Davis Elementary School
April 2019 Newsletter
From The Principal
Dear Davis Community,
We have made it to the last marking period of the 2018-2019 school year! It has been a tremendous privilege becoming a part of this school and the entire Davis community. The first three marking periods have flown by! It is hard to believe we are on the home stretch of the school year. Even with the end in sight, there is a lot of work yet to be done.
Please contact your child's teachers with questions regarding growth and progress throughout the year. There have been great things occurring in our classrooms on a daily basis. Your child may not give you the full picture of the exciting learning experiences in their day. Don't hesitate to touch base with our faculty to get the full scope of your child's Davis experience!
Grades three, four and five will be participating in PSSA testing during the month of April. These tests are a measure of a student's progress in relation to the state standards. Please encourage your child to work diligently on the tests and focus your praise and support on their hard work and effort.
I am looking forward to a strong finish to the school year with exciting activities in store for our students. Make sure you check the Davis calendar for upcoming events throughout the spring. There are a few Home & School meetings left this year for you to attend. Be sure to take advantage!
Have a safe and happy April!
Sincerely,
Andrew J. Doster, Principal
From The Nurse
The beautiful Spring season is among us! But, unfortunately, allergy season comes along with it. If your child suffers from seasonal allergies, here are some tips to help him or her to get through the school day.
Consult with your child’s pediatrician regarding the use of allergy medications to assist in alleviating symptoms (ie. oral antihistamines, eye drops, nasal spray).
Allergy medication should be given at home prior to the start of your child’s school day for optimal comfort during school hours.
Send a water bottle to school with your child to promote hydration.
Encourage them to blow their nose.
Maintain a healthy sleep schedule; strive for 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night.
Try a cool, damp compress or ice to alleviate eye irritation and itchiness.
Playground Safety Reminders
to review with your children
#1 Safety Rule: Appropriate footwear (sneakers, closed toe shoes)
***Please make sure your child especially does not wear flip flops or high heeled shoes, which pose a significant risk for injury during physical activity.
Climbing Safety: Always use 2 hands when climbing and swinging. Do not climb on the outside of the playground equipment.
Slide Safety: One person at a time. NEVER climb up from the bottom of the slide. NEVER slide head first.
Equipment Safety: Do not run, push or misbehave on the playground equipment. If you see someone not following the rules, tell an aide.
Wait until an aide is outside before playing on the playground. Ask an aide for help if injured.
Do not throw wood chips/rocks.
The Counselor's Corner
April is a busy month for our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students! Hopefully your child is excited about the thought of no homework and chewing gum as they take their PSSA test! However, we know that some children do experience some anxiety. Listed below are a few suggestions if this is the way that your child feels:
Make sure that your child is eating a healthy diet. Too much sugar or caffeine could increase their anxiety.
After school encourage them to exercise. If the weather is nice some time outside to run around, ride their bike or play with friends will help them work out their extra energy.
Make sure your child gets at least 8 hours of sleep. Being overly tired will cause you child to feel worse.
Teach your child positive self-talk such as “I can do this” or “As long as I do my best, it is OK if I make a mistake”. Your child can come up with something that feels comforting to them.
Practice with your child some stress relief activities such as taking long, slow deep breathes or squeezing and relaxing their hands.
Remind your child not to compare themselves to others. There are several different forms of the test, children are going to be finishing at different times and that is to be expected.
Also, let your child know they can take as much time as they need. There is no time limit!
Finally, remind your child to look over the test before they hand it in to make sure that they have answered all questions. This will help them to feel more confident in their work.
Also this month, NOVA, will be coming to Davis to do presentations in Grades K-5. Kindergarten, first and second grade will have a demonstration on personal safety. They will learn how to identify unsafe situations, be assertive and find help. Third grade’s presentation is called, “This is a Bully Free Classroom”. It is designed to promote teambuilding and empathy in the classroom in order to strengthen the community. The students will also practice ways to be an “upstander” so that they will feel confident if they are ever put in a position where they see a friend is being bullied. Fourth Grade will participate in a program called "I Smart" which teaches them how to use the internet safely. In 5th grade the students will participate in a demonstration about gender bullying. An atmosphere of respect is promoted through a discussion of the difference between joking and gender bullying. Please feel free to reach out to your counselors if you have any questions.
In Guidance this month:
Kindergarten students finished with learning about feelings and created feelings posters and “I-Messages” which are statements we can make about our feelings.
First grade students will learn to look for qualities of a good friend and identify feelings in themselves and others.
Fourth grade lessons have just gotten underway. We are starting by learning about the concept of self value and self worth. Soon, we’ll be discussing where conflicts occur and strategies for dealing with them.
Fifth grade students just finished with lessons about the safe use of social media
The counselors' parenting class is concluding soon. This year we are meeting on Friday mornings. This series is very informative and helpful to parents in dealing with the everyday challenges of raising our children. We will offer this again in the fall. Look for further details in E-Alerts next year!
