Patriot Notes - December
Home of the Patriot Lions
Patriot’s Vision – Why We Exist
For every student to become an active participant in their learning through critical thinking and self-advocacy to reach or exceed their academic, social-emotional capacity within a safe, engaging, and collaborative community.
Patriot’s Mission – Where are we Going
We stand to…
-provide a welcoming and inclusive environment that encourages healthy partnerships between students, families, and staff.
-provide student led instruction that is research based, developmentally appropriate and individualized to support student growth.
-provide excellent instruction and measurable learning opportunities through goal-setting to facilitate student agency.
-promote and support individual progress and intrinsic motivation towards achieving academic, social, and emotional well-being goals.
A Note from the Principal...
Dear Patriot Families,
We hope this newsletter finds you well as we dive into the festive month of December! As the year draws to a close, we wanted to share some updates and important information with our wonderful elementary school community.
Get ready for an enchanting evening filled with music! Our talented elementary students will be showcasing their musical prowess at the First and Second Grade Winter Concert and Art Show. Join us for an evening of joy and celebration as our young musicians spread the holiday spirit through delightful performances.
Students will be assessed on their mid year Dibels benchmark assessment. DIBELS are measures that help teachers and schools determine how students are performing on important reading skills. DIBELS stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills.
As the weather gets colder, please ensure your child comes to school with proper winter clothing, including hats, gloves, and maybe even a change of clothes. We never know what each day will bring in Colorado!
School will be closed for Winter Break from December 21-January 5th . We wish all families a restful and joyful holiday season, filled with warmth and laughter.
December upcoming events:
- 12/11-13 - 2nd - 5th Illuminate Math/ELA Mid Year Benchmark Assessment
- Holiday Dress Up Days (see flyer below)
- December 12th - 1st and 2nd grade art and music show
- Next week - PTO Candy Grams for SALE
- Student Council Holiday Store open December 18, 19, and 20th at 7am
- December 19th - Class holiday parties, 1:00
Best regards,
Mrs. Canon
Patriot Principal
Mrs. Sheridan and Mrs. Polyefko
Patriot Assistant Principals
A message from District:
FFC8 Families,
This is a reminder that Winter Break begins Thursday, December 21 and goes through Friday, January 5, 2024. Students will return to school on Monday, January 8, 2024 for the second semester.
Per the student calendar, Monday, December 18 and Tuesday, December 19 are regular schedule, full days for all schools in FFC8, except FFCHS.
Wednesday, December 20 will be an early dismissal day for all schools, per the schedule below.
- PreK will dismiss at 11 a.m. and there will be no afternoon PreK. Buses will depart as normal.
- Elementary schools will dismiss at 11:25 a.m. Students will be served lunch before dismissal and busses will depart at approximately 11:40 a.m.
- Middle schools will dismiss at 12:35 p.m. and lunch will be served to students before dismissal. Buses will depart at approximately 12:43 p.m.
- FFCHS will dismiss at 11:40 a.m. but students may stay for lunch. Buses will depart at approximately 12:08 p.m.
- Welte will dismiss at 11:30 a.m. and lunch will be served to students before dismissal. Buses will depart at approximately 11:35 a.m.
Thank you.
Join the HOLIDAY SPIRIT!
First and Second Grade - Join us for the Music and Art Show
What are students learning in Specials? (Art, PE, Music, and STEAM)
MUSIC, Kadi Mellott
Kindergarten musicians will be listening to different types of music and showing how it sounds through movement (like marching to a march or tip toeing to a ballet) and showing how it sounds through art (like drawing smooth lines for calm music and sharp lines for accented music).
First Grade musicians will also be listening to different types of music, but they will be connecting elements of music to emotions. One of the examples this coming week is how “major” usually expresses happiness and “minor” expresses a sad or thoughtful emotion.
Second Grade musicians will be listening to different instrument families play. They will be identifying brass instruments, woodwind instruments, percussion instruments, and string instruments and finding similarities within each family.
Third Grade musicians will be learning about music from different cultures and parts of the world. They will have the opportunity to pick a country and then explore what instruments and elements of music are used in that country.
Fourth Grade musicians will also be learning about music in different cultures, but more so to how those different sounds create the music that we listen to in the United States today. They will be listening to music from different decades in US history (such as 1920s jazz and ‘80s rock)
Fifth Grade musicians will be comparing and contrasting preference versus quality of a piece of music. They will be listening to music, rating songs they like, and then listening to the same songs and finding out what musical elements are done well in each
song (such as if the singer has a nice voice tone or if the instruments are actually playing together).
STEAM/Media, Brenna Teagardin
Essential Skill: I can persevere through academic challenges (specifically open-ended tasks)
Learning Target: I can use the design process to develop and test a prototype to solve problems.
