Elm Road Express September 2018
"Putting Dreams into Flight"
PRINCIPAL DR. SOTO KILE
Welcome Back! It has been a great start to a busy year. I enjoyed seeing everyone at our Back to School Picnic. I appreciate the PTO and their hard work to make this night possible. Please take advantage of the many opportunities you have to become involved in our PTO and in our school. Your active participation in your child’s education makes a positive difference. I enjoyed seeing everyone at the recent Parent Information Nights. I look forward to seeing 5th grade parents on September 6th. Please let me know if there is any way I can be of assistance to you and your child. Together we will SOAR!
This will be the only paper edition of the school newsletter this year. The following newsletters will be posted on Elm’s website and the Elm Road Express.
Car Riders
- Student safety is important to us! Parents picking up or dropping off children are reminded to have students exit curbside ONLY.
- Please pull up as far as safely possible to the next car before having students exit your vehicle. Please follow the direction of the safety patrol assistants.
- Please refrain from using your cell phones when you are not idling. Use this time to talk with your child or enjoy a read along chapter book. They are young, but for such a little time.
- Tune in and turn off.
Dates to Remember
Sept 3rd - Labor Day, No school
Sept 5th - School Picture DaySept 6th - 5th grade parent information night 5:30 pm
Sept 7th - PTO Fundraiser packet due
Sept 10th - PTO meeting 2:30 pm
Sept 27th - PTO Fundraiser Pick Up
We are Elm Road Eagles
Website: elmroad.phmschools.org
Location: 59400 Elm Road, Mishawaka, IN, USA
Phone: 574-259-3743
Twitter: @ElmroadES
Meet some of our New Staff
Staci Lapkiewicz
Tabitha Bahr
Bailey Murphy
Notes from the Office
Attendance and Tardy Information
It is very important that your child attend school on a regular basis. This allows for a regular routine to be established and shows your children how much you value their education and future! Classes begin promptly at 7:55 AM. Students will be considered tardy if they are not in their seats at the appropriate time. If students arrive late they must be escorted by a parent/guardian to be signed in at the office. If you are having trouble meeting this time constraint, please consider our corporation transportation system!
Please call the office by 9:00am anytime your child will be absent. Also - please let us know if they will be arriving late or leaving early due to appointments.
Lunch Schedule
Kindergarten: 10:15-10:45 M-F
First: 10:40-11:10 M, T, TH and F
11:30-12:00 W
Second: 11:05-11:35 M, T, TH and F
10:40-11:10 W
Third: 11:30-12:00 M, T, TH and F
11:05-11:35 W
Fifth: 11:55 -12:25 M-F
Fourth: 12:20-12:50 M-F
Youth Service Bureau
Andrea Shell is the Family Resource Specialist at Elm Road Elementary. She is available to assist families with resources they may need. She also sees students individually and in small groups to work on academic, home and/or personal/social issues in order to help them be more successful in school. You can reach her during school hours at 259-3743.
Reminder-All students receiving services need to complete the permission slip EACH year.
There was a wonderful donation of backpacks and school supplies to assist the needs of our students. If you have a need of these items please let Mrs. Shell know.
Christ Child referral forms are available. Christ Child is a wonderful organization that will help eligible families with new clothes and winter coats for children 12 and under. In order to see if your family qualifies, please give Mrs. Shell a call to set up an appointment. All information is confidential.
Mrs. Creighton's Literacy Corner
Welcome to the new school year! It is exciting to see our students return to school. Our goal at Elm Road is to help each learner reach his or her fullest potential. I am confident that the 2018-2019 will be a successful year for the entire Elm Road community.
As we start the new school year, I wanted to share some of the resources that are available for families. We have a Title I family library that contains a variety of leveled books that available for home use. There are also reading and math activities that can be checked out. If you are interested in checking these items out, you can contact me or have your child stop by my classroom.
To help foster literacy we encourage reading practice at home. We do not want reading practice at home to be a stressful time for you or your child. Reading practice is not limited to your child reading independently. At times, it is helpful to do a shared reading with your child. To share reading, you can take turns reading pages or chapters with your child. Children also develop a love of reading as they listen to a family member read to them. If your child struggles with reading, audio books are a great way to build vocabulary and reading fluency.
If I can assist you in anyway, please feel free to contact me.
