Evening Star Elementary
April 2022
A Note from Principal Williams:
It's officially April! Can you believe, that after today, we will only have 37 school days remaining? WOW! I find myself asking, "Where did the time go?" As we make our way into the 4th quarter, our goal is to finish strong. For that reason, we want to reiterate the importance of your child's attendance for the spring semester. Every day of instruction between now and the end of the year is vital to your little owl's educational success. Furthermore, we are looking forward to sharing your child's success for the 3rd quarter at Parent/Teacher Conferences this week. We are incredibly close to having 100% of our parents signed up for a conference. If you have not signed up for a date and time for a conference this week, please reach out to your child's teacher. We can't wait to see you!
Mark your calendars!! Recent legislative changes have allowed our Board of Education to return the start of school to August 15, 2022. The new calendar can be accessed from our website (click 'Parents' then 'Calendars) and/or from this link:https://www.bentonvillek12.org/Page/27929
The time for standardized assessment is approaching. Arkansas will provide statewide tests starting in April. This testing helps families and educators understand how much students have learned throughout the school year and whether they are on track to graduate high school and achieve success in college, career, and life. Please mark these dates on your calendar and attempt to avoid or reschedule any non-critical appointments on the testing days.
ACT Aspire Testing Dates:
- April 20, 2022: 3rd/4th Grade ACT Aspire (English)
- April 21, 2022: 3rd/4th Grade ACT Aspire (Reading)
- April 22, 2022: 3rd/4th Grade ACT Aspire (Writing)
- April 27, 2022: 3rd/4th Grade ACT Aspire (Math)
- April 28, 2022: 3rd/4th Grade ACT Aspire (Science)
MAP Testing Dates:
- April 25th & 26th - 1st Grade MAP testing.
- May 2nd & 3rd - Kindergarten and 2nd Grade MAP testing.
- May 4th & 5th - 3rd and 4th Grade MAP testing.
Open enrollment for the next school year for all NEW students started on April 1st. Please click on the following link to learn more about enrolling your child in our school district:
https://www.bentonvillek12.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=7041
Kindergarten graduation picture day is today, April 4th. Parents can still order pictures! The picture day code for your Kindergarten Cap & Gown is: EVTNKS82M
The system will remain open for orders for 48 hours. Anyone who didn’t order will also receive the proof sheet to order from if they choose.
Lunches - Thank you for joining us. We have had quite the turnout since opening our doors back up to parents and guests. Our lunch times for each grade are below. Parents, please arrive no sooner than 10 minutes prior to the start of your child's lunchtime. Unfortunately, we do not have adequate seating in the front office to accommodate all of our guests. Due to food allergies and safety rules, please adhere to the following:
Please sit in the designated parent areas near the windows.
Eat with your child only. Buddies and siblings in other grade levels are not invited to join at this time.
Take photos with and of your child only. Thank you for respecting the privacy of our other students.
Please help your child transition easily by exiting the cafeteria and returning to the office as students begin to line up at the end of lunch. Parents are not permitted on the playground or in the classrooms without prior approval.
Remember to check in and out at the office!
We appreciate your presence and hope you join us soon!
Our lunch schedule is as follows:
- Kindergarten: 10:20am-10:50am
- First Grade: 11:00am-11:30am
- Second Grade: 12:10pm-12:40pm
- Third Grade:12:40pm-1:10pm
- Fourth Grade: 11:35am-12:05pm
Last but not least, we are asking for everyone's help in the car line. Cell phone use in a school zone is against Arkansas state law. No call or appointment is worth the risk of hurting a child. Please be diligent, and put the cell phones down. As a reminder, in Arkansas, the use of a hand-held cell phone for texting, typing, emailing, or accessing the internet is against the law, regardless of the driver's age. This is a primary offense. Remember - it can wait! Think about what you would want from any other driver when it comes to your precious child's safety. Together we can do better.
We appreciate you and all that you do to support Evening Star Elementary.
PTO Update:
Planning for the 2022-2023 school year has started and we need your involvement to make another successful year happen! ESE PTO has various ways to get involved; click here to check out the options.
If you have any questions, email us at eveningstarpto@gmail.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Kathleen, Katie, Sahar and Tatum
Future ESE Events:
Here are just a few events that we have planned so far. Mark your calendars now and keep a watch out for more events over the course of the school year:
- April 4 - 7 - Parent-Teacher Conferences
- April 12th - 1st Grade Fairytale Performance at BWHS at 6:00 p.m. (Remember - drinks or food of any kind is not permitted in the Performing Arts Center.)