As always, we can help you with questions about your child’s growth and development, so please feel free to reach out.
Christi Ward
Grades 1, 2,3
(215)364-5970 x15030
Bob Immerman
Grades K, 4, 5
(215-364-5970 x 15031
The Reading Corner
Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension
Children learn when they make connections between what they read and what they know. One method parents can use to help make these connections during shared reading time is called a think aloud. In other words, you talk through your thoughts as you read to them. Here are three ways to use think alouds, with examples from some of our favorite kids’ books:
Think Alouds
1. Connect the book to your child’s own life experience.
Example: A River Dream by Allen Say “This book reminds me of the time my father took me fishing. Do you remember the time we went fishing?”
2. Connect the book to other books your child has read.
Example: Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe “This story reminds me of Cinderella. Both stories are about sisters. Do you know any other stories about sisters? Let's keep reading to find out other ways the stories are similar.”
3. Connect the book to big ideas/lessons.
Example: Stellaluna by Janell Cannon “This story helps me understand that we are all the same in many ways, but it's our differences that make us special.”
In these examples, you are “thinking aloud” many of the connections that good readers make naturally as they read. Modeling these types of connections will help young readers know how to do it when they read alone.
Adapted from Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension by Judith Gold and Akimi Gibson (2001).
Check out Reading Rockets’ Books and Authors section for great read-aloud books: www.ReadingRockets.org/books
Visit our sister sites, ColorinColorado.org and LDOnLine.org, for more information about learning.
PSSA Testing Dates
During the months of April and May, students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will complete the Pennsylvania System of State Assessment (PSSA). These tests are in the areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The testing dates are as follows:
English Language Arts - April 23-25
Mathematics - April 29-30
Science - Grade 4 only - May 1
From The Cafeteria
Reminder-Absences
While coming to school each and every day is important, it is equally important to monitor our children’s health. If a child is sick, please keep him/her home. Our teachers will work with students who have fallen ill to make sure they do not fall behind in the classroom.
If your child is absent from school, you will be notified via a voice message that will come to the primary phone number listed in Skyward. In addition, an email will be sent to the first email address listed in Skyward. Please be sure that your phone number and email address is updated in Skyward. If an automated call is made, and you believe it to be in error, please call the main office of the school. Automated calls and emails may still occur even if you’ve contacted the school regarding the absence. Absence notes will still be required. You can send a written note in with your child on the day that he or she returns to school. You can also email the excuse note to DAAttendance@centennialsd.org . This email address is dedicated to receiving these notes. If you have any questions regarding this change, please call the main office at (215) 441-6000 x 15010
Late Arrivals
Davis Dolphins
Each week names are drawn from our Davis Dolphins container as a way to recognize and celebrate our students for demonstrating trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, care, and citizenship. Congratulations to Timothy K, Jainy J, James B, Ryan M, Kaitlyn D, Jaiden K, Jared S, Logan A, Donna F, Aden A, Christina A, Logan M, Nolan R, Eloise K-R, Jimmy H, Gianna S, Leo B, Giuliana B, Nazar N, Tisa G, Evan G, Shaun D, Gwen A, Timothy Y, Joshua S, Elisa C, Gage C, Avery S, Adina C, Mason H, Maya K, Easton B, Caiden G, Ruth N, Michael G, Nolan R, Gavin M, William M, Kamryn I, Colin F, Lily P, Melanie M, Aidan S, Elizabeth N, Sydney S, Olivia J, Lia J, Roman C, Kaitlin A. Way to go, boys and girls!
Wednesday Express
Each Wednesday, your child’s teacher will send home the Wednesday Express envelope. Please take a moment to remove, read, review the contents, and return the envelope to school the next day. Your signature on the outside of the envelope lets us know that you received it. We also recommend that everyone continue to check the eFolder on a regular basis.
Teacher's Corner - Mr. Rothman
Help Davis every time you shop at Amazonsmile or Shoprite Warminster
By selecting Centennial Education Foundation as your charity when shopping at Amazonsmile 0.5% of eligible purchases go to the Centennial Education Foundation. Centennial Education Foundation (CEF) provides enriching educational opportunities, programs, and projects to expand and enhance the basic, well-rounded education offered by the district.
By shopping at ShopRite of Warminster through the Shop From Home Fundraiser. 15% of your bill is donated to the Centennial Education Foundation. CEF donates 20% of our school's proceeds to our Home & School Association.
Birthday Club
Each month Mr. Doster recognizes students who have birthdays during that month by giving them a special pencil and posing for a photo with them. This month April birthdays were recognized.
Calendar
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J3Dv3_QCtZe5MWhNf-RlqQHErneuMlBy9KCKFiD0DZg/edit?usp=sharing
Davis Elementary School
Website: centennialsd.org
Phone: 215-364-5970