Sherwood Spirit
December 2018
From Mr. Walerstein's Desk
Greetings from Sherwood Elementary School. Winter seems to have arrived a bit early, and the cold temperatures have come with it.
This past month was quite a busy time. Our fifth graders participated in Sports Night with Mr. Kunsch's homebase taking home the Sherwood Cup. We had 2nd and 3rd graders take part in a presentation from PSE&G about energy conservation; we had a visit from non-fiction author, Sarah Albee, who talked about her writing process and how she comes up with her ideas; and our 3rd graders took part in a skull science presentation.
On Veteran's Day, we hosted several local veterans from the American Legion Hall. The Veterans spoke to our 5th grade classes, answered questions about their service to our country, and then were honored with a parade through the halls of Sherwood and a breakfast donated by our amazing PTA. We thank these brave men for their service to our country. Additionally, the faculty of Sherwood, in cooperation with the Commack Road School, raised $180.00 for Jeans for Troops, a charity that assists veterans with employment, healthcare, and housing. Thanks to Ms. Tramaglini for organizing these events!
Speaking of service, our Sherwood community came out on November 14th for a Night of Giving. This was the culmination of our Thanksgiving Food Drive. Due to the generosity of all of the Sherwood families, we were able to build 11 food baskets to donate to local families. Our local girl scout troop also donated two large food baskets. This was an amazing showing, and we thank everyone for their spirit of giving.
Our annual Winter Concert will be December 10th at 7:00 pm in the Islip Middle School Auditorium. Come see the students perform; all of their hard work over the last few months will be on display! It will be a great time for all.
Finally, this month, to support our 7 Habits of Happy Kids initiative, we will focus on Habit 3: Put First Things First. This is the habit where we teach students to prioritize. Students will begin to understand that they should do what they have to do, before they do what they want to do. Please talk with your children about the importance of staying focused, staying on task, and spending time on what is most important.
At this time of year, we want to thank everyone for their continued support. We also want to wish everyone a warm and safe December. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Warmest Regards,
Chad Walerstein
Principal
Classroom Updates
Bundle Up for Outdoor Recess
Remind
Common Sense Media
Beginning this December we will start educating our fourth and fifth graders on what it is to be a good digital citizen. Digital citizenship is the practice of using the Internet, technology, and social media safely and respectfully. All students need digital citizenship skills to participate fully in their communities and make smart choices online and in life. We will be working with Common Sense Media’s award-winning K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum to help students achieve good digital citizenship skills.
Hour of Code
The week of December 3rd to December 7th is Computer Science Week. Sherwood will again be participating with over 180 other countries in Code.org’s annual Hour of Code. The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science designed to demystify “code” and to show that anybody can learn the basics. We also hope this will broaden participation and interest in the field of computer science.
PTA NEWS
The holiday season is upon us and Sherwood PTA is joining in on the spirit of giving with our December Holiday Food Drive. Non-perishable food items can be sent in to school December 1st through December 14th. Any donations are greatly appreciated.
Suggested Donation Request List:
2nd Grade-Pasta & Pasta Sauce
3rd Grade-Macaroni & Cheese, Canned Vegetables
4th Grade-Peanut Butter & Jelly, Biscuit Mix
5th Grade- Scalloped Potatoes, Canned Soup
We also will be accepting toiletries and $5-$10 Target Gift Cards. Together we can make a difference for our Islip Community!
Our November Food Drive was a huge success. We are very thankful for all your donations. We were able to make 10 baskets during our Night of Giving to help local families. Fall Family Fun Night was a great time!! The kids loved playing “Minute it to Win it” games. Thank you to our Fun Committee that planned a great event and thank you to all the families that joined us in the fun!
We are having a fundraiser with 5 Below the entire month of December. Ten percent of all sales will be donated back to Sherwood PTA. Flyers will be sent home with your child.
Remember to keep sending in your Box Tops! We want to reach our fundraising goal this year of $2000.00, We raised $174.00 in October for Sherwood. Mrs. Scheriff’s class collected 294 box tops and Casey Indick collected 103 box tops.
We are still collecting Kid Stuff Coupon books. Please return your unwanted book to the PTA mailbox at Sherwood or return payment.
It’s not too late to join the PTA! Throughout the year, the PTA will provide many programs and events for your kids that will be fun and educational. Your PTA membership helps fund these programs. It will also make sure that you stay up to date on PTA and other school events throughout the year. There are many opportunities to volunteer. Remember, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something!
Our next PTA meeting is on January 16th at the Islip Public Library. Sign up for important updates from the Sherwood PTA with the Remind App. Text the message @sespta17 to the number 81010. Any questions, please feel free to email us at SherwoodPTA@aol.com.
The Sherwood PTA would like to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season!
Contact us at sherwoodpta@aol.com
Safety First
Dates to Remember
12/1 Islip Tree Lighting and Holiday Parade
12/2 First Day of Hanukkah12/4 Grade 5 Field Trip, Vanderbilt Planetarium
12/7 In-School Winter Concert for Students
12/7 Parent-Teacher Conferences - Early Dismissal for Students (10:15 am)
12/10 Winter Concert, 7:00 pm; IMS
12/11 Board of Education Meeting, 6:45 pm; IMS Library
12/20 Swing Caroling
12/24 - 1/2/19 School Closed - Winter Recess
News from the Health Office
The following are measures you and your family can follow to prevent the spread of illness.
* Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. A good technique is to cough into your sleeve.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
* Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth.
Prior to returning to school after an illness, children must be without symptoms and fever free for at least 24 hours. Premature return to school may result in the spread of illness to others.
Thank you for your continued cooperation in helping maintain the healthiest environment for our children.
--Ann Marie Ferry, RN
Winter Concert 2018
From the Music Department
Several outstanding General Music students were invited to participate in a day-long music event at the end of October called PEAK – Parents, Educators and Kids. The students had sessions that ranged from chorus, swing dancing, drumming, ukulele and more! They had a great time exploring music with other students from around Suffolk County.
The students involved were:
- Rowan Barry
- Emily Briel
- Judeline Daniel
- Isabella Feldman
- Ava Mirenda
- Aimee Rich
MacArthur Airport travelers will arrive or depart to the beautiful sounds of live music on December 12, 2018, when the Chorus, Level 2 Band and Level 2 Orchestra perform! We have been invited to perform in the lobby at the airport and look forward to spreading some holiday cheer through music.
Our Winter Concert is Monday, December 10th at Islip Middle School. There will be performances by Level 1 Orchestra, Level 2 Orchestra, Level 1 Band, Level 2 Band and Chorus. We are excited to share our love of music with our community, family and friends. Come join us at 7 pm in the Islip Middle School auditorium for our festive and jolly Winter Concert!
Congratulations to Max Carminio!
We are pleased to announce that Max Carminio, from Mrs. Ciampa's class, has won the Genser Cona Elder Law's Veterans contest called "These Colors Don't Run". He was honored on Sunday, November 18th, at the Long Island State Veterans Home. Congratulations Max! We are all so proud of you!
News from the Physical Education Department
On November 8th fifth grade students participated in Sherwood's Sports Night. Students competed in various relays and other physical activities that bring classes together as a group to engage in friendly competition.
This year’s Sports Night Champions were Mr. Kunsch’s King Cobras. Special thanks to Ms. Fazio’s Phantom Force, Mr. Velazquez’s and Ms. Cella’s Venomous Vipers, and Ms. Scheriff’s Savage Scorpians for a fun and competitive night. A special thank you to the PTA and the families of our fifth grade students for showing their support!