Week of October 10

 Weekly Newsletter

Fall Conferences

It's that time!  This year we will hold conferences via Zoom that is linked in the sign up.  Please click on the link below to sign up for an available slot.  We did our best to give families a a variety of times to choose from, considering that we both have some before and after school obligations.  If you do not see a time that works for you, please email us both and we will work something out.   Please note that conferencing is one way that we communicate with families about their children and vise versa. We are looking forward to our discussion! Fall Conference Sign Up

Book Character Pumpkin Patch

Please join in the fun with this favorite Ellis tradition! Students, decorate a pumpkin like your favorite book character (no carving please) and bring it to the media center to share with our school community during the week of October 25th-29th. All pumpkins will be featured that week on the Ellis Media Center Facebook page. 

Click here for the official flyer: Book Character Pumpkin Patch

PTA Wreath Sales

Wreath sales are live now and open through November 1st! The Ellis PTA Health and Wellness committee is holding their annual wreath sale. The proceeds from last year helped purchase the new wooden picnic tables throughout the campus that we are now enjoying.  Erdkinder students were able to put them together for our school community! Please consider making a purchase and/or sharing this information with your friends and family.  The wreaths are fresh and high quality! Please visit the flyer here: PTA Wreath Sale 

Questions? Email Sara Hartley badge7890@aol.com

Device

We are now asking that both Blue Jays and Cardinals bring in their device to school daily, fully charged.  Also, remember that students need headphones or ear buds for classroom use as well as in Technology exploration on Thursdays. 

For more information, please click on the link Book It

Fall Pictures

Fall pictures were sent home the week before last! 

• 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) 

 

Learning Logs

Both Blue Jays and 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. 

The purpose behind this is to facilitate conversation about work choices and work completion.  The hope is that the students can explain to you what each work is and what they worked on.  Also, if you notice that they chose mostly math that week and hardly practiced any reading, that is where a discussion can be had abut appropriate choices. Most students have the goal of completing one Language, Reading, and Math work each day, and some Cultural (remember that Cultural is considered "big" work and is completed over time). If your child is coming home with an empty learning log yet they are telling you that they are working, perhaps encourage and remind them to write down the work they are completing as they complete it.  These are conversations that we have with the students continually, but of course, in true Montessori fashion, we need the "triangle" to be complete between student, teacher/school, and parent/home in order to be successful.    

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. 

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. 

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.oboyle@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

We have created an Amazon wish list with various items we would love to have for our classroom. Thank you!

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

*Dates to Remember 

Wednesday, October 6 Walk/Bike to School

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

Monday, October 25-29 Book Character Pumpkin Patch

Tuesday, October 26- Make-Up Fall Picture Day

Friday, October 29- DDDD for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Georgia/South Carolina (Please donate at least $1)