South Elementary Family Newsletter
Volume #2 October, 2021
Monthly Message from the Principal
Can you believe we are already in October? Time has flown by since school started in August. Students are getting settled into routines, developing new skills, and gaining confidence. I want to share with you some very important "skills" that students will be focusing on in schools across the district. These have to do with character traits and key concepts we want all Somerset children to learn about and build upon. It is called The Vision of the Graduate. Somerset Berkley Regional High School has developed this vision using the word "RAIDER". input was gathered from many stakeholders in Somerset: staff, teachers, students, parents, and community members. Each letter in RAIDER stands for an important characteristic that each SBRHS graduate should embody and be: Resilient; Academic; Independent; Digital Citizens; Empathetic; Respectful. Knowing this development starts when students are very young and at home and then evolves even more as they progress into Elementary School, we have adopted an elementary version of The Vision of the Graduate called "PRIDE"-Pride, Respect, Independence, Diversity/Inclusivity/Equity, Empathy. You and your child/children will be hearing a lot about these words and their meanings during the next school year. We look forward to working with you to develop Cricket PRIDE in each of our South Elementary School students!
May your October be filled with cool nights, sunny days, pumpkins, candy and other harvest things.
Aloha, Steph Brown
508-324-3180
Important Dates & Times
This is a friendly reminder that school starts at 8:45AM. Anyone in the car line by this time is not marked tardy and all students have breakfast available to them if they arrive before 8:55AM. However, if you are pulling up to the school after this time, you will need to walk your child into the foyer and sign them in.
Monday, October 11, No School, Columbus/Indigenous People Day
Monday, October 18, Somerset School Committee, 6:30PM-8:30PM
Tuesday, October 19. Virtual PTO Meeting @ 6PM. Link is HERE.
Friday, October 22, Progress Reports Go Home
Saturday, October 23, Trunk or Treat at South, 4PM-6PM, (Rain Date is October 30th) PTO Sponsored Event, *more information to come
Wednesday, October 27, Early Release at 12:30PM-*if students are getting lunch from school, it will be sent home as a bagged lunch
Friday, October 29, Spirit Day, "Book/Movie Character Day" ($1 donation requested *please see more information below in the PTO section)
From Ms. Bertrand, School Nurse
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
For those students requiring medication in school, especially emergency medications, such as EPI PENS, BENADRYL, and INHALERS, please submit
Medication order from prescriber
Parent Consent
Medication
PLEASE NOTE: MEDICATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY MEDICATION ORDER AND PARENT CONSENT. Parent must hand deliver directly to the School Nurse
All parents: Please submit annual, comprehensive physical exams, which include all screenings (vision, hearin, postural) when due.
Halloween Candy Hints
For health-conscious parents, Halloween can be tricky. Do you set limits? Do you let your child decide how much to eat? There isn't just one right answer. Instead, use your best judgment given what you know about your child's personality and eating habits.
If your child can stop eating candy before the point of feeling sick, you may want to let him or her decide how much to eat. If your child tends to overdo it, then it's probably a good idea to set limits.
Here are some more tips for handling the Halloween treats:
Know how much candy your child has collected and store it somewhere other than the child's room. Having it so handy can be an irresistible temptation for some children.
Consider being somewhat lenient about candy eating on Halloween, within reason, and talk with your child about how the rest of the candy will be handled. Candy and snacks shouldn't get in the way of your child eating healthy meals.
If a child is overweight - or you'd just like to reduce the Halloween stash - consider buying back some or all of the remaining Halloween candy. This acknowledges the candy belongs to the child and provides a treat in the form of a little money to spend.
Be a role model by eating Halloween candy in moderation yourself.
Encourage your child to be mindful of the amount of candy and snacks eaten - and to stop before feeling full or sick.
Remember that Halloween, like other holidays, is a single day on the calendar. If your family eats sensibly during the rest of the year, it will have a more lasting impact than a few days of overindulgence.
