The Hawkeye
Montclair Elementary Weekly Newsletter ~ October 6, 2016
FUN RUN TOMORROW ~ 10/7
Leverty Letter
· Read To Me!
· Harvest Fest is where it’s at
· Background checks & you
· Parent & Teacher Conference season is here
Read To Me 500: Research shows that our emerging readers needs as much exposure to rich text, and that having adults read to them actually supports their development. Typically, students coming into kindergarten have a range of 1,200 to 5,500 words in their vocabulary depending on how much they’ve been read to, so it is important to continue this practice even after they start kindergarten. In order to support our youngest readers, Montclair has started a Read To Me 500 Books program. Cheryl Livneh, a Montclair family member has graciously offered to coordinate this new program and is looking for volunteers. What it entails is finding 10-15 minutes in your busy schedule to come and read a book to a beginning reader. Cheryl has created a check in system so we can keep track of which students have been read to and she has a rich selection of books to read from. If interested, ask us in the office and we’ll put you in touch with Cheryl. Come share in the joy of reading to a young child!
Harvest Fest: For our new Montclair families you might be wondering about Halloween and Montclair…do we celebrate at school? Can kids wear costumes? Information for you, Montclair does not celebrate Halloween at school and children are not allowed to wear costumes to school on October 31st. However, our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) does host a Harvest Fest each October in lieu of Halloween. Friday, October 28th the PTO will be hosting the Harvest Fest in the school’s gymnasium from 6:30-8:00 PM. there is no admission since the PTO raises funds from the community to provide these type of events. There are a few guidelines you should know if you’ll be joining others at this event. Students may wear costumes, but no mask, helmets, heard gear, or anything that would obstruct the child’s vision. Also, in order to create a hazard free zone with so many people in our gymnasium people will not be able to bring hand-held accessories, like swords, wands, staffs, etc. Students MUST be accompanied by an adult.
Background Checks: We’ve had many parents, guardians and family members come to volunteer at school or on field trips. As many of you already know, there is a new volunteer system, which requires ALL adults to do a new background check BEFORE you arrive at school to help. Just so you know, right now this process is taking about two weeks to complete with such high demand on our Public Safety Department. Therefore, please plan ahead and get your background checks done early.
Parent & Teacher Conferences: Montclair is a community that values education and believes that attending Parent & Teacher Conferences is an essential part of supporting your child education. This year Montclair is hosting Parent & Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, October 19th (3:30-8:00 PM) and Thursday, October 20th (8:00 AM – 8:00 PM). If you haven’t already signed up with your teacher, please do so as soon as possible. As a friendly reminder, when meeting with your teacher be mindful of the time. Teachers have many parents to meet with and we don’t want to overlap with another family – you can always plan to meet again with the teacher if you feel more time is needed. Working together WE help our school soar!
Sincerely,
Sean Leverty
Fun Run ~ October 7th
The Fun Run’s deadline for fundraising is quickly coming to a close. Race day is tomorrow, Friday, October 7th and the kids couldn’t be more excited – a healthy dose of Montclair spirit and competitiveness fill the halls. Kids will run rain or shine, don’t forget to send a change of clothes and shoes for your student. Go Red-tailed hawks!
Watch this video about the Fun Run: https://youtu.be/ib0UHS5x77Y
Your child’s race schedule is below:
5th Grade 8:30a.m. - 9:30a.m.
4th Grade 9:35a.m. - 10:20a.m.
3rd Grade 10:40a.m. – 11:25a.m.
Lunch break
K 12:15p.m. – 12:55p.m.
1st 1:20p.m. – 2:05p.m.
2nd 2:10p.m. – 2:55p.m.
Please help your kiddo meet their personal goal of $55 raised through pledges – it’s time to lace up the shoes and hit the streets on behalf of Montclair’s $20,000 goal. Every penny counts and your efforts are greatly appreciated! Good luck families! We look forward to seeing you race day!
Note: All pledge money submitted by Friday, October 21st.
Picture Day ~ October 13th
PTO Meeting, 10/12 ~ Childcare Available!
