Special Education Services

The Hillsborough Schools provide Special Education services for those children who are found eligible by the Child Study Team. Referrals for assessment can be made by parents or classroom teachers. Small group instruction is provided for learning and/or speech and language handicapped children. Through the San Mateo County Office of Education, other services are available for children who need more intensive or more specialized services. Please call the principal for further information.

English Learners

Students identified as English Language Learners receive support within their general education classes. All classroom teachers are trained in skills to assist English language learners and/or have received CLAD or equivalent credentials. In addition, depending on a child’s CELDT level, our literacy specialist services may also be utilized to support a CELDT level 1 or 2 student’s language and literacy development.

Giftedness

The current HCSD criteria for a student to be considered gifted is for a student to either: 1) score in the 98th or 99th %tile on the OLSAT-8 (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test)-which is given to all Kindergarten and 2nd grade students, or 2) obtaining and sharing private cognitive testing that shows tests results greater than or equal to 98th%-tile.

South School holds fall conferences for all students. For those students who meet the HCSD gifted criteria, a fall conference with parents, the teacher, the school psychologist, the counselor and the principal occurs to discuss a variety of ways to support and extend an identified gifted student’s social-emotional and academic development.

Tiger Tickets

“Everyone wins when everyone’s in” is the character focus for South School. Students demonstrate daily behaviors that reinforce the character theme. South students work together to include other students in activities and games, to reach out to help others when they are having difficulties as well as to include others in ideas to make South a better school. As these behaviors are sincerely demonstrated, teachers may recognize the efforts with Tiger Tickets, blue tickets recording student actions. Tiger Tickets are proudly brought to the office to the Tiger Ticket box where they are collected over a time span. Tickets are drawn and students are recognized school wide for their positive acts of kindness. Tiger Tickets are great motivators and reinforcers for strong character.

Lakas Shimizu STAR Service Learning Project/Award

In 2013 our STAR Award, which focused on building awareness through community service, changed to a service-learning focus and was renamed in memory of Lakas Shimizu, his generous spirit and the important role that community service played in his life. Designed within the parameters of the Hillsborough City School District’s Essential Outcomes, this award continues to be an integral part of South Hillsborough Elementary School’s efforts to teach community awareness, outreach, and service.

The criteria for the STAR Award builds upon the strong foundation we have at our school for community service with an increased focus on Service-Learning. Participants (4^th & 5^th graders only) identify a community need they felt passionate about, learn about that need, and then engage in a hands-on, reflective learning experience by working with a local organization. To earn the LS STAR Award, students complete their service, reflect and then present to a panel of staff and community members.