Week 5

This will be a brief update, for as you know, I was home sick most of the week.  Work continued through the week despite my absence.  We were very fortunate to have a couple very qualified guest teachers along with Mrs. Bellavance to keep things going through the week! My predecessor, Annamary Anderson, spent three days in the school this week, which I'm sure felt like walking back in time a few years!  

On Friday third graders had their first recorder lesson of the year with Ms. Leopold!  I heard this went very well. Third graders will meet with Ms. Leopold on Friday's through the next couple of months.  I feel very fortunate to have this collaboration is Ms. Leopold.  If you see here around the neighborhood, be sure to thank her!  As you know learning something new requires practice and students should spend time practicing at home during the week so that they are ready to move onto the next lesson each week.  Recorders and books need to come to school with third graders each Friday.

We begin Save for Success School Banking on Monday between 7:30 - 8:00.  If you child plans to participate and you haven't returned the forms yet, please send them along on Monday.  I am looking for one or two parent volunteers to help with the program each week.  The commitment would be once a week (Monday) between 7:30 - 8:00 (a few minutes before 7:30 to get set up).  I know this is short notice, but if you are interested and available this Monday for training, please let me know.

Next Thursday (October 6th) we have our first ECO class.  This will be our introduction to ECO and we will be staying right in the school yard for the day.  We will go over expectation (3 cares) and visit some of our safety protocol such as fire safety, and choose nature names.  We plan to spend the entirety of our time outdoors from 9-12.  Please send your child with clothing layers as it will likely start out damp and cool and looks like it will warm up through the morning.  All students need a water bottle, and you may want to send a hat and sunscreen.  Please let me know if you would like to join us for a fun morning outdoors on Thursday.  A reminder that all volunteers need to have a background check completed.  

Thank you to Fuller's for providing our Family Hot Lunch on this Friday!  

Next Friday Hot Lunch (TBD) will be provided by Caitlin Mahoney.

Please email me your lunch orders for the week. 

Announcements:

• Students need to bring their Library books back on Monday!
• Students need sneakers for PE on Tuesday this week!
• No School, Wednesday October 5th (Yom Kippur)
• We will begin having ECO on Thursday, October 6th 
• Third graders need recorders and books on Friday.
• Parent Teacher Conferences, Monday October 10th (No School) 
• Field Trip to The Elmore Fire Station on Friday, October 14th.

Week 4

 

Collaborative work as students created posters to show our our School Rules

We began the week with some collaborative work as students had to work with a small group to plan, create, and present posters about our school rules.  These will hang in our classroom throughout the year to remind us of classroom expectations.  Thank you to everyone who came out for our Open House on Thursday evening!  It was so wonderful to welcome you all into our classroom and to see the excitement as students proudly talked about some of the work and showed their families our classroom!  

Students continued drafting their small moment narratives.  This week they lessons included: crafting a powerful beginning, editing, and setting daily goals.  I am working through the reading assessments.  Ms. Bourne and Ms. Tibbitts who work in the MES Literacy Lab joined us on Wednesday to help with the process.  

During Math students are currently reviewing addition and subtraction strategies.  Our Math menu is running pretty smoothly at this point, as students are learning the expectations of independent work time so that I can work with grade level groups.   

On Friday we had a Fall science lesson about why leaves turn colors in the fall, and we were lucky to catch our final butterfly hatch from its chrysalis. 

 Thank you to the Reynold's who provided us with a delicious Chicken Soup, Elmore Mt. Bread, and Birthday cupcakes for dessert on Friday!  

Please email me you lunch orders ASAP this week!

Friday Family Hot Lunch will be pizza, salad, and fruit, provided by the Fuller Family!  

Announcements:

• Please send extra shoes or slippers for indoors
• Students need sneakers for PE on Thursday
• No School, Wednesday October 5th (Yom Kippur)
• We will begin having ECO on Thursday, October 6th (Every Thursday thru December and March thru June) - Please fill our and return the permission form found in last weeks Friday Folder.  
• Parent Teacher Conferences, Monday October 10th (No School) please call the school to sign up if you have not already scheduled an appointment.
• Field Trip to The Elmore Fire Station on Friday, October 14th.  

leaf rubbings

Hermit Island Campground crew!

