The Shawsheen Shout
February 2024
Welcome
Welcome to the February edition of our school newsletter! 📰 Love is in the air, and so is the excitement for all the events and learning in class we have to share. Check out all the exciting things that are happening in February!
In this month's newsletter, we're also highlighting Black History Month, which honors the remarkable achievements, contributions, culture, and history of African Americans in the United States. Happy Black History Month!
Updates & Reminders
Sign-in System Update
Reminder
During drop and pick-up it is important to prioritize safety. Please drive slowly, remain vigilant, use the crosswalks, and be especially aware of students crossing. Let's collectively ensure a secure environment for our school community. Thank you for your cooperation!
Family Survey
Black History Month
February
February 2, 2024
February Birthday Celebration
At Shawsheen, we celebrate the children that have birthdays during that month from 2:30-2:50 pm on the first Friday of each month. (4th Grade celebrates 1:45-2:00) Please make arrangements with your child’s teacher about the monthly birthday party.
February 5, 2024
February 5, 2024
Family Conferences
Come to school and chat with your child/children’s teacher(s). We can’t wait to share what your child is learning. Can’t remember your appointment time? Call the office at (970)348-2300 to find out!
February 6, 2024
100th day of School!
Students are invited to dress like a 100 year old or dress in bright, neon colored clothes for this special day!
February 8, 2024
Family Conferences 3:30PM- 6:30PM
Come to school and chat with your child/children’s teacher(s). We can’t wait to share what your child is learning. Can’t remember your appointment time? Call the office at (970)348-2300 to find out!
February 14, 2024
Valentine's Day Party
Join us as we celebrate our Valentine's Day party beginning at 2:20 pm. See your child’s teacher for more information. Remember that all treats need to be store bought. 4th grade parties will begin at 1:25 due to their end of the day schedule.
February 19, 2024
No School for Students and Staff | Presidents' Day
February 21, 2024
Parent Teacher Group (PTG) Meeting
We invite you to attend our Parent Teacher Group (PTG) meetings. For those of you who are not familiar, PTG is a group of parents, educators, and support personnel who are committed to our children's education.
February 28, 2024
Shawsheen Science Fair Family Night
Bring the family and enjoy an evening at Shawsheen learning more about what your child is doing at school! A light dinner is provided.
This month we are learning...
Preschool
Hello Shawsheen families!
As we move into February, we have so much to share. First, our youngest learners are doing an AMAZING job with friendship skills! Sharing, turn taking, and advocating for themselves is not an easy task, however these students are growing each day in this area.
Preschool students are working on recognizing numerals 1-20, subitizing, and counting!
Preschool students are working on independently writing their names, cutting on straight lines, and working on rhyming.
We are asking families of preschool students to please work on decorating their Valentine’s Day boxes for student Valentine cards. All boxes will be due on February 13th.
Thank you,
The preschool team
Kindergarten
The kindergarteners continue to make great growth! Thanks for all you're doing to help support their learning at home! We look forward to our conferences with kinder families on Monday, February 5th, and Thursday, February 8th.
In math, we are working hard on adding and subtracting fluently to 10. We are also focusing on recognizing numbers 0 to 20 and counting to 100 by ones and tens. February 6th will be an extra special day as we celebrate our 100th day of school. Kindergarten families and friends are invited to join us from 2:35 to 2:50 pm for our class' Hundreds Museum on this special day.
In language arts, we are learning about trees and working on reading "the fast way" with fluency and accuracy. Regular reading practice at home is important. Our current goal in writing is to sound out words and to write complete sentences that include punctuation. We continue to practice handwriting skills and add new sight words to our word wall regularly too.
We are exploring maps and the world around us in Social Studies.
Thank you for all you are doing to help your child learn and grow!
First Grade
Shawsheen Families,
Reading/Language Arts
We are continuing to work in Module 3: Growing as Researchers: Birds’ Amazing Bodies.
In this module, students are building their literacy skills as they engage in an in-depth study of birds’ bodies. The module focuses on big ideas generated by Next Generation Science Standards: Animals have physical features that help them survive; Animals behave in ways that help them survive.
Math:
We are currently working in Unit 5: Adding within 100. In this unit, students will continue to develop an understanding of place value.
Other:
Homework has started. Please be sure to have your child complete the papers and/or read the stories and return them by the following Thursday. Reading is important! The best way to support your child in growing their reading skills. Read to or with them each night for about 20 minutes.
Also, with the weather often colder, please be sure your child has a jacket each day, just in case they need it.
Thanks for all you do!!
Mrs. Kotalik, Ms. Beeman, and Ms. Cruz
Second Grade
Welcome to the February edition of our School Newsletter! As the new month unfolds, we are thrilled to share the exciting things that your children will be exploring.
EL Modules:
In Unit 2, after students have gained sufficient background knowledge about plants, they are once again invited to wonder how we get the fruits, vegetables, and flowers we enjoy. This provocation invites students to learn about pollinators' role in pollination. Students engage in a variety of experiences as they answer the unit's guiding question, "How do pollinators help plants grow and survive?" They learn about the different ways plants get pollinated, with a specific focus on how animal pollinators help pollinate plants. In the first part of the unit, students continue to build their research skills by conducting whole-group and small-group research using the text What Is Pollination?
