Parent Information

About Our School

Ruth Hill Elementary School is located in Newnan, Georgia, a suburban community south of Atlanta. Located in the heart of Coweta County, we regularly experience the challenges and excitement of an ever-expanding school and school system.  Despite this growth, we are very fortunate to be able to maintain an excellent pupil/teacher ratio with very favorable class sizes. 

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Mission/Vision/Beliefs

The mission/vision/beliefs of Ruth Hill Elementary School are represented by the Coweta County mission/vision/beliefs, which was developed by various level of educators in the school system. Ruth Hill Elementary School faculty and staff truly believe and strive to achieve these statements. In 2008, the Staff of RHES decided to create our own mission and vision while maintaining the beliefs of CCSS.

MISSION STATEMENT
RHES - Realizing High Expectations for all Students!

VISION
At Ruth Hill Elementary School, we are: 

                                                            Expecting             

                                                And

                                                Guiding

                                                Learners toward

                                                Excellence and

                                                Success!

 WE ARE EAGLES!

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Curriculum

Ruth Hill Elementary School serves students in kindergarten through 5^th grade. The instructional program for elementary students includes language arts (reading, writing, spelling, listening, speaking), mathematics, social studies, science, health, physical education, art, and music. We have a full-time computer lab teacher, a full-time music teacher, a 4-day week art teacher, and a full-time physical education teacher to serve our students. Teachers are involved in quality professional learning that is connected to the Georgia Performance Standards and standards based classroom instruction. The Georgia Performance Standards represent the state curriculum guidelines for minimum mastery at each grade level.

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Assessment and Testing

Kindergarten students in Georgia schools are assessed throughout the school year on the Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS).   This evaluation is designed to help determine students' readiness for first grade. More detailed information on the G-KIDS assessment can be found at the following link: http://www.gadoe.org/ci_testing.aspx?PageReq=CI_TESTING_GKIDS .

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is a norm referenced test given to 3^rd and 5^th graders. This test allows Georgia teachers, parents, and students to have a snapshot picture of how our students compare to others across the nation. This test is usually given in the fall of the school year and is normed to match what students should know in their grade level at that time of the year.

The Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) is given to all students in grades 1 through 5 in the spring of the school year. This state mandated test matches the state provided standards and shows where students are in comparison with other Georgia students.  Students in grades 3 and 5 must pass the CRCT in certain subject areas in order to be promoted. Third grade must pass Reading. Fifth grade must pass Reading and Math.  CRCT strategies and practices are incorporated into the academic program all year long. A CRCT Family Help Night is held in February or March to provide practice support opportunities that can be used at home in preparation for the CRCT.

Fifth graders also participate in the Georgia Writing Assessment.  This test of students' composition skills is administered at the end of January.  As with the GKAP and ITBS, each student's performance on the writing test is reported to his/her parents. Third grade students' writing is assessed throughout the year by their classroom teacher based on a portfolio of student writing.  A report of each third grader's writing performance is provided to parents at the end of the school year. 

Parents can view and students can practice sample CRCT tests online at Skills Tutor and the Georgia Online Assessment System. Links to both of these programs can be found under the Homework Help button of our webpage. Students will know their username and passwords because of how these programs are incorporated into our school day.

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Exceptional Students

Ruth Hill Elementary School has numerous programs to serve the needs of exceptional students.  Many types of special education services are available to our students.  At the school, we provide services for students with 

• learning disabilities, 
• mild and moderate intellectual disabilities, 
• emotional/behavioral disorders, 
• speech/language impairments, and 
• other health impairments. 

Students with other types of disabilities such as severe/profound intellectual disabilities, autism, hearing impairment, and visual impairment are served at service centers located at other elementary schools in Coweta County. The Central Office contact person is Gina Murray.

Students identified as academically gifted are served at Ruth Hill Elementary School in REACH, a pull-out program in which these students participate one day per week. The focus of REACH is academic acceleration in Social Studies and Science.

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Early Intervention Program

Students who are performing below grade level may receive services in reading and math in the Early Intervention Program (EIP) in grades K-5.  This support program provides extra instructional assistance to students whose skills in reading and/or math need bolstering to enable them to participate effectively in activities appropriate for their grade level.  Parents with questions about EIP are encouraged to contact their child's teacher.

