The Mallard Navigator
Forts Pond Elementary School
February 2019
Important Dates for February
February
1 LIM Parent Lighthouse Meeting at 8:30 A.M. in Parent Resource Center
School Improvement Council Meeting at 9:00 A.M. in Parent Resource Center
2 Legos and Leaders 10:00-11:30 A.M. in Learning Commons
4-8 School Counselor Week
7 4k, 5k, and 1st grade registration for 2019-2020 school year 7:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
11-15 Bus Driver Appreciation Week
Mallard Moms 7:00 A.M. in Learning Commons
15 No School for Students
18 Regular School Day - Not a weather make-up day
22 All Pro Dads 7:00 A.M. in Learning Commons
Spring Pictures - Individual and Class
25-March 1 Read Across America Week
Congratulations!
Research has shown that simple learning activities done at home are the type of parent involvement most likely to improve school success. Recipes for Success includes more than a dozen simple, low- to no-cost, easy-to-follow activities that any family can do. Each monthly “poster” helps boost skills in:
- reading
- writing
- math
- science
- social studies
- homework habits
- concentration
Plus, every issue includes tips to build character traits like:
- respect
- responsibility
- confidence
- empathy
- perseverance
First grade students typed letters using Microsoft Word to send to 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron(EMXS)/455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group(EMXG), stationed in Afghanistan. The group sent a picture of their group back to the students.
Mrs. Mahoney, School Counselor for grades 3-5, was recognized by the SC State Treasurer's Office. She has been using the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program with her fifth-grade students for three years. Using the Vault platform powered by EverFi, the web-based, interactive program engages students to make learning financial skills interesting and fun.
Daisy Completes Recipe for Success
455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron
Mrs. Mahoney Recognized
Yearbooks
Yearbook ID Code: 11855319
Deadline
February 28 ordering online
Leaders of the Month
Grade 5k - John Perza, Stephanie Izquierdo-Buenrostro, Amyiah Austin, Katlyn Smith,
Brian Simmons, Emma Stutts, Michelle Weathington, Christopher Gilpatrick
Grade 1 - Sarah Pinckney, Cole Johnson, Jareth Lyday, Andrea Rodriguez-Ramos, Ashley Wilson, Jeremiah Figueroa, Eden Baskin, Bella Cross, Jakobe Heyward
Grade 2 - Brenton Jones, Haley Cevallos, Hadley Rawl, Jesselen Gordon, Cristian Benitez, Addy Paulk, Taylynn Baughman, River Terry
Grade 3- Kaleb Ulmer, Madison McKinnon,Logan Patterson, Elizabeth Burgell,
Ayiana Donovan, Lynsey King, Samuel Miles, Damon Brown, Blake Brown, Kaleb Boyd
Grade 4 - Jazzlyn Heyward, Will Green, Ittay Oseguera-Rivera, Wyatt Sexton,
Jenny Poe, Shavon Noel, David Thompson, Abby Summers
Grade 5 - Rafael Cardenas-Lopez, Alexis Carter, Jamileth Villanueva, Dylan Davis,
Mallory Haynes, Tanner McCraw, Cesar Crispin-Vazquez, Abigail Downs, Deborah Louvier
Important Date Changes
The dance scheduled for February 7 has been cancelled. It has been rescheduled for March 29 and this dance will be for 5th grade only.
February 18, March 15, and April 22 will be regular school days. Theses days were originally weather make up days.
June 5 is the last day for students and will be a half day with students dismissed at 11:40.
Bottle Caps
Run Hard
Attendance
Counselor Corner
National School Counselor Week is February 4th-8th. This year's National School Counseling Theme is "Providing Lessons for Life".
Lessons for February
K-2nd Erin's Law lessons
3rd-5th will finish up Academic Success Lessons and begin Erin's Law Lessons3rd grade families, please look for a sign up sheet for small groups beginning the last week of February.
Contact your child's school counselor if you have any questions or concerns about your child.
Cindy Hill grades 4k- 2nd 821-2510
Gina Mahoney 3rd-5th 821-2598
Daily Parent Engagement Tips
Check out FPES Daily Parent Engagement Tips on our school website. Below you can see two examples of tips that were on our website this week.
Set the standard for good behavior
Well-behaved students make the school a pleasant and productive learning environment. To teach good behavior at home, work with your child to set clear rules and consequences. Talk with him about school rules, too, and let him know that you support them. Then set a good example: Make sure that your behavior matches the behavior you want to see from your child.