PTO MEETING this Wednesday Oct 12th 7-8pm, CHILD CARE available $3 per child.
Emeilya Iben, a highly recommended neighborhood nanny, will be providing childcare along with the help of two current 5th grade ambassadors and a Montclair Alum who is now in high school. Please bring exact change or a check payable to the Montclair PTO. All ages welcome, but, if noticed, any soiled diapers will be brought to your attention.
We hope to see you on Wednesday-Your PTO Board.
"Read to Me" Volunteer Opportunity
Would you like to add a smile to a child’s day? Would you like to share the love and joy of reading? If you have 30 minutes to spare, we encourage you to participate in Read To Me, a flexible program (does not have to be a regularly scheduled time) where you read to a kindergartner(s). For more information, contact Cheryl Livneh, Read To Me volunteer coordinator, at livnehc@pdx.edu.
Counselor's Corner ~ Anne Duncan
Family Resources for Winter Break:
As we settle into our routines and schedules this fall, the weather is turning and the colors of autumn are here. Which means the holiday season is quickly approaching…the holiday season can be a stressful time for many families both financially and emotionally. We have a number of resources for food and/or gifts available for families, please let me know or the office if this is something you’d like to take advantage of. We are here to support you!
Attendance:
Help your child succeed in school by building the habit of good attendance early. Research shows that school success goes hand in hand with good attendance! This year at Montclair we will be monitoring closely attendance to ensure the success of all students at Montclair.
DID YOU KNOW?
· Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
· Missing 10% of school can make it harder to learn to read.
· Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
· Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
· Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
What you can do:
· Set a regular bed time and morning routine.
· Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
· Talk about the importance of being at school and your child’s future.
· Send students to school unless there is a fever or vomiting.
· Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up.
· Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
Future Ready-Jo Fidler
Author Spotlight: Mo Willems
Mo Willems is the author/illustrator of some of our favorite characters including Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie, Knuffle Bunny, & many more! His hilarious stories and delightful illustrations make his books appealing to kids little and big. Watch this movie to learn more about Mo Willems. Visit the official Mo Willems website for loads of fun things to watch, read & do. And visit the library to check out some of his books!
Here are a few teaching points for when you are reading Mo Willems books together:
Making inferences: You can begin teaching young readers the higher-level reading skill of making inferences through the Elephant and Piggie books. Stop at different points throughout the stories to ask children what the characters are feeling based on their facial expressions and the words they are speaking.
Making connections: Many of Mo Willems’ stories have plot lines that children can relate to. From a favorite toy getting broken in I Love My New Toy, to cherishing a special stuffed animal in the Knuffle Bunny series, kids can relate to the characters in the stories. Making text-to-self connections is a key reading strategy that students will use throughout their lives as readers, and these books are a perfect starting point. As you’re reading with your child, stop and ask your child questions about their own experiences that connect to the characters. Start questions with “Have you ever….?” “Can you understand how _____ might be feeling?” These questions get your child thinking as they read!
TAG Information
Parent Nomination Forms for TAG Testing - Every year students are considered for Talented and Gifted students in the Beaverton School District. These services are provided by your child's classroom teacher(s). If you think your child might qualify, you may wish to complete the Parent Information Form found at the following link:
Completing this form gives your child's school TAG committee more information about your child. Classroom teachers also collect observational data from students each fall and make recommendations for testing. Deadline for Parent Forms is 10/19.
Montclair Calendar
October 12 ~ PTO Meeting, 7:00PM, Library
October 13 ~ Picture Day
October 14 ~ Workday, No Students
October 19 ~ Parent Teacher Conferences- after school, 3:30-8:00PM
October 20 & 21 ~ Parent Teacher Conferences, No Students
October 24 ~ Vision Screening K-5
October 24 ~ Future Ready Committee Meeting, 3:15PM Harvest Fest, 6:30-8PM
Montclair Elementary
Attendance Hotline: 503-356-2191
Email: sean_leverty@beaverton.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/schools/montclair
Location: 7250 SW Vermont St, Portland, OR, United States
Phone: 503-356-2190
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/montclairpto/
Twitter: @montclair_bsd