comparing each student’s performance to national norms. Percentiles show the percentage of peers at or below that same level. For example, a 20th-percentile score means the student performed at or above 20% of the national norm group. 

NWEA MAP Growth is a computer-adaptive assessment used periodically (fall, winter, spring) to measure what a student knows and how they are growing academically throughout the year. Rather than giving the same test to every student, the test adapts: if the student answers a question correctly, the next one becomes harder; if they struggle, the next one is easier.

Scores come in the form of a RIT score (Rasch Unit). Think of the RIT like a “growth chart” for learning: it shows a student’s academic level at a moment in time, and you can compare RIT scores over time to see how much they’ve grown. Because RIT is on an equal-interval scale, a jump of, say, 10 points means the same gain whether a student is early in their learning or more advanced.

NWEA MAP helps teachers and administrators see both achievement (where a student is now) and growth (how much they’ve improved), which guides instruction, goal-setting, and support.

🧑‍🏫 Helping Students Set Goals & Understand Their Scores

This winter testing season is a great time for students to think about personal academic goals. Encourage them to ask themselves questions like:

“What kinds of growth do I want to see in reading / math this semester?”

“What does my last score tell me — what am I doing well, and where could I improve?”

“How can I prepare so I’m fresh, focused, and ready to show what I know?”

As adults (parents, caregivers, staff), we can help by framing test results as growth milestones, not just “grades.” Celebrate what improved — even by a few RIT points or percentile points — and emphasize skills over comparison.

✔️ Test-Taking Tips & Tricks for Parents (useful especially during testing week)

Research and educator guides suggest how parents can support children before and during testing periods:

✔️Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep before each test day — rest helps concentration.

✔️Provide a healthy, filling breakfast on test mornings to fuel focus and stamina.

✔️Ensure your child arrives to school on time and ready — a calm, timely start reduces stress.

✔️Help your child understand that the test measures what they know and can do now — it's not about pressure, but about growth. Encourage a calm, confident mindset.

✔️After testing, avoid placing too much emphasis on the score itself. Instead, talk about learning, effort, improvements, and how to use the result to plan for the rest of the year.

🏡 How Parents Can Support Academic Growth & Behavior at Home (Beyond Testing)

📖 Reading & Literacy Support

Make reading a regular, enjoyable habit — read for fun, for interest, for stories, not just “school reading.” Shared reading, reading aloud, and asking open-ended questions help build vocabulary, comprehension, and a love for stories.

Encourage conversation — talk about books, daily experiences, movies, trips — building oral language and background knowledge that support school reading and writing.

Use everyday activities as literacy opportunities: reading labels, writing lists, following recipes, telling stories, journaling — all help reinforce reading/writing naturally.

➗ Math & Fact Fluency Practice

Practice basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication) in short, fun bursts — flash cards, quick oral drills, games — to build automaticity. This supports success on both classroom work and assessments.

Use real-world contexts for math — counting money while shopping, measuring ingredients when cooking, estimating time or distance — to make math practical and meaningful.

If your school uses an online skill-practice platform such as IXL, encourage your child to log in during breaks for extra practice. Short, frequent sessions are more helpful than long, pressure-packed ones.

🎯 Behavior & School Expectations Reinforcement

Remind children of the behavior expectations we talk about at school (respect, responsibility, kindness — our ROAR values). Consistency between home and school helps reinforce good habits.

Support the decisions of the principal and classroom teacher around behavior — when consequences occur, help frame them as learning opportunities and a chance to practice better choices.

Encourage reflection: when mistakes happen, help children think about what they could do differently next time. Mistakes are often small now — better to learn now than when problems are bigger later.

🎄 Upcoming December Events

🎶 Holiday Concerts (PK–3 and 4–6) - Two Separate Nights

Our students have been working hard to prepare for this year’s holiday music programs!

PK–3 Holiday Concert: Students will share festive songs and seasonal cheer in a performance that highlights their growing musical skills. 

📅Tuesday, December 2, 2025 

⏰6:00 PM 

Activity Center

Students report to Competition Gym 5:45 PM

4–6 Holiday Concert: Upper-elementary students will present a polished program filled with holiday favorites and ensemble pieces.

