October 20, 2017
TOQUAM MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: OCT. 17, 2022
FROM THE DESK OF PRINCIPAL BROOKS
Dear Toquam Parents,
The Jog-A-Thon was a huge success with all of the energy and parents who came out to support our scholars. A Special Thank You to our PTO, for being committed to our school. Picture Day was last week, our scholars looked beautiful as they smiled for the camera. Well, we had our first Brag Tag Assembly to honor students with perfect attendance. Then later that day, we had our Award Ceremony where students received certificates and trophies.
Thursday, October 19, we are having a Title I Meeting for some of our parents, please check your child's book bag to see if you have an invitation. Join us for the last three days of the month as we wear PINK to support Breast Cancer Awareness. In addition, we will take donations to support Breast Cancer Research at the Bennett Breast Care Center. Our goal is $500, please send in donations.
Sincerely,
Principal Brooks
Literacy & AVID Updates from CORINE MATARASSO, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Toquam Magnet School has officially begun school-wide implementation of Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA).
CKLA is a language arts program fo sequenced to build content knowledge—so that learning to read and reading to learn develop together.
Every day in Grades K–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge.
In Grades 3–5, students start to master the basic skills of reading, further opening up their worlds.
We are also implementing Language Studio, CKLA's content -based companion for English Learners. Built on CKLA's carefully sequenced knowledge domains it uses research based strategies to help our students achieve language proficiency.
Our AVID Elementary strategies ensure that all students will:
•Experience the lesson framework of Writing to Learn, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading to Learn skills (WICOR)
•Utilize organizational skills both inside and outside the classroom
•Develop Student Success Skills for lifelong learning
•Organizational tool accountability and responsibility
•Use of agenda/planner to foster executive functioning skills and school/home communication
•Note-taking strategies (STAR)
AVID supports the CKLA content and defines the rigor and engagement necessary for our scholars to reach their full potential. We are excited and eager to see their growth and success.
Meet Our Administrative Intern, JENNA CINELLI
Teachers are finishing up baseline assessments in reading and math, and they will use that data to inform their instruction during upcoming Instructional Data Team meetings. In addition to the traditional baseline assessments, our teachers are also assessing our scholars' AVID skills, which include organizational skills (supplies, student planner, etc.) and notetaking skills. This data will help our teachers guide our scholars towards the goal of improving those essential AVID skills which prepare our scholars for college and career.
In addition, our Tiger Academy after-school program began last week. We had an overwhelming response to the program and our Tiger Academy scholars are having a blast in their academic and STEAM enrichment activiities.
I look forward to working in partnership with your family to continue our school's mission to prepare all scholars for college and career readiness by cultivating determination, perseverance, critical thinking, and teamwork to ensure success in a global society.
Grade Level Updates... Read All About It!
Hello families,
Here are a couple of friendly reminders for the remainder of the month...
Trip: Kindergarten will be taking a trip to Eden farms on October 31st, 2022.
During this trip children will walk through a corn maze, take a hay ride and
pick out a pumpkin. This is a short trip so parents usually do not chaperone.
Please note this trip in no way is related to Halloween. Children are not allowed to wear
costumes on this trip. Please be sure to hand in your permission slip ASAP.
Weather: Please send your child to school in weather appropriate clothing. Children go outside everyday if the weather permits.
Rules & Routines: Please continue to go over the rules and, routines of school with your child and, talk to them about how rules keep them safe.
Curriculum: We have been working on AVID strategies such as organization and, sequencing. The literacy curriculum continues to teach the children
line formation and, nursery rhymes. The units to come discuss the five senses and, the beginning stages of letter formation.
Apples and, pumpkins: Each class will be exploring apples and pumpkins.
First Grade:
It’s hard to believe we are in the middle
of October! First grade is working hard in
all of our classrooms.
Skills
-Reviewing digraph sounds
-Reading CCVC
-Learning new tricky words
Knowledge
- Started unit 2 on The Human Body
- Students are learning about the different
systems in the human body and jobs our organs do
Math
-We started Unit 2 in Math (Addition)
-Decomposing numbers within 10
-Counting on to add
Science
-We will begin our first science unit on Light and Sound
-Students will participate in investigations/experiments
Please remember to check remind daily for updates
announcements.
Second Grade:
Hello 2nd Grade Families, We are learning so much in right now. In CKLA Skills we have been practicing important punctuation and sentence structure. During our Math unit we have been working hard on Doubles Facts, the Turn-around Rule, and we will begin Name collection boxes. In Knowledge we are concluding our adventures in Asia and will begin learning about Greek Civilizations. Lastly, Science has us mad about Matter! All students have been working hard and it shows. Please encourage your young scholar to practice their addition and subtraction facts and of course, to read every day. We appreciate it!
