OHES Paw Prints
Principal's Fall Update
MR. VAN HISE CHECKS IN...
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our OHES families! We always say that the school year can fly by if you don’t stop to take a breath, and our staff and administration here at Orchard Hill is finding it hard to believe we’ve reached late November already!
Over the first few months of the school year, we have enjoyed seeing students establish meaningful relationships with their teachers and classmates, while engaging in purposeful instruction that allows them to question, discuss, and reflect on their learning. Our full-day kindergarten program is off to a successful start and students and teachers alike are adjusting to new schedules and routines! The full day program allows for more instruction and more fun! I love visiting our Early Childhood Center, adjacent to our main campus. Our staff over there should be commended for creating a sense of community and an environment that is perfectly suited for our preschool-aged students!
As the excitement and craziness of the holiday season arrives, Mrs. Caudill and I continue to welcome enthusiastic and happy students to the school on a daily basis. We look forward to a busy but quick final stretch of the calendar year coming up in December, where we will round things out with classroom holiday parties prior to winter break. We’ll kick off December with our annual CHOP Pajama Day on December 1st, which supports kids at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. If you would like to donate, please click here.
Please continue reading for other important updates, reminders, and some images from the first part of the school year. For now, we wish everyone a healthy and happy holiday season!
Dan Van Hise
REMINDERS FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
Happy Thanksgiving Orchard Hill Families!
I hope everyone is getting ready to enjoy a great holiday!
As a reminder from the health office, we have entered the season of respiratory illness. To that end, please keep in mind the following:
Good handwashing is critical to staying healthy, make sure and emphasize the importance of washing hands before and after meals as well as after contact with high touch surfaces.
If your child has anything other than a regular cold, please keep him or her home and consult with your child’s healthcare provider.
If your child has a fever, he or she MUST stay home. They may not return to school until they have been fever free for over 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicines.
We understand that as the holidays approach the students are eager to be in school for special activities and celebrations; however, students who are not well enough to be in school cannot come in just for the special event and then leave.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at rhanna@mtsd.us or at 609-466-7605 ext. 1600.
Wishing you a great Thanksgiving,
Nurse Rachelle and Nurse Kat
CURRICULUM CORNER
Language Arts Updates
In first grade, students have become Word Detectives, using clues from the SSDA (Super Secret Detective Agency) to practice decoding tricky words. Students are growing in reading stamina and setting new goals as readers. In writing, first graders are working on how-to writing, rehearsing and writing the steps of how to do something. Consider practicing over the long weekend, naming and writing the steps of how to make mashed potatoes or your family’s favorite dish.
Second grade writers have transformed into poets, looking at objects through the eyes of a poet and considering elements such as line breaks and repetition in their poetry. Students are learning that just about any object can become the inspiration for a poem if you look through poets’ eyes! Consider the poem “Pencil Sharpener” by Zoe Ryder White:
I think there are a hundred bees
inside the pencil sharpener
and they buzz
and buzz
and buzz
until my point
is sharp!
Math Updates
In first grade, we have uncovered how numbers are all around us, building upon patterns of numbers to work beyond ten. We have practiced emerging addition and subtraction strategies while working with dominoes and will use these strategies with more formalized addition and subtraction in our upcoming unit 3.
In second grade, we have developed addition strategies to make tricky facts find their place in students’ memory. We have made connections to building larger numbers through the story Jack and the Beanstalk, measuring extra large giant beans with cubes, and organizing our numbers into fives and tens. This work will support our work with adding and subtracting these larger numbers in our upcoming unit 3.
For everyone at home, keep pointing out the math all around you. You can do this on trips by counting exits, baking and counting supplies, or simply playing games together. Taking time to talk about the math you are using makes significant connections for students with their math learning. For more ideas on incorporating math at home, visit the free Math at Home site.
LUNCH AND RECESS REMINDERS
As the temperatures drop, please be sure to dress your children accordingly as we will make every effort to take students outside for recess. Hats, scarves, and gloves/mittens are encouraged!
Food service in the cafeteria is up and running! Please click HERE for information regarding menu options and allergy information, as well as instructions for electronic payment. In order to purchase lunch and/or snacks, students must have money in their accounts. It is recommended that families check their account balances regularly.
Other Important Dates to Remember
Friday, December 1st: CHOP Pajama Day Fundraiser
Friday, December 15th: Monthly Day-of-Play
Friday, December 22nd: Early Dismissal
December 25-January1: Winter Recess
Follow Us on Instagram!
There are many exciting things happening everyday at OHES. We will share these special events and learning that happens on Instagram. Please follow us for updates happening at OHES on Instagram at @monty_ohes