HUSKY UPDATE

Another amazingly busy and fun week to be a Homestead Husky. This edition of the Husky Update will cover the following topics:

• 9/11 Tribute
• Birthday Surprise
• Fall Clubs
• Red, White & Blue Day
• The Original Star-Spangled Banner
• SLC
• Popcorn Friday
• 4th Grade Field Trip - Campbell Creek Science Center
• Happenings Around Homestead

**SLC is in need of empty toilet paper/paper towel rolls for projects.**

Sixth grade students studied 9/11 through multiple lessons and documentaries which were created and curated specifically for students born after the 9/11 attack on the United States. Students created poetry from the perspective of the Survivor Tree, a monument that stands at Ground Zero today, and created artwork to accompany their poems.

Poem by Kayla:

Survivor Tree

As we searched with no end

Our hearts were left to fend

for all the sorrow and all the gloom.

Out from the rubble, was a small bloom.

After 30 long days, and 30 long nights

No sign of life had drained all of our light.

But this green leaf which was very small

Had sprouted hope in us all.

As we dug through the rubble

our hearts without trouble

A branch Began to appear, and there was no more fear.

The small bloom turned into a struggling tree,

which had brought hope for us to feel free.

We nursed the tree back to health

and up came our new symbol of hope.

Poem by Nicole B.

The sun was fun but soon everyone was stunned. Smoke fled the air and now they run. It was plain that there were planes hitting these towers down. Some lives were lost, some were saved and some still in daze watching the towers fall. No, we never gave up, so the freedom tower rose anew. People braved the evil actions done by finding life within the doom, so came the survivor tree too. Thanks goes to the heroes we trust that we see everyday. Nobody will ever forget the dust that came around that day.

-Nicole B.

Each and every Husky has spent the last two weeks practicing and preparing for a very special birthday surprise! Today students serenaded our amazing BPO Mr. Kyle, singing and signing Happy Birthday, letting him know know that not only is he a blessing but is a big part of what makes Homestead so very special. Mr. Kyle not only cares for every inch of our building, but willingly takes care of any need with a smile. So proud of each of our Huskies for their willingness and excitement to learn something new and celebrate one of our own. Way to go Huskies! - Mrs. Johnston

Flag football kicked off Monday in the gym with Coach Payne and Mr. Noyes. Students learned the basics of game and honed their technique to prepare for battle against other elementary schools later this month. GO HUSKIES!

Choir started Wednesday morning and what a joy it was to hear the lovely sounds emerging from the music room. Mrs. Johnston is jazzed with the number of students who signed up for choir this year and we are looking forward to the upcoming concerts and Wednesday morning rehearsals.

A huge thank you to the fabulous Mrs. Johnston for creating a welcoming environment for students to share their voices and have fun.

Students put in the work this week preparing for the Jamboree next Thursday. We are proud of your hard work!

September 14, 2022 commemorated the 208th anniversary of the writing of our National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. It was written by Francis Scott Key after he observed the valiant defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. In honor of the 208th anniversary, students donned their red, white & blue and had multiple lessons on the history of our National Anthem.

Our Huskies had the opportunity to see first hand how big the flag truly was. Using yarn, students measured the length and height of THE Star Spangled Banner. The original 30’x42’ Star Spangled Banner was commissioned by Lieutenant Colonel George Armistead and made by Mary Pickersgill and a team made up of her mother, daughter, two nieces and an indentured servant. This gigantic flag flew over Fort McHenry after troops battled for 24+ hours against the British Navy as a signal of pride and courage. This battle is what prompted lawyer Francis Scott Key to write our National Anthem, a song of the same name, the Star Spangled Banner. The flag can still seen at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Students worked diligently Thursday morning preparing for the first movie night of year.

The front doors of Hogwarts will open at 5:00 PM on 9/30 with a showing of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone starting promptly at 5:30 PM.

FAQ's

🪄 Snacks, Italian Sodas, caramel apples, and Honeydukes will be available for purchase

🪄 Handmade wands will be sold at Ollivander's

🪄 You will be able to send a friend to Azkaban

🪄 Bring your own seating

Large pizzas from Great Alaska Pizza Company will be available for pre-order. Pizzas can be picked up at concessions starting at 5:00 PM on 9/30. Pizza order forms went home this week.

Movie night is one of many fundraisers for SLC. Last year SLC donated $2,441 to local charities, and raised roughly $6,000 from the Walk-A-thon for new playground equipment at Homestead.

Popcorn Friday is back and popping off! Flyers with a QR code for ordering went home today, so look for the forms in your student's backpack or head on over to the PTO website here to order.

Details:

Popcorn can be purchased for the school year (25 Fridays) for $20 cash or $18 on the PTO Website.

Message from the PTO:

As we gear up for this super awesome weekly treat, please consider volunteering. We could always use 1-3 extra sets of hands as we pop and prep approximately 200 bags of popcorn for our Huskies every week. Volunteer timeframe would be Friday morning from 9am - 11am beginning Sept. 23, 2022.

4th graders enjoyed Watershed Wonders on Wednesday at the Campbell Creek Science Center. Students learned about aquatic and riparian habitats and conducted chemical and physical water quality tests. Students also had the opportunity to check out macroinvetebrates under the microscope and rate the overall health of Campbell Creek.

Thank you Homestead PTO for sponsoring the 4th grade field trip. This is one of the many ways the PTO supports students.