Issue 1 - Dec. 7, 2008
A Galloping Hippo is a student at High Tech High Chula Vista that is lucky enough to be a member of Patrick Yurick’s Advisory.
1.Greetings
2.Upcoming events
3.Schedule
4.Hippo Parent Requests! [Can you help?]a
5.HTHCV Happenings
6.Home visits
7.Galloping Hippos on the Web
8.Closing
<<<<<<<<<<< 1. Greetings: >>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi everybody and happy holidays! What an autumn it has been. The first semester is almost over and I think I have finally gotten into the swing of things. The big move to California coupled with this being my first teaching position has had me work very fiercely to catch-up. Now that I am getting there I thought it was appropriate to start a newsletter. I have a couple of hopes for “Hippo News”. I would like this to be eventually put together by the Hippo’s themselves and I would like this to come out monthly. I will be working steadily to achieve both goals.
Mainly I am glad to have some exciting news to send out. In this issue we have some great things going on for the rest of the year. The Galloping Hippos have put together a schedule for the rest of the year and we would like your support! (More in the “Hippo Parent Requests!” section schedule for the rest of the year located in the “Schedule” section.)
Check out the rest of the sections to see what’s happening!
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<<<<<<<<<<< 2.Upcoming events >>>>>>>>>>>>
As seen in the schedule we have a couple of food events. I am hoping that this newsletter will serve as a kind of “warning” these food events are coming.
Friday December 19th is a Pizza Party so have your Hippo come in with $5 for pizza that day. (Check with your child for field trips that day, Team Vista will be out so only remaining Hippo’s will be at the Pizza Party.)
Friday January 9th is the welcome back potluck. If Hippo Parents and Hippos could converse and get back to me on what could be provided I will begin a list. We are looking for a diversity of food items so once I get the list started I will begin sending drafts out to people.
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<<<<<<<<<<< 3.Schedule >>>>>>>>>>>>
I have attached a copy of the new schedule that the Hippo’s and I have come up with. Below is a breakdown of what you are looking at as far as pages:
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<<<<<<<<<<< 4. Hippo Parent Requests! [Can you Help?] >>>>>>>>>>>>
There are a couple of things that I am going to need help on from Galloping Hippo Parents in the next coming months.
Firstly we decided as an advisory that we wanted to work towards educating ourselves on careers and universities that might be possibilities for us in the future. If you look at the schedule for advisory meeting days you can see that there are several days (5 in fact)that are dedicated to professional development. I am going to work as hard as I can to get some local universities to come in to make presentations as well as contacting professionals to come in to present.
If I can get some email suggestions for some people that you might know, or even yourselves, that would be willing to come in and present. We are really looking for anybody that takes pride in their work and would like to share that pride with our small group of Galloping Hippos. Our first professional development date is Friday January 23rd, at 11:45am – 12:40pm.
In order to build our Galloping Hippo’s community we decided that we would like to have at least two major outings each year. I know that many families have many things planned on the weekends. It is definitely going to be hard to ensure every Hippo can come and that problem is essentially why I have created this Newsletter. We need Hippo Parent support to make these events happen.
The first Galloping Hippo AFC Event that we had decided we wanted to see occur was on Sunday February 8th. This details of this event are currently being generated, but the idea is that the event will take place from late afternoon to early evening and will be Galloping Hippo’s only. (Meaning me and the students.) This event will be broken into sections – team building activities, dinner, and possibly the movies.
We need to know ASAP if there are any problems with the date of the first AFC Event. (Sunday Feb. 8th)
The second event is going to take place at the very end of the year. The Hippo’s would like to take a camping trip. That’s right. A camping trip. Other advisories have had luck with this and we are hoping to have our own luck as well. I am looking at the May 9th-10th weekend to have this camping trip. Possibly Saturday night through Sunday, an early afternoon pick-up. Details on materials needed and location will come soon.
We need to know ASAP if there are any problems with the date of the first AFC Event. (May 9th-10th weekend, Saturday night through Sunday, an early afternoon pick-up).
We also need to know if I can get any volunteers for chaperoning. This may be a great opportunity for Galloping Hippo’s and Galloping Hippo Parents to get to know each other. More info to come.
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<<<<<<<<<<< 5.HTHCV Happenings >>>>>>>>>>>>
We are moving soon! If you stop by you will see all of the classroom walls looking mighty bare because we have started the moving process. December is our last day at Mater Dei and when we return we will continuing our educational journey at Discovery Falls!
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<<<<<<<<<<< 6.Home visits >>>>>>>>>>>>
Lastly – After we get settled in to our new school in January I would like to start the process of doing Home visits. This will just be me meeting with the Hippo and his or her parents in their home. We like to do this at High Tech High because it allows us to really get to know our students and understand where they come from. It helps me as the Hippo’s advisor connect in a deeper more meaningful way as well as encourages the Hippo to connect both parents and the advisor as a communicating team that is there to aid him or her in the journey towards adulthood.
Please email me with any days or times that you would prefer as we start the home visit scheduling process. (After school is preferred for home visits.)
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<<<<<<<<<<<7.Galloping Hippos on the Web>>>>>>>>>>>>
All of the above, and more, is located on my digital portfolio (new and improved!) at:
http://staff.hthcv.hightechhigh.org/~pyurick/
Click on the Galloping Hippo’s tab on the right side of the page. Within these pages you can also see links to your Hippo’s Student Digital Portfolio.
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<<<<<<<<<<<8.Closing>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thank you for taking the time to read through all of this, I know it is a lot - but with the help of all Galloping Hippos and Hippo Parents we can really create something special over the next four years as we journey into the rest of our lives! J
Sincerely,
~ Mister Y (Patrick Yurick)
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