Elm Road Express January 2019
"Putting Dreams into Flight"
From the Desk of Dr. Soto Kile
Happy New Year! I hope you and your family enjoyed the two-week break and relaxed with family and friends. We have many exciting events taking place in the next few months, and I hope you are able to join in on the fun. The Young Author’s Conference information will be going home soon! This opportunity allows all students a chance to listen to a featured author and share their writing with other students in the district.
This is a busy time of year during the school day as well. All of our students will be taking either the Dibels and Airways benchmark assessments. The next few months we will be progress monitoring and conducting further enrichment in the classroom and computer lab to enhance student learning. Our intermediate classrooms are gearing up for iLearn and iRead as well. Student writing prompts are being written and Focus Instruction scores monitored for grade level standards development. Please ask your child how he/she is performing in these areas.
Lost anything? I would like to ask that you take a moment to see if your child is missing any clothing items. Our lost and found is overflowing! Please pick up any items that belong to you by January 11. Anything left will be donated after this date to a community organization.
We are Elm Road Eagles!
Website: elmroad.phmschools.org
Location: 59400 Elm Road, Mishawaka IN 46544
Phone: (574)259-3743
Twitter: @ElmroadES
Important Dates to Remember
Jan 14th - PTO Meeting at 6 pm
Jan 15th - 4th Grade Planetarium 10:10- 11:40
Jan 16th - End of the Grading Period
Jan 21st - Martin Luther King Recess Day
Jan 22-25 - Kindergarten Registration Week
Office Notes
Car Riders
- Student safety is important to us!
- If you drop off or pick up your child, ONLY enter our lot from the south. Do not go around the buses that are waiting to enter our lot.
- All children are reminded to exit and enter their cars on the curbside ONLY.
- Please pull up as far as safely possible to the next car before having students exit your vehicle. Please follow the direction of the safety patrol assistants.
- Please refrain from using your cell phones when you are not idling. Use this time to talk with your child or enjoy a read along chapter book. They are young, but for such a little time.
News for Youth Service Bureau
Happy New Year! This month I will be in the library discussing kindness with the students. The Great Kindness Challenge is January 28 – February 1, 2019. This event is to empower our students to create a culture of kindness within our school, families, and community. I challenge you to come up with a Random Act of Kindness to practice this month. There are several ways to show kindness towards others, such as saying hello and thank you, holding the door for someone, writing a kind note to a friend, and many more.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Shell at 259-3743 or email me at ashell@phm.k12.in.us.Upcoming Testing Dates
Upcoming Testing Dates
- CogAT January 9- February 1 Select students for HA Identification (Dates may change)
- WIDA January 14 - March 1
- NAEP March 6th -4th grade
- IREAD 3 March 18-March 29 Grades 3
- ILEARN April 22-May 17
5 Ways to Get Ready for Testing:
1. Get a full night’s sleep before the test.
2. Eat a good breakfast in the morning.
3. Be on time to school.
4. Wear comfortable clothes.
5. Be prepared with necessary supplies.
School Cancelations and Delays
When schools must be delayed or canceled due to inclement weather, please watch the following television stations for announcements: WSBT—channel 22, WNDU—channel 16 or WSJV—channel 28. Information will also be announced on local radio stations. On days when the central office determines that travel would be unsafe at our normal dismissal times, schools may be dismissed early. Announcements about early dismissal will be made on the above television stations as well as on radio stations. Please also keep in mind that Kids Club will not operate on days when school is delayed, closed, or dismissed early due to inclement weather. Please have a family plan in place should one of the above occur. Please also remember that all after school activities will be canceled in the event of an early dismissal as well as on days when after school and evening driving conditions are not safe.
Library Lines
Happy New Year!
Let’s start the year off right with new reading goals such as scheduling family reading time, trips to the Public Library or the book stores. Challenge every family member to read a certain number of books. Please encourage your student to keep their books in a safe place, away from pets, younger siblings and water. Books are checked out for two weeks, but most students return them sooner.
Did you know there are more than 200,000 libraries in 135 countries use the Dewey Decimal System? Ask your 3-5 graders about the System – it is information they need to know!
Our 2nd graders continue to learn about Fractured fairy tales. First graders are reading more books by themselves! Kindergarten students are beginning to check out books off the shelves using shelf markers.
Thank you to the many volunteers who work with the students and books in our library.
Enjoy reading during these cold indoor days!
Mrs. Linda Knapp
574-259-3743
Health Office Reminders
Remember- good hygiene and good hand washing techniques can help to prevent many illnesses! Please get a flu shot!!!
***Any medication, even cough drops need to be in the original container. It must be a child’s dosage, and parent needs to fill out a form in order for it be administered. Please do not send any form of medication in with the student without all the above as it will be returned home without it being administered.
6th grade vaccines :
It's not too early to start!! If your student is entering the 6th grade these are the required vaccines. When your student turns 11 years old they can get the MCV4 and Tdap.
3 Hep B
2 Hep A
2 Varicella
5 DTap
1 Tdap (Tetanus & Pertussis)
4 Polio
1 MCV4 (Meningococcal conjugate)
2 MMR
Greetings from Elm Road Music Room
1st Grade: Introducing "La." Steady Beat Activities
2nd Grade: Do Re Mi songs
3rd Grade: Continue 6/8 Unit
4th and 5th Grade: 3/4 Unit. Begin Concert Pieces.
Reminders:
All music eLearning is posted on my website: sites.google.com/phm.k12.in.us/elmroadmusicclass
4th and 5th Grade programs will be on April 16th.
Mrs. Nakayama
What's Happening in Gym
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!
A huge “thank you” goes out to all the 2nd grade parents/grandparents/aunts that joined in helping our CAMPE teachers with a trip to Chippewa Bowl! We created some wonderful memories!
The Elm Road Students seemed to enjoy the different activities we completed in the gym with our bowling unit. A favorite was “glow bowl” (the gym was lit). The third – fifth graders have certainly had an extra math workout keeping score; they are really catching on to adding up those strikes and spares!
Our last week of school in December each grade level enjoyed getting in a workout with some tag, scooter board games and relays such as: “The Grinch”, “Reindeer Relays”, “Christmas Tree Relays”, and “Rudolph’s Treasures”.
Our fifth grade girls basketball players enjoyed playing against our staff members on the 14th! Go Eagles!
When school resumes in 2019, we will begin a floor hockey unit with all grade levels. Additionally, a focus will continue on the importance of regular exercise and nutritious eating for a healthy body and heart with our P-H-M Heart Course. All classes will have the opportunity to participate in our annual Jump Rope for Heart event in February.
Did you know our jump team has performed at Bethel College and Penn High School in November and December? You can come see them in action after break at Bethel College boys game on January 15th and February 12th. Both games start at 7pm. The jump team performs at halftime.
Please make sure if your child wears boots to school on gym days he/she brings a pair of tennis shoes in his/her backpack!
Have a safe, healthy and fun holiday!
Sincerely,
Debbie Parisi