Happy Reading,
Mrs. Creighton
Title I Teacher / Reading Specialist
259-3743 ext 42755
What's Happening in Gym
Hello! My name is Debbie Parisi and I will be teaching all first grade through fifth grade physical education teacher this year. I would like to also introduce Michael Phipps, our kindergarten PE teacher. Mr. Phipps will be at Elm on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. He also teaches PE at Meadow’s Edge Elementary.
We are looking forward to a wonderful year of fun-filled fitness with all the children here at Elm Road! There are a few reminders and items we would like you to read over to help make sure your child has a successful year at school.
We do have access to Health Care Plans at school. However, if your child has any health related issues that would prohibit or limit the amount of exercise that your child can complete, please call me or write me a note.
Your child is expected to dress appropriately (tennis shoes & comfortable clothing) and participate each gym time unless he/she has a note from a parent explaining why he/she cannot participate. We do have a small collection of tennis shoes that may be borrowed during gym time if shoes are forgotten. We are always accepting more gently used tennis shoes to accompany my collection.
Discipline is handled in the same manner as the classroom. (2 verbal warnings, 5- minute time-out, isolation, office visit). If behavior is excessive, parents will be notified through phone calls or letters.
Incentives and awards will be given at times as positive reinforcement for those who follow rules, show good sportsmanship and respect, display great effort, use teamwork, and cooperate.
During gym, we will be playing cooperative games, completing fitness testing, and learning about the components of fitness (muscle strength, flexibility, & cardiovascular endurance). Some of the units we will be covering include: football, soccer, volleyball, badminton, fire safety, body systems, basketball, jump rope, aerobic fitness, heart challenge course, hockey, bowling and base sports. Your child will also be introduced to some fitness games, warm-ups and stretches.
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer during your child’s gym class or for special events, please call the office (574)259-3743 (dparisi@phm.k12.in.us) (mphipps@phm.k12.in.us) or send a note with your child.
Let’s have a fantastic year!!!
Debbie Parisi and Mike PhippsLibrary Lines
Welcome to a new school year, 2018/2019! I hope everyone had a great summer and enjoyed reading!
The Library will be focusing on our beginning of the year book called The Lemonade War. This is a book that will be read by every grade level in every class and we will be doing activities in the library related to this book. This is a community building activity in competition with Elsie Rogers School.
If you would like to volunteer in the Library, please contact me to set up the schedule asap. I need volunteers to read with the students one on one, shelve books, clerical work, or simply help the younger ones select books and assist in making the library a fun place to be.
I am looking forward to a great year of encouraging your students to love reading.
Linda Knapp lknapp@phm.k12.in.us
Greetings from the Elm Road Music Room!
We are off to another exciting year of music learning here at Elm. Students will be studying composer John Williams this month. Here is a little bit more of what each grade is working on:
1st and 2nd Grade: Singing voice vs. Speaking Voice, Steady beat activities, Introductory instrumental experiences
3rd: Introducing Rounds, Pentatonic Melodies
4th and 5th: Notes of the Staff and Recorder Focus
A special note to 4th and 5th Grade Parents: Please support your student in their recorder study throughout the year. They learn reading skills, improve their dexterity, and gain discipline though practicing their instrument. I see this as a great opportunity to prepare for middle school. Regular practice is expected and students are taught the proper playing technique before they are allowed to take recorders home to practice. A big saying in my room is, "We make music, not noise!"
I will be creating a website with resources for their at home practice. As always, feel free to email me with any questions. Thank you for your support as your child learns a new instrument and prepares for the spring program!
Mrs. Nakayama
Elm Road Elementary Music Teacher
School Nurse News
1) Cough drops and over the counter medications need to be in their original container with an authorization form and parent must bring them in and they must say children's name on them.
2) For the 5th grade parents : It's not too early to be thinking about those 6th grade vaccines. Once your 5th grader turns 11, they may get these vaccines.
6th grade vaccines :
Not too early to start!! If your student is entering the 6th grade these are the required vaccines. When your student turns 11 years old they can get the MCV4 and Tdap.
3 Hep B
2 Hep A
2 Varicella
5 DTap
1 Tdap (Tetanus & Pertussis)
4 Polio
1 MCV4 (Meningococcal conjugate)
2 MMR
If you have any questions, contact the health office at 574-259-3743
email eclark@PHM.k12.in.us
fax-574-258-9384 to Beth Clark, MA, Health Aide