Mintz Elementary School Newsletter
April 2021
Important Dates & Events
April 1st - Final Session of ELP
April 2nd - No School for Students
April 5th - SAC meeting
April 6th - 7th FSA Reading; Grade 3
April 6th - FSA Writing; Grades 4 - 5
April 8th - Virtual Conference Night
April 19th - Report Cards Available Online
Early Release Mondays
MONDAYS
April 5th
April 12th
April 19th
April 26th
May 3rd - Last Early Release Day of the School Year
News from Ms. Moltisanti
We are very excited to WELCOME BACK our eLearners for testing, which begins on April 6. It will be great to see some of our students who have been learning from home all year.
The entire Mintz family sends best wishes to Sharon Cooper, who retires from teaching on March 31! Mrs. Cooper has been a part of our faculty since our school opened in 1991 and has seen and taught countless Mintz Mariners. We wish you nothing but happiness in your retirement, Mrs. Cooper. Congratulations! 🎉 We want to welcome Kelly Collins, who will be teaching Music with us for the remainder of the school year.
Congratulations also goes out to Maria Nieves, our official Student Nutrition Services Manager! Ms. Nieves has been running our kitchen while also training in the district's manager training program. She has recently graduated and earned her promotion! We are very proud of her!
Masks are still a daily requirement at school. Please help your child to remember their mask every day. It is so important that we prevent the spread of COVID-19 at school, and masks are the best defense we have for doing that.
We have more and more families in the car line each morning right at the last minute before the bell. Our instructional day begins promptly at 7:40. The adults helping at car line have to be in class. Students coming in still have to get to the cafeteria and walk to class. We consistently observe that when students have some time to get settled in the morning, they have a more successful day at school. Please "Be Proactive" and get your child to school 5-10 minutes earlier.
Keeping Children First,
Debbie Moltisanti
Grade 3 Promotion
Florida Statewide Assessment (FSA)
The FSA is scheduled for students in grades 3-5 in the months of April and May. All students will be required to come to Mintz to take the assessment. There is no virtual assessment option. Please record the dates below on your calendar.
April 6 - Grade 4 & 5 FSA Writing Assessment (1-day assessment)
April 6 - 7 - Grade 3 FSA Reading Assessment (2-day assessment)
May 3 - 4 Grades 4 & 5 FSA Reading Assessment (2-day assessment)
May 5 - 6 Grades 3 - 5 FSA Math Assessment (2-day assessment)
May 12 - 13 Grade 5 Statewide Science Assessment (2-day assessment)
Habit 6 - Synergize
At Mintz, our student leaders have opportunities to synergize each week. During this time of pandemic, while we have to keep apart, we can still find ways to work synergize. Ask your child what it means to synergize. Then, watch this video to learn a very simple definition of synergizing to accomplish a goal.
https://www.leaderinme.com/resources/teach-leadership-synergy-k-2
Next, please see the attached At Home Newsletter to find more ways to incorporate Habit 6: Synergize, into your life at home. Remember, together is better! We can get more accomplished when we work together.
https://www.leaderinme.com/resources/lesson-26-teamwork-home
Spanish copy:
ESOL - English Language Learners
April ELL Parent News
It’s incredible how quickly April is here, and the end of the school year is right around the corner! With important assessments coming up for students, it will be important for our English Language Learners to be able to keep their focus and momentum on learning and doing their best. Here are some parent tips to help keep our children engaged and motivated:
ASK QUESTIONS…
Teachers are always looking for ways to keep students busy and learning during this very important time of the year. Help them out by making an effort to get your child talking about that learning at home. Ask your child about what the day’s lessons included. As always, express your own interest in those topics because enthusiasm for learning is infectious.
MAINTAIN A ROUTINE…
The days may be getting longer but that’s not an excuse to disrupt the school year routine. Make a point of maintaining consistency in your child’s homework time, family mealtime, bedtime, wake-up time, and any other daily rituals you have. This will help keep your child in the mindset for school and improve his or her focus in the classroom.
PROVIDE SOME INCENTIVE…
Never underestimate the power of a small reward. Think about different incentives you can offer your child for displaying continued effort and achievement at school. Maybe it’s an extra hour of TV time if he or she finishes all of the night’s homework before dinnertime or maybe a special outing if he or she achieves a certain school goal. Big or small, a reward can make a difference in keeping your child engaged.
