North Hillsborough School won a San Mateo County J. Russell Kent Award in 2013 for our Lunch Electives Program. North puts a huge emphasis on the social development of its students and making sure each student feels included. We offer a variety of lunchtime elective activities to give students alternatives to athletics on the playground. The goal of this program is to improve the social and emotional well-being of our students by increasing their sense of belonging at school by linking students with like-minded peers through a variety of preferred activity choices. We offer students activity choices during the unstructured lunchtime and lunch recess which are not solely focused around athletics. We give students exposure to other students who may share their passion and this helps form new friendships. These small groups facilitate social interactions and create friendships across the grade levels and it makes a huge difference in so many students’ lives.

Each year a lunch elective schedule is developed and it is posted in each room for students to see. There are a variety of lunch electives including daily opt-in activities, selection/election activities, and invitation-only lunch bunches. The daily opt-in activities are announced just before lunch over the intercom system to the whole school. The selection/election activities are offered to all interested candidates at the beginning of the year and students may decide to apply for particular roles. And the invitation-only lunch bunches are strategic invitations to bring similar individuals together who might be potential friends and show them their similarities in a small group setting. This also allows the counselor to address individual social emotional student needs as seen by the counselor and teachers.

 

Lunch Electives 2015-2016

Japanese Club

 

Fridays

12:00-12:40

Location: Room 23

Grade level: 3-5

Brief description: For students who are interested in learning about the Japanese language and culture through videos, games, songs, and crafts.

 

 

Capture the Flag

 

Tuesdays

12:00-12:40

Location: Field

Grade level: 3-5

Brief description: Organized physical game

 

Spanish Club

 

Thursdays,

12:00–12:20

RSP Room

Grade level: 4-5

Brief description: For students who want to learn the Spanish language

 

 

Creation Station

 

Wednesdays

12:00-12:40

I-Lab (room 17)

Grade level: K-5

 

Brief description: Come to the I-Lab and to design and create whatever you imagine!

 

Sign language club

Mondays

12:00-12:40

Location: Speech room

Grade level: 3-5

Brief description: Want to know how to talk without using your voice? Learn basic signs and chat with your friends, during a ‘quiet’ lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Computer Science "Video Game Design"

 

Fridays

12:00-12:40

Location: Room 29

Grade level: 4-5

Brief description: Learn how to program your own video games.

Star Math

Will begin after conferences for 4^th and 5^th graders

 

Just Dance!

Wednesdays

12:20-12:20

Location: Room 9

Grade level: 3-5

Brief description: Dance! Dance! Dance!

 

Student Council

Start date: October 2015

Day/s of the week: Varies, mostly Thursdays

12:00 to 12:40

Location: Room 14

Grade level: Mainly 4^th and 5^th, but 1^st – 3^rd also participate

Brief description: Student council members work together to be the student voice of the school. We plan fundraisers, Board meeting presentations, etc.

 

Character Team

Tuesday and Thursday

12:00-12:40

Location: Room 23

Grade level: select 5th graders