Family Newsletter

This week's newsletter is from Mr. Matt, who finished his solo week yesterday. He will be in a supportive role until mid-April and I will return as the lead teacher next week.

Enjoy your long weekend,

Maria

This week I was leading the classroom while Mrs. McCormack was in a supporting role on Harmony or hosting parent-teacher conferences. All of the students did a wonderful job learning this week, and I’m so proud of them.

Social-Emotional Learning

-This week the students all had a word of the day that I revealed at the beginning of class. These words included SEL words such as “Kindness” and “Respect”. Students were given opportunities to share what these words meant to them and how it made them feel when they showed kindness or respect to their peers. They were also given opportunities to share a time they used kindness and respect, whether in the classroom or at home.

-Students continued to use their calming cards this week.The students used them effectively and appropriately when they needed a break or a calming tool.

-In our restorative circle, Ms. Nicole talked about something that may have been challenging this week, and something that students were proud of and did well. She also talked about the importance of honesty and accountability. I was impressed with the honesty most students showed with Ms. Nicole during this time.

-I tried to give the students an opportunity to share this week in our morning meetings. We learned about a vast range of fascinating things from the students such as: what Japan is like, a book two students wrote, and an object that meant a lot to students. It was terrific to see how respectful and thoughtful the questions that were asked to the sharer were. For those who didn’t get a chance this week, I hope to hear from you next week!

Reading

-This week we continued to learn about the Iditarod Trail. Students had the opportunity during independent reading time to continue Harmony’s optional Iditarod Reading Challenge. Many students participated in this, some even bringing these worksheets home because they were so interested in it. I was very impressed by the hard work, dedication, and perseverance these students showed when doing this. We will continue this reading challenge next week so there is still time for your child to join.

-This week we learned about two other dogs that were key players on the Iditarod Trail. These furry friends were Balto and Togo! We read The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford and Togo by Robert J. Blake. Through these two dog stories, the students learned about the heroic 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska.

-I had the opportunity to listen in on a few students reading during independent reading, and I really enjoyed this! What a great group of engaged readers we have!

Writing

-This week in writing we filled out Venn Diagrams comparing Togo to Balto. We did this as a whole class and I was amazed by the input of students. Some students even presented comparisons/contrasts I hadn’t even thought about!

-Students were also given time for more creative writing. They all have such an abundance of creativity when they write.

Math

-This week students learned two new math games: Star Power and Steps & Leaps. They all had assigned partners for these math games, and I thought it was great how they got to learn more about other friends rather than the ones they are most comfortable with.

-We continued our Number Talks and learned about understanding patterns in addition that involved two-digit numbers. I even threw a three-digit number into the fray to challenge them because they are such strong mathematicians. They all had fantastically unique strategies. These involved isolating the ones place (or tens in three-digit number case) to solve the problem more efficiently; figuring out the ones place via rounding up to the tens place, and so much more!

Science

- The students picked out animals for a project they will be doing within the upcoming animal report writing unit.  These animals ranged from the curiously unheard to beloved fan-favorites. We had Axolotls, Dogs, Cats, Jaguars, Basking Sharks, American Shortbread Horses, Cuttlefish, and Tasmanian Tigers to name a few. I loved their diverse choices. The students picked these using an assortment of books and PebbleGo Online to see their options.

-Some students chose to get a head start in jotting down facts about their animals for the project they will be starting next week with Mrs. McCormack and Ms. Scott. I am impressed by their “go-getter” attitudes.

News and Reminders

-Mrs. McCormack will resume helming the ship next week. I know they’ve all missed her very much and she has certainly missed being in the classroom with them!.

Best,

Mr. Matt

Family Newsletter

 Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week the students assembled individualized calming cards to help them be more engaged learners, sustain attention and complete work more independently.  These calming cards will serve as a visual reminder for the students and hopefully help them make responsible decisions at school.  We also hope that these calming cards will lead to more self awareness, a sense of control and confidence. The students are so excited to use these strategies and are doing a wonderful job!

