Dixon Elementary School
March 2019 Newsletter
March 2019
Kindly review this newsletter to view Fun Run information/important PTO updates, a message from Nurse Spencer, grade level updates, upcoming important dates, kindergarten registration information, results from Odyssey of the Mind, Spelling Bee, and Science Olympiad competitions, and a link to the Family Learning Team's current newsletter.
Fun Run Information and Important PTO Updates
March 1st - Fun Run (Rain Date TBD)
Parents are invited to the event and volunteers are greatly appreciated.
*Please note the back parking lot will be closed since students will be entering and exiting the Fun Run via the parking lot (parking lot will reopen for dismissal) - thank you for your support in helping us to ensure student safety!
Run times are as follows:
K= 9:00-10:00
1st = 10:00 - 11:00
2nd = 2:00 - 3:00
3rd = 11:00 - 12:00
4th = 12:15 - 1:15
(Break 1:15 - 2:00)
March 8th - Fun Run Money Due
March 13th - PTO Meeting @ 9:15am in the library: 2019-2020 PTO Officer Nominations
March 8th & 22nd - Popcorn Friday
for Full Year Subscribers ONLY
**In compliance with Onslow County School policy, DPI and Federal Law, the PTO is prohibited from selling any food during school hours. Failure to comply with this agreement made with DPI could result in the loss of the federal reimbursement that sustains the Child Nutrition Program.
Therefore, for the remainder of this year, popcorn will be passed out at the end of the day to take home and cannot be consumed in the classroom. We have been given permission to continue to pass out prepaid orders due to our school damages during Hurricane Florence and needing the extra funds. Unfortunately, there was no other option and we apologize as we know our students love these special treats.
A Message from Nurse Spencer
We have many children experiencing illness right now. Nurse Spencer has sent many children home with fever, vomiting and coughing. Children are arriving to school in the morning with fever and/or after vomiting at home. It is very important to check your child before they come to school in the morning. If they are complaining of not feeling well and have had temperature greater than 100.0, are vomiting at home, experiencing diarrhea, and/or are coughing frequently PLEASE do not send them to school.
These students can easily transmit illness to other students, teachers, parents and staff.
Students who have been sick with fever or vomiting must be fever free for 24 hours, without fever reducing medication, and must not be vomiting for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
Parents are reminded to update phone numbers if there have been changes to your number. It is very important that school personnel are able to reach you in case of emergency or regarding important school information which needs to be passed along by phone.
Kindergarten News
Great leaders will be blooming in Kindergarten! We are excited that we get to start March off with our Mindspark Fun Run. With our Global Field Day coming up we will all be working on our parade costumes and bulletin boards to represent our countries. We are also building our leadership muscle through our Leader In Me lessons. Our learning focuses for March will be:
Weather, Water Changes and Our Sky
Spring Changes Around Us
St. Patrick's Day Traditions
What is Living and Non-Living
Chunking Sounds Together
Long Vowels
Reading for Information in Non-Fiction
Retelling and Connecting to Fiction
Comparing Non-Fiction and Fiction
Addition Strategies
Subtraction Strategies
Writing our Opinions
First Grade News
- During the month of March 1st grade students will focus on reading and understanding fiction texts. We'll be using key details of books to retell and analyze characters. In writing students will learn how to share and support their opinions using reasons and evidence. We will also learn more about the different kinds of nouns and verbs. We have finished up our study of measurement and will refocus on improving addition and subtraction fluency as well as continuing to practice word problems. During March we will also continue to learn more about our South American countries, geographic tools and map skills. It is going to be a fun and busy month!
Second Grade News
On March 2nd, second grade classrooms will be celebrating Read Across America Day with special activities throughout the day. Your child may bring their favorite Dr. Seuss book in that day to share. In Language Arts we will be learning about comparing and contrasting text as we read a variety of fairy tales and discuss the central message or moral of the tales. Math instruction in March will focus on measurement and telling time. Students will be expected to tell time on analog and digital clocks in 5- minute intervals. Students will be exposed to a variety of ways to state time, such as quarter to seven o’clock, half past three o’clock, or quarter after nine o’clock. Please reinforce these different ways of stating time at home. As the weather is getting warmer and your children have more after school events and sports, please remind them to put first things first and ensure that their homework is completed each evening. It is very important that they do their homework each night and reading every evening to help them to keep making progress! Thank you for all your support! We truly appreciate it!
Third Grade News
Dixon's third graders learned so much on the field trip to the Cape Fear Museum in Wilmington. We played Native American games and learned about the importance of the seasons for hunting and gathering. The children examined artifacts and determined how they were used by Native Americans and explored the space and nature exhibits as well. Last week, each third grader received a cabbage to care for as we prepare for another field trip to learn about plants and gardening. Continue to work on memorizing the multiplication facts and don't forget to read every night.
