Eagle News
April 7, 2023
Suncrest Elementary School
Email: mitchells@frankfort.k12.in.us
Website: https://ses.frankfortschools.org/
Location: 1608 West Kyger Street, Frankfort, IN, USA
Phone: 765-659-6265
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suncrestelem
Twitter: @SuncrestElem
From the Principal:
Happy April to all of our Suncrest Eagles!
We cannot believe that we are already in the final weeks of the school year. Our focus at Suncrest will continue to be to provide the best possible education for your students. We appreciate you being committed to having your child at school on time every day, especially during the ILEARN testing window (3rd-5th). We are excited to see our students shine and show everyone their learning!
ILEARN Schedule for Grades 3-5:
Practice Tests: Monday, April 10-Thursday, April 13 from 8:30-11:00am
5th Grade ILEARN: Monday, April 17-Tuesday, April 25 from 9-12:30.
4th Grade ILEARN: Monday, April 17-Tuesday, April 25 from 8:30- 11:50am.
3rd Grade ILEARN: Tuesday, April 25-Monday, May 1 from 8:30- 11:15am.
We can't wait to see our Eagles SOAR!
Diane Vielee, Principal
Samantha Mitchell, Assistant Principal
❗DOG JOG REGISTRATION DUE APRIL 14 ❗
Registration is $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for students. Registration includes a T-shirt and a wrist band to participate and win prizes at the carnival games. All proceeds will be donated to our therapy dog fund and Suncrest PTO!
REGISTRATION LINK: Click HERE
We have a lot of exciting things planned for this event including:
FOOD TRUCKS
- Little Miss Cupcakes
- Kona Ice
- Puritan Coney Island Express
- Guac Box
CARNIVAL GAMES
- We are working with Faith Family to have fun carnival games for families to participate in. A wrist band is included in your 5K registration and will be necessary to play carnival games and win fun prizes!
SILENT AUCTION BASKETS
Each grade level is putting together a themed basket for a silent auction! All proceeds will go towards students at Suncrest Elementary!
DJ
We guarantee it will be a fun time! After the run/walk, you can enjoy the music and other fun activities!
We hope to make this an amazing community event and we would LOVE for you to participate with us! If you need another form, please let your child's teacher know! Please let me know if you have any questions at all!
Office News
Background checks have to be done in order to go anywhere beyond the office.
Our office hours are 7am - 4pm. If no one answers please leave a message, we check them often throughout the day.
If there are any transportation changes please call before 1:30.
Please make sure if there is any change to how your student is getting home that you call the office, not just message the teacher. If the teacher is absent the school will not get the message.
Physical Education with Mrs. Tuggle
Physical Education with Mrs. Tuggle
Field Day 2023 Info
What: Field Day
When: Kindergarten, 1st Grade & 2nd Grade -May 17
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade - May 18
Time: 12:30-2:45
How Can You Help: Sign up to be a volunteer
Where: The grass fields & parking lot behind Suncrest Elementary
This year we are using an online program to sign up volunteers. Below you will find the links to the two different days AND the link for Background Checks.
YOU MUST HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS OF FRANKFORT TO VOLUNTEER!
If you have filled one out THIS school year, you do not need to do it again
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2pB6iyBYmLjYVLsff7ucYbyBVRYNjklWaAyjS5Wp1iynlGw/viewform
For the Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade sign-up please visit this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A5A92DA4FFC25-kindergarten
For the 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade sign-up please visit this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A5A92DA4FFC25-3rd
There will be new games along with some favorite games from the past! This is one of the best days of school---Sign up today to join in the fun!
Any questions, please feel free to contact me at this email address
Nurse News
Sunscreen Tips
With sunshine and warm weather just around the corner, here are some tips for using Sunscreen!
Make sure your sunscreen is:
30 SPF (sun protection factor) or higher
Broad-Spectrum sunscreen (protects against UVA and UVB rays)
Water resistant
How to use sunscreen correctly:
Use sunscreen whenever your children will be outside. The sun is the strongest from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Make sure to apply it 15-30 minutes before going out into the sun.
