Chris Yung Elementary
Full STEAM Ahead
October 2018
Principal: Kathy Notyce
Assistant Principal: Ann Quattrone
Mission: Working collaboratively to achieve success.
Vision: A World Class school committed to excellence.
Congratulations: Our 3rd graders' reading SOL scores are within the top 9 out of 62 elementary schools across Prince William County! We are very proud of this and know that as 4th graders, they will continue to demonstrate academic excellence. Way to go Steam Engines!
International Day of Peace - September 21, 2018
"Planting" our Peace Rocks.
School-wide gathering.
Showing off our Peace Rocks.
Mark Your Calendar
Oct. 1: Hearing/Vision Screening
Oct. 4: Field Trip 3rd Grade: (Pivonka & Berg/Jones)
Oct. 5: Field Trip 3rd Grade: (Pick, Parker & Ly)
PTO Movie Night @ 6:45
Oct. 8: Columbus Day: School Closed (Teacher Workday/Staff Development)
Oct. 10: International Walk to School Day
Oct. 11: Interims Go Home
Oct. 12: Field Day: PK-2nd @ 9:30-11:30 & 3rd -5th @ 12:30-3:00
Oct. 15: Book Fair Week (15-19)
Oct. 16: Book Fair Night & STEAM Night @ 6:00-7:30
Oct. 22: Character Count Week
Oct. 23: Advisory Council Meeting @ 6:30 & PTO Meeting @ 7:00
Oct. 25: Picture Day
Oct. 26: All Pro Dads @ 8:00
Glow BINGO Night @ 6:30
Nov. 2: End of 1st Grading Period
Nov. 5: Teacher Workday: School Closed
Nov. 6: Parent/Teacher Conference Day: School Closed
Nov. 12: Veteran’s Day: School Closed
Principal's Message
I enjoyed the opportunity to visit with many of you during our Back to School Nights. It was wonderful seeing the smiles and the love between you and your children. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me about your child and their needs. I’m always interested in hearing feedback and ideas on how we can increase support for our children.
Students have been very busy learning routines and expectations, setting goals and staying engaged in a variety of learning opportunities. They’ve also taken assessments in both Reading and Math to determine their current levels in these content areas. This baseline data will be used by teachers to plan appropriate instruction to meet their individual needs.
Our top priority will always be to ensure the safety of our students. During the month of September, we held bi-weekly Fire Drills and Lockdown Drills to ensure that students are familiar with protocols in the event an emergency should occur.
During the past three years we have seen a great deal of improvement in our overall scores in both Reading and Math yet there is still room for continuous improvement. We are continuing to focus on helping students to develop a love for Reading and Writing. Research shows that when students read because they see reading as fun they become lifelong readers. Research also shows that reading helps improve a child's writing and vocabulary skills. I have purchased two programs that your child will be using in the classroom. Both the Benchmark Literacy and DreamBox programs need to be used consistently at home to further extend learning. I’m sure teachers shared login information during their Back to School Night presentations. However, if you need additional information, please contact teachers. Both programs are designed to meet students at their present reading and math levels and will continue to build their skills in these areas. Research shows that students who used these programs consistently demonstrate huge gains.
There are many exciting activities coming up so make sure to check out the upcoming events. I wish you and yours a beautiful fall season and an October filled with lots of good books, warm fires and memories to treasure.
Principal’s Coffee
I will be hosting a Principal’s Coffee on Monday, October 22 at 9:30. These informal gatherings will take place throughout the school year. My goal is to use the Principal’s Coffees as a forum to discuss information regarding programs, practices and upcoming events. Dates for future coffees will be announced in the monthly STEAM Engine Newsletters. Come and enjoy a cup of coffee, refreshments and meet other members of our school community.
Monday, Oct 22, 2018, 09:30 AM
Chris Yung Elementary School, Fog Light Way, Bristow, VA, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Parent Teacher Conference Day: November 6
We are looking forward to seeing you at the Parent Teacher Conference Day on November 6. The conferences will provide the opportunity to celebrate your child’s academic progress and discuss goals for the remainder of the school year. If you were unable to sign up for a time during the Back to School Nights, please contact your child’s teacher. Letters will be sent home soon to confirm your conference time. Interpreters will be available to assist parents who speak languages other than English.
