Horizon Elementary
Parents & Families Help Spread the Word:
Horizon is looking to fill 4 spots! We are in need of 2 permanent substitute teachers & also 2 lunchroom monitors! If you or anyone you know of might be interested, please apply! Thank you!
Visit our HR website at: https://www.smithvilleschooldistrict.net/domain/67
Dear Horizon Families,
Hello Horizon Families
I hope you find our monthly parent newsletter a useful tool to keep you informed. I try to add upcoming important events and dates. Plus, grade levels and staff add snapshots of what they will covering or focusing on each month.
No School Monday-Don't forget we do not have school this coming Monday, September 6th in honor of Labor Day.
Red Friday-We want to encourage all students to wear RED this coming Friday, September 10th to help us celebrate our 1st Chiefs Game!!!!
MAP Scores-All students in grades 3-6 took our State MAP test this past spring. Those individual scores are coming home with students today. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. Our students did amazing overall!
National Coffee Day-Horizon would like to celebrate National Coffee Day with your help! National Coffee Day is Wednesday, September 29th. We would like to setup a coffee bar for staff that morning but need our families help. If you'd like to provide something to help make it a success, please click the link to sign up. Coffee Bar Item Sign Up
Mrs. Mellon
Staff Celebrations!
On September 29th in Honor of National Coffee Day we will provide a coffee bar for staff that morning! If you'd like to send in items for that event, see link below.
T-shirt sales extended until Tuesday, September 7th! Hurry!
September Calendar of Events:
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 1: Late Start Wednesday, K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am, No EC Classes
Sept. 6: No School- Labor Day
Sept. 8: Late Start Wednesday, K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am, No EC Classes
Sept. 9: PTO Meeting 6:30 pm Horizon Library
Sept. 10: Red Friday! Go Chiefs!
Sept. 15: Late Start Wednesday, K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am, No EC Classes
Sept. 15: Board of Education Meeting 7 pm
Sept. 22: Late Start Wednesday, K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am, No EC Classes
Sept. 23: Picture Day at Horizon
Sept. 29: Late Start Wednesday, K-6 students may arrive at 8:50 am, School begins at 9:05 am, No EC Classes
Sept. 30: Tornado Drill
OPAA Update
Kindergarten News:
1st Grade News:
Welcome to first grade! We are so excited to get the year started. This month we will focus on launching our reading and writing workshops. We will learn how to choose a just right book to read and we will spend some time on handwriting and sentence formation. In math we will learn different strategies that we can use to add numbers. In Social Studies we will discuss what it means to be a good citizen. We look forward to spending a lot of time building relationships with our classmates and learning about each other.
2nd Grade News:
Welcome back Warriors! We are all excited to begin what will be an amazing year of learning and growing. The first few weeks of school is a time to build relationships with new friends and renew friendships with previous classmates. In order to ensure that our year is productive, we begin by covering expectations in all areas of our building and areas of content. Knowing what it should sound like, look like, and feel like is an important part of a well run community.
In reading and writing workshop, the children have started units over “behaviors” readers and writers use that help them engage with the books they choose and the topics they write about. Engagement and stamina is an important part of developing skills over time. Mental math strategies to add and subtract will be our first area of focus. After a few days of informal lessons, we know that we learn from mistakes and that not everyone thinks or sees things the same way when it comes to math.
Our country has a rich history, as members of a community and country we should be familiar with concepts related to American symbols and our very own pledge of allegiance. We know that the children will enjoy these upcoming weeks!
3rd Grade News:
We have had a busy start to the school year in third grade! Going into September we will be really diving into our content. In math, we will start with practicing our fluency, as well as establishing a growth mindset. Then, we will start working on place value and rounding. Our reading will start with us establishing a positive readerly life in which we pick appropriate reading material, the best spot to read, and reflect on our reading. Then, we will move onto our character study. In writing, we will follow a similar pattern by using our first couple of weeks to develop good writing practices. Then, our next unit will focus on creating characters within realistic fiction. In social studies, we will work on our first unit surrounding our country’s symbols, holidays, and regions. We will then move into our first science unit over forces and motion. To start the year we took the time to set clear expectations and develop positive classroom communities. We are excited to watch as the supportive and caring relationships within our classes continue to grow!
