Eagle News
November 1, 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
Office News
Background checks have to be done in order to go anywhere beyond the office. These take about 2 weeks to process, if you are wanting to come into your students classroom or on a field trip. These also need to be redone each school year.
You can complete the background check HERE!
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.
If there are any transportation changes please call before 1:30.
Our office hours are 7am - 4pm. If no one answers please leave a message, we check them often throughout the day.
Welcome Nurse Terri!
We are so lucky to have found Nurse Terri! Please read below to find our more about her!
I have been a nurse for 45 years and have done Emergency room, critical care, pediatric intensive care, and neonatal intensive care in those years. But this is not my first school nurse position. I worked as a school nurse in the elementary school where my son attended during his first through grade 6 years and I worked ICU on the weekends. It feels great to be back with elementary school kids again.
My goal is always to keep kids healthy and safe, and to keep parents informed about their child’s wellbeing here at school.
Fun facts :
I have 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren
At one time my husband and I had 6 horses, 8 alpacas, and 19 dogs.
I have written and had published 9 picture books and 1 prayer book for adults.
I love to hear fun facts about your kids when they stop in to see me.
From Your School Counselor
Counselor Referral Form
This is the counselor referral form! If you feel that your child needs to speak to the school counselor, please fill out this form. The form will ask you who you are, who your child is and why your child needs to see the counselor. Please fill out the entire form and provide as much necessary information on the form as possible so that we can best help and support your child. Thanks!
Academic Support
The school counselors are here to assist students in achieving academic success. They provide guidance on improving study habits and managing time effectively. If a student wishes to boost their grades, our counselor is ready to offer support. Just submit the form above!
Self-Regulation
"Self-regulation" is a concept that may become more relevant as the school year progresses. Are you familiar with it? Self-regulation is all about helping your child manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors effectively. It's like having the ability to steer through life's twists and turns with balance and composure. To nurture this valuable skill, take some time to talk with your child about a recent situation where they might have struggled or felt overwhelmed. Together, brainstorm strategies for how they can tap into their self-regulation, stay focused, and handle life's challenges with confidence and grace.
Parenting Article
Parents, looking to support your children with self-regulation? Dive into this informative article by clicking the link HERE. It's filled with practical advice and valuable resources that can truly make a difference for your child:
Family Study Time
"Family Study Time" is an effective way to boost your child's academic success while bonding as a family. Here's how:
Choose a Study Spot: Find a quiet, comfy place at home.
Schedule Sessions: Set a regular study time that suits you both.
Plan Goals: Before each session, discuss what you'll work on.
Start Studying: Study quietly, focusing on your tasks.
Check-In Breaks: Take short breaks to chat and support.
Celebrate Success: Celebrate what you've accomplished.
Set Goals: Reflect on study habits and set improvement goals.
Plan Next Session: Schedule the next "Family Study Time."
Family Support: Emphasize your support in their studies.
Boost learning and family bonds with "Family Study Time.”
From The Coach
Asking Questions is a GREAT Thing!
Did you know that the average 4 year old asks around 300 questions a day? If you’re like me, you might feel that your child asks many, many more than that. And you know what? That’s a GREAT thing! Questions spark curiosity and build language and new understanding. At school, we encourage students to ask questions. You can help at home by doing the same. If your child encounters a new word while they are reading or while you are speaking, ask them if they know what it means? Show them pictures or elaborate on the definition that they may come up with. Not only will you be building their speaking vocabulary but you will help them to build a much greater knowledge base. As you may have heard, the more you know the more you grow.
Eagle of The Month- October
At Suncrest, we have a school wide positive behavior system. Every month we have a different focus such as responsibility, respect, and integrity. Throughout the month, we have different skills that the entire school focuses on and, when students model that behavior, they are rewarded with a Golden Ticket. The ticket is submitted into our weekly drawing where selected students get to pick a prize off of the prize cart.
