March/April - Cecil County Public Schools

Kenmore Elementary School
March/April
PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE
It is hard to believe that spring is upon us! We are certainly ready for some warmer
temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Our students have been very patient during the frigid days
of January and February that have prevented them from going outside!
We will begin administration of the PARCC assessment on March 16th. PARCC is taking
place of MSA testing for grades 3, 4, and 5. PARCC is similar to MSA in that students will be
asked to complete a math portion and a reading portion. One major difference is that all students
will be testing on the computer. If your child is in grade 3, 4, or 5 and participating in testing,
you will receive a letter with more information.
In addition, you may have heard some things from school, around the community, or read in
the Whig about our CCPS budget. This year we are placing a specific emphasis on speaking to
the County Council members, as well as the County Executive, in support of fully funding our
budget. Members of the Kenmore community have written letters and spoken at County Council
meetings to share the importance of our message. If the budget is not funded it will have a major
impact on our schools and your child. We will be organizing a group to attend a council meeting
on March 17, 2015. Please look for more information to come. Kenmore and the CCPS
community greatly appreciate your support.
As always please feel free to contact us at any time. We are always happy to speak with
parents, listen to your suggestions or concerns as well as share your celebrations and successes.
Kenmore is a wonderful place to work and learn!
Have a wonderful spring!
Josh Mangold
Principal
Stacey Rominski
Assistant Principal
PRE-KINDERGARTEN
We are officially 100 days smarter! Pre-K celebrated 100 days of school and Valentine’s Day
on the same day! First, Mrs. D and I would like to thank our friends for the wonderful collection
of Valentines. So many of you are doing a great job with writing your names and that just makes
our hearts “pitter pat!” Thank you for making us feel so special! Our next unit of study will be
called Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We will explore the many different ways this topic impacts our
world and even though we are “short,” we can still do things as a group or as individuals that will
make a difference. Also, we are going to have a visit from Elkton Recycling Center to find out
what happens right here in our own back yard. Our number of fridge words will continue to grow
and we are finding them everywhere! In the next few months we will use them to read and
construct some simple sentences as well as adding new ones to the list. Remember trimester two
reports will go out on or about March 2nd.
Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. DiFilippo
KINDERGARTEN
It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the third marking period! The kids continue
to grow and learn so much! We are very proud of how far they’ve come.
During our “Econ and Me” unit of study, students will learn about: different
types of farms, products we get from farms, animals that live on farms, crops that
are grown on farms, the jobs of a farmer, and the machinery used on farms. We will
read many fiction and non-fiction books to help us during this unit. Our dramatic
play area will also be turned into a farm for the children to work and play. We will
also learn about other community helpers during this unit.
In math, we are learning about two and three-dimensional shapes. Students will learn the
names of the shapes and identify if they are flat or solid. We will also identify things that are in
our classroom that are 2D and 3D. We will give the Unit 3 assessment at the end of March.
Students will count orally to 75 starting from 1 and from a given number. Students will also
write teen numbers and show a given teen number as a group of ten and extra ones.
Mrs. Heckert and Ms. Hobson
FIRST GRADE
In reading, we have learned that information can be found in the pictures and from the text in
a book. Our math unit has us learning how to compare two digit and three digit numbers, add two
digit numbers using tools, compare 2-D and 3-D shapes, and measure the length of objects using
nonstandard and standard units. We are finishing our unit on “Pebbles, Sand, and Silt” in
science. In social studies, we started a new unit about economics. Students will learn about
wants, needs, goods, and services. Please continue to work on spelling words and reading our
word wall words!
Mrs. English, Mrs. Mullinix, and Mrs. Oswald
SECOND GRADE
Second graders are eager to be back in the routine of school and are making great strides to
continue learning more each and every day! We have been making connections in different
genres of literature and non-fiction text in reading. We have discovered new ways to solve
different types of problems in math; and have been practicing using multiplication with arrays.
