Harbordale Elementary School
1st QTR Newsletter
A Letter From the Principal
November 13, 2019
Dear Harbordale Families:
Pumpkins, scarecrows, shorter days and cooler weather! The busy fall season is certainly upon us and changes can be felt everywhere! It’s hard to believe we are already well into the 2nd quarter of school as we head quickly into the hustle, bustle of the holiday season. Students and teachers continue to focus on the Florida State Standards, challenging curriculum and new skills and strategies each day. With the focus on curriculum aligned to the standards and demanding assessments, we are continuously striving to “raise the bar” and increase the rigor for all our students.
Wow! We have certainly had a busy beginning of the year. Meet and Greet, Welcome Back Orientation, Hurrican Dorian, Student Council elections, the selection of WHBD, Safety Patrols, Peace Rangers and Recycling Teams, Parent Safety Meeting, 4th and 5th Grade Chorus, Adopt-a-class and several student assemblies and field trips are just some of our recent activities. Additionally, our Welcome Back Social at Waxy O’Connor’s and our Annual Pumpkin Pizzazz were huge successes enjoyed by all. Food and Toy Drives, Barnes and Noble Night, the Holiday Shop and our Holiday Performance are some of the many exciting events scheduled before we break for the Winter Holidays.
Although we prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in September, we are so thankful we were spared the wrath of the storm. Our thoughts and prayers, however, are with those communities that experienced devastating wind, rain and floods. We thank all those families and students that helped us in our efforts to assist our neighbors in the Bahamas ravaged by the hurricane. Through our “Change for Change” project, we were able to raise an incredible amount of money to help with their relief efforts, over $4,500. A generous check was presented to The American Red Cross. Thank you for your generosity and giving spirit!
Mark your calendars…our terrific 4th and 5th Grade Chorus will be performing at “Christmas on Las Olas” on Tuesday, December 3rd, 6:00 p.m. As in the past, we will be performing on the stage near The Cheesecake Factory. Under the direction of Mr. Ciotti, all our students have been working very hard preparing for this special holiday event. We are proud to brag…Harbordale has performed at this community event for over thirty years. We hope to see many families come out and support our school at this traditional holiday evening. There will be a repeat performance on Wednesday, December 18th, 8:30 a.m., in our Cafeteria.
The safety of our students and staff continue to be top priority. This is not only Harbordale’s focus, but the District’s as well. Each school is required to establish a “Safe Team”, responsible for developing and monitoring comprehensive safety plans in the event of an emergency. We are fortunate to now have Mrs. Linda Hugley, Armed Safe School Guardian and Mr. Jose Chacon, Campus Monitor on site each day to assist with implementing safety throughout our campus. In coordination with local law enforcement agencies, we continue to review our existing safety procedures and plans. Mock emergency drills are conducted on a monthly basis in an effort to ensure staff and students know what to do in the event of a real emergency. We also send a reminder to secure items out of sight when leaving your car as we have experienced several “smash and grabs” incidents in the past.
As the busy holiday season nears, schedules become very hectic and rushed. All children should be encouraged to read a minimum of twenty minutes and review math skills and concepts each night. Establish a consistent routine and schedule the same time daily in a quiet area and limit TV and technology time. Additionally, IReady is available for all 2nd through 5th grade students to use at home as well as school. Research has shown that students who read and practice math concepts regularly demonstrate marked improvement on standardized test scores and exhibit better study skills and they progress through their school years.
At this special time of the year, we are thankful for our outstanding students, dedicated teachers and staff and wonderful families that make Harbordale a special place for all. We truly feel fortunate to be part of this wonderful school family. We sincerely hope all your holidays are filled with love, laughter and special memories.
Sincerely,
Theresa Bucolo Jennifer Kashdin
Theresa Bucolo Jennifer Kashdin
Principal Assistant Principal
Winter Holidays…
Monday, December 23rd – Monday, January 6th
(Employee Planning Day)
School resumes Tuesday, January 7th
KINDERGARTEN NEWS
We have assessed all students on their letter names/sounds and concepts of print. We are continuing to review these skills daily in Fundations, small group, and through song. We have been introducing new letters and sight words each week. We practice sight words every day and continue to review past words. The more practice and exposure to sight words, the more fluent students will be as readers. Remember, sight words are not to be sounded out.
In Reading, we have been focusing on characters and setting of a story. After reading a story, students are able to identify the main character/s and where the story takes place. We are also reviewing many different Concepts of Print in text, such as; locating the title, author, illustrator, and punctuation marks. For extra reading/comprehension practice at home please use Raz Kids!