- April 20th - ACT Aspire Testing begins for 3rd and 4th Grade (See full schedule above!)
- April 25th - Spring MAP Testing begins
- April 29th - 4th Grade Performance at the Arvest Ballpark at 6:15 p.m.
- April 29th - Gold Rush at Old Tiger Stadium Track - Corner of Bella Vista Rd and Tiger Blvd near Tennie Russell Primary. The Fun Run starts at 6:30 p.m. and the 5K will begin at 7:00 p.m. Parking: The following school lots will be available for parking – Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Sugar Creek Elementary, TREC, Administration Office, and Lincoln Jr. High School. *Please note: Bella Vista Rd will be closed from 6:20 pm until the end of the 5K race. You may not be able to exit the Thomas Jefferson, Sugar Creek and TREC lots until the end of the 5k Race.
- May 3rd - ESE PTO meeting at 8:30 in the ESE Cafeteria
- May 4th - School Nurse Appreciation
- May 6th - School Lunch Hero Appreciation
- May 24th - Kindergarten Celebration at BWHS at 5:30 p.m. (Remember - drinks or food of any kind is not permitted in the Performing Arts Center.)
- May 25th - Field Day
- May 26th - Last Day of School for students & 4th Grade Celebration
Counselor Updates:
Wise Owls Look Ahead to Spring Testing Dates!
April is testing season, and we are excited to see the progress that our owls have made this year! We want everyone to feel calm and ready to do their best. Students do much better, and are less anxious if they take tests with their grade cohort. If at all possible, please make all appointments after school and refrain from checking your child out early. Once testing begins, the class cannot be interrupted until the designated break time. Therefore, please help us by checking appointments/calendars and rescheduling if possible. With your help and encouragement, we know that our owls will do their best on their tests!
Here are some tips to help your child cope if they experience test anxiety.
Remember: Not all stress is bad. Good stress pumps us up and can help us perform well. But too much stress can give way to anxiety and fear that get in the way of kids showing what they know. If you notice test anxiety, try these tips to help your child feel more at ease with test-taking.
Ask your child what’s making him/her feel nervous. Often talking through it and saying what’s happening out loud can bring some relief.
Remind them of past successes.
Tell them that a little anxiety before a test is actually normal and can be helpful in performing your best.
Practice doing tasks with a timer so that they are more at ease.
Keep a good routine at night and in the morning. Getting plenty of rest is crucial to their success. Also, arriving at school on time helps to set a positive tone for their day.
Fuel up with a good breakfast! Not too much sugar on testing mornings. Save the pancakes and syrup for a celebration of completion.
Encourage them to just do their best! They have prepared all year and have the strategies to do well.
Tell them to take deep breaths until they feel their bodies relax, give themself positive self-talk, “I will do my best.”
Then they can proudly show off what they know!!!
Tests should be their time to shine as wise ESE owls!
Our guidance lessons for April will focus on “Goal Setting and Careers.”
Pam Gaskin 479-360-7407 pgaskin@bentonvillek12.org
Paula Kaufmann 779-360-7408 pkaufmann@bentonvillek12.org
Literacy News:
Have you wondered what your child is learning in phonics? Have you questioned the importance of decoding compared to the memorization of words? Understanding letter-sound relationships, including knowledge of letter patterns, helps children recognize familiar words and be able to figure out words they have not seen before. The ability to decode is the foundation upon which all other reading instruction—fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, etc… are built. There are lots of ways parents can help at home.
Notice how your child is sounding out words. Is he reading sound by sound? If so, encourage him to look for the vowel and read the ending part of the word, then add the beginning. For example, if the word is cab, have them read the ab first, then add the c to read the whole word. If your child is already reading the ending part of the word and adding the beginning, begin encouraging your child to blend the word starting at the beginning of the word.
Talk with your child about irregular words that he/she sees often when he/she is reading. These are the words that do not follow the letter-sound rules. Some examples of these words are "said," "are," and "of." Encourage your child to notice what part of the word does not follow the letter-sound rules. That irregular part is what readers learn by heart. We call these words heart words!
Be on the lookout for what letter pattern your child is focused on in class. Reinforce that pattern at home by having them read words with those patterns. Be sure and point out those letter patterns as you all are reading together.
