Dayton Elementary School

Transcription

1 WELCOME October 2015 Welcome Dayton Elementary School The school year is off to a wonderful start. The kids are smiling, the routines are in order, and the weather has cooperated. As we look to October there are a few events scheduled I would like to bring to your attention. Parent/Teacher Conferences are October 15 and 16. At Back-to-School Night you had the opportunity to sign up with your child s homeroom teacher for a conference. The teachers will be sending reminders of your conference time closer to the date. Conferences are a great time to discuss test results, homework tips, and general how s my child doing? I encourage you to attend. If the dates or times do not work with your busy schedule, please speak to the teacher and we will work together to find a common time to meet and discuss. Each year, the Rotary has been gracious and donated Dictionaries to 3 rd grade. This year, the Rotary Dictionary Giveaway will take place October 13. Rotary members will come into the 3 rd grade classrooms, read a book, and then present the dictionaries. We are so grateful for this opportunity and THANK them immensely. October 30 th is the Halloween Party and Parade. You will receive a letter closer to the date, but please remember we will have the parade outside weather permitting. If the weather is not in our favor the students will parade inside the school in the gym. Mrs. Jennifer Reiter Principal Absence Reminder We want to see your child every day, however, if he or she is ill or running a fever please take care of them at home. When he or she returns to school, an excuse is required within three days for the absence to be excused. The excuse must be turned in to your child s homeroom teacher who will then make sure it is turned into the office. School Day Reminder While there are not many changes this year there are some reminders I would like to share with you. Our school day starts at 8:15 am when students may enter the building and either have breakfast in the cafeteria or go to their homeroom. The school day ends at 3:20 pm when students are escorted to the gymnasium for bus dismissal. If you need to pick up your child at dismissal, please park in the parking lot and report to the office by 3:15 pm. For everyone s safety, we ask you to not be in the front circle as this is for buses only. School Hours The office is open from 7:45 am until 3:45 pm. If there is a problem with bussing, please call Barker Bus Company at When calling the school, you are able to leave voice mail messages directly in your classroom teacher s mailbox. Teachers will receive an notification of the voice mail and then will return your call when they are available. Please remember they are teaching your children all day and they may not return a call until later in the afternoon. Some may even call you in the evening. They are very dedicated to your children and you!

2 Dayton Elementary School s October Newsletter Page 2 Kindergarten News We are all settling nicely into our kindergarten routine. In October, circle time activities will be centered around learning the order of the days of the week, the names of the months, colors, patterns, and counting. Our new Reading Street reading series focuses on learning to read and loving to read while developing the foundational skills for reading. We are currently working in Unit 1 with the theme All Together Now. We are exploring the BIG question: How do we live, work, and play together? In math we have been working and will continue to explore reading and writing numbers Our math lessons will include interesting activities using varied manipulatives that will help to engage and keep the childrens attention. First Grade News Mrs. Kimmell, Mrs. Steffey, and Mrs. Wile are so pleased with how hard-working each of our first graders have been this first few weeks of school. We will continue to review all of our letters, sounds, and kindergarten sight words in reading class. Please be sure to watch the weekly homework sheet and newsletters to know how to help your child practice these skills at home. In math we will be comparing and ordering numbers We will also be learning the foundations of addition. The math tool that we will use a lot is called the part-part-whole chart. We will be learning to count and count-on to learn how small parts can be joined together to create a larger number. Math facts practice will not start until much later in the school year. If you feel your child is ready, you can begin practice of addition facts at home now. Please spend only a few minutes each night if you choose to drill math facts. In science, we will be continuing to answer the question: What is all around me? We will learn about communities. As the cool weather appears, please be sure that children are dressing in layers. They may be asked to cover bare arms and legs during outdoor recess. As always, we are honored to be your child s teacher. Please feel free to contact us at any time. Happy Harvest! Second Grade News In reading, we will be finishing up our "Exploration" Unit. We will then begin Unit 2, which is "Working Together." Throughout our new reading series, we have been learning some "Amazing Words." I hope your children are using these words at home! In math, we are continuing to learn strategies for adding and subtracting. These strategies should help with our Rocket Math that the students should be practicing every night! Each student's goal should be to get to level M by the end of the first grading period. Upcoming Events Title I Family Night: October 8 3 rd Grade Rotary Dictionary Giveaway: October 13 Parent Conferences: October 15 and 16 PTO Meeting: Monday, October 19, 7 pm in the Music Room After School Wellness: October 22 Apple Crunch Day: October 23 Picture Make Up: October 29 Halloween Party & Parade: October 30 (Parade is outside weather permitting) Veteran s Day Program: November 6 at 1:30 2:30 pm Veteran s Day/No School: November 11 ½ Day with Dismissal at 12:20 pm: November 16