In Math, we have learned how to write, count, and represent numbers 0-5. We have also compared numbers and learned key words, such as: greater than, less than, and equal to. We are also reviewing some skills from the Kindergarten Math Readiness Assessment that was given in the beginning of the year.
In Science, we have been learning about the 5 Senses, Seasons, Apples, Bats/Spiders, and comparing Living & NonLiving Things. We have done many activities in our Interactive Science Journals along with Discovery Science, BrainPop Jr., and Pebble Go. For each theme, we do a related Science experiment to align with our unit of study.
In Social Studies, we have been discussing class and school rules, community helpers, family & friendship. Students are now very familiar with the class and school rules. We have talked a lot about our families and what it looks like to be a good friend. We are excited to learn about elections and voting in the upcoming month. We have a lot of exciting activities and projects planned for the students.
We have an upcoming field trip planned to see Mrs. Wishy Washy at Tradewinds Park at the end of October. The students are very excited to be going to the farm! We did a unit on farm animals and each student presented a farm animal research project to the class. As a follow up, we will be getting to visit a real farm, see real animals, and ask questions to the farmers! We have such an amazing group of Kindergarteners! We are very enthusiastic about this year and look forward to watching the students continue to grow both socially and academically.
Thank you for your continued support and involvement!
Love,
Ms. Brotman, Ms. Brown, Mrs. Edler, Ms. Smith & Mrs. Webb
First Grade News
Throughout the first quarter, we’ve learned the importance of using strategies to facilitate learning. In mathematics, these strategies include adding 0, adding 1, counting on, doubles, doubles plus one, making 10, and adding three addends. Our upcoming chapters will focus on subtraction strategies and the relationship between addition and subtraction. We have also started math journals. Students are using pictures, numbers, and words to solve number stories.
Students have explored how scientists use their five senses to explore the world around them. We have focused on inquiry skills and the scientific method, as well as matter.
We’ve also covered such skills as retelling, nonfiction text features, visualizing, and CVC words. Students have made great gains in their reading fluency and decoding skills!
Please read daily with your child and remember to ask comprehension questions. Take home books should be returned daily along with the signed reading log. In addition, review your child’s homework and use Xtra Math at home to help build fact fluency. I-ready is an additional online resource that can be used for both Reading and Math.
Thanks for your continued support! We’re looking forward to an amazing second quarter!
First Grade Team
Mrs. Garza
Mrs. Fitzgerald
Ms. Buitron
Ms. Fisher
Ms. Zenny
Second Grade News
Quarter 1 was full of learning in all subjects. Take a closer look at all we have learned…
Reading/Writing (ELA): We examined fictional texts. We can ask and answer “WH” questions, recount stories, define the moral of a story, and describe how characters react to problems in a story. We have learned the basics of creating a Narrative piece. We also started our Walk to Read program where each 2nd grade teacher is teaching a specific research-based literacy program in the following areas: phonics, comprehension, spelling/word study, and critical thinking). The students visit the teacher’s classroom specifically tailored for their needs based on the beginning of year assessments.
Math: We distinguished even and odd numbers and learned the basics for addition and subtraction, through skip counting. We also worked with three-digit numbers and can read and write numbers in many ways, all the way to one thousand! We will continue to build on these foundational skills in the coming weeks. Most recently, our focus has been to add or subtract 10 or 100 from a number. We also learned how to recognize a number’s place value.
Science: We have learned how to be a Scientist. We conducted a cookie dunking experiment to make predictions, observations, and draw conclusions. We are starting to learn the water cycle and weather patterns. We also are starting a pumpkin unit and will plant our own pumpkins.
Social Studies: We have learned about being good citizens and building a classroom community. We completed a unit on the different styles of maps, how to find: continents, oceans, and the Sunshine state we call home on a map. We also created balloon globes of our world.
Shout out to our Room Moms and Parent Volunteers! You came to school and planned behind the scenes to make our class Halloween centers special for the kids. It was also great to see those who came to Pumpkin Pizzazz. We could hardly recognize you in your costumes. October sure is a fun month! Thank you!!!!
Shout out to our Class Adopters! We are already purchasing tons of resources that the students need, and we really appreciate your contributions. Thank you!!
A Few Reminders:
• Students have new AR goals each quarter, which includes both a point goal and an average goal of 80% or higher. Please encourage your child to read and reread AR books before taking an AR quiz. Re-reading also increases stamina, fluency, and builds comprehension skills.
• Going on i-ready at home in reading and math in addition to the homework packet will help your child progress towards their goals. The lessons adjust based on student performance.
