Hello, Pre-K families! We have had a great first month of 2023! We have been learning all about different kinds of pets in our pet study. We have learned about where pets live, characteristics of pets, and how we care for pets. Thank you for all of the pictures of your pets and your donations of pet supplies to our classrooms! The students have loved pretending to be veterinarians and groomers. We also loved having one of our very own Pre-K students' families come bring their pets to share with us! We got to see chickens, a pig, a puppy, a rabbit, a goat, and even a horse! We will be finishing up our pet study and will begin a new study in February. We will also be celebrating Valentine's Day-and we can't wait to see all of those amazing Valentine's boxes! In February, we will also be conducting our middle of year home visits to discuss student progress so be on the lookout for more information coming your way! Pre-K registration for next school year begins on February 1, 2023. If you know of anyone that would be interested, please have them visit the NHCS website for more information!

In reading we began working through our fiction unit. We are learning that fictional stories have characters, settings, problems and solutions. In fundations we began unit 3 continuing to tapping out CVC words and starting to learn new trick words. In math we have started Module 4, where we are learning to find parts of a whole. We have finished up our unit on bears in science and are beginning our unit on past and present in social studies.

In February first graders will be focusing on nonfiction books. We will locate and determine the meaning of unknown words. Students will do this by using text features, context clues, and words around the text to solve what the word means. In Social Studies we will dig into history by learning about influential people from the past that have shaped our history. In Science we will begin learning about Forces and Motion. Students learn for every action there is a reaction. In Writing we will continue our narrative unit. Students will be writing stories about themselves and people who are important to them. In Phonics students will begin Unit 8 in Fundations. Throughout this unit students will learn consonant blends. A blend is two consonants together that each make a sound, as in the word “s t o p” - the /s/ and the /t/ each make a sound. A blend is different from a digraph which has two letters but only onesound, such as in the word “shop” - the /sh/ makes only one sound.mBlends can come at the beginning of a word, such as “s t o p”, or at the end of a word, like “p e s t.” Your child will learn a digraph blend. A digraph blend is a digraph blended with another consonant such as n and ch in the word lunch, or sh and r in the word shred. In Math we will continue module 4 (Comparison and Composition of Length Measurements). In module 4, students explore units within the context of measurement. After comparing lengths indirectly, students iterate length units, such as centimeter cubes and 10-centimeter sticks, to describe and compare lengths.

This quarter we are beginning our unit on nonfiction. We will be exploring different types of nonfiction text and learning to identify and use the text features to gather more information about the text. Students will also learn to identify the main topic and then determine the main idea by using the details from the text to support it.

In science, the students have been so excited about the arrival of the chicken eggs and learning all about the life cycle of a chicken. In math, we are continuing to learn about geometric shapes. Students will learn to recognize and draw shapes based on their attributes. As they continue to work with composite shapes they will learn to partition them into equal parts and build fractional understanding and apply it to telling time. In Social Studies, we will read and learn about important historical figures and the contributions they have made.

3rd grade is continuing to work hard on multiplication; memorizing facts and understanding multiplication patterns.

We are immersing ourselves in books by author Patricia Polacco. We will be using her books as mentor texts to draft our own personal narratives. In Social Studies, we will begin our reading and studying about economics and explain how the natural resources of a region impact the production and consumption of goods in local communities.

In Reading students will be reviewing Making Inferences, Summarizing, and Main Idea and Details. This month we will also begin our grade level novel study The Wild Robot. Students will be applying all reading standards while reading through this novel.

In Math students will begin Module 3: Multiplication and Division strategies. This unit builds on concepts learned in Module 2. Students would benefit from practicing their multiplication facts each night. Students can use the deck of cards and games that were sent home after our parent involvement night last month.

In Social Studies students are working through the Civics and Government Unit: Students will take a close look at citizens roles, important state documents, rights and responsibilities, and who are our state leaders.

Fourth grade just enjoyed a fabulous field trip to the Wilson Center to see the Wilmington Symphony. Students were excited to go on their second field trip of the year. Everyone had a great time and experience.

In Math, we wrapped up our fraction unit. We just started our decimal unit where students have been reading and writing decimal numbers to the thousandths place. We have a lot to learn about decimals and we are just getting started! We wrapped our Ecosystems unit in Science when we came back from winter break and then moved into learning about unicellular and multicellular organisms. We are currently learning about the different human body systems - what their purpose is, the organs/body parts in each system, and how the different systems work together. In Literacy we have been reading grade-level nonfiction texts and answering questions by accurately quoting evidence from the text. We also reviewed the different text structures and how determining these structures as we are reading can help make sense of the text.

Art Room Supply Donations

If you happen to be cleaning out your storage areas and come across any

of the items below I promise they will put to good use in the Art Room at

Castle Hayne.

• Blender that works for Papermaking
• Iron for mounting artwork
• Hot Plate for melting
• Drill with large liquid mixing bit for glazes and slip
• 1,3,5, gallon plastic buckets with airtight covers
• Small magnets
• Sidewalk chalk

Congratulations to these Castle Hayne Artists. They have been selected to participate in the North Carolina Azalea Festival Art contest. Wish them luck! The Azalea Festival will be April 12-16th. 2023. The Art exhibition will take place at the Hannah Block Community Arts Center Downtown Wilmington.

