Simis Scoop
October 20, 2023
Principal's Letter
A Note from Mrs. Murray
Hi Simis Families,
Teachers are excited to meet with each of you next week at conferences! If you haven't signed up for conferences yet, please contact your child's teacher or the front office and we will send you the signup link. Next week we have half days on Thursday and Friday to accommodate our conference schedule. Friday culminates in a PATS Trunk or Treat celebration! You can learn more and RSVP at this link. We hope to see all of our families there!
With cooler mornings and warm afternoons our jacket/sweater collection in the lost and found is growing. Please make sure to check it for missing items. All items that are not picked up will be donated at the end of the semester.
Respectfully,
Lindsay Murray
What's Happening in Classrooms?
Wonder Wall
During each unit, teachers ask students to be inquirers. Students generate questions about their unit's central idea and post them in the classroom. As they explore the unit, there are opportunities for students to research and answer their questions. We love to see students develop their critical thinking skills as they explore each new concept through our Programme of Inquiry.
Close Reading
Our new Wonders reading curriculum adoption includes text samples that are designed to be read multiple times by students. Each time the students read the text, they look more closely at specific concepts within the text to make inferences and draw conclusions. As students progress into the higher grades at Simis, we begin to explicitly teach Close Reading strategies. These are strategies that help students think critically about the text. As we explore our IB units of study, students will read text closely to identify connections between the text and the world around them. You can encourage close reading at home by asking students to revisit the same text multiple times and look for something new each time. When we ask students about what stands out in text as interesting, what questions or predictions they have, and how they feel about the text they read, we are helping them to see reading as an avenue to learn about the world around them.
Preparing for Conferences
At conferences next week, please feel comfortable asking your child's teacher about academic, behavioral, and social development at school. We want to use conferences as an opportunity to partner with families to learn how to best support each individual students at Simis. Teachers will have current report card information, work samples, and assessment scores to share with you. If you have specific questions or concerns, it is helpful to email the teacher in advance so that they can tailor the conference to meet your needs. If you have questions about conferences, you can reach out to your child's teacher or to the front office.
Student Wellness
How do we want to feel at school?
After fall break, classes are reviewing school expectations and how we want to feel at school. This is represented through our class charters and essential agreements. Our class charters help us define how we want to feel and what actions we will take to help ourselves and others feel that way. We frequently revisit these charters as a tool to help build and maintain a positive classroom and school environment.
Being our Best Self
When we introduced the Meta Moment, students are asked to think of their "best self". This is when we are happiest, most successful, and feel the best about ourselves as people. One example of this in in our 1st grade where students created visuals of their best selves to help when practicing the Meta Moment.
Calming Center
Each classroom has an area where students can go when they are feeling dysregulated. These spaces allow students to practice self-regulation skills, calm their bodies, and prepare to rejoin the class. Students are encouraged to advocate for themselves and to identify when they need to visit the calming center. Teachers may also guide students to help them hone in on and develop their self-regulation skills.
Important Dates
TCT 1pm Early Release
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2023, 01:00 PM
Parent Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2023, 03:00 PM
Half Day- Parent Teacher Conferences
Thursday, Oct 26, 2023, 11:00 AM
No After-School Clubs
Thursday, Oct 26, 2023, 11:00 AM
Half Day- Parent Teacher Conferences
Friday, Oct 27, 2023, 11:00 AM
No After-School Clubs
Friday, Oct 27, 2023, 11:00 AM
Trunk or Treat
Friday, Oct 27, 2023, 05:00 PM
Announcements
Library Information
Did you know?
Families can browse through all the selections in the electronic library by browsing in the Destiny Discover website.
Simis Site Council Updates
Updates from the Health Office
Notes from Nurse Megan
If you have borrowed a pair of shorts, please return them clean ASAP.
Hearing & vision screenings will take place next week for all state required groups of students. If you have questions about screenings, please direct them toward the health office.
Please remember that students must stay home for a full 24 hours after any vomiting, diarrhea, or fever (100 or greater). Thank you for being considerate of others and keeping your child home when sick!
If your child is diagnosed with a communicable disease such as strep throat, flu, etc. please notify the attendance clerk or health office.
❓Questions❓ Contact: Nurse Megan RN, MSN, 602-664-7322, mbefort@madisoned.org
International Baccalaureate (IB)
Notes from Mrs. Powers
Madison Simis’ International Mindedness Day
What is International Mindedness?
According to IB, an internationally minded person is “open-minded about the common humanity of all people and accepts and respects other cultures and beliefs. The internationally minded person takes action through discussion and collaboration to help build a better and peaceful world.”
As a school community, we want to celebrate this!
March 7, 2024, is the tentative date for our first International Mindedness Day! Similar to Culture Day in years past but a bit different as we look ahead.
We invite all parents, relatives, and community members to share something about a country with us.
Maybe you lived in that country, or maybe you are from there, or maybe you are just passionate about the world- we would love to hear from you!
Go to the link below to sign up. A future meeting for all participants and helpers will be held in the Simis library to answer all questions and give lots of examples and help.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F084BA9AA2EA2F85-45456099-madison
Parent/Guardian Opportunities
THRIVE Parent Information Series
Madison School District just placed 4 new modules in our THRIVE section of the Madison website. These short and informative videos with experts in the field provide families with resources to approach and support their child in ways that align with the students of the Alpha and iGeneration.
School Lunch Visitor Registration Form
Sign up for a lunch visit here! Please read the details on the sign up form for more information.
As a reminder, we ask that all parents sit with their child at the visitor's table in the cafeteria and say goodbye as students head out to recess.