The Eagle Express
Antrim Elementary School February 2019
A Note from Mrs. Syre-Hager
At AES, we believe parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. I am currently recruiting for the new AES Parent Advisory Group (PAG) which is a sounding board for decisions, ideas and questions that shape the future of AES. Parental involvement in decision-making is the key to having policies and programs that support families’ strengths and needs. The PAG will be made up of current parents and family caregivers of AES children. The PAG will meet bi-monthly in an effort to improve school culture, environment, and academic rigor. I invite you to consider e-mailing me at your earliest convenience if you are interested in being a part of this new initiative at AES.
What's happening in the picture found above? This is part of another new initiative at AES called Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We have a small team of teachers who are committed to learning about how we can reduce barriers to student learning by using the UDL guiding principles to plan and execute effective lessons. We have been working with our Implementation Specialist to help us take a close look at our teaching practices and how we can improve in reaching all learners. This is just one step we are taking toward improving academic learning at AES. If you are interested in learning more, just ask. I LOVE talking about UDL!
Just to keep you in the know, Mrs. Storro has organized a fun after school club for 4th graders- Cribbage Club. One of our community members, Mr. Tenney, came in to help teach the students how to play. We are hoping to continue the club as well as offer it as an indoor recess choice for our students, but we don't have any official dates yet. Mr. Stultz and I are working on starting an after school coding club in March. Stay tuned for details.
I hope you have a wonderful February. AES Kindness week is going to be the week of February 11th. If you want to send a kind word to your child's teacher, that would be an appropriate time. I certainly appreciate the hard work and dedication displayed by our teachers, and I know you do too. Stay warm and have fun! - Mrs. S-H :)
A Note From the Front Office
Happy February!
When we have a 2 hour delay breakfast is not served so be sure your student has breakfast before they come to school.
If your student is going to be absent, please call in before 8:40am to let us know. Also be sure to let us know the reason why they are absent. You can also put an absence into Pickup Patrol but please list the reason why your student is out. Thank you!
Note that in this cold weather, if the WIND CHILL is below 10 degrees, we have indoor recess, otherwise, we have outdoor recess so be sure to send your child in with snow gear.
School starts at 8:40am. If you child is arriving after 8:40 you need to sign them in at the Front Office not just drop them off.
We greatly appreciate your attention to these matters!
Kindergarten Update
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Program at Tuttle Library on Main Street in Antrim, February 7
5:30 pm-7:00 pm
The school counselors in all of the Conval District elementary schools teach classroom lessons to the students throughout their school careers, from Kindergarten through Fourth Grade. Have you ever wondered what elementary classroom counseling lessons look like? Come find out what the ConVal District Elementary School Counselors do to promote Social/Emotional Learning In the classroom as part of our work at school!
On February 7, the elementary school counselors will share information about the classroom counseling lessons that we teach to all students in the elementary schools. We welcome students’ family members and other interested community members to this event, and ask only that you contact your child(ren)’s school counselor ahead of time so we know how many people to expect.
*Childcare will be provided, and movie and pizza for children attending with their family members*PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE BRINGING YOUR CHILD(REN)
To register for this free event or for more information, contact Robin Gregg, School Counselor, rgregg@conval.edu 588-6371
First Grade News
First-graders in Mrs. Donovan's class have been building on their work with wild animals. After making sorting posters about how wild animals move, what covers their bodies, and what body parts help them survive, first-graders each chose one kind of animal from the sorting group. They traced their hands to create wild animal artwork, and added details to show the animal in its habitat. First-graders have also been learning about opinion writing, and being able to tell reasons for what they think. Everyone has worked on writing about the animal they chose for their artwork. Here are a few examples of their animal writing:
- Birds are amazing animals. They can fly. They can eat with their beaks.
- One of the best things about fish is they can eat other fishes. That is how they can survive. They eat smaller fishes.
- Moose are amazing animals. They have huge racks and they eat willow. They eat water plants under water to get away from pesky bugs.
- A fox is an amazing animal. A fox has warm fur. A fox can run very fast. A fox has sharp teeth. A fox hunts little animals.
- Beavers are amazing animals. A beaver swims with its tail. Also a beaver chews trees.
- Fish are amazing animals. Fish like to swim with other fish. Fish eat bugs and bits of plants. Fish swim really fast.
- Frogs are amazing animals. Frogs make a sound like this ribit ribit. Frogs can jump really high. Frogs live in the water. Frogs eat insects. Frogs lay eggs.
2nd Grade is Exciting!
One of our science topics in 2nd grade is the study of plant and animal life in two different habitats. Over the past several weeks, students have had time to read about, discuss, write and draw about different plants and animals that live in the desert and the rainforest. Each class read the books Here in the Southwestern Desert by Madeleine Dunphy and The Great Kapok Tree by Lynn Cherry. After reading these books, students discussed why particular plants and animals live in a certain place. We answered questions like: Would a saguaro cactus survive in the rainforest? Would a sloth be able to survive in the desert? Students learned that an animal needs four things in its habitat in order to survive: food, water, shelter and space. As a culmination of our learning, each student chose an animal that lives in either the desert or the rainforest and created a shadow box with Jeannie Connolly from the Arts Integration program. They collaged a background that depicted their animal’s habitat and then sculpted their animal out of clay. These projects came out great and were a wonderful way to represent our learning with art!
