Panda Paws Newsletter
09/08/2021
Good Evening Poinciana Pandas,
I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. In this edition of The Panda Paws Newsletter, I will continue to provide curriculum updates and resources. As we work together as a school community to see our students succeed, I ask that you share these resources with your students and review them.
Tardies
On average, at least a dozen students arrive at school late every day. The instructional minutes that are lost add up throughout the week when students are consistently tardy. I implore you to drop off all students at school by 8 am so that they may begin school on time.
As we try to mitigate the learning loss due to COVID, students need to be here on time, ready to learn daily. I'm am asking for your support with this very important matter.
I have provided the student targets and instructional goals for the week. I have also included a few worksheets to support you at home. I encourage parents to read with their students every night and discuss what they have read. You will find a helpful worksheet attached at the bottom of the newsletter.
You can expect newsletters from me at least twice a month. I also post on Class Dojo and send call-out text messages and emails. Would you please help us by communicating with our staff through DOJO, phone calls, or emails? You can also find updates under the parent and student section of our school website.
https://poes.palmbeachschools.org/
Respectfully,
Mrs. McDowell
Academics
Below are the student targets and instructional focus goals for Reading, Math, and Science for the week Of 09/08-09/11 for grades K-5. Please review the learning targets with your student and check their bookbags and Class Dojo daily for practice assignments and homework. For specific questions, contact the classroom teacher through Class Dojo or email.
Kindergarten
Essential Question: How do we build our community of learners?
Enduring Understandings
Review Foundational Skills
Prepare Your Students for the Routines of an Effective Literacy Classroom
Build a Community of Learners
Foster Independent Thinking and Reading
Phonological awareness
Letter Formation
Shared writing and print concepts
Math
Number Talks for counting concepts
Using matching and counting strategies identifies whether the number of objects in one group is greater, less than, or equal to the number of things in another group.
First Grade
Essential Question: How do we build our community of learners?
Read Aloud: 1.R.1.1 Identify and describe the main story elements in a story.
Phonological Awareness: Demonstrate knowledge of the short and long vowel sounds for the five major vowels
Shared Reading: Locate the title and the names of the author(s) and illustrator(s).
Identify an author's opinion(s) about the topic.
Identify rhyme in a poem.
Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussion in a variety of situations.
Phonics: Demonstrate knowledge of the most frequent sound for each consonant.
Demonstrate knowledge of the short and long sounds for the five major vowels.
Segment and blend phonemes in single-syllable spoken words.
Writing and Grammar: Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
Write expository texts about a topic. (Shared Writing)
Locate the title, table of contents, names of author(s) and illustrator(s), and glossary of books.
Encode consonant-vowel-consonant(CVC) words.
Math
Solve problems using near double facts.
Use a ten frame to solve addition facts within 5 and within 10.
Write related addition facts.
Count back to solve subtraction problems.
Use addition facts to 10 to solve subtraction problems.
Solve story puzzles by drawing pictures and writing models.
Second Grade
Essential Question: How do we build our community of learners?
Read-Aloud/
Shared Reading:
Use knowledge of grade-appropriate phonics and word analysis skills to decode words.
Identify plot structure and describe main story elements in a literary text.
Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.
Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.
Recognize and appropriately use grade-level academic vocabulary in speaking and writing.
Phonics:
Use knowledge of grade-appropriate phonics and word analysis skills to decode words.
Shared Writing/ Print Concepts
Write expository texts about a topic, using a source, providing an introduction, facts, transitions, and a conclusion.
Math
Tell if a group of objects is even and odd, identify patterns.
Use arrays to find totals, understand rows and columns.
Make arrays to find totals and create repeated addition equations to represent the rows and columns.
Work with Place Value blocks to add 2-digit numbers.
Third Grade
English Language Arts (ELA)
Generate questions to answer about a text and use context clues to define new words and phrases
Recount a story, including describing the characters, retelling the critical events and the character’s actions, and describing the lesson learned
recount a fable using its key details and determine the moral of the story
recount stories using the key details from a text
recount a story and determine a possible central message
Math
Apply the Distributive Property with 6, 7, and 8 as factors.
Apply the Distributive Property with 11 and 12 as factors
Practice all multiplication facts
Apply the Associative Property
Unit 3 FSQ this week
Relate Multiplication and Division, identifying factors and fact families
Fourth Grade
ELA
use details from the text to infer and confirm, or revise, possible themes
determine a theme in a story using details about characters, setting, and events
infer a theme(s) in a chapter book
engage in conversation about the theme of the story, using specific details from the text to support thinking
describe the characters in-depth and summarize the text by including the important events across the text
determine the theme of a drama from the details in the text
use correct capitalization
Math
Making Connections Day: Adding Products, subtracting multi-digit whole numbers
Multiply multiples of 10, 100, and 1,000 using mental math and place-value strategies.
Use rounding to estimate products, and check if answers are reasonable.
Science
- Life Cycle of Plants
Fifth Grade
ELA :
compare and contrast two or more settings, using specific details in the text, to describe how characters interact
determine the meaning of words and phrases from the text to understand the characters
discuss how characters in a story respond to challenges when determining the theme
notice how characters interact and respond to challenges
compare and contrast three characters using specific details in the text
Math:
Use mental math to multiply a whole number by a power of 10.
