Dutch Fork Elementary
Academy of Environmental Sciences - Week of Sept. 25th -
DFES Beliefs
- We believe all people deserve to feel safe, valued, and loved.
- We believe all children are naturally curious about the world around them.
- We believe learning is a social process.
- We believe inquiry fosters an environment of noticing and questioning.
- We believe in learning from multiple perspectives.
- We believe in learning from authentic primary and secondary sources.
- We believe in encouraging learners to be risk takers.
- We believe reflection should lead to change and growth.
- We believe learning should lead to social action.
- We believe our actions should be aligned with our beliefs.
DFES Goals 2017-2018
- Excellent customer service
- Effective small group instruction
- Building teacher capacity with environmental education (Project Learning Tree)
Positive progress towards achieving our prioritized school goals
Excellent customer service
- I am pleased to share that 100% of our homeroom teachers are using SMORE as the platform to communicate with parents.
- I am also pleased to share that we have an increasing number of teachers who are educating parents on how to help their children at home via their class newsletters.
- Last Thursday Dr. Mills led curricular conversations on how to enhance parent partnerships. As she said we want parents feeling hopeful and building capacity for them to be helpful to their children. A copy of Dr. Mills' presentation is included below.
Effective small group instruction
- Last week I had a laser like focus on observing RtI Blocks of time and the launching of shared reading and fake out groups. I was able to see 9 classrooms where the RtI time was protected and actions plans were being followed up on.
Building teacher capacity with environmental education
- Last week we had 22 classes that scheduled either a garden tour, nature trail tour, or compost recycling lessons with A. Umberger. We are fortunate to have spaces on our campus that can serve as primary sources to extend learning for students. Thanks for taking advantage of these learning spaces.
Shout Out
- D. Gibson for being a learner who takes risks. She recently participated in the South Carolina Wildlife Federation Women's Outdoor Retreat at Hickory Knob State Park. She engaged in paddle boarding, sheet shooting, canoeing, kayaking and several other activities.
B. Blackwell for hosting and arranging a family book night at the Richland County Public Library - Ballentine last Thursday. Students who attended this event were provided with a free book.
K. Hill and T. Randolph. Both of their classes adopted a class from Houston impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Both 4th grade classes are collected needed items that we be sent to our peers in Houston.
Lola Gantt (5th Grader) that was recognized as the Student of the Month by the Lake Murray/Irmo Rotary Club last Wednesday.
Staffing Updates
- We are excited to have Claire Rhodes, reading interventionist, return from maternity leave on Monday, September 25. Her presence has been missed. Please join us in welcoming her back.
- We have recommended a candidate for the .5 reading interventionist position that is split between our school and Leaphart Elementary that is pending board approval tomorrow. We will keep you posted.
- Our school nurse, Linda Miller, is currently on FMLA. It is our anticipation that she will return in 3 weeks. Please keep her in your thoughts.
- We have two retired educators that will serve as math tutors beginning this week. Please join us in welcoming Jane Alexander (IES retiree). Jane will be with us on Tuesday's and Wednesday's. Also joining us is DFES' own Richard Taylor who will here on Thursday's and Friday's. Both will be with us from 8:00 - 2:30 in room 6.
September 26th is Data Team Tuesday. We will meet at 3:15 p.m. in the cafeteria with homeroom teachers.
RtI Progress Conversations: Speed Dating
Monday, Sep 25, 2017, 08:00 AM
Professional Development Room
Chat with Dr. Hefner
Wednesday, Sep 27, 2017, 07:00 AM
DFES Conference Room
Good News Club
Wednesday, Sep 27, 2017, 02:45 PM
DFES Cafeteria
Science Curricular Conversations with A. Umberger
Wednesday, Sep 27, 2017, 08:30 AM
DFES science lab
Scott Out of Office Thursday
PBIS Fox Fun Friday
Fox Fun Friday:
We will be having our first Fox Fun Friday of the year on Friday, September 29th. The theme of the Fox Fun Friday will be Corn Hole and Doughnut Holes, where students will have the opportunity to play a few games of Corn Hole, toss the football and eat some Doughnut Holes and drink some Apple Cider. The festivities will be held on the soccer field during the day.
Tickets will be on sale for the event up until Thursday, September 28th. If you have a student who would like to purchase a ticket to Fox Fun Friday (25 LEAF Bucks), please email Mr. Gantt the names of students and collect the 25 LEAF Bucks.
On the day of the event, students will be released from their classrooms and sent to the soccer field at the grade level time. The students will participate in the Fox Fun Friday event for their grade level time, and will then be sent back to class following. Students may not attend Fox Fun Friday without a ticket, so please encourage your students to purchase a ticket to the event.
The times for Fox Fun Friday are as follows:
3rd Grade - 8:25 - 8:55
1st Grade - 9:00 - 9:30
4th Grade - 9:35 - 10:05
5th Grade 10:10 - 10:40
4K & Kindergarten - 12:00 - 12:30
2nd Grade 12:35 - 1:05
The next Fox Fun Friday will be held on November 17th and the theme will be Carolina/Clemson Tug-of-War & Tailgate.
For more information regarding Fox Fun Friday and PBIS, please check the PBIS website:
https://sites.google.com/lex5.k12.sc.us/dfes-pbis-site/home--Friday, Sep 29, 2017, 08:30 AM
DFES
Green Apple Day of Service
Green Apple Day of Service unites parents, teachers, students, companies and local organizations for volunteer projects that transform schools into safe, healthy and sustainable learning environments.
Our grade levels will be caring for the following designated spaces:
- 4K - Little Sprouts Garden
- Kindergarten - Butterfly and Trout Habitat
- 1st/2nd Grade - Little Farm
- 3rd Grade - Kenny's Garden
- 4th Grade - Secret Garden
- 5th Grade - Pollinator Habitat and Nature Trail
Friday, Sep 29, 2017, 08:30 AM
DFES
Irmo Okra Strut
Irmo's annual Okra Strut will be held this Saturday. D5 magnet schools will share a booth to further inform the community of magnet program choices available in our district.
We are still hoping to get some additional volunteers to join Mr. Gantt, J. Reed, and me. Please refer to the google doc previously sent by S. Cope if you are available to volunteer one hour on Saturday.
Saturday, Sep 30, 2017, 09:00 AM
Irmo Community Park, Church Street, Irmo, SC, United States
Interims go home Friday.
UnbeLEAFable Students
Thank you all for your participation with our UnbeLEAFable Students. Many of you have turned in more than one UnbeLEAFable form, recognizing students ability to go above and beyond their call of duty, committing random acts of kindness throughout the building. Please remember that the purpose of the UnbeLEAFable Student Celebration is to celebrate students for specific acts that you noticed them do. We have received forms for students because of their character in a whole, which is important; however we would like more specific such as a student stayed in during recess to help another student organize their desk, or a student walked another student to their class when they got lost in the building. We will continue receiving UnbeLEAFable forms for the October 10th celebration up until September 28th. Thanks.
Mr. Gantt
For more information regarding UnbeLEAFable Student Celebrations and PBIS, please check the PBIS website:
https://sites.google.com/lex5.k12.sc.us/dfes-pbis-site/home
We develop students who care about the world we live in and express critical thinking through natural curiosity and wonder.
Email: jscott@lexrich5.org
Website: www.lexrich5.org/dutchfork/cfm
Location: 7900 Broad River Road, Irmo, SC, United States
Phone: 803-476-3901
Twitter: @dfes_principal