Our thanks go out to several local boy scouts who are helping enhance our school site with various projects. Eli Szuch built our new picnic tables and benches for the gazebo and Ashton Hammer put in several hours last weekend attaching the skirting to our new portables. A third project to build a sandbox and refurbish our gazebo is in the planning stages. We apprecaite all their hard work and appplaud their efforts to serve in the community!
Singapore Math
Singapore Math is a curriculum that emphasizes developing good thinkers and problem solvers. It is designed to cover fewer topics in greater depth. It encourages algebraic thinking, even among early learners. We are looking forward to planning an evening of math exploration with our families in the spring. Because this is a new program for us, we need to "live with it" and immerse ourselves in the language and the strategies for some time before we will be ready to move on to a parent education piece. However, we would encourage parents to ask lots of questions about what math looks like for your child. Parents may support the math program by being transparent in the math you use every day. Include your child in cooking and following recipes, using money and estimating distances and time. Find real world situations in which to practice number bonds and to do mental math. Listen to your child explain how he figured out a problem. Ask your child to teach you how to solve problems or do computation using some of the new strategies she is learning at school.
PE Donations Needed
Mrs. Hagashi, our PE teacher, is collecting the following items for upcoming PE units. If you have any of these items, please bring them to our new PE portable:
2 liter coke bottles
"Simply Orange" juice bottles
Clothes pins
Hand or ankle weights
Games for rainy days: Wii "Fit" (with accessories), Wii "Just Dance", "Dance, Dance Revolution", & any fitness DVDs
Thank you!
October 31
October 31st is a "dress down" day for students. Students may wear jeans and an orange or black t-shirt. They may wear shirts with tasteful Halloween messages or designs as well. Help your child select something appropriate for school. We do not allow t-shirts with negative messaging, advertisements for illegal substances, and we do not wear costumes to school. Our student council may plan some additional "dress down" days such as "Sports Team Attire" or "Tie Dye" later in the school year. Thank you so much for your support at home encouraging your child to be accountable and select items that match our dress code guidelines. Our students look like leaders!
After School Assistance
In our efforts to assist parents with a speedy pick up at the end of the day, we are asking students to stay on the black top area and near the pick up line in order to see when parents arrive between 4-4:15 pm. Children may play on the playground equipment after school if they are with a parent. Some students are still unsure about what the plan is for their pick up. Please have a discussion about where you would like to meet your child at the end of each school day. If parents have not arrived by 4:15, students must come in the building and make a call home. Please honor the time of our staff members and pick up your child no later than 4:15. Of course if you have an emergency and are running late, give us a call.