In addition, now that public libraries are opening back up, it is a great time to visit your local library and continue that learning momentum. There are librarians who can help you find books about topics that interest your child and are at the right reading level. Story times might be offered in person or virtually. Children love them, and you might enjoy listening with your child. There are also computers that you and your child can use for free.
Es increÃble lo rápido que april está aquÃ, y el final del año escolar está a la vuelta de la esquina! Con evaluaciones importantes que se acercan para los estudiantes, será importante para nuestros estudiantes de inglés poder mantener su enfoque e impulso en aprender y dar lo mejor de sà mismos. Estos son algunos consejos para padres para ayudar a mantener a nuestros hijos comprometidos y motivados:
HACER PREGUNTAS…
Los maestros siempre están buscando maneras de mantener a los estudiantes ocupados y aprendiendo durante esta época muy importante del año. Ayúdelos haciendo un esfuerzo para que su hijo hable sobre ese aprendizaje en casa. Pregúntele a su hijo acerca de las lecciones del dÃa incluidas. Como siempre, expresa tu propio interés en esos temas porque el entusiasmo por el aprendizaje es contagioso.
MANTENER UNA RUTINA…
Los dÃas pueden estar cada vez más largos, pero eso no es una excusa para interrumpir la rutina del año escolar. Haga un punto de mantener la consistencia en el tiempo de la tarea de su hijo, la hora de la comida familiar, la hora de acostarse, el tiempo de despertar y cualquier otro ritual diario que tenga. Esto ayudará a mantener a su hijo en la mentalidad de la escuela y mejorar su enfoque en el salón de clases.
PROPORCIONAR ALGUNOS INCENTIVOS…
Nunca subestimes el poder de una pequeña recompensa. Piense en diferentes incentivos que puede ofrecer a su hijo por mostrar esfuerzo y logros continuos en la escuela. Tal vez sea una hora extra de tiempo de televisión si termina toda la tarea de la noche antes de la hora de la cena o tal vez una salida especial si logra una cierta meta escolar. Grande o pequeña, una recompensa puede marcar la diferencia en mantener a su hijo comprometido.
Además, ahora que las bibliotecas públicas están abriendo de nuevo, es un gran momento para visitar su biblioteca local y continuar ese impulso de aprendizaje. Hay bibliotecarios que pueden ayudarlo a encontrar libros sobre temas que interesan a su hijo y están en el nivel de lectura adecuado. Los tiempos de la historia pueden ofrecerse en persona o virtualmente. Los niños los aman, y usted podrÃa disfrutar escuchando con su hijo. También hay computadoras que usted y su hijo pueden usar de forma gratuita.
Virtual Library & Library Media Catalog
Username: student number,
Password: 4321
National Library Month
Congratulations to SLAM Showcase Winners
TeachingBooks-Enriching our community's love of reading
Hillsborough County Schools have a subscription to TeachingBooks — a website that generates enthusiasm for books and reading in our community.
Find book trailers, movies with authors, audio performances, discussion questions, and more — all great ways to engage with books together!
Get started and freely use TeachingBooks:
- Go to TeachingBooks.net/SignIn
- Username: hcps
- Password: reads!
- Click "Sign In"
Browse, Search, Discover, and Enjoy!
Author Visit for Third Grade
News from PTA
The Mintz PTA misses our kids and wanted to do something special for them.
The PTA Board and teachers distributed over 850 books and Smencils to students on campus, as well as eLearners.
Heather Bogart, President: heatherlynnbogart87@gmail.com
Julia Stuart, Vice President: juliet7480@gmail.com
Nikki Velez, Treasurer: nikki.velez@sdhc.k12.fl.us
Shelley Simmons, Secretary: trinigirl78@gmail.com
Book Distribution for eLearners
Smencils and Books
Selecting a book
We want Mintz families to support Mintz family businesses. Sponsor a banner for your business today.
Only $100 for a year!
Deborah Moltisanti, Principal
Email: deborah.moltisanti@hcps.net
Website: https://hillsboroughschools.org/mintz
Location: 1510 Heather Lakes Boulevard, Brandon, FL, USA
Phone: 813-744-8353
Facebook: facebook.com/HCPSMintz
Twitter: @HCPSMintz