Eagle Heights Family Newsletter
September 6, 2021
Dear EHE Families,
- We were able to purchase new playground toys and equipment with the donation our PTO made!
- Ms. Johnson is beginning video announcements this week. She is producing these announcements with her 6th-grade encore class.
- We had our first school-wide rally on Friday. During the rally, we discussed Habit 1: Be Proactive. Students will continue to learn about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and how to apply them in their daily life.
- There have been six students nominated for our Leader Wall of Fame! It is going to be fantastic to see students added to this wall as the year progresses.
I am providing you with a lot of information pertinent to the beginning of school in this newsletter, so please be sure to read through it and email Mrs. Doll or me if you have any questions.
Kindly,
Mrs. Slack
Leader in Me Information
Fight Like a Princess
PTO Update and Membership Goal
We have set a goal for every class to have 100% participation this year in our PTO membership. We are asking each family to have at least one member enroll as a PTO member for $10. This money is used for our student celebrations throughout the year! Any class that has 100% participation will earn a Rootbeer Float party! If every family has one member join per class, we will raise almost $5000! Here is the form to sign up for a PTO membership!
Our PTO provides amazing support and opportunities for our students. We really need your help! Please consider serving on the board or volunteering.
PTO Tailgate
Clubs Choice
- September 21: Fundraiser Begins
- October 4: Fundraiser Ends
- October 26: Pick Up Night (5:30-6:40 pm)
District Calendar
School Times and Interventions
Eagle Heights Elementary Start & End Times for the 2021-2022 school year
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
Start Time: 8:45 am (Student drop off begins at 8:30 am)
End Time: 3:45 pm
Wednesdays
Start Time: 9:05 am (Student drop off begins at 8:50 am)
End Time: 3:45 pm
We are going to have building-wide math intervention time from 8:55-9:25 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. It is crucial that students are here by 8:45 am every morning so they have time to go to their classroom and begin interventions on time.
Innovation Learning
Innovation Learning is honored to offer the Before and After School programming for Smithville School District's Elementary Schools. Our programs offer a curriculum that teaches children the 4C's of Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity within the context of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) projects, enrichment classes, homework support, social/emotional based conversations, and physical fitness activities. Programming hours are Monday through Friday 6:00AM-school begins and after school-6:00PM with additional all day programs during district vacation days and through the summer.
Innovation Learning also offers all day care during Inclement Weather Days! For more information, please go to www.InnovationLearning.com/enroll and click on the Missouri Schools drop down. You may also contact Andi Gilbertson, Area Director, by email at agilbertson@innovationlearning.com or by phone at 816-532-5949
Picture Day
WATCH D.O.G.S. is BACK
We will have a short presentation about our WATCH D.O.G.S. ® (Dads Of Great Students) Program. WATCH D.O.G.S. ® is an innovative program being used by schools across America that helps them to be positively impacted by the committed fathers and father figures in their student’s life. The goal is to have these men spend at least one day a year at the school to be an extra set of eyes and ears as a positive male role model. If you plan to participate, please RSVP by returning the form that was sent home with your student.
Physical Education: Coach Parker
PE
Please make sure that your child is bringing athletic shoes on their PE day. I have encouraged your child to pack athletic shoes in their backpacks so they can change into them before PE.
2nd through 6th grades will start their throwing and volleyball unit this month. Kindergarten and 1st grade have been working on their spatial awareness while in the gymnasium and will start their throwing and catching unit this month as well.
Art: Ms. Aeschliman
Welcome Eagle Heights families! I am so excited to have your student(s) in the art studio. We started the year by making a seat sheet (like a placemat) for each 1st - 6th grader because we have white tabletops in the art room and it’s tough to keep them clean if we don’t have something underneath when we start our art-making. I created the kindergarten student’s seat sheet as many of them do not write their name legibly enough for me at the beginning of the year. I will be traveling to the PreK room this year so for now, they do not have seat sheets.
Students will start the year with the drawing studio. I will introduce to students where the drawing studio is located, what supplies can be found there, and I will be teaching lessons that utilize drawing materials. Students will learn how to get out, take care of, clean up, and put back their drawing supplies. When they have mastered that, we will move on to the collage studio and repeat the process eventually opening up multiple studios.
