Deretchin Digest
November 2024 Edition
A Note From Mrs. Oliver
November has finally arrived! Our students continue to give their very best as they learn many exciting things every day from our AMAZING teachers and staff!
We greatly appreciate all of our Deretchin families for your help and dedication to our school, and we are THANKFUL for your continued support and involvement in your child’s education. We hope all of our families enjoy the upcoming 4-day break and the Thanksgiving Break on the horizon.
Sincerely,
Tina Oliver
Upcoming on the Deretchin Calendar
November 1 - Storybook Parade, 8:45
November 2- 5th Grade Solo Vocal Contest at Deretchin
November 4- Student Holiday/Teacher Exchange Day
November 5- Student Holiday/Staff Development Day, Election Day
November 6- Progress reports sent home, PTO Spirit Day- Mod Pizza, Coffee with the Counselors, 9:00
November 7- Faculty Meeting, 3:30 in library
November 11- Veterans Day
November 12- PTO Executive Board Meeting, 1:30, Academic Night, 5:00-6:30
November 14- General PTO Meeting, 8:30 in cafeteria
November 15- Dollars for Dragons Reward Day in FA/PE
November 18-22- Generation Texas Week
November 21- Fourth Grade Program, 6:00
November 25-29- Thanksgiving Break
Attendance Counts at Deretchin
Congratulations to the following classes for having the best overall attendance in their grade level for the first grading period:
PK- Mrs. Fernandez
K- Mrs. Buckley
1st-Mrs. Beck
2nd- Mrs. Juneau
3rd- Mrs. Mills
4th- Mrs. Winters
5th- Ms. Hudson
6th- Mrs. Pease
We appreciate everyone's help with encouraging great attendance. "Attendance Counts" at Deretchin!
Counselor's Corner
UPCOMING DATES:
11/6/24 Character Club 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
11/18-11/22/2024 Generation TX Week
11/19/24 Deretchin Elementary Career Day: Students will rotate through presentations about different careers in our community
Generation TX Dress Up Days
Monday 11/18 I Dream of a Great Career: Wear pajamas to school
Tuesday 11/19 Back to the Future Day: Wear a college shirt to school
Wednesday 11/20 Transitions Day: Wear Highlander colors Red & Green for McC JH & TWHS
Thursday 11/21 If Not College, Then What? Hats Off to Post HS Education Wear a hat to school
Friday 11/22 Team Up for a Fantastic Future! Wear a team shirt
11/21/24 Spotlight on Fairness 9:15 AM-10:15 AM in the Cafeteria
11/21/24 Responding to Bullying Webinar
Presented by Stephanie Duer, ESC 6 & Tri-County Behavioral Health
6:30-7:30PM
Register here: Webinar registration
12/5/24 Spotlight on Fall Ambassadors Grades 1-3 9:15 AM in the Cafeteria
12/6/24 Spotlight on Fall Ambassadors Grades 4-6 9:15 AM in the Cafeteria
GT Referral Requests
Referral Requests for Gifted and Talented Testing
Referral requests are now open for the Conroe Independent School District Gifted and Talented program. Although the testing will not take place until late January, referral requests are accepted at this time. Referral requests can be made by the parents and/or campus staff. It is recommended that parents of 2nd grade students wait until CogAT scores have arrived before nominating their child because CogAT scores are part of the GT assessment. If you are interested in referring your child, you may want to discuss it with your child’s teacher. Referrals will be accepted October 2- December 19, 2024. Please complete this form to refer your child for GT testing: https://forms.gle/FwJF3gP6VpJcAiLL6. If you have any questions please call or email Jenna Hendon, GT Coordinator, at jhendon@conroeisd.net or 832-592-8828
ECSE News
In November, we will have lots of fun in ECSE! We will read Llama LLama, books, There was an Old Lady books, and Thanksgiving books. We will learn about tree life cycles, acorns, and squirrels in science. We will make placemats for Thanksgiving. We will learn about being thankful. For more fun, we will make apple oobleck, fluffy slime and watch popcorn kernels "dance" for our science experiments!
