May Newsletter

Short notes

Routines for learning:  When parents get involved in learning, children are more successful.  Help your child get off to a good start in school by creating habits like these at home:

Remind your child of rules such as “reading before play or television”.  That shows them that learning is top priority.  Also, give them a comfortable place to read or draw without distractions.

Make time, next year, each day to look over school papers with your child.  Be on the look out for notes from their teachers, and mark important dates on the calendar.

Sharing at dinnertime is an activity that can go beyond passing the platter.  Ask your child to think  of one new thing they learned during the day.  It might spark an interesting conversation among everyone at the dinner table.

Be sure to go to the

Public Library this
summer!

Fun Activity.

Waiting Games

Waiting has become a part of our everyday lives.  The next time you hear, “how much longer?” try one of these ideas to occupy your children.

Play word games.  Start with a simple word like  “up”.  Take turns thinking of opposites (down).

Work on counting forward and backward.  For an extra challenge, have your child try counting from a number other than 1.  For instance, you say, “7” they would continue “8,9,10”

Try an alphabet search.  Look around the room and find the letter “A” on a sign or poster.  Take turns finding the letters in order until you reach “Z”.

Remember read to or with your child all summer!

Would you like to help people in need.  Become a 
Registered Nurse.
Requirements:

High School diploma or GED
College: Bachelor of Science
Wage:  $30,000-$80,000 a year

May 1-4 Teacher Appreciation Week
May 11 Early Release
May 17 Last day for Pre-K  Awards 10 & 2
May 18 LHS Graduation
May 21 Field Day K-2
May 22  Kinder Last day and Awards 2-3
May 23 Early Release  Awards 1st-2nd 11:30-12:30
May 24 Early Release  School Out for the Summer!  Be Safe and Read! 

March Newsletter

Short notes 

Writers Workshop:

Creative writing is usually taught in a workshop format.  In workshops students submit original work for peer critique. Students also format a writing method through the process of writing and re-writing. Teachers teach editing, structural techniques, and idea generating.

Writer's voice is the literary term used to describe the individual writing style of an author. Voice is generally considered to be a combination of a writers writer's use of punctuation and character development  within a given body of written text.  Voice can be thought of in terms of the uniqueness of a vocal voice machine. As a trumpet has a different voice than a tuba or a violin has a different voice than a cello, so the words of one author have a different sound than the words of another. One author may have a voice that is light and fast paced while another may have a dark voice.

Fun Activity.

Math: Number Sense!

We are going to decompose a given number!

Two bunnies sat on the grass.  Three more bunnies hopped there.  How many bunnies are on the grass now?

2 + 3 = ?

Two bunnies were sitting on the grass.  Some more bunnies hopped there.  Then there were five bunnies.  How many bunnies hopped over to the first two bunnies?

2 + ? = 5

Some bunnies were sitting on the grass.  Three more bunnies hopped there.  Then there were five bunnies.  How many bunnies were on the grass before?

? + 3 = 5

Would you like to entertain?

Become a Writer…...an author.

Requirements:

High School diploma or GED

College: Bachelor of Arts

Wage:  $10,000-$80,000 a year

 Special points of interest:

Mar. 9 End of second 9 weeks

Mar. 12-16 Spring Break

Mar. 23 Parent/Teacher Conf.

Mar. 28 Spring Pictures

February News

Short notes 
Skills for Reading:

When approaching a text, skilled readers are already reading the title and building ideas about what the text will say.  Teachers teach students the important habit of evoking their prior knowledge and information on a subject when they read to enhance comprehension.

Once a student has started reading a text, the reader should modify, or refine their idea about the main idea.

confirm, modify, or refine their idea about the main idea. They should identify the main idea.

Teachers  teach and provide significant practice in distinguishing the main idea in a paragraph or essay from supporting detail or other components.

Fun Activity.

Math: Number Sense!

A rich relational understanding of number, involves many different ideas, relationships and skills.  Number sense is having good intuition about numbers.

 Classifying numbers by use:

Rote counting—saying numbers in sequence

Rational counting– to count objects

Cardinal numbers– to name “how many” objects are in a set

Ordinal numbers– to name the relative positions of objects in sets

Measures– to name “how much” when we measure

Special points of interest:

       Feb. 17 Early Release

Feb. 20 Holiday No School

March 2 Child Find 9-2 at RVT

 CAREERS

Would you like to help find answers to questions?

Become a Researcher of cancer, diabetes, vitamins. etc..

 

Requirements:

High School diploma or GED

College: Bachelor of Science

Wage:  $45,000-$80,000 a year

Short notes 

Act it out!

Prep: Have your child pick out a book to read. (You can visit the library together or pick from books you already have at home.) Skim through the book on your own first to get an idea of the characters.

Play: Read the book aloud to your child, using a different voice for each character as you go along. For example, give an old man a deep gravely voice and a younggirl a high-pitched voice.  Change your tone and volume to show emotion.  Use your enthusiasm!

Get your child in on the action, too.  For example, have him or her act out something a character did, such as riding a horse by galloping around on a broom.  Don’t be afraid to join in and get a little silly. 

Laughter is fun for “children” of all ages!

   

Fun Activity.

Math is Fun!

Parents' attitudes toward mathematics have an impact on children's attitudes. Children whose parents show an interest in and enthusiasm for mathematics around the home will be more likely to develop that enthusiasm themselves.   

Special points of interest:

Jan. 16 Holiday

No school

Jan. 17  MAP

testing begins

Jan. 27  Early

Release

Feb. 3 In-service day.  No school for students.

