GATE/SEMINAR
The mission of the San Diego City Schools is to improve student achievement by supporting teaching and learning in the classroom. Within this larger district mission, the Gifted and Talented Education program, in keeping with the California legislative findings and intent, supports unique opportunities for high-achieving and underachieving pupils who are identified as gifted and talented. By state definition, gifted students are pupils who possess a capacity for excellence far beyond that of their chronological peers. This capacity includes many and varied characteristics that require modifications of curriculum and instruction. These modifications form the basis of gifted and talented educational services.

Contact:   Steve Guadarrama - jguadarrama@sandi.net

STUDENT COUNCIL

As we start a new school year we are looking for students that would like to serve on our Student Council. Nominations for student council are Oct. 9, 2008. Each class in grades 3-5 will nominate 2 or 3 students to represent their classroom. From this pool of candidates our representatives will choose who will run for office. Student Council elections will be held on Oct. 24th. Officer positions consist of the following:

5th Grade President - Brianna Pinto

5th Grade Vice President - Cassidy Scott

4th Secretary - Sammy Mayers

4th Historian - Tyler Engquist

3rd Fire Marshall - Landis Cotta

3rd Health & Safety - Madeleine Outlaw

ART CORPS
Art Corps is a PTA-funded, comprehensive, developmental curriculum which teaches artistic fundamentals by bringing art experience to the classroom.  The success of this program depends on parent volunteers who are trained in workshops to teach art in the classroom.  Contact your teacher or Art Corps class volunteer for information on how you can be involved in this terrific program - no experience necessary! Go to www.artcorpssd.com for information on the

Art Corps program, art lessons, workshop schedules and more.
Click the link below to access the 2007/08 Art Corp Training Calendar.
 

MUSIC
Hearst Elementary School offers a wide range of opportunities for music and art education. Primary music education includes recorder instruction for kindergarten through 3^rd grade.  This instruction is provided by classroom teachers.  Students learn to play the recorder and the basics of note reading. Choral instruction for all classrooms is provided by Mrs. Cheryl Slavik through the financial support of our Foundation.

 Upper grade music classes include both instrumental and choral music. Fourth grade students are enrolled in instrumental exploratory classes. Instruction is provided by credentialed music specialists. Students have the opportunity to play several wind and string instruments throughout the year. Late in the year fourth graders participate in a full musical production related to the Social Studies curriculum. Support for this production is also provided by Mrs. Slavik.

 Fifth grade music instruction provides once-a-week pull-out instruction in band, strings and chorus. Each class provides in-depth music instruction on the student’s instrument of choice. The fifth grade chorus also performs in choral events during the year.  Students in all upper grade music classes have the opportunity to participate in auditioned district-wide music events.
Click to Access Words to the Songs

TECHNOLOGY
Thanks to the successful fundraising efforts of the PTA and the  Foundation Hearst Elementary has state of the art technology!  What students and staff have available to them include:

Computers in every classroom
Computer lab with 32 brand new flat screen PC's
Computerized library system
Document cameras in every classroom
Laptops for teachers
Wireless school wide network
Excellent educational software like Inspiration
District wide applications such as encyclopedias and video streaming available to every student at home and at school
School website and teacher websites
Updated printers in much of the school
Ink recycling program
Teacher and district-led technology workshops for professional development
MAPS program to pinpoint student needs in a variety of academic areas

Hearst's technology will help prepare our students for the e-world!

HEARST HUMMINGBIRD AND BUTTERFLY GARDEN
 October Update

As if on cue, the butterflies and hummingbirds greeted our returning students, families and staff at Hearst, in a flurry of activity during the first weeks of school.  Children flocked to the garden to see Monarchs, Western Swallowtail and Cloudless Sulfur butterflies, etc., flutter about and sip nectar from plants we chose especially for our winged friends.  The native/drought tolerant garden fared well through the heat (and neglect) of summer and has rewarded us with vibrant color and new growth.  As Fall brings cooler weather, we will get back to work renewing our gardens and working with students to prepare/plant their veggies.  We look forward to many new opportunities as well, and to support this our first Campus Garden Committee is set to go.  Six parent volunteers have enthusiastically offered to create and maintain gardens on campus.  Together with our very supportive teaching staff, we hope to enhance academic achievement; foster good nutrition; promote environmental stewardship; and provide beautiful settings for the Hearst Community. 
We welcome new volunteers at any time.  Of course, no experience is needed!
Please contact:
 Sue Thomas (susanthom1@cox.net) if you are interested.