Flippen Family Newsletter
October 2023
Math Foundation and Skills
Ways to Build a Strong Math Foundation at Home!!
When a student has a strong number sense, it helps to build a foundation for mathematical understanding. Focusing on number sense in the younger grades helps build the foundation necessary to compute and solve more complex problems in older grades. Building a love for math in your children begins with building an understanding of numbers. Number sense is so important because it promotes confidence and encourages flexible thinking. Below you will find activities that will help to build number sense:
- Take numbers apart and put them back together in different ways: (such as: 5+0=5; 4+1=5; 3+2=5; 2+3=5; 1+4=5; 0+5=5 and so on)
- Compute mentally: solving problems in their heads instead of using a paper and pencil
- Estimating to bring math into your child’s everyday world. Estimate the number of steps it takes to get from the car to the house or how many minutes you have to wait in line at the grocery store.
- Visualize ways to see numbers. Ask your students to visualize a number and tell you what they see. Your child will see numbers in different ways. An eight can look like a snake or a 10 can be thought of as a baseball and bat
- Think about math with an open mind. Instead of asking what is 6+4, ask, "What are some ways to make 10?" This allows for more flexible thinking and builds confidence with knowing more than one answer.”
- Problem Solve With Them. Ask your students to show you how they solved math problems each day. Ask them what they learned and to "show you how." Have them make connect how they would use math in the real world. Ask them to oompute while you are at the grocery store, at home, or shopping online.
Reading and Language Arts
One of the most important gifts we can give children is to help them learn to read and write so that they can succeed in school and beyond. Reading is a skill that we use everyday from reading text messages and emails to deciding what we want to eat from a menu at our favorite restaurants. There are a variety of ways you might improve your child’s reading skills at home.
1. 1. Make reading part of daily life.
Setting aside designated reading-together time. Children should not think reading is something that we only do at school. Read the back of the cereal boxes in the mornings, or ask your child to read road signs aloud to you. Also, read daily with your child or have students read to you. You can write notes to your child and have them write responses back to you. Children will begin to realize the importance of reading once you model a positive reading experience for them.
2. 2. Fill your home with books.
It has been proven that having a library at home is linked to higher test scores. Neighborhood garage sales and thrift stores such as Goodwill have inexpensive books that you can add to your child’s personal library. By exposing children to an array of books, their scope of interests and understanding will expand. There will be an increase in curiosity and enthusiasm about new topics.
3. 3. Support and encourage the learning process.
Learning to read can be a difficult process for most students. Often, your child doesn’t learn one reading-related skill and then move on to the next in step-by-step process. They may be decoding, working on fluency, or absorbing new vocabulary, and understanding what the text says. The more they practice, they will improve their reading skills.
4. 4. Set up a meeting with child’s teacher.
Your child’s teacher can give you insight into his or her reading performance. They will have information from formal and informal assessments of where the students are currently are. This can tell you whether they help with phonics, vocabulary, or comprehension. This gives you a basis to figure out which skills to reinforce at home once you’ve met with teachers.
Below are some useful websites to with guides and resources to assist students at home:
- iReady (students have access on their Chromebooks)
- www.spellingtraining.com
Assessments and Data
During the months of November and December, we begin administering the second round of diagnostic assessments.
F & P evaluates students' reading, reading fluency and comprehension abilities.
MAP Winter Administration: Measure of Academic Progress assesses students progress and growth in reading and math in grades 1-5.
iReady Diagnostic 2: will measure and monitor students growth in Reading and Math from the Fall administration.
Congratulations
Congratulations to our PBIS Ambassadors! They will represent Flippen and serve as our leaders in building and sustaining positive behaviors, school-wide celebrations, and reminding students of B-RAD expectations.
Skylar Adams
Charleigh Bryan
Charlotte Cranford
Daniya Davis
Imani Delmar
Robyn Gardiner
Samiyah Harris
Conner Hetherington
Zion Lee
Jona Martinez
Baylee Milam
Pyper Morrison
Elena Parish
Reggina Ramirez Duran
Manav Rao
Allon Robinson
Lena St Rose
Lauryn Stephens
Amarion Sumlin
Alaina Thomas
Kingston Zackery
The following scholars were recognized Friday for their amazing achievement. So Proud of You!
Mekhai Turner
Ahmad Carridine
Mason Baker
Genesis Hudson
Alexander Estrada
Vladimir Knight
Liam Mojica-Rosa
Landon Medlock
Tysen Jackson
Kailyse Willaims
Janelle Brothers
Naimah Walker
Julius Rodriguez
Journee Harris
Jeremiah Adebayo
Addison Whisenton
Harper Rudd
Ethan Beauge
Brystol Long
A'Lonie Lara
Emmalynn Cook
Micaela Barriga Arce
Hukadzi, Calysta
Journee Pierson
Noah Brereton
JohQuez Higdon
Gavin Arce
Morgan Hughes
Please don't park in the handicapped parking spot or block the ramps for wheelchairs. I truly appreciate your support.
Also, please remain in your cars when picking up your scholars or dropping them off. This expedites the car rider process and helps to get all scholars into the building by 7:35 a.m. Thanks again!!
