Oakwood Elementary News
December 15, 2017
A note from Mrs. Stewart ...
I wish you a very merry holiday and good times with family and friends! See you back here on January 3rd!
Things going on around here!
Medication at school ~ Please remember that any medication, even cough drops and throat lozenges, must be dispensed in the office. Children are not allowed to have medications in the classroom to disperse for themselves for a variety of reasons. Please click here to access the medication forms that suit your needs. There is one for basic, over-the-counter medications like pain relievers and cough drops and one for prescription medications. The prescription medication form needs to be completed by a physician. All medications need to be in their original packaging.
Outdoor Recess ~ Children continue to go outside for recess as the temperatures drop. We only keep kids in when the actual temperature is 15 degress or less or the wind chill is 0 degrees or below. Please remember to make sure your sons or daughters have appropriate cold-weather gear. Each year, we notice that cold hands are the biggest challenge on the playground. The thin, knit gloves are just not enough protection for kids when they are outside. Thicker, water-resistent or water-proof mittens/gloves are really necessary to keep those little fingers dry and warm.
School Closing Info ~ 'Tis the season for potential school closings, early releases and possible emergency bus stop drop-offs. Please see the letter below that Dr. Outlaw sent out with his district newsletter highlighting important information about this topic.
Kindergarten Round-up, Save the Date ~ It will be here before we know it! Please mark your calendars and get prepared to register your junior kindergartner or kindergartner if you have one who will come to school during the 2018-19 school year. Kindergarten Round-up will be at Oakwood on April 17th from 3:00-4:00 p.m. and then again from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Click here for information and a checklist to help you get organized.
Brandon Cheer Holiday Helpers ~ The Brandon cheer team and coaches are offering to babysit your children from noon to 4:00 p.m. on December 17th so that you can get some of your holiday preparations done kid-free! The cost is $25 for the first child and $10 for each additional. See the flyer at the bottom of this newsletter for details!
Upcoming Events
December 18-21 ~ Christmas School Spirit Week
December 20 ~ Popcorn Day
December 22 - January 2 ~ Winter Break
January 3 ~ School resumes
REMEMBER! Spirit Week (holiday edition) is next week, December 18-21! A printable version is available at the bottom of the newsletter if you would like to put it on the fridge!
OES Spirit Week (holiday edition) December 18-21
PAJAMA DAY Monday, December 18
CHRISTMAS SHIRT OR SWEATER DAY Tuesday, December 19
SANTA HATS, ELF HATS OR ANTLERS DAY Wednesday, December 20
CRAZY CHRISTMAS HAIR DAY Thursday, December 21
December 22 - January 2, school resumes January 3
News from Ms. Vergith, Music
Melodies, harmonies, rhythms and timbres fill the air as the students sing, read, count, dance, play instruments, listen to and analyze music.
Last month, Jr. Kindergarten and Kindergarten students learned the difference between singing, speaking and whispering voices. They read and played patterns in threes and fours, written in traditional quarter notes and rests, to accompany their music. They also played instruments in different ways to create sound effects to fit the text of a song. This month they are learning what it means to echo in music, singing several echo songs and identifying opposite expressions, such as high/low and fast/slow.
Students in first grade are learning what it means to be a soloist or a chorus, identifying examples in their songs. They are taking turns being, both, the soloist as well as a part of the chorus. In addition, they are learning to recognize and sing the song form known as “question & answer”.
Second-grade students learned to use their light and heavy vocal registers, based on the pitch shown by the note heads of their songs. They are using the note heads to determine the direction of the pitch so they know whether to make their voices go higher or lower. They are also learning to determine the phrases of their songs so as to know when to take a breath and are learning about the song form known as “call & response”.
Students in third grade are reviewing phrasing by analyzing the punctuation of their songs’ lyrics and looking for clues in the music, such as notes of longer duration and rests. Their investigation of Turkey in the Straw led to their discovering that the phrases consist of beats in multiples of four - - ideal for performing the steps of the Virginia Reel, which they just finished performing with a great amount of zeal.
Fourth-grade students spent November memorizing their concert-songs' lyrics and adding motions in preparation for their December 7th performance at the BHS Performing Arts Center. Due to the school calendar and building schedules they have had a shorter-than-usual time to prepare.
All fourth-grade students performed beautifully to a packed PAC at Brandon High School on December 7th. This joint concert with Harvey Swanson and Oakwood students really filled the air with holiday spirit. Look below at the video snippet of Jingle Bell Rock for a little taste of the performance.
Fifth-graders reviewed all the music symbols learned during last year’s recorder sessions and are, currently, learning about scale degrees, primary scale degrees, chord symbols and chord roots. They will apply this knowledge to accompany their songs with resonator bars/bells.
Wishing you Holidays filled with music and joy! - - Ms. Vergith
Contact our PTA via email, oakwoodelpta@gmail.com.
Coy Stewart, Oakwood Principal
Email: cstewart@brandon.k12.mi.us
Website: http://www.brandonschooldistrict.org/index.php/schools/oakwood-elementary
Location: 2839 Oakwood Road, Ortonville, MI, United States
Phone: 248-627-1880