Kindergarten: Students will learn about city engineering by creating their own city. They will have to revise their infrastructure to adapt to challenging, changing conditions.
First Grade: Students will learn about cities in Bangladesh that are susceptible to flooding and learn about their sustainable way of farming. They will then create a floating garden that people in Bangladesh can use.
Second Grade: Students will solve a variety of problems using robots (Code and Go - Colby and Ozobots).
Third Grade: Students will learn about biomedical engineering and prosthetics. They will design and test a prosthetic leg to help their patient live a full life.
Fourth Grade: Students will have a choice of: coding a math problem using Scratch, making a podcast on how to make the world a better place using GarageBand, creating a building that will withstand an earthquake using Goobi magnets, or creating a wheel and axle tool that makes a job easier using K’Nex.
Fifth Grade: Students will have a choice of: coding a robot to “mow a lawn” using Ozobots, creating an electrical circuit using Squishy Circuits, creating an anti-bullying campaign using iMovie, or creating a machine using a lever that makes a job easier using K’Nex.
Family STEAM Connection: Over break, try to create an ice lantern using the engineering process with your child!
https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/engineering-ice-lantern-stem-activity/
PHYSICAL EDUCATION, Carly Fetters
As we embark on a new rotation in Physical Education, I am excited to inform you that we will be diving into a gymnastics unit. This unit aims to introduce students to various components of gymnastics, including bending and stretching, jumping and landing, balancing, and weight transfer.
Throughout the unit, our focus will be on helping students understand and master these fundamental elements of gymnastics. We believe that gaining proficiency in each component, the students will be well equipped to combine them creatively. Our unit goal is for the students to design and perform a gymnastics sequence in front of the class by the end of the unit.
Encouraging creatively, team work, and physical fitness, this gymnastics unit promises to be both educational and enjoyable for our students. We appreciate your ongoing support in making our Physical Education program a success.
Art Quarter 3, Brogan Lasley
During Quarter 3, Patriot art students will continue their exploration of materials while increasing their visual language. Students will be working on improving their craftsmanship and placing an emphasis on creating 'finished’ works of art.
Continuing on from last quarter, students will be investigating professional works of art and the artwork of peers. During this process, all students will explore the value in different forms of feedback and use research to inform their art making process.
While working on expressing and communicating personal viewpoints, many classes will explore cultural and historical connections while working with clay and creating other three-dimensional works of art. Other classes will be making connections between art making to other subjects and different types of expression.
CHANGING ATTITUDES, by Heather Yates, Ed. S., Patriot School Psychologist
Thankfulness is powerful medicine for the soul, regardless of the age. Not only is teaching your children to say “please” and “thank you” best practice for their future interactions with people, but it is setting a foundation for them to identify the good in life. The number of journals articles, research papers, books and the alike which verify the power of gratitude is too many to count. But rest assured, an attitude of gratitude will change one’s perspective more effectively than any medicine a doctor may prescribe. There is no magic age to begin this practice, either. In fact, the younger a person begins to focus on those things for which they can be thankful, the better.
To reduce anxiety, increase physical well-being and develop empathy in children, make a point to have them tell you every day (in the morning and/or before bed) at least one thing that they are thankful for. In addition, consider role modeling how this looks by telling them what you appreciate about them. Catching them in the moment for picking up their toys, cleaning up after themselves, or giving you a hug with a “thank you for that” statement increases the likelihood that they will do the same on their own. YOU are the most influential person in their lives, and for that, we are thankful!
Order your YEARBOOK now!
HOW MANY MISSED DAYS OF SCHOOL ARE TOO MANY?
Here’s what you need to know about attendance. By Yesenia Robles November 21, 2023, 10:02am MST
You might have seen recent headlines about the growing number of kids missing school.
In Colorado, just this fall, state officials said almost a third of students are chronically absent. The number has gone up significantly since the pandemic and schools are struggling to figure out how to get kids to return to classes.
Kids might miss school for a number of reasons, including for work, an illness, a lack of transportation, or to care for younger siblings. Absences also go up near the holidays as families go on vacation and figure a few missed school days can’t hurt.
But, regardless of the reason, research shows consistently missing school can affect a child’s learning. Missed days can add up more quickly than you think. Here’s what you should know:
What’s the big deal? Why is missing school such a problem?
When kids miss school, they miss out on learning opportunities. Just a couple of missed days might mean a child can fall behind on several topics or lessons, and sometimes, there isn’t a good way for them to easily catch up.
Research shows that students who miss a lot of school are more likely to not be able to read on grade level by third grade, and later on are more likely to fail classes and drop out of school.