If you are not familiar with TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior), it is a choice-based art education that focuses on what artists do, the student is the artist, and the classroom is their studio. I am working on setting up many different studios around the room so students can work very similarly to how artists work in a studio environment. If you are interested in reading more about this go to: https://teachingforartisticbehavior.org/
I will be using again this year for students’ portfolios. It is very private with only their first name and a number assigned to them online. No private identifiable information is published online and you can see your students’ work, along with visiting the gift shop and purchasing products that have your students' work printed on it. If you signed up last year, you don’t need to sign up again, it will roll over to this year! If you are new or didn’t sign up last year, it’s not too late, you can still sign up and information will be coming soon. Artsonia is an amazing company that also offers you the option to invite other family members (think grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) to become a part of your student(s) fan club, so even if they do not live nearby they can see what is being created at school!
I do have an Amazon wish list for EHE because the yearly budget only affords me the very basics of art supplies. If you would like to help support our art studio and the EHE artists go to my wish list here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/TAO5QQQYZRM2?ref_=wl_share
THANK YOU so much for all of your support! Here’s to another creative year!
Ms. Aeschliman, Eagle Heights Elementary PreK - 6th grade Art Educator
Media Center: Ms. Johnson
It has been a great start to the school year in the EHE library! Students have begun learning library procedures and checking out books, while also enjoying some great read alouds. In September, we will begin learning about the different Missouri award book nominees. Our 6th graders have been working hard to begin school-wide video announcements that will begin airing on September 7th. These students have also “Adopted a shelf” and are in charge of taking care of the library.
Counseling: Mrs. Downey
As the school year begins I wanted to point out that after-school meltdowns are perfectly normal. It happens because kids are holding it together all day in school and finally feel safe to release their emotions. They are tired and/or overstimulated. It can show up as screaming, crying, full-on meltdowns, attitude, and disrespectful tone depending on the age of the child.
Here's what helps:
- Validate their emotions with phrases like, "It was a long day for you, wasn't it?".... "You must be exhausted after being at school all day."
- Come up with an activity that helps them decompress like a bike ride, warm bath, playing together. or snuggling on the couch.
- Save chores and after-school work for later after they have had time to decompress.
- They need your help to navigate through these challenging emotions. Co-regulate with them. Be their calm in the chaos.
If you are needing additional support for your child you can reach me at downeyc@smithville.k12.mo.us
Innovation Lab: Mrs. Thompson
Greetings from the technology and innovation lab!
We have started out the year with a few build challenges. Your student’s innovative thinking was put to the test on day one. They created a nametag without writing their name. They persevered through the challenge and created some name tags that were top-notch!
While your student continues into the school year, they will be building their technology skills as well as creating awesome engineering and design projects. We go through quite a few materials. If you are ever able to donate any of the following items, that would be so helpful!
Paper plates
Tinfoil
Toilet paper rolls
Plastic cups
Q-Tips
Toothpicks
recycled cardboard
If you ever need to reach me, my email is thompsoa@smithville.k12.mo.us! I’m looking forward to a fun and creative year in the innovation and tech lab.
Upcoming Events
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 8: Late Start Wednesday: K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am,
No EC Classes
Sept. 10: RED Friday! Students are invited to support our Chiefs by wearing RED!
Go Chiefs!
Sept. 13: PTO Meeting: 5:30-6:30 pm: Eagle Heights Library
Sept. 15: Late Start Wednesday: K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am,
No EC Classes
Sept. 15: Board of Education Meeting: 7 pm
Sept. 17: FLY Day
Sept. 21: Club’s Choice Fundraiser Kick-Off
Sept. 22: Late Start Wednesday: K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am,
No EC Classes
Sept. 23: Picture Day at Eagle
Sept. 29: Late Start Wednesday: K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am,
No EC Classes
OCTOBER
Oct. 1: Homecoming: Early Dismissal at 1:15 pm
Oct. 2: National Custodian’s Day
Oct. 4: No School: Staff Professional Development Day