Cover all exposed areas, including ears, neck, hands, and feet. Make sure to go underneath straps as well.
Reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating.
Looking for ways to support literacy and math at home?
- Scholastic First: Early word work and practice in the beginning stages of reading (Kindergarten - 1st)
- Scholastic Literacy Pro: Students can use books based on their interests! (Kindergarten - 5th)
- Scholastic W.O.R.D.: Vocabulary instruction (2nd-5th)
- Reveal Redbird: Personalized instruction for math (K-2) Reveal ALEKS: Personalized instruction for math (3-5)
All of these programs are digital programs that students are able to access at home through any device. Students can login to clever though THIS LINK. They will need their username and password. Their teacher can provide that to you!
Classroom News
Pre-K
It’s hard to believe it is April already! Pre-K has been working hard on our 4th quarter goals and becoming Kindergarten ready! We have been focusing on being able to complete tasks independently: like zipping their own coats, opening their own snacks and milk, cleaning up after themselves at lunch and problem solving. In Reading, we have been working on the letters at the end of the alphabet. We have also started working on reading and writing cvc words with students who are ready for that next step. In Math, we have been working on creating our own AB patterns and being able to ID at least 9/10 numbers. We count to 20 every day and many students are now counting past 20! Way to go Pre-K!
** We will be having a Pre-K Graduation Ceremony on May 19th from 1:45-2:30pm. All attendees will need to complete a background check. More information will be sent out at a later date :)
Registration for Community Preschool has started! Your child has to be 4 by August 1st. Contact the front office to secure a spot in our Pre-K for next year!
Kindergarten News
It’s hard to believe, but we will be starting our Alphabet Countdown on April 18th! Each day we will highlight a different letter and do some more in depth work on a topic that starts with that letter. Be on the lookout for a letter from your teacher about what we will be doing each day. You may have noticed some stories coming home with your child each night. Each day focuses on a different phonics skill that we have worked on in class for your child to practice.
We are working this month on counting to 100 by tens and ones, keep practicing at home! The hardest part for a lot of our kids is that jump in decades (29 to 30, 39 to 40, etc.) and those tricky teen numbers! We’re going to be doing more problem solving work. Our goal is to be able to talk about and show on paper the work that is going on in our brains!
1st Grade News
First graders have been hard at work learning how to tell time to the hour and half hour. They have also learned the difference between an analog and digital clock!
Along with learning about telling time, we have started learning how to count coins. In first grade, we focus on pennies, nickels and dimes! Ask your student if they can identify each coin by looking at either the front or back and also how much it is worth.
2nd Grade News
March was a busy month in 2nd grade. 🙂
Writing - We finished up our research projects. Each class focused on one habitat. Families were invited to view the projects. Everyone was so excited to share what they learned. Looking forward to our next unit - poetry.
Reading - We’ve been reading lots of nonfiction and fiction texts. We’ve been working on strategies to help us understand what we read - summarizing, clarifying and visualizing. We’ve also worked hard on decoding strategies in OG. All of this work is helping us become more confident readers. Please keep practicing at home. This really supports all of our hard work at school. 📚❤️
Math - This month we started using place value to add and subtract 3 digit numbers. It’s exciting to see how much more fluent we are becoming in working with these larger numbers.
We are continuing this semester strong and really preparing for third grade! Keep encouraging your child to set goals and work to achieve them! 😁
3rd Grade News
March was an important month for third graders! They took the IREAD-3 state assessment for reading. Results have been sent home. Please let your child’s teacher know if you did not receive those. Here’s what else we were up to during the month of March:
Reading: Besides doing some IREAD prep work, our unit theme was “Life Depends on Water.” Students read several texts related to life in the water. We focused on context clues, text features, and comparing and contrasting.
Writing: March was all about essay writing. Students have been working on writing using two sources. This is something students will see on ILEARN. So far, they have written informational essays. They will be writing persuasive essays and narratives in April.
