From the Superintendent’s Desk
Dear Parents and Community Members,
Students in grades 3-12 will soon be taking a variety of state and district-mandated tests. As a parent, you
want your child to be successful. As a district, we do too.
Tests and assessments are an important part of the education process. Results help identify what students have
learned and what they still need to study. They provide data that helps identify students who may be falling
behind. Teachers use the information to develop lesson plans and other supports to meet the needs of students.
The school district uses the results to evaluate if we are accelerating gains in student performance. State and
federal policymakers use them for accountability -- to help measure the effectiveness of programs and
schools.
There are several ways to help your child perform well on tests. Many parent organizations have developed
tips for parents on how to support their child, particularly during the testing period. Here are a few sugges-
tions:
• Make sure your child attends school regularly and completes homework and reading assignments.
Time spent in learning situations increases the likelihood that he/she will do well on tests.
• Encourage your child to do his/her best on all tests and avoid placing too much emphasis on
any one test.
• Meet with your child’s teachers as often as possible to discuss your child’s progress and specific
learning goals. Talk about how you can support your child’s learning at home.
• Educate yourself about the tests and other assessments that are used in evaluating your child’s
progress. Your child’s teacher or the school principal can provide a schedule of testing for the year
and explain the purpose of the tests.
Remember, no test gives a complete picture of your child's knowledge, ability or aptitude. Students
demonstrate their abilities in many other ways - through their work in the classroom; their interaction
with teachers, students and others; and other school activities. All provide an overall picture of where
a student is succeeding and where he or she needs support.
Our district continues to look at ways to best assess our students at the local level. Parent involvement
is vital to this process. Test results can help pinpoint problems, but cannot solve them. We
need to make sure that test results are just one of the many factors used to measure a student’s success.
Thank you for your continuing support,
Stephen Handley, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Education
ter emailed directly to you
or to read it online.
Contact John Neal, Director
of Community Relations at
601-857-5222 ext. 1003 for
concerns related to commu-
nity relations and dropout
cashier’s check or money
order.
On Wednesday, March 20, 2013, New Stage Theatre
presented in-school performances of LILLY’S PUR-
PLE PLASTIC PURSE at Gary Road Elementary
School in Byram, as part of the New Stage Theatre
Arts-in-Education statewide touring program. LILLY’S
PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE was presented at 9:00
a.m. There were a total of 300 in attendance.
New Stage Theatre is a professional not-for-profit thea-
tre. New Stage Theatre’s Arts-in-Education tours are
supported, in part, by Entergy, the Selby and Richard
McRae Foundation and the Mississippi Arts Commis-
sion.
Rotary Club of South Hinds County Dictionary Give-Away
The object of the Rotary Dictionary Project is to give every student a personal
dictionary of their very own that will serve them at least through elementary and
middle school.
Many teachers see this as a key to better reading, speech, and writing. These skills
will improve student performance in other subjects as well. Receiving the dictionar-
ies from Rotary members is beneficial to students as well. The young people meet
successful adults in their community who care enough about them to purchase these
dictionaries and come to their school to present them personally.
The brief explanation of Rotary service in the community and around the world
gives students a lasting positive impression of Rotary and the ideal of service.
Barry Clemmer, Club President stated, “Giving dictionaries is a perfect and neces-
sary addition to any reading or literacy program. This project has brought our club
together as never before. The members have what they describe as a warm feeling.
Our entire club is looking forward to next year.”
Pictured L-R: Dr. Stephen Handley,
HCSD Superintendent & Barry
dictionaries at BEES, GRI, RES, and RES
Rotary Club of South Hinds County and Interact Club Members
pose for picture with GRI Administrators
Page 3
Skills USA State Championship
Return to “BIG HOUSE” under New Leadership!
RHS Girls BK Team/Mike Coleman, Coach
District VI Class 4A Champs
South State Runner-ups
Representative –Rex Sporting Goods
District VI Class 4A Champs
South State Runner-ups
construction areas for prizes and a
trip to Nationals.