Encourage your child to write notes or letters. As he/she is writing, he/she should focus on applying what he/she has learned about letter patterns.
When reading multisyllabic words, encourage your child to look for the vowel patterns and to notice what is in between those vowels, then divide the word into syllables.
Orally play with words. Talk about words that rhyme. Count syllables in words and words in sentences. Segment the sounds in words. Talk about what sounds come first, next, and last.
Reinforce phonics patterns that your child is working on in class.
Read to your child and listen to your child read.
Talk with your child about the characters, setting, events, problem and solution in the stories they read.
Ask your child questions about his reading, and encourage your child to ask questions about what he is reading. Encourage your child to refer explicitly to the text when answering questions.
Have your child retell stories, including those key details.
Practice breaking words into syllables. Encourage your child to read each syllable, then put the syllables together to read the whole word.
Practice language skills with your child by encouraging writing through everyday opportunities (Thank you notes, grocery lists, letters, diary, journaling, invitations, to do lists, or writing about something new that has been learned)
Practice using text features (such as tables of contents, glossaries, indexes, bold print) to locate information in a text.
Talk about what words mean.
Reinforce recognizing common prefixes and suffixes and understanding the meanings of them.
Look at this Lexia link. This link gives ideas to practice at home that support what your child is learning in Lexia.
Julie Dibee, Literacy Coach and Jillian Myers, Math Coach
Whooo Loves to read? Your ESE OWLS DO!
It is a rare occasion that I don’t have words, but I find myself in that situation after the immense support received for the library during the Be the Change event organized by our amazing PTO! I humbly THANK each and every one of you for your overwhelming generosity. If there is a book or series that is a favorite of your child’s, please put the title and author on this form. I will be placing book orders soon and want to ensure that our Owl family has a voice! THANK YOU!!
Read, Learn, and Explore!
Mrs. Watson
"Gym Shorts":
For the month of April, your little owls will be learning hula-hooping skills/tricks and a few tumbling activities. We will then start adding in some lifelong activities such as tennis, golf, and biking.
Keep moving!
Coach Kerkhover & Coach Harris
ART Studio:
For the month of April, our artists will be having class in the Wonder Room! That means they will not be bringing art supplies with them but instead using art supplies provided for them in the Wonder Room. We are all looking forward to having some space to work on art and getting to use some different art supplies.
Mr. Van Slyke
Music Notes:
Congratulations 4th grade and 2nd grade!
Both grades did a fantastic job in their performances the week before Spring Break!
Upcoming Performances:
April 12 - First Grade Fairytales
May 24 - Kindergarten Celebration
Attention 4th grade parents!
Recorder orders and payment were due on March 18. If you have not ordered yet, please do so today - all students need recorders and digital book subscriptions for these 9 weeks.
Naturals Baseball ticket orders are due April 15. Help us fill the stadium with ESE families!
Last but not least- Welcome, back Mrs. Berry! We are glad to have you here with us for the last quarter!
Mrs. Simpson
Global Connections:
We had a blast learning about Africa over the past month. We ventured all around the continent and are just finishing up our look at African folktales. Next, we will be heading for the continent of Asia. While there, we will be learning about the much-loved giant panda, the Great Wall of China, and much more!
Sincerely,
Ms. Garrett
English as a Second Language:
Time to celebrate! All of our ESL students are finished with the ELPA21 test! These students were tested on their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. These test results greatly influence which or if any English Language Development (ELD) services are needed. I am so proud of them and all their hard work! Parents will be notified before the end of the school year of their child’s results.
Also, check out these local opportunities for kids through our public libraries. They are offering STEM nights, Storytimes, and more. Check it out!
Let me know if you have any questions!
Melissa Tomblin
Transportation Changes:
If you need to make a change in transportation, please notify the office BEFORE 2:00 p.m. As stated in our district handbook, changes in transportation home or early pick-up from school may not occur within 30 minutes of building dismissal time, unless it is an unavoidable emergency.
SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH MENUS:
If you would like to see what our cafeteria will be serving for breakfast and lunch for April, simply click on the following link: https://www.bentonvillek12.org/Page/7010
You can also follow the steps below:
1) Access the District website: bentonvillek12.org
2) Under the Departments tab, choose: Food and Nutrition
3) Click on the Printable Elementary School Menus link
The breakfast and lunch menus for April are available for preview.