Davis Elementary School
March 2019 Newsletter
From The Principal
Hello from Davis Elementary School! We are starting to emerge from the winter doldrums with spring slowly coming into sight. It is time to start narrowing our focus on third marking period learning goals and closing out the 2018-2019 school year in style! Our students have been working incredibly hard throughout the year and are poised to make HUGE gains as the year winds down.
There are a lot of activities taking place throughout the spring at Davis. Now is the time for parents and families to get involved! Our next Home & School meeting is scheduled for March 4, 2019 beginning at 6:15 PM. The meeting will take place in the Davis Elementary School library. Come and hear about events taking place this spring and the ways in which you are able to support your children through this great organization! We are always looking for help and support in making events for our students successful.
This is the time of the school year when accumulated student absences begin to have an impact on learning. Just two days of missed school per month, throughout the year, could place a student weeks behind his or her grade-level peers by years end, particularly in the area of reading. So much time is lost trying to catch-up on missed work, leading to a potentially wider gap with their counterparts. Students with better attendance tend to be happier, exhibit better social skills among their peers, forge stronger friendships and are more likely to be at or above grade level in reading. Healthy diet, plenty of fluids and appropriate rest are all critical components of student health, success and learning at school. An apple a day...! Thank you for your support in making sure your child attends school on a daily basis. If your child is absent, please remember to send in an absence excuse or email daattendance@centennialsd.org with the absence note.
Kindest Regards,
Andrew J. Doster, Principal
From The Nurse
March comes in like a “Lion and goes out like a Lamb” and flu season is still in full swing. It is not too late to get a flu vaccine. The recommend time is early in the season, starting in the month of September. However, flu vaccines can be administered through the month of May! It takes up to 2 weeks to obtain immunity. Here are a few “flu facts” retrieved from the CDC.
Preventing Seasonal Flu: The first and most important step in preventing flu is to get a flu vaccine each year. The flu vaccine has been shown to reduce flu related illnesses and the risk of serious flu complications that can result in hospitalization or even death.The CDC also recommends everyday preventive actions (like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent hand washing) to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory (nose, throat, and lungs) illnesses, like flu.
Misconceptions about Flu Vaccines
Can a flu vaccine give you the flu?: No.
Flu vaccines cannot cause flu illness. Flu vaccines given with a needle (i.e., flu shots) are currently made in two ways: the vaccine is made either with (a) flu viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ (killed) and that therefore are not infectious, or (b) using only a single gene from a flu virus (as opposed to the full virus) in order to produce an immune response without causing infection.
Do I really need a flu vaccine every year?: Yes.
the CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for just about everyone 6 months and older, even when the viruses the vaccine protects against have not changed from the previous season. The reason for this is that a person’s immune protection from the vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccination is needed to get the “optimal” or best protection against the flu.
Why do some people not feel well after getting the seasonal flu vaccine?
Some people report having mild reactions to flu vaccination. The most common side effects from flu shots are soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given. Low-grade fever, headache and muscle aches also may occur. If these reactions occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days. In randomized, blinded studies, where some people get inactivated flu shots and others get salt-water shots, the only differences in symptoms was increased soreness in the arm and redness at the injection site among people who got the flu shot. There were no differences in terms of body aches, fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat.
One final reminder, March is National Nutrition Month! Please remind your child that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Just like a car needs gas, a healthy breakfast provides fuel for the body, to start the day off right.
Eating breakfast helps prevent headaches, stomachaches and “morning fog”, which are common complaints among school age children.
Mornings can be hectic, but something as simple as grabbing a granola bar and a bottle of water can make all the difference.
Be aware of cereals and other foods that are high in sugar and try to stick to foods with more protein or fiber. These will fill your child’s belly and sustain them longer until they can “refuel” at lunch.
At Davis, breakfast is available every morning in the cafeteria, as well as a “grab and go” cart in the hallway, for those who are really in a hurry to get to class.
Stay Healthy and Safe! Please call the Nursing office at (215) 364-5970, Ext. 15025 with any questions or concerns regarding your child’s school health.
-Valerie Breiner, RN, Certified School Nurse
The Counselor's Corner
Parenting classes start on March 1st! We meet from 9-10 am on Friday mornings at Davis. We are using the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting Program. If you are interested, please refer to the e-alerts to register for the class.
The Splash Club Community Service Group continues to meet on Wednesday mornings. We are looking forward to our next project, which is Operation Helping Hand! The students will be collecting non-perishable items for the food pantries in Bucks County. The collection will be held the week of March 4th-11th Please check your child’s Wednesday Express for information.