Kygo R. , 1TH, Ms. Miller, Venus Fly Trap

Coraleigh S., 1T, Ms. Perry , Still Life, Vase with Flowers

Javante H., 2T, Ms. Hicks, Bird with Gold Wreath

Drake G., 2T, Ms. Hicks, Venus Fly Trap with Blue Flower

Eli F. , 2T, Ms Hicks

Stephen H. , 2T, Ms. Hicks, Venus Fly Trap with Dots

Valeria I., 2T, Ms. Hicks , Venus Fly Trap

Tre’shien F. , 2T, Ms. Hicks , Venus Fly Trap with Bugs

Conner J. , 2W, Ms. J. Williams

Leoki R., 2TH, Mr. Todd, Venus Fly Trap with Fly

Mason S., 2TH, Mr. Todd, Tree of Life

Radajh B., 2TH, Mr. Todd

William C., 3M, Ms. Houseman, Landscape Hillside in the Spring

Camryn H., 3TH, Ms. Snee, Blue Rabbit with Azaleas

Josiah G., 4T, Ms. Burley, Rabbit in Green Field

Thomas I., 4T, Ms. Burley, Dashing Rabbit 2023

Vivienne H., 4TH, Ms. Hobbs, Azalea Wreath

Charlotte P., 4Th, Ms. Hobbs, Azalea Wreath Hawaiian

Emmy M., 4TH, Ms. Hobbs , Azalea Wreath with red and green

Attendance policy and recycle program details below.

In ESL we have been busy working on and following through with our goals for the new year. We have been expanding our vocabulary as we discovered more about Martin Luther King Jr and the difference he made in our world. We learned how Martin Luther King Jr carefully chose powerful words when communicating. We each chose a powerful word to represent ourselves. Students were so inspired that they even wrote their own positive quotes or messages for our school community. We too can easily make a difference when we choose our words carefully.

Black History Month

Every February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month.

BYKAY BOATNER

HOW IT STARTED

In 1915, in response to the lack of information on the accomplishments of Black people available to the public, historian Carter G. Woodson co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1926, the group declared the second week of February as “Negro History Week” to recognize the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history. Few people studied Black history and it wasn't included in textbooks prior to the creation of Negro History Week.

This week was chosen because it includes the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist (someone who wanted to end the practice of enslaving people), and former U.S. president Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln led the United States during the Civil War, which was primarily fought over the enslavement of Black people in the country. Many schools and leaders began recognizing the week after its creation.

The week-long event officially became Black History Month in 1976 when U.S. president Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States every February since.

WHAT IT HONORS

Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.

Among the notable figures often spotlighted during Black History Month are Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for equal rights for Blacks during the 1950s and ’60s; Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice appointed to the United States Supreme Court in 1967; Mae Jemison, who became the first female African-American astronaut to travel to space in 1992; and Barack Obama, who was elected the first-ever African-American president of the United States in 2008.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH TODAY

Since the first Negro History Week in 1926, other countries have joined the United States in celebrating Black people and their contribution to history and culture, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Today Black History Month continues the discussion of Black people and their contributions through activities such as museum exhibits and film screenings, and by encouraging the study of achievements by African Americans year-round.

Families with children who will be 5 on OR before August 31, 2023 it's that time of year again. Time to start thinking about Kindergarten enrollment.

Do you want a year round schedule? Are you looking for a bilingual option? Maybe you want a school with a focus on the arts or STEM or you have selected your districted school? Whatever your choice, NHCS has options.

Enrollment begins March 1-15

Thank you for supporting the PTA!!

1. NHCS uses School Messenger to connect with families regarding district and school happenings. Use this link to opt-in to receive text messages from School Messenger. Flyer below with instructions.
2. Follow us on Facebook.
3. Our website.

Volunteers are our partners in education. They take an active role to support and enhance the development of our students. Every day, family and community member volunteers bring enthusiasm and skill into our schools while assisting staff, teachers and students. All volunteers are required to obtain volunteer training annually.

If you would like to move forward with volunteering at Castle Hayne Elementary School these are the following steps you will need to complete:

1. View the volunteer orientation presentation/Spanish and volunteer handbook/Spanish.

2. Submit the Volunteer Application Form/Spanish to Danielle Metty, danielle.metty@nhcs.net via email or send a printed copy to school with your student labeled with Danielle Metty, Family Liaison.

3. Complete the Volunteer Orientation Assessment with a score of 80% or higher.

4. To become a level 2 volunteer, complete a background check application ($20 until October 1 then the cost will be $22.50). You will receive a verification email and card from the Background Investigation Bureau upon approval.

Notify Danielle Metty, danielle.metty@nhcs.net when you have completed steps 1-4.

If you are interested in volunteering or chaperoning a field trip at Castle Hayne you MUST complete the Volunteer Training, please contact Danielle Metty at danielle.metty@nhcs.net.

The "Hurricane Forecast" is a monthly digital newsletter that contains information regarding all things happening at Castle Hayne Elementary School. We hope you find this communication helpful!