The Royal Scroll - September

The students in fourth grade are facing the challenge of a new school year head on. Since the start of the school year students have learned and continue to practice all school and classroom expectations. The fourth grade teachers are proud to say that our classes regularly receive positive comments from special area teachers and other teachers we meet throughout the school day. The recognition from other adults in the building only reinforces all the effort students put forth to meet expectations.

In Science, we have completed our Egg Racers unit. During Egg Racers, students learned about energy and how energy is transferred. Students applied their knowledge regarding the transfer of energy to design a safety system to protect a driver, “Egg,” during a crash. Students worked in groups to design and build the safety system before sending “Egg” down a ramp and crashing into a wall.

In English Language Arts, students focused on text focusing on personal identity and what shapes a person’s identity. Students identified and discussed the theme, author’s purpose and point of view. Students started writing personal narratives during this time as well. Students are focusing on an event where they have learned a lesson or grew as a person.

In Math, students are working on place value into the millions. Addition and subtraction of numbers through hundred thousands and multiplying multi-digit numbers. Students have learned and practiced mental math strategies and used partial products to solve multi-digit multiplication equations. At the end of the month, students will take the first Math Benchmark test on the first four topics or chapters. Teachers will review topics and practice skills prior to the Math Benchmark.

Back to School Night was a great success. Thank you to all the families that took time out of their busy schedules to join us for the evening. We had 78 families (with multiple siblings) attend and over 30 pizzas consumed! We enjoyed meeting and dinning with you.

The first week of school is a fun and exciting time for everyone. It is a time to renew friendships and get used to new routines. During the first week, students practiced a fire drill, cafeteria routines and learned about expectations for behavior in the classroom and the hallway. They also learned about some exciting improvements in games and equipment they will have available at recess. They were excited to hear about our Royal Table reward program, which enables a class to earn extra recess for good behavior in the cafeteria, and to view some of the prizes available in the bucket bucks store.

In addition to new equipment, Mr. Carey also painted some games onto the playground blacktop. Students can practice their broad jump and also play games where they toss beanbags onto the large bullseye on the playground. Classes rotate throughout the playground areas - the small lot, the bigger lot, playground game area and playground free play area. This enables students the opportunity to try out everything. Our cafeteria monitors also assist the students on the playground. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn physical skills as well as social and emotional skills.

On August 22, 2024, Highland Park hosted our annual Meet and Greet. Families came to the Highland Park playground and met the teachers for the 2024-2025 school year!

Second grade is settling in nicely at the start of this year!

(Above) Here is room 104 learning more about ASL signs and how to communicate using only our hands! We use true ASL signs for all of our needs in our classroom :)

2nd grade is learning about different kinds of communities in social studies. We learned that communities can be urban, suburban, or rural. Here we are showing what it is like to live in each of the communities

Mrs. Galligans class made flags working on their fine motor skills to remember 9/11.

Third Grade started off their year with lots of fun by practicing cursive and making creative drawings with shaving cream. It was a big hit!! They’ve been working very hard on all of their expectations in and out of the classroom. Mr.Morris showed us how to play some string instruments. We can’t wait to start practicing on our own with him on Fun Fridays! In Social Studies we’re learning about our earth and how to use our compass rose for directions and we love using computer time for IXL and research.

The first week of kindergarten is a whirlwind of excitement and new experiences. Young students step into a vibrant, welcoming classroom filled with colorful decorations, new friends, and enthusiastic teachers. They explore their new environment, participate in simple activities like drawing and storytelling, and start to learn the daily routines. It’s a time of discovery and adjustment, where children begin to understand the structure of the school day, practice sharing and listening, and begin to build a foundation for their educational journey. Emotions run high, with moments of nervousness mixed with wonder and curiosity, as they embark on this new adventure.

Before to the first day of school, families were invited to meet their teachers and cool off with a sweet treat!

In Music Class, we have started all our classes off by singing the Hello Song! We also have met our new Music teacher, Miss Laura Hopf AKA Miss H. In the months of September and October, we are working on learning more about rhythm and the four voices: whisper, speak, sing, and shout.

1st grade has been learning Star Light Star Bright, Kitty Cat Kitty Cat, Engine Number 9, and We Are Dancing. Students have been working on the four voices, maintaining a steady beat, and learning about quarter and eighth note rhythms.

2nd grade has been learning Bow Wow Wow, Blue, Bounce High Bounce Low, Lucy Locket, King’s Land, and Apple Tree. They have been working on the four voices, maintaining a steady beat, and practicing quarter, eighth, and half note and rest rhythms.

3rd grade has been learning Tideo, Blue Bird, Who’s That, Lucy Locket, Great Big House, Billy Billy, and El Juego Chirimbolo. They have been working on quarter, eighth, half, and sixteenth note and rest rhythms.

4th grade has been learning El Juego Chirimbolo, Old Mr. Rabbit, Big Fat Biscuit, Sailing on the Ocean, and Tideo. They have been practicing skills learned in 3rd grade as well as adding dotted eighth and sixteenth rhythms.

5th grade has been learning A Qua Qua, Mamalama, Great Big House, Way Out West in Kansas, Old Brass Wagon, and Tideo. They have been practicing skills from 4th grade and focusing on learning more about solfege.

In Music Class, students have been singing, dancing, listening, and playing games. Miss H is very excited to continue into the year and begin adding instruments!

In the gym we have been practicing team building. These skills will translate into many of the activities we do in class throughout the year. Each year students are grouped into new classes and it is important that they learn to work with their new classmates. The students problem solve and work through activities that require different communication strategies, teamwork, and ways of thinking. These activities are only possible to complete if the students in each group work together.

The library is looking a lot brighter this year! We have new lights, a new ceiling, and the walls were all painted. This gave us the opportunity to shelve the books to be more student friendly. A whole section is now devoted to New Books and Graphic Novels. The sports section is separated by sports with biographies pertaining to the sport in the same section. Ask your child about our changes. Library books went home the week of September 9th. Every student checked out a book and received a bookmark and paper explaining the procedures for book return. We look forward to a year filled with lots of adventures...through our books!

In art class we are working on wonderful art projects together. In First Grade we are working on mixed media tree landscapes. In Second Grade we are working on mosaics. In Third Grade we are working on warm and cool planets. In Fourth Grade we are working on illustrating real or imaginary maps. In Fifth Grade we are working on stained glass letters or numbers.

So far in the music realm, all of my classes have gotten off to a solid start! The first graders have shown nothing but excitement for their first time getting to have music for specials, and have been working super hard on the concept of steady beat. The rest of the grades are doing phenomenal with keeping up with the skills they have learned from their prior years at Westbrook Park, such as rhythm reading, instrument playing, and singing. I am looking forward to what the rest of the year has in store for these talented students. 4th and 5th grade chorus also started back up as of last week, and the singers are already engaged with the new songs they are learning for the winter concert. For the first time during my time as the music teacher at Westbrook Park, there will be a solo opportunity for the winter concert, as I have previously only given them for spring concerts. Auditions will be held at a later date.

The girls Junior Varsity and Varsity Soccer Teams are having a great season so far. Both teams have secured a winning game in the few played thus far and are having fun playing soccer! Please come see the teams play this fall season!

LETTING OUR HAIR DOWN

Newly appointed student school board representatives Tasneem Yeasmin and Timothy Bijou, both 12th grade students, were formally introduced to the school board and the public at the September 10 School Board meeting. Welcome to Tasneem and Timothy!