Pre-K News
Kindergarten News
Happy November! Kindergarten students will begin our “Reading Super Powers” unit this month. Students will begin using “superpowers” such as picture power, pointer power, sound power, and reread power to read their books independently. In writing, we will launch the writers workshop, where students can focus on adding to their pictures and words, in their writing. They also will learn more about labeling, adding details to their story, and rereading the story when they think they are finished. In math, we will continue working on numeration and comparing numbers (up to 20). Please continue to practice counting forward and backward within 20 and counting to 100. In Science, we will continue light energy and begin learning about rocks, soil, and water. In Social studies, we will learn about Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, family traditions and culture. We will be having our Thanksgiving feast this month as well!
First Grade News
Happy November! As we transition into this cozy season, we are excited to share what we will be learning this month in first grade. We appreciate your ongoing support and involvement in your child’s education!
Science:
This month, we will explore the fascinating world of heating and changes! We will discuss reversible and irreversible changes as well as helping students understand how different materials respond to heat.
Math:
In math, we will focus on addition and subtraction, strengthening our fact strategies. We will also dive into solving various types of word problems, encouraging students to apply their math skills in real-world scenarios.
Social Studies:
Our social studies unit will introduce the concepts of voting and the historical significance of the first Thanksgiving. We’ll engage in discussions about community, citizenship, and gratitude.
English Language Arts (ELA):
In ELA, we will practice procedural writing, learning how to give clear directions. We will also explore poetry, appreciating the rhythm and creativity of words.
Phonics:
This month, we will work on three-letter blends and focus on CLV patterns, specifically long "a" and long "o" words. These skills will enhance our reading and writing abilities.
Reading:
In reading, we will explore multiple genres, including poetry, to foster a love for diverse literature and encourage critical thinking.
Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s learning journey. We look forward to a month full of discovery and growth!
Warmly,
The First Grade Team
Second Grade News
October has been an incredible month of learning and growth! We have tackled exciting projects, forged new friendships, and embraced challenges together. We are really looking forward to what November has in store, with even more opportunities to explore and expand our horizons! In November, students will be writing informational stories. They will be creating expert books about something they are an expert on. They will learn to use text features such as table of contents, headings, glossary, and labels. In reading, students will also continue exploring nonfiction books. Students will learn how to read and discuss nonfiction books. In grammar, students will be learning about prepositions and conjunctions. In phonics, students will continue to explore and learn about r-controlled vowels. In math, we will be focusing on addition and subtraction with/without regrouping up to 120. The students will practice with part-part whole, change unknown, result unknown, and story problems. In science, we will be exploring sound energy with how it is made, vibrations, and how different levels of sound are used every day. In social studies, we will wrap up learning about government and begin our exploration of the different cultures and customs.
Third Grade News
In math, we are approaching the end of our addition and subtraction and we will be starting on multiplication and division. WooHoo! They get very excited about multiplication! Please continue to practice those addition and subtraction facts so they are better prepared for multiplication. Students should have already been bringing home some multiplication tent cards to help practice those facts. We start with the easier ones (x0, x1, x2, x5, x10). Please help them practice at home!
In science, we are so excited to be starting our forces and motion unit! This includes pushes and pulls, gravity, friction and magnetism. Looking forward to some fun investigations!
In social studies, we will be finishing up our Geography Unit and start learning about the history of our country; Native American, explorers and the early colonies.
In reading, students will explore the structure and elements of nonfiction texts. Students will be able to identify both nonfiction text features and text structures, and their purposes. They will be able to pull text evidence in order to provide answers to comprehension questions regarding nonfiction texts.
In writing, students will be moving through the nonfiction writing process. They will be choosing topics, researching their topics, drafting, revising and editing, and then creating final/published copies of nonfiction texts. One area of emphasis will be organizing ideas into paragraphs that make sense to the reader.
Fourth Grade News
We can’t believe that it is already November! Time is flying by! We have so many fun activities coming up this month including Career Day, Academic Night, and our fundraiser “Fun Day”.