Student Support Team

When a student is experiencing significant difficulties with academic assignments or adjustment to the school environment, the school's Student Support Team (SST) is consulted.  This team, which is comprised of Ruth Hill teachers, counselors, and administrators, consults with the student's classroom teacher to examine the child's progress, attempt to identify causes for his/her difficulties, and brainstorm intervention strategies to help the student. There is a process of Tiers in which teachers intensify the level of intervention for the struggling student. Parents who feel that their child would benefit from the services of the SST are welcome to contact the child's teacher. 

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Title 1 Program

Ruth Hill Elementary School is a Schoolwide Title 1 School. Title 1 is a federally funded program that provides financial support to approved schools according to their level of poverty. Although students who receive free and reduced lunch support are the percentiles that help us to obtain the financial support, any student in our building can use the resources provided by this program. We presently have computers, software, manipulatives, games, and personnel who are purchased with these funds. Title 1 funding strengthens the academic focus of our school and also provides services/resources/trainings for our parents. Parent newsletters explaining more details about Title 1 can be found on this site under the Eagle's Eye link.

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State Report Card/Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

For six years, Ruth Hill Elementary School has achieved the status of a Title 1 Distinguished School due to our ability to meet the demands of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). In 2008, however, we did not meet AYP expectations in Math in our Black subgroup. The staff worked diligently to make progress in this area. The results of the 2009 testing period show that we did meet AYP expectation for the 2008-2009 school year. We are excited that our growth gains are returning us to a status of Distinguished School and we have a strong School Improvement Plan in place to maintain this direction. Our state report card can be reviewed at the Georgia Department of Education website. 

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School Council

Ruth Hill Elementary School has an active School Council made up of parents, business parents, and teachers. Along with the administrator, this stakeholder advisory board gains knowledge and understanding of the operations of the school, its programs, and its responses to academic achievement. The time given by this elected board is volunteer time and is greatly appreciated by the staff and administration.

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Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

Ruth Hill Elementary School has an active PTO Board, which works diligently to raise monies to help the teachers and students. PTO Meetings are held at appropriate intervals to make all parents aware of projects, events, fundraisers, and decisions made by the board.

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After School Program

Ruth Hill Elementary School is able to offer an After School Program of childcare for parents needing such a service. The Site Coordinator is Mike Forbus.

Hours for ASP: 2:15-6pm (children MUST be picked up before 6 pm). There is a late fee beginning at 6:01, and only 3 late pickups are allowed before dismissal from the program.

Tuition: $12.00 per day, per child, during the week of attendance. However, tuition payments made by Friday PRIOR to the week of attendance are $9.00 per day reserved. Any account with a balance owed on Friday will be considered in default and the student will not be allowed to attend ASP until the balance is paid in full.

Many activities are included in the ASP program: snack time, games, crafts, outside play, computer lab, etc.

Enrollment is limited.

Registration must be completed with the site coordinator, Mike Forbus, before the child may attend Ruth Hill After School Program. Registration is $20.00 per child.

Emergency drop-ins are provided by parents needing this service or if students are not picked up from school by 3:00pm. This cost is $15.00 for each day.

Please direct further questions to the site coordinator between the hours of 1:00pm-6:00pm.
 

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Parent Involvement

Parent Involvement is highly encouraged at Ruth Hill Elementary School. Drop in support is never as efficient as scheduling such services since teachers would not be prepared with tasks for a parent to accomplish. Please contact teachers in advance and share what talents you have that could assist us. Some parents prefer to file, cut, paste, etc. Other prefer to read or work with students. Both of these are wonderful support for teachers. If you wish to volunteer, but you are more of a distraction to your own student, we can certainly use you in other classrooms or the media center. Thank you for considering this opportunity.

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Cafeteria Prices

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Ice Cream

Ice cream is sold for 50c on a daily basis in the cafeteria. Students are given approximately 15 minutes to complete their main meal before they are allowed to purchase the ice cream. They are then allowed to eat their ice cream at the lunch table. Purchasing of an ice cream is a privilege and can be taken away when behavior or other concerns arise so that teachers have to make such decisions.

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