The Stinging News
March 5, 2021
Hornung Elementary
Email: yatesj@brightonk12.com
Website: https://mi02209968.schoolwires.net/Domain/179
Location: 4680 Bauer Road, Brighton, MI 48116
Phone: 810-299-4450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/903286896458386/
*IMPORTANT* COVID-19 Self-Reporting
If you are a parent/guardian who tested positive for COVID-19, please use this form to report your positive test results and report any children who are in quarantine due to your positive test results.
Principal’s Message - March 5, 2021
Celebrate March Is Reading Month!
Each year at the beginning of March, school children kick off National Reading Month! Teachers will design contests, family literacy events, and even pajama & pillow days to provide cozy mornings of uninterrupted reading. With help from Read Across America, their goal is motivating kids to read every day of the year. Research findings outlined in a recent report of the National Early Literacy Panel highlight the fact that literacy skills begin to develop at birth. The panel identified a number of early skills that are related to—and may even help predict—a child’s later success with reading and writing.
Even non-readers can celebrate Reading Month. Here are 6 skills to prepare your young child for reading. These skills are closely related to later success with reading and writing:
Alphabet knowledge—the ability to name letters and the sounds they make
Phonological awareness—the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds of spoken language (such as hear the beginning sound of a word)
Rapid letter or number naming—the ability to quickly name letters or numbers
Rapid object or color naming—the ability to quickly name random series of colors or objects
Phonological memory—the ability to remember spoken information for a short period of time
Writing letters or one’s own name—the ability to write single letters in isolation, or write their own name
So, even young children who are not yet reading can join in the celebration of National Reading Month. While each child’s developmental journey has its own pace, the next section describes how you can help foster these important skills with activities that suit your child’s current abilities and interests. And chances are, you and your child already engage in some of these activities!
Activities to foster important early skills - Knowing letters and sounds
Sing the Alphabet Song. The number of versions on iTunes alone is testament to its enduring appeal. Have fun singing this familiar tune with different tempos or silly voices (monster voice, tiny mouse voice, robot voice).
Hunt for environmental print. Start a game of I-Spy and have your child search for letters prominently displayed on signs, posters, billboards, even cereal boxes.
Play with alphabet letters. Pull out the magnets, blocks, puzzles, whatever you have, and name the letters, eventually having your child identify the letter names on his own. It’s usually best to introduce letters in alphabetical order, or start with the letters in your child’s name. Upper case letters can be easier to tell apart, so they are often introduced first. At the same time, the lower case letters show up more in print, so there are good reasons to include both. Also, help your child match the letters with the sounds they make, along with a familiar word that contains the letter sound.
Explore the Starfall website. The ABCs section contains activities designed to help your child learn letter names and sounds.
Playing with the sounds of language
Introduce nursery rhymes and sing-along games. Recite nursery rhymes, play the name game (Mason, Mason, bo bason, bananfana…), check out children’s sing-along CDs at the local library, and spark your child’s delight in the sounds of language.
Enjoy rhyming books. Read aloud and pause at opportune spots, encouraging your child to join in on the rhyming portions of text.
Go on a treasure hunt. Help your child search for items in your home that rhyme, or start with the same sound.
Tune your child’s ears to the rhythm of music. Clap or dance to the beat, or tweak lyrics by substituting new rhyming words, even silly ones. Music provides plenty of natural opportunities for children to appreciate and manipulate the sounds of language.
Remembering what you hear
Read it again…and again. When your child asks for repeated readings of the same book, rejoice! While you may tire of the storyline, your child is gradually memorizing the text and enhancing her listening comprehension. Eventually, you can encourage your child to “read” the story to you, using what she’s memorized to retell the tale. You can also have your child retell the story using puppets, or by simply acting it out. Books with predictable, repetitive storylines are a good place to start.
Read and discuss. While younger children benefit from fewer interruptions during reading in order to maintain attention, occasionally ask your child questions about the story and illustrations. Sometimes, repeat your child’s response. Other times, expand on what he has said, or make your own responses. This provides your child with a model of how to talk about books and enhances his ability to remember what he’s heard.
Make up listening games. Implement a version of Simon Says, with one, then two, then three or more verbal instructions to follow (Simon Says, touch your nose; Simon says touch your nose, then jump. Simon Says touch your nose, then jump, then turn around).
Quickly naming letters, numbers, objects, and colors
Play beat-the-clock. Open a book or magazine and have your child point to, and name, as many letters, numbers, objects, or colors as she can in 30 seconds.
Put a new twist on Slap Jack. As with the original version of the game, a deck of cards is divided equally between two players, with the stacks face down. One at a time, each player places the top card of her pile face up in the center of the table, but in this version of the game, the first player to name the number on the top card wins the pile and adds these cards to his own pile. If both players name the number at the same time, neither player gets the pile, and the game continues. Play continues until a player has won all of the cards. Other versions can be played with cards from games such as Memory or Old Maid.
Writing letters, writing your name
Paint with water. Grab a bowl of water and a couple of paint brushes or sponges and “paint” letters on the sidewalk or on a wooden fence.
