Old Mill Pond News
November 2019
Preschool News
November News from Kindergarten
What a fun month we just had! Our trip to the pumpkin patch was a hit! We learned so much about pumpkins.
This month, we will be starting Unit 3 in Wonders and ECRI. The letters we will be concentrating on are I,N, and C.
We will talk about Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving in science and social studies.
In math, our focus is quantities of numbers 0-10, counting backwards and varied configurations. Practice writing numbers 0-6 at home.
News in Grade 1
Welcome Fall! First graders have established all routines in ECRI, Wonders, Math and now our new program WINN. This is an acronym for what I need now. Students travel to a room for 30 minutes per day to receive instruction in an area of need in reading or math. Students are enjoying this time block and look forward to it daily.
In reading (Wonders) all classrooms have begun unit 2. The big idea is Community. They will learn about different jobs, types of homes, different animals and how to make our community a better place.
In math we have exposed students to different strategies they can use to compose and decompose numbers to 10. As students develop their number sense, they will begin to use more efficient strategies for this. We will soon begin exposing students to subtraction.
Please remind all students of the importance of following school and classroom rules and being good citizens within our school community.Second Grade News
Grade 3 News
Along with our new Math program, we are using a correlating website called Zearn. When using it, the students progress through the lesson of each module. If your child is struggling in Math, you may want to have them use Zearn at home to brush up on the lessons learned in school. There is often not enough time during the day to work through all of the lessons. They are also great if you are unsure how to help them. The students also enjoy it!!
In Science, we have all finished our Plant Unit. We are now moving on to a Social Studies unit on the Pilgrims and Native Americans. This is a wonderful unit and the children are very excited. If you ever have the chance to bring your child to Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, you would have a wonderful time; and your child will have so much knowledge to share with you! We highly recommend it.
4th Grade News
5th Grade’s November News
Reminders:
As Flu season approaches, please remind your students to wash their hands and to remain home if they are sick.
We are in constant need of tissues, glue sticks, Lysol wipes, and whiteboard markers. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and donations.
Math News: All math classes are continuing to work on place value and applying that knowledge to adding, subtracting, and multiplying decimals. Students have a much deeper understanding of how regrouping works as they move from place to place on the place value chart and carry groups of tens to the next place. Students have worked extremely hard, but it really showed on their module assessment. This assessment required them to use their reading and math skills cohesively to solve real life problems.
Please continue to practice multiplication facts nightly as these are the foundation for much of our future work in fifth grade.
English News: It’s hard to believe that first quarter is already over and second quarter has started! ELA classes are finishing up (or have already) Unit 1 in Wonders. Students are working on applying the reading comprehension strategies learned in Unit 1. Mrs. Mignault’s classes are completing a novel study with Bridge to Terabithia. All ELA classes will be focusing on longer written pieces for a variety of purposes. Please continue to make sure your child is reading for twenty minutes a night. Don’t forget, for the most recent grades; check out Old mill Pond’s Portal. (www.plusportals.com/oldmillpondschool)
Social Studies and Science News: Some classes just returned from a simulated journey across the Atlantic Ocean to find new lands for Europe. Students took on the role of sailors in 1492. While there were many dangers to overcome, most sailors survived the journey. Our science units have focused on the Earth, moon, and planets, as well as the water cycle. We studied the patterns of rotation and revolution of the Earth, and how they affect our lives. We learned the phases of the moon, constellations, the seasons, and the planets. Next quarter, we will study the early English colonies in social studies and either the water cycle or “Spaceship Earth” in science.
OMP Comics
One day Nate walks out of his room very sluggishly. It is Monday, the worst day of all. Suddenly his dad walks by and yells at him to WAKE UP AND GET MOVING. But as soon as his dad passes into the next room, Nate falls asleep again.
By: Iian Dumlao and Owen Pear
November Dates to Remember
Monday, November 4 - No Preschool
Tuesday, November 5 - School BankingWednesday, November 6 - PTO Meeting, 6pm
Friday, November 8 - Report Cards Issued
Monday, November 11 - Veterans Day; No School
Tuesday, November 19 - School Banking
Thursday, November 21 - OMP Parent/Teacher Conferences; 4-7pm
Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29 - Thanksgiving Recess
OMP Winter Concert
The holidays are quickly approaching and that means it is almost concert time!
The OMP Winter concert will run a bit differently this year. Concerts will not be during the school day. The concert is Tuesday December 17th at the PHS auditorium. Grades K-2 (plus drama club) will be from 5:30pm to 6:30pm (arrival time is 5:00). Grades 3-5 (plus drama club) will be from 7:00pm-8:00pm (arrival time is 6:30).
Students are asked to dress nicely, holiday colors are encouraged. Santa hats, headbands, etc are great (just nothing that blinks or is loud). Additional accessories may be required as well. Notices will go home for individual grades shortly.
The concerts are free and open to the public. Feel free to stay for both concerts if you wish.
Happy Holidays!
Mrs. Kida
The Old Mill Pond Drama Club
Under the direction of Mrs. Rapagnola and Mrs. Kida, the OMP Drama Club is starting up again! Students from grades 4 and 5 will have the opportunity to participate in Drama Club for two shows this year. First, we will be performing a song at the OMP Music Winter Concert on December 17th, and some members will serve as narrators for the concert as well. Second, we will be running our big show again this spring! More information will be coming later for the spring show.
