Friday Focus 2.2.18
Check out the latest news from South Park School!
South Park School
Parker Penguin says...
SP PTO Spotlight
Updates From Our Specials Teachers
Happy February and Happy Groundhog Day! I want to start my Friday Focus with a huge THANK YOU to our wonderful PTO for organizing a really fun BINGO night last Sunday. We had about 150 kids and adults in attendance, and it was super fun for the families that were there.
Today's focus is on our specials classes. Here is what the kids have been learning since winter break:
Kindergarten - In Spanish, the kids have been working on the calendario unit. They have been practicing numbers up to thirty and the days of the week, and they are just starting months of the year. They have been practicing these topics with games, songs and books. If your child would like to practice Spanish at home, the Spanish website and other Spanish apps are on his/her iPad!
First Grade - In Spanish, the students have been working on our comunidad unit. They have been learning what some places in the community are called in Spanish. They have been practicing these topics with games, reading and writing in Spanish. If your child would like to practice Spanish at home, ask them what some places are called in Spanish while you’re out around town!
Second Grade - During library class, second graders were introduced to two book awards we celebrate. The Caldecott Award , given for outstanding picture book illustrations, demonstrates and introduces a wide variety of illustration techniques used to create picture books. The students are identifying rich text and unique writing styles and are discovering that picture books aren’t just for “little kids”! They are also examining the twenty books on the list for this year’s Illinois Readers’ Choice Monarch award for all primary grade students in Illinois. We are excited to be participating in the state-wide voting at the end of February.
Third Grade - In art class the students are putting the final touches on their national park landscapes. Students selected a national park and then conducted some research to gain a better understanding of the landforms, plants, and animals that they would find there. They also gathered a collection of visual resources to help them observe and look carefully at what the sky, ground, and animals looked like. After sketching ideas in a rough draft, students met individually with Ms. Bergmann to get one-on-one feedback about how they were doing in meeting the learning goals for this project. The main focus for their work was correctly using foreground, middle-ground, and background to organize their ideas, as well as developing of their own project plans. Third graders have now added chalk to their final drafts, and are putting details in to show what makes their park special. Having an hour long art class this year has been a positive change and has allowed the third graders to enjoy a workshop based model. This has led to greater freedom, choice, and creativity in their art! Stay tuned for your child's SeeSaw post and you can see their finished masterpieces!
Fourth Grade - In music, students have been working through the “recorder karate belt system.” Students have individual practice time and receive feedback on their performances. Students have been working together and individually on their playing skills such as: Articulation, Pitch, Air control, Rhythm, and Dynamic. It is remarkable to see how much 4th grade students can do with a little bit of practice! We recently moved on to the black belt song as a class; “Ode to Joy.”
Fifth Grade - In Physical Education the 5th grade students have been working on balance, body control, and motor coordination. They have now started the educational gymnastics/tumbling unit. They just completed reviewing skills associated with basketball, soccer, and flickerball through a game called Speedball. Within this game the students focused on concepts and strategies of offense and defense.
Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!
Yours Truly,
Dave Sherman
Get the APP!
The new Deerfield 109 app is here! This new tool will keep you connected, whenever you want, right from your mobile phone or tablet. Please download the app now from the Google Play or the App Store.
Watch this video for detailed instructions and a tour of the app.
Valentine's Day
The Valentine's Day parties will be held Wednesday, February 14 starting at 1:30. As you shop for Valentine’s Day cards for children to distribute at school, please keep in mind that cards may not contain any type of candy or food (due to our food allergy guidelines). Also, parents who have signed up to volunteer at the parties will need to bring a driver's license to the office when checking in.
Great America Read to Succeed
Think Summer!
Each year South Park School participates in the Great America Read to Succeed program. If students read on their own for 600 or more minutes between now and February 22, they will receive a free ticket to Great America!
Information and tally form were given to the students last week. I also have linked it HERE. Tally Sheet reading logs will be due Thursday, February 22, 2018.
Kindergarten & New 1st Grade Student Registration for 2018-2019
Please share this information with friends and neighbors with incoming kindergarten and new first grade students!
Online registration for incoming kindergarten and new first grade students for the 2018-2019 school year is open! You do not have to re-register current students in grades K-7 for next year; registration is only for students who will be new to District 109 in the 2018-2019 school year (and Helping Hands students moving to kindergarten).
You can register children for kindergarten who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2018.
1. Complete online registration:
- If you are a current District 109 parent, log into your Family Access account and click the New Student Online Registration button on the left navigation bar.
- If you are new to District 109, click this link to begin the registration process.
3. Plan to attend a Drop In/Drop Off session at the District Center (517 Deerfield Road, by the Little Red Schoolhouse) to review documentation and verify residency:
- Friday, February 2, 2018 from 7:30am – 1:00pm
- Thursday, February 8, 2017 from 1:00pm - 7:00pm
Full-day kindergarten will be offered for 2018-2019. Parents also will have the option to send their kindergarten child for half of the school day. The Board of Education has not yet approved the amount that will be charged for full-day kindergarten for 2018-2019, but they have discussed eliminating the fee. The District will communicate the tuition information as soon as it is approved by the Board.
If you have questions about registration, please contact Audrey Beresid at aberesid@dps109.org.
South Park on Twitter
Odds and Ends...
- When parking in our Birchwood parking lot, please remember that our preschoolers are dropped off and picked up by the west end (closest to the school). Sometimes, their parents' cars can block a parked car from exiting for a few minutes. To avoid that, we suggest that you park closer to Birchwood Avenue.
- Please follow our morning procedures, and drop your children off at their regular doors.
- Please make sure that your children come to school with warm clothing for outdoor play. We go out for recess if the temperature (including wind chill) is 10 degrees or higher.
- If your child is going to be absent from school, you need to call or email us by 9:00 that morning. ** Call 847-945-5895, ext. 2103 and leave a message OR ** Email Ms. Brennan, our nurse, at nbrennan@dps109.org
Calendar
Early Release Wednesdays:
February 7, 14, 21, 28
March 7, 14, 21, 28
Upcoming Events:
Kindergarten Music Show - Wednesday, February 7, 6:00-6:30 pm
PTO Meeting - Wednesday, February 7, 7:30 pm
NO SCHOOL - Monday & Tuesday, February 19 & 20
2nd Grade Music Show - Wednesday, February 21, 6:30-7:00 pm
Speech Tournament: Grades 3, 4, & 5 Saturday, February 24, 2018
South Park Speech Tournament Family Night: Thursday, February 15th, 2018. More information has been sent home with students. Registration and scripts are now available. Mr. DelGrosso is the SP staff sponsor for this activity. You can contact him at sdelgrosso@dps109.org.
South Park Elementary School
South Park School’s mission is…
“To educate the whole child and ensure student growth.”
South Park School’s vision is…
“To develop a collaborative learning community and a positive school climate in which students and staff will feel safe to grow academically, socially, and emotionally, and where innovation is encouraged and proliferated.”
Email: dsherman@dps109.org
Website: http://southpark.dps109.org/
Location: 1421 Hackberry Road, Deerfield, IL, United States
Phone: (847) 945-5895
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthParkSchoolDeerfield
Twitter: @dbsherman