Week 3

Students had fun doing some team building games on Monday.  

It's hard to believe I am already writing about our third week of school.  This was our first full week of the school year, and we filled it up pretty nicely!  We started the week with some fun team building activities.  Above students are participating on the Caterpillar Race.  We also played a fun name game.  Activities like this are not only fun, but help us build our school community, which is critical for having a successful year. On Tuesday we had our first Farm to School where students explored plant seeds. Wednesday was not only school photo day and our first guidance lesson of the year, but Mrs. Bellavance had Jury Duty, so we had Jon Gailmor as a guest teacher! Jon brought his guitar and we ended the day doing some fun  songs with Jon.  On Thursday we took our first District Assessment (STAR Renaissance - Reading).  We ended the week harvesting some of our garden and students helped to make a salad which we later served with our first family Hot Lunch of the school year!  

This week we formally launched our writers workshop.  Students will spend the next several week writing narrative stories.  These are small moment stories about something that happened or something they did.  We began by making a list of things that could be written about.  The next day, students began drafting their stories.  We read the book Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and talked talked about how the author helps the reader paint an image in their mind but using words that connect to our senses to describe the scene.  We ended the week learning how to make changes to our writing without the need to redo everything.  

Next week I plan to begin assessing students reading levels.  Once this is done we will begin guided reading instruction.  Until then, we are listening to many read alouds, doing some shared reading, talking a lot about books, and practicing silent reading and partner reading.  Everyone did a great job getting started on their reading homework this week.  Just a reminder that students should return their reading logs everyday.

During math, students are getting used to the routines of our math lessons, which includes a whole group math launch (Which one doesn't belong, estimation, a number talk, a game, etc), then we go into our math menu time.  During math menu, I work with small groups doing targeted instruction (usually by grade level) while the remainder of the class is doing independent work which they choose from their menu.   This includes "must do" work and some student choice.  Math menu allows me to differentiate work for all learners. We will continue to add to our menu offerings as students learn more games and technology.

Thank you to the Mosley's for providing our first Family Hot Lunch.  We enjoyed Shepards Pie, watermelon, and the salad the children helped to make from our garden!  Next Friday the Reynold's are offering Chicken Soup, fruit, and a special dessert!

School lunch items for next week are below. (Turkey and cheese may be Ham and Cheese):  Please email

your orders by sunday evening so I can submit them to the kitchen. Breakfast is also available each day.

Please find a free/reduced lunch form in your child's Friday Folder.  Please fill these out and return them to the school.  School lunch is currently free for all students, but the district needs to collect this information for their funding.  Thank you so much!

Announcements:

• Please send extra shoes or slippers for indoors
• Students need sneakers for PE on Thursday
• Open House: Thursday, September 22nd 
• Grade 1@ 5:30
• Grade 2 @ 6:00
• Grade 3 @ 6:30
• No School, Wednesday October 5th
• We will begin having ECO on Thursday, October 6th (Every Thursday thru December and March thru June) - Please fill our and return the permission form found in your child's Friday Folder.  
• Parent Teacher Conferences, Monday October 10th (No School)
• Field Trip to The Elmore Fire Station on Friday, October 14th.  

Our Garden Harvest

 

Week 2

We celebrated the completion of the second week of school with Juice Pops on Friday afternoon!

Week two is complete and the children are beginning to get into the routines of the day, as we are still setting the stage for the school year and developing a classroom community of learners.  This week we developed our school / classroom rules together after identifying good choices and poor choices.  We were able to classify them into 3 main categories which we then adopted as our our rules or expectations for the year.  They are :  Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Do Your Best!  

Additionally each student identified a goal (Hopes and Dreams) for the school year.  Each child made a Dreamcatcher with their goal written on a feather which hangs from their dreamcatcher.  This is just the beginning of our goal setting for the year and the students will continue to set goals and reflect on them throughout the school year.

