Oakleigh Owl News
January 2022
A Message from Mrs. Metheny
Happy New Year OES families,
I hope you had a wonderful winter break and it provided you with time to relax and recharge and spend time with loved ones. We are excited to be back at Oakleigh for the new year for in person learning as we know student learn best with face-to-face instruction. We know this comes with risks, and we will be sure to take all necessary precautions to ensure a safe learning environment. Please be sure to support this by following the stay-at-home guidelines provided by BCPS. There is a copy included in this newsletter for you to reference. In addition, it is extremely important that students come to school with a mask. This is particularly important if a student is riding a bus. Also, please take time to discuss with your student the importance of wearing their mask correctly while at school. We know this can be a challenge, however, it is the best protection against Covid.
Most student took devices home with them over winter-break in the event that virtual learning would be in place in January. If your student took their device home, please be sure to send it back with them as soon as possible. They will need this to access instruction during various parts of the day.
As we move into the January, please be aware that the marking period ends on January 21st. If your child has assignments that are missing and impacting their grade, please be sure to contact their teacher and make arrangements to make-up those assignments. That include grades that are marked “I” for incomplete. Grades marked as incomplete will default to an E if they are not made up. We want to ensure that students have every opportunity to show their knowledge and all assignments.
If your child is missing a jacket, coat, or hoodie, please be sure to have them check the lost and found. We have quite a collection in our lost and found.
As a reminder, all in-person before and after school activities are cancelled until January 7th. BCPS will reevaluate this as they monitor the positivity rate.
Thank you for all you are doing to support Oakleigh in keeping students and staff safe and well. Your partnership in this makes all the difference.
Mrs. Metheny - Principal
Reminder
Preschool 3's
December was a busy time in preschool! We learned about different cultures and winter holidays. We also read books that taught us about different cultures. We talked about family traditions that families follow during winter holidays. We continued to learn new vocabulary and using the new vocabulary to complete projects. We also practiced recognizing our names and counting.
Pre-K
As we say farewell to 2021, I just want to take a moment and say thank you for partnering with me to make the start of school successful. It has been exciting to watch them grow and learn. I know we will have a great 2022. We will continue to review letters introduced to date and look forward to working our way through the alphabet. Continue to help your child write their name.
Kindergarten
We have been having a fun time in Kindergarten this month with many Holiday activities.
In reading, we have continued to work on letters, letter sounds, sight words, and blending cvc(consonant vowel consonant) words. We have learned about occupations and tools needed for a variety of jobs. In math, we are continuing to add, write, and create sets of 10. We are beginning to solve story problems as well. Please continue to practice our sight words in order to help students begin reading texts and writing simple sentences.
First Grade
We had a great month of learning during December.
In reading, we read a variety of folktales. While reading, we determined the lesson from the folktale, practiced retelling the story, and identified story elements. Ask your child to tell you more about the folktale they had the opportunity to write. 😊
During math, we practiced addition and subtraction using a number line. We also strengthened our number sense by identifying missing numbers on a number line. Be sure to practice skip counting by fives and tens at home. 😊
We hope everyone enjoys winter break and we will see you on January 3rd!
Second Grade
This month second grade continued a unit about North America that focused on maps and our community. In ELA our students learned about Pourquoi Tales. Then in Math we worked on place value, and will continue using open number lines, solving addition and subtraction problems with two-digit numbers and then will begin collecting and graphing data.
Third Grade
Third graders have been busy during the first half of the second quarter! In Language Arts students have learned all about inventions and innovations. This unit focuses on cause-and-effect events and sequencing events using signal words such as first, next, then, and finally. At the end of the unit each student will research an invention and identify innovations made to it. In Math third graders are gaining a solid understanding of place value and are learning how to round numbers to the nearest tens and hundreds place. They are also learning how to add and subtract two- and three-digit numbers with regrouping. Finally, we have just begun a Health unit which focuses on healthy relationships. Students will discover the difference between negative and positive peer pressure and will practice strategies for conflict resolution. The third-grade team hopes our students and families have a wonderful holiday full of fun and relaxation!
Fourth Grade
The fourth graders continue to work hard. In language arts we are finishing up an author study on Kate DiCamillo, award winning author. We have read her books and researched her life to find out what inspired her as a writer. Next, in language arts we will be starting our next reading unit titled, Taking a Stand. In this unit we will be reading several informational texts. As we read, the students will be researching both sides of a topic, to take a stand of their own. In math, we are working to understand fractions and decimals. We will be identifying equivalent fractions using models. Also, we will be adding, subtracting, and comparing fractions. In Social Studies, we are studying the history of Indigenous people. We will be learning about where they lived and how the geography impacted their way of life.
Fifth Grade
This December, Fifth graders continued to develop the skills and routines they will need to be successful now and going into middle school. In ELA, students finished working on their hidden historical figure speeches and wrapped up a great Unit that used the American Revolution as it's backdrop. In Math, students continued using multiple strategies to add and subtract fractions and decimals. During December number corner, students worked with different shapes and learned how parallel lines come together to make multiple shapes that are similar and different from one another. In Science, students began the Blast off unit. This very engaging and hands on unit has given the students a chance to get a little messy while conducting science experiments with different chemical reactions. After a great winter break, Fifth grade is ready to blast off into the new year!!!
FALS
Spotlight on Music
In Vocal Music class the students have been working together to not only make great music with their voices but also with a variety of classroom instruments. They have been using their listening skills, teamwork and improvisation to create a safe environment where every student can express themselves musically. It has been so wonderful being able to make music together in person again!
Mental Health Corner- From Ms. Kersey
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
“Many people go through short periods of time where they feel sad or not like their usual selves. Sometimes, these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change. People may start to feel “down” when the days get shorter in the fall and winter (also called “winter blues”) and begin to feel better in the spring, with longer daylight hours. In some cases, these mood changes are more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior whenever the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression. In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer; this is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression.
If you think you may be suffering from SAD, talk to your health care provider or a mental health specialist about your concerns. They may have you fill out specific questionnaires to determine if your symptoms meet the criteria for SAD.”
*National Institute of Mental Health
Technology Tips! from Mrs. Bley
Parents, BCPS Serve is back! This was the tech support ticket system we had before ransomware. If you need tech support over the break, visit www.bcps.org and locate the tab which says tech support. Click that tab to find the link for BCPS Serve.
Also, there is a great resource for device care on our BCPS Innovation Hub! Check it out here! BCPS Innovation Hub
- January 3rd- Schools Reopen
- January 17th- Dr. Martin Luther King Day, Schools Closed
- January 21st- 2nd Marking Period Ends
- February 7th- Report Cards Distributed