In math, the first half of the month will be spent continuing to work through our addition and subtraction unit. During this unit, the students will work on representing word problems with strip diagrams and equations, solving problems related to money, adding and subtracting decimal numbers, estimating solutions to problems, and solving problems related to dot plots and stem and leaf graphs. We will spend the later part of the month beginning to dive into our multiplication and division unit. Please continue to work on multiplication and division facts with your child each night. This will make the next couple of months much easier for them.
In science, we will plan and conduct descriptive investigations to explore the patterns of forces such as gravity, friction, or magnetism in contact or at a distance on an object. We will also collect and analyze data to identify sequences and predict patterns of change in seasons and the observable appearance of the Moon from Earth.
In social studies, the students will learn about the causes and effects of the European exploration and colonization of Texas. We will learn about the motivations for European exploration and settlement of Texas, including economic opportunity, competition, and the desire for expansion. We will also identify the accomplishments and explain the impact of significant
explorers, including Cabeza de Vaca; Francisco Coronado; and René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, on the settlement of Texas.
In reading, students will continue to learn about the different structures that nonfiction authors use to share information. Students will learn about the structures of cause/effect, problem/solution, description, chronological order, and compare/contrast and how authors use them to convey meaning in text.
At the end of the week, the kids will participate in a fun Halloween activity utilizing different reading skills. We will then move into our argumentative unit in reading where students will notice how authors use claims and supporting details to support facts in argumentative literature.
Continuing our nonfiction unit in writing, the students will select a graphic organizer of the text structure they would like to use to showcase their nonfiction information. Students will work on developing their hook, body paragraphs, and a conclusion that leaves a lasting thought with the reader. Later in the month, students will learn about writing argumentatively. They will develop a central idea, structure their essay, and use text-based evidence to support their claims.
In grammar, students will practice compound sentences with conjunctions, adverbs, reflexive pronouns, and correlative conjunctions. Prefixes and suffixes will also be practiced.
In phonics we will be working on the long and short vowel sounds and the vowel combinations that can produce the long vowel sounds.
FIFTH GRADE NEWS
Math
Students will continue to learn about adding and subtracting fractions with model representation as well as the standard algorithm. In our advanced class, students will be finishing their unit on simplifying numerical expressions, and will be learning how to multiply and divide fractions.
Science/Social Studies
In October, we completed our force and motion unit and our road to the Revolutionary War. In November, we will be learning about energy in science. In our 5th grade energy unit, we will discover the 6 forms of energy and how they can transfer into one another. In this unit, we will be focusing on electricity energy (circuits) and light energy (reflection, refraction and absorption). In social studies, this month we will start by learning about the battles of the Revolutionary War. We will then conclude the month with our government unit where we will learn about the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the three branches of government.
Language Arts
This month, we will wrap up the nonfiction unit and move into our drama unit. Students will once again be introduced to elements that make up a drama. Students will put their skills through practice in various activities, including but not limited to group discussions, independent/partner reading and/or acting. In writing, students will begin the literary analysis unit where they will analyze texts, interpret its meanings and explore why authors made certain choices.
SIXTH GRADE NEWS
November Sixth Grade Scoop
It’s hard to believe that we are almost halfway through the school year already. Time really does fly when you’re having fun. There are so many exciting things happening in sixth grade, like our recent Sixth Grade Monster Mash Social and the upcoming Fall Rotation Day on November 1st. Also, be on the lookout for information regarding our upcoming holiday parties. The fun doesn’t end when the music stops in sixth grade.
We have many exciting things going on in the classrooms as well. In language arts, we have just completed the nonfiction unit, and we will be working on Poetry and Drama until Winter Break. The ELA team loves these units because we really get to see the creative side of our students. You can believe there’s no shortage of dramatic flair amongst our sixth graders! In math, we are working on integers and all of the operations with all rational numbers. Science teachers are wrapping up our force and motion unit with Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion before we head into our energy transformation unit. In social studies, students will continue learning about Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America and start studying South America. ¡Buen viaje!