For the 2023-2024 process, we are adding to our program by having the Eagle of The Month for each classroom. Teachers select a student that exemplified the focused behaviors throughout the month. For the month of October, our focus was Respect and the following students were selected for modeling respectful behaviors throughout the month:
Mrs. Jones: Juan Mejia Guijosa
Ms. Freese: Caden Harshbarger
Kindergarten:
Miss Hernandez: Ithaca Barrios
Mrs. Klyczek: Oliver Lewis
Miss Pompei: Roy Diaz
Ms. Stewart: Lupita Alanis
First Grade:
Mrs. Arnold: Madison Travis
Mrs. Martin: Lesly Alaniz Cruz
2nd Grade:
Mrs. Hettmansperger: Evelyn Garcia Valdez
Mrs. Claxton: Kevin Chavez Vasquez
Mrs. Paige: Evelyn Lopez
Mrs. Palmer: Yadier Santillan-Sandoval
3rd Grade:
Mr. Parvin: Guadalupe Vasquez Ruiz
Miss Wright: Yael Medieta-Santos
Miss Gable: Arianna Escamilla
4th Grade:
Mrs. Vickary: Jase Harper
Mrs. Tiedeman: Evelyn Padilla-Lopez
Miss Kidwell: Bellami Alanis
5th Grade:
Mrs. Shane: Magali Lopez
Mrs. Herring: Jesus Santillan Pozos
Mrs. Rudd: Jayleen Perez
Specials:
Mrs. Fitzgerald: Jonathan Figueroa-Penaloza
Mrs. Tuggle: Kimber Patchett
Mrs. Cooper: Brenton Nees
Misc:
Mrs. Stillwell: Xander Salazar
Classroom News
Pre-K
Preschool has been working hard in literacy on rhyming words and learning about characters and settings in books. A great way to practice both is reading to your child each night! A lot of books have rhyming words and you can point them out to your child and have them create more rhymes with those words. You can also talk about all of the characters (people, animals, etc.) in the story and where the story takes place.
We are still working every day on being able to spell and write our first names!
In math, we have continued working on counting and shape identification. Keep practicing counting everyday!
Please make sure to keep an extra set of winter clothes in your child’s backpack in case of an accident or spill.
Also, please make sure to be dressing your child appropriately based on the weather. Suncrest still goes out for recess unless it is raining or the ‘feels like’ temperature is 20 degrees or below. Tennis shoes are also always the best options. Running on the playground and in gym class is much easier in proper shoes.
Kindergarten
In November, we will be learning about families and family traditions. If you would like to send in a picture (or drawing) of your child with their family (of any kind!) with a note about why those people are important, we would love to see it! If you would like to come in and share about your family or traditions, please let your teacher know!
Be on the lookout. . . .we have noticed a turkey shortage in Kindergarten! Oddly enough, we have been seeing several mysterious creatures wandering the halls. . .with feathers. . . . and bird feet. . .and we swear we hear a gobble here and there! If you should find one of these creatures at your house that seems like it’s a turkey that is hiding something, please send it in so we can check it out!! (Students should have come home with a turkey template and a letter explaining the project.)
1st Grade
Mrs. Vestey’s class learned all about pumpkins before Fall Break! Ask your student what they remember about pumpkins and see what they say!
Mrs. Arnold and Mrs. Martin’s classes learned about apples before Fall Break. Mrs. Arnold’s class even got to do some apple tasting and they loved the sour apple!
Your student may be bringing home a list of sight words that they need to know. These are words that are also included on their weekly spelling test. They can become better readers if they know these words as soon as they see them - have them read a few to you every evening!
2nd Grade News
In Science we have been learning about materials and their properties. We constructed candy bags out of different materials to see what would be the best to use that would actually hold candy without breaking. We also designed houses for the 3 little pigs based on whether the pigs were building them or the wolf was building them for the pigs. We carved out Jack O’ Lanterns pumpkin Jack and placed them in our containers with soil. We used the book Pumpkin Jack for inspiration. Over the rest of the course of the school year we will observe Jack to see how he changes and begins growing new pumpkins.
In reading we have been working on story structure. We have been identifying the parts of the plot diagram such as the rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. We have been using our diagrams to retell the beginning , middle, and end of the story in our own words.
Math has been working on problem solving. We have been working on understanding different types of problems and how to create an equation that goes with it to be able to solve it. We focused on comparison problems, two step problems, and we are beginning two digit addition using base ten blocks to solve.
During writing we have been working on color writing and using our drafts to produce personal narratives. Our first personal narrative was about one time they did something, and the second narrative was about last Halloween. We are looking to publish our next narratives in actual hardback books to show off how hard they have been working on their stories and details.
We enjoyed seeing and meeting with all the families during conferences. We also loved seeing students add books to their home libraries by purchasing books at the book fair.
3rd Grade News
October: October brought another great month of learning and fun in third grade. Thank you to all the parents who met with the third grade teachers during parent teacher conferences. We appreciate your willingness to work together so that all of our third graders are successful.
