Grant Gazette
November 2020
Dear Families,
We believe that regular and punctual attendance is a very important part of your child's record.
We further believe that:
● regular school attendance is basic to the continuity of the learning process
● regular attendance is one of the most important factors in determining school success
● the real value of the educational process comes from the continuous interactions and
relationships developed between the teacher and individual students as well as between
students
● the discipline developed through punctual and regular attendance enhances the chances
of success in all areas of a student’s life
To illustrate how important regular attendance is, click on the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13_1GGKbJpjxtrn_21JSKrn35mRbWe_Rm/view?usp=sharing
Have a wonderful November!
Mr. Berryman
Upcoming Events
November 3 PTO Meeting--5:30pm
November 19 Title I Zoom meeting
November 25-29 NO SCHOOL--Thanksgiving Break
November 30 School Resumes
December 1 PTO Meeting 5:30pm
December 22 Last Day of school for 1st semester
December 23-January 4-- NO SCHOOL Winter Break
January 5 School Resumes
January 5 PTO meeting--5:30
Counselor's Corner
A note about Gratitude:
2020 has been HARD! In times like this, it is a challenge to find something to be grateful for. But, in times like this, it is so important to realize there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for! November is a month where the nation celebrates Thanksgiving, so it is a good time to think about the power of gratitude.
Here at Grant, our awesome teachers and I try to emphasize to our students that there is always something we can be grateful for. If we focus on our problems, we may never see those things. Instead, we try to help students keep their minds on their goals, and the things they have to be grateful for.
Today, I am grateful for our Grant families, and the wonderful students we have here! I hope you can think of something you are grateful for, as well! If you are anticipating a difficult holiday season this year, please contact me and as we are blessed with opportunities to help, we will let you know, and do what we can to make things easier for you.
What are we learning in Guidance Class?
November
Kindergarten
How do I calm down when I feel mad?
Everyone is different and that is okay! Let’s celebrate differences!
People can have different feelings in the same situation.
How can I make the best choices when I have strong feelings?
Grade 1
What does it mean to be assertive?
How and when should I ask for help?
Why is it important to know how to handle anger?
How can I calm down when I feel mad?
Grade 2
What is gratefulness?
Why is it important to show gratitude and be thankful?
What is patience, and how can I be more patient?
Grade 3
What is the difference between reporting and tattling?
When should and when shouldn’t we tell someone what we see?
What is a “social filter?”
How do we know what things are appropriate to say out loud?
Grade 4
We will extend our lesson on Tearing off labels by watching the movie, “Chrissa” and discussing how people are labeled in this movie, as well as how to respond to bullying we see or that happens to us. We will also examine the effects of peer pressure.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest
The PTO had a difficult task of choosing just three overall winners. They are pictured below, along with some other of the pumpkins that were decorated.
How Do Most Kids Learn to Read?
Keisha McIntosh Allen and Kindel Turner Nash research how kids learn to read and prepare future teachers at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. They are also raising children of their own. Here, they answer five questions many families and teachers may have about what they are seeing with virtual learning for early childhood education.
1. How do most kids learn to read?
Nash: Long before they enter kindergarten, most kids can “read” the words they encounter in their favorite books or around their home, on street signs and anywhere else they go.
Allen: Establishing routines that involve reading can help, such as reading them books – whether they are printed on paper or accessed through digital devices – and letting them watch others read. For example, my 1-year-old pretends that she can read because she often sees her 6-year-old brother reading.
Kids typically learn to read books through a series of phases, which often overlap. Initially, they “read” pictures in their storybooks, rather than the words, often in books others have read to them before. Then, they pretend to read words they’ve memorized.
Nash: Making reading fun can also develop a love of reading. Before my four kids, who are now teenagers, went to school, for example, they loved to hear their dad read aloud stories like Virginia Hamilton’s “Taily-po” in a scary, mysterious voice. “Taily-po,” part of Hamilton’s “The People Could Fly” collection, is a folk tale about a “peculiar” creature that has lost its tail. All four love reading and are avid readers now.
Allen: Eventually, usually in kindergarten and first grade, kids begin to read the words, but only the most basic and simple ones. Finally, ideally by third grade, they start to read fluently – the technical term for being able to read quickly while comprehending the text.
If you'd like to see the other four questions that Nash and Allen discuss, here's the link to the entire article: https://theconversation.com/teaching-kids-to-read-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-5-questions-answered-144788
Grant Elementary School
Email: troyberryman@npsne.org
Website: https://www.norfolkpublicschools.org/schools/grant-elementary/
Location: 1106 Phillip Avenue, Norfolk, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 644-2544
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PTOGrantElementary/
Twitter: @GrantElemNPS