Chestnut Street Monthly Newsletter
January 2024 Edition
#WHe
#WHe Are Ready To Learn in 2024!
Chestnut Street Learning
Dear Chestnut Families,
Happy New Year and welcome back!
#We hope you had a wonderful holiday, and a relaxing break with your families. It is time to settle back into our routines, and continue on our learning journeys. We have lots of fun things happening in January! December was filled with joy as we learned about holiday traditions and customs. We had fun practicing building words using the letter sounds we have studied so far this year and ended December by writing in simple sentences.
Each January, we assess how well our students are doing in reading. We use a tool called the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System (F&P). It is an assessment the district uses from Kindergarten to 6th grade. This assessment is one of the various assessments used to help us determine your child's independent reading level and the instructional level where teachers support their learning.
Our teachers sit with each student individually to watch how they read, respond to questions in writing, and discuss what they understand from the text. Teachers use this information to determine the next steps for learning to meet your child's needs. The F&P assessment is done each January and June.
The word "benchmark" means a standard to measure something. So, when we say we're "benchmarking" the students, we check your child's progress to a standard. We use a collection of books to see their current reading level and how they progress over time. You'll receive information about your child's reading level, but it's not something we share with the students. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your child's teacher.
Continue to read your books from the library, the sight word readers, and the guided reading books as well as the books your child(ren) borrows from the classroom library. We encourage students to practice reading each day at home and to read with your child - in the language you are most comfortable with!
While January might be the first month in the calendar year, it is the midpoint of the kindergarten year and our students will be returning to school with some solid skills they have acquired in the fall. During this second half of the year, we will continue to build fluency with these skills, but also provide experiences for children to apply these skills in meaningful, authentic ways.
From January through mid-March we will work on persuasive/opinion writing. Encourage your child to consider their opinions about topics when you are having conversations at home. What is their favorite dinner meal? Why? What TV show do they most enjoy watching? What reasons support their idea? Remember, at this time, students are not expected to spell every word correctly. We do expect them to listen for the sounds they hear and include those. Dog may be spelled as 'dg' and that is alright! Learning vowels takes time- - be patient, your child's letter/sound awareness and spelling skills are growing every day. Remind your child(ren) to use what they know about letters and sounds and sight words.
In math, we continue to explore making shapes, filling hexagons, and 2-D Geometry.
From the beginning of January through mid-February, we are exploring collecting, counting, and measuring.
Students will answer the essential questions below. Be sure to ask your child these questions!
What is Addition?
How do we measure?
How can we use objects to solve joining and separating problems?
What is Subtraction?
We are counting to 50 by 1’s and 10’s. We have been counting by 10’s when we count the number of days we have been in school. We now will be practicing writing our numbers 11 to 20 in addition to our numbers 1-10. We are playing lots of games that focus on counting “on” strategies. Children will also understand the words fewer, lesser, more and greater.
Thank you to all of our amazing parent volunteers who helped out during the month of December. #Whe loved having you share in our celebrations and appreciated your help with the book and holiday boutique fairs! Thank you to all the parents - #WHe appreciate your partnership.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and call the main office -
#WHe are always here to help!
Dr. Lisa Minicozzi
Family Learning Connections
- Play board games with your child(ren) to practice taking turns.
- When reading you can ask your student to guess the word by looking at the first sound and using the picture to help.
- Ask your child to identify sight words in the texts they see.
- When listening to music with your child, ask them to listen for rhyming words.
- Use a family calendar and show your child the date. Practice counting down to winter break or and upcoming family event.
Main Office Reminders
- If your child will be absent, please call Nurse Angela before 8:30 AM at 516-390-3155
- Kindly ensure your child has a full change of clothes in the classroom.
- If there will be a change in your child's afternoon transportation, please write a note or email to the teacher. For last-minute changes, please call Mrs. Ventura or Mrs. White before 2:00 PM. 516-390-3150
- Please select your child's daily lunch order on the printed menu by circling or highlighting the choices and return it to school ASAP. The link for the menus is below. Please note, at times the item listed on the menu may not be available and your child will be offered an alternative option.
- Please do not block the driveways of the homes around our school. Our neighbors have reached out to express concern about their driveways being blocked during drop-off and dismissal. Thank you for your cooperation.
Universal Pre-Kindergarten
If you or someone you know has a child who is eligible for PreK or Kindergarten for 2023, please call Mrs. Ventura today at 516-390-3150 to find out about our upcoming registration. We still have some remaining spots for this year open. Eligibility requirements: resident of the WHUFSD and born between 12/2/2019 and 12/1/2020.
Important Dates
1/8: 7:30 PM PTA/PTSA/SEPTA Joint Meeting Video Conference Room
1/9: UPK 24-25 Parent Interest Survey Closes & Lottery
1/12: Chestnut Street 111th Anniversary!
1/15: Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday (Schools Closed)
1/16: BOE Mtg. @ 7:30pm SS VCR Room
1/17: PTA Assembly - Officer Turner Meet & Greet
1/26: CS Snowed-In Pajama Day
1/29: 7:30 PM PTA/SEPTA Meeting GW Cafeteria
UPK 2024-25 Registration Week 1/22-1/26
SEL Corner
Managing Impulsivity
The Habits of Mind are an identified set of 16 problem solving, life related skills, which contribute to creating a healthier learning environment. The habits are cross-curricular and applied throughout the West Hempstead UFSD, in all grades and levels. Currently in kindergarten, we are focusing on Managing Impulsivity.
This Habit of Mind is important for students to understand because it helps students recognize the control they have over their bodies and actions- and provides them with skills and solutions to help regulate some of their impulsive behaviors. Whether it be impulsive decisions or impulsive body movements, students benefit from explicit instruction in this Habit of Mind to ensure that they develop a deeper understanding of the fact that they are in control of their bodies and the decisions they make.
Impulse control is such an important self-management skill to teach children. Many kids need practice with these life skills. Linked below are some of my favorite videos for teaching self-control to kids. In this list, you'll find interactive activity and freeze dance videos, explainer videos, animated videos, videos with songs about self-control, and read aloud books for self-control.