We continue to see most of our second graders making good choices to be positive, prepared,
and productive in class each day. Thanks so much for your continued support at home and
school. Please remind your children to bring their homework folders back to school on the last
day of the school week, and read with your child every school night. We can’t wait to see the
sunshine and welcome spring!
Mrs. Fetterolf, Mrs. Quinn, and Mrs. Rose
THIRD GRADE
Wow! We can’t believe it is March already. Students are busy getting ready for the PARCC
assessment.
We are continuing with the concept of relationships in language arts. Our essential question
is, “Why are relationships important”? Try talking to your child about different relationships they
experience in their lives. We will be continuing with fractions in math. In social studies we have
started the exciting Economics unit. Information for mini-society will be coming
home soon. In science we are currently learning about the “Physics of Sound”
and will be studying “Structures of Life”. Each student will grow his or her own
plant hydroponically!
Remember to read 15 minutes each night, study the weekly spelling words,
and memorize the multiplication facts. Third grade is looking forward to a very
exciting spring!
Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Woollens
FOURTH GRADE
Fourth grade would like to thank everyone who supported Jump Rope for Heart and visited
our classrooms for Reader’s Theater. The students were eager to read their part for our visitors.
In math, the students will continue to practice decimals and fractions and begin focusing on
measurement. We will solve problems using time, liquid measurement, and area. We are excited
to be studying Greek Mythology in our English Language Arts Block. Students will be learning
the characteristics of a myth and will be introduced to many of the different gods and goddesses.
In social studies, we have been learning about the history of Maryland and will be focusing on
Maryland’s government throughout the rest of the marking period. In science, we will be
learning about the mechanics of motion. We will learn about speed and then graph the data we
collect. Thank you for your continued support!
Mrs. Cooke, Mrs. Ide, and Mrs. Sessions
FIFTH GRADE
We are continuing to identify the theme in stories and multimedia in language arts. The
students will also be drawing conclusions as they read.
In math we will be continuing our fractions unit by multiplying and dividing fractions. I hope
your child has shared with you some of the original ways we have worked with fractions
throughout this unit.
The students will be learning more about the Revolutionary War and will head
towards learning about the Declaration of Independence and our government.
We are working with our “Cells” unit in science. The students will be learning
about types of cells and their functions as well as looking at cells through a
microscope.
The fifth grade trip to Washington D.C. is on Friday, May 15th. Look for
information to come home soon.
Mrs. Bosler, Mrs. Hayman, and Mrs. Combs
MEDIA CENTER
Fourth & Fifth Grade Book Club
It has been busy, even as the snow flies. Our book club has been hugely successful, and the
students have been complaining that the snow has caused them to miss some of their Tuesday
book club dates. Weather is always an issue this time of year so the book club will be extending
its run an extra week into March to give the students extra time to read and enjoy a chance to
meet their reading goals.
Media
Our first graders are finishing their first model research unit by making a book, complete
with bibliography, thanking the author of the book that taught them the basics of research skills.
Similar units are also done in each grade level during the school year, with gradually increasing
depth and complexity added to each grade level's work. Our second, fourth, and fifth graders also
recently took a mid-year benchmark to measure their learning. Fourth and fifth graders looked at
the data generated to make a personal action plan so they'll be ready for the end of year
assessment.
Mr. Mychalus
School Librarian
PHYSICAL EDUCATION/INTEGRATED ARTS
We would like to welcome Ms. Kelsey Johnson to Kenmore Elementary. Ms. Johnson is a student
from the University of Delaware doing her student teaching with Mrs. Roy.
JUMP ROPE FOR HEART!!
A big thank you goes out to our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders who raised $7,000 for
the American Heart Association on Friday, February 13th at our annual Jump Rope
for Heart event.
The 3 top fundraisers were:
1: Lexi Bunk - $450
2: Kimmie Ball - $375
3: Will Shockley - $350
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped to make this event so successful!
Mrs. Roy
FROM
THE
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Congratulations to the following students for participating in the All County Elementary
Honor Chorus:
Alexis Bunk
Zachary Crowl
Abby Mahoney
Madeline Moore
Mackenzie Simpers
These 5 students, along with others from all across the county, will be performing a concert
at Elkton High School on March 24th at 7:00 PM.
