Week 5

Students set up to paint the fall colors on the Elmore Mountain - An Annual Tradition

Week five flew by in a whirlwind!  We are really getting used to our routines and students are settling in with work habits.  I am still in the process of doing beginning of the year assessments, and hope to be finishing up in the next two weeks.  Once this happens we will begin more explicit reading and phonics groups.  

We kicked off the week with our first Farm to School lesson with Miss Kyle!  Students learned about the process of composting and what a healthy compost consists of (green matter, brown matter, and living organisms).  

During writers workshop this week our focus was on stretching out our small moment stories by adding more details, writing a powerful ending, and using checklists to help set goals and work hard to achieve our goals. 

In addition to silent reading, students have been spending time partner reading with their deskmates.  This is good practice for students, as it gives them the opportunity to listen to other students, read to other students, and have conversations with other students about what they are reading.  This is something we were not able to do last year, so it is a nice addition to our reading time.

During math each grade has been working on addition and subtraction strategies using various "part, part, whole" models such as number bonds, and number bars.  We ended the week with students applying what they practiced to word problems.  We also had our first week of "Math Menu".  Math Menu allows students to have to choice over what they are doing to practice math each day.  On the menu there are "Must do" items and "choice" items.  Students are free to choose the order in which they do their "must do" items (though they need to do their practice pages first.). Math menu follows the general class lesson and then allows me to focus on individual students or groups of students who need help while students work independently.

We have started a unit on Economics, which is one of our Global Citizenship standards.  Students have identified Needs vs. Wants, Opportunity Cost (having to choose between and need vs. a want and sometimes having to give up something we want to get something we need), and Consumers vs. Producers.  Next week we will discuss Goods and Services.  Eventually students will apply what they have learned to participating in our upcoming fundraiser, and then helping to pick items we need to purchase for our ECO program.

Thank you to everyone who made our 2021 Open House a great success!  Students were so proud to share with their families their work and their classroom/school!  

It is an annual tradition for students at the Elmore School to paint the landscape of Elmore Mountain every fall.  Student's have been asking when it would happen... Friday was our day.  If your child was absent on Friday, we will plan to have them paint one day next week or the following week.  

In your students Friday Folder this week there are several things that need your attention.  

• Picture envelopes for ordering school photos - see below
• Flier for the upcoming School Sale Fundraiser (Thank AnnMarie Dryden for organizing this).  Please consider donating items for your yard sale/ craft sale/ back sale, as well as your time. Click HERE to sign up.  All proceeds will go toward purchasing equipment and gear for our ECO program. Items that do not sell will need to be reclaimed by the donor.
• 1 day remote work packet - NO...we are not going remote!  Please hold onto this packet and keep in a safe place where you will be able to locate it in the event we do need to shift to remote learning at any time.  There is one day of paperwork for students to to (as well as reading).  In the event we need to remain closed longer than one day, arrangements will be made for parents to pick up student devises and a remote/virtual learning schedule will be put into place.

There is a lot happening in the next few weeks at the Elmore School!

Next week:  

Our music residency with Jon Gailmor will take place next Monday - Friday.  Students will be split into four groups.  Each group will meet with Jon 2 times to compose an original song.  Each day the whole class will also meet with him to write a song together and write a couple of new verses to our school song.  On Friday we will have final rehearsals, voice record, and video record the students performing, which will be made available to you.

School Picture day is Tuesday!  Please find an envelope in your child's Friday Folder. Please return your picture envelope on Monday.  If you plan to order a package, include your payment with the envelope.

Pizza Day next Wednesday!  We will be having Pizza as an option for school lunch next Wednesday!  Please discuss this with your child.  I had to give the kitchen a count for how many wanted to have pizza on Wednesday and all but 2 indicated they wanted to pizza.

Book Orders are due Friday, October 8th.

No School October 11th - Parent Teacher Conferences.  Please see me if you have not signed up for a conference.

Fire Safety Field trip to the Elmore Fire Station - Friday October 15th @9:00am

ECO - Wednesday, October 20th from 9-12 at the Elmore State Park.

Recorders! - 3rd graders will begin learning recorders on October 18th.  Mrs. Leopold ( the music teacher at MES) has generously agreed to teach Elmore 3rd graders recorder this year!  Students will meet with her at 8:00am on Monday mornings, so please assure students are on time.

Reminders: 

Email your lunch orders to me by 7:00 pm on Sunday (including pizza orders for Wednesday).

Library is Monday - remember your books!

Please pack a set of extra clothes including extra socks!

Students should have a pair of indoor shoes!

The days are getting cooler.  Please assure that students have extra layers.

We will begin a rotation of Hot Lunch on Fridays provided by families beginning on the October 15th.  There are still several opening on the schedule.  Click HERE to sign up to bring Hot Lunch for the Students at the Elmore School.  

Check out these Proud Artists and their Beautiful Masterpieces!