The Pine Bough
Pine River School Newsletter, October 2022
Improving Our Practices in Reading
Literature and news around the teaching of reading in recent decades have included multiple references to the Science of Reading. You may find yourself wondering what this is referring to. The Science of Reading is the converging evidence of what matters and what works in literacy instruction, organized around models that describe how and why. It refers to two related concepts: the study of how the brain learns to read and the methods for teaching reading that high-quality scientific studies have shown to be effective. Although learning to read is not a natural process, thousands of research studies in classrooms have repeatedly shown that virtually all children can learn to read through systematic and explicit instruction that aligns with what science has revealed about how our brains work.
The science of reading says five essential components are necessary for effective reading instruction:
Phonological awareness – awareness of the sound structure of words
Phonics – correlating sounds with letters or groups of letters
Fluency – accuracy, rate and expression while reading
Vocabulary – the body of words a child has learned
Reading comprehension – the understanding and interpretation of what is read
Several of our teachers and myself have been participating in ongoing training to learn about the science connected to teaching reading and how to apply this knowledge to our implementation of a new reading program.
This year the East China School District is implementing Open Court Reading by McGraw Hill. The program is designed to teach decoding, comprehension, inquiry, and writing in a three-part progression. Part One of each unit, Preparing to Read, focuses on phonemic awareness, sounds and letters, phonics, fluency, and word knowledge. Part Two: Reading and Responding, emphasizes reading literature for understanding, comprehension, inquiry, and practical reading applications. Part Three: Language Arts, focuses on writing, spelling, grammar, usage, mechanics, and basic computer skills. Our teachers will be sending home guides and resources to inform and help you support your student in reading beyond school hours.
In addition to Open Court Reading, we will continue to use Exact Path. Exact Path is an online learning platform that uses our NWEA data to create individualized learning paths to provide reading and math instruction at each student’s level of mastery. In reading, the students will work on needed foundational skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
With all of this rich and rigorous reading instruction happening at school, we still need parents to model and support reading at home. Science has also taught us that parents reading with their children leads to improved knowledge for success in literacy.
Thank you for your continued support at home!
Rachel Card, Principal
Fourth Grade Leadership Opportunities
Safety Patrol
Our fourth grade safeties have quickly assumed responsibilities that include assisting and guiding younger students in and out of the building before and after school. In addition to developing leadership skills, these fourth graders are modeling safety and responsibility for our younger Pioneers.
P.R.E.S.S.
Our P.R.E.S.S. students donate time during their lunch recess to do work for a teacher or other staff member. Some jobs include organizing paperwork and preparing materials for learning.
Post Office
Fourth grade students run the Pine River Post Office. The Post Office will start operating later this school year, and the students will collect mail from post office boxes, process and organize the mail in our mail center, and distribute letters to classroom mailboxes. This service promotes writing skills and brightens the day of those who receive special letters.
Pine River Recycling
Pine River is a "Green School," and recycling is a common practice throughout the building. Fourth graders on the recycling team collect recyclables from each classroom and put the materials in bins that are taken to a recycling center.
First PTO Meeting
Please join us for the FIRST PTO MEETING of the year. Pioneer families are invited to meet our PTO Board Members and hear about future events planned for our 2022-2023 school year.
International Dot Day
Thank you to art teacher Lesley Struyk for inspiring creativity in our young artists!
Cooking Through the Alphabet
Students in Mrs. Kierszykowki’s C.I. class have a cooking lesson every Friday. The chosen recipe is based on the letter of the week. Students practice reading recipes, measuring ingredients, following directions, and working as a team to create a culinary masterpiece. Then, everyone enjoy the delicious results of the students’ hard work and learning.
Picture Retake Day
The Golden Dustpan Award
For the month of September, Mrs. Trudeau's class earned this prestigious honor! Keep up the great work keeping your classrooms clean, Pioneers!
Developing Aspiring Teachers
NWEA MAP Growth Testing
What does it mean to be computer adaptive?
Computer adaptive tests adjust to each student’s learning level, providing a unique set of test questions based on their responses to previous questions. If a student gets a question wrong, the next question will be easier. If a student gets a question right, the next question will be harder. To pinpoint where students are in their learning, the goal is to answer 50 percent of the questions correctly.
What does MAP Growth measure?
MAP Growth measures what students know and what they don’t know, regardless of their grade level. This helps teachers adjust their instruction for each student. It also measures growth over time, allowing you to track your student’s progress throughout the school year and across multiple years.
What is a RIT score?
After each MAP Growth test, results are delivered in the form of a RIT score that reflects the student’s academic knowledge, skills, and abilities. Think of this score like marking height on a growth chart. You can tell how tall your child is at various points in time and how much they have grown between one stage and another.
The RIT (Rasch Unit) scale is a stable, equal-interval scale. Equal-interval means that a change of 10 RIT points indicates the same thing regardless of whether a student is at the top, bottom, or middle of the scale. A RIT score has the same meaning regardless of grade level or age of the student. You can compare scores over time to tell how much growth a student has made.
How do schools and teachers use MAP Growth scores?
Teachers use the scores to inform instruction, personalize learning, and monitor the growth of individual students. Administrators use the scores to see the performance and progress of a grade level, school, or the entire district.
Can MAP Growth tell me if my student is working at grade level?
MAP Growth scores are just one data point that teachers use to determine how a child is performing. MAP Growth measures if a student is performing similar to their peers. Please discuss any questions that you have about your student’s performance with their teacher.
How long do MAP tests take?
Most students finish their test in about 30 minutes.
Where can I get access to my child’s MAP report data?
NWEA MAP family reports will be sent home soon with students in the middle of October.
