Algonkian Elementary
September Newsletter
Principal Page
Certain special education classes will begin on October 13 and Kindergarten through second grade will begin on October 27.
Also any ELL students that are level 1 will begin in grades third through fifth.
A reminder that this is for only those families that chose Hybrid. LCPS has made it clear that parents cannot switch their decision which was made before school starts.
We will be sending out an e-mail this week to share the days of the week the hybrid students will attend. Parents will also be able to check in parent vue.
If you have any questions please call the school.
Technology Updates
Welcome “Back to School” such as it is. Now more than ever Internet Safety is at the top of many parent’s minds. Algonkian is a Common-Sense Digital Citizenship Certified school. We renew our certification every two years. This year I will continue to share resources for parents on topics that hopefully are important to you. This month, Privacy and Internet Safety, is our focus. This link gives you choices to explore questions and concerns based on your student’s age.
If you scroll to the bottom of the linked page, there are a series of short videos to watch and possibly share with your student if you choose. Have fun and safe surfing the web!
Internet safety site for Parents:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/privacy-and-internet-safety
Internet Safety Video for Kids:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/5-internet-safety-tips-for-kids
Art Updates
It’s Ms.Michael checking in-I hope you all are doing well !
A letter went out discussing the Art Supplies need for Distance Learning. Many of the supplies are ones that you purchased for beginning of the school year or already have at home. If you have several students attending Algonkian they can share the supplies.
If your family needs Art Supply assistance please don’t hesitate to contact myself, Ms.Ryan the School Counselor, or Ms. Smith the Parent Liaison.
For the month of October the students will be creating a variety
of projects inspired by artists from diverse backgrounds:
Kindergarten: Cave Drawings
1st Grade: Alma Thomas Astronomy Collages
2nd Grade: Selma Burke Coins
3rd Grade: Philip Simmons Gates & Mansion
4th Grade: Norma Sklarek Architecture
5th Grade: Zines of Change
Music Updates
Welcome back to our Virtual Classroom
Ms. Kim Comrie will be our full-time music teacher again this school year.
Additionally, Mr. Ronald Holmes will be working with some of our Bobcats on Thursday’s and Friday’s.
Mr. Holmes will be teaching the following classes at Algonkian: Mrs. Biegel (5th), Ms. Ater (3rd), Ms. Propst (3rd), Mrs. Aellen (1st).
All grades will attend music once a week for 45 minutes each time, except Kindergarten having a 30-minute music lesson.
We will teach “LIVE” lessons every other week utilizing the google meet tool. The “RECORDED” lessons, during the opposite weeks will be found on the music Schoology page. The student would then click on the XYLOPHONE picture, click the RED folder with this week’s date, then watch the pre-recorded videos, and read and follow the directions on the slides.
Loudoun County’s music curriculum is based on the National Standards for Music Education and the Virginia Standards of Learning for Music.
Throughout the year each grade will study several elements of music including rhythm, melody, harmony/texture, form, expression, timbre, genre, and movement. In addition, students will learn to identify instruments of the orchestra and will explore different composers and their music. Students will be learning about a wide variety of music through singing, speaking, playing, listening, movement, and dramatization.
4th and 5th graders will be playing the recorder in music. Information about recorders will be sent home in the near future.
Please feel free to contact myself at kim.Comrie@lcps.org or Mr. Holmes at Ronald.Holmes@lcps.org with any concerns or questions you might have. We’d love to hear from you! Go Bobcats!!!
PE Updates
We are excited and looking forward to working with your child in physical education classes this year! It is our goal to build a strong and successful program to help your child develop through physical activity and instruction. Please make a note of your child's scheduled P.E. time.
Sincerely,
Course Description
Elementary Physical Education is a developmental program designed to enhance movement, balance, fine and gross motor skills, and general physical activity. Skill themes encompass many aspects of movement and apply these skills to both new and familiar activities. Physical education is taught one day per week for 45 minutes by the PE Specialist during synchronous weeks; and prerecorded instructions on the PE link during asynchronous weeks.
The Virginia Standards of Learning identify the fives strands listed below for physical education:
Skilled Movement
Demonstrate competence in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities.
Movement Principles and Concepts
Apply movement principles and concepts to learning and developing motor skills and specialized movement forms.
Personal Fitness
Achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of personal fitness.
Responsible Behaviors
Demonstrate responsible personal and social behaviors in physical activity settings.
Physically Active Lifestyle
Demonstrate a physically active lifestyle, including activity within and outside of the physical education setting.
Goals for Physical Education
1. The student will develop muscular strength and physical fitness.
2. The student will develop efficient body control and movement.
3. The student will acquire appropriate knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for healthy daily living.
4. The student will demonstrate safety awareness and demonstrate good safety habits.
5. The student will develop a positive attitude toward sportsmanship with respect for other's talents and weaknesses.
6. The student will participate in activities that encourage the development of a positive self-image.
7. The student will develop a sense of individual and group responsibility.
8. The student will develop a healthy attitude toward physical activity.
9. The student will develop an appreciation for physical activities which can be pursued during leisure time and can contribute to lifetime fitness.