📅Tuesday, December 9, 2025

⏰6:30 PM

Activity Center

Students report to Competition Gym at 6:15 PM

Full concert details can be found here:
📎 https://www.hpspanthers.org/article/2561687

We look forward to seeing families join us in celebrating the hard work of our Panthers musicians!

🎉 PK–6 Classroom Winter Parties — December 19

Classroom winter celebrations will take place on Thursday, December 19. Teachers will communicate specific party times directly with families. A few important reminders:

Only parent volunteers who signed up at the beginning of the year may attend classroom parties.

Families may send treats or party items with their child or drop them off at the District Office during the school day.

Thank you for supporting our classrooms with snacks, goodies, and festive supplies — your generosity helps make the day special for students!

🏛️ Board of Education Meeting

The next Board of Education meeting will be held:
📅 Monday, December 8, 2025
⏰ 7:00 PM

❄️ Winter Break Dates & Canned Food Drive Goal

This year’s winter break schedule depends on whether the district reaches its K–12 canned food drive goal:

If the goal IS reached:

Last day for K–12 students: Friday, December 19

PK last day: Thursday, December 18

If the goal is NOT reached:

Last day for PK–12 students: Monday, December 22

🌟 Christmas Break Dates:

No School: December 22/23 – January 5

📚 Quarter 3 Begins:

Students return on Tuesday, January 6

We appreciate everyone’s support in helping us meet this year’s canned food drive goal — it truly makes a difference for families in need during the holiday season.

🤧 Winter Illness Reminders

As we enter peak cold and flu season, we would like to remind families of a few important guidelines to help keep our school healthy:

Encourage frequent handwashing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

Teach children to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow.

Keep your child home if they have:

A fever of 100.0° or higher (they must be fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning).

Vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours.

A persistent cough, sore throat, or signs of contagious illness.

When in doubt, contact Nurse Bailey for guidance before sending your child to school.

Keeping sick students home helps protect classmates, teachers, and staff and reduces the spread of winter illnesses.

🧤 Proper Winter Attire

Cold Nebraska weather is here! Please ensure your child comes to school dressed for outdoor recess and safe travel to and from school.
Students should wear:

Winter coats

Gloves or mittens

Hats or ear protection

Snow boots and snow pants (especially for lower grades who play in the snow)

We go outside for recess as long as the wind chill is above 0℉, so proper attire is essential.

Labeling winter gear with your child’s name also helps our lost-and-found stay manageable.

🚍 Transportation and Safety Updates

🚶‍♂️ Dismissal Reminders

Thank you for helping us maintain safe and orderly end-of-day procedures. Please remember:

Walkers are released through the West Door at dismissal time.

Bus riders are escorted to the Activity Center, where they board their designated buses.
Staff are positioned throughout the building and outdoors to ensure all students transition safely from school to home.

❄️ Winter Weather Bus Expectations & Late Start Procedures

As temperatures drop and winter weather becomes more frequent, please keep the following transportation reminders in mind:

Students should dress warmly (coats, hats, gloves) when riding the bus, in case delays occur due to road or weather conditions.

Expect that buses may run slightly slower during icy or snowy conditions as drivers prioritize safety over speed.

If the district announces a late start, buses will operate on the same delay (e.g., a two-hour late start = two-hour delayed bus pickup).

All weather alerts and schedule updates will be communicated through:

District automated phone/text notifications

The HPS website

District social media pages and local radio/TV stations

Your patience and preparation during winter weather help ensure every Panther gets to school safely.

As we head into this special time of year, I want to extend my warmest wishes to all of our Hershey Panther families. May this Christmas season bring you moments of rest, joy, and togetherness. I hope your days are filled with cozy gatherings, meaningful conversations, and memories made around the table, by the tree, or wherever your holiday traditions take you.

Thank you for sharing your children with us each day and for partnering with us to create a safe, caring, and thriving school community. It is truly a privilege to watch our students learn, grow, and ROAR with pride.

From my family to yours — Merry Christmas, and may your holiday break be filled with peace, gratitude, good health, and the simple joys that make this season so special. I look forward to welcoming everyone back, refreshed and ready for a wonderful start to the new year.

Go Panthers!

Jared Thomsen

Elementary Principal

📞 (308) 368-5572

📧 jared.thomsen@hpspanthers.org

Empowering All Students to Reach Their Full Potential.

"Learn, Grow, Thrive - Hershey Public Schools"