Week of September 26

 Weekly Newsletter

Fall Pictures

Fall pictures were sent home last week! 

• Fall pictures are a fundraiser for our school! (FYI- In the past, we have used proceeds to purchase our BrainPOP subscription, which we do not have the funds for this year).
• The deadline for purchasing photos and/0r returning prints to school is October 15, 2021.  You can purchase online with the code in the packet or you may send cash or check(made payable to Strawbridge) to school with your student. 
• Make-up picture day is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26th.
• If anyone has questions, they may contact Ms. Lisa (lisa.odonnell@sccpss.com) 

 

Continent Study

Our community has begun learning about North and South America! Blue Jays are studying North America and Cardinals are studying South America. If you have any artifacts from these continents that you are willing to share with the class, please send them in with your child.  These can be items that you only want the children to view and we can make sure they are returned safely, money from different countries in either continent, candy, books, textiles, art, etc. 

Learning Logs

Beginning this week Cardinals are taking home their weekly Learning Logs every Friday.  Please go over the Learning Log with your child and discuss the work they completed and sign it.  Please have your child return the Learning Log Monday.  Filling out a Learning Log is a learning process in itself, so some of them may not have written all of the work they have completed on the log. This will take time, especially for the younger students. 

Homework 

Students are asked to read nightly for 20 minutes and fill in their reading log. When the log is filled in, bring it in and a new one will go home.  

We are also asking that Cardinals practice math facts nightly for a few minutes using XtraMath for first and second year students and TimesTables.com for third years.  If your child would rather use flash cards or some other type of practice, that is fine. 

Blue jays will only bring in their devices on Thursdays and Cardinals will bring their devices every day. Your child will need to use their device to practice reading and math skills twice a week on iReady at home. 

They will also need to get on Amira at home and practice reading at least twice a week. Amira practice can be recorded on reading logs. 

Your child needs to log in to their device using the username (firstname.lastname@students.sccpss.com) and password taped on the computer. Then they will log in to ClassLink and this will give them access to both Amira and iReady. They will just need to click the icon of the app being used.

If they are using a device that was not issued by the school, login to ClassLink through the district website by clicking on "Families and Students", then ClassLink on the right hand side. 

Headphones

If your child has not yet brought headphones to school, please send some in. Your child needs headphones to work on reading and math skills practice in the classroom. Thank you!

Birthday Walk Around the Sun

We celebrate our students’ birthdays with a “Walk Around the Sun.”  The child holds the classroom globe in her or her hands and walks around a candle placed on the floor.  One trip around this “sun” for every year of age. At this time, caregivers are not allowed to come into the classrooms but if you want to write down exciting events, please do.    For example...When ____ turned one he/she started walking.  You are also welcome to make a timeline with your child.  By doing so, your child is able to simply add a picture for their celebration the following year. Students may also bring in a healthy snack to share. Birthday celebrations will take place the afternoon of your child’s birthday or another day that is agreed upon. 

Timelines

Timelines are used in the Montessori classroom extensively in the cultural and cosmic curriculum, first seen in the Great Lessons. This preparatory activity of creating their personal timeline readies the students to work with the extensive timelines that are presented throughout lower and upper elementary.

Example of a personal timeline. It does not have to look like this! 

Personal Timeline:

1. A timeline can be as short as one page or as long as a wall. 

2. To make a short timeline, draw a vertical line down the middle of a sheet of paper.

3. Write your child’s birth date on the left side of the line at the top of the page. On the right side of the line, write the corresponding event. (“I was born!”)

4. Add other important dates and events, such as when your child started to walk and talk, when siblings were born, when your child started preschool, when you took family trips, and so on, in chronological order.

5. To make a long time line, cut a length of paper from a large roll or tape several sheets of paper together. Draw a horizontal line across the middle of the banner.                     

6. Write the dates and events of your child’s life from left to right.

7. Glue on photos or let your child illustrate each event.  

Thursday Explorations

Students have Explorations (PE, Music, Tech, Steam, Spanish, Art) classes on Thursdays. Your child needs to wear sneakers and bring a snack, water bottle, school device and headphones. 

Masks and Water Bottles

Please make sure your child has extra masks in their book bag DAILY. Children need to wear new masks daily and parents should check and replace any masks that have been used throughout the day. Water bottles are a necessity! It is hot outside and there are no water fountains from which our students can drink. There are water bottle refilling stations so students can refill their bottles during the day.  

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE NURSE IS IMMEDIATELY MADE AWARE OF ANY POSITIVE COVID TESTS or CLOSE CONTACT WITHIN A FAMILY. 

Please send an email to Ms. Marianne, Ms. Jazmin and Nurse Chris - christine.o'boyle@sccpss.com

PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL SICK OR IF EXHIBITING THESE SYMPTOMS:

Fever of 100.4 orally or 99.4 using a thermal device

New cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Fatigue

Muscle aches or body aches

New loss of taste or smell

Sore throat

Vomiting, diarrhea, or nausea

Congestion or runny nose

Headaches

Wishlist

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/37YRRBS0MZI5D/?ref_=lol_ov_le

*Dates to Remember 

Friday, October 8- Fall Break- No School!

Monday, October 11- Teacher Planning Day- No School!

Tuesday, October 12- 2nd Nine-Week Period Begins

Friday, October 15- Deadline to Purchase or Return Fall Photos 

Monday, October 18- Deadline for PTA Reflections 

Friday, October 22- Drive-Thru PTA Fall Festival

Tuesday, October 26- Make-Up Fall Picture Day