Maple Elementary School
October Newsletter
October 1, 2021
Dear Maple Families,
Last Friday we came together and celebrated our accomplishments at our first monthly assembly for the 21-22 school year. As a school we were close to reaching our monthly attendance goal of having all students at school on time every day 96% of the time...our students were at school on time every day about 95% of the time in September. We recognized Mrs. Reade's 4th grade class, Mrs. Kennedy's 1st grade class, and Mrs. Claytor's kindergarten class as having the highest attendance for the month. These classes earned a read aloud from a principal and popcorn.
In addition, we recognized readers in each class who demonstrate good effort, improvement, and/or advancement towards their individual reading goals. We ask that each student make it a goal to read 20 minutes outside of school at least five times a week. A student at each grade level who is meeting PBIS expectations by showing respect, responsibility, and being in control and safe was also recognized, earning the Warrior Award. Congratulations to all of our students and classes that were honored.
As a school we have focused on cafeteria expectations during the month of September. Students have the opportunity to earn golden spoons as a class by meeting expectations in this area. Ask your child about how they are meeting expectations at Maple Elementary.
Our first Maple GROWS TIme (Leadership Time) was also held last Friday. Students brainstormed project ideas so on the monthly leadership days ahead they will have a choice in the group they join to focus on community outreach and service. Students also created items that will be displayed at the Maple Sensory Garden Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Tuesday, October 5th, at 6 PM. We hope you will choose to join us for this event. The courtyard looks amazing! If you build a paper airplane launcher with your family from our community maker event at Ace Hardware, we invite you to bring it to the event.
In the month ahead we look forward to movie/activity nights, Parent Teacher Conferences, and our PTO sponsored Fall Festival. Read more about many of these events below or watch for mailings to come home. If you have items to pick up from the Clubs Choice fundraiser, pick up will take place curbside (follow the route for the car rider line) at Maple Elementary on October 21st in the evening.
We look forward to partnering with you and your students this school year.
Dr. Rena Hawkins, Principal, hawkinsr@smithville.k12.mo.us
Mrs. Ashley Doll, Assistant Principal, dolla@smithville.k12.mo.us
Airplane Launcher
Important Upcoming Dates
Oct. 1: Early Dismissal at 1:15 PM-Homecoming Parade at 2 PM
Oct. 1: National Custodian Appreciation Day
Oct. 4: Teachers’ Meetings (No School)
Oct. 6: Late Start Wednesday, School begins at 9:05 AM, No EC Classes
Oct. 11: Maple PTO meeting at 7 PM in the library
Oct. 11-15: National School Lunch Week
Oct.13: Late Start Wednesday, School begins at 9:05 AM, No EC Classes
Oct. 15: PTO Tailgate Event at 5-7 PM at Horizon Elementary parking lot
Oct. 15: 1st Quarter Ends
Oct. 18-20: MES Movie/Activity Night 4:00-5:45 PM; Monday-K-2nd Grades; Tuesday-3rd-4th Grades; Wednesday-5th and 6th Grades
Oct. 18-22: National School Bus Safety Week
Oct. 20: Late Start Wednesday, School begins at 9:05 AM, No EC Classes
Oct. 21: Clubs Choice (PTO Fundraiser) Curbside Pick Up
Oct. 27: Late Start Wednesday, School begins at 9:05 AM, No EC Classes
Oct. 28: PTO Label Pick Up
Oct. 28: First Grade Music Concerts from 6-6:30 PM, 6:30-7 PM, or 7-7:30 PM at Maple Elementary School Cafeteria
Oct. 29: PTO Sponsored Fall Festival-Check with PTO
Oct. 29: MES Assembly and K-6 Maple Maple Maple GROWS Leaders Activity
Nov. 1: Maple PTO meeting at 7 PM
Nov. 3: Late Start Wednesday, School begins at 9:05 AM, No EC Classes
Nov. 3: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00 PM-7:00 PM
Nov. 4: No School, Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Nov. 5: No School
Elementary PTO Tailgate
We will be selling our Maple spiritwear at this event and the purchase must be a cash purchase.
Please consider volunteering your time or donating one (or more) items to help make the PTO Tailgate Party in Horizon Elementary's parking lot a success. You can sign up here. The Tailgate Party is FREE and open to all elementary families in the district.
Communication About COVID-19 Cases
We have seen a rise in quarantines over the past 2 weeks. In most cases when both parties are masked correctly, the individual exposed to a person who tests positive will not have to quarantine. We are working hard to remind students to have their masks cover their noses and chins with no gaps while in the school and within 3 feet of each other. Gaps are defined as unfilled space, breaks in continuity, breaks or holes. The quarantine policy can be found here.