Each child has also made an "All About Me" poster and they are drawing self portraits to go along with them.  Please send a family photo, if you haven't already, (or email one to me) so these can be added to their All About Me display.  

We have been working hard to establish a routine for our math instruction as students have been gradually introduced to the math menu format we will be using this year and we have started targeted grade-level instruction which is mainly review at this point.

Students have been writing in their writing journals and we will begin using the writers workshop model next week.  Additionally students have been doing silent reading and began practicing partner reading this week. 

Next week students will begin having reading homework for a defined amount of time each night.  I will send a letter home on Monday explaining the homework expectations along with a reading log for them to keep track of their reading each night.  This year I will be lightening the load for homework as research shows there is little effect of assigning homework to younger children on their school achievement in school.  Here is an interesting article if you are interested or watch this quick video.

On Friday, as is tradition at the Elmore school, we made applesauce using the apples from our appletree in our school yard.  The children collectively cut up the apples.  We added them to pot with a little water and boiled them until they were soft.  The final step was to run them through a food mill, and add a bit of sugar and cinnamon.  Everyone enjoyed a fresh cup of applesauce for dessert after lunch.  

We have harvested many Buttercup Squash from our garden as well as some rather nice looking carrots!  I'm looking for some creative suggestions for the squash.  If you have a favorite recipe you would like to share, please send it in! 

We will have our first Farm to School class next week with Kyle Weatherhogg (we will have this about once per month).  We will be taking a closer look at our garden space and I anticipate harvesting our kale, leeks, fennel, potatoes, and celery.  

We have been growing Monarch Butterflies in our classroom!  We currently have three chrysalis, and two caterpillars that are ready to change any minute (infact as you read this, I am certain they have already formed their chrysalis!)  It has been so fun and engaging to watch these caterpillars grown and change, and we have been reading about the process as it happens.  Last weekend we had our first butterfly emerge.  Unfortunately it happened when we were not here, so we missed the big event!  I was able to release the butterfly on Saturday, and gladly it flew away!

Please email you lunch orders for the week.

We will have our first Family Hot Lunch on Friday provided by the Mosley's!  I will let you know early next week what the menu will be.  

Here is the link to the Meal Train if you would still like to sign up to bring a meal.  I think there are only two unclaimed dates at this time.  Thank you!

Announcements:

• Please send extra shoes or slippers for indoors
• Students need sneakers for PE on Thursday
• School Picture day is September 14th. Envelopes are in your Friday folder.  Please return these before Wednesday.
• Open House: Thursday, September 22nd 
• Grade 1@ 5:30
• Grade 2 @ 6:00
• Grade 3 @ 6:30
• No School, Wednesday October 5th
• We will begin having ECO on Thursday, October 6th (Every Thursday thru December)
• Parent Teacher Conferences, Monday October 10th (No School)

Week 1

Students enjoyed their first Physical Education Class with Ms. Wine on Thursday!

Week 1 was fast and furious!  Excited and sometimes, nervous children filled the classroom at The Elmore School again this week.  We have 10 returning students and 7 new first graders.  This week as all about getting to know each other, community building, and becoming familiar with routines and expectation.

We did some journal writing, started to learn the basics structure of our math instruction including math menu (we will begin more targeted instruction over the next couple of weeks), be became familiar with our classroom library and learned how to find "just right" books for reading (more targeted reading instruction will begin in a couple of weeks).  Finally, we made All About Me Posters about ourselves which we will have displayed for Open House on Thursday, September 22nd.   We have several Monarch caterpillars and chrysalis we are observing, so we have been learning a lot about  Monarch Butterflies.  We should have some ready to release next week. 

This year I would like to put a spotlight on families of The Elmore School.  Please send a small family photograph with your child on Tuesday.  If if is easier to send a digital file to me to print you are welcome to do that as well.  I would like to display these with our All About Me posters.  

