Mustang Roundup
February 2016
Principal's Pen
It is hard to believe we are approaching the 100th day of school. I am excited about the opportunities that we have coming up for our students. First, our Math "Souper" Stars Lunch and Learn will be this Thursday and Friday. Please see the times below.
Thursday, January 28
Kindergarten, Greene
10:20-10:50 Classroom Visit
10:50-11:20 Lunch
Second Grade
11:50-12:20 Lunch
12:20-12:50 Classroom Visit
Fourth Grade
11:55-12:25 Classroom Visit
12:25-12:55 Lunch
Friday, January 29
First Grade, Fuller
10:40-11:10 Classroom Visit
11:10-11:40 Lunch
Third Grade
11:30-12:00 Classroom Visit
12:00-12:30 Lunch
Fifth Grade
12:05-12:35 Classroom Visit
12:35-1:05 Lunch
Also, the dates below provide additional information for your reference.
January 29-School Mall/Magazine Fundraiser Due
January 30-Back the Pack Games at 1 pm and 4 pm at Winthrop Coliseum (Admission is juice boxes, packaged crackers, or $3). Mount Holly will be seated in section 119.
February 3-One School, One Book Family Literacy Project Begins (Details to follow)
February 8-SIC Meeting at 5 pm & PTO Meeting at 6 pm
February 12-Make-Up Day/Valentine's Day Parties Held
February 15-President's Day (No School)
February18 -BINGO Family Night at 5:30 pm (Dinner Served) & 6 pm (BINGO Begins)
February 24-March Newsletter Goes Out
February 26-Black History Parade
February 29-Author Visit for Kindergarten-Fifth Grade Students
Children First,
Dr. Barnes
Mrs. Greene
We will be working on our Class “Pet” Journal project coming up in February. Be on the lookout for a letter with more information explaining how the process will work! We will also begin working on skills for this year’s Special Olympics games in March!
Ms. Fuller
Kindergarten
Wow, can you believe we are in the 3rd 9 weeks of school. Where did it go? We would like to thank everyone who was able to come to our Lunch and Learn. We enjoyed having you in our classes and see what your children are working on in class. We will be having a Valentine’s Day Party in February. You will be getting more information from your child’s teacher about how to help. In Science, we will study weather and its patterns and how it affects us in our daily lives. In Social Studies, we are studying about Key American figures and why we celebrate national holidays, recognizing the significance of symbols of the United States, such as the American flag, the Star Spangled Banner, etc. We are studying about needs and wants, goods and services, and how to be good citizens.
In Math, they are counting forward by ones and tens to 100. They should be able to read number 0-20 and represent a number of objects 0-20 with a written numeral. We will be solving real world / story problems using objects and drawings to find the sums up to 10 and differences within 10. Identify measureable attributes (length, weight) of an object. Compare objects using words such as shorter/longer, shorter/taller, and heavier/lighter. Comparing two written numerals up to 10 using more than, less than, and equal too.
In ELA, we have lots that we are covering. We are working on reading and asking and answering questions about unknown and known words, who, what, when, where, why, and how questions about a text, making predictions using prior knowledge, pictures, illustrations, title, etc., explor informational text structures within texts heard or read. We are recognizing and producing rhyming words, isolate and pronounce the initial, medial, and final sounds in 3 phoneme word, blend and segment onsets and rimes of single syllable words. They have to identify author and illustrator. In Writing we are working on opinion writing. In their writing we will be using adjectives, conjunctions, end punctuation, spell simple words phonetically.
First Grade
The cold weather is bringing on a lot of colds and germs and we are using A LOT of Kleenex, Lysol wipes, Lysol spray, and hand sanitizer. If you would like to be donate any of these items, your donations would be greatly appreciated.
We are working hard writing opinion pieces in Language Arts. Ask your student about using the OREO strategy that we have been using to write their opinion pieces.