Learning in the Learning Commons
MUZART News
It has been a very colorful two weeks in the Muzart room! Kindergarten artists learned about primary and secondary colors by making ladybug images showing how secondary colors are made by using two primary colors! In first grade we created complementary colored fish in cool colored habitats. Oceanscapes using warm and cool colors were painted by second grade artists - a lesson facilitated by one of our CVHS students! Third grade artists explored what they knew about color and applied that knowledge to a colorful lorikeet drawing. Tints and shades of colors were created in fourth grade and used to make a winter cardinal painting. Art portfolios have been taken home to share this month!
Save the date: Children and the Arts Day is May 18, 2019!January Eagle Celebration
PE and Wellness
Kindergarten and First graders continued to fine tune their manipulative skills using a variety of objects. They had the opportunity to explore throwing, catching, volleying, kicking, and dribbling (hand and foot) with traditional objects like playground balls, balloons and beanbags as well as some not so typical items like large foam dice, beach balls and rubber animals. Second, third and fourth grade students worked on fundamental soccer skills and played modified games that blended skills with basic offensive and defensive strategies. They also practiced basketball dribbling and passing. These skills will be revisited in March when we move into an invasion games unit.
In health we began learning more about the emotional/mental side of the Health Triangle. Students practiced identifying different emotions and feelings. We learned that everyone experiences a variety of feelings and emotions throughout the day and ways to appropriately respond to them. Fourth graders discussed the importance of having a positive self image.
3rd Grade Update
4th Grade Fun
We started our multiplication and division math module with a review of area (the space inside a shape) and perimeter (the distance around the outside of a shape). We are keeping up the great work with our multiplication and division facts, with 36,855 facts solved on Reflex Math, and counting! That means we will have solved 15,000+ facts in January alone!
In February, we have a lot happening with Science and Social Studies. On Friday, February 15th, we head to the State House and Concord Coach Museum to learn about Granite State government and history. In Science with Karen Rent from the Harris Center, we are investigating which mammals can be found near our school. We can't wait to share our findings!
Mid-year Assessments - By Title 1 Teacher Mrs. Levesque
It is that time of year again when our students participate in standardized assessments. The two assessments I want to focus this article on are the Aimsweb assessments and the NWEA. The Aimsweb assessments are used to screen, monitor and report student achievement in reading and math. The assessments are only one minute in length and are administered using standardized instructions. We use the results to determine how close to grade level benchmarks our students fall. This is a starting point for us to determine if a student needs addition academic assistance or even enrichment. If we see that a student does not perform at grade level on the screener we then look further into their academic performance to determine what specific skill is holding them back. At this point we call upon a team of teachers with varied skill areas to help brainstorm ways to increase student achievement. We use the same format to monitor progress; we assess their reading and math fluencies for one minute with a consistent schedule to make sure they are showing improvement. For example, if a second grade student reads 28 word per minute when the benchmark is 55 wpm they may qualify for addition reading help. We would track their reading rate weekly to make sure their reading program is helping to close the reading gap. If it is, we will continue but if it’s not we need to dig deeper and find out what specific skill is holding them back and if the program we are using is appropriate.
One of the most valuable assessment tools we use is the NWEA. This assessment gives teachers a very detailed view of where students excel and what areas they still need to work on. For example, a student may assess at grade level overall on the NWEA in reading. However, when we look at the breakdown in the different reading areas we may find that they may be lagging behind in vocabulary and ahead of their peers in finding information in a text. Both are important skills to have and the NWEA helps us streamline student learning. Without assessments like the NWEA finding these ‘holes’ can take much longer for teachers to pin point. We also use the results to encourage students to take what strengths they have and develop them even further.
Even though the NWEA assessment can take students 30-45 minutes to complete, the information we get from it can drive classroom and RtI instruction. For teachers and students it is a very valuable tool.
PTO News
Due to the hibernation weather we have postponed Paint Night ! Watch for information for an April Date.
Friendshipgrams can be ordered through a flyer coming home or in front on the office 2/1.
Learn to Ice Fish on Gregg Lake with NH Fish and Game on 2/23- FREE
Owl Prowl with the Harris Center on 3/15- FREE
Square One Art with your students work - order for Mother’s Day Gifts
New in May AES PTO FIRST ANNUAL SPRING FESTIVAL
Thanks for your support !
Mrs. Syre-Hager
Email: ssyre-hager@conval.edu
Website: aes.convalsd.net
Location: 10 School Street, Antrim, NH, USA
Phone: 603-588-6371
Twitter: @aes_ssh