It's persistence, not perfection, that will see your child through
Successful students don't quit when schoolwork gets difficult. To help your child develop an "I can finish this" attitude, never offer to finish a project for her. Instead, help her develop a step-by-step plan for completing long-term assignments on time. Then praise her for her work on each step of the process, not just for the final result. Help her keep in mind that persistence is more important than perfection.
Turn a walk into a fun way to learn
Sometimes the best way for a child to learn about the world is to get out in it. Try taking a "Stop, Look and Listen Walk" together. Walk for 100 steps, then stop for 30 seconds and make a record of everything you see and hear. Or take a "Question Walk," and think of questions about what you see (Why don't pine trees lose their needles?). Help your child find the answers when you get home.
Leader in Me Habit 6
Habit 6: Synergize
Synergy is achieved through two or more people working together to create a better solution than either would have thought of alone. It’s not your way or my way, but a better way.
Think of 1+ 1 = 3 (or more).
How is this possible? Well, 1 person + another person = 2 ideas+ many, many more that neither of them would have thought of alone.
It’s taking good ideas and making them better by working together, looking for a third alternative. Synergy is a great tool for families.
While learning about Habit 6, the students will:
- Express and present information and ideas clearly in oral, visual, and written forms.
- Use their own unique talents and abilities to the fullest; value others’ talents and abilities.
- Cultivate the ability to inspire, motivate, and draw out the best in others.
- Communicate and work as a team in a multicultural and interdependent world.
- Show initiative.
Expect your child to use words and phrases like synergy, working together, 1 + 1 = 3(or more), and “better idea than we could come up with alone” in their conversations. You can encourage your child by using some of these words at home.
Leader in Me Habit 7
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Sharpen the Saw is best explained through this simple story:
A woodcutter strained to saw down a tree. A young man who was watching asked, “What are you doing?” “Are you blind?” the woodcutter replied. “I’m cutting down this tree.” The young man wanted to help. “You look exhausted! Take a break. Sharpen your saw.” The woodcutter explained to the young man that he had been sawing for hours and did not have time to take a break. The young man pushed back… “If you sharpen the saw, you would cut down the tree much faster.”
Habit 7 reminds us that we are more productive when we are in balance: body, brain, heart, and soul. If one area is being ignored or overused, the rest will feel the results. A good analogy for children is a car needing all 4 tires; as leaders of themselves, they need to take car of all 4 parts.
While learning about Habit 7, the students will:
- Demonstrate healthy ways to express needs, wants, and feelings.
- Develop strong interpersonal skills, self-reliance, self-confidence, and self-discipline.
- Demonstrate characteristics of a responsible friend and family member.
- Recognize the relationship between personal behavior and individual well-being.
- Strive to be healthy for life.
Expect your child to use words and phrases like Sharpen the Saw, 4 parts of myself: body, mind, heart, and soul, it’s like 4 tires of a car, taking care of myself, and balance. You can encourage your child by using some of these words at home.
PTO NEWS
We have decided to cancel the two dances we had scheduled for February and March. Several things were taken into consideration with our decision. We are working on another family event for later in the school year or another type of fundraiser.
However, we have decided to have a 5th grade only dance. Please stay tuned for more information.
Lost and Found
If you would like to see if your child has any items in the lost and found, please come to the front office. You will be given a visitor's badge so you can look for lost items in lost and found.
FPES Leadership Clubs
Mallard Moms
February 11 at 7:00 A.M. - 7:35 A.M.
Please join us with your child/children at our Mallard Moms meeting. We invite any mom, grandmother, aunt, or any other significant female in your child's life to come with your child/children for a light breakfast and a themed discussion and activity together. Although short in length, the time is special and will make your child's day start with pride.
For further information, please contact Judy Moore at 821-2552, or email jvmoore@lexington1.net.
All Pro Dads
This is an open invitation to dads, grandfathers, uncles, or any other significant male who may be part of your child's life. Come enjoy a light breakfast and enjoy some "special moment" time as we strive to grow in the time we spend with our children.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. McDermet at 821-2500. You may also reach him by email at mmcdermet@lexington1.net.
Title I Parent Engagement
If you plan to attend, please contact Mrs. Judy Moore by calling or emailing.
(803)821-2552
If you are unable to attend, but have suggestions, please email or call Michelle Smith.