- When reading with your students each night, ask him/her questions about the text. Students should be reading for understanding and not just reading the words in the text.
- In math, we are teaching different strategies to solve problems.
- For example: we use pictures to represent the numbers, we use a number line, we use the part/part/whole strategy, we put the big number in our head and count up, as well as other strategies.
Our Social Studies Natural Resources is an exciting unit for the students. Ask your child to tell you about natural resources and things that are made from nature.
UPCOMING Events: Rock Hill’s Clean and Green will present their “Follow the Bottle" program to First Grade.
Please help your student with his/her homework each night. Some student’s were not able to attend our last nine week's celebration due to lack of homework completion. Also, please sign your student’s homework calendar and reading logs nightly. Thank you for sharing your child with us!
Second Grade
Welcome to the third nine weeks! We have been very busy! In Writing Workshop, our 2nd grade authors have been doing a great job of supporting their opinions with reasons and examples. We have been working on how we can incorporate our opinion writing into letters. We can’t wait to give our letters to our favorite Special Area teacher explaining all the reasons why their Specials is the BEST at Mount Holly! In Math Workshop, our little mathematicians are building their word problem skills by using various strategies to find the solution. They have also been working hard on building arrays and using them to create repeated addition sentences and multiplication sentences! Please continue to work on their basic addition and subtraction facts as this will help in our continuation of word problems in the next few weeks. In Social Studies, we have really enjoyed diving into different cultures and learning about their contributions to our society.
Please continue to talk with your child about the expectations of the classroom, hallway, lunchroom, and playground.
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
As part of our Black History Month celebration at Mount Holly, fourth grade will be travelling to Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte to see the play Freedom Train. This play focuses on the life of Harriet Tubman and the role she played in the Underground Railroad. The date is February 5th and the cost is $15.00. Please remember that only students who return their permission slips and payment may attend, so send them in to the classroom teacher as soon as possible.
Just as Harriet Tubman used the stars to help her direct slaves to safety, all fourth graders will be beginning a new science unit on Astronomy. Included in this unit of study, will be a visit to the Museum of York County to enjoy the show on planets in their planetarium. Look for more news on this next month.
Social studies finds us on the road to the American Revolution as students study just how the United States gained their freedom from Great Britain to become a separate country. Reading will be integrated with this unit as we are continuing to study informational text.
Last, in math we are introducing a short unit on both number and shape patterns. This unit will be followed by an intensive look at fractions, which includes how to add, subtract and multiply a fraction and a whole number.
Fifth Grade
Our 5th Graders have been trying to stay warm and keep their head in the game in this New Year. We have begun to divide up to 4 digit dividends by 2 digit divisors. There are videos posted in Canvas that can help to guide their thinking as they work on division homework. As a parent, you can access these videos and your child’s grades in Canvas through your parent account. (Please inquire with your child’s teacher if you need assistance with setting up an account.) As always, be sure to continue to encourage your child to review their basic multiplication facts. Also, our social studies units about how the United States established World Power is continuing to get more interesting as the weeks go by! Our writings about our New Year’s Resolutions are something worth you stopping in see. We are continuing to use the writing process to help us to organize our thoughts so that we have clearly written essays. Finally, we are excited about our upcoming field trips to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and to see The Lion King play at Saluda Trail in March. Be sure to sign and return your child’s permission slip. As always, we thank you for your continued support!
Instructional Specialist
There are many skills that children need in order to be successful. The most important skills parents can teach are life skills. Life skills guide how students learn and what they do with what they have learned. Working on these life skills at home will help your child be more successful in school and in life.