“Attendance matters and being engaged in learning matters,” said Johann Liljengren, director of dropout prevention and student reengagement at the Colorado Department of Education.
Schools also stress attendance when Count Day comes up in October. Students must be enrolled and present in school during the window, so they can be counted and so the school receives state money for that student.
So, how many missed school days are too many?
The research that links bad outcomes to missing school usually looks at students missing just 10% of school time.
In Colorado, that would mean about two days a month, or about one day every other week. Over the course of the school year, that would add up to missing a whole month of school. And in schools where classes are only four days per week, it’s even easier to reach that 10% of missed time.
What is chronic absenteeism?
A student who is missing 10% of school time is considered chronically absent.
The state tracks percentages of how many students are chronically absent in a school or district. It’s a measure that can signal inequities among different groups of students and can be a red flag that shows students need more support.
But what if the absences are excused?
In short, it doesn’t matter. When research looks at school absences, both excused and unexcused missed days still have the same results because students are missing new lessons either way.
When the state counts who is chronically absent, it also doesn’t matter if those absences are excused or unexcused.
Can children or parents end up in court over missed school?
It can happen. In this case, whether an absence is excused or not does matter.
State law says that a school district can identify a student as “truant” when they have more than 10 unexcused absences in the year, or four in a month. The law doesn’t say that students have to be sent to truancy court, and many school districts will try sending parents warnings and will try to help find other solutions first.
If you get a letter from your school saying that your child is at risk of being designated as truant, the best thing to do is to talk to your school. Not communicating could lead schools to think the issue isn’t being taken seriously and to involve the courts.
I need help or I want to talk about my case with someone. Who can help?
Your first stop should be your child’s school. It will be important to talk through the barriers for your child to attend school every day. The school can then point to services within or outside of the school that might help.
For example, schools might connect a student to tutoring if they aren’t in school because they feel like they’re struggling, or might connect a family to services if the problem is related to issues with housing or health care. Some schools have had creative solutions including pairing students so they can walk to school with a buddy who can hold them accountable, and make them feel safer than being alone.
Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.
PRACTICING ESSENTIAL SKILLS - I CAN Resolve Conflict
ENTRY TIME FOR STUDENTS:
Patriot Office Hours: 7:00-3:30
Patriot Breakfast Served: 7:00-7:25 (In cafeteria)
Students having breakfast may enter at 7:00 and go directly to the cafeteria.
Patriot School Hours: 7:10-2:25
Students will be allowed in the building at 7:10am (unless eating breakfast)
Tardy bell rings at 7:30
REPORT YOUR CHILD'S ABSENCE
Student Parent Handbook 2023-2024
Arrival and Dismissal
ARRIVAL
• For safety reasons, please do not drop off any students prior to 7:10am. We begin active supervision starting at 7:10am. If students are arriving for breakfast, they may be dropped off in the back and enter at 7:00 am.
• Parents are asked to not exit their vehicle in order to keep the line moving as quickly as possible.
• Please observe speed limit and be cautious of students in the cross walks.
• Kindergarten students riding a bus will be dropped off in the front of the building by the kindergarten wing, small drive thru; Students will be assisted out of their cars, directed to the kindergarten side door, and will be supervised as they proceed to their classrooms and down the hallway. *Siblings of kindergarten and first grade students will be allowed to enter with them at this location.
• Daycare students will be escorted to school by the daycare and will enter the side kindergarten door.
• 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade – Drop off in back parking lot; enter in door by the gym and proceed to classroom (or cafeteria if having breakfast).
• 4th and 5th grades – Drop off in back; enter 4/5 back door and proceed to classroom (or side door to proceed to cafeteria if having breakfast).
• Students arriving after the tardy bell (7:30), must enter through the front door to get a tardy slip prior to going to class.
• All walkers will enter the door assigned to their grade level. Siblings of kindergarten students may enter the K/1 entrance with their sibling and proceed through the building to his/her classroom.
• Students do have the option of having breakfast when they arrive to school. If a student plans to have breakfast each morning, he/she must arrive between 7:00-7:15 and go directly to the cafeteria. They will enter in the areas described above.
DISMISSAL
• Dismissal is a quick process in order to ensure safety for all. If you have questions you need to ask your teacher, please do so via email.
• Parents are asked to not leave their vehicle and to wait patiently in the car pick-up line. Cars will line up in the front of the school. Please do not block any crosswalks.
• Kindergarten students will be released in the front kindergarten drive thru.
• If a kindergartner has an older sibling, they will meet in a specified area inside (with supervision) and the oldest sibling will pick him/her up and they will proceed to the OLDEST sibling’s color square`.
• Parents will not be allowed on the back asphalt, we ask all adults/family members picking up students to wait outside our gate/fence.