Positivity Project Resources for Families
The mission of The Positivity Project is to empower students to build positive relationships with others and be their best selves as individuals. Each week at Pine River, we focus on one of the 24 character strengths that everyone possesses. Through lessons presented daily by their teachers, our students learn to be more self aware and self confident in the content of their own character. In addition, they learn to understand and appreciate these character traits in others. Together, we are building meaningful relationships and connections with one another that are essential for learning and growing.
Below is a link to resources to help our families support The Positivity Project at home.
Skyward Family Access
Halloween Guidelines
Classrooms will celebrate Halloween on October 31st, which is a half day of school. Following are some guidelines for the day.
Normal instruction, teaching, and learning will be occurring in the classroom most of the school day. In addition, students are expected to participate in normal school activities and classes (i.e. recess, physical education, art, etc.).
Students may come to school in costume for the day. These costumes must be simple and comfortable for the students to wear the entire day. Costumes cannot be changed at school.
Costumes cannot be too scary, gory, or violent in any way. This includes any accessory item.
Toy guns, knives, arrows, swords, chains, or any other toy weapon accessories cannot be brought to school.
For safety and accountability reasons, masks that fully cover the face cannot be worn at school.
Light makeup and/or hair color are allowed, but must be applied before school, not during the school day.
Teachers will send information about volunteer opportunities for parents if they need assistance in the classroom for Halloween activities.
Breakfast of Readers
Congratulations to our students who read for 1,000 or more minutes during the summer! They were honored with a special breakfast with Dr. Card that consisted of a McDonald's item that they preordered. After eating breakfast, each student selected a new book to read. We are proud of these dedicated learners!
Kinder-garteners
Camryn Lee
Carina Malburg
Carlo Malburg
Quinn Avila
Joni Fryer
Cameron Lessick
Madilyn Muldermans
Lucy Roberts
Olivia Shaughnessy
Julia Vernier
First Graders
James Aragona
Camden Avila
Charles Smith
Carli Braun
Korbin Eifert
Margaret Fraley
Simon Slota
Mila Emerich
Elijah Liniarski
Second Graders
Kai Bjornson
Scarlet Muldermans
Frank Romeo
Connor Kelly
Willa Laurinec
Salvatore Malburg
Thomas Shubnell
Calvin Blake
Rose Flynn
Tyler Langmesser
Vivienne Liniarski
Raelynn Lumley
Joseph Schweihofer
Adalynn Shaughnessy
Harrison Young
Third Graders
Avyrie Allen
Thatcher Aragona
Graham Fryer
Drew Langmesser
Brynn Schweihofer
Avery Valdez
Lena Volz
Claire Kelly
Violet Slota
Holden Valdez
Raegan Goodrich
Samuel Strozeski
Benjamin Talaie
Fourth Graders
Nikola Barrons
Lauren Bowen
Ryland Goodrich
Harrison Liniarski
Noah Rapier
Colin Blake
Colin Eifert
Evelyn Fraley
Holly Shubnell
Emma Vernier
Zoey Young
Serena Komarowski
Eli Laurinec
Alaina Parrotta
Michael Romeo
EmmaShaughnessy
Pioneers of the Month
All of our students strive to be motivated learners, as well as model citizens. Each month we will honor students from each class who exemplify the following qualities:
Academic
- Student prepares for classroom activities.
- Student approaches learning with enthusiasm.
- Student has made steady progress in the classroom.
- Student has been working to his/her potential.
- Student completes all assignments and homework.
- Student has a good work ethic and is diligent.
Leadership/ Citizenship/ Character
- Student demonstrates respect of self and others.
- Student assists others in need.
- Student shows acts of kindness.
- Student demonstrates a positive attitude.
- Student displays good conduct.
- Student is a positive role model by example.
- Student participates and puts forth full effort in all areas.
- Student follows school rules.
Young Fives/Kindergarten
Mrs. Guzowski's Class: Rosalie Wilkins
Ms. Brosky's Class: Kinsley Bosel and Magdalena Karl
Mrs. Malburg's Class: Caleb Jabe and Addison Westrick
Mrs. Schneider's Class: Greyson Lafferty and Amelia Schocke
First Grade
Mrs. Bean's Class: Cecilia Oleaga and Grayson Pfeiffer
Mrs. Jensen's Class: Luke Rouleau and Margaret Fraley
Mrs. Trudeau's Class: Beatrice Vaughan and Brennan Miller
Second Grade
Mrs. Gorski's Class: Scarlet Muldermans and Frank Romeo
Mrs. Kenyon's Class: Sonny Malburg and Willa Laurinec
Mrs. McNeill's Class: Emma Smith and Joshua Schneider
Third Grade
Ms. Dewey's Class: Dax Patrick and Isabella LaPlante
Mrs. Dodge's Class: Chase Martin and Brynn Schweihofer
Mrs. Wahl's Class: Victoria Westrick and Caleb Pfeiffer
Fourth Grade
Mrs. Huston's Class: Ryland Goodrich and Sophie Stromme
Ms. Jakiel's Class: Holly Shubnell and Brett Romzek
Mrs. Ursitti's Class: Laughlin Kavanagh and Iris Lomasney
C.I. Class
Mrs. Kierszykowski's Class: Marissa Dwyer
Pioneers of the Month will be honored at our STARS assembly on Friday, September 30th, at 2:45 p.m. in the gym. Parents of those students being recognized are welcome to attend. Please check in at the office first.
Yard Sign Pickup
Good Behavior Tickets and Prizes
Mission: The mission of the Pine River school community is to work collaboratively, providing an enriched curriculum that allows for intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative growth in a positive and safe environment, empowering all children to become productive lifelong learners.