Smith Intermediate School
Newsletter, November 2022
Upcoming Events:
- Mon. Nov. 1 - Parent-Teacher Conference Day
- Thurs. Nov. 10 - Professional Development Day - No School for Students
- Fri. Nov. 11 - Veterans Day - No School
- Mon. Nov. 14 - Veteran’s Day Assembly
- Tues. Nov. 15 - School Picture Retakes
- Thurs. Nov. 17 - PTO Mtg. 7:00pm/Lib
- Thurs. Nov. 24-Fri. Nov. 25 - Thanksgiving Recess
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Principal's Message
Dear Families:
Let me first begin by thanking all of you for your support through the beginning of the school year. Our students have settled into daily routines and we are focused on instruction and learning.
I am appreciative of your support at home to ensure that children come to school each day well-rested and ready to learn, as well as, the communication we receive from you regarding your children.
November 1st marks our annual parent-teacher conferences. We thank you for your participation and engagement in your child’s education.
Just a reminder that we are on a trimester reporting schedule. You can expect the first report card to be sent home on December 9, 2022. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher should you have any questions or concerns about your child's progress.
Lastly, please make every effort to keep your contact information up to date with the school. This includes your personal phone numbers, email address and work phone. Information for the people you have designated as emergency contacts should be kept up to date as well. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Angela Wanish
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News from the Nurse
All 3rd graders and any 4th graders new to this school district are required to have a well-child/physical on file. If your child has had one this year, Fax or Email a copy to the school. If your child needs one, make an appointment with your provider or request a school physical. School physicals are available on Wednesday mornings.
Reminders:
If your child is sick, keep your child home!
If your child needs medications during school hours, get a Dr.’s order, bring the med to the nurse and sign the necessary paperwork.
Vision screenings will be done in November.
Return borrowed leggings/pants to the nurse.
Pack a change of clothes for spills or accidents.
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News from the Music Room
Both our third and fourth graders have been spending a little time in each of their music classes learning some patriotic songs to sing at our Veterans Day Assembly on November 14th. The assembly will take place at 9 am in our Auditeria. Our students will sing a couple of songs as a whole school to the veterans, and our Music Maniacs will also perform some additional songs. We have some fourth graders who will also be presenting research they did in the library about Veterans Day. We are looking forward to showing our patriotism and showing our appreciation of our local veterans. Students are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue that day!
Both our 3rd and 4th grade choruses have started rehearsing once each 6 day cycle towards our upcoming Winter Concert. If your child is participating in chorus rehearsals, he/she will be able to perform in that concert with their grade level chorus on December 21st. Fourth graders who are in band and string orchestra will also be performing in that same concert. The concert will be in the CHS Auditorium and more information will be coming home as we get closer.
Finally, the attached pictures are from a recent assembly. Seventh grade general music students visited to share their learning about African Drumming and Dance with our fourth graders. Fourth graders had also been learning about drumming in our music classes. Ask your fourth grader about what s/he learned!
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Counseling News
The 3rd and 4th graders have been doing an amazing job during our lessons this month. In 3rd grade we focused on what to do when people are being mean as October is Bullying Prevention Month. They created visual reminders. In 4th grade we focused on our classroom goals that we created in September. We looked at how they were going and discussed what if any roadblocks could be getting in their way.
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Physical Education
Third and Fourth graders completed their football unit in October and we really saw improvement in their confidence to throw and catch a football with good form. In November, third and fourth graders will start their fitness unit, which includes the following fitness tests: Pacer (cardiovascular test where they run from line to line before it beeps), push-ups, sit-ups, and a flexibility test. We will work on goal-setting, different ways to measure fitness, and discuss the importance of fitness throughout their lives.
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News from the Art Studio
Third and Fourth graders are becoming very adept and comfortable in their studio. We are working on being cooperative, caring, respectful team players while creating exceptional personal works of art. The focus of the year for the Third graders is: “I can add details to the ideas I imagine, use many different materials and techniques to make art that is important to me, create work that I’m proud of and talk about the details in my work.” The Fourth grade focus is: “I can brainstorm many different ways to create art, I can experiment with materials and techniques, and can use a rubric to evaluate my artwork.” My hope and expectations for all of the Smith art students: to feel safe to express themselves, enjoy the process and be problem solvers/critical thinkers and feel the excitement of making discoveries. We have an incentive program in the art studio where the students reflect on their classes’ progress at the end of each class, promoting teamwork. The reward is a choice day, which they love. Here are some photos showing them involved in many various choice day art activities.
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