This year our Kenmore Chorus will be performing the Star Spangled Banner at an Aberdeen
Ironbirds game on Monday, June 29th. All ticket forms/money are due by Wednesday, April 1st
so that we can ensure tickets will be distributed prior to the end of the school year. You can buy
tickets through the school or through School Cash Online.
Our KES Spring Concert will be on Tuesday, May 12th, 2015.
Mr. Kyle McFadden
COUNSELOR
Kenmore Elementary is participating in two before school-based programs this year. The
programs are imom and All Pro Dads. These programs meet monthly at 8:15 AM. During the
program parents and children enjoy a light breakfast and discuss topics relevant to school age
children. Each program provides fun bonding activities for you and your child. You will also
leave with some practical parenting tips that you can implement immediately at home. Please
look for invitations to come home with your child. For more information, please feel free to
contacts Mrs. Simpson or visit the websites, www.allprodads.com and www.imom.com .
In classroom lessons the students have begun, or will soon begin, Personal Safety. This is a
county-wide curriculum which teaches students how to take care of their body and keep their
body safe. The following topics will be covered at each grade level.
◊ Stranger Awareness and Safety Rules (PK-5)
◊ “No, Go, Tell” Response (PK-5)
◊ Identifying Good and Bad Touches (K-5)
◊ Good Secrets vs. Bad Secrets (K-5)
◊ Examples of Lures (1-5)
◊ The “Uh-oh Feeling” (2-5)
◊ Internet Safety Rules (3-5)
◊ Personal Safety Rules (3-5)
◊ Personal Safety Vocabulary (4-5)
◊ Communication Styles (5)
If you have any questions or concerns about your child, please feel free to contact me at, 410996-5060.
PBIS News
Please continue to encourage your child to show the 3P’s at school and to keep getting Pride
Tickets!
PBIS Data as of February 25, 2013
Month
Number of MIR’s
Number of ODR’s
Number of Pride
Tickets
August/September
1,673
23
2
October
1,846
23
1
November
984
11
4
December
928
9
3
January
1,001
7
2
Mrs. Simpson
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 2nd
March 13th
March 16th
March 20th
March 24th
March 27th
April 1st
April 2nd
April 2nd
April 3rd – 6th
April 13th
April 14th
April 24th
TBD
Mid-term reports issued
School will be in session – inclement weather make-up day
PTO meeting 6:30 PM in the media center
Deadline for ordering a Kenmore yearbook
All County Chorus performs at Elkton High – 7:00 PM
Kenmore Karnival 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Spring pictures and class pictures
School will be in session – inclement weather make-up day
Marking period ends
Spring holiday – schools closed
Report cards issued
PTO meeting 6:30 PM in the media center
PTO family game night – more information to follow
Roma’s Night
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION 2015 - 2016
Kindergarten registration for the 2015-16 school year will be held March 9 – 13, 2015.
Kindergarten is mandatory for children who will be five (5) years old on or before September 1,
2015. Exemptions are accepted for children attending kindergarten in a private school or you
may request a maturity waiver which allows your child to be exempt from kindergarten for one
year due to his/her maturity level. Waiver forms will be available in the school office and must
be completed and returned for approval by Cecil County Public Schools.
If you, a relative, or a friend, have a child who will be five years old on or before September
1, 2015, please notify the school office at 410-996-5060. Registration packets will be mailed
prior to registration week.
PRE-K APPLICATION 2015 - 2016
Applications will be available in the office beginning March 23, 2015. If your child will be
four (4) years old on or before September 1, 2015 (and potty trained), you may stop in and pick
up an application on or after March 23, 2015.
KENMORE’S YEARBOOK!
Our yearbook this year will be a full size, paperback version with 44 pages full of memories.
The deadline to order a Kenmore Elementary School yearbook is coming soon! Order by
March 20th so that your student(s) will have their copy at the end of the school year. The
children love to have their books signed by friends, and they are a great memento of the school
year!