Dear Little Elba Lancer Families,

How is it already February? It seems as though we just opened the doors to begin a new school year! Our Little Elba Lancers have been busy learning new skills and content each and every day. They continue to work on being Lancer Leaders - being respectful, responsible, and safe!

February is definitely a busy month! To begin our month, some classrooms celebrated Global Day of Play, yesterday on February 1st. World Read Aloud Day is also celebrated on the first Wednesday in February and took place on February 1st this year. This is a day dedicated not just to reading, but to the art and practice of reading aloud. Stories were passed down from generation to generation even before writing was invented. Oral forms of storytelling were the earliest way of preserving human knowledge, insight, and creativity. This day helps us bring this tradition back to reading while promoting literacy. I was able to share my love of and passion for reading by reading to each of our classes. I read the book One Word for Kids: A Great Way to Have Your Best Year Ever by one of my favorite inspirational authors for both adults and kids, Jon Gordon.

February also marks the 100th day of school and Valentine's Day - both falling on the same day this year! Be on the lookout for information from your child's teacher if they are celebrating one or both of these.

February 20th through February 24th is President's Day Recess and no school. Please enjoy the long week with your families.

As we continue to learn and grow together, we are accomplishing so much together. Thank you for being partners in your child's education. Elba Elementary continues to celebrate our collective successes this school year and you will notice below just a small snapshot of what is happening here in the Elementary. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns!

With Lancer Pride,

Jessica Cramer

Elementary Principal

If you have a child who will be 4 years old on or before December 1, 2023, and are interested in sending your child to Pre-Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year, please contact the Elementary Office at 757-9967 ext. 1600 by February 27th. The Pre-kindergarten program will be a full-day program next year, with a possible half-day program. More information will be provided in the next few months, including registration.

In the same regard, if you have a child who will be five years of age on or before December 1, 2023, they are eligible for entrance to Kindergarten in September of 2023. If your child is not currently attending our Pre-kindergarten program, please make sure the office has your child’s pertinent information so your family is included in any future mailings.

If you are a new family in the school district with a child or children not yet in school, please notify the school as soon as possible so our records are as up-to-date as possible. Parents may contact the Elba Elementary office by calling the number listed above or sending the information to the Elba Elementary School office, PO Box 370, Elba, NY 14058.

Congratulations to our January Lancer Leaders! These students demonstrated being respectful, responsible, and safe and were nominated! Keep up the good work!

Our PBIS Student Committee:

Our Little Elba Lancers had a full month of learning about hibernation, bears, polar animals, and winter! There was even a Teddy Bear Picnic and Teddy Bear Pancake Breakfast. They also continued to focus on learning letters and sounds, including A, U, C, and G! At the end of the month our littles learned about transportation and brought in a toy vehicle. They did some "maintenance" work on the vehicles, made a food car out of grapes and apples, and even traced the letter G with a toy car in paint. Mrs. Vigneri challenged her students to use playdoh to practice counting numbers on construction vehicles! What a busy month!

Kindergarteners learned how to bowl in PE class this month. Students aimed to knock down bowling pins and even had to take turns!

They also learned all about Arctic animals. You could even see our kindergarteners pretending to be artic animals during playtime! Check out some of the art work hung in the hallway.

Our little kindergarteners reviewed short vowel sounds and practiced writing more words. These little Elba Lancers continue to work on practicing how to write all of the sounds they hear!

In math, they used shapes to build new shapes. By using pattern blocks, they recreated different items and focused on adding numbers too. They are learning and growing so much each day!

First grade continues to work hard in math! Subtraction was a big focus this month! In writing, students brought in collections of items to write about. They wrote opinion writing pieces, having to distinguish between fact and opinions! Our students sure have some opinions about topics, including which is better: summer or winter!

To become amazing readers, first graders learned more sounds and letter combinations, including words that have -all, -oll, and -ull in them. Great job first grade!

Our second graders wrote opinion letters about their favorite books and characters this month.

The second graders worked hard learning to count money and tell time. They also began learning how to add and subtract three-digit numbers.

Second graders during WIN with Mrs. Gillard worked on their STEM skills. They used items to create tools to grab items out of a "storm drain". What great perseverance skills they had to continue to improve their tools to get the items. Teamwork was in full swing!

Third grade was busy this month! Our students are continuing to practice their math facts and develop their fluency skills, especially with multiplication and division. In writing, our third graders worked on opinion writing.

To wrap up the month, Ag in the Classroom, from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, stopped in to teach our students. Students learned about eggs and planting food, as well as the 5 food groups. They were challenged to create their own "plate" which needed to include all 5 food groups! Third graders also enjoyed a little snack!

Fourth graders painted a NYS map in Social Studies class this month. We have some pretty good artists.

In reading, students learned more about Nonfiction Text Features and the support they provide to readers. During January, students performed "Nonfiction Text Surgery" during reading. Students wore a blue shirt to symbolize a surgeon's gown, and there were also a few students who sported some scrubs. It was so quiet in the room as students searched for nonfiction text features (captions, diagrams, tables of contents etc.) in a magazine in the "surgery room".

In Library this month, fifth graders reviewed library expectations and worked as groups to determine why good behavior is important. Students engaged in a carousel activity where they moved from one poster to another, writing ways to show being respectful, responsible, and safe in the library. Fifth graders even had the opportunity to play a game to review the rules!

These fifth grade students decided to do a Three King's Day celebration in their ENL class & teach Mrs. Franck’s family! One student read a book in Spanish and other kids read a book in English. They made crowns fit for kings (and queens) and even drank hot cocoa.

Fifth graders in math learned about dividing decimals this month! You should have seen their brains working to figure out how to solve real-life word problems.

Our 6th grade students began their Tchoukball unit with Coach Pedro this month. This is a game where students have to throw the Tchoukball at a rebounder to score points. Their opponents can block the ball or catch it on defense.

In reading, with Mr. Piotrowski, our sixth graders were able to read Maniac Magee and discuss literary devices and vocabulary terms.

In sixth grade math, students let me watch as they reviewed for a math test with Miss Brewer. They sure had me thinking back to learning PEMDAS in school. Students also worked on showing their math thinking in writing and evaluating expressions!

2.3.23 - Lancer Day (Wear Maroon and White)

2.10.23 - In School "Snow Day"

2.13.23 - BOE Meeting

2.16.23 - Family Carnival and Spaghetti Dinner (5:30-7:30pm)

2.20.23 - 2.24.23 - President's Recess - No School

2.27.23 - BEST Meeting

If your child will be absent from school or tardy, please contact the Health Office at 585-757-9967 ext. 1240. You can leave a message any time of day or night. A written excuse must be sent when the child returns from an absence.

A few reminders:

• Please do not exit your vehicle as it holds up the line of other drop-offs.
• If you need to help your child out of the car, please park in the parking lots and walk them up.
• Do not drive around other vehicles dropping their students off.
• Please encourage your child to get out of the vehicle themselves and go right onto the sidewalk.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.