Information obtained from KidsHealth.org
PTO News
Upcoming Events: October 23rd: Trunk or Treat 4PM-6PM South School More information to follow. *Rain Date* October 30th October 19th: PTO Meeting 6PM The PTO is a volunteer organization made up of parents, teachers, administrators, and support staff. The purpose of PTO is to enhance and support the educational and recreational experience at South School. Meetings are a great way to meet other parents and work together on upcoming events. The PTO meets virtually on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. CLick the link below to join the meeting. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86200718994?pwd=Z0hYR3ZXcVJ0b05YL2hRWkc4Nk54QT09 October 29th: Spirit Day: Book/Movie Character Day Students can dress up based on each month’s theme. To participate we are asking for a $1.00 donation for each month. There is also an option to pay for the year in full. Any student who donates for spirit day will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a prize. (Students who pay the year in advance will automatically be entered into each month’s drawing.) Winners will be chosen at the end of the Spirit Week. Send all donations through Cheddar Up. The office will NOT be collecting funds. Thank you! South Elementary PTO is using the website Cheddar Up as a way for families to support South Elementary School. A QR code provided for families to volunteer, participate in spirit days, donate, and purchase items. Cheddar Up QR Code November 1st-12th Boosterthon FUN RUN kick off will be on November 1, 2021 with the event on November 12, 2021. More details to follow . PTO Contributions: Scholastic Bucks: Scholastic Bucks to purchase a selection of books on the topic of diversity to use in classrooms. Back to School: Outdoor sensory paths painted on the playground Popsicles with the Principal South t-shirts and cinch bags to incoming kindergarteners Agendas and green homework/communication folders Refrigerator for teachers’ room Teacher luncheon Teacher reimbursements Ways to Support South School October Fundraiser: Stop and Shop Community Bag: Here’s How it Works: For the month of October, South Elementary School PTO will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Stop & Shop store located at 815 Grand Army Highway, Somerset MA. Year Round Fundraisers: Box Tops for Education: Here’s How it Works: Buy participating products and use the Box Tops mobile app to scan your store receipt. The app identifies eligible products and automatically adds Box Tops to your schools earnings online. Even if you're shopping online or doing grocery pickup, you can still submit your e-receipts and earn Box Tops. Twice a year, our school gets a check! Your earnings may seem small, but they really do add up. The more people that participate, the bigger the impact we can make. Little by little, we can help make a big difference. Box Tops for Education App Cheddar Up: Here’s How it Works: South Elementary PTO is using the website Cheddar Up as a way for families to support South Elementary School. A link and QR code are provided for families to volunteer, participate in spirit days, donate, and purchase South gear. https://somersetsouthelementarypto-181.mycheddarup.com/ Contact PTO Follow South Elementary PTO on Facebook for updates and information!
Parent Resources
October Lunch Menu: please click HERE. Please also see this Welcome Back Flyer from the Food Service Department:
Click HERE to see some tips for teaching Empathy at home. This is one of our Cricket PRIDE key traits!
Click HERE for October Read Aloud Books for Elementary Students
Click HERE for a 100's Chart to help count to 100, add, subtract, and notice number patterns.
Click HERE for an Alphabet Linking Chart to help your child match sounds and letters when writing/reading.
Somerset Public Schools, SY' 21-22 Calendar: please click HERE
KINDERGARTEN
First Grade Greatness
First Grade Greatness
First Grade Greatness
First Grade Greatness
First Grade Greatness
First Grade Greatness
GRADE ONE
Super in Second Grade
Super in Second Grade
Super in Second Grade
Super in Second Grade
Super in Second Grade
Super in Second Grade
GRADE TWO
Happy October! This first month of school has already flown by! To help us celebrate the season, we have been reading John Chapman: Planter and Pioneer by Ron Fridell. We will use this story to discuss main idea, asking and answering questions, story setting, and characters. Our read aloud themes have focused on caring about each other, and how people adjust when in a new place. Our next read aloud focus will be Memory Stories. In writing, we will focus on showing our opinion in our writing. We will talk about providing evidence to persuade someone to think as we do!
In math, we have concluded our Chapter on Number Concepts, and will be going into Numbers to 1,000. In science, we talked about how water moves on Earth, the water cycle, and how much of the world is made up of water. Ask your child what exactly the percentage is!! Our next focus: Rocks!!
Third Grade Thinkers
Third Grade Thinkers
Third Grade Thinkers
Third Grade Thinkers
Third Grade Thinkers
Third Grade Thinkers
GRADE THREE
What a great start to the year! Students are settled into their routine and are already flourishing. Here is what we are learning:
Reading- We currently are studying reading realistic fiction. We focused on transition words and how writers use these words to signal events. Students are writing about the books they read and sharing their work with others. We are currently working on summarizing a text, including the characters, setting, important events, problem, and solution.