- Math: Our recent math unit has been on telling time and solving elapsed time word problems. This is an important life skill for students to know. You could always incorporate these skills into conversations with your child at h
4th Grade News
Do you know facts about Orville Redenbacher, Colonel Sanders, Larry Bird, and Florence Henderson? Well, if you don’t, you might soon! We’ve reached what is a favorite time for many…Famous Hoosiers! 4th grade students are in the process of choosing which Famous Hoosier they’d like to research. After researching by reading several articles and books about their chosen person, they will be writing a report, creating an informational poster board, and other fact based activities. The most exciting part is our Famous Hoosier Wax Museum where they will present what they’ve learned to other students and parents! The students will dress as their chosen person and will have memorized a speech that highlights important and interesting facts about their Famous Hoosier. More information will be going home soon to families!
In math, we’ve moved on to geometry concepts, although we review our previously learned concepts daily. Remember, so much that we do in math is quicker if students have their math facts memorized!
We are excited to be going on a field trip next week to Conner Prairie. It’s a “living museum” where students and adults can learn about some of Indiana’s history. This is where the house of William Conner is located. He was a politician and negotiator who settled in this area in 1800. He is one of the many Famous Hoosiers!
5th Grade News
We are preparing to head to FMS as future 6th graders. The counselors have visited us and we will soon head to the middle school to see the building. In math, we are studying algebra by working with expressions. Our next reading unit will focus on historic fiction while writing will be poetry.
ML News
We hope everyone had a great spring break and that you were able to relax and get outside! We’re in the home stretch and are ready to work hard until the end of the year. A date to add to your calendars is Wednesday, May 3rd. From 3:15-5:00, we will have a multilingual parent night to go over your child’s test scores. It is very important that you plan to stop in to this meeting during that time frame to see how your child is doing and the score they received. (Plus, we’ll have cookies!)
Be looking for a note to come home about this night! As always, let us know if you have any questions! The best way to get a hold of us is through our Multilingual Dojo Page–here is the link to that… https://www.classdojo.com/ul/p/addKid?target=class&class=CX4F56K
Music with Mrs. Clifton
As a school, we are still working hard on our three main goals of our school and how they should look and feel in music class.
Respect: We show respect in music with listening ears, taking care of instruments, and showing kindness to others.
Responsibility:We show responsibility in music by staying in our own area, keeping our bodies to ourselves, and taking care of instruments.
Safety: We show safety in music by staying in our own area, keeping our bodies to ourselves, and being aware of our surroundings.
Wow what a whirlwind! Now that we are on the down slope towards summer, we are reviewing concepts learned throughout the year with music games and instruments in the primary grades.
PK-2: We are focusing on books and making them musical! We are singing, dancing, and playing instruments to the book. We are also talking about directional words like up and down, side to side, and musical words such as loud and quiet, and fast and slow. These are all concepts that are being reviewed!
3-5: While 4th and 5th did ukuleles in the fall, 3rd grade is learning ukuleles now! We will continue to build this skill as 4th grade in the fall. 4th and 5th grade are reviewing concepts through singing games, passing games, and instruments.
Art News
This month in the art room, k-4 are beginning a unit on weaving. This has been a skill I have put off because it isn’t my most favorite thing. However, the students have only made it through assembling their looms and appear to absolutely love this lesson. This unit will take several weeks to complete, as some grades have more complex weaving to master.
In 5th grade, we are creating anthropomorphic relief sculptures. This is a cross-curricular unit, as anthropomorphism is a literary device that applies human characteristics to non-human subjects. The students are using parts of egg crates to form an animal head of their choice. After mounting that head on a cardboard frame, they created a personality for their animal and found ways for that personality to shine through the clothing and surroundings they painted on the frame.
Weaving and relief sculptures will likely be our last big project of the year. In May, students will start preparing their artworks for the big art show.
I have enjoyed the students this year and am happy to say they have grown so much in their art skill levels. They are amazing artists, hilarious little humans, and some of the most compassionate children I have ever come across. I cannot wait to see what we do next year!