• In our restorative circle with Ms. Nicole this week, the students learned how they can be “Kindness Superheroes” at school and at home.  They learned that reaching out to other friends on Harmony to ask to play a game at recess together or sit together at lunch can be examples of how they can be “Kindness Superheroes”.  They can also use kind words and expressions to show kindness.  Ask your child to share more about their special Kindness Superhero powers.

Reading:

• We started learning about the Iditarod on Harmony.  The students will learn about the history of the race and about the equipment and training of the dogs as we explore this topic together.  The students will participate in different read alouds and have a variety of learning projects to work on.  The students listened to the book about Akiak, for example, and completed a character comparison, finding similarities between themselves and this amazing sled dog.  They discovered that they are all brave, kind and can show resilience and perseverance.

• The students also have the opportunity to participate in an Iditarod Reading Challenge on Harmony.  This is optional and the students can participate if they want to.  During independent reading times (or any other explore/choice times during our school day), the students can read a chapter (or book) and write a summary about what they read to “move” along the Iditarod Trail just like the mushers and the sled dogs. The students have their own trail maps and read along the trail.  When they reach the finish line, they will get a special certificate/prize.

• We had a special visit from the author Rebecca Rule this week.  She read her book “The Iciest, Diciest,, Scariest Sled Ride” to the students at ABS. The students enjoyed talking to a real author.

 

Writing:

• Mr. Matt continued to teach his creative writing unit this week.  The students were very engaged and eager to add more details to their words and pictures. This week, they learned to add suspense and a solution to the problem their characters adventures.

Math:

• Second grade mathematicians started learning more systematic ways to use a number line to show their math thinking, using both addition and subtraction. As you may recall, the students are very familiar with using number paths.  A number line is slightly different in that it allows the student to show their math thinking by indicating “jumps” along a number line that can represent any number sequence.

• Second grade mathematicians also continued working on fractions.  This week they learned about how to “extend” fractions in drawings/representations.  For example, if ⅓ was visible on a paper, how could they add to the drawing to show ⅔ or a whole.  They are fantastic math problem-solvers!

News and Reminders:

• If you have not signed up for a parent-teacher conference yet here is the link.  I look forward to the opportunity to chat with you again about your child’s learning at school.

• Mr. Matt started his solo week today and did a terrific job.  He will be the lead teacher all of next week too with me in a supporting role.  

Have a great weekend,

Maria

Family Newsletter

 Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week we started using writing journals for our mindfulness blocks.  The students did an outstanding job drawing and writing about their own strengths and unique talents and abilities this week.

• In our restorative circles this week, we talked about how we can show respect to other people at our school, specifically how the students can show respect to Mr. Matt since he is starting his solo week on the 17th of March.  The students had many great ideas.  Some students suggested they can be role models by following the group plan, model a calm and safe body and listen with respect.  Other students shared that they can help others and remind them of the expectations if needed.  They are an amazing group of kids.  Please talk to your child about the importance of showing respect to all adults/teachers at our school.  It can be challenging sometimes to have a new teacher and do things a little differently, but we will continue to work on these ideas next week too leading up to Mr. Matt’s first solo day. When Mr. Matt is the solo teacher (3/17-3/23), I will be in a supportive role to him and the class.  I will also host parent-teacher conferences.  You should receive an additional email with a sign up document later today or over the weekend.

• Today was National SEL Day!  We celebrated in many different ways today.  We did a zones greeting and checked in with each other to make sure our emotional needs were met in the morning.  Later in the day, we created individualized calming cards to encourage the students to find practical strategies for staying on task and learning throughout the day.  We hope this added resource will help our young learners identify their feelings while also creating a sense of responsible decision-making and accountability to foster self-reliance, independence and agency.

Reading:

• This week, we read and listened to many different books.  One of our favorites was “Interrupting Chicken” by David Ezra Stein.  The students enjoyed the story of the little chicken who constantly interrupted her papa as he tried to read her a bedtime story.  Using thinking bubbles and speech bubbles, the students shared their ideas about the different characters' perspectives and feelings.  The students also gave their own advice to the little chicken to help her stop interrupting.  They had great ideas.  

.

Writing:

• Mr. Matt started his writing unit this week.  He will teach the students a creative writing unit.  He will encourage the students to develop their own voice as an author by creating fictional stories with characters, a plot and setting.  The students are very excited to use their imagination to create these stories.  

