Thalberg Eagle
Newsletter for March 2020
Thalberg School
Principal: Mrs. Katherine Reeves
kreeves@southingtonschools.org
Secretaries:
Mrs. M. Kennedy
mkennedy@southingtonschools.org
Mrs. J. Suess
jsuess@southingtonschools.org
Phone: 860-628-3370
Fax: 860-628-3308
Principal's Message
Dear Thalberg Families,
March comes in like a lion and obviously winter weather is still possible. Please make sure to review our school’s outdoor weather clothing policy. We do look at the temperature at the time we send the students out for recess and not just the temperature highs for the day. It is helpful if the students bring their jackets and dress appropriately for the temperature during the recess hours. Here are the times when recess occurs: K and Grade 1: 11:30-12; Grade 2 and 3: 12:15-12:45; Grade 4 and 5: 1:00-1:30.
March is certainly one of our busiest months at the school. We are preparing for our new kindergarteners as registration is now open for the 2020-21 school year. We will be hosting two registration dates (March 5th and March 6th) in which we have the opportunity to meet with our newest students. Our current students are busy with the end of the marking period on March 4th. Devon J. will be representing Thalberg at the town-wide spelling bee on April 6th. The event will be here at Thalberg in our cafeteria. This month is also parent/teacher conferences. We will have two early release days on March 16 and 17th so that teachers can meet with all parents. For our second trimester, teachers will be focusing their conversations on the progress the students have made as well as the expectations for the last marking period. This is a time in which student achievements are crucial for preparing for the demands of the upcoming school year.
Our students celebrated Read Across America day with many guest readers. Ask your child who their special reader was. Our Grade 5 students will be completing their Invention Convention projects soon. They will be displayed for us to see. I can’t wait to see the creativity. Grade 4 will have their vocal concert on March 30!
In Partnership,
Katie Reeves
Principal
March Birthdays
March 1.......Gavin H.
March 2.......Veronica H.
March 4.......Kira H.
March 4.......Leah S.
March 5.......Reagan S.
March 6.......Ava A.
March 6.......Juliana L.
March 6.......Lorenzo R.
March 7.......Kaeden B.
March 8.......Suhani D.
March 8.......Taylor R.
March 9.......Eric G.
March 9.......Adelyn K.
March 10.....Leilana P.
March 11.....Fiona H.
March 14......Noah R.
March 15......Nanor K.
March 16......Persephone D.
March 19......Raghav P.
March 22......Osiris B.
March 22......Dreah L.
March 22......Nina O.
March 23......Levi J.
March 25.....Jordan A.
March 25......Addison R.
March 27......Senna K.
March 29......Colin M.
March 30......Mara B.
March 30.....Jackson M.
March 31.....Greyson B.
Calendar of Events for March
March 2.......Read Across America Day
March 3.......PTO Meeting.....6:30 PM
March 4.......Banking Day
March 5.......Kindergarten Registration...1/2 day....12:00 PM-2:00 PM
March 6.......Kindergarten Registration....Full Day...9:00 AM-12:00 PM; 1:00PM -2:30 PM
March 16.....Elementary School Conferences.....Early Dismissal Students....1:10 PM
March 17.....Elementary School Conferences.....Early Dismissal Students....1:10 PM
March 18.....First Grade Field Trip.....Mystic Aquarium.....8:45 AM-2:30 PM
March 19.....Spring Picture Day
March 30.....Grade 4 Vocal Concert....2:00 PM and 7:00 PM
March 31.....PD Day......Early Dismissal Students....1:10PM
Read Across America Day
Superintendent Mr. Connellan read to second grade classes.
Assistant Superintendent Mr. Madancy read to the Grade 1 classes.
Board of Education Member Colleen Clark read to Kindergarten classes.
100 Days of School
Mrs. Reeeves and Connor wore their favorite team shirt together.
Kindness is spreading at Thalberg School
Friends helping friends.
Mrs. Cofrancesco and Edie P. had the same idea one day by wearing their "Be Kind" shirts.
Celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Day
At the beginning of February the OVGC was at Thalberg and did a workshop with the children on
Random Acts of Kindness , led by Christie Kuriger. They made arrangements to be
given to Bread for Life for the dining room table and for the folks
receiving meal on wheels.
Linda Reilly
Library Media Minutes
HAPPY SAFER INTERNET DAY!
Safer Internet Day was created in 2004 to increase awareness for a safer and better internet. This year’s theme is "Together for a better internet". Students dive into safe and responsible uses of the Internet. The focus will be on skills necessary for browsing the web such as safe and appropriate searching, determining what online content can be trusted, managing screen time, and effectively and safely communicate online. Sharing personal information online, treating others with respect, and gaming online are other topics to be explored.
Purell Please!
Media Skills is now accepting any, and all, Purell Hand Sanitizer or Purell Hand Sanitizing Wipe donations. If you would like to donate, please have your child bring it directly to the Media Center. The cold and flu season is fast approaching. We try to keep the germs at bay by using Purell Brand Hand Sanitizing products at the beginning of each and every Media class.
