Hawk Talk
The Monthly Newsletter for the Patricia A. Duran School
A Message From Mrs. Davis
We are quickly approaching the 100th day of school! We hope you are excited about the progress your child has made so far this year. The staff at the Patricia A. Duran School are focused and committed to providing all students with a rigorous and engaging instructional program. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us at the school any time!
Sincerely,
Melissa Davis, Ed.D.
Principal
Patricia A. Duran School
Spotlight on: Computer Class
One of the most exciting things for unified arts teachers is seeing student growth over the years. When we use our Scratch animation app/site in computer class, I am able to see (and hear) growth on a weekly basis.
I see students following directions, while adding their own creative details. I hear students confidently helping others. Even our youngest students wonder and ask about how they can do even more. A kindergarten troubleshooter recently said, “That doesn’t make sense” and then worked to fix his code. A first grader shared that she likes being able to “control things.”
Second graders are learning to tell a story by moving a character from one background to another - and in some cases, another and another, after asking “Can I do more?”
Third graders have graduated from Scratch Jr. to Scratch 3.0 and are exploring the differences and new possibilities.
This year’s fourth grade classes are the first to partner up to create awesome, interactive games. They, too, have asked how to learn even more techniques to make their plans work just as they hoped.
Spotlight on: Second Grade
Second graders have been very busy becoming amazing readers, mathematicians, and well-rounded authors. We have also been focusing on being a good friend and a responsible member of our school community.
Students have been loving our new Letterland curriculum! We have been learning all about long vowel patterns and the different syllable types. This has helped 2nd graders become more successful readers and writers. During our fairy tale unit in reading, we compared different versions of the same stories and even wrote our own gingerbread stories!
In math, 2nd graders have been learning strategies for adding and subtracting. We have also been practicing measuring items around our classroom with unifix cubes. We are now working on breaking apart and solving word problems.
2nd graders have been loving our Animal Adventures science unit. We have been learning about animal characteristics and homes. We also had the opportunity to participate in a Winter Ecology zoom presented by the rangers at Acadia National Park. Students got to learn all about what Maine animals do in the winter. Our learning in science has supported our animal research projects that we’ve been working on in writing.
We are excited to see what the rest of the year will bring to 2nd grade!
Valentines Day: Flower Delivery and Snacks
We also want to remind parents that our district's Wellness Policy encourages us to provide healthy snacks and food options to all students. We encourage families to consider healthy Valentine's Day options to send in with students in lieu of candy Valentines. Please click here if you would like to view the district's Wellness Policy.
A Message from Nurse Scripture:
'Tis the season for cold and flu! Just a reminder that if your child has been sick, we ask that you keep them out of school until they have been fever, vomiting and diarrhea-free for 24 hours. Fever-free requires that the student is without a fever, and not using a fever-reducing medication, for 24 hours. Thank you for helping us reduce the spread of seasonal illnesses.
Please remind your student to use good hand washing skills, cough into an elbow, and use a tissue when sneezing. Having a water bottle at school to stay hydrated is important also.
Thank you for your help encouraging your child to keep up healthy practices!
World Read Aloud Day: February 1
Concerts and Academic Showcase
February 15: Grades 1-2 @ 5:30
April 12: Grade K @ 5:30
May 10: Grades 3-4 @ 5:30
February Menus
Upcoming Events:
February 1: Quarter 2 Grade Reports Issued
February 8: Quarter 2 Assembly
February 8: Family Learn to Snowshoe Event and Story Walk @ 4:00-5:30
February 15: Concert and Showcase for Grades 1-2 @ 5:30
February 20-24: School Vacation