Writing- Mrs. Oliveira’s third and fourth graders are in the writing groove and experiencing many successes! We have settled into our rituals and routines and students are transitioning from class to class seamlessly. This month of October, we are perfecting our craft. Students’ Personal Narratives are evolving into beautiful pieces of writing. We have moved from modeled and shared writing to a more independent writing approach. Students are ready to take the reins and use their writing tools, (graphic organizers, editing\revising checklists, and anchor charts), to write about their personal experiences that incorporate a “small moment”. Students are using sensory details, sound effects, dialogue, and transition words to carry the reader through their real-life experiences. They are transforming into well crafted authors right before my eyes!
Math-We started the year in math reviewing three digit addition and subtraction including regrouping. We took and we are continuing to take benchmark testing. These results will help guide the amount of time we will spend on specific mathematical standards. We worked with number patterns including even and odd. We worked with the associative and commutative properties of addition. We are currently working on rounding to the nearest ten and hundred. Doing so, we are reviewing place value. We are also estimating sums to help determine reasonable amounts or about how many or how much of something. We will continue working with addition and expand into subtraction over the next month.
*Please note if your student did not complete their homework, they will receive another paper copy of the homework and the online think central homework will be available for them to complete before a due date. Any 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 missing homeworks will be due on 10/5.
Science- We are on our way to become official scientists! Students have just completed our first science unit on Scientists and the Scientific Process. We will now be moving into our next unit in Earth Science entitled “Water and Climate”. In this unit students will become meteorologists and learn all about our climate and the weather in our area. Please be on the lookout for a variety of learning activities that can be completed at home as a family to help enhance student understanding.
Looking forward to another great month!
Fabulous Fourth Grade
Fabulous Fourth Grade
Fabulous Fourth Grade
Fabulous Fourth Grade
Fabulous Fourth Grade
Fabulous Fourth Grade
GRADE FOUR
What a great start to the year! Students are settled into their routine and are already flourishing. Here is what we are learning:
Reading- We are currently studying memoirs. We discovered that memoirs are written in the first person and share an important moment in the author’s life. We realized that memoirs are similar to personal narratives that students are writing in writing class. We have analyzed the difference between first and third person. I am amazed at the depth of discussion students have in class about the books we read.
Writing- Mrs. Oliveira’s third and fourth graders are in the writing groove and experiencing many successes! We have settled into our rituals and routines and students are transitioning from class to class seamlessly. This month of October, we are perfecting our craft. Students’ Personal Narratives are evolving into beautiful pieces of writing. We have moved from modeled and shared writing to a more independent writing approach. Students are ready to take the reins and use their writing tools, (graphic organizers, editing\revising checklists, and anchor charts), to write about their personal experiences that incorporate a “small moment”. Students are using sensory details, sound effects, dialogue, and transition words to carry the reader through their real life experiences. They are transforming into well crafted authors right before my eyes!
Math-We started the year in math going over the different forms of numbers up to the hundred thousands. We learned standard form, expanded form, and word form. We took and we are continuing to take benchmark testing. These results will help guide the amount of time we will spend on specific mathematical standards. We moved into place value including the ones and thousands periods. We then moved to comparing numbers up to the hundred thousands. We worked with rounding up to the nearest hundred thousand. We will be using rounding to help us make reasonable estimates for addition and subtraction up to the hundred thousands place. We took our midpoint checkpoint and took some time to review rounding. We are moving on to renaming numbers up to the hundred thousand. We will finish up adding and subtracting numbers up to the hundred thousands before we take the chapter one test.
*A huge thank you to all the families for all the support they are providing their students with their math homework. They are completing their homework and explaining the strategies they used with a family member to solve the homework problems.
Science- We are on our way to becoming official scientists! Students have just completed our first science unit on Scientists and the Scientific Process. We will now be moving into our next unit in Earth Science entitled “Soil, Rocks, and Landforms”. In this unit, we will be exploring land formations and types of rocks as well as the impact that natural disasters have on the world we live in. Please be on the lookout for a variety of learning activities that can be completed at home as a family to help enhance student understanding.
Looking forward to another great month!
Grade Five
Happy Fall! The weather is finally getting a little cooler and soon the leaves will be turning to beautiful bright colors. We are finally getting into our learning groove. In Math, we have been working on place value and a little bit of algebra. We will be moving into multiplication of multidigit numbers so the students will need to practice their math facts. In Writing, we are working on Narrative pieces. The students will work on taking their writing to the next level by expanding description and drawing in the reader. In Science, our junior scientists have been delving into how the sun moves across the sky by doing experiments with shadows and sundials. The weather will be getting a bit chiller, so it is important that the students dress accordingly.