The Gates Mills Gazette
Mrs. Tammi L. Bender, Principal
November 30, 2018
Gates Mills Elementary School
Website: http://www.mayfieldschools.org/gatesmillselementary_home.aspx
Location: 7639 Colvin Road, Gates Mills, OH, United States
Phone: 440-995-7500
Facebook: Facebook.com/gatesmillselementaryschool
Twitter: @mrstammibender
District Safety Procedures
Earlier today you should have received the following message through Infinite Campus. Should you have any questions about this policy, please do not hesitate to contact this office at 440-995-7500.
Student safety is our number one priority at Mayfield City Schools. We continue to institute processes that enhance our safety practices. On Monday, December 10ththe district will begin utilizing a management system for visitors entering every school building. The system utilizes a government issued ID which is scanned through a national database. The following process will be followed:
- A State or Government picture identification is required. After the State or Government ID verification and background check, a school district employee will provide the visitor with a badge containing their name, their picture, the date and reason for visit.
- The visitor will be instructed to wear the badge so that it is clearly visible at all times during their visit.
- Teachers, the buildings' School Resource Officer and staff may question any person within the building that is not properly identified and escort them immediately to the main office.
We understand that this procedural change will require an adjustment for those who are visiting our schools. However, we believe this is another valuable step in keeping our students, teachers and staff safe. We thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
The Giving Tree
THE GIVING TREE is located in the school office again this year. Families can take a gift tag and purchase the requested item should they choose to. If you take a gift tag, securely attach it to the outside of the unwrapped gift and return to school by Thursday, December 13th. Once again, we are helping the efforts at University Settlement. They have a long and distinguished history of service on Cleveland’s East Side dating back to 1926. University Settlement is a neighborhood center serving the neediest families in Cleveland’s Broadway-Slavic Village and offers services to youth, seniors and families. Their main focus is strengthening families, easing hunger and homelessness, creating improved housing opportunities, and addressing the special needs of the neighborhood’s most vulnerable citizens - - children and the elderly. University Settlement provides a full range of essential, fundamental services for people of all ages and is committed to encouraging people to realize their individual potential as contributing members of society.
The Settlement is providing a gift wrapping station for parents after they pick out gifts for their children! The gifts will be delivered to University Settlement on December 14th. If your child brings a tag home and you are unable to purchase the item, please return the tag to the tree so it will be available for someone else to donate. Any questions, please feel free to contact the school office: mambrogio@mayfieldschools.org or 440-995-7500.
Random Acts of Kindness
Gates Mills Holiday Concert
Believe it or not, we are nearly ready for the Gates Mills Holiday Concert! This year’s concert will take place on Thursday, December 13th. Students should be in their classrooms by 6:40pm, with the program beginning promptly at 7pm. Each class will sing, and we will have audience participation! Traditionally, students dress up for this concert. Girls should wear skirts or dresses, and boys should wear dress pants and a collared shirt or a sweater. Holiday attire is encouraged, such as snowflake sweaters or Santa hats.
In each class, there will be certain students who have special instrument parts or other jobs to do. If your child will not be attending our concert, please let me know as soon as possible so I can make appropriate arrangements. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
If you have questions about the Holiday Concert, please contact Mrs. Hall at 995-7412 or e-mail her at RHall@mayfieldschools.org.
Inside the Idea Lab with Mrs. Stephens
This week in Idea Lab we read a computer programming/coding themed book in preparation for Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code next week. Kindergarten, first, and second grades listened to How To Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk and Sara Palacios. This book is part of the Girls Who Code book series, and the students loved the whimsical story of a girl and her robot on the beach which taught simple coding concepts and vocabulary.
Third, fourth, and fifth grades heard Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer by Diane Stanley and Jessie Hartland. We discussed how the first computer program was actually written almost 200 years ago, during the Industrial Revolution! The students made great observations and asked good questions, helping them to connect life in the Victorian era to our lives in the computer and information age.
After story time we checked out books, many of them Christmas-, Hanukkah-, and Kwanzaa-themed. Some classes that had time to spare were able to try out our recent additions to our foam building block set. The new pieces are very large and work well for projects such as building roofs on walled structures; adding wheels and axles to create moving vehicles; and using long connectors to shore up more complex frameworks. These pieces will be excellent for project-based learning activities in the future.