Next week we will begin Digital Citizenship lessons, set goals for the year by identifying our Hopes and Dreams, and come up with our classroom / school rules.

If you haven't already done so, please go to The Meal Train to sign up to bring Hot lunch on one of the Fridays this year.  The first Friday (September 16th is still available!)

Please email any lunch orders for next Tuesday - Friday. Options are:

• PB &J
• Turkey and Cheese
• Chef Salad
• Chicken Caesar Salad

Announcements:

• Community Talent Show Performance: Saturday Sept. 3rd - meet at the Playground @12:30, performance @1:00
• Please send extra shoes or slippers for indoors
• Students need sneakers for PE on Thursday
• NO School Friday, September 2nd or Monday September 5th
• School Picture day is September 14th.
• Open House: Thursday, September 22nd 
• Grade 1 5:30
• Grade 2 6:00
• Grade 3 6:30
• No School, Wednesday October 5th
• Parent Teacher Conferences, Monday October 10th (No School)

The apple tree is covered with apples! - Next week we will collect them for baking!

just hangin around!

Welcome (Back) to the Elmore School!

 

Welcome (back) to another year at the Elmore School!  Yesterday I release three beautiful butterflies that broke free from their chrysalises, and it made me think about how you will be releasing your children into school in just a few short days!  Just as the butterflies spread their wings, so too, will your children!

For those of you who have children who are new to The Elmore School this year, this blog will be my way of communicating with you on a weekly basis about our week.  I will update the blog each weekend and will send out an email notice letting you know the blog has a new update.  Please bookmark the page so you can find it easily and go back to when needed.  I will send a link that will bring you directly to the blog each week.  You will also have the option to subscribe to the blog by clicking on the subscribe button at the top of the page.  Please make sure you read the updates each week so you don't miss anything important.  If you need a paper copy instead, please let me know.

I'm so excited for our new school year.  We have seven new friends joining us in first grade this year.  They will be joining our five second graders and five third graders, making a total of seventeen children!  

Before we begin on Monday, I just wanted to remind you all of a few things.

• School lunch will be available Monday - Thursday (and Friday if there is no one signed up to bring Hot lunch).  Options will be a a choice of PB & J, turkey (or ham) and cheese Sandwich, a Chef salad, or Ceasar Salad.  On Monday and Wednesday (beginning the third week) we will also have a hot lunch option on Monday and Wednesday.   Parents need to let me know if your child will be getting school lunch and what they want no later than 6:00 pm on Sunday before each week begins. Lunches are prepared at MES and delivered to us on Monday/Wednesday.  School lunch also includes a milk and is free to all families (please still fill our free and reduced lunch forms if eligible)
• Breakfast is also available in the mornings.  This is usually cereal and milk, juice, yogurt or a cheese stick.  You do not need to sign up for Breakfast in advance.  Note:  Breakfast will not be available on the first morning (August 29th).
• Our specials are:  

1. Monday: Library (@2:00 - with Mrs. Boudreau)
2. Tuesday: possibly yoga (with Mrs. Nicholls)
3. Wednesday: Art or Music (with Mrs. Nicholls)
4. Thursday: PE (@2:00 - with Ms. Wine)
5. Friday: Art or Music (with Mrs. Nicholls)