Music News
This month, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade will focus on melody sounds- including so, la, mi and do. They will also work with the rhythms made of quarter, eighth, half, whole and sixteenth notes and rests. 4th grade students are working hard on their music program, “Joust”, to be performed on . 1st graders will focus on quarter note, eighth note and rest. Pre-K and kindergarteners will sing songs and play games to identify different voices and high and low sounds. In addition, 3rd graders will soon start working on their music program “Off Their Rockers”, to be performed February 6, 2025.
Happy November from the Band directors! Our 6th graders are finishing their preparations for the Conroe ISD 6th Grade Honor Band auditions on November 9th. They’ve been working incredibly hard to audition for this prestigious group. Our 5th graders are continuing to work hard on expanding their range and learning more techniques on their instruments. Both 5th and 6th grade band students have started working on the music for the Winter Concert on December 17th!
In orchestra, the 5th graders are working through their concert karate belts! We have been practicing concert etiquette and learning how to play together as an ensemble for the concert December 12th. The 6th graders have been working hard on their concert music for their Winter Concert on December 12th! We are working on run throughs of our first piece and are finishing up learning our second piece. They have all been working hard!
Intermediate General Music has had a great time working on their ukulele, piano and vocal skills, rhythms, and we are starting to earn our colored “belts” for Recorder Karate. I hope you had the opportunity to hear their “Spooky” Halloween songs on recorder and keyboard.
Congratulations to the 17 6th grade choir students who competed at the CISD 6th Grade Vocal Solo contest on October 26, 2024!!! All 17 students earned a 1st division rating. Both the 4th Grade and Intermediate choirs are hard at work on music for their Winter Concert on December 10, 2024. 6th Grade Choir students are beginning to work on music for the CISD Intermediate Honor Choir Auditions in January.
Thank you,
Melody Childs-Music/Choir
Michelle Gastler-Music/Band
Andrew Wilson-Music/Band
Avery Chambers-Music/Orchestra
PE News
Hello Deretchin Dragon family! We hope this newsletter finds you well and ready to embrace the month of November. As we transition into the fall season, we wanted to update you on the exciting activities happening in our Physical Education program. With the weather finally cooling down, we plan to take advantage of the cooler temperature by including more outdoor activities. Your child will have the opportunity for plenty of outdoor and indoor time for sports like soccer, volleyball, kickball, and fall themed games. Students will continue to participate in cooperative games, team-building exercises, and sports activities that emphasize the importance of working together and appreciating the strengths of others.
TURKEY TROT! Get ready to lace up your running shoes because our annual Turkey Trot is just around the corner! Friday, November 22nd. We will be organizing a fun-filled event where students can participate in a friendly race around the school yard. The Turkey Trot not only promotes physical fitness but also encourages perseverance, and a sense of accomplishment. We invite you to join us and cheer on our young athletes as they strive to reach their personal best! Below are the times for each grade level. Families are encouraged to come and watch in the designated spectator section. We hope to see you there!
8:00-9:00 6th grade
9:05-10:05 5th grade
10:15-10:45 Kinder (Gonzales, Velasco, Buckley)
10:45-11:15 Kinder (Stacker, Bennick, Mathis)
11:45-12:15 1st Grade
12:15-12:45 4th Grade
12:50-1:50 2nd Grade
1:55-2:55 3rd Grade
Reminders:
Appropriate shoes and clothing each day (It is chilly in the morning!)
Don’t forget water bottles and jackets (The lost and found is growing daily!)
Doctor or parent notes for when your child is sick or injured.
As always, if you ever have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at school or via email. We are grateful for your continued support and wish you and your family a joyful and healthy Thanksgiving.
Coach C (Mary Chernitsky), Coach Parra (Tammy Parra), Coach Langthorp (Riley Langthorp) and Coach Wolf (Gavin Schindewolf)
Library News
Greetings,
I cannot believe we’re in the month of November. Here’s the Sign-up Genius for volunteers in the 2nd quarter: http://tiny.conroeisd.net/vkF7