CHRIS YUNG READS!!
Mrs. Masterson and Mrs. Notyce are happy to announce that the WASHINGTON REDSKINS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION has selected Chris Yung fourth and fifth-grade students to become READING CHAMPIONS!!!
Mrs. Masterson, along with their teachers will challenge children to complete activities that revolve around the Virginia STANDARDS OF LEARNING. Each student will receive his/her own personal REDSKINS READ PLAYBOOK. Activities will be completed each month by students and all classrooms will be eligible for REDSKINS READ PRIZES. Each month one class will be selected to receive the REDSKINS READ FOOTBALL TROPHY to display in their classroom for that month!
Students will also be challenged to read one book from each of the nine library genres (types) to include: Adventure, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, and Sports.
Look for updates as we navigate the school year. Chris Yung fourth and fifth grades may be selected for grand prize drawings at the end of the program in March.
CYES STEAM Night
STEAM Night is almost here! Mark your calendars for October 16 from 6:00-7:30 in the Cafeteria and Gym.
Teachers are hard at work preparing exciting STEAM related activities for students to take part with their families. We will have the 3D printer running, a catapult challenge to help us paint a banner, a chance to build and race wind-powered cars and much more! Be sure to come by to add your dot to our CYES Grade Level Graph. The grade level with the highest attendance will earn a special prize! We will also have raffle prizes available for students that complete their train ticket for the night! Are you ready for the challenge? The PTO will be on hand selling spirit wear and it is also a late night at the Book Fair so you can come purchase new books.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Art Club: 4th and 5th Grade Artists
The fall Art Club will begin Wednesday, October 17. Permission slips will go home October 1 and need to be returned by October 12.
Students participating in the fall Art Club will be learning about Kehinde Wiley, a contemporary artist who painted the portrait of former president, Barack Obama, hanging in the National Portrait Gallery.
Art Club will meet Wednesdays, October 17- November 28 from 4:00-5:00. There is no activity bus for this club. Parents need to pick up their children at 5:00.
October Family STEAM Challenge
At the beginning of each month, I will send out a Whole School Family STEAM Challenge. The goal is for students to see STEAM as a problem-solving opportunity, that applies to everyday life. This activity is completely optional and is not required. These challenges will use items from around the house. The idea is that you work as a family to complete the design challenge. All completed challenges are due back to school by the last Friday of the month. For this month that will be Friday, October 26, 2018. Please make sure your child/s name and teacher are on the project so that it can be returned. All projects should be picked up by the last Friday of the following month if you would like to have them back. If you have trouble finding any of the supplies, please let me know and I will do my best to help you get them. You can find another copy of the challenge as well as planning sheets on the CYES STEAM website.
For October, our challenge is for your family to build a model of a building or a shelter. Here is a great video on the process engineers use to design buildings: https://youtu.be/DkJLbCCI6Zs. What kind of building or shelter do you want to build? Check out the document below for more details.
What’s been happening in the STEAM lab?
We have been busy in the STEAM Lab through the month of September, setting STEAM traditions and beginning our work as 21st century learners. To stay up to date on current happenings in the lab, donation needs, STEAM websites to follow and other information, be sure to check out the CYES STEAM Webpage!
In grades 3-5 students completed team builders using a variety of materials. We discussed the importance of following the plan, being respectful of others, taking risks in our builds and trying again when we reach failure. We built off the idea of having our minds set on the future and created stars to display what we want to be in the future. Be sure to check out the bulletin board in the hall outside of the STEAM lab! Communication is our current focus and will be for the next few weeks as we further our understanding of how to be effective communicators before we start working in collaborative teams. We completed back to back drawings to identify the skills needed to communicate. Moving forward we will be building challenges that require us to speak clearly, listen to the ideas of others and ask/answer questions of our group members.