Scribble in the sand. Use fingers or small sticks to draw letters in the sand.
With the assurance that even the youngest children are on the road to reading, here’s to embracing March as National Get-Ready-to-Read Month and building on these important foundational skills well beyond March 31st.
Sincerely, Jack Yates
Hornung Elementary Principal
8102994451 yatesj@brightonk12.com
Important Dates!
Monday, February 22nd - Sunday, March 7th - Scholastic Book Fair!
Wednesday, March 10th - IN PERSON LEARNING DAY
Friday, March 12th - NO SCHOOL/Records Day
Monday, March 29th - Friday, April 2nd - SPRING BREAK
Monday, April 5th - NO SCHOOL/Records Day
Wednesday, April 7th - IN PERSON LEARNING DAY
Scholastic Book Fair!
Dear Parents and Families:
The Scholastic Book Fair is back! While the Fair will be exclusively held online this year, we still plan on making it a fun and joyous experience for our kids. Our customized Hornung homepage features:
A fully Virtual Fair so you and your kids can experience the magic of the school shopping experience. Browse over 200 titles by grade, meet popular authors, and discover the comfort and joy of our Fair
Direct access to over 6,000 additional titles with family-friendly prices, at the Scholastic online store
Every dollar you spend will benefit our school directly (25% back in rewards!)
Save these dates:
Fair Dates: February 22 - March 7, 2021
Virtual Store: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/hornungelementaryschool1 (won't be available to view or shop until 2/22/21)
We can’t wait to “see” you at the Fair!
Tracie Richards
Hornung's Book Fair Chair richardst@brightonk12.com
Maltby Incoming 5th Grade Parent Information Night
Maltby Incoming 5th Grade Parent Information Night!
Who................ Parents of incoming Maltby 5th Graders
When.............. Thursday, March 18th at 7 pm
How................. Zoom Link (We will send out next week)
Please plan on joining us for our virtual incoming 5th Grade Parent Orientation where we will be presenting information on scheduling, curriculum, Encore classes and much much more!!
The virtual presentation will begin at 7pm via Zoom Link. Please plan on joining us if you can, we are excited to meet our new Maltby Bullpup parents!
*Please note this presentation is for parents and not students- thank you.
We hope to see you there!
Maltby Intermediate School
PTO Buzz
The next Hornung PTO Meeting will be on March 10th at 9:30am. We hope you will login and join us for this Zoom meeting.
Our Silent Auction will be going live on March 10th. A big thanks to all of you who are putting together the classroom baskets and to those of you who helped fill to them with great items.
Your Hornung PTO,
President: Deanne Ferrell
Vice President: Jami Kilduff
Treasurer: Karen Nicholson
Secretary: Bill Rockwell
Specials Schedule
Tuesday, March 9th - B Day
Wednesday, March 10th - C Day
Thursday, March 11th - A Day
Friday, March 12th - No School/Records Day
Counselor Corner
Here we are in March, ready for some sunshine and warmer weather! This month, we will be visiting classrooms for some Read Alouds and social-emotional stories for Reading Month. We are also focusing on the needs of students and classrooms and providing additional support with student groups and individual support. Our goal for this month is to more directly meet the needs of our students during this stretch of the year when we all need a little more TLC.
Lets Connect: If you are noticing some behaviors that are interfering with your child’s success in the classroom, please feel free to complete my parent referral form and we can work together to determine if supports are needed here at school.
More Resources: We also have our BAS Elementary Counseling website for ideas and resources to be used at home!
Mrs. McKiddy
Spencer/Hornung
https://sites.google.com/brightonk12.com/bas-elementary-counseling/home
Parent Referral Form: bit.ly/McKiddyParentRequest
Student Check-in Form: bit.ly/CounselorStudentCheckIn
Order Your Yearbook Today
Yearbook Activity Pictures Needed
Dear Hornung Families (In Person & BVA),
We are in need of activity pictures for Hornung's year book. If you have a few you could share with us, that would be great. Please send them to Ruth at SchworR@brightonk12.c
Thanks,
Ruth
Picture Day and
Yearbook Volunteer
Important Phone Numbers
Hornung Office - 810-299-4450
Hornung Attendance Line - 810-299-4454
Jack Yates, Principal Office 810-299-4451
Hornung Fax - 810-299-4460
Hornung Friendship Center – 810-299-4461
BAS Central Office - 810-299-4000
BAS Transportation – 810-299-3890
The Livingston County Health Department Vision Screening
BVA students can have their Vision Screened free of charge at Livingston County Health Dept by calling (517)552-9850 to make an appointment. Appointments are available twice a month.
Art, Music, PE & Library/STEAM
Please use the link below to access all remote Wednesday specials lessons.
Important informational links for parents related to COVID
BAS Parent Tech Guide
Hornung Families - we are happy to provide you with a resource guide to help with student learning on technology at home. Click on this resource link to access our BAS Parent Tech Guide. We hope you find this helpful! ~Mrs. Richards