Morgan Woods Elementary Newsletter

Morgan Woods Family,

February is sure to be a month filled with lots of LOVE at Morgan Woods--love for our school and school community, and love for the learning we continue to do together! Our students have completed midyear data checks, and we are so pleased to see the growth they have made since the school year began. It is easy to relax as the school year continues but now, more than ever, it is essential that this team continues to push forward toward academic excellence.

February 16 is Family Day at the Fair! There is no school on Friday, February 16, 2024. Students 17 years of age or younger are eligible to receive free admission to the fair ONLY on Friday, February 16, from 10:00AM - 6:00PM at the fairground's admission gates when accompanied by a parent/guardian who is 21 years or older and possesses a valid state-issued ID (i.e., Driver's License) for entry. Student tickets will not be distributed at school.

Please save the date for Spring Conference Night, which is scheduled for Thursday, February 22, from 3:00-8:00PM. Your child's teacher will make contact soon to schedule a time on this night, or on a date nearby, to discuss academic progress.

Thank you and GO TIGERS!

Sincerely,

Jessica Kepa, Principal

Students in the ELL Program will be taking the ACCESS test during the month of February. This is the perfect opportunity for our kids to show their abilities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking in English! Please reach out to the ELL Department if you have any questions (Isabel.Jomarron@hcps.net).

As your child practices reading out loud, it is important to help him or her read words correctly and quickly. When children can read words accurately and with speed, they can focus their attention on understanding what they read instead of working to identify each word in isolation.

There are two important things families can do to help their child read correctly (accuracy) and quickly (fluency):

1. Read out loud to your child every single day! Reading to your child can be a special time to spend together. It will show them that reading is important and fun! Reading aloud will help your child understand what reading should sound like and provides a model of how to read words correctly, quickly, and with expression. Reading with the right expression means that you are talking like the characters in the book--your voice sounds excited when the character is excited or sad when the character is sad.
2. Encourage and help your child as he or she reads out loud. You may need to help your child when they come to a word that is difficult to read. You might provide a reminder saying, "Let's say each part of this word and put the parts together to read it." Any reminder that encourages your child to use what they already know to figure out the word can be helpful.

As you read with your child, remember to be patient as reading is a skill that takes a lot of practice. Be sure to let your child know that you are proud of his or her progress! The support and encouragement you give your child will help them improve in reading.

When choosing books for your child to read out loud, select books that are of interest to your child, are not too easy or too hard, and are linked to their experiences or concerns. For instance, if your child is interested in animals or afraid of the dark, consider selecting books on those topics.

The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) website is a great resource for activities to support your child at home. You can visit the website to view activities by clicking here.

In math, your child will be learning how to compare and order numbers to 100. To master this skill, your child should be able to do the following:

• Plot whole numbers up to 100.
• Us place value and models (base-ten blocks, number lines) to compare whole numbers up to 100.
• Use comparative symbols and language when comparing numbers; (>) greater than, (<) less than, (=) equal to.

Try this at home:

1. When you are doing activities like shopping, going to the movies, or bowling, find numbers with your child. Challenge your child to find the largest numbers he or she can.
2. Give your child 2 numbers. Ask him or her to draw a model to show both numbers. Have your child plot the number on a number line.

In math, your child will be exploring classifying two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures. To master this skill, your child should be able to do the following:

• Use geometric properties of sides, angles, and symmetry to classify polygons, quadrilaterals, and triangles.
• Estimate and draw angle measurements.
• Use vocabulary accurately (acute, isosceles, obtuse, parallelogram, scalene, congruent, attribute, etc.).

Try this at home:

1. I Spy Game - Sit in a room, and carefully observe the objects around you. Play "I Spy" by stating that you spy something in the room in the shape of a ________. Allow your child to ask yes or no questions to help narrow down the search.

• Go on a scavenger hunt inside or outside the house and take pictures of triangles, quadrilaterals, and other polygons.

Online Resources:

• Visit SmathSmarts to get a snapshot of the B.E.S.T. Florida Standards and additional tasks/resources to practice with your child.
• Visit IXL and I-Ready for engaging math video tutorials and instructional resources.
  

Virtual Manipulative Sites & Instruction Material:

• Toy Theater
• Math Learning Center
• Mathigon's Polypad
• Math Playground
• Didax

The following classes in each grade level have the highest attendance percentage for the month of January!

Kindergarten: Ms. Foley (90%)

1st Grade: Ms. Martino (90%)

2nd Grade: Ms. Blankenship (91%)

3rd Grade: Ms. Fiore (95%)

4th Grade: Ms. McKiernan (93%)

5th Grade: Ms. Avellan (90%)

Acknowledging and empathizing with your child's feelings, even when you do not agree with their perspective, can build trust, strengthen your relationship, and create a supportive environment where they feel safe expressing themselves openly.

Creating a safe space:

• Use active listening by listening and giving your full attention to your child when the speak, making eye contact, and validating their feelings before offering solutions or advice.
• Empathize and validate their emotions by acknowledging their experiences, even if you may not agree.
1. "I can see you are feeling upset."
2. "It sounds like you're really frustrated."
3. "What can I do?"
4. "What do you need from me?"
• Explore solutions together. This can demonstrate that you value their input and will give them independence.
• Be approachable and available for them to ask questions, come to you about problems, or simply share their day.
• Avoid judgement by not criticizing or dismissing your child's feelings, even if you disagree with their perspective. They are learning how to manage their feelings for the future.
• Set some time every day to share whatever is on their mind.

Ask open-ended questions that prompt your child to share more than just one-word answers:

1. How could you solve this problem?
2. If you were in that situation again, what might you do differently?
3. If you could change one event from your day, what would it be and why?
4. What would you do if someone made you angry?
5. Who did you enjoy spending time with today and what did you do together?
6. What was the best thing that happened to you today?
7. How do you think others feel?
8. What is the best thing about being a kid?
9. What is the most important thing to remember when you are trying to be a good person?
10. What would the perfect day look like for you?
11. What do you value most in your friendships?

Have questions or need support? Reach out to our school counselor, Jessica Carris, to learn more.

The Morgan Woods PTA would like to extend sincere thanks to our Business Partners!

Fontana Brothers Heating and Air Conditioning: A family owned and operated company with the trainings and certifications to handle any heating and air conditioning issue that you may have!