3 Dayton Elementary School s October Newsletter Page 3 Third Grade News It's a zoo in here! Third grade is off to a great start. For the first week of school, terrariums were made as the basis for our first writing. Students were easily able to describe the steps to make the terrarium for an explanatory writing. We are proud to report that our plants are growing and adding to our 3rd grade zoo. Once again, the Class Messenger app powered by Scholastic will be used to communicate between school and home. Parents are encouraged to download the app to receive pictures and messages about 3rd grade's school day. Visit classmessenger.com for more information or to sign up. For Social Studies, the students are studying the counties of Pennsylvania. Did you know that there are 67 counties in the state of PA? The 3rd graders began a letter writing project to study all 67 counties. A letter was sent to an elementary school in each PA County requesting some information about the particular county. A cut out star was also included to be decorated and returned. Third grade studied how to write an address and the important parts of a letter as part of this project. The students are hoping to receive a returned star from all 67 counties. It is great to be in 3rd grade! Mrs. Burkett s third graders are working hard getting adjusted to our new reading series, Reading Street. The students have been doing a lot of reading in the classroom that we hope will carry over to reading more at home! We have written Fall poems displayed in the hallway and our upcoming writings are going to be Fables. Another writing project we are working on is writing a letter to another third grader in Pennsylvania. We are sending letters to schools in other counties. The children are writing about their county, Armstrong, and describing what it is like to live here. In science, we will be learning about bats and be involved in many activities, including making bats, writing about them, and reading both fiction and nonfiction books about bats. We are going Batty for the month of October so if you enter our classroom, Beware! Fourth Grade News In 4th Grade the students are learning how plants and animals are classified. We will be looking at some real plants the students will be bringing in soon, and having discussion about vascular and nonvascular plants. In Social Studies, the students are learning all about the different landforms, and will be looking forward to "eating" their landform quiz. Title I News Title I classes should be all settled into a routine in October. Classes will be working on decoding skills that are appropriate for each student's grade and ability level. The students will also work on a variety of comprehension activities. Most activities in the Title I setting are directly led by Mrs. Barnett. We are also very excited to have a new ipad cart for use in the Title I classroom. We hope to get those up and running this month! Change of Address or Phone Be sure to contact the school office if there would be an address or telephone change during the school year. Also, if you need to change or update the emergency contact information, please call the office.

4 Dayton Elementary School s October Newsletter Page 4 Art News Sixth grade art students are working on the contest for designing a cover for our yearbook. Fifth grade art students are completing a contest for The 19th Annual Attorney General Drug-Free Calendar contest. The top three entries will be sent to compete at the state level. We should know the state level winners by October 26th. Fourth grade students are constructing clay bells to be used at the Marshall House in Dayton. Third, second, first grades, afternoon Kindergarten and EDK will be working on various projects that will enhance their understanding of the artistic elements of form and shape. Music News Mark your calendars now! Winter Band & Chorus Concert Tuesday, December 15 at 6:30 Parent Portal Parents and guardians may access student grades from the district website for students in grades 1-6. The district website is: Find and click on the Parents & Students tab and then the link for Edline/Parent Portal. The directions are on this page. You will need your child s Student ID Number (99 Number) to request access. Guidance News Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. It is an ideal way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. Students can display their personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle through the symbol of the Red Ribbon. This year red ribbon week is October 26 th through October 30 th. This year s theme is Respect yourself and be drug-free. To help celebrate the week students can participate in Spirit Week activities, each day will have a special theme to promote a drug free lifestyle. (More information will come home as the week approaches.) On October 1 st students in grades 4 th through 6 th at Dayton and Shannock Valley Elementary will travel to West Shamokin Junior/Senior High School for a joint assembly on the topic Bullying Prevention. I want to thank the PTOs of Dayton and Shannock Valley for sponsoring this event as well as West Shamokin for hosting. The assembly will be put on by the Bright Star Touring Group who is nationally recognized. This powerful production is designed especially for grades 4-8. The aim of the production is to take an honest and open look at the bullying epidemic and its ramifications for both bullies and the bullied. This show strives to empower young people with the tools to stop someone from bullying them, how to engage when they see someone else being bullied and presents a serious anti-bullying message. Guidance Services are available and offered to all students individually, in small groups, and within the classroom setting. If assistance is needed please me at krearick@asd.k12.pa.us or call (724) ext

5 Dayton Elementary School s October Newsletter Page 5 Tips for Parents on Homework Learning doesn t stop when the last bell rings at school. When students bring work home, it is a great time for parents to play a role in their child s education. Homework has many benefits, such as providing extra time for research or practice, helping students develop study skills and teaching time management skills. Here are five tips to help your child benefit by the time spent on assignments and maximize their learning. 1. Study space: Set up a quiet, well-lit area for your child to complete his or her homework. Try to remove any distractions from the surrounding area, like televisions, computers (unless used for the assignment) and loud conversations. 2. Imitation: Children imitate their parents. When your child is focusing on homework, join them in a similar, focused activity. Crack open a favorite novel while they complete their reading assignment, or balance your checkbook while they work through their multiplication tables. 3. Time management: Teach your child how to manage their time. Schedule events, homework, and tasks at home. For instance, after school, set a specific time as homework time and for tasks at home give them time limits. 4. Encourage independence: Some homework assignments are meant to be done by the student alone, and hovering can take away from the child s learning process. Try to step back, and if intervention is really needed, make sure to provide guidance, not just answers. 5. Tackle a challenge: Teach your child how to identify the difference between the hard homework questions and the easy ones. Have them set aside the easier questions for later and tackle the hard ones first. From: Early Dismissals PARENTS, PLEASE REMEMBER if you are planning on picking your child up before the 3:20 pm dismissal time for doctor appointments or other allowable absences you will need to provide a note to your child s teacher and the office. Scheduled 1/2 Days This year, the Armstrong School District has built into the school calendar four half days for students. Students will be dismissed at 12:20 pm on these days. These scheduled days are November 16, February 5, April 8, and June 6. While these are scheduled, school cancelations due to weather may require the district to adjust the school calendar. If this would happen, you would be notified.

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