Thank you so much for your continued support!
Ms. Ferraro, Ms. Glasser, Mrs. Hampton, Ms. Hanley, and Mr. Santos
Third Grade News
In math, students began with understanding place value to the 1,000s and how to round numbers to the nearest 10 and 100. Students also learned how to add and subtract up to 1,000 as part of our first chapter. In chapter 2, students learned all about creating graphs and analyzing data including picture graphs, bar graphs, and line plots. Lastly, students began studying multiplication. By the end of our multiplication chapters, students are expected to model multiplication with equal groups and arrays. They are also expected to have quick recall of all multiplication facts up to ten times ten.
The Third Grade Team,
Mrs. Goldstein, Ms. Osheroff, Mrs. Solis, and Mrs. Vaughn
Fourth Grade News
On the test date, students will write to one of these two types, and will not know which until the actual test. We expect to do well!
With the second marking period, please be aware that we expect students to have adjusted to our fourth grade expectations. Assignments are due on the due date. Planners/agendas should be checked to monitor your child’s study habits. Now is a good time to replenish school supplies, especially pencils.
Students should also be reading AR books in order to achieve their goals and improve their reading ability. The Sunshine State books are good choices. A celebration for those reading and passing the tests for four of the books will be held in the spring.
Many of the textbooks can be accessed online for extra practice at home in preparation for the FSA. In addition, your child can log onto I-Ready to review both reading and math skills. Finally, the Florida DOE website has sample materials where you can view what the test might look like.
Please praise your child for work well done, being responsible, and just for pure effort. Together we can achieve success!
Thank you for your continued support!
Ms. Guerrero, Ms. Kirik, Mrs. Wade, and Mrs. Fleming
Fifth Grade News
We are also excited to be working on our first DBQ about the Gold Rush! Document Based Questioning will help your student to become a better reader and writer. They must be able to support their reasoning by quoting accurate evidence from the text and the students read complex documents and really delve into the text. Our next, DBQ will be based on the early settlers of Jamestown and we will learn about the mystery of them vanishing!
Just a reminder to keep reading for AR. Students must make their goals each quarter in order to stay in their designated clubs! A good way to make sure they get their points is to read the Sunshine State Young Readers. Another incentive is if they read 5 Sunshine State books they get to go to a party for all the students that made the 5 book goal. That means they have to read 5 books off of the SSYR list.
Lastly, we would like to thank our wonderful HSA for the fun Parent Social and a huge shout out to all the volunteers that came with us to JA Biztown! The kids had an awesome time learning about financial literacy and managing a business! All of the students made back their business loan that day and most of them kept their checking account in the positive. Thanks to all for helping make the beginning of the year such a success!
Love,
Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Chee, Mrs. Rothenberg, and Mrs. Fleming
ESE News
Thank you for your continued support!
Ms. Hicks and Mrs. Taylor
Speech News
My name is Ms. Quackenbush, and I’m very happy to be back at Harbordale for the third year as the Speech-Language Pathologist! It’s been so great seeing my students again after a nice summer, and meeting new students and families! In speech, students have been practicing their speech sounds at their individual levels and using their fluent “easy” speech when expressing themselves. In language, students have been working on better understanding the words/sentences they hear (receptive language), using good vocabulary and grammar to express their ideas (expressive language), and better understanding the social parts of language (pragmatic language). They are all working hard to meet their goals, and having fun while they do it! They are practicing using tools such as graphic organizers, self-monitoring checklists, and visualization strategies. If you have questions/concerns about your child’s communication skills, do not hesitate to contact me. I’m looking forward continuing to see progress and to another great school year at Harbordale!
Katy Quackenbush, M.S. CCC-SLP
Guidance News
You made it! Another successful back-to-school season down, many more to go! For the Harbordale community, this season is a busy one. From beaches to backpacks, sunscreen to school lunches, students and families alike all have one thing in common: tackling the shift from down-time to prime-time. That being said, amidst the bustle of hectic days and homework, sometimes we all need to be reminded of how important it is to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the ride! For that reason, I’ve identified some topics that often accompany the back-to-school adventure and highlighted some tips and tricks on how to use this important time to enhance your child’s social and emotional growth while making the most of your beginning-of-the-year journey!
Adapting to a New Schedule: Staying Positive
A good day starts with a good night’s sleep. Develop a reliable, realistic sleep routine so your student wakes refreshed, recharged, and ready to take on the day!
Stick to a schedule. Structure is important and can bring much-needed comfort to children during a time of transition.