Third Grade:
Picture Day was a success. Its always nice seeing the students dressed up and putting on their best smiles. In writing, the students are learning opinion writing. Students are learning how to substantiate their thoughts and opinions by writing them. The opinion writing is based on the text, The Wind in the Willows. In math, students are continually reviewing concepts and learning new concepts. Students are learning multi-step problems, multiplication, elapsed time, rounding, estimating, and number paterns and sequences. WICOR (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading) is incorporated in all academic areas. As discussed at Open House, WICOR is essential in being an AVID school. In social studies, we are working on atlas skills and our fantasy islands. Monday, October 17th, the third grade is going to the Whittingham Discovery Center. School buses will be provided. This is a great. way to start our animal unit. Reading is essential. Only through reading every day, will students' fluency, comprehension, vocabaulary and knowledge develop and improve. Daily reading and study boost the mind,
To face any challenges that comes your way;
Just like food feeds the body for healthy growth,
So does education through continuous learning;
Feeds the mind for a healthier outer growth.
A healthier positive mind can only be developed,
Through reading and making it a rightful habit.
Nsikak Andrew
Fourth Grade:
All of the 4th grade students brought their beautiful smiles for Toquam's Picture Day! We had a crisp morning for our Jog-A-Thon and the students jogged and walked to exercise their muscles and support Toquam! We are continuing our work in Reading/Writing with a continued focus on the components of writing a well developed personal narrative.
The students are busy practicing their multiplication and geometry skills in Math. The students have enjoyed playing the EveryDay Math game Factor Captor which reinforces factor pairs. A simple ten minute a night practice session of multiplication facts is so important and helps greatly with understanding current math skills! The students are culminating their study of Connecticut’s Geography with projects highlighting our special state and all that it has to offer the people who call it their home. We will be diving into our first Science unit and learning about how plants and animals adapt to their surroundings. If your family is out enjoying the colorful leaves, discuss how the plants you observe and the animals you might spot are getting ready for the cold winter months and how their bodily structures help them. October tips: Please remember to ask your child about their daily homework assignments and to check them over each night. Thank you for making sure your child comes to school with a fully charged chromebook. Our classrooms would appreciate any donations of Kleenex boxes as the colder months are right around the corner. Miles of smiles from the 4th grade team. :)
Fifth Grade:
[Hello Everyone! We've had a busy month here in 5th Grade! We have continued to strengthen our writing skills by learning how to incorporate sensory details, vivid imagery, and dialogue into Personal Narratives. We have also been studying how to successfully analyze the deeper meaning of quotes in a text, as well as how to compare different points of view that are provided in a narrative. As we finish up with our Personal Narrative unit in CKLA this week, we will start learning about the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations going forward. In math, we have just finished up Unit 1! As we begin unit 2, we will continue to deepen our understanding of volume and place value as we begin learning about exponents, exponential notation, and standard notation. In Science, we are just finishing up Earth & Space this week and will begin Native American studies next! Reminder: There are plenty of learning resources that can always be accessed through your child's Clever account! Literacy practice is available on the program Lexia, and math practice is available on Boddle and Happy Numbers. As a fifth grade team, we strongly recommend these programs for extra practice at home! Keep up the good work!]
A Message from PTO
Jog-A-Thon was a great success! Our scholars enjoyed being outside jogging, it was great to see so many families back at school supporting them, huge thanks to Mr. A and Mr. R for encouraging and instilling in them the love to stay healthy.
Still time to send in Pledge if you haven't done so. Any size donation makes a hige difference. Send your pledges by Friday October 21st.
Nuestro Jog-a-Thon gue un gran exito. Nuestros estudiantes disfrutaron el correr al aire libre, fue maravvilloso ver a tantas familias en la escuela apoyandolos, un enorme agradecimiento a Mr. A and Mr. R por motivarlos y creat en ellos el amor por mantenerse saludables.
Todavia hay tiempo si no envio su hoja con donaciones. Cualquier cantidad hace una gran diferencia. Envie sus hijas de donaciones a mas tardar el Viernes 21 de Octubre.
Trunk a Treat: October 29
Breakfast Anyone?
Great news for you and your children! Stamford Public Schools has been approved to provide free healthy breakfast and lunch at school to all students during the 2022-23 school year!
- You do not need to do anything.
- You do not have to pay any money or fill out any forms.
- You do not need to send your child to school early for breakfast. Breakfast will be part of the school day.
¡Las Escuelas Públicas de Stamford han sido aprobadas para proporcionar desayunos y almuerzos saludables gratuitos en las escuelas a todos los estudiantes durante el año escolar 2022-23!
• No necesita hacer nada.
• No tiene que pagar dinero ni llenar formularios.
• No necesita enviar a su hijo a la escuela temprano para el desayuno. El desayuno será parte del día escolar.
English Language Learners...
partnership that comes to Toquam to work with students to
incorporate music, dance, and instruments into our CKLA
lessons. We welcome Ms. Felicia, the new Intempo teacher
to our school. Ask your child about their favorite song and
share any new dances they have learned so far.
Nuestros estudiantes están participando en Intempo, una
asociación musical que llega a Toquam para trabajar con los
estudiantes para incorporar música, baile, yinstrumentos en
nuestras lecciones de CKLA. Damos la bienvenida a la Sra.
Felicia, nuestra maestra de Intempo a nuestra escuela.
Pregúntele a su hijo cuál es su canción favorita y que
comparta cualquier baile nuevo que haya aprendido.
Music is in the air....
Instrumental Music -You can feel the excitement from the 4th and 5th graders that already have received their instruments. It is a go!!