Hello everyone-

I hope you all enjoyed the snow day on Wednesday! The kids came back with fun stories from their activities for the day. Due to the snow day our 100th day of school celebration will now be on Monday, January 6th.

At our assemblies this week we talked about focus and attention. We shared how teachers are starting to do small group instruction across the grade levels to support students with specific skills. We talked about how everyone needs something different and that some kids stay with their teacher, some go to another classroom teacher in the grade level, and some go to another teacher outside of their grade level teachers. The kids job during this time is to focus on the skills they are working on and when they return to their classrooms to pay attention to where that skill shows up in their practice for either reading or math. In some grade levels we got to teach the 3 before me strategy (me is the teacher). When kids are working independently at their desks and teachers have a small group of students at the table, it is important not to interrupt the teacher. The 3 before me teaches the strategies they use to achieve this:

1. Use the classroom environment, what they are working on can probably be found on the board, anchor chart, or handouts/notes. Go back to these spaces to find clues to help you with what you are stuck on.

2. Find a classmate who is working diligently and ask them for assistance.

3. Skip it and come back to it later. Often, as we keep practicing we can get in the groove and what was hard before is now easier. If you finish the rest of your practice, and still can't answer it, when the teacher finishes the small group and before they call the next group to the table you ask for help from the teacher at that time.

I have received many emails, calls, and visits regarding benchmarking assessments. I am putting together some deeper explanations of the assessments and ways that you can support your child at home on these skills. Please be on the lookout for an email this week with your child's grade level specific information. The email will include how the grade level did overall on the assessments and what action steps we are taking at school to meet students individual and grade level needs. Thank you for reaching out and wanting to be more involved. We look forward to partnering with you to support your child. If you have additional questions after you receive the email, please reach out- we are here to help!

Special thanks to Mrs. Morgan, Mr. Wilds, and all of our teaching staff for a successful two weeks of roller skating! The kids had a blast! We appreciate teachers' flexibility in sending older students down to help the younger ones become masters of the roller skating. They made a lot of progress in a short amount of time! Way to go kiddos!

Special thanks to Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Whitt for organizing our One Book One School learning all month and event this past Thursday night. The kids, families, and teachers had so much fun. Saving Winslow was a great book choice and we loved reading and learning together! Thank you to all of our families who were able to attend! Thank you to our teacher, parent, and high school student volunteers- without you the event would not have been possible!

Please reach out at any time to share any questions, concerns, or ideas. I am here to help and support you and your family. Thanks for all you do to help keep our students and staff safe.

Take Care-

Angeline

Monday- B Day- K is C Day

6:30 pm in the library- Robinson Equity Group

Tuesday- C Day- K is D Day

Wednesday- D Day- K is E Day

Global Day of Play and World Read Aloud Day!

7:45 am Chess Club

3:30 pm Musical Rehearsal

4:00 Heart to Heart Tutoring at Meacham Park

Thursday- A Day- K is A Day

3:45 Heart to Heart Tutoring at Robinson

Friday- B Day - K is B Day

Kindergarten is doing PJ day for hitting their winter academic goals!

Join us on January 30 at 6:30 pm in the Robinson Library to discuss the podcast Ableism and Racism: Roots of the Same Tree. In this podcast, Ibram X. Kendi speaks with disability rights advocate Rebecca Cokley.

Join on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86560402699?pwd=YnNxSVYxWFRMd3dsSks2akc3MEd3QT09

Meeting ID: 865 6040 2699

Passcode: 326809

Our counselors are providing our yearly safe touch lessons next week on the 6th and 9th. Lesson details are found in the flyer above. If you do NOT want your child to participate in these lessons, please email me to remove your child from participation. We will have an alternative activity in the library for your child. Please contact our counselors with any questions.

Thank you to Shelley for your hard work updating and cleaning up our Robinson website. It is now live and ready for visitors. We are excited for our community to experience the enhanced website!

Click here to check it out!

Our theme for this Fun Friday is animals- kids can dress up like animals, bring a stuffed animal, wear their sport team apparel that has an animal mascot, etc. They can dress up for the day. Family reminders-

• You must RSVP so that we can have your badge printed and ready for check in. If you don't RSVP you will need to have an ID and check in at the front office.
• NO LUNCHES ALLOWED- you may bring a drink or dessert for your child- if you bring a lunch I will ask you to put it in your vehicle. Last time was our first time with no lunches, so I was more lenient, and this time I will not be. Thank you for understanding this change was made based on feedback from our students, staff, and families.
• Please arrive 5 minutes before your child's lunch shift to get your badge and get checked in.
• Have fun!

Hello Cardinal Choir Families,

Wow! The choir slots filled up fast! I am so excited for our performance this spring--it will be awesome!

We will sing the National Anthem on Monday, May 15th, at the game against the Milwaukee Brewers (Ticket Info will be sent out by PTO as soon as we receive it from the Cardinals).

Please keep an eye out for an email before spring break, to remind everyone of our 8am Thursday morning rehearsals, beginning March 30th. The last rehearsal is May 11th. Attendance at every rehearsal is required for participation in this opportunity. If a conflict arises between now and March, please let me know, as there will be families on a waitlist to join the Cardinal choir.

Have a great week!