(803)821-2500
A Glance at March Dates
1 Read Across America Day
6 Collaborative Planning Day - Dismiss @ 11:40
10 Day Light Savings Time Begins - set clocks ahead 1 hour
11 Mallard Moms @ 7:00 A.M.
15 Regular School Day - Not a Weather Make-Up Day
22 All Pro Dads @ 7:00 A.M.
25-29 Spring Book Fair
26 Pelion Area Schools Community Showcase 5:30 P.M. - 7:00 A.M.
27 End of Third Nine Weeks
29 PTO Dance for 5th grade students
ELA Academic Information
On February 14 from 7:30 - 8:00 A.M., kindergarten parents are invited to a parent workshop, Read with Someone You Love. It will be a great time reading with your child.
Parent workshop Boys and Books will be on February 14 at 3:30. After the workshop Porkchop Theater will perform.
Do you need resources to be able to read aloud to your child? If so contact Judy Moore, our Title I Parent Liaison. She will be glad to help you get these resources. You may reach her by email at jvmoore@lexington1.net or by phone at 821-2552.
Reading with Boys
At FPES our data team studied last year's SC Ready ELA scores. We found that 43% of our girls in grades 3-5 scored met or exceeds in ELA while only 28% of our boys in these same grades scored met or exceeds.
There has been a lot of talk about boys and reading. Why don’t boys like to read? What can we do to encourage them to read? What is the difference in learning for boys and girls?
Last month, we shared 5 strategies for encouraging boys to read. Here are 5 more strategies to use with your son.
Here are some tips for encouraging boys to read.
1. Incorporate Technology into Reading
According to Neu and Weinfeld (2007), there is not necessarily a greater value in reading a book than in reading online. Boys tend to gravitate to the computer and the Internet can be a great source of informational text for boys. If a child wants to know the answer to a particular question, use a book and the Internet to find answers. This provides lessons in reading multiple sources, as well. Encourage older boys to use publishing programs to create visual representations of the text. This provides boys with an opportunity to process their reading.
2. Create Competitions
Challenge boys to informal spelling bees, brainteasers, or studying competitions. Boys thrive on challenges and competition can be the stimulant they need to really care about reading (Gurian, 2005).
3. Match Books to Interests/Allow Choice
One of the most important things we can do for boys is to allow them to choose their own reading materials. Even if the material is above or below their reading level, if it is a text on a topic that interests them, allow them to read it. A book that is “too easy” may allow him to feel good about reading; a book that is “too hard” may allow him to stretch his reading skills. By allowing boys choice, we are providing opportunities for them to develop reading skills without the added stress of disliking the text.
4. Encourage Audio Reading
Make recordings of yourself, or a male role model reading your child’s favorite books (or buy commercial books on CD). When you are unavailable to read to him, have him listen to the recording and follow along. Hearing books read aloud is a powerful way to increase boys’ interest in reading.
5. Encourage Reading of Humorous, Gross, Violent and/or Silly Books
Oh boy! This is a big one! If it grosses out mom, then a boy will probably find it engrossing. And that is the goal when getting boys to read. We want them engrossed in whatever it is that they are reading. If it takes a gross, humorous, silly, and/or violent (within reason) text to do it, then so be it!
Box Tops
Here is how Box Tops work.
Buy the products + Clip the Box Tops + Send Box Tops to school = $$$$$
Community Events
Pelion Baseball Daddy Daughter Dance will be held on February 8 at Pelion High School Gym. The dance will be held from 6:00-9:00. The deadline for reduced price was February 1. You may still attend and the cost is $25. Please email courtney@overflowevents.com
Join us on March 26 from 5:30-7:00 for Pelion Area School Showcase. You and your family will have a chance to chat with teachers from all fours schools, listen to live performances, and eat dinner for free. Also there is a baseball game that night against Gilbert. The cost for the game is $5.
Lexington County School District One’s Nondiscrimination Statement
Revised 09-04-2018
Lexington County School District One is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all students, parents/legal guardians, staff, visitors, personnel and community members who participate or seek to participate in its programs or activities. Therefore, the district does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or any related medical conditions), color, disability, age, genetic information, national origin, or any other applicable status protected by local, state, or federal law.
The district will use the grievance procedures set forth in policy to process complaints based on alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008; and Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The district designates specific individuals to handle inquiries or complaints. To find out who to contact and how to contact them, please go to our website at http://www.lexington1.net/contact-us.