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Hózhó Academy Newsletter
For the Week of December 4th-8th, 2023
Weekly Updates
Dear Hózhó Families,
Reminder - We'd like to remind families that you cannot call ahead to have your child dismissed. Students will only be dismissed from class once a parent/guardian is physically present to sign them out. Thank you for your cooperation.
Family Survey - We value your feedback and would appreciate it if you took this survey regarding your experience at Hózhó Academy. Click here to take the survey by December 15th.
NWEA Testing - Our students in only grades 3-8 will take mid-year assessments this week. We appreciate your help in making sure students are to school on time, and well rested.
Important Dates
December 4th-8th - NWEA Testing for Grades 3-8
December 12th - 1st & 2nd Grade Istation Testing
December 16th - Hózhó Holiday Craft Fair 8 AM-12 PM
December 20th - Early Start (7:45)/Early Release (1:15) - 2nd Quarter Ends
December 21st -January 2nd - No School (Holiday Break)
Important Links
Local Cancer Fundraiser Event
Join 4-H Club
Get children involved in building life skills with hands-on projects in areas of science, health, agriculture, nature, and civic engagement helping them grow confidence, independence, resilience, and compassion.
Our club has its meetings once a month usually on the 2nd Tuesday at 6 pm at the Community Pantry.
Poetry Recitations of the Week
Classes take turns reciting poetry during our morning assembly. This experience builds confidence and develops their understanding of the beauty of language and literature.
Friday, December 8th - 6th Grade
Art Class Highlight
6th Grade
Our 6th graders studied Petroglyph Rock Art in November for Native American Heritage Month. Members from the Gallup Cultural Center (located in Gallup's Train Station) provided the material and instruction. Students had several classes learning about petroglyphs, the history of rock art, the practice of communicating and storytelling through images, symbolism, meaning, and then finally made their own rock art. They will write the story behind their rock art, and their pieces will be displayed at the South Entrance of the High School.
Kindergarten
As a fun coloring contest and to finish their unit on color, kindergartners colored an intricate coloring page of a turkey. Each class had a winner chosen by our high school art teacher Mr. Berg. Those 3 winners received a sketchbook with colored pencils and then competed in a final coloring contest. Finley of Mrs. No's class was our grand champion and received an oversized coloring book. Congratulations and keep up the hard work Kindergartners!
Meet our Staff Members
My name is Elise Farrell and I am the remote Literacy and Interventions Coach at Hozho Academy! My job is to train, support, and provide resources for our staff in our ELA curriculum, specifically literacy. I previously worked as a 3rd grade teacher and absolutely loved it. When my husband’s job took us out of state, I did not want to let go of our incredible school!
I am motivated first and foremost by the students of Hozho Academy. While I may not be directly teaching this year, everything I do is for them. Our mission is to train the mind and improve the hearts of our students all the while instilling in them a love of learning. Secondly, I am greatly motivated by the staff at Hozho Academy. The amount of dedication and talent that our faculty has for our students inspires me every day.
My teaching experience began as early as middle school when I started an early elementary French class. I went on to teach Sunday School, music lessons, and substitute teaching for local public schools before going to Benedictine College and earning my degree in Elementary Education. I believe education serves our students to be free, critical thinkers who pursue truth, goodness, and beauty.
Fun Fact: I am half-French Algerian and am bilingual (French/English).
When I’m Not Working: I enjoy a plethora of activities including going out for coffee, attending theatre performances (I love the opera!), reading, cooking, baking, and lots of hands-on crafts (knitting, crocheting sewing, you name it, I have dabbled in it).
Three Words that Best Describe Me: analytical, optimistic, classical
Favorite Book: This is difficult, off the top of my head; The Lord of the Rings (the entire trilogy), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Persuasion, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, A Tale of Two Cities.
Literacy Corner by Elise Farrel
Silent Final Part Two
Last newsletter, we discussed two of the six purposes of a silent E at the end of a word. Let's dive into two more!
Silent Final E Job #3: C or G, think job 3! The E makes the C say /s/ and the G say /j/
English words do not usually end with a C or a G and it usually makes them say their second sound (C's sounds are /k/ and /s/ and G's are /g/ and /j/. If we see a C (get it!?) at the end of a word saying /s/ and a G at the end of a word saying /j/ it is going to be followed by a silent e. We mark this by underlining the C or G at the end of a word and then double underlining the silent final E. We then mark the E with a 3.
Da n e 3
L ar g e3 (ar is underlined because it is a multi-letter phonogram/two letters making one sound).
Silent Final E Job #4: English Syllables must have a written vowel.
Every syllable in an English word must have a vowel, mainly, because it is needed to be able to say a word! If you think back to our consonants and vowels literacy corner, consonants are blocked sounds (usually said with a closed mouth) and vowels are open sounds (always using an open mount). Well, without a vowel, we can not open our mouth to speak! This rule carries over even in syllable that may not need a vowel to pronounce it such as;
T a • b l e4
G i g • g l e4
Tune in next literacy corner for the last two jobs of silent final E!
Book of the Week:
The Little Match Girl
By Hans Christian Anderson
Now that it is December, we can break out the Holiday tales! The Little Match Girl is written by none other than the great Hans Christian Anderson (yes, the same author who wrote many of the fairy tales we know and love, including The Little Mermaid!). Follow the Little Match Girl, a poor orphan who sells matches for a penny, as she vividly dreams of a beautiful Christmas. This story brings tears to our eyes while filling our hearts with gratitude. I also recommend the 2006 short film by Disney (set to the beautiful musical piece of Alexander Borodin's, Nocturne From A String Quartet No. 2 in D Major).
Hózhó Academy 2023-2024 School Calendar
Hózhó Academy Charter School
Email: office@hozhoacademy.org
Website: https://hozhoacademy.org/
Location: 515 Park Ave, Gallup, NM, USA
Phone: (505) 722-8922
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hozhoacademy
Twitter: @HozhoA
Transportation Department: (505) 458-4923 or email khillock@hozhoacademy.org
Afterschool (After 4 PM): (505) 488-8758