Knight Notes
Yarbrough Elementary January Newsletter
Quick Glance at Important Dates
January 14th - Third grade field trip for Liberty's Legacy (Auburn High School)
January 14th - Report Cards sent home
January 15th - Club Day
January 18th - No School (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
January 19th - Aspire Periodic Assessment Begins (specific dates will be sent in your child's classroom newsletter)
January 22nd - PTO Movie Night
January 29th - Family Book Club (see times below)February 29th - Save the Date! Family Night at Y.E.S. - More details to come!
P.T.O. Partners
Be on the lookout for order forms for new YES long sleeved shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts! Those order forms will be coming out in the next few weeks.
Family Movie Night is set for Friday, January 22nd at 6:30 PM in the Multipurpose Room. The PTO will provide lemonade and popcorn! Please feel free to bring your own snacks/drinks, chairs, sleeping bags and pillows.There is no cost for this event!
Looking ahead: Our next spirit night is at Louies at Cary Creek on February 23rd from 4:00-9:00. They will be donating 15% from the proceeds during those hours.
Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Cathy Taylor
Here is a sample of what other teachers had to say about Mrs. Taylor when she was nominated: Mrs. Taylor works tirelessly to make Social Studies come alive for her students. She spends countless hours integrating the Social Studies material into her Reading class so that they work together seamlessly. Mrs. Taylor holds all of her students to a high standard and will not compromise on her expectations of excellence.
What an AMAZING example of teaching our students about our country, the founders and the importance of standing for the Constitution. These concepts are taught through hands-on activities that create and foster conversation among students.
Cathy is a very engaging teacher, which is evident when you hear her students talk about what they have learned in Social Studies. She always goes the extra mile for her students, which in turn motivates them to work hard for her. Her creativity when teaching lessons is unrivaled.
Yarbrough is proud to have Mrs. Taylor as our Teacher of the Year!
Congratulations to our Leaders of the Month
Third Grade Leaders
Micah Thomas, Justice Shields, Jayden Stinson, Karisa King, Brodie Winegarden, Coan Park,
James Kim, Michael Foster
Fourth Grade Leaders
Ceana Adjoyi, Sage Traylor, Caroline Casey, Taeyeong Moon, Michael Chidume, Luke Norris (Not pictured: Gwilym Lloyd)
Fifth Grade Leaders
Tyona Cooper, Olivia Vallez, Tristen Howell, Ava Milenkovitch, Maddie Britton, Max Harden
Celebrating our Teacher and Support Staff of the Month
Last month, third grade teacher, Mrs. Linzee Mooty was voted Teacher of the Month. Kori Bence describes Mrs. Mooty as funny, nice and always caring for her students. Mrs. Vicki McLure was voted Support Staff of the Month. JaMyra Patrick states that, “Mrs. Vicki always has a smile on her face when she communicates with students and teachers.” Both of these ladies add a special touch to our school! Congratulations!
Join Yarbrough's Family Book Club
Each month a chapter book will be announced as the “Book of the Month,” and all Y.E.S. students and families will be encouraged to read the book together at home.
The book for January is From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. It was the Newbery Medal winner in 1968. This classic children’s book can be found on nearly every “must read” list. Hastings and Books a Million have agreed to add extra copies to their inventory ($7.99 at both stores), and the book can be found at all major online retailers.
A discussion guide will be sent home to help families as they read the book together, but there will not be any assignments, projects, or other required tasks. Reading the “Book of the Month” is for sheer pleasure, and it is our hope your family will create lasting memories as well as a passion for great books.
January's Book Club Meetings: Friday, January 29th (choose one)
Breakfast Book Club from 6:45-7:15 am
Brown Bag Book Club 11:15-11:45 (preferably 3rd and 4th graders) and
12:00-12:30 (preferably 5th grader)
Even if you can’t attend a Book Club event, we hope your family will still read the book together.
February Book of the Month Announced...
"The Big Friendly Giant is unlike other giants. For a start, he doesn't like to eat people and it's not long before he becomes orphan Sophie's very best friend."
Your family will want to read this beloved story before it hits the movie screen in July 2016.