--

Nothing Impossible,

Mary Beth Kesler

George R. Robinson Elementary

Specialist, Music

314-213-6100 ext. 4450

All Robinson students will get to hear from author Ralph Fletcher during a virtual author visit on Wednesday, February 8th. Ralph Fletcher is the author of books that span the ages from children to adults. We are excited to host him for both students and teachers! Novel Neighbor is able to offer both online and paper order forms for book sales at a discounted rate. Please use this link to order online. Paper order forms went home last week so please check backpacks for those. Paper forms should be returned to the library with payment by February 10th. Books will be delivered to students shortly after his visit. Thank you to the Robinson PTO for sponsoring this amazing author visit!

To celebrate 100 days, I'm going to challenge the kids to dress up like they are 100 years old (teachers can join in the fun too). I'd like to find fun ways to have them do 100 things. Here are the activities we will do together to celebrate!

Kindergarten- let's count to 100

1st Grade- 100 sight words smack down

2nd Grade- 100 words write up- I will say a sound and the class will come up with as many different words that have that sound- we will keep doing sounds until we get to 100 words

3rd Grade- Reading Race- As a class let's see how quickly we can read 100 paragraphs together

4th Grade- Mad math- multiplication facts to 100

5th Grade-Free write what would you do with $100- using 100 words tell us what you'd do

Global day of play and World Read Aloud Day

Please take time to complete the class placement information google form for each of your children. This is a very important process and your voice is important to help us make good decisions for your child's placement for next year. Surveys close on 2/17/23.

New this year- we have learned from the kindergarten shuffle that it is important to see how kids work together before finalizing placement decisions. This year, we will be test running next years placements in classrooms K-4. This will allow teachers to see how kids get along and work together before finalizing placements. We will still do the transition day in May for kids to meet all of the teachers for the following year. We are hopeful that this additional layer will strengthen our process even further. Thank you for your input!

If your child is currently in Kindergarten, fill out this form

If your child is currently in First Grade, fill out this form

If your child is currently in Second Grade, fill out this form

If your child is currently in Third Grade, fill out this form

If your child is currently in Fourth Grade, fill out this form

If your child is in K-4 grade currently and will not be returning to Robinson next year, please fill out this form.

Who's ready for a little Trivia, Silent Auction and great night with fellow Robinson families?

Robinson's Game On! Trivia Night will be February 24th at Kirkwood Community Center. Doors Open at 6PM, Trivia starts at 7PM.

Table registration opens Tuesday, January 17th at 6AM. Registration Link

Tables are $200 each (or $25 per person). When you register, you will need the names and emails of all 8 people at your table. Contact us if you need assistance putting a table together or would like connections with grade level parents. Registration will close on Friday, February 17th or when all tables are sold out.

The Robinson PTO is offering a lottery for 16 free seats (8 for teachers/staff and 8 for parents/guardians) who would like to join the fun! If you would like to be considered for the lottery, please email robinsontrivia@gmail.com by January 30th with your name and companion name along with your email address. The lottery recipients will be selected and notified on Friday, February 3rd.

Need more details about the event itself? Check out our Trivia 2023 FAQ page or contact us at robinsontrivia@gmail.com. This is such a fun event and a great way to connect with other Robinson families. We'd love to have you join the fun!

Check out the information below for ways you can contribute to the event!

Interested in volunteering, donating or being party hosts?

Contact us at robinsontrivia@gmail.com

1. You or the company you work for can donate a gift card, product, service, or experience.

2. Sponsorships are available with various perks!

Donations and sponsorships along with completed form can be sent to:

803 Couch Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122

Request Letter

3. Wondering what the party host is about? It's as simple as selecting a party idea, signing up to host and then bringing the party to life for kids, adults or families. Robinson families will sign-up or bid on the events you donate. These parties are a great way to meet people and interact with the Robinson community all while raising funds for the school. They also happen to be one of the most popular Trivia Night items and provide a fun experience for both students and adults. The linked form has examples of parties you can host (or you can add a new creative idea). Complete this form and send to robinsontrivia@gmail.com.

Thank you so much for your generosity with volunteering, hosting or donating!

February 10th and April 7th- Popcorn Poppers needed- please email if you are interested in helping- thanks!

March 9th- Music Man Musical Performance

March 14th- Report cards available in IC at 9:00 am -

Art Show, Book Fair, In Person Parent-Teacher Conferences 5-8 pm

March 15th & 16th - teachers will have zoom option Parent-Teacher Conferences based on their availability

March 17th- No School For Students- Teacher Professional Development Day

March 28th- School Resumes

May 18- 5th Grade Moving Up day (go to Nipher)

May 19- Spring Sing

May 22- Field Day

May 23- 5th Grade Celebration at 9:00 out front- Off Site Celebration to follow- Chaperones needed, please email if you are willing to chaperone

May 24- 5th Field Trip to Science Center & Forest Park- Chaperones needed, please email if you are willing to chaperone

May 25- Last Day (Snow Days Pending) Early Dismissal- 5th Grade Clap Out at 9:30

Yearbook sales are now open! Please visit https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/robinsonelementaryschool to purchase a yearbook. Yearbook sales end 3/17/22.

1. Starting January 17, we begin registering our rising kindergarteners for the 2023-24 school year.

If you know families with a child who will be 5 before August 1, 2023, please help us spread the word on registering now for kindergarten.

Please consider copy/pasting the following into your classroom newsletters:

Kindergarten registration officially begins in the Kirkwood School District (KSD) on January 17, 2023 for all children who are eligible to attend kindergarten in August 2023. Children who reach the age of 5 before August 1, 2023 are eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2023-24 school year

To register, visit the District’s website at https://www.kirkwoodschools.org/register. For online registration, it is recommended that a laptop computer, desktop computer or tablet device be used to complete your child's registration. Registration using a smartphone is not recommended.