Mark your calendar. One day were soaking up the sun, the next day we’re swamped. At times like these, developing a game-plan can make an overwhelming situation seem much more do-able. Pencil in dates, get organized, and prioritize tasks. The simple act of writing things down helps us to visualize what needs to get done, while also acting as an effective kick-start to the to-do-list tackling process.
Don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember, we’re all human. Stay positive, take things one day at a time, and remain optimistic that things will slowly but surely fall into place.
Moving Up, Moving On
Remember: it’s a new year! Leave the past in the past. Start fresh and remember that you and your child have a whole year to make your mark, progress vigorously, and work towards wowing everyone around you! Think: this is the year you and your child will dominate the school game!
Stay focused. Stay Optimistic. You tackled the previous grade, and just as you found your groove, your back into the beginner stage for a new year. Remember, every grade is different, special, and important in its own way. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed as you progress, but keep your heads high and focus on your strengths. Ask yourself, how will my unique strengths help me maximize my learning experience this year?
Try This at Home!
Taco-Bout-It Dinner: A cute twist on Taco Night! Whip up a Mexican-themed night and encourage your family to utilize the dinner table as a discussion forum.
“Attitude is the Difference Between Ordeal and Adventure.”
All the best,
Your Harbordale School Counselor, Vicky Bureau-Kocenski
Reading News
For 1st quarter we had over 230 meet or exceed their AR goal! They were rewarded with a Halloween movie party including fresh, hot, popcorn! Reading definitely has its rewards.
Not only are students are rewarded for meeting their quarterly goals. We also have a 100 Point Club for those students who exceed 100 points for the school year. Our school-wide goal is reading 32,000 books this year! Can we do it? Weekly updates presented on WHBD each Monday. We have read over 5,000 books already! Please read the information included on how to best help your child with the AR program.
LOOK for a flyer in the report card envelope about an online program being offered for 1st through 5th grade called iReady (K uses Raz Kids). The students have been using it at school, and now it’s available for home use as well. Students get individualized reading and math practice on their strengths and weaknesses. We are tracking lessons passed for iReady too. iReady success directly translates to FSA proficiency. Please ask your child’s teacher at their conference about their iReady scores.
Have some free time and looking for a way to volunteer? Become a Book Fairy! They are a dedicated group of volunteers that help keep our Reading Resource Room neat and organized. Even only 10 minutes a week is a HUGE help! Contact me or our wonderful parent Stephanie (queen of the fairies) at stephaniestreicher82@gmail.com to get started.
Remember, please feel free to ask me any burning questions about reading and your child’s curriculum.
I’m looking for sponsors to go on our AR t-shirts? For just $150 your family or business can be advertised weekly at Harbordale. Please contact me ASAP for details at cari.rodriguez@browardschools.com
Lots of good reading happening at Harbordale…until next time…
Cari Rodriguez ☺
Art News
It has been a great start to a great school year! Art has started this quarter, and I have a fancy new art cart to bring with me to classrooms. I have to say “thanks” to the HSA for being so supportive and funding my new art cart- the students love it as much as I do.
Also a “congratulations” is in order for two of our students who were entered into the Superintendent Gallery at KC Wright building, Fiona Lin and Remington Clayton-Ray, both 5th grade students! What a HUGE honor to be representing our school and the arts on display in Mr. Runcie’s office.
National School Lunch Week is October 14th to the 18th, and every year Food and Nutrition Services has a district-wide poster contest. The turnout for the school lunch poster contest at Harbordale was the largest we have ever had- we had a lot of hope we would be represented at the district level! We had three winners at the District level for the School Lunch Poster contest, with the theme “What’s on Your Playlist”. Ellie Schmidt was chosen for 1st grade at District level for 1st place, Celeste Davis was given honorable mention for 2nd place at the District level, and Lila Schmidt was chosen as 1st place for 3rd grade at the District level.
I started out the year with a growth mindset activity with the students- my older students read the Book “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds, and my younger students read “The Dot” by the same author. We talked about how to have a growth mindset when it comes to art- we don’t all just become great artists after one minutes, one day, or even a month. We have to persevere even though we are not there yet, and both stories were great examples of perseverance in art.
We have worked on many projects so far- ships, puffins, sharks, sea turtles, lighthouses and shells to go with our nautical school theme. Then we’ve moved onto many other projects; Kindergarten working on party people, Japanese fans, rockets, line sculptures, and pumpkins! First grade worked on Birch trees and weaving, second grade on patterns and the artist Keith Haring, third grade made a collage and has been working on Optical Illusions with vanishing points, fourth grade is building on the same knowledge and is creating a landscape picture with one point perspective and 5th grade has started to make their 3D design cubes. Some students have even assembled their cubes and have started on a dreamcatcher.
