The Pine Bough
Pine River Elementary School Newsletter, June 2018
June Calendar
Thank you to Al Simons for sponsoring our June calendar for each of our families! Also, thank you to Mrs. Andrea Ursitti for adding all of the dates and cute clip art. Each family received a copy of the calendar to reference throughout the month.
Summer Message
Dear Pine River Families,
This exciting year has passed by quickly! It was amazing to watch our students grow from a group of curious and magical children to the confident and challenge-seeking learners that they are now. Each child has matured, refined skills, and developed new ideas and insights. Our Pioneers are intelligent, enthusiastic, caring, creative, hard-working, and full of spirit. I am so proud of all of them!
As we reflect back on the 2017-2018 school year, please join myself and the Pine River staff in acknowledging and celebrating the rich learning opportunities that our students have experienced. Together, we have planned and facilitated lessons and activities founded in best practices, as well as creativity and innovation. In addition to supporting students toward meeting high academic expectations, we developed each student’s character and social skills. Pine River is truly committed and dedicated to maintaining a learning environment that supports thinking, understanding, and confidence in our students.
All of our students have made outstanding progress this year! As we break for the summer, please continue to help keep your child’s skills sharp by encouraging and supporting daily reading and math practice. Teachers have sent, or will be sending home, materials for summer practice, and the local library offers a treasure trove of resources to support summer reading and learning.
Summer is also a special time for making memories with your child. Take time to talk, listen, wonder, appreciate, and get to know her/him more. This is a wonderful time to revel in simple, quiet moments when your child's world is less scheduled. You will notice how much s/he has matured. My hope is that you also take advantage of opportunities at home and away to have fun as a family during the weeks ahead. Those experiences help develop your child’s healthy development, which prepares her/him for success when we return in September.
Thank you for your support during this past school year. Many of you have helped with special activities, and all of you have made sure that school is a priority at home.
Have a safe, relaxing, and fun summer!
Sincerely,
Rachel A. Card
Principal
Medication Pick-Up
Report Cards
Lunch Account Balances
East China Youth Theater Program
The East China Youth Theater Program wants to provide 1st through 8th grade students with a FUN, AFFORDABLE, CREATIVE and STRESS-FREE theater experience. This summer, they are launching the FIRST “Theater Fun Summer Program.” They believe that when children use their imaginations in a safe, fun, and stress-free world of theater play that their confidence can be built. Also, students can establish a foundation to build upon as they grow older and participate in theater through middle school, high school and beyond.The week will focus on FUN. While our high schools love to put on great big, dazzling shows, the E.C.S.D. Theater Fun Summer Program will be about PLAY, creativity, TEAMWORK, and confidence-building. Students involved in both Saint Clair High School and Marine City High School Theater Programs will assist the director in maintaining an environment where students will feel safe and accepted.
Here is some information about the East China Youth Theater Program
- All sessions are held at the East China Performing Arts Center and have a maximum of
20-25 spots.
- Each session is $ 55.00 (which includes an E.C.S.D. Youth Theater Program T-shirt).
- Sessions are divided by grades (completed in the 2017-2018 School Year), focusing on
age-appropriate acting development.
- Checks/Cash are payable to Marine City High School
- Forms and payment need to be mailed or dropped off by Friday, June 15th to Marine
City High School @ 1085 Ward Street in Marine City, Michigan.
- Info and updates can be found on ecsdyouththeater.weebly.com and
fb.me/ecsdyouththeater
- Questions can be directed to Jay McCulloch @ 810 676 1992 or jmcculloch@ecsd.us
Professional Learning Communities
When the 2018-2019 school calendar was published, you likely noticed that students will be released two hours early one day per month so teachers can work in Professional Learning Communities. This is part of one of the district's four Strategic Planning Goals, and there was a lot of research, discussion, and planning behind this initiative.
Administrators and teacher leaders spent the past year examining the changing role of educators and how to best support them, so they can improve learning and achievement for students. Teachers today need to simultaneously facilitate knowledge and skills, differentiate instruction to meet the needs of individual students, and encourage students to be self-directed in their learning. In order to do this work, educators need time to collaborate, analyze data, and plan instructional strategies, and reflect on student progress. A team of East China administrators and teachers visited Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, to observe a systematic process in which teachers work together to analyze and improve their classroom practice called Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). As a result of this visit and subsequent planning by district administrators and the East China PLC Committee, we will implement PLCs in East China beginning in September. Teachers will work with grade-level or department colleagues to:
- discuss and reflect on current instruction and strategies;
- discuss and reflect on student learning and the needs of individual students;
- evaluate data to drive instruction; and
- research, discuss, and reflect on best practices in teaching.
The goal of this work is to improve the effectiveness of our teachers, improve learning and achievement for all students, and support and develop individual students to their greatest potentials.
Summer Reading Challenge
READ 1000 MINUTES THIS SUMMER, 2018
KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS READ 700 MINUTES
Be a Champion Reader!
Earn an invitation to the Breakfast of Readers in September!
Read your favorite books, magazines, mysteries, joke books, and newspapers!
Mrs. Card is challenging Pine River Pioneers to read 1000 minutes (700 for Kindergarten students) or more this summer. Each time you read, log your minutes on the calendars provided. Log a total of 1000 minutes or more by the time school starts on September 4th, and you will be invited to a special Breakfast of Readers in September. You can count the time someone reads aloud to you, too.
Happy Reading!
SAIL INTO LEARNING
DATE: July 30th – August 17th
TIME: 8:30‐11:30 AM
LOCATION: Marine City Middle School
Everyday Heroes
After the accident, several people converged on the scene to tend to students and keep everyone calm. Dr. Michael Caister, a former Pine River parent, was one of the first people to stop and help. Then, Sheri Betz, Christina Jenerou, Tom Kenyon, Sarha Markel, and Jodie Randall arrived to comfort our students with familiar, friendly faces and assist the emergency personnel. Our Superintendent, Suzanne Cybulla, who to our good fortune happened to be at Pine River at the time of the accident, arrived at the scene quickly and coordinated district resources, assisted students and parents, and went to the hospital to be with those needing medical attention. Director of Operations, Kirk Grzelka, also arrived quickly to assist. One person who maintained a steady presence throughout the event by arriving on the scene immediately to comfort children and going to the hospital to support our bus driver and check in on students was Melissa Kenyon. All of these individuals reminded us about the quiet, steadfast heroes that we are so lucky to have as part of our Pine River family.
Pioneer Code of Conduct
Kind,
Courteous,
Respectful,
Responsible,
and always Safe!
Mission: The mission of the Pine River school community is to work collaboratively, providing an enriched curriculum that allows for intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative growth in a positive and safe environment, empowering all children to become productive lifelong learners.
Pine River Elementary is dedicated to the belief that all students can learn and achieve through the combined efforts of the staff, parents, students, and community.