Hudson, Teacher
Attend Counselors & Directors Workshop
MCEF/Skills USA State Championship
Pictured L-R HCSD Team Members: Jamal Shunsiddeen; Julia Clayton; Kiarria
Lacey; Daisha Blalock; Justice Blalock; Ericka Epps; Bertina McGrew; and Elijar
Clayton.
at
BEES/GRE/GRI/RES/UES
National Education Association’s Read Across America is a national reading celebration that takes place each year on March
2nd the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and commu-
nity centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books. You can, too!
Byram Police and Fire Department Members
Pictured L-R: Commander Ford Hayman, Byram Police
Department; and Chief Marshall Robinson, Byram Fire
Department
Pictured L-R: Heather Homan, District TST Coordinator; Dr.
Stephen Handley, Superintendent of Education; and Tara
Crechale, Teacher Quality Team / District Test Coordinator
Government—Civic Leaders Read to Students
Pictured L-R: Nick Tremonte, Mayor of Byram; Delbert
Hosemann, Mississippi Secretary of State; and
Roderick Nicholson, Mayor of Terry
THS Students Athletes Read to Students
Pictured L-R: Taylor James; Bryce Perry; Dontarrius Moore;
and Nona Johnson
Hinds County School District
Collaborating with the Community for Success
4 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Wellness Regimen There’s good news for you if “get healthier” has been on your to-do list since New Year’s eve, but the idea of
going to the gym or eating more veggies hasn’t motivated you to get started. Being healthy means more than
fitness and healthy eating, so this year try “spring cleaning” your personal wellness regimen.
Though diet and exercise play important parts in creating optimal health, personal wellness includes addressing
the following:
1) Get health screenings: A good place to start improving personal wellness is getting examined see if you
have risk factors for certain serious illnesses.
2) Wear Seatbelts: Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death in the US and a major cause of spinal
cord and head injuries.
3) Stop Smoking: The verdict is in: smoking is unhealthy and can kill you! Second-hand smoke also threatens
others you live, work, and socialize with.
4) Move your body: Consider physical activity an important medicine. It helps decrease the risk of many
illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and strokes. If something as effective came in a pill many
people would probably rush to buy it.
John Neal, Director
Common Core Works - From the Page to the Classroom
Previously I have shared with you CCSS Grade Expectations that I created, along with those of the National PTA.
Here is another resource you may want to consider as we communicate with parents of our new kindergarten
students as well as students being promoted for the upcoming school year.
The Council of the Great City Schools has developed content and grade-specific parent roadmaps that provide
detailed information for parents about the expectations of the Common Core in English Language Arts and Liter-
acy as well as Mathematics.
These roadmaps include examples of grade-level focus in the content area using parent-friendly language, sample
progressions of learning across three grade levels in the Common Core, and tips to parents on communicating
with teachers about their child’s work and how to support student learning at home. These documents are also in
Spanish.
From the Office of Child Nutrition
Helping Your Kids Eat Healthier Healthy eating can stabilize children’s energy, sharpen their minds, and even out their moods. While peer pres-
sure and TV commercials for junk food can make getting kids to eat well seem impossible, there are steps parents
can take to instill healthy eating habits without turning mealtimes into a battle zone. By encouraging healthy eat-
ing habits now, you can make a huge impact on your children’s lifelong relationship with food and give them the
best opportunity to grow into healthy, confident adults.
Let the Percent Daily Values Be Your Guide
Use percent Daily Values (DV) to help you evaluate how a particular food fits into your daily meal plan:
• Daily Values are average levels of nutrients for a person eating 2,000 calories a day. A food item with a 5% DV
means 5% of the amount of fat that a person consuming 2,000 calories a day would eat.
• Remember: percent DV are for the entire day — not just for one meal or snack. • You may need more or less than 2,000 calories per day. For some nutrients you may need more or less than