Math:

• Second grade mathematicians continued their work on fractions and number sense this week.  Mr. Rene Sanchez, our District Superintendent, and Ms. Filion came to visit our Number Talks.  They were so impressed with our incredible mathematicians who showed respectful math sharing and active engagement throughout the lesson as they shared different strategies for solving equations.

• This week, our Number Talks focused upon something called “Number Strings”.  Number strings encourage students to see connections between number relationships by introducing a set of mathematical expressions.  For example, if a child understands that 7+2 is 9, the child can use that skill to solve 87+2 and 70+20, etc

Science:

• This week, the students of Harmony had the opportunity to participate in another 4 Winds class.  This time, they learned about trees and twigs in winter times.  Our classes started with a puppet show and afterwards we went outside to match twigs to trees.  Enjoy the pictures:

News and Reminders:

• Please see this message from our Families as Partners group:

Williston Families as Partners is excited to be hosting Lucky U for the 6th year!  

Students will have the opportunity to enter individual raffles for a chance to win a special activity or experience with faculty or staff from one of the Williston Schools! 

Money raised will help support Williston School field trips, grants for teacher initiatives, and more! ALL students will receive one FREE ticket. Additional raffle tickets may be purchased for 25 cents.

Tickets will be sold the week of March 13th-17th! 

• Before school at ABS from 7:40am-8:10am

• During lunches at WCS 11:25am-12:05pm and 12:15pm-12:55pm                                           

Prize drawings will be held at the end of the week. All winners will be notified by the following Tuesday. 

Link to full list of 2023 Raffle Experiences HERE

Volunteers, please sign-up to help sell Raffle Tickets! HERE—> https://signup.com/go/gFiXsjM

Have a great weekend,

Maria

Family Newsletter

 Dear Families,

I hope you had a great snow day this week and had a chance to go outside and enjoy the new wintery weather we got.  I wish you all a great Winter Break next week.  I will see the kids when we return to school on Monday, March 6th.

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week, we have learned about the importance of mastering certain skills that can improve our sense of control and independence. Young children sometimes feel that there are few things they can control during the day.  This can be frustrating and overwhelming. Parents can help navigate these feelings by encouraging their children to take on some developmentally appropriate/age-appropriate tasks at home.  For example, parents can help their children develop a sense of control and independence by asking their  child to pack library books in preparation for library exchange days, or ask their child to pack and choose healthy snacks for school.  Selecting a lunch for the following school day also provides opportunities for young children to practice making responsible choices and develop a sense of control.  We have so many lunch options at ABS now that pre-viewing the menu at home with parents/guardians also helps young children manage anxieties related to selecting a healthy lunch option.  Learning how to navigate choices and making responsible decisions help children feel empowered and in control.  In our classroom, the students are learning to make responsible choices every day in a variety of settings so extending these opportunities to the home would help them develop these skills and accountability in another setting as well.

• Spirit Week was a huge success.  The students and the teachers loved the daily special activities.  Our favorite activity was the snowball activity.  Our classroom experienced a blizzard (and we did not even have a snow day!)

Reading:

• Mr. Matt has provided daily read alouds from different picture books this week.  Thank you Mr. Matt.  The students and I have enjoyed all of the books and the conversations that followed.

• The students accessed raz kids online as well this week.  There seems to be some technical issues with some students’ accounts.  If you encounter problems, please let the IT Desk know and open a ticket for assistance.  These technical problems are beyond my expertise as I tried everything I can to help solve them (Click here for IT Desk Tickets). Your child has access to raz kids from home and we encourage you to add it to your home platform options.  (Other options for at-home reading and math are all linked on the student portal).

• We are sending home an optional reading packet for your child to use over our Winter Break.  It is packed inside the Home Folder.  Please encourage your child to participate in the activities and return the packet when we return to school.  Thank you for considering.

Writing:

• This week the students finished a variety of writing pieces.  They had a chance to revise their pieces and add more details to their words and pictures. 

• We also spent time organizing writing pieces and the students decided which ones to add to their scrapbooks.  They did a great job managing multiple pieces and making responsible choices.

