

Simmons Elementary School

January 11, 2024
Mrs. Karen Kanter, Principal kkanter@hhsd.org
Dr. Robert Campman, Assistant Principal rcampman@hhsd.org
Mrs. Jillynn Parsons, Administrative Assistant jparsons@hhsd.org
Mrs. Lynn Doan, Attendance Secretary ldoan@hhsd.org
We are excited to announce the art exhibit based on our One School One Book is now on display at the Horsham Library. Our art teacher, Laura Colussi, worked with students in every class to create a beautiful display showing that We All Belong - Be Brave, Be Different, Be You! Students in grades 2 through 5 will walk over to the library during art class during next few weeks to view their art. All families are invited to stop by the Horsham Library to see the display in the community rooms.
Suggested times for families to view the display are:
- Saturday, January 20 from 11 am to 4 pm
- Monday, January 22 from 2 pm to 9 pm
- Wednesday, January 31 from 2 pm to 9 pm
Since the holidays, we have noticed an increase in the number of students wearing Apple watches or other internet-enabled watches to school. We would prefer that these watches remain at home due to their cost and the possibility that the devices could be damaged at school. If a child brings them to school, the watch needs to be set on "school mode." If the student is using features on the phone during the school day, such as games or texting, the teacher will ask the student to remove the watch and place it in their locker. Thank you for helping us minimize electronic distractions during the school day.
We are also requesting that students not wear "heely" shoes or shoes with wheels to school. The wheels are not safe for students walking up or down the stairwells and they can also cause damage to the floors.
Upcoming Events
Tonight at 7 p.m. - District Grade 5 Band and Strings Concert at KVMS
Tomorrow, Jan. 12 - Early Dismissal for Students at 1 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 15 - District Closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Wed., Jan. 17 - HSA Meeting at 7 p.m. in the library (or virtual)
Friday, Jan. 19 - HSA Family Dance at 7 p.m. in the gym
Friday, Jan. 26 - No School for Students, Staff Development
Simmons HSA Happenings
"Just Ask" Art Installation at the Horsham Library
The students at Simmons Elementary participated in One School, One Book reading Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You written by Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Rafael Lopez. Students had the opportunity to explore the book, at home with their families, and at school, in their classrooms. In art class students brainstormed the themes of this book, such as sharing our unique qualities with the world, acceptance for all, and finding beauty in who we are.
In the book, a group of children are building a garden. The story illustrates how each plant brings a certain beauty to the garden, but also has its own unique needs to be the biggest and brightest version of itself. Similarly, to how the plants each need and bring something special to the garden, so do the children. Each child has something unique to share with the world and can flourish and grow in conditions that are just right for them.
The students came up with the idea to create their own Simmons “garden” which is filled with portraits of themselves and elements from the natural world around us that are beautiful because of their diversity. Elements from the four seasons swirl around the students’ self-portraits in our Simmons’s “garden.”
Who Made What?
The kindergarten, first, second, third and fourth grade students created the collage self-portraits, which were inspired by the art of Christian Robinson. The students made images of themselves using hand-painted paper, scissors and glue. Their individual portraits were then glued together to create their class portraits.
Kindergarten students created the beehives. They used popsicle sticks to build the honeycombs and clay to craft the bees.
First grade students painted the paper for all the students to use in their self-portraits. They also created painted paper which was used for the school and its surrounding elements. They worked as a grade to create the giant rainbow.
Second grade students created the flowers by painting paper in a variety of colors, cutting out petal shapes and stappling those petals together.
Third grade students each made a unique snowflake by gluing popsicle sticks together and then painting those sticks with watercolor paint. Glitter and fake snow were glued onto those snowflakes to create a texture.
Fourth grade students were inspired by the season of fall and created elements from the season using recyclable materials and layers of paper mache'.
Fifth grade students created the faces that surround the school building. To build these self-portraits they cut and glued pieces of cardboard together to make their face shapes. They then applied plaster strips to their cardboard forms and finally added paint and tissue paper to finalize their pieces.
We All Belong
By working together, the students at Simmons Elementary created art that references them and their school – a place where WE ALL BELONG. So, if you are viewing their art piece, they hope you remember to Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, because the world needs exactly who you are!