Reading: We practiced several skills during reading in October. One skill we focused on was identifying the main idea of a text and understanding that a text can have multiple main ideas and supporting details. We also learned about theme and how to support the theme of a text by using the conflict in the text and how the characters in the text responded to that conflict. Finally we studied characters and how they impact the sequence of events within the plot of a story.
Writing: During our writing block we became experts in writing nonfiction informational essays and books. Our topic for the essay and book was Our Suncrest Family. The third graders created a questionnaire to send out to the staff. Staff members answered the questions and emailed them back to the third grade teachers. The students then chose three staff members to write about in their informational essay or book. Ask your child who they wrote about.
Math: October was a month of multiplication! We focused on modeling multiplication with models and fact fluency. We multiplied using equal groups, arrays and pictures. We also began traditional multiplication using the multiplication table. Please practice multiplication facts at home so that our third graders become fluent.
4th Grade News
Reading: We’ve been doing our Amazing Animals unit. We are not only working on 4th grade reading skills in this unit, but we’re also learning some really cool facts about many animals. We’re also able to incorporate science standards into this unit. Animals have so many fascinating adaptations.
Math: In unit 6, we are learning about the distributive property and multiplication using the area model. This method is so beneficial for students…and adults...to aid in doing mental math. This may be a newer method for multiplying, but memorizing our multiplication facts is not new. 😀 Please continue to have students practice at home.
Writing: For writing, we will be doing informational writing. Students will learn how to paraphrase information from multiple texts that they read.
Social Studies: The American Revolution, becoming a state, the Civil War, and so much more! This unit covers a fairly large time period of important events in Indiana and our country.
5th
On October 6th, 5th graders enjoyed a beautiful day at the Feast of the Hunters Moon experiencing life as it was for Native Americans and French fur traders in the mid-1700s along the banks of the Wabash River. Some groups are reading historical fiction books in book clubs based on this time period and researching the tribes depicted in the stories. We have all been reading some award-winning traditional literature with titles like Lon Po Po and Rumplestiltskin. As we near the end of October, 5th graders are multiplying decimals and learning about the 13 colonies. A second round of STEM has started. The students are calculating speed and acceleration.
ML News
October has been a busy month for our multilingual students! They’re working hard and growing like crazy. During the month of October we did some progress monitoring (practice testing) to get ready for our big language test that we take in January! We did some testing in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. We graded those tests and recorded the scores. Our goal is to focus on some of the difficult parts of the test during our lesson times together. We are going to do the practice test two more times before the big test! We know our students are going to grow like crazy and they will be ready to ROCK THE TEST in January!
Multilingual Highlight: Our 2nd graders have been studying Animal Adaptations and have become quite the experts. We learned all about Adaptations (how animals change to survive). We read many books, watched some videos, did lots of talking, and also wrote about these animals. Ask your 2nd grader to share some of those adaptations with you. They worked HARD this month and we are very proud of them.
Library
Our Book Fair Was a Success
Thank you so much for your support for our Fall Book Fair. It was wonderful to see students getting excited about getting their own books. I was able to purchase many books for our Suncrest Library with Book Fair profits.
I would like to thank Ashley Coons, Mr. and Mrs. Turner ( Mrs. Miller’s parents), Mrs. Payton, and Mrs. Bullman for helping students choose books during the fair.
Young Hoosier Books
I am encouraging all 4th and 5th grade students to read the 20 Young Hoosier Books. This is the leader board for students who have read the most.
Sam Spaulding 10 books
Jonathan Figueroa-Penaloza- 10 books
Yahir Carapia Cortez- 7 books
Keep Reading!!
Music
-The month of October was filled with excitement and growth for all grade levels in Music class. Music class students at all levels focused on taking their heightened skills from last month and applying them to new situations, with new instruments, games, and mediums for both writing and listening to music.
-Preschool students continued to use and improve their social skills with music games and dances, where they had to listen, copy, and imitate both dances and simple musical rhythms. Preschool students also practiced their speech skills by relating tempo, volume, and rhythm to books that were read to them using a steady beat. Finally, they worked on motor skills, creative thinking, and listening by using manipulatives like dance scarfs and bean bags to create their own movement routines to match the music they heard.
-1st and 2nd graders took their improved music literacy skills from September and used them to start writing their own music; this is called composing. These students used various objects and manipulatives to compose their own short rhythmic patterns, and also worked together to build much longer patterns. Music is its own language and by practicing reading and composing music students are practicing their musical literacy skills that will help them excel in both their aural and written language literacy in their home classrooms.