Fourth Grade News
Fourth grade has been working on many new concepts. In reading, we have been working on Context Clues and the variety of context clues that readers can use to determine the meaning of unknown words. We are going to be working on opinion writing samples and how to support our opinions. We will also continue to have a focus on the conventions of writing such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
In math, we have finished up cluster 5 which focused on equivalent fractions and comparing fractions. The students are continuing to work on multiplication and division strategies. We will also continue to focus on multi step word problems. Cluster 6 will teach the students the relationship between fractions and decimals.
In Science we will begin working on rocks, the rock cycle, minerals, and fossils. In Social Studies, we will begin learning about NC government.
Fourth Grade will be going on a field trip in March. We will be visiting Sturgeon City in Jacksonville. The 4A team will be going on March 12th and the 4B team will be going on March 11th.
Important Dates
3/1 - Report Cards
3/1 - Fun Run
3/4 - Jump Rope for Heart
3/4-3/8 - School Social Worker Week
3/8 - Fun Run $ due
3/11 - 4th grade field trip (4B) to Sturgeon City
3/12 - 4th grade field trip (4A) to Sturgeon City
3/13 - PTO meeting at 9:15 a.m.
3/13 - Ident-a-kid
3/15 - Bring $1 and wear a hat for crazy hat day
3/21 - Interim reports
3/21 - 3rd grade field trip - Tracy, Kleist, & Hughes
3/27 - 100th Day of School
3/29 - Spring pictures
4/2-4/3 Kindergarten registration 9:30-1:00
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration will be April 2nd & 3rd from 9:30-1:00 (after that date by appointment )
ALL of the following documentation is required:
· CERTIFIED birth certificate
· CURRENT proof of residence (Electric or Water bill only)
· Photo ID of parent
· Immunization records
***Child MUST be 5 on or before August 31st, 2014***
Odyssey of the mind team takes 1st place at district competition
Way to go Odyssey of the Mind Team for taking 1st place at the district competition! The DES Odyssey of the Mind team is coached by Ms. Howard. Team members include: Mateo Lopera, Savannah Jones, Sydhayia Oakley, Kenzley Wyatt, Bailey Penny, Jocie Hedrick, and Charlotte Nickel. The team will now move on to the state competition in Greenville on April 6th.
Spelling Bee
Last month, two students from each 4th grade homeroom class competed in rounds of spelling hosted by Ms. Carrell and Mr. Reed. Congratulations to each of the finalists for being selected to compete for your class! Class finalists included Tyler Boby, Aiden Pratt, Sydney Bjarnason, Sofia Von-Hendly, Savannah Trexel, Lillian Dulaney, Kayleigh Brinson, Reagan Cothran, Madeleine Fleming, Aiden Dawson, Anna Stevens, Taliana Barrera, Elaina Wright-Osment, McKenna Rose, Kaelyn Lawrence, Nathaniel Moczo, Evelyn Evans, and Isaac Westall. Our school winner was McKenna Rose from Ms. Moore's class - she will move on to the district competition on March 7th at 6:30 at Parkwood Elementary. Kaelyn Lawrence from Mr. Harris' class came in as our second place winner. Way to go McKenna and Kaelyn!
Spelling Bee Class Finalists
Spelling Bee Top 2 Finalists (Kaelyn & McKenna)
Science Olympiad
Congratulations to our Science Olympiad team for a job well done at the district competition! Team members included Cash Atkinson, Sydney Bjarnason, Brett Clemmey, Isabella Conn, Benjamin Daigneault, Aidan Dawson, Abby Frane, Max Hotze, Orion Jones, Adelynn London, Conrad Manuel, Gabrielle Raynor, Gwen Seligson, Milleigh Walkoviak, Kaisen Weiler, and Cord Williamson.
Our team placed 6th overall and took home 10 medals in the following events!:
Energy Matters (Isabella Conn and Gabrielle Raynor)
Pasta Tower (Brett Clemmey and Gwen Seligson, built by Max Hotze)
Planet Protectors (Sydney Bjarnason and Kaisen Weiler)
Work It Out (Max Hotze, Ben Daigneault, Adelynn London, and Cord Williamson)
The event took place on February 2nd at Northside High School and 16 students competed on our DES team, coached by Miss Yocum. The students learned about many science and math topics including the metric system, data analysis, environmental issues, weather, energy, body systems, forensics, engineering, vocabulary and their meaning/what they look like, physics, rocket launching, following directions, and teamwork, along with physical challenges as well.
"The students had a wonderful time and learned many new concepts. Above all, we worked as a team did our best!", according to Coach Yocum.