Math:

• In math this week, the students had the opportunity to develop their math fluency skills.  Math fluency is defined as understanding number relations and equations automatically and with ease.  Math fluency is not about speed.  It is about making sense of the numbers and seeing connections between a series of equations.  We call those connections Number Strings.  For example, if a child knows 8+7, then the child knows 18+7 and 28+7 fluently because groups of tens were added.

• The students continued to build their understanding of fractions this week too.  We primarily focused on the different ways in which wholes can be divided into smaller, equal parts and represented with mathematical symbols.

News and Reminders:

• We have no school next week.  We return to school again on Monday, March 6th.

• Here is a terrific family resource link from Heather Scandale, our fabulous school counselor Family Supports

Have a great weekend,

Maria

Family Newsletter

 Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week, the students participated in multiple collaborative learning activities and games  to build trust and strategies for cooperation.  For example, they worked together in small groups to sort books into two categories; fiction and nonfiction, while figuring out how to share their understanding with the rest of the class.  As a class, the students discovered that collaboration can work in many different ways.  For example, one group solved the problem by taking turns to sort one book at a time, while another group checked in with its members after the book sort was completely done.  

• This week, we continued our work around restorative practices; both as a class but also in conflict-resolution between friends.  The students are doing a great job verbalizing their needs and using affirmative strategies and statements to help each other navigate big and small problems.  The students are also doing a great job listening respectfully to each other.  We continued to build a deeper understanding of this when we read a book about  a character who blurts out a lot and how those choices can interfere with relationships and learning.  The students shared ideas and strategies they can do to avoid blurting out.  Ask your child to share a strategy to use at home.

• Please read this message from Ms. Nicole:

We have filled The Hive twice by showing We are Safe, We are Kind and We are Responsible at Allen Brook School. We will celebrate with Spirit Week next week. Here is a copy of the week's activities. Students do not need to participate, but if they would like to, that's great!

Please feel free to reach out to our PBiS Coordinator, Nicole,  if you have any questions or concerns at npfende@cvsdvt.org

Thanks all, Looking forward to having fun next week!! 

Reading:

• This week, the students continued to listen to the Red Clover books in our library time.  Soon, the students of ABS will vote for their favorite book (out of the 10 nominated books this year).  This week’s book addressed the importance of understanding each other’s perspectives and differences.

• This week, the students also had the opportunity to read nonfiction books with their reading partner.  This week, we immersed ourselves in books about different cultures and countries.

Writing:

• The students had opportunities to learn more about collaborative writing this week.  They have editing partners who will help them in the revision process, making sure that age-appropriate grammar is represented.  They also wrote letters and commented on each others’ google slides/book recommendations on SeeSaw.

• The students learned that making comments online must be related to academic work and reflect school policy of what it means to be a safe digital citizen.  Comments and posts on SeeSaw reflect full sentences and words.  We do not use emojis and other short-cuts for showing our understanding.  We use positive feedback and try to engage in a conversation by asking for clarifying questions.  All writing on SeeSaw will need to be approved by the classroom teacher.  It will not be visible until it has been approved. The students also practiced using their “best spelling” and typing/keyboarding skills.

Math:

• Second grade mathematicians celebrated their 100th day of second grade this week too!  We celebrated by looking at the number 100 in many different ways, using many different groupings to show groups of hundreds too!

• We started a new unit on fractions in our math class too.  The students reviewed wholes and halves from first grade.  They will continue to build their understanding as we explore quarters and thirds too as well as how we can add them together to get “larger” parts.  We also explored the importance of equal parts in fractions.

News and Reminders:

• Your child has an informative letter about accessing SeeSaw from home and how parents/guardians can comment and view the content.  Please follow the directions if your family is interested in connecting digitally with your child using this platform.  We have new SeeSaw accounts this school year.  Our SeeSaw community as a class is private for our class.  Other people cannot access the content.  All comments and posts must be approved by the classroom teacher before becoming available on SeeSaw.   Let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend,

Maria

Family Newsletter

 Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• Ms. Nicole joined our classroom for another restorative circle.  Last week, the students learned about what they can control and what they cannot control in their lives. They learned that they have many positive choices in their daily routines and lives.  This week, we built on that idea by focusing on the reactions we have to other people’s statements or actions.  Choosing a safe and productive reaction is part of growing up and learning self-control.  The students also learned that if they know what is upsetting to their peers they can make stronger, more empathetic choices to help their friends remain calm.  In other words, we can help each other by not purposefully upsetting our friends or classmates.  

