Cooper Connections: October
"Where We Never Give UP"
Attendance Matters
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
- Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important.
- Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Set a regular bed time and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
- Introduce your child to her teachers and classmates before school starts to help her transition.
- Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
Perfect Attendance
When Do Absences Become A Problem
Every Minute Matters
School Renovations
FABULOUS FIFTH GRADERS
We continue our study of Human Rights while reading the chapter book Esperanza Rising. Students will identify human rights violations in the books and compare them to modern life. The expedition will conclude with students creating a monologue as the main character Esperanza and her struggle to build a life in a society where, because of her gender, social status and ethnicity, she is not treated as an equal.
MATH
We are concluding our work with decimals and this month will start to explore Multi-Digit Whole Number and Decimal Fraction Operations. Students need to develop a deep understanding of fractions and decimals as parts of a whole. Students should be able to apply these concepts to money to understand each units’ true value.
News from Mrs. Walters Art Room
We are working hard in the art room and just starting to get messy!
Kinder: Painting, color mixing, lines & details
1st Grade: Learning about prints, printmaking and art tools
2nd Grade: Public art, architecture and rural communities
3rd Grade: Self- portraits, proportion and facial features
4th Grade: Painting, composition, geometric shape & poetry
5th Grade: Perseverance in art and life /self-portraits and symbolism
6th Grade: Mandalas ancient art inspired by geometric pattern
News from Mrs. Centineo's Music Room
· Band instruments have been distributed, lesson schedules have been posted, and our scholars have started their instrumental lessons. Parents, please continue to encourage your child to practice on their instrument 10 to 15 minutes, five days a week. REMINDER: IINSTRUMENTAL LESSONS ARE ALWAYS ON A DAY.
· Chorus rehearsals have begun and our singers are already working on songs for the holiday season. If your child has not returned their permission slip and still wishes to join a choral group, please email me (Madonna.cintineo@RCSDK12.org) or call me at 585-324-2010, x1270, and leave me a message.
· Scholars in grades 4 – 6 are continuing to learn how to play the ukulele. We know all of the parts of the ukulele and are practicing playing the C Chord and the G7 Chord. This month we’ll be adding the F Chord and taking a quiz on the parts of the ukulele.
· Our younger scholars will be experiencing a variety of activities for the month of October: learning about Hispanic Heritage; playing a variety of classroom instruments; singing and moving to Fall-themed poems, songs and dances; and of course, working on music literacy.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
“Gutterball”
The object is to pass the golf ball down the gutter using plastic pipes until they get the golf ball in the basket. The teams competed in the second class to get 3 or 6 points depending on which basket they chose to go for. Scholars were timed and we had a sixth grade group get up to 18 and 21 points. It was an exciting competition and they had a blast!
Cooper Circle
Website: https://www.rcsdk12.org/10
Location: 180 Ridgeway Avenue, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 585-324-2010
Facebook: facebook.com/rcsddwca
Twitter: @RCSDDWCA
A NOTE FROM THE COMPUTER LAB/MATH LAB
Zearn Math is a great math resource that is used daily in school K-5. Each student has a unique log in and password which can be acquired from your scholar’s teacher. The Zearn lessons are aligned with your child’s daily math lessons and also include practice of previous skills that are taught and needed for future learning. Feel free to let your child use Zearn at home or the public library on a tablet, laptop, or computer. Zearn: https://www.zearn.org