4th Grade News:
To kick off the school year, fourth grade reviewed procedures and expectations and spent time building our classroom communities. We launched both Readers and Writer’s Workshops. In Social Studies, we began learning about Missouri’s symbols, and in Math we began working with place value. Students are gearing up for their NWEA tests in September. This month we will work on generating ideas in writing, building our reading stamina, continuing place value, and learning more about our state. We’re off to a great start and we’re ready for a great year with our students!
5th Grade News:
Welcome to 5th grade, kids and parents! Wow, what a great start to the school year we've had. 5th grade is a year of 'new' for the kids. They start to have three teachers, switch classes, have 'lockers', and more responsibility. These new aspects to their school day takes time to grasp and get used to. Please encourage them to persevere throughout their day, as that is what we preach to them as well! It's going to be a great school year!
Science: The month of September in science we will focus on 'How To Be A Scientist'. We will do this by discovering ways that scientists use things around them and their observations to make their job easier. We will dive deep into how to complete graphs, along with analyzing, interpreting, and concluding on data, too. We will make qualitative and quantitative observations. We will isolate what independent, dependent, and controlled variables are within experiments also. We will learn how to write like a scientist using the acronym CER (Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning). These things can be hard for kids 1st quarter in science because they haven't been hit as deeply in past grade levels as I will hit them in 5th grade. Again, please encourage perseverance as it will be needed in all areas of 5th grade.
SS: Social Studies takes us a bit to get through each unit because we spend more daily time in science than ss during my class time. THe month of September in ss we will focus on 'Map Skills'. Kids will learn how to read a map, use cardinal and intermediate directions, latitude and longitude, etc to become map experts. This will then lead into a big project where kids will become tour guides of a state of their choice! These projects are worth lots of points and quite big, but we work on them throughout the unit as we are learning, so that lightens the load a bit!
ELA: In September we will start with our beginning of the year NWEA testing and then jump right into our reading and writing curriculum. In reading we will set up readers workshop by coming up with strategies to help choose a just right book, annotate our thoughts, monitor comprehension, decode and visualize what we are reading. We will also have a mini unit on figurative language. In writing we will start a process study where we generate ideas for future independent writing.
Math: This month in mathematics we will be focused on the pattern of place value. Our base ten system is a wonderful pattern to explore! Understanding this pattern allows us to have a firmer grasp on many fifth grade mathematics skills. Specific skills we will be addressing this month are: multiplying and dividing by powers of ten, reading, writing and comparing both whole numbers and decimals, and learning about a new form of writing numbers using exponents. It should be a busy and challenging month here in Room 113!6th Grade News:
ELA - We are learning how to select independent reading books that are appropriate for our own reading levels. In addition, we are working on reading and writing goals for the first nine weeks of school. As writers, we are continuing to use the workshop model and are building potential ideas for our narrative writing pieces.
Math- This week we have been identifying and practicing our group skills and expectations, refreshing our minds on important grade level vocabulary and techniques, and preparing for our upcoming unit on Greatest Common Factor and Least Common Multiples. Coming up, we will begin setting SMART goals that students will work to achieve this quarter.
Encore News:
PE
This upcoming month 3rd-6th grade will be doing their fall fitness assessments. 4th-6th graders will also be doing ‘Warrior Days’ each month, where they will be keeping track of how many push-ups they can do, sit-ups in 1 minute, among other fitness activities. As they record and track their progress they will also be making monthly goals. All grade levels will be playing games that include teamwork, exercise, and different motor skills. It is important for students to remember to bring gym shoes on PE days, and remember to bring their water bottles so they can always stay hydrated!
Technology and Innovation -
Hello Horizon Warriors! Mrs. Jermain here! I am so excited to be taking over the role as the technology and innovation teacher this year. Throughout this next month, we will focus on having a growth mindset as makers and being an innovative designer. Within these two topics, students will have the opportunity to work through challenges and begin working on some projects. September 15th is Dot Day and we will be doing some fun activities to promote these two topics.
In 6th grade, we will begin our first Robotics and Programming project by creating mini golf courses and using our Sphero robots. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @MrsJermain4 to see any updates from our classroom.