Joe Terango and Kris Goodwin
Algonkian P.E. Teachers
Health Clinic Updates
Welcome back Friends! I hope the Distance Learning is going well. I have a few helpful hints for online learning.
· Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Look away from the screen every 20 minutes or so and look at something around 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. This allows the eyes a chance to refocus.
· Blink often to keep your eyes moist. If they feel dry, try some eye drops.
· The best position for your Chromebook screen is when a student is seated comfortably, the user's eyes should be in line with a point on the screen about 2-3″ below the top of the monitor casing (not the screen). It might help to put a book or two under the Chromebook to raise the height.
- There should be at least 20 inches between you and your Chromebook.
- Remember to sit using ideal posture:
- upper legs flat against the chair
- lower legs should be bent in a 90-degree angle at the knees
- feet should be flat on the floor
o back straight
Also, please get your flu shots early.
If you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at megan.tuma@lcps.org.
Library
We have lots of exciting things happening in the Algonkian Library! We’ve been learning about digital citizenship, accessing MackinVia ebooks, and using the Destiny Discover catalog to see the physical books we have available.
The Algonkian BOOK BUS had a great first run last Monday! Mrs. Whitehouse and/or Mrs. Donaldson (our librarian and library assistant) will be on the bus each Monday bringing Algonkian library books to your children.
The BOOK BUS makes four stops::
Carrollton Rd and Halifax Court 9:04
Chelmsford CT (Across from the playground) 9:29
Quarterpath Trace Circle and Stillwood PL 9:55
Ashcroft Terrace and Graham Cove Sq 10:18
Whittingham Circle and Byron Ct. 10:41
(Transportation is working with us to make our times later and possibly add another stop. Info coming soon!)
Please note that social distancing and masks are required at the BOOK BUS stops. Staff will be wearing gloves to handle the books. Students will not touch a book until it is checked out to them. Books are quarantined for at least 72 hours before they can be checked out to a new student.
The bus will have the following:
A collection of books for browsing/checkout
Specific books that have been requested by parents who have joined the Algonkian Book Bus Schoology Group (instructions below)
A book return
If you would like to request specific books for your child to check out, you must join the Algonkian Book Bus Parent Schoology Group to access the Google Form for book requests. Click here for instructions on how to join the group.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1sRevgq6e8APLrWee_vBT_t2o-n1McLzFIf-qDtSdWR4/edit?usp=sharing
Book request forms are due by Thursday at noon each week, in order to give us enough time to get your requests ready for Monday morning.
Please email Algonkian’s Librarian, Mrs. Whitehouse, with any questions: susanne.whitehouse@lcps.org
HAPPY READING!
SUSAN R. SMITH PARENT LIAISON
Welcome back Bobcats. I am your Parent Liaison here at Algonkian and I am here to help you and your student have a successful school year. I will be sharing resources, both County and Private, in my newsletter each month. These resources range from food pantries, clothing distributions, information from the Parent Resource Center and mental and medical health information.
For the past few years, we have had a program at Algonkian called Resource Assistance. It allows families to self-identify to receive resource information through me. This year will be a little different as I am figuring out the best way to send out those resources. If you have a need and would like to receive information please email me at Susan.R.Smith@lcps.org. All communication is confidential.
SEARCH/EDGE/Futura
Welcome back! September was a busy month as the Gifted Education department completed the identification process that was halted by our closure last spring! I felt fortunate to actually be able to work with some of our students in person! The process will be completed, and families will be notified of decisions, in mid-October.
Most SEARCH lessons will consist of SEARCH Choice Board slides. Your child should try to complete at least one choice activity. The choices are centered around our SEARCH Thinking Keys: perceiving, reasoning, connecting, creating, and evaluating. I am updating the slide decks every week, so your child may have some SEARCH fun every week! We are posting choice boards for all grades, K – 5.
If your child participated in an EDGE group last spring, they are automatically enrolled in the group at their new grade level. These groups will meet on Friday afternoons. I will be contacting families with the EDGE schedule so the students can join our meetings.
Algonkian is part of the Gifted Education department’s transition FUTURA program. In this program model I am able to enrich reading and math lessons for both identified FUTURA students and students who demonstrate strong ability in either subject through their classroom work. This is done as part of their regular reading or math block with their classroom teacher. I am really excited to implement a new thematic unit, Innovation, with our identified FUTURA students. In this unit we will study innovations and the people who created them – innovations in products, processes, and cultural concepts. Our students will be challenged to become innovators themselves!
Potomac Falls Cluster Schools- Got Talent
Algonkian Elementary School
Assistant Principal: Karen Shields
Bookkeeper:Gayle Cowden
Registrar: Gail Farrar
Health Specialist-:Peggy Franzen
Email: brian.blubaugh@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/algonkian
Location: 20196 Carter Court, Sterling, VA, USA
Phone: 571-434-3240
Twitter: @ALG_LCPS