• Please bring sneakers for PE days (Thursday)
• Students should have a pair of indoor shoes or slippers they can wear at school.  This helps keep the dirt out of our classroom.
• Please make sure you have filled out the on-line registration forms ASAP.  You should have received a notice about it from LSUU.  The consent to use technology form must be completed before students will have access to school devices.
• I will be sending home paperwork to fill out for a background check.  Any adult who plans to volunteer or chaperone any school event needs to have a background check completed and approved every year.  I will send two home with each student on Monday.  Please get these back to me ASAP.
• Any student who has a planned absence (such as for a family trip or extended vacation) needs to fill out planned absence form and submit that to LSUU central Office for Ryan Hearity to approve.   I have these forms available.
• School Picture day will be Wednesday, September 14th (first thing in the morning).  I will send home order envelopes before then.  All students will have their photo taken but you do not need to order photos if you don't want to.
• Arrival in the morning is between 7:30 - 8:00
• Pick-up in the afternoon is at 3:00
• If someone other than you will be picking up your child or their afterschool plans change, please send a note with your child.
• ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) will be on Thursdays this year.  I will let you know the dates as soon as we have a plan in place.  Parents are encouraged to volunteer and donate firewood!. 
• We will be practicing two safety drills the first week .  "Clear the Classroom" and a "Fire Drill"
• Students will have "Friday Folder" that will go home on Friday with all their work from the week plus any important notices.  These should be cleaned out and returned to school empty on Monday.
• We will ease into homework, and I will let you know when this begins.

• Saturday, September the 3rd, The Elmore School Children will be performing in the Community Talent Show at the Elmore Store as part of the Labor Day festivities.  The show begins at 1:00.  More specific details to follow.  
• 
  
• Thursday, September 22nd will be the our Open House.
• Grade 1: 5:30-6:00
• Grade 2: 6:00-6:30
• Grade 3 6:30 - 7:00  

Below is an outline of the Current VT DoH Covid-19 Policy Guidance for Schools.

I think that is it for now!  I'm looking forward to another great year!

See you on Monday!

Best, 

Diane

Week 38

 

It is hard to believe the last full week of the school year is behind us!  This will be the last update of the school year.  We had a great week with Hot lunch in the school yard on Tuesday, and we ended the week with a glorious day hiking Elmore Mountain.  Students worked on finishing their fiction stories and in math we took our last math assessment aimed at showing student proficiency in the High Leverage Concepts ( the basics of what we want every student to walk away knowing end of the school year).  

Tuesday provided us with a beautiful day to eat our Hot Lunch outdoors!  Thank you to the Batchelder's who brought us a feast of BBQ Chicken, mashed potatoes, watermelon, and carrots, topped of with Strawberry rhubarb pie with ice cream for dessert!  What a treat!

Thursday, we were stuck indoors as a steady rain fell throughout the day.  We made the most of it and students helped us reorganize our classroom library!  That was a big job to do and the children worked together showing perseverance, problem solving, and cooperation. 

Friday was our final outing of the year as.  Our big hike to the lookout on Elmore Mountain.  This is the second year we have done this hike and it is a great way for us to end out school year together.  Students were full of excitement as the reached the top and cheered on those that were still coming.  They enjoyed each other's company and had lots of conversations throughout the hike.  When we came off the trail on our descent, one student said "Awww, I wanted to keep talking!"  This speaks to how social these young people are and how important it is to give them opportunities to just be with each other.  I'm so proud of these children and the bond they have with each other, regardless of their grade.  We ended the day at the beach with a lot of carefree splashing and playing in the sand.  Thank you to Ashley Reynolds and Caitlin Mahoney for volunteering their time to hike with us.

Monday is our last full day of school.  We are planning to spend a good chunk of out day outdoors playing games (a field day of sorts).  Please send sunscreen and a hat (if you like), and a water bottle.  

Tuesday is a half day with dismissal at 12:00.  See you at the Elmore State Park Pavillion from 5-7 on Tuesday, June 14th for the 3rd Grade Graduation and Elmore family picnic.  This is a potluck event.  Please bring a prepared dish to share.  We have a lot of salads and desserts, but if anyone would like to provide a main dish to share that would be great (I am not planning on grilling, so these items should already be cooked if needed, unless someone wants to be in charge of grilling).  There are some tables under the pavillion.  These will be reserved for 3rd grade families first.  Please bring a chair or blanket to sit on for additional seating.

Thank you all for making my second year at The Elmore School so special.  I appreciate you all so much and I'm so happy to be part of the Elmore School Family!  Some of you will be moving on to MES, but know that you are always part of the Elmore School Family.  Please stop by and visit and keep in touch.  

Have a Wonderful Summer!

Students created Name Constellation.