   

Worth Quoting:

Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.
Anthony J. D'Angelo
  

Reading to children is a treasured activity in many homes. What better way to integrate mathematics into the lives of children than to read them stories that bring mathematical ideas to life? Children's books related to mathematics can be separated into four categories: counting books, number books, storybooks, and concept books.

 

Would you like to predict weather?

Become a Weather Forecaster.

Requirements:

High School diploma or GED

College: Bachelor of Science

Wage:  $50,000-$90,000 a year

October Newsletter

Short notes


After school chats

“What’s in your backpack?”  Greet your child with this question, and you’ll discover a lot about what s/he does in class.

Set aside time each day to go through your child’s papers.  Try to do this first thing after school when their day is fresh in their mind.

Look over the papers together.  Ask questions about the papers.

Special points of interest:

· Oct. 5

Map Testing closes

· Oct. 7

In-service
No School

· Oct. 10

Holiday No school 

· Oct 14

End of 1st 9 weeks

· Oct. 21 

Parent/Teacher Conference

Start a habit.

We have a beautiful track around our brand new Football field.  We need to be proud of it and take care of it.  There should be no trash at all on the track!  I have found gum, sunflower shells, pieces of metal, broken twigs/stalks and paper trash! If everyone will do their part in picking up the trash our track will stay beautiful!!

Fun Activity.

Let your child create their own 3-D community.  They’ll practice map skills and learn about urban planning as they decide where to put the buildings in their town.
Materials:

Paper lunch bags, newspapers, crayons or markers, black construction paper, scissors, and tape.

Have your child think of buildings to include, such as a bank, a grocery store, a school, a library, and houses.  They can make them by drawing doors, windows, and signs on flat bags (on the side without the flap). For every bag they decorate, have them stuff a second one with newspaper. Then, they open each decorated bag and slide it over a stuffed bag so the “buildings” will stand up.  For the roads, cut black construction paper into strips and tape them together.  Finally, have your child lay out  their roads and arrange their buildings alongside them to make their very own town!

Would you like to build a city or town?

Become an Urban planner

 Requirements:

High School Diploma/GED

College Degree: Bachelor of Arts

Wage: $60,00-$90,000

September Newsletter

Short notes

Better Concentration

Looking for a fun way to improve your youngster’s concentration?  Try this quick game.  The first player makes one motion, like clapping or spinning around.  The second person copies him and adds another movement.  Continue adding new motions until someone forget the sequence.  The last player to get it right starts a new game

Special points of interest:
       · Sept. 9
Progress Reports

· Sept. 13  

Lion’s Club eye screening

· Sept 21

MAP testing begins   

· Sept.  23

Homecoming

Early Release

Start a habit.

Encourage your child to treat studying as a daily assignment, not just something they do the evening before a test.  For example, they might study 15 minutes every night on math facts.  After they finish their homework they can spend a little time reviewing their notes and handouts.

A recipe for Respect.

 Ava listens quietly when her teacher talks.  Ben claps for each performer at his piano recital.  Joe includes everyone in the game at recess. These children show respect for others.  Here’s how you can encourage your child to do the same. 
Demonstrate:
Your child will learn respectful behavior by watching the way you treat others.  When they make a mistake, for instance, gently tell them what they did wrong— and out of earshot of others.  Also let them see you respect ideas and beliefs that are different from your own.  For example, point out that you're happy a friend is voting in an election even though you each favor a different candidate.
Notice:
When you see your child acting respectfully, let them know that you’ve noticed!

Would you like to find a new star or planet?

Become an Astronomer!

Requirements:

High School Diploma/GED

College Degree: Bachelor of Science

Wage: $60,00-$90,000

May Newsletter

This is a Bully

· Physical assaulter

· Verbal taunting, name caller, put downs, spreader of rumors

· Threats and intimidation

· Stealer of money and possessions, extortion

· Hostile, threatening, or obscene body gestures

· Lack of empathy towards others

National research shows the effects of bullying can last a lifetime. Victims have an increased chance of academic failure and health problems, low self-esteem and inability to connect socially.

There are long-term implications for bullies as well. Research shows that youths who bully typically have a criminal record by age 24.

Extended Library hours

Be sure to take advantage of the extended library hours! We are open in the afternoons every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00-6:00pm. You are welcome to come check out books, listen to a story, use the computers or just enjoy browsing through our new books! We are also open the second Saturday of the month from 11-2.

Upcoming Events at RVT

May 2….No School..In-service for teachers

May 5….Transition Day for all schools

May 10…Parents of 2^nd graders to SS for

Transition talk 6-7pm

May 12….Fishing clinic

May 13….MAP closes

May 18….Van of Enchantment

May 19….Pre-school Awards and last day

May 20….Solar Trunk…1^st and 2^nd

May 23….Play Day

May 24….Kinder Awards 2-3pm and last day

May 25….1^st and 2^nd Awards 12-1pm

May 25…..Early Release

May 26….Last day

May 26….Early Release

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

A signed note from a parent/guardian or a licensed physician, providing the reason for the student's absence, must be provided. Verbal messages shall not be accepted. (Pre-school is included in this policy)

If you would like to see the entire new attendance policy go to: www.lmsed.org go to Links and then to Board Policy

Kinder 93%

First grade 94%

Second grade 95%

Pre-school 95%

We have been in school 165 days. Aug. 11 to May 5.

Our school designation is…. Progressing! We are out of School Improvement I-delay. We need to continue to keep our attendance high so we can stay totally out of Any Designation but Progressing!

Average yearly salary: $20,000-$75,000

Do you want to produce honey and pollinate crops?

Be a BeeKeeper

Requirements: GED or High School Diploma, Beekeeping classes, and/or a Bachelors of Science.