While the 1st quarter brings the end of art for a time, it means that PE will begin for the second quarter.
I look forward to lovely weather and our Field Days in December for all grades!
Sincerely,
Ms. Hardison
Music News
♩ Our Kindergarten students are learning to become tuneful, beatful, and artful young musicians as we take our “First Steps in Music”, an early music curriculum by John Feierabend. Students are learning to use their singing voices appropriately, to feel the beat in music, and to move expressively. Hopefully your child has sung some of our songs at home for you!
♩ First, Second, and Third Grade students are learning to sing with head voice and correct pitch and mastering rhythm reading and recognition: speaking and clapping eighth, quarter, and half notes and their corresponding rests. Playing barred instruments (xylophones and metallophones) and ukuleles (2nd grade) have helped with this! Students have also learned tempo words, describing the speed of the beat (presto, allegro, andante, and largo).
♩ Third Graders have also started playing recorders, their first woodwind instrument! Please remind your child to keep his/her recorder in the backpack if they only have one.
♩ Fourth and Fifth Grade students are rehearsing for Christmas on Las Olas. This year, our musical is “Dear Santa.” Come to Las Olas Boulevard to watch our holiday performance on Tuesday, December 3, at 6:00 pm, next to The Cheesecake Factory. Many thanks already to the parent volunteers. 4 th and 5th Graders need to be practicing their songs at home to memorize them for the show. A wordsheet from the show has been sent home with each 4th and 5th Grade student. Please help your child to keep the paper until the end of December and not lose it. The website with practice videos and important information is www.padlet.com/MrCiotti/DearSanta
♩ We have also started to learn about the composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770- 1827). Born in Germany, he is famous for writing “Fur Elise”, “Symphony No. 5”, and “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9. Students have listened to excerpts of these pieces and learned facts about his life. Search for this music online and listen with your child!
Have a musical 2 nd Quarter!
Mr. Ciotti
Spanish News
Students researched on a Spanish country and put together a marvelous job. Our theme was “A Journey to Hispanic America!” in where the objectives were to become knowledgeable and aware of the Hispanic people and their varied and exciting culture. Their work will be in display for your enjoyment in our Media Center. ¡Fabuloso trabajo niños y niñas!
Students created a Book Jacket on Hispanic Astronauts, Singers, Soccer and Baseball Players, Tennis champions, Artists, Fashion Designers. Some examples: Ellen Ochoa, F.R. Chan-Díaz, Shakira, Pablo Picasso, Lionel Messi, Roberto Clemente, Alexander Rodríguez, Carolina Herrera. ¡Maravilloso trabajo niños y niñas! Students also celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by creating their very own PIÑATAS. Todos los VOLUNTARIOS son fantásticos.
Muchos gracias,
Sra. Kupferman
Media News
Hello Harbordale Families,
You did it! We are off to a fantastic start, and one quarter down! It is such a pleasure to be back at Harbordale as your Media Clerk! This year joining me in the Media Center is our wonderful Mr. Dinwiddie! Together we create a passion for Reading and Science!
In the media center, students check out “good fit” books based on their reading levels. Kindergarten and First grade students are allowed to check out one book for the week, and house the books in their classrooms for reading. Students in grades 3-5 are permitted to check out 1-3 books, and are allowed to take books home and return to media. Friendly reminder, if a book is lost or misplaced please email me Kindria.Davis@browardschools.com. It has been a pleasure seeing the excitement and love of reading in Media!
In science Students are introduced to a variety of topics through S.T.E.M. Students are engaged in Hands on activities and science experiments, indulging in the science world of research! Students have reviewed the Scientific method, Architecture, and buoyancy by completing science experiments, check out the photos! Students are encouraged to continue research at home, and show what they have learned with an adult.
As always, please encourage your student to keep reading and reach for the stars!
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go”
-Dr. Suess
Thank you for your continued support!
Love,
Mrs. Dria and Mr. Dinwiddie
Student Council News
Recycling News
The Recycling Club/Green Team has made over a decade of difference! Yes, Harbordale has taken a proactive approach toward our environment for more than ten years! Recycling Club members, students, and staff have all contributed toward the betterment of our environment. Thank you to our 2019-20 Green Team members, your responsibility, compassion, and cooperation is greatly appreciated!
Greenly,
Mrs. Vaughn and Ms. Guerrero