Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Public Schools

By Stephen Weiss, His Place Community Center

Teachers and Principals will tell you: the first month of school matters! Student attendance during the first month of school predicts attendance throughout the whole year. So if you want students to be at school learning, you’d better make sure they show up in September. The first month of school also sets the tone for the year. That’s why the staff at Spring Hill Elementary will host a First Month Festival to encourage students to have a year to remember!

On Thursday, September 8th, Spring Hill Elementary and His Place Community Center will partner to host the first ever First Month Festival. All student and their families are invited to join, have a snack, play some games, and most importantly: have a great school year. Students are encouraged to have excellent attendance, to sign-up for after school opportunities, and to create a safe, welcoming environment for everyone at Spring Hill Elementary. Student will have the chance to run with Oliver Onion—one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ pierogi mascots—in a “race to end bullying.” The First Month Festival is a One North Side initiative, funded by a Neighbor-to-Neighbor grant from the Sprout Fund and the Buhl Foundation.

His Place Community Center will continue to partner with Spring Hill Elementary throughout the school year. His Place will help encourage attendance all year long, by running a Buddy Project in partnership with the United Way’s Be There Campaign. His Place is also helping to lead an effort at the school to prevent bullying, by engaging students and staff in an Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in partnership with Pam Countouris of Take Care of Bullying Consulting. For more about His Place, please visit: www.hisplacecc.org

For more information about the event, contact Stephen Weiss at 412-245-6071, [email protected]