• This week,, the students also learned about a restorative circle practice called “the Fishbowl”.  In this type of circle, the participants form two circles, an inner circle and an outer circle.  The students in the inner circle discuss a topic, or an issue, while the students in the outer circle listen actively.  The roles then switch.  After all students have had a chance to share their thoughts and ideas, the whole class comes together to form a consensus. In this type of circle, the students learn to build a strong community necessary for productive learning, a sense of belonging and trust.  The overall structure provides a framework of expectations.  The students know they will all have a chance to speak and share their own thoughts and ideas, but since the talking switches, the learners are also encouraged to add to their thinking/change their thinking because of what was shared already by somebody else.  The students did an outstanding job showing respectful listening and perspective taking.  This week, for example, we discussed how we can share math materials and tools more fairly and how we can show good sportsmanship when playing games together.  We also discussed strategies and solutions for solving recess problems.  They came up with many terrific ideas!

Reading:

• This week, second grade readers continued to explore various nonfiction books.  We added new books to our classroom library for independent reading times.  We added books from the National Geographic series, the Magic School Bus series as well as books from the series called “My First Sports”.  

• We continued to learn about important people in science during our read alouds.  This week, we learned more about Katherine Johnson and her amazing mathematical achievements which helped bring people to the Moon.  

Writing:

• The students finished their opinion writing pieces in google slides this week.  They met with me one on one to edit their writing.  We will share these google slides next week on SeeSaw (see information about SeeSaw below)

Math:

• This week, second grade mathematicians learned a new structure for rotating through work place stations.  These work place stations will not only address mathematical concepts and provide additional practice, but they will also help the students develop self-awareness and responsibility as they navigate multiple choices.  This week, the students had the opportunity to play games addressing  addition and subtraction skills using coins/money and games addressing number sense and finding the number just before in a sequence to 120.

• The students also created a “Partner’s Pledge” with each other.  As a class, they decided on a set of norms for successful completion of these games.  They agreed to the following rules:

 

Technology:

• This week, second graders used SeeSaw, an online platform which allows students to share their thinking and work digitally with each other, their teachers and families.  Home access will be shared with you all sometime next week.  We have new SeeSaw accounts this year (so last year’s account is no longer valid). This week, the students started working on a learning activity around Kindness.  Stay tuned for more information.

News and Reminders:

• We will celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th.  I emailed you a list of all the students in our class.  If your child wishes to share Valentine’s Day cards/pictures, please make sure all students are included.  Also, please do not send in food/treats or candy to be shared among the students.  Thank you.

• It is cold outside and our playground/fields are covered in snow.  Please remember to send your child to school daily with weather-appropriate clothing.

• Please take a moment to go through your child’s backpack periodically.  Many times, soggy/wet clothes are left in the various pouches, or at the bottom, making papers and books wet as well.  Checking your child’s backpack daily is strongly recommended.  In fact,Harmony House encourages all families to encourage their own child/children to start taking some responsibility at home with packing and unpacking backpacks.  For example, encourage your child to pack the library books on Mondays, and unpack the backpack daily.  Not only will this empower your child and improve their confidence and independence, we also hope families will notice if any items of clothing are missing.  Our Lost & Found racks/bins at ABS are overflowing with left-behind winter gear and sweatshirts.  We encourage families to inventory items of clothing that might be missing and encourage their children to look for them at school.  Please also label your child’s clothing clearly.

• Winter gear gets wet and soggy quickly.  We encourage families to send in a grocery bag for these clothing items as backpacks often are too small to fit boots, mittens and snow pants.  Having an extra bag for packing winter gear will also reduce frustrations and stressors for our young learners’ end-of-the-day dismissal procedures.  Thank you.

Have a great weekend,

Maria