TOP TEN LIFE SKILLS
Motivation
wanting to do a task and willing to try different approaches
Effort
willing to work hard and stay focused
Initiative
moving into action when you realize something needs to be done
Perseverance
completing what is started even when it may be difficult
Responsibility
doing what is right when no one is looking
Teamwork
working with others to get the job done
Problem-Solving
putting knowledge and ability into action
Common Sense
using good judgment
Caring
showing concern and kindness for others
Confidence
feeling like you can be successful if you make a true effort
Art
Ms. Ham and Mount Holly student artists are getting ready for ANOTHER Art Exhibit. This one is the Sixth Annual Teacher’s Choice Student Art Exhibit. It will be showcased at the Center for the Arts on Main Street and will run from February 19-March 13. The neat thing about this particular exhibit is that it will highlight student art work from Kindergarten through Twelfth grade and all schools in Rock Hill School District Three will be represented. Students are working diligently to complete art pieces which may be chosen to represent Mount Holly. Some of the lessons that students are working on highlight some of our all-time favorite characters, Pete the Cat, Blue Dog, Kings and Queens, and Dinosaurs! The skills and techniques currently being addressed in Art are drawing, painting, cutting and collage.
Media Center
We have kicked off the Fetch a Good Book! Schoolwide reading program! If your child is participating, you will see a tri-fold reading record with 36 lines (front and back) on it. Please keep track of the titles of books (grades K-2) or the pages read (grades 3-5). The main emphasis is that they are reading new material that is “just right” for them for at least twenty minutes per setting. Students will earn small prizes and compete against other classes in their grade level for an end of year celebration. READ READ READ!!
One School, One Book is coming soon to Mout Holly! On February 3rd, your child will be bringing home a chapter book for the entire family to read together during the month of February. We will have a family night to celebrate this novel on Tuesday, March 8th. Mark your calendars and be ready for a fun evening. More information concerning this initiative will be sent home in a letter from Dr. Barnes.
Physical Education
February is Heart Month! Everyone wear RED on February 5th, 2016 to show your support. Being active everyday is a great way to help take care of your heart. We will be celebrating Heart Month by participating in The American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart. Your children will be bringing home a donation envelope in February and you may also set up an online donation site for friends and family to donate online. Please look for this information coming home with your children soon!
We are excited to announce we will have a Girls on the Run team this year. 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Girls can Participate in Girls on the Run!!
For more information, check out www.gotrtricountysc.org and join Mount Holly’s Team!!!
Music
Music classes at Mount Holly are full of beautiful sounds. Kindergarten, first and second graders are learning about steady beats and how to make their own rhythms. Third grade is starting to learn how to recognize notes on the staff in preparation for playing the recorder next year. Fourth and fifth graders continue learning new notes and songs on their recorders. Fifth graders are progressing well with "Recorder Karate". Second grade through fifth grade should all be able to login to use www.quavermusic.com, an interactive music site. This site helps reinforce the concepts that we learn in music. Get your child to sign on and show you the wonderful world of Quaver!
Counselor's Corner
We are off to a wonderful start in 2016! Our 3rd through 5th grade guidance classes have been focusing on good study skills and school success habits. This was a great way to start off the second half of the year, as we re-focus after winter break. Our kindergarten through second grade classes have been focusing on self-esteem and being proud of your best even if it’s not perfect. Our student council finished strong in 2015 by raising money to help a family in need for the holidays. We will have more service projects to come, including Pennies for Patients in March.
I am also pleased to welcome Dana Edwards, a School Counseling Intern from Winthrop University. She will be spending some time with us for the remainder of the school year During this time, she will assist in guidance classes along with our small groups and one-on-one counseling sessions. If we can assist your student in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Terrific Kids
Kayden Williamson
McKayla Hinton Hall
Ava McDaniel
Tatiana Morena
Ava Sutton
Lucas Blanton
Trey Cauthen
Angela Matute
Jake Mitchell
Ava Munn
Jason Cousar
Austin Dennis
Isis Morrison
Jacob Snell
Kylie Hughes
KeVari Mitchell
Emily-Ann Summerlin
Camden Towell
Paisley Cauthen
Lexie Cornwell
Katie Ann Mercer
Monique Gordon
Tristina Hicks
Dominique Norman
Rose Quarino