December 2021

Commitment. Kindness. Community.

From the Desk Of: Katie DeProphetis, HPS Board President

It's hard to believe, but this is my family's fifth year with the Hill Preschool. We applied for a spot on a whim, once we learned we’d be moving to Capitol Hill, not knowing much about the school other than what we read in a few reviews. It’s funny to think about how much that decision has shaped our lives over the last four and a half years. The friends we and our kids have made, the teachers and staff members who have truly come to mean so much to our family, the birthday parties, after-school soccer, pizza parties on the weekends — HPS has played an incredible role in shaping our community. As our kids get older and go on to elementary school, we're learning that many of those connections are here to stay.

Just before Thanksgiving, we were given a glimpse into how this has played out for other families. The board invited current and former HPS students and their families to sign a banner and show everyone at HPS how thankful we are for them. We were thrilled with the number of people who stopped by, some going out of their way to get there at such a busy time of the day. We heard stories from families of fifth and seventh graders who were once students at HPS. We met some of those "big kids" on their way to Brent, stopping by to tell us who their teachers were when they were preschoolers. We even had some parents of students no longer going to school on the block stop by just to thank the teachers and staff of HPS. It was such a nice reminder of how much this community means to so many of us.

Of course, the last two years have been difficult. It was hard, and at times impossible, to see old friends and meet the many new families that started at HPS in 2019 and beyond. It's something we've all experienced, to some degree, and something we on the board have spent a lot of time talking about how to address. In the coming year, we hope to spend a lot more time together, both in service to those relationships within our school community and also to our greater community on Capitol Hill and beyond. We're keeping a close eye on health and safety trends as we plan for family-friendly events at the park, an evening event for our parents, teachers, and staff, and even a first-annual Fall event. We'll also be partnering with the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, beginning in January, to provide supplies and cheer for their outreach to residents of the neighborhood experiencing homelessness. We can't wait for it all to get underway.

I continue to be so thankful for this community, and look forward to the coming year with optimism about what is to come. We on the board wish each of you plenty of rest and good times in the company of your loved ones in the weeks ahead. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in January for a year filled with catching up, seeing old friends, and making new ones.

K.D.

In This Issue

From the desk of Katie DeProphetis

Curriculum Corner with Jill Barefoot

Giving at HPS
Picture Day

“T” Time
LaTasha Johnson &
Tatianna Peak

Reminders

Holidays & Home

Curriculum Corner
Jill Barefoot, Grasshopper Purple Lead Teacher & School-wide Curriculum Coordinator

Home for the Holidays, Help!
Experiential learning is not just for school….

Albert Einstein once said, learning is experience, everything else is just information. When I read that, I wondered if Einstein ever had experience in teaching young children or if his genius included never losing his childlike wonder.

It was not until the 1970’s that David A. Kolb, adding to previous philosophies by Piaget, Lewin and Dewey, developed what is known as the modern theory of experiential learning. When I began teaching, a lot of teachers were still using dittos and worksheets, rote learning models of just “listen and learn”. I also began teaching this way. I remember using an old Heath reading kit I found in the classroom of my first teaching job. Even then, designing curriculum fascinated me and I created four groups that would rotate to tables with different activities surrounding whichever story we had read, each table with a different ditto. I came to the realization that I was spending more time redirecting behavior than teaching and that when my children were most successful was when they were doing a hands-on activity. I switched up my style and began more investigations, field trips and experiments.

Later, in my education, I became knowledgeable about different theories on children’s development and learning and had my own ah-ha moment. When I discovered the philosophy of Malaguzzi in Reggio Emilia, my own experience was validated in that children are capable of discovering their own knowledge. This philosophy also allows for the individual learner to move at their own pace, make mistakes, and reflect on their experience.”

Understanding this, we validate that learning can be done anywhere. For example, at home during the holiday break!

Math? Give your child some options for a cooking project. Measuring, counting scoops, setting timers, waiting for said timers, all while making a delicious snack. Let them make a mess….that’s how they learn!

Fine motor skills? Ask your child if they would like to decorate cards for family members and make homemade gifts. Even having them help to clean up is an opportunity to learn.
Science and nature? Bundle up and take a trip to the zoo. The cooler weather actually makes it easier to see the animals during those daytime hours, and then once you are home, follow it up with a nature documentary like the Disney Nature Series or Planet Earth for our older friends. Or my personal favorite, The Crimson Wing, about the flamingos in Tanzania.
Having family over for dinner? Our young writers can make the name cards for the table. Need to run to the store with your little one? There are endless lessons down every aisle.

Making these tasks into learning opportunities can keep boredom at bay, give you some down time and continue the wonderful learning while away from the classroom.

Here are a few awesome resources to keep you engaged and active during the holiday break!

Picture Day!

End of Year Giving

As you tally your donations toward year-end, there’s still time for a tax free contribution to HPS.

Give a gift online anytime!

Thank you HPS Families! Your generosity has has raised $1,100 so far for our school.. We appreciate the support and hope you enjoy having the memories!

If you have questions about your photos, please contact jennyhthiel@gmail.com.

“T” Time

Getting to know the HPS Teachers at Home

Ms. LaTasha Johnson

Who is your hero?
My Mother is my hero.
If you could join any past or current music group, which would you want to join?
The group XSCAPE
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Continuing going to school and working with young children in a full-time position while pregnant with my oldest son to obtain my AA degree in ECE! He watched his mama walk across that stage (at age 3)!
What is your dream vacation?
A trip to Africa with my children.
Quick likes and dislikes:
Likes - Music, Seeing my boys happy, Horror/Sci-Fi/Thriller movies, Cats, and The color Green
Dislikes - Inconsideration, Disorganization, Rudeness, Being up high (escalators, roller coaster drops), and Most Insects

Ms. Tatianna Peak

What is your dream vacation?
Traveling to the Bahamas or Africa!
What would you sing at karaoke night?
I would sing Perri Jones’ ‘Free’.
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
Definitely the early 2000s.
Quick likes and dislikes:
Likes - Shopping, Eating, Dancing, Singing, and Doing hair
Dislikes - Disrespect, Clutter, Being controlling, People in my personal space, Lies

— Reminders —

Be sure you’ve signed up for your class Shutterfly - get details from your teacher!
12-23 School will be close for Winter Break
1-3-2022 School will be closed; Full time and T/Th students to take and report Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Tests
1-4-2022 Return to school for full time and T/Th students who have presented Covid-19 Negative Rapid Antigen Tests
1-4-2022 M/W/F Students to take and report Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Test
1-5-2022 All Students may return to school who have presented Covid-19 Negative Rapid Antigen Tests