Targeted Instruction:
The second-grade students have been working very hard in their targeted instruction time, growing their reading skills and knowledge. High-Frequency Words flashcards have been sent home with the students and make for great practice. As always, practicing their reading at home is very important!
Math Adventures:
Students reason with shapes and their attributes and partition shapes into equal shares, building a foundation for fractions. They relate halves, fourths, and skip-counting by 5 to tell time and solve story problems involving the values of coins and dollars. A family support pack will be sent home to help families and provide practice problems and resources to promote the students' learning.
Homework:
*Remember to sign your student's agenda daily.
*Homework is due on Thursday.
*Students need to read each night for at least 20 minutes!
February conference schedules have been sent out.
Here's to a February filled with learning, growing, and adventure!
Warmest regards,
The 2nd Grade Team
Ms. Johnson, Ms. Dillehay, and Ms. Shultz
Third Grade
Third Grade Shawsheen Families,
In math, students will develop an understanding of fractions as numbers and of fraction equivalence by representing fractions on diagrams and number lines, generating equivalent fractions, and comparing fractions.
In literacy, we will continue our third module, which is a book study on Peter Pan. We will explore the question, "What can we learn from literary classics?"
Reminder: Homework is due on Thursdays! Look for a reading log and math practice sheet in your students' yellow Thursday folders. We are looking forward to seeing everyone's science fair project on February 28! Display boards will be going home soon! Let us know if you need help acquiring materials for your students' projects.
Warm regards,
Third Grade Team
Fourth Grade
Hello Fourth Grade Families,
We love how much your child has grown academically so far this year! This month, in 4th grade, we will continue the third EL Module for literacy. For our EL literacy block, we will continue learning about The American Revolution. We will begin working on our end of the Module Performance Task by asking students to discuss their opinion of The American Revolution, considering both sides (Loyalist and Patriot) and who they would have supported during that time using evidence gathered over the course of the module.
We will also be wrapping up our fifth unit of mathematics, Multiplicative Comparison, and Measurement at the beginning of February and moving on to Unit 6, Whole-Number Multiplication and Division, which focuses on students multiplying and dividing multi-digit whole numbers using partial products and partial quotient strategies and applying this understanding to solve multi-step problems using the four operations. We will not be teaching the standard algorithm in 4th grade as this is a 5th-grade standard. We know it will be tempting to teach them how to multiply the way you learned, but we are trying to build their understanding of what they are doing when they multiply large numbers so that the standard algorithm makes sense to them instead of just following the steps in a procedure. If you would like more information about how we are teaching this, please reach out to us, and we can provide you with resources!
Mrs. Apparito, Ms. Wikoff, and Mrs. Ulrich (Mrs. Apparito’s long-term sub for her maternity leave)
Fifth Grade
Fifth Grade Shawsheen Families,
ELA: We are in the middle of Module 3. In this module, students consider the factors that contribute to the success of professional athletes as leaders of social change. They read about a number of professional athletes who have been leaders of social change, beginning with Jackie Robinson. Students will be focusing on finding the main ideas and details and writing summaries, then opinion writing at the end.
Math: We are in the middle of Unit 5: Place Value Patterns and Decimal Operations. Students are continuing to build on their understanding that in a multi-digit number, a digit in one place represents ten times as much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in the place to its left. They use this place value understanding to round, compare, order, add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals. We will soon start Unit 6 with more decimal and fraction work.
Science: We will begin to learn about how we can use the sky to navigate. We will investigate and learn how the lengths and directions of shadows or relative lengths of day and night change from day to day and how the appearance of some stars changes in different seasons.
As the second semester takes off, we will begin sending information about the YMCA in the coming months. Please be on the lookout for important information, including volunteer signups, permission slips, and an informative parent meeting. More info to come!
Warm Regards,
Fifth Grade Team
Student Council
Student Council has exciting events going on in February! Our group is making Valentine's treat bags and cards to share with community helpers in Greeley. We are also hosting Valentine Grams at Shawsheen; if your family is interested in sharing a Valentine's pencil and card with a Shawsheen friend, the order forms are due to homeroom teachers by Thursday, February 8th.
Shawsheen's next Spirit Day is Wednesday, February 6th. Since it is our 100th day of school and our Sparrow Hawks are 100 days brighter, all students and staff are encouraged to either wear bright neon clothes or dress like a 100-year-old for this special day!
Student Council continues to meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 7:00 to 7:30 am in room one. Be sure to mark your calendar for our upcoming meetings: February 7 and 21, March 6 and 20, and April 3 and 17.
Message from Ms. Fryer
Mark your calendars for the annual District 6 and Friends Art Walk!
The Youth art walk takes place on Friday, March 1st, in Downtown Greeley. Visitors can browse artwork created by students grades K-12, displayed throughout downtown businesses, restaurants, and shops. Shawsheen’s downtown location is the K-12 art show featuring collage-themed artwork to be displayed at the Academy of Natural Therapy, 631 8th Avenue in downtown Greeley.
Walk around downtown to see other school’s artwork, enjoy dance performances, guitar players, singers, and so much more! It is a fantastic event, fun for the whole family.
Student Artwork will remain on display for the entire month of March if you are unable to attend the opening night. View the website if you have any other questions. You can also view the event map on the website!