DERBY RIDGE DRAGON TALES
DECEMBER 2016-17 NEWSLETTER
A MESSAGE FROM OUR DRAGON LEADER
Dragon friends,
December is a “flurry” of activities focused on reminding us that we are “Always a Learner, Always a Leader, Always a Dragon” as we finish 2016 strong and ready ourselves to usher in 2017!
We are kickin’ off our December Learning with our Math Spirit Week December 5-9! Our Derby Dragon Math team will be competing in the CPS Math contest and our spirit week helps us to rally the Dragon Spirit before we send them off to compete!! As part of our preparation we will be celebrating Math Makes us Proper with Fancy Lunch on Thursday, December 8th! We are still looking for volunteers. Contact the office if you would like to join us!
As we continue to celebrate Math! Join us for our 1st ever DRE Math Family Night, Thursday, December 8th, from 5-7 p.m.! It will be a night of family fun as we enjoy food math, games, and giveaways, and it all adds up to amazing fun! And that is not all—that night our 2016-2017 Dragon Fire Choir will take the stage to rock it out! Calculations point to a priceless night of fun!
December 20th, we are celebrating our 1st school wide Polar Express celebration! Bust out those PJs and get ready to enjoy some cookies and hot chocolate courtesy of our Derby Ridge FSP! It will be an amazing winter celebration!
As we look to the New Year, we celebrate! We celebrate a successful Family School Partnership (FSP)! Thank you for raising more than $3000 for our Dragon activities! These monies go directly to assisting us in expanding our classroom activities, playground equipment, and field trips. Thank you for your generosity! A few FSP activities that are around the corner: mark your calendar for our January 13th Winter Movie Night. February brings our CandyLand Dance, and our Dragon Dash in April! We are looking for some parents to join us in planning these extravaganzas! Our next meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. December 15th! We hope to see you there!
As the temperatures continue to fall and winter is upon us, please make certain your children are dressed appropriately with coats, hats and gloves. We will continue to take the students outside for a breath of fresh air as long as weather permits. Please make an effort to mark your children’s belongings with a name inside. Our Dragon Lost and Found is already overflowing! If an item ends up in our Lost and Found, it is easier to return to its rightful owner with a name inside. Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you as your child’s principal; it is through this partnership that we are able to empower our dragons to always be learners, always be leaders, and always be dragons!
Wishing you and your family a Safe and Happy Holiday and a Healthy and Happy New Year,
Mrs. Kristi Shinn
FAMILY MATH NIGHT AND SPIRIT WEEK
MEDIA MASTERS
In media class, first and second grade have been working on their typing skills. First grade has worked on Microsoft Word to type sight words, their names, and their login information. Second graders have been using Typing.com and are very excited to see the progress that they have made. Third through fifth grade have been working on making presentations using Google Slides. Kindergarten continues to work on ST Math during media class. They have also been exploring myON Reader a little more to find books that interest them. Third through fifth grade will start working more on coding in December.
TUMBLING ON OUR OBSTACLE COURSE
As we finish up our tumbling unit, the students are participating in an obstacle course. I have combined different tumbling stunts with different movement skills, and the kids have had a lot of fun moving through the course. I have also used this class time to hand back the Fitness Gram results from the pre-testing last month. These results provide you and your student feedback based on youth physical activity guidelines published by the National Association of Sports and PE. These guidelines specify that children should perform a variety of activities frequently. As a class we interpret the information together and talk and work on ways one could improve their score in different areas. We will test again in the spring.
In the weeks until winter break we will be working on striking skills. This will include skills with different paddles and sticks.
