Simis Scoop
December 1, 2023
Principal's Letter
A Note from Mrs. Murray
Hi Simis Families,
This week students are participating in our mid-year screening assessments (FastBridge and NWEA MAP). We use this information to drive our instruction and determine what resources are needed to help students achieve high levels of academic growth. Teachers will share updates on student progress in the upcoming weeks.
We appreciate all of the generosity shown by our families through the Holiday Help program and our Turkey Trot canned food donations. Thank you for coming together as a school to support our community! Before Thanksgiving, I went through all lost and found items and delivered any identifiable items to students. Please remember to label all items that you send to school.
Any remaining lost and found items are available through December 21st. Then, on December 22nd we will donate them to a local shelter.
Respectfully,
Lindsay Murray
What's Happening in Classrooms?
Communication Strategies: Cooperative Conversations
Reading Strategy: Sound Sorting
You can help your younger students at home by having them sort words containing their letter of the week by beginning or end sound. For example, "dog" has the /d/ sound at the beginning of the word, while "rod" contains the /d/ sound at the end of the word. Older students can sort words by digraphs, blends, or vowel sound.
Inquiry Strategy: Connect-Extend-Challenge Thinking Routine
Thinking routines are essential tools for students to engage in deep exploration and critical thinking. The "Connect, Extend, Challenge" thinking routine is a structured approach that encourages students to connect new information to prior knowledge, extend ideas beyond initial comprehension, and identify areas of challenge or uncertainty. At home students can be asked to connect-extend-challenge themselves too! For example:
- Connect: After creating a piece of artwork, ask your child to describe what inspired them to make their creation
- Extend: Encourage your child to imagine how they could expand or transform their artwork using different materials or techniques.
- Challenge: Discuss any difficulties your child faced during the creation process.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
Notes from Mrs. Powers
What might you find in a typical IB classroom?
In the picture shown from Mrs. Beckett’s Kindergarten classroom you will see an example of way she breaks down the Central Idea with her students before every IB unit.The students create meaningful connections with the new vocabulary they learn in the Central Idea. They are also encouraged to ask questions and form new wonders about what they will learn. In the photos, you can also see the circle map the class created together to introduce the new IB unit.
An example for 3rd and 4th grade, is how students showcase their learning in multiple modalities. Rather that always taking a test or writing an essay, students will represent the concepts they learned about visually or through a project based learning assignment. Students will make connections across content areas to and show how the central idea, key concepts, and learner profiles all relate. Each assessment will be evaluated based on the level of mastery of state standards and academic skills taught within the unit of study.
Every classroom at Simis will have the Transdisciplinary Theme, Central Idea, Key Concepts, and Learner Profile posted for their IB unit. Students at Simis get a well-rounded and global education!
Student Wellness
Building a Kindness Routine
This last month we focused on kindness as a Simis community. We continue to build student skills in appreciating others, being an upstander, and demonstrating our Simis expectations of being Safe, Respectful and Responsible around campus. Students came together to build Kind bracelets to give to others Madison schools, and completed kindness activities and challenges in classes. We become intrinsically motivated to demonstrate kindness when it is part of our daily practice. If you would like to help students practice kindness at home this month, we have included a calendar of daily activities students can engage in with families.
Important Dates
TCT 1pm Early Release
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023, 01:00 PM
TCT 1pm Early Release
Wednesday, Dec 13, 2023, 01:00 PM
Spelling Bee (Grade 3 and 4 finalists)
Friday, Dec 15, 2023, 08:30 AM
TCT 1pm Early Release
Wednesday, Dec 20, 2023, 01:00 PM
School Closed for Winter Break
Friday, Dec 22, 2023, 07:15 AM
Library Information
Update on library books
This letter was posted to our school website on 11/28 and referenced in the Scoop sent home on 11/17. This letter is to inform you that we have purchased new books/materials for our library as of 11/30/23. State law requires schools to post a list of all library books and materials purchased after January 1, 2023, on the district’s website and the school’s website for at least sixty (60) days after the purchase of the items (this does not include replacement books/materials). In addition, state law mandates that schools notify parents of the opening and closing public review period within seven (7) school days prior to the opening date. This notice informs again that the opening date of the public review period for newly purchased library books/materials as 11/30/23 and the closing date as 01/29/24. (A.R.S. 15-721/A.R.S. 15-722).
Did you know?
A new book list is posted. Please check the Madison Simis webpage for more information. Families can browse through all the selections in the electronic library by browsing in the Destiny Discover website.
Simis Site Council Updates
General Announcements
Updates from the Health Office
Notes from Nurse Megan
- Health Office reminder
Students must stay home for a full 24 hours after any fever, vomiting or diarrhea. They should also stay home from school if they have a persistent cough, redness/swelling or signs of infection to their throat, or an unidentified rash that hasn't been cleared by a medical provider. You will be asked to pick up your student from school for any of the above symptoms.
When in doubt, please keep your child home. If you have questions/concerns about whether your student can be at school, please call the health office at 602-664-7322, or email mbefort@madisoned.org. Thank you for being considerate of our school community and keeping your student home when sick.
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.