• If students are walkers, they need to immediately start walking home. They will meet all siblings on the back asphalt prior to walking home.
• If parents would like to walk up to the school and pick-up their children, please park in the front parking lot and walk down the sidewalk to the back fence.
• If you need to pick up your child early, please do so before 2:00. After 2:00, students will be dismissed as they usually dismiss.
Does your family need additional support?
“Change Happens… such as loss of housing, homelessness, job and need for resources. If this is you please reach out to your District Liaison. There are a number of resources including school pantry, clothes closet, HOT meals program, parent resource nights and much more. We are here to support you! Contact Promis Bruno, MSW 719-492-8810 or pbruno@ffc8.org.”
“El cambio sucede… como la pérdida de la vivienda, la falta de vivienda, el trabajo y la necesidad de recursos. Si es usted, comuníquese con el enlace de su distrito. Hay una serie de recursos que incluyen despensa escolar, armario de ropa, programa de comidas calientes, noches de recursos para padres y mucho más. ¡Estamos aquí para apoyarte! Póngase en contacto con Promis Bruno, MSW 719-492-8810 o pbruno@ffc8.org.”
Title I Parent Right to Know
Patriot Elementary is a Title I school. Under the provisions for Title I all teachers serving students must meet the qualifications for “Highly Qualified” as an elementary educator. We are proud to inform you that all teachers at Patriot Elementary met these rigorous standards. As a parent you have a right to inquire about the qualifications of your child’s teacher or paraprofessional. In order to do so you should contact Mr. Joel Hamilton at (719) 382-1300. He will be able to provide you with this information. If you have any additional questions about our Title I status or programming, please feel free to contact Mrs. Canon, Principal at 719-382-1460.
FFC8 Food Pantry Information
ELECTRONIC LIBRARY CARDS:
We are excited to announce that as of Mon., Sept. 19, through a partnership with Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) your child now has access to all the materials available at the Library by using their Student I.D. with a new program called PowerPass! All students in FFC8 are automatically enrolled in PowerPass.
What is PowerPass?
PowerPass is a student e-library card from PPLD that gives your child access to the Pikes Peak Library District’s online resources like homework help and live tutoring. They can also access eBooks, music, movie downloads, and much more!
Your child will be able to check out five (5) physical items at a time from any of the 15 PPLD locations and mobile library services. Just visit ppld.org/library-locations to find the location near you.
Below are instructions about how to access and check out PPLD’s resources using the PowerPass:
1) The student’s login will be FFC8 [student ID #].
a) For a student with the ID # of 12345, their login would be FFC812345.
2) The student’s pin number will be their student ID#.
a) For a student whose student ID # is 12345, the pin number would be 12345.
All students are encouraged to use their PowerPass for projects, school assignments, homework, and fun! Just go to ppld.org or visit our eLibrary (ppld.org/eLibrary), PPLD Teens (ppld.org/teens), or PPLDKids (ppld.org/kids). Once you have found the items you want, click on My Account, and use the instructions above to login and check out your items.
For more information about what is available to your child, please visit ppld.org/PowerPass.
4th and 5th Grade Student Chromebooks:
Just a reminder that all 4th and 5th students will be assessed an annual laptop fee of $40 for the first child and $20 for each sibling.
In need of additional support?
Change Happens… such as loss of housing, homelessness, job and need for resources. If this is you please reach out to your District Liaison. There are a number of resources including school pantry, clothes closet, HOT meals program, parent resource nights and much more. We are here to support you! Contact Promis Bruno, MSW 719-492-8810 or pbruno@ffc8.org.
El cambio sucede… como la pérdida de la vivienda, la falta de vivienda, el trabajo y la necesidad de recursos. Si es usted, comuníquese con el enlace de su distrito. Hay una serie de recursos que incluyen despensa escolar, armario de ropa, programa de comidas calientes, noches de recursos para padres y mucho más. ¡Estamos aquí para apoyarte! Póngase en contacto con Promis Bruno, MSW 719-492-8810 0 pbruno@ffc8.org.
We support our Army!
Need Homework Help? Military Tutor - All Students Invited
All students grades 3 -5 were trained on a tutor/homework help site to visit. Students can log in to the site (tutor.com/military) and receive tutoring on homework. The interactive online clasroom features a whiteboard, easy to use tools, and instant messaging. Active duty service members, their grades K-12 children may use this program for FREE. A student can connect with a tutor within minutes.
Tutor.com/military is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense to provide on-demand online tutoring at no cost. Visit the website to watch the "How it Works" video.
Patriot Elementary
Email: mcanon@ffc8.org
Website: https://www.ffc8.org/Patriot
Location: 7010 Harr Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Phone: 719-382-1460
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriotElementaryFFC8/