Heath Brook School...

Information and news from and to the school community

Happy Winter!

Hello families,

Our PAC has organized a Penguin Palooza for tomorrow, Saturday, January 20 - the day of the Penguin!

It's here at school from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Come for a little time. Come for a lot of time.

Winter is officially here and we're cold on a regular basis. Unless it's raining or incredibly cold with a significant wind chill factor, we will send kids outside before school (~10 minutes) and at lunch time (~20 minutes). We live in New England, and the kids benefit from the fresh air. Please be sure they come to school with appropriate outerwear.

Our Raise Craze fundraiser is in progress. We would love to raise some money for the school, but at least as important are the conversations and efforts we take with each other to show kindness and goodwill.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Terry

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from our Librarian, Mrs. Smallidge...

Happy New Year from the Library! It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to send out a newsletter, and we’ve done so much!

Before I get to the fun stuff, parents please help your child to remember to bring their book back to school on their library day since we have noticed an increase in students not doing so. If your student loses or irreparably damages a book, you are responsible for the cost of replacing that item. We do ask that you pay the replacement fee, rather than buying a copy yourself, in case we need to buy a specific binding or version of the book.

In October we celebrated Hispanic Heritage month by learning about folktales, dance, food, and traditional crafts. The students had a lot of fun with this and hopefully learned some new words in Spanish. We also started a nonfiction unit. We learned about different elements and types of nonfiction books. Kindergarten’s big project was to draw what they learned about cows. First grade created haunted house collages based on DIY projects they saw in a nonfiction book.

November saw us celebrating Native American Heritage Month with read alouds written by indigenous authors and learning about dance and food traditions.

December brought a return to nonfiction for first grade. We observed International Cheetah Day (a real thing!) by learning about and comparing animal speeds. Kindergarten focused on story elements through a close reading of The Little Red Hen.

We’re now focusing on our Mock Caldecott program! We’re reading four books that have received Caldecott buzz and voting on which one we think best uses its illustrations to help tell the story. Watch this space to find out who we think should win and whether we were right when the real winner is announced at the end of the month!

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Book Suggestions

Night Garden by Carin Berger (an exploration of - you guessed it - a garden at night)

Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld (explores both grumpy feelings and nature)

All the Beating Hearts by Julie Fogliano ("A tender and compassionate exploration of the shared experiences that bring us all together, be they sweet, painful, or both.")

Jumper by Jessica Lanan (nonfiction book about jumping spiders from the spider's level - honestly not as creepy as you're picturing, I promise!)

This Is a Story by John Schu (an ode to reading and libraries)

Once Upon a Book by Grace Lin (a girl escapes from gray winter by literally entering a book)

My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom (a girl claims her indigenous identity by growing out her hair - a good read for Native American Heritage Month)

Artivist by Nikkolas Smith (how can you blend art and activism to make a difference?)

Remember by Joy Harjo (Michaela Goade illustrates Harjo's poem using Tlingit imagery - another good Native American Heritage Month read)

In Every Life by Marla Frazee ("a simple and profound meditation on the many wonders of life")

Cape by Kevin Johnson (a boy experiences the grief of losing his father)

The Tree and the River (wordless sci-fi picture book exploring the effects of climate change through a fictional town)

I'm From by Oge Mora (what makes you you?)

The World According to Mister Rogers - Important Things to Remember

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We Are All Neighbors

All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we're giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That's one of the things that connects us as neighbors - in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver. ~ Fred Rogers

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