Technology and Innovation News with Mrs. Freeman
We have jumped right into what a growth mindset means and most students are now working on our first design projects of the year. We celebrated International Dot Day with lots of different Dot activities. We are also working on what it means to design for others and using good listening skills. These lessons will serve them well not only in the Innovation Lab but also in life!
Supplies
We use all kinds of supplies in the Innovation Lab. Please see this flyer for our most used items. If you have items around your house that you would like to send, I have a collection bin outside my room, students can drop it off on their way into school. Thanks for supporting our learning!
You can see more by following our journey on twitter: @sara_freeman, instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mes_tech_and_innovation_lab , facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MESTechandInnovationLab
Maple Library Happenings with Mrs. Cline
This month K-2 students have read a few of our Show Me Nominee books and completed activities over Ella McKeen, Kickball Queen, The Book Hog, and When Pencil Met Eraser. We've also continued to talk about taking good care of our library books and how to select a Just Right Book for our 1st and 2nd graders using the 5 finger rule.
Our 3-5th graders are learning where each genre of fiction is located in the library through a scavenger hunt. We've also introduced many of the Mark Twain (for 4-6 grades) and Truman (for 6-8 grades) nominees to the classes. Students will be eligible to vote over the nominated books if they have read 4 books and discussed them with Mrs. Cline by March 1st, 2022. If students want a bigger challenge, they can become Totally Twain by reading 10 of the 12 Twain nominees by the end of the school year.
Did you know that strong readers begin at home? Here are 10 ways you can help to raise strong readers from Reading Parters.org.
1. Set a routine. This helps kids know what to expect each day.
2. Read at home. Kids love to watch and copy what adults do!
3. Make a special reading spot. Design a spot just for reading to help set the stage for learning.
4. Be a great reading partner. Model what good fluency sounds like and ask questions as you read to get them thinking about the plot, characters, and setting.
5. Surround your children with books. Read to them often.
6. Bring books everywhere. This helps to model what good readers do when they have extra time.
7. Communicate with teachers and get involved in school.
8. Set a good example. Kids mimic what they see!
9. Set learning goals. This helps students to have something to work towards.
10. Be enthusiastic! It really is contagious and will spark interest in your kids!
Music with Mr. Orscheln
We have lots going on as our first quarter draws to a close! Kindergarten has been hard at work exploring various non pitched percussion instruments in our farm unit. We've also been exploring long sounds/short sounds, beat vs. rhythm, and even making music out of "Found sounds!"
1st Grade is hard at work on their fall program all about pumpkins. Letters have gone home regarding our October 28th program. Students will be dressed as pumpkins and will meet in their classroom at their assigned time. After the concert in the cafeteria, the music room will be set up as an art gallery showcasing their talents and creations from Mrs. Haddock's studio. Mr. Bowlin's class will perform at 6:00 and Mrs. Kennedy's class will perform at 6:30.
2nd and 3rd graders have also begun rehearsals on their winter program "Elflandia". Students will be dressed as elves for their December 8th program at the Performing Arts Center @ 6pm.
4th grade has begun their recorder unit. Please encourage them to practice 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Recorder testing has already begun, so if you haven't heard them yet, that means they aren't prepared! As of now, we have learned only B and A, but G is just around the corner!
5th grade has focused on their World Instrument Research Project. Students are able to describe their instruments' age, construction, sound, and history.
6th grade Instrumentation and Composition students just finished composing ternary music using geometrical shapes, and are now composing for a video game that they have created.
We are wishing you well from the music room!
Art News with Mrs. Haddock
The first studio habit is called Develop Craft. This is the studio habit where students learn to use a variety of tools and materials, how to care for those materials, and use them in a safe manner. Students also learn to use the right tool for the job, and work on craftsmanship. Students have been practicing skills for the Drawing Studio and Collage Studio.
Kindergarten and First Grade practiced drawing lines, shapes, and coloring neatly before they turned their beautiful paper into a pet! These pets came home this past week.
Second, third, and fourth grade all used Collage to create works of art. Second grade students discussed the difference between organic shapes and geometric shapes. Third grade students used symmetry, and Fourth grade students used radial symmetry.
These collages introduced the second studio habit is Stretch and Explore. This habit is about playfully experimenting with different art media, asking questions, making new discoveries, taking risks, and working with mistakes.
This studio habit was really important to Fifth grade students as they started creating tessellations, and Sixth grade students because they had “Collage Wars”. This was a series of “Chopped” style collage challenges. They worked in teams to create a landscape, portrait, and food collage all under 20 minutes each. The winners were on the morning announcements, and they all did a great job!
PE with Coach VanNess
Maple Elementary School
Email: hawkinsr@smithville.k12.mo.us
Website: https://www.smithvilleschooldistrict.net/Domain/11
Location: 600 Maple Avenue, Smithville, MO, USA
Phone: (816) 532-0589
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MapleWarriors/
Twitter: @MapleWarriors