Sign up sheets have already gone out to interested 4th and 5th graders. The Drama Club rehearsals will be Thursdays afterschool until 5pm starting Nov. 7th.
We are excited to get the Drama Club up and running again. Please come out and see the wonderful things we will be doing this year!
OMP Counseling Corner:
This month, the counseling office will be focusing on incorporating Gratitude into our individual counseling sessions, lunch groups, classroom check-ins, and more! Gratitude is defined as “the feeling of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” Research has shown that regularly practicing gratitude helps increase a general sense of well-being, improves relationships, improves sleep quality, and leads to experiencing positive emotions more often.
Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day!
Ways that children, adolescents and adults can cultivate gratitude:
Ask everyone in your family to share the best part of their day
Keep a gratitude journal
Write a thank-you note and deliver it to someone
Meditate
Practice random acts of kindness
Focus on your strengths
Volunteer/community service to help others
“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.” - Kristin Armstrong
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” - Oprah Winfrey
Happy November from the ESL Corner!
Wida Model Benchmarks will go home this month in Report Card envelopes. Be on the lookout for those reports. The reports show students’ progress towards learning English. We are pleased with all of their hard work. Thank you, as always, for your support at home.
Also this month, some students received reading logs to encourage them to read at home. They are earning special activities in our classroom. We are working with all ESL students to improve reading because reading skills affect all other subjects. Studies show that students who read at home at least 20 minutes per day, have the greatest chances of becoming top students in their grades.
Finally, look out for the Classtag invitation letters or emails coming by the end of the first week in November. This program is an online communication software that can be used on your phone (like Class Dojo) that allows information to be shared in many languages.
Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Kelly Simpkiss
Christine Rapagnola
PALMER PUBLIC SCHOOLS ILLNESS GUIDELINES
How Sick IS TOO SICK?
In the event that your child becomes sick please call the school.
There are three main reasons to keep children at home:
The child doesn’t feel well enough to take part in normal activities.
The child needs more care than the nurse, teacher, staff can give.
The illness is on this list and staying home is recommended. Please call your school nurse
if you have any questions regarding an illness.
SYMPTOMS
CHILD MUST BE AT HOME?
DIARRHEA
Frequent, loose or watery stools compared to child’s normal ones that are not caused by food or medicine.
YES: if your child looks or acts sick: if your child has diarrhea with fever and isn’t acting normally: if your child has diarrhea with vomiting.
FEVER with behavior changes or other illness.
YES: when the child has a rash, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, sore muscles, difficulty breathing etc.
“FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS”
Fever of 100.4 degrees F with a cough or sore throat. Other flu symptoms can include tiredness, body aches, vomiting, and diarrhea.
YES: for at least 24 hours after fever is gone, without the use of medicine that reduces the fever.
COUGHING
Note: Children with asthma may go to school with a written health plan and the nurse is allowed to give them medicine and treatment.
YES: If severe, uncontrolled coughing or wheezing, rapid or difficulty breathing and medical attention is necessary.
CROUP
MILD RESPIRATORY OR COLD SYMPTOMS:
Stuffy nose with clear drainage, sneezing, mild cough
Seek medical advice.
NO: may attend school if able to take part in school activities.
Keep home if symptoms are severe, this includes fever and if your child is not acting normally and/or has tr
RASH WITH FEVER
YES: call the doctor. Any rash that spreads quickly, has open weeping wounds and/or is not healing should be evaluated.
VOMITING
Throwing up two or more times in the past 24 hours.
YES: Until vomiting stops/MD states is not contagious. Watch for dehydration.
CHICKEN POX
YES: Until blisters have dried and crusted (usually 6 days).
CONJUNCTIVITIS (PINK EYE)
Pink or red eye/eyes with thick mucus or pus draining from the eye.
YES: May return 24hrs after treatment begins.
FIFTH’S DISEASE
NO: Child is no longer contagious once rash appears.
HAND, FOOT, MOUTH DISEASE (Coxsackie virus)
NO: Unless the child has mouth sores, is drooling and isn’t able to take part in usual activities.
HEAD LICE OR SCABIES
See Lice Policy
HEPATITIS A
YES: Until 1 week after the start of illness and when able to take part in usual activities.
HERPES
NO: Unless the child has open sores that cannot be covered or is drooling uncontrollably.
IMPETIGO/STAPH/MRSA INFECTION
YES: for 24 hours after starting antibiotics and then the wound must be covered with a clean dry dressing and taped on all four sides and secure.
RINGWORM
YES: Until treatment has been started or if the lesion cannot be covered. If on the scalp, until 24 hours after treatment has been started. Any child with ringworm should not participate in gym, swimming, and other close contact activities that are likely to expose others until 72 hours after treatment has begun or until the lesions can be completely covered.
ROSEOLA
YES: If your child has a fever and a rash, call the doctor.
RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
YES: Until fever is gone and the child is well enough to participate in routine activities.
STREP THROAT
YES: For 24 hours after starting antibiotics and the child is able to participate in usual activities.
VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASES: MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA, PERTUSSIS (whooping cough)
YES: The doctor must state that the child is no longer contagious.
Also if a child is not vaccinated for a vaccine preventable illness they must be kept at home until the danger of being infected has passed.
YEAST INFECTIONS/THRUSH/CANDIDA
NO: Follow good hand washing and hygiene.