In grades K-2 students have been working on the concept of generating ideas themselves. They did this while working with a variety of building materials that we are calling our build boxes. Students in grades K-1 listened to the read aloud, A Box Can be Many Things, as they created a class list of building ideas. They also started working with the Lego learn kits as they built behind “top secret” folders and observed how even with the same Legos everyone built something different. Students in grade 2 listened to the read aloud, What to do with an Idea as they created their own list of ideas as well. Throughout all builds they focused on respecting themselves, others and the materials, following the plan, taking risks and trying again when a problem fails. Grade 2 students have started working on build their knowledge as our first Computer Science Classrooms at Chris Yung! They created their own maps, programmed and guided each other through the maps in an unplugged activity. Over the next few weeks they will begin coding online using Code.org!
Field Day
We are planning an exciting Field Day on Friday October 12. Parents and community members are welcome to come and participate in this event.
Get ready for lots of fun, fitness and games such as Moon Bounce, Tug of War, Water Relay, Obstacle Course and many more events. Students in PK-2nd grades will participate in Field Day at 9:30-11:30. Students in 3rd through 5th grades will have Field Day at 12:30-3:00.
We still need volunteers to assist with the stations. If you are available to help, please send a note to your child’s teacher. We are also asking parents to donate small bottles of water. The water should be dropped off in the office by Thursday, October 11. We appreciate your support.
Advisory Council News
The Advisory Council is a collaborative effort of parent representatives, teachers, and school leadership, working to support our school. Significant activities of the Advisory Council include participation in establishing the long-term School Improvement Plan, reviewing the Budget, and acting as an interface between the general community and the school. The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 23 at 6:30 in the school library.
Fall Book Fair
The Book Fair will take place during the week of October 15-19. Our Family Night will be held in conjunction with STEAM Night on Tuesday, October 16 from 4:00-7:00. Regular book fair hours are as follows:
Mon., Weds. and Thurs. 9:30 - 3:30
Tues. 9:30-7:00
Fri. 9:30-12:30
Closed for Lunch 12:00- 1:00
Volunteers are needed to assist with this event. If you are available to assist, you may e-mail me at masterba@pwcs.edu or Mrs. Davila, our library assistant @ davilaps@pwcs.edu. Happy Reading!
CogAT & Naglieri Tests
The CogAT is designed to evaluate the cognitive development of students. Results from the test will be used in combination with other classroom achievement information to assist teachers in understanding the learning strengths and needs of each individual student.
The Naglieri is designed to assess the development of reasoning and problem-solving skills. During this test, students are asked to solve a series of non-verbal logic problems. The test provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate reasoning skills, without relying on language. The results of these
assessments will be used in combination with other classroom achievement information to assist teachers in understanding the learning strengths and needs of each individual student. The testing window is October 24 through November 20. A schedule will be provided with the testing dates.
International Walk to School Day
International Walk to School Day is on Wednesday, October 10. Students will celebrate the day by walking around the school grounds during their Encore time. Please ensure that your child wears comfortable shoes and clothing for this event.
Research shows there are many advantages to walking daily such as strengthening the heart, reducing stress, increasing creativity, etc. Families are invited to come out and walk with your child.
Mrs. Mavis Rose-Roth, PE Teacher
Mrs. Maryam Vaziry, PE Teacher Assistant
Nurses Corner: AUTUMN HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS
Keep your kids safe and healthy. Get involved with your kid’s activities at home and at school to ensure they are safe and healthy.
Take steps to prevent the flu. The best way to protect against the flu virus is to get vaccinated each year in the fall. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often. Stay home when you are sick.
Test and replace alarm batteries. Check or replace carbon monoxide batteries twice a year when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. Replace smoke alarm batteries once a year. Test alarms every month to ensure that they work.
Keep food safe. Clean hands and surfaces often. Separate foods to avoid cross-contamination. Cook to proper temperatures and chill promptly.
For more information, visit: www.cdc.gov/family/autumn/index.htm
Chris Yung Elementary School
Website: https://chrisyunges.pwcs.edu/home
Location: 12612 Fog Light Way, Bristow, VA, USA
Phone: 5715983500
Twitter: @cyessteamengines