TES Library Media Skills Permission Form
Please fill out this permission form to allow your students access to apps and sites we will use in Media Skills this year.
Birthday Book Club
Click on the link below for more information on how to get your child involved.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_JcXvtl-J_hNJoYphCeTG06JuckDleZmTFDpq0Joetg/edit?usp=sharing
Vocal Music Happenings with Mrs. Ferrall
Take a look at our website: https://tesmusic.wixsite.com/thalbergmusic
Kindergarten: Students have been continuing to practice keeping a steady beat to many different songs and rhymes. We’ve also been practicing contrasts such as fast/slow and soft/loud and practicing moving in a circle (which is trickier than it sounds! J). Ask your child to sing and demonstrate the song “Circle Round the Zero” and see if they remember all the movements.
First Grade: Students have been learning some new rhythms (ta, ti-ti, and rest) as well as learning about sol and mi. They’ve been using mini whiteboards to practice writing rhythms. To practice singing sol and mi, we’ve been playing the game “Cuckoo in the Clock.”
Second Grade: Students are working more on reading and reciting rhythms on the syllables ta, ti-ti, and rest. We also learned a new rhythm; ta-ah or a half note. We’re continuing to work on our singing voices and practice our solfege syllables (sol, mi and la). The students love playing the games “solami” and “Pizza, Pizza.” We’ve just begun a dance unit and are learning new dance steps – the kids are having so much fun!
Third Grade: Third graders have been given their recorders and learned how to play the notes “B, A, and G” or “mi, re, and do.” We are working on Hot Cross Buns and have begun testing for “belts” for Recorder Karate. We are working on proper playing techniques and will continue to learn new notes and how to play songs together in class. Be on the lookout for a recorder performance in the spring!
Fourth Grade: Students in fourth grade have begun practicing for their spring concert. Please remember to send in a two pocket folder for students to keep their lyric sheets in. We will use these each week. The spring performance will be on Monday, March 30th at 7 pm. Songs for the concert can be found on the music website so that students can practice at home.
Fifth Grade: The fifth graders will continue to work on singing voices but also be able to work more on reading and writing music. Students will have an opportunity to compose their own piece of music in the late spring. We’ve recently been practicing singing a song in a 3-part round, “One Bottle of Pop” and playing a stick passing game called “Obwisana.”
Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns at nferrall@southingtonschools.org.
Miss Baer’s Music Corner
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns dbaer@southingtonschools.org
Students in Miss Baer’s Music classes are…
· Kindergarten students are continuing to experience contrasts in music, such as fast/slow, loud/soft, and high /low. They’ve enjoyed listening to these contrasts in the piece, “In the Hall of the Mountain King” and singing in their loud (forte) and soft (piano) voices as they played the Grumpy Grizzly game. Please continue to have your child share his/her “Ask Me” songs with you at home.
· First grade students are identifying the difference between beat and rhythm while reading and performing Ta & Ti-ti (quarter note and eighth notes rhythms). They will be learning to write Sol and Mi on a 5-line music staff.
· Second graders enjoyed playing instruments for a musical tone poem for Valentine’s day. They will continue singing and creating songs with Sol, Mi and La. They are becoming very creative musicians.
· Third graders are progressing nicely with their recorder playing. They know how to use the 4 practice steps and will be learning to “chunk” (practice one measure at a time) and
audiate (hear the music inside their head). Soon they will be moving from stick notation to standard music notation. Some students have already earned 3 recorder belts. Please encourage your child to practice each day.
· The Fourth Grade Spring Vocal Concert is coming soon. It will be on Monday March 30, 2020 during the day for students and in evening for families and friends at 7:00PM. Please sign and return the parent letter that was recently sent home and add it to your calendar.
· Fifth graders will soon be choosing their music courses for Middle School. If your child will not be playing an instrument in Middle School, I strongly urge you to have him/her sign up for Chorus. Students who play instruments may also audition for an after-school chorus group next year.
Nurse Notes
Head Lice Prevention Reminder
As we head into spring and summer months head lice prevention continues to be important. Please remember, head lice are common, can be treated, and can happen to anyone.
DO: Instruct children to keep personal items
to self - (combs, brushes, ribbons, hats, etc.)
DON'T: Panic.
DO: Observe for itching, scratch marks on scalp,
live lice and nits strongly attached to hair.
DON'T: Allow sharing of personal items.
DO: Contact your school nurse and family health
care provider if you suspect head lice.
DON'T: Use any products on your child without
checking with his/her doctor.
DO: Follow treatment recommendations.
DON'T: Send you child to school with live lice or new nits in their hair.
DO: Remove nits. This is an important lice control measure.
DO: Call your school nurse and health care provider.
DO: Have your school nurse check your child’s
hair after treatment and before returning to
the classroom.
DO: Incorporate a head check as part of a normal grooming activity with your child, but inspect hair every other day during lice alerts.
For more information - http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/
Newsletter by: Joyce Suess