Estimate products using mental math.
Use place value and algorithms to multiply by 1-digit numbers.
Use area models, place-value strategies, and properties of operations to help multiply 2-digit by 2-digit numbers.
Multiply 3-digit by 2-digit numbers.
Math 6th Grade
Students will solve real-world problems involving integers and rational numbers.
Identify opposites of integers.
Compare and order integers.
Use integers to represent real-world quantities and explain the meaning of 0 in each context.
Science :
Unit Essential Question: How can changes in matter be observed and measured?
I can identify examples of matter.
I can explain why objects are matter.
I can describe some physical properties of matter.
I can tell the differences between solids, liquids, and gases.
I can recognize the different properties of solids, liquids, and gases.
I can identify a mixture.
I can determine ways that mixtures can be separated.
Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast and lunch are free daily for students. If you did not complete your free and reduced lunch application, the link is below. Completion of this application helps the school receive additional funding for personnel, tutorial, and parent training throughout the year.
Breakfast is daily from 7:30-7:50.
https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict
Class Dojo
If you have not yet joined Class Dojo, please do so. Then, go to the app store or the Google Play store to download the free app.
Dismissal
Dismissal begins at 2:05 when the last bell rings. If your student is not enrolled in aftercare or a special activity, you need to pick them up on time. Late pickups will result in a charge. All dismissal changes should be called into the main office before 12:30. Unfortunately, we can not accept dismissal changes at 2:00.
If your student(s) are car riders, you must have your window decal in the car. If you do not have our decal, you will be asked to pull to the side of the loop and provide your driver's license.
Asking for proof of identity is for the safety of all of our students. Using your window decal will avoid you having to show identification each time. If you have not confirmed your dismissal with your child's teacher, reach out to them immediately. In the case of a dismissal change, please email the teacher or write a letter and provide it to the office before 12:30 p.m.
September SAC Meeting
SAC Positions Available
We are looking forward to seeing you in person for our next SAC meeting on September 18 at 5:30 p.m. We are looking for a SAC Chair, Co-Chair, and Secretary. If you are interested, email Ms. McDowell by no later than tomorrow morning.
Tanya.mcdowell@palmbeachschools.org.
September PTA Meeting (Virtual)
Who: All are welcome to attend
When: Sep 22, 2021
Time: 5:30 P.M.
Virtual Using Google Meet
COVID-19 UPDATES
Reminder: Children should NOT BE sent to school if they or a family member are sick, went for a COVID test, or tested positive, or if the student came in close contact with someone who is COVID Positive. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, headache, body ache, shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of appetite and sense of smell, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and other flu-like symptoms.
All students should have on a mask daily due to the current district policy.
All Covid communication is with Principal McDowell; Parents must email Principal McDowell at tanya.mcdowell@palmbeachschools.org per the guidelines below. Please do not email teachers or the school nurse. Do not send your child to school - wait for guidance.
The student is COVID Positive: Attach your child’s positive COVID Test Result - In the subject line - please include your child’s full name. In addition, please include why your child took the test in the email and include when symptoms began (if applicable).
The student was in Close Contact with a positive individual. If your child was recently in close contact with address Poinciana STEM, specifically a person who tested positive, please state the last day your child was in contact with the person when the person tested positive, and if this person is a family member who lives with the child. In addition, please include if your child has tested positive for COVID in the last 90 days or if your child is fully vaccinated (this information determines when your child can return to school). In the subject line - please include your child’s full name.
The student is staying home due to having COVID-like symptoms, going for a COVID test, a family member being sick/testing. In the subject line - please include your child’s full name.
All Covid policies were updated on Wednesday, Aug 18, 2021, at the School Board Meeting.
Curriculum Night
Curriculum Night
See the flyer attached below.
Date : Sep 14, 2021
Time: 5:30-6:30
Login virtually using Google Meet. All Login Codes are on the attached flyer. Each teacher will conduct two 30 minute sessions to accommodate families with students in multiple grade levels. If you would like a parent conference, please schedule with your teacher. If you need to discuss your student’s IEP or 504 plans, please set up a private meeting with Mrs. Wallace or Mrs. Olsker. Due to confidentiality requirements, teachers will not discuss these academic plans in a public setting on the evening of curriculum night.
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2021, 05:30 PM
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SAC Meeting In-Person and Virtual
Masks are required.
Elections for Chair, Co-Chair, and Secretary positions available. If you are interested in running, please email Tanya.mcdowell@palmbeachschools.org by September 8,2021
Wednesday, Sep 15, 2021, 05:30 PM
Poinciana Elementary School, North Seacrest Boulevard, Boynton Beach, FL, USA
PTA General Meeting
Wednesday, Sep 22, 2021, 05:30 PM
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Poinciana STEM Elementary
Email: poincianaes@palmbeachschools.org
Website: poes.palmbeachschools.org
Location: 1203 North Seacrest Boulevard, Boynton Beach, FL, USA
Phone: 561-739-5700
Facebook: facebook.com/poincianastem
Twitter: @poincianastem