If you have any donations for the innovation lab, there will be a decorated container in the vestibule outside the front office where you can drop them off. You may also send them in with your child. Please be sure that any items are clean and free of debris. I appreciate your support as we kick off this year together!
Art:
I have had a great start getting to know the Horizon Elementary artists. My name is Mrs. Martens, I will be filling in for Mrs. Way, (the Horizon art teacher). Mrs. Way is home on maternity leave. Students have been learning all about the art studio room procedures. Each student learned the difference between an author and an illustrator. They heard the book “ The Dot” By Peter Reynolds. Look for the dots that were created by our artists to be on display by the art room. I look forward to working with your students!
Library:
Thank you for the warm Horizon welcome! I have enjoyed getting to know your children and look forward to sharing my love of books and reading with them this year. In September Pk-2 will be learning about how to be a good library citizen. Lesson focuses will be on book care and library manners. Third through sixth grade will be learning about library technology and how to use the resources available from the Mid-Continent Public Library. All grades will be introduced to this year’s Missouri State Book Award Nominees and the reading incentives that go along with reading these nominated books. Check out the library website for more information about these books.
I am always looking for library volunteers that would be willing to help shelve books and keep the library organized. Please contact me at rineharj@smithville.k12.mo.us if you are interested in volunteering.
Music:
Hello Horizon families! I have loved meeting and getting to know all of our young music makers and musicians at Horizon. In September, all grades will be beginning their initial lessons identifying the difference between rhythm and steady beat. In our 6th grade Music in Entertainment class, we are jumping right into our Musical Theater unit where the students will be working on a project that allows them to create their own musicals. I’m so excited to see what they come up with!
I am extremely excited for the return of Horizon’s choir, the Sunset Singers! We will have two concerts along with Maple Elementary and Eagle Heights Elementary Choirs this year! Our rehearsals will be on Tuesday mornings from 7:30-8:30am before school. Please be on the lookout for information regarding our Zoom Parent and Student Informational Meeting, coming up in September! Attendance will be mandatory in order for students to join the Sunset Singers!
Counselor
What a wonderful start to the new school year. My heart is full to see all these wonderful humans ready to learn, be a team and grow our community. The first days are busy with learning new routines and expectations, making new friends and getting settled into mode of learning. Our first counseling lessons will start September 5th with getting to know my role in the school and how I can support them in their life long journey of being productive and content members of a community as we recognize celebrations and work through challenges of life. Some of the areas we will work together on during the year will be: getting along with others & conflict resolution & creating positive relationships with others (adults & peers); critical thinking & problem solving skills; identifying long & short term goals for learning, career & social/emotional areas; perseverance, self care & adapting to the changing world around us; as well as advocacy for self & others. We may work through these mindsets & behaviors through classroom lessons, small groups or one-one opportunities. I look forward to our year together and getting to know our school families with shared celebrations and activities.
WatchDogs--please add attachment: (I will send to you via email)
Title I-Reading Intervention:
Reading Intervention
Welcome back! September is a busy month for testing. All students will take the nwea test which is our universal screener. This gives us an overall snapshot of how students are performing in key content areas. We give this assessment in the fall, winter, and spring. Since Missouri is also a dyslexia state, we screen students in grades k-3 to identify students who may be at risk in reading. This is a great opportunity to see if students who were recently receiving reading intervention have met criteria to be dismissed or if we need to continue to offer support. We would like to welcome Farah Balmer and Jocelyn Ewald to our reading intervention team!
Horizon PTO
Hello Horizon families. Your PTO is working hard to plan and prepare for the 2021-2022 school year. In doing so, we have asked our teachers and staff to create an amazon wishlist with both classroom and personal wants/needs. Whether it be Christmas, a birthday or "just because", please use the following link throughout the year when you are looking to give a special gift. Additionally, please make sure and sign up for AmazonSmile to continue supporting HES. Here is how:
1.) Visit smile.amazon.com
2.) Sign in with your Amazon.com username & password
3.) Choose "Smithville Horizon PTO"
4.) Start Shopping!
Reach out if you need help getting set up!
Marcy Richardson - PTO Hospitality