In Guidance, the students are learning about the following:
Kindergarten- learning about feelings and how to express them.
Second grade- what to do when you are a bystander in a bullying situation as well as strategies to handle stress and worry.
Fourth grade-lessons will begin soon. They will focus on self value and self worth as well as some career exploration activities.
Fifth grade-how to stay safe online
As always if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to either of our counselors.
Christi Ward
Grades 1, 2,3
(215)364-5970 x15030
Bob Immerman
Grades K, 4, 5
(215-364-5970 x 15031
The Reading Corner
7 Great Ways to Encourage Writing
If your child struggles with writing, it’s important to find new and exciting ways to encourage writing. Here are some creative strategies to try.
1: Write a “Convince Me!” letter
Writing isn’t just about telling stories or reporting on books. There are many ways your child can use words, including trying to convince others to agree with her. You can help her practice this type of writing by letting her argue with you—in writing!
Choose a topic you don’t agree on, such as allowance or bedtime. Have your child write you a letter trying to convince you to change your mind. The catch? She has to use facts, quotes and logic to back up her argument.
2: Play a game with pictures
Photos and images are great story sparkers. Do a web search and find a few interesting images. Or cut out pictures from magazines. The pictures can be realistic, such as a photo of students on a playground. Or they can be fantastical images, such as a superhero flying in space.
Glue a couple images into a notebook. Then ask your child to write about one of them. You can prompt her, asking her to include what she sees, what the people are thinking, what will happen next — or just let her imagination run free.
3: Play “Tell Me How”
In this activity your child pretends she’s writing to a space alien who doesn’t know anything about our culture. This alien does everything exactly as it’s said or written.
Your child’s job is to choose an everyday task, like brushing her teeth or making a sandwich. Then, she needs to write step-by-step directions about how to do the task for the alien. When she’s done, you get to be the alien and try to follow the steps exactly as she wrote them. She may be surprised at what she left out!
4: Make an “I Can” book
As your child learns to write, she’ll also be learning other new skills. Making an “I Can” book will let her practice writing skills and keep track of her other accomplishments. Staple together a bunch of blank sheets of paper to make a book. As your child reaches a new milestone, such as learning to tie her shoes or hit a baseball, she can draw a picture on a new page of the book. Younger kids can then write, “I can tie my shoes.” Older kids can write a few sentences about what they’ve accomplished.
5: Play “Fortunately/Unfortunately”
This turn-taking writing game is based on a classic kids’ book by Remy Charlip called Fortunately. In it, something lucky happens and then something unlucky happens. Each event is introduced by either the word “fortunately” or the word “unfortunately.”
To play, take a piece of paper and write a sentence beginning with “Fortunately,” such as “Fortunately it was a sunny day. I wanted to play outside.” Pass the paper to the next player, who will add an “unfor- tunately” sentence, such as “Unfortunately, I had to clean my room.” Keep going until the story is too silly to continue.
6: Make a journal jar
A journal doesn’t have to be a diary. It can also be a book where your child writes about ideas or answers questions, like “If you could do anything next summer, what would you choose?” A journal jar is a place to keep all those ideas and questions.
Wash and decorate a wide-mouthed jar, like one that used to contain peanut butter. Then, write or print out journal prompts on slips of paper. Ask your child to pull out one prompt each day and write about it in her journal.
7: Create a family scrapbook
A family scrapbook is a great way to save memories and jump-start your child’s writing. Use an inexpensive photo album to keep souvenirs of things you do together. This can include photos, ticket stubs, and found objects, like pretty leaves.
Your child can begin by writing the date and a line about where you were and what you did. Then, you can work together to write a more detailed summary. Don’t forget to include funny or even annoying moments!
PSSA Testing Dates
During the months of April and May, students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will complete the Pennsylvania System of State Assessment (PSSA). These tests are in the areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The testing dates are as follows:
English Language Arts - April 23-25
Mathematics - April 29-30
Science - Grade 4 only - May 1
Geography Bee
Spelling Bee
Davis Elementary School held it’s Spelling Bee on Friday, February 15th. The competition created exciting buzz around the building! We are proud of Madision S, Evan G, Dillan S, Drew S, Zahin Q, Arda O, Shaun D, Amelia L, Easton B, Aidan W, Adrianna V, Nathan M, RJ S, Kasiana C, Shane B, Damian P, Shane R, Grace S, Luke M, Brea D. They were able to stand tall and show their spelling prowess to faculty, students, and families in the audience. Our students worked hard to fly through parts of words, origins, definitions, and spelling rules to gain insight to those lists of words they were able to work through. It was a swarm of suspense as words like gypsum and juxtapose were posed to our students. Out of 41 original competitors, Aidan W (winner) and RJ S (second place winner ) fluttered back and forth for a true word hive-off.
