Defer Dragon's Burning News
June 1, 2018
Dear Defer Families,
It was a great week at Defer! There were many field trips this week and our 5th graders attended camp. Thank you to all the volunteers who make the field trips and special events possible at Defer. I look forward to celebrating with all of our volunteers on Tuesday morning at 8 am in the gym during the Volunteer Appreciation Tea.
Summer is just around the corner and it is time to start thinking about summer learning. To help students maintain their learning from the school year, summer is a great opportunity to practice reading, writing, and math skills each day. Just 20 minutes of reading each day can make a difference in student reading skills and prevent summer slide. The summer goal should be to maintain skills learned throughout the school year with daily practice. You can also check out our district summer learning opportunities:
https://mi01000971.schoolwires.net/Domain/152
Have a great weekend!
Dr. Rheaume
Follow Defer on Twitter (@GPDefer) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GPDefer/)
Defer Diversity Group
The Defer Diversity Meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 4 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Defer Elementary School. Recently, there was a racist incident in one upper elementary classroom. After the feedback and discussion at our Defer Diversity meeting on May 21 and conversations with some parents in the community we will be hosting another meeting to discuss our communication procedures and how to talk about race with our children at the upcoming meeting. Mrs. Virginia Winters, Educational Consultant, will facilitate the conversation about race during the meeting. Mrs. Winters has led several of our Unity in Diversity meetings throughout the district.
There will childcare available for kids 3 and up during the meeting. Please RSVP to Susan Sutorka at susan_sutorka@yahoo.com for childcare.
We look forward to continued conversation about inclusion at Defer on Monday night.
Defer Volunteer Tea Party
Volunteer Forms for Parents and Guests
Defer Upcoming Events
June 4 - Defer Diversity Meeting 6:30 - 8pm
June 5 - Volunteer Tea 8:00 am- 8:20 am; Talent Show - Tuesday - 2:15 - 3:15 pm
June 11- 1st Grade Picnic, 10:30 am - 1:00 pm, Patterson Park
June 12 - 2nd Grade Picnic, 9:00 am - 2:30 PM Windmill Pointe Park
June 12 - 5th Grade, 4/5 magnet Picnic 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Windmill Pointe Park
June 13 - Young 5 & Kindergarten Picnic- 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm, Patterson Park
June 13 - Grades 2/3 magnet, 3/4, 3, 4, - 10:30 am - 3:15 pm, Windmill Pointe Park
June 14 - Half Day for students; Dismissal is at 11:36 am
June 15 - Half Day for students; Dismissal is at 11:36 am; Last Day of School
Camp Invention is back!
Check out the flyer for more information.
Girls Robotics Camp
Use the link to find out more information about the Girls Robotics Camp at the Robot Garage: Ford Girls Robotics Camp Information
The camp dates are July 9th-13th, use the link for the scholarship application: https://goo.gl/forms/7cC9dgRUDBxMtQcA3.
Applications are due by Monday, July 11.
For questions or more information please contact:
Annie Fleming
Event Manager
The Robot Garage - therobotgarage.com
annie@therobotgarage.com - 248-723-9100
Leader in Me Family Information - June Edition
Welcome to the June edition of our Leader in Me newsletter!
Published by the Defer Family Learning Team
The 7 Habits are reviewed, practiced and integrated daily at Defer. We will review the 7 Habits with you monthly. Thank you for your partnership in reinforcing your child’s leadership skills.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw.
We are learning about Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. Once there was a man who was sawing down a tree and not making much progress. When asked why he didn’t stop sawing to sharpen his saw, he answered that he was too busy sawing.
Habit 7 reminds us that we are more productive when we are in balance; body, brain, heart, and soul. If one area is being ignored or overused, the remaining three areas will feel the results. A good analogy for children is: a car needs all four tires and as leaders of themselves, they need to take care of all four parts.
Books that reinforce Habit 7:
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems, Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by D. B. Johnson, Me I Am! by Jack Prelutsky, Uncle Willie and Soup Kitchen by DyAnne DiSalvo Ryan
Sharpen the Saw at home: Expect your child to use words and phrases like Sharpen the Saw, 4 parts of myself; body, mind, heart, and soul, “it’s like 4 tires of a car”, taking care of myself, and balance. You can encourage your child by using some of these words at home. Take time to talk about and practice sharpening the saw at home.
Notes from the Office
Arrival and Departure Reminders:
Our first interest is always the safety of all of our Defer families and staff members and we know it is your interest as well. We appreciate your cooperation with these procedures.
- The Defer Parking Lot is not a student drop off or pick-up location.
- There is No Parking on Kercheval in front of the building.
- There is No Parking along either side of Nottingham near Defer. Parking on the west side of Nottingham is allowed only during posted times and locations.Since there is no parking anywhere on the east side of Nottingham, parents can drop off students at any point along the full length of Nottingham from Vernor to Kercheval on the Defer side of the street.
Attendance Line
We have a 24 hour attendance line for your convenience. If your child will not be at school, please call 313-432-4001 to report the absence by 8:00 am. This will avoid an unexcused absence phone call.
Library News
Summer is here and our schools are teaming up with the public library to encourage all our students to participate in the Summer Reading Club! We have had a school visit from the Youth Librarian at Ewald, and the big Kickoff Activity is at the Central Library. Flyers will be sent home with your student. Registration is online or at your library branch. We will be putting a link on the Defer homepage. Have a super fun summer!
Go to the the Defer website. Click on Libraries & then Summer Reading. Everything you need will be there.
Mrs. Quinlan
Defer Library Media Specialist
Service & Safety
Spanish News
Señora Grattan’s Spanish Classes:
All of our classes have been very active, with no shortage of charades, songs, and dances! Our third grade class has been learning about animals. Students are able to describe them, talk about their favorites, and listen to Spanish stories about animals! They have been participating in several storytelling activities, including Spanish “Brown Bear, Brown Bear” with alebrijes and a story about Edi Elefante. We’ll be discussing more favorites soon – FOOD!
Our fourth grade class has been working on counting to 100 in Spanish and telling time. These are the basis for our next unit over our daily schedule. Students will be talking about what they like to do, what they have to do, and how that compares to kids in Spanish speaking countries. Our daily lives will lead us into our final topic and what our days really center around – family and friends! Students will be working on describing their family and friends, and will talk about the value of doing a homestay with a family in our country of the year – Peru!
Our fifth grade class started the year with an introduction to Spain. We are continuing along that route as we study community, homes, and now family. Students learned how to describe their home and listened to a Spanish story, and are now learning how to talk about their family members through the use of the Spanish royal family and the game “Guess Who!” We will end the year by talking about festivals of Spain. We’re making imaginary travel plans with our friends and family, and comparing our family and community traditions with those of Spain. They should have some interesting festivals to share with you very soon!
7 Habits of Happy Kids
Grosse Pointe Public Schools
Our Vision: One GP → where everyone learns, every day
Our Mission: Promote Innovation → Maximize Potential → Embrace Community
Defer Elementary School
Email: rheauml@gpschools.org
Website: www.gpschools.org/defer
Location: 15425 Kercheval Avenue, Grosse Pointe Park, MI, United States
Phone: 313-432-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GPDefer/
Twitter: @GPDefer