Mr. D's SE Skills Guidance Updates
I hope everyone had a great week this week! This past Monday I had the opportunity to work with third, second, first and kindergarten grades at Gates Mills! Here is what the kids worked on. . .
Grades 2 and 3: The students and I took time to discuss qualities of Getting Along with Others and being a good Friend. Students and I took time to create a pizza (not a real one, but on poster paper). We compared the ingredients and toppings of a pizza to the positive qualities of a person that allows for that person to get along and make friends with others. The kids helped in creating the pizza, to which we then discussed that ingredients make a pizza tasty! In turn, good character qualities will help for good friendship and successful getting along skills!
Grade 1: The students and I took some time to go back and review our rules for Teamwork and Good Listening. With break and a couple other activities we did, I wanted to take time to revisit these topics. The students were given the opportunity to do the activity for Good Listening skills again since it was shortened the last time we tried.
Kindergarten: We continued our work with Feelings. During this lesson, we took some time to discuss the feeling of Sad. We took time looking at pictures to find the clues on a person’s face that would let them know if a person is sad (frown, sad eyes, tears, etc.). We also looked at drawings to better understand what could be happening around a person to cause them to feel sad. Next time I will continue work with the students on this feeling.
If you ever have questions about one of my lessons, please feel free to email me at cdimarino@mayfieldschools.org or call me at (440) 995-7427.
Citizen of the Day
As part of the Gates Mills Way of recognizing students in a positive light, a Gates Mills Citizen of the Day is announced each morning. Listed below are the November recipients.
Ariana B
Dhiyanesh J
Ryan A
Michaela F
Kasturi A
Marchella D
Aliyah H
Isabella D
Darrell A
Lucian B
Jasbir A
Caden A
Scott H
Travia B
Juliana B
PTC News
The December PTC meeting is cancelled. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, January 9th at 6:30pm in the Idea Lab.
Save the Date & Request for Volunteers:
Scholastic Book Fair 12/12 thru 12/14 – please contact Robin at rlp555@yahoo.com if interested in volunteering
Set-up and Preview Day - Wednesday, December 12th
Need help with Book Fair set-up in the morning (unbox books, create display tables, hang up signs) beginning at 8am - 12:30pm
Need assistance to help students create wish lists throughout the afternoon from 12:30 - 2:30pm
Purchase Day - Thursday, December 13th
Need volunteers to work in two hour shifts as cashiers beginning at 8am - 2:30pm
Need assistance helping students find books, restock shelves and miscellaneous tasks starting at 8am - 2:30pm
You can also purchase during after the Holiday Concert
Tear down at noon - Friday, November 14th
It's Cold Weather Time Again
Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately to participate in outdoor recess (i.e., coat, hat, gloves, boots, snow pants, etc.). As stated in the handbook: All students are expected to go outside unless the temperature is below 20 degrees or the wind chill is below 10 degrees. Generally, if a child is able to ride the bus and attend school, (s)he should also be able to outside at recess. The only exceptions are: a physician’s request, a written parent request for the day the child returns to school following an illness, or a request by the teacher or Principal.
Important Links
Attendance Matters: House Bill 410
School Website: Gates Mills Elementary
Drop Off & Dismissal Procedures
District Parent Mentor Information
School Lunch Information: Food Services
Mayfield City Schools App: Visit the App Store to download for Android or Apple device.
Dates to Remember
December 6 - Cleveland Playhouse Performance: K-2, 8:15-9:15am / 3-5, 1-2pm
December 7 - Grade 5 Door Swag Making
December 13 - Gates Mills Book Fair during Idea Lab
December 13 - Gates Mills Holiday Concert/Book Fair: gym, 7pm
December 14 - Grades 4 & 5 to Gates Mills Library: 1-2:20pm
December 20 - Jingle Bell Ball: 1:45pm, gym
December 20 - End of Second Grading Period
December 21 - Teacher Work Day - NO CLASSES
December 24-January 4 - Winter Break: NO SCHOOL
January 7 - Classes Resume