ACT Aspire Periodic Assessment II
In the next few weeks, students will participate in the second ACT Aspire Periodic Assessment. The assessment is designed to measure student understanding of the concepts and skills that are being taught. This assessment will supply timely and instructionally valuable data of your child’s progress towards mastery of reading and math standards (5th graders will also test in science). This information will be used to determine how students can make improvements before the ACT Aspire Assessment (state testing) that will be administered in April. All students will participate in the online reading and math portions of the test with each taking approximately 45 minutes to complete. The science assessment for 5th graders will also last approximately 45 minutes. Due to the online administration and the number of computers available, the testing window runs from January 19th - February 11th. Look for information in your child’s classroom newsletter indicating the dates of administration specific to your child.
Remember to send in lunch money as needed!
Six Flags Read to Succeed Program
Media Memos with Mrs. McGilberry
Art Action with Mr. Daniel
We're working on some exciting projects in Art!
My 3rd grade artists are using Proportion and Complementary Colors to develop their own Superhero Portraits. They're also having fun creating a brief backstory for their superhero.
My 4th grade artists are using Form, Proportion, and Perspective to create their very own GIANT MARKER/CRAYON CITY renderings. The markers and crayons take on the appearance of large structures.
My 5th grade artists are drawing and illustrating their own creative Comic Strip/Story-boards. We're having fun learning the creative process of what is required to develop a successful Comic Strip/Story-Board.
Kind regards,
Stuart L. Daniel
Notes with Nurse Julia
Flu – Get the Facts!
Influenza (the flu) is a respiratory disease spread primarily through coughs and sneezes. The virus also may spread when people touch something with flu virus on it and then touch their mouth, eyes or nose. Most flu activity occurs between October and May, with peak activity occurring between December and February.
What are the symptoms of the flu?
Fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, dry cough
When is someone contagious?
People may be able to infect others from 1 day before symptoms develop to 7 days after becoming sick.
How do you know if it’s the flu or a cold?
Both the flu and the common cold are respiratory illnesses but are caused by different viruses. The flu can be diagnosed by your doctor with a special test in order to determine if the illness is a cold or the flu. In general the flu is worse than a cold and symptoms of a cold usually will include a runny or stuffy nose and generally do not result in serious health problems.
How can I prevent getting the flu?
Get a seasonal flu vaccine.
Stay away from sick people.
Wash your hands often, with soap and water.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread that way.
How can I prevent spreading the flu?
If you or your child are sick, stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone except to seek medical care.
Avoid contact with others as much as possible for the duration of your illness.
The Counseling Connection with Mrs. Walsh
Happy New Year! I am thrilled to return from my medical leave and was overwhelmed by all the acts of kindness during my surgery and healing process. I now belong to the team of cancer survivors. I am so blessed to be a part of such a loving school family. Let me encourage parents and students to go for your yearly check-ups, as that is what found my cancer. Be Proactive!
During January Guidance we are reviewing goals and refocusing on a more successful second semester both academically and personally. Please ask you children about the goals they are setting for themselves. Encourage your children to push themselves to higher limits. We will never know our full potential without such challenges. Don’t settle for average!
We will also be celebrating diversity and learning how to appreciate differences in people and grow more deeply through this knowledge. This is an important factor in our ever so growing global society.
A new year brings to us all a new start. I pray this will be everyone’s best year ever as we individually grow in knowledge and love.
Quote of the month by Donna B. Forrest:
The word QUIT must NEVER be in your vocabulary.
Replace the word “quit” with the words “keep trying”!
Remember-courage is needed to try again and again.
Think positive thoughts and the word “quit” won’t sneak into your mind as often.
The Computer Lab Latest with Miss Ball
In the computer lab the students are working on becoming better writers and typists. They are writing about their Christmas break. The students are focusing on typing out their thoughts and experiences. The students will be using the 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, and Why to help guide them through their stories. We have the best storytellers at Y.E.S!
Fitness Fun with Coach Smith
On December 15th our Yarbrough Knights traveled to Ogletree Elementary to compete in the handball championship games. Our students made us proud with their skills, but even more importantly, we were proud of their great sportsmanship.
This month in P.E. we are playing volleyball and learning new camouflage exercises that are fun and cool. Ask your student to share those exercises with you!
Leader Lessons
During the month of January, we will revisit Habit 2, Begin with the End in Mind.
Key Phrase: Have a Plan
What this habit looks like in action: I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my school’s mission and vision. I look for ways to be a good citizen.