Library
Each year the Indiana Library Foundation compiles a list of books for Hoosire students to read. These lists of Young Hoosier Books are for grades K-3, and 3-5. I have been reading the books from the primary book list to K-3 graders and had them vote for their favorite last week. The winner was Fussy Flamingo. All of the books are wonderful and will be available for the students to check out of the library. For a complete list of the book you can click here.
The 3-5 grade students have just completed research on weather using a shared document on google slides. The students collaborated with a partner to complete their research.
I hope to foster a love of books along with digital literacy in the library.
From The Coach
If your child is struggling to read fluently, there are many strategies you can use at home to support this critical, lifelong skill. Don’t worry! Any child who struggles with reading fluency can improve with practice, attention, and consistent feedback. Here are a couple of simple ways to get your kids reading pages and pages of text with absolute confidence.
1. Model Fluent Readings
One of the best ways to improve a child’s reading fluency is to model it for him. Let the child see and hear what fluent reading should sound like. Make sure you include plenty of expressions and emotion while reading and model proper phrasing and pacing. Then ask your child to read the same passage in the same style or manner as you did.
2. Choral Read Aloud Sessions
“Choral reading,” is when a teacher or parent reads aloud and asks the children to follow at the same pace. Choral reading is another way to show your child what fluent reading should sound like.
From The Counsler
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Although this is a sensitive topic to discuss, our main concern is to help keep our students safe. The best way to do that is to stay active and involved in their life to assess any risks they may be facing and to educate and empower them to protect themselves. Ongoing conversations about tough and sensitive topics are a great way to do that. In November our students had a prevention education lesson given with 5 safety rules to help keep them aware and safe.
#1 Know What’s Up which focuses on the importance of knowing safety procedures and remembering important information such as emergency phone numbers and their home address.
#2 Spot Red Flags focuses on recognizing situations or people that may be harmful or dangerous.
#3 Make a Move reminds students that once they spot the red flags they have the power to walk away or get away from the harmful place or people.
#4 reminds students to use their voice to speak up for themselves or others by reporting to a safe adult (teachers, counselors, principals, parents, grandparents, etc.).
#5 No Blame, No Shame reminds students that they should blame themselves for someone invading their personal space and shouldn’t feel ashamed for speaking up for themselves
Indiana Learns Tutoring Grant
Indiana Learns is a microgrant program offering $500-$1,000 to eligible students to use toward the cost of tutoring with an approved provider. Eligible students must meet all of the following criteria:
1. Attended school in Indiana during the 2021-2022 school year as a 3rd or 4th grader
2. Scored below proficient in both Math and English/Language Arts sections of the ILEARN test in 2022
3. Currently attending school in Indiana
4. Participate in the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program
Click here to find out more information!
PTO
More information about Suncrest PTO can be found on the Facebook page HERE.
Save The Date
April 12: IRead-3 Celebration for Students Who Passed 3:25-4:30 (Invite Only)
April 12: Math Title I Night 5:30-6:30
April 13: 4th Grade Field Trip to Conner Praire
April 14: No School
April 17-May 12: ILEARN Testing Window is Open for 3rd-5th Grades (Please try to avoid scheduling appointments during this time).
April 21: PTO Spring Fling 5-7PM
Aril 26: School Secretary Appreciation Day
May 1: Principal Appreciation Day
May 2: Custodial Appreciation Day
May 1-May 5: Spring Book Fair
May 3- Multilingual Parent Night from 3:15-5:00PM
May 4: Counselor Appreciation Day
May 5: Cafeteria Staff Appreciation Day
May 5: Therapy Puppy's 1st Visit!
May 7: Teacher Appreciation Day
May 8: Spring Benchmarks Begin
May 8- May 12: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 10: Immunization Clinic
May 10: Nurse Appreciation Day
May 11: 1st Grade Field Trip to Columbia Park Zoo
May 12: Dog Jog (5K) @ Suncrest
May 15: 4th Grade "Famous Hoosier" Wax Museum Parent Night
May 17-18: Field Day
May 19: Pre-K Graduation 1:45-2:30pm
May 22/23: IREAD Retakes
May 23: 5th Grade Field Trip to Conner Prairie