A special thank you to our 4th and 5th grade teachers, Mr. Doster, Dr. Matik, Mr. Immerman, Ms. Infanti, and Ms. McArdle for their efforts in coordinating this event!
Pennies For Patients
Pennies for Patients is an annual event of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society to raise money and awareness to fight blood cancers. Davis Elementary School is proud to have participated again this year in this worthwhile cause. The Splash Club Community Service Group organized and distributed materials to teachers and students, and our fantastic families and community members have done the rest. As of the publication of this newsletter, Davis has raised over $3000.00 in both coin and online donations. A number of teachers and students have volunteered to count coins.
We are so grateful to the entire Davis community for their support of Pennies for Patients!
From The Cafeteria
Reminder-Absences
While coming to school each and every day is important, it is equally important to monitor our children’s health. If a child is sick, please keep him/her home. Our teachers will work with students who have fallen ill to make sure they do not fall behind in the classroom.
If your child is absent from school, you will be notified via a voice message that will come to the primary phone number listed in Skyward. In addition, an email will be sent to the first email address listed in Skyward. Please be sure that your phone number and email address is updated in Skyward. If an automated call is made, and you believe it to be in error, please call the main office of the school. Automated calls and emails may still occur even if you’ve contacted the school regarding the absence. Absence notes will still be required. You can send a written note in with your child on the day that he or she returns to school. You can also email the excuse note to DAAttendance@centennialsd.org . This email address is dedicated to receiving these notes. If you have any questions regarding this change, please call the main office at (215) 441-6000 x 15010
Late Arrivals
Davis Dolphins
Each week names are drawn from our Davis Dolphins container as a way to recognize and celebrate our students for demonstrating trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, care, and citizenship. Congratulations to Maeve K, Selin I, Youssef Z, Giavanna F, Tyler Y, Hannah Z, Madigan S-L, Audrean F, Savian T, Jordyn G, Kiera M, Natha M, David S, Raheel H, Beck F, Max H, Giuliana L, Ethan S, Sydney S, Emily L, Jailen L-A, Dillan S, Maya C, Frankie L, Marty O, Fadima R, Jayden G, Samuel N, Eryn B, Mason D, Isabella C, Dalal A, John C, Brianna C, Anapaula U, Makayal C, Luke B, Brenden P, Sadie A, Youssef L, Madelyn L, Trevor B, Alex S, Rayanna D, Ella R, Kenny F, Joey D, Alexis P, Sabrina S. Way to go, boys and girls!
Wednesday Express
Each Wednesday, your child’s teacher will send home the Wednesday Express envelope. Please take a moment to remove, read, review the contents, and return the envelope to school the next day. Your signature on the outside of the envelope lets us know that you received it. We also recommend that everyone continue to check the eFolder on a regular basis.
Teacher's Corner - Grade 1
Teacher's Corner - Mrs. Pearce's Class
Students in Mrs. Pearce’s Math class had fun measuring each other’s head sizes. The students used tape measures to measure the maximum distance of their partner’s head to the nearest ½ centimeter. They recorded their measurements on stick-on notes. With the data collected the students worked together to make a line plot. Students were able to answer questions regarding the data after the line plot was made.
Help Davis every time you shop at Amazonsmile or Shoprite Warminster
By selecting Centennial Education Foundation as your charity when shopping at Amazonsmile 0.5% of eligible purchases go to the Centennial Education Foundation. Centennial Education Foundation (CEF) provides enriching educational opportunities, programs, and projects to expand and enhance the basic, well-rounded education offered by the district.
By shopping at ShopRite of Warminster through the Shop From Home Fundraiser. 15% of your bill is donated to the Centennial Education Foundation. CEF donates 20% of our school's proceeds to our Home & School Association.
Birthday Club
Each month Mr. Doster recognizes students who have birthdays during that month by giving them a special pencil and posing for a photo with them. This month March birthdays were recognized.
Calendar
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16gFaRoo1NaYmFTQOlzGCSA9gZBjBh35D8aFdyq9sj_Y/edit?usp=sharing
Davis Elementary School
Website: centennialsd.org
Phone: 215-364-5970