MAKING CHRISTMAS MUSICAL
Our musical Dragons have been hard at work during the past month. Fifth grade students have been reviewing the notes and spaces on the treble clef staff in preparation for playing recorders, and our fourth grade musicians have been using the Orff instruments, such as xylophones and metallophones, to accompany their songs with new rhythm patterns. Our third grade friends have been learning all about the instrument families and how the different instruments are related and grouped. They were very excited to have the opportunity to go on a field trip to the Missouri Theater to see a live orchestra perform. The second and first grade students have been working on learning how to independently use a variety of instruments, such as different types of xylophones, glockenspiels, and Boomwhackers to accompany themselves as they sing their songs that teach their current concepts. Our youngest musicians in kindergarten have spent a great deal of time learning songs that reinforce important “building-block” concepts, such as steady beat, loud and soft, high and low, and singing and speaking voice.
Our Fourth and Fifth Grade Dragon Fire Choir is looking forward to sharing their music with everyone during the evening of December 8th. Mark your calendars!
DRAGON ART TRANSFORMS OUR SCHOOL
As November comes to an end, our Artists have been hard at work creating works of art for our upcoming Art Show December 8. Our Dragon Artists have been working hard to help each other be the best they can be while creating amazing works of art. Check out our halls as they transform with beautiful colors from our Dragon Artists! Art Club has been hard at work creating displays for our school-wide Kindness Challenge and brainstorming our next mural. Check out our Kindness Tree located on the stage in the cafeteria.
Happy Creating!
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
School Counselor Curriculum:
So far this school year, your students have had lessons about the following topics:
Friendship
Feelings
Respect
Differences/Diversity
Individual Planning:
The NNAT2 testing window for EEE screening is closed at this time.
No screening will take place until January of next year.
Responsive Services:
Small groups and individuals are being seen weekly. Please contact your school counselor for more information. If you feel that your student is still struggling, please let us know.
System Support: Cool Tools or PBIS
Mini-MAC
Restorative Circle
Kindness Tree
K Kids
Kevin Williams, kevwilliams@cpsk12.org or (573) 214-3270
Terry Baker, thbaker@cpsk12.org
DECEMBER 2016 CALENDAR
FPS board meeting 6:00
Winter dragon fire choir rehearsal 3:20
Pre-school jumpstart days 3:30
Spencer's crest condo assn. meeting in cafeteria 7:00
December 2 - Grades K-2 distinguished dragon awards at morning gathering
K-Kids and Mini-mac meeting in media center 3:30
December 5-9 Mathematics week
December 5-8 Winter dragon fire choir rehearsal
Youth basketball practices 5:30
Girl scout meeting in art room 6:00
December 6 - Art club meeting 3:20
Pre-school jumpstart days 3:30
Vanderveen crossing homeowners assn. meeting 6:30
Dragon fire choir dress rehearsal 4:30
December 7 - Boy scouts meeting 6:30
December 8 - Dragon fire choir concert 6:30
Math family fun night 5pm-7pm
December 9 - Grades 3-5 distinguished dragon awards at morning gathering
December 10 - CPS math contest for math club
December 12-15 Youth basketball practices 5:30
December 12 - Fluoride varnish @ Family Dental Ctr. 12:30
Winter dragon fire choir rehearsal 3:20
December 13 - Art club meeting 3:20
December 14 - Principals birthday lunches
Boy scout meeting 6:30
December 15 - Nature club Room 221 grades 4/5 3:45
FSP meeting 6:00
December 16 - CHUCK E. CHEESE'S fund raising event 3-9pm
December 19-20 - Youth basketball practices 5:30
Girl scout meeting in art room 6:00
December 20 - Polar Express day school wide BE SURE to wear your PJ's
December 21 thru January 2 - Winter recess ENJOY!!!!!!
January 2 - Girl scouts meeting in art room 6:00
January 3 - No school-teacher work day
Vanderveen crossing homeowners assn. meeting 6:30
January 4 - WELCOME BACK DRAGONS!!!!
DERBY RIDGE ELEMENTARY
Website: www.cpsk12.org/dre
Location: 4000 Derby Ridge Dr, Columbia, MO, United States
Phone: 573-214-3270
Twitter: @DerbyDragons