-3rd grade students also worked on composing but split into teams to build longer and more intricate rhythms. These students were also tasked with error identification, and had to both catch and correct errors made when their rhythms were performed. This ability to differentiate what was heard with what is written is an essential skill in music, as well as home classroom literacy for both reading and writing language.
-4th and 5th grade students took the first half of October to work on using complex patterns and musical concepts to compose music in layers. Both grades used Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and “Another One Bites the Dust” to learn about Ostinatos (repeated musical patterns). Students then got to compose and create their own ostinatio inspired by these Rock classics. The second half of October for 4th and 5th grade was focused on learning songs for the Suncrest Veteran’s Day Celebration, which will take place on Friday November 10th, at 1:30pm in the Suncrest gymnasium (see attached flier for additional details).
PE NEWS with Mrs. Tuggle
“Parents & Heroes to PE WEEK”----- November 13th-17th
You are invited to attend Physical Education class during this week!
Come join your student and participate in class. Dress for exercise!
You must have a background check on file with the Community
Schools of Frankfort to attend for the safety of all students.
You can find the background check form on the Suncrest
Elementary website under the Parents tab.
Below you can find the day of the week your child has PE
Monday- Herring, Tiedermann, Arnold, Pompei, Palmer, Suite
Tuesday-Nolasco, Vickary, Certain, Jones, Miller, Klyzcek, Claxton, Wright
Wednesday- Rudd, Kidwell, Vestey,Hernandez, Paige, Gable
Thursday-Shane, Martin, Jones, Miller, Stewart, Hettsmansperger, Parvin
A sign-up sheet will go home after Fall Break!
Art
The last month in the art room has been full of mess! However, we have had a blast slowly turning our school hallways into something a little spooky for the season.
Fifth and fourth graders eagerly began and completed their notorious Tim Burton inspired selfies. This was a project that started last year with fourth and fifth graders, so last year’s third graders were thrilled to get to try their hand at it. The students loved learning about style, portraiture, and value.
In the above photograph, you may be able to see the second graders/ Batik style pumpkins. This is also a fun and messy project. It involves using crayons to color in the pumpkin they draw. They must color in thick and ensure that they use value to show light and darkness. Afterwards, they wash their entire pumpkin in a watered down mixture of water and black India Ink. Then, they use a damp cloth to wipe away the ink and they have a batik print. If you have a second grader, make sure to ask them about batik printing and how they used it to create their pumpkins.
This grade also studied the spooky style of Tim Burton: Big eyes, heavy shading around eyes, lots of shadow work, small bodies, long and skinny limbs. Knowing this, they chose a Pokemon character and set to work transforming the Pokemon of their choice into a Tim Burton style. This project allowed them a large amount of freedom to choose and use their imaginations, especially because Mrs. Cooper knows absolutely nothing about Pokemon. They come in a ball, I think?
Kindergarten and first grade worked on learning their warm and cool colors and how warm and cool colors can help create mood and emotion in a picture/painting. They will learn more about this idea later on. However, they used what they currently know to draw pumpkins or owls. Each student was given the task to paint their drawing with only warm colors or only cool colors. I cut their creations out to make a giant spooky forest near their hallway.
The above is a peak of last month’s 2nd-5th grade Hispanic Heritage projects noted in the past newsletter.
On Fun Friday’s, Students have had fun making simple one-day fall-themed art projects.
We have been having fun in the art room and art in the middle of a brand new unit for all grades. We are looking forward to displaying our veteran portraits at the 4th and 5th grade veteran’s day program. We hope to see you there.
Save The Date
October 31- Wear Your Halloween Costume - See Flyer!
October 31- Earthquake Drill
November 1- PTO Meeting 4:00 in the cafeteria
November 2: Instructional Coach Appreciation Day
November 6-10: Bear, our school therapy dog visits!
November 8: Fall Picture Retakes
November 9: Career Day
November 10: Mid Terms
November 10: Veteran's Day Performance 1:30-2:30 (4th/5th Performance)
November 13-17: Parent's To PE Week
November 15: The Lion's Club- Vision Screening (3rd & 5th)
November 16: Title I Night - SEL
November 22-24: Thanksgiving Break
November 27: NWEA Testing Begins
December 13: PK Holiday Program 10:45-11:30
December 14: K/1st Holiday Program 5:30-6:30
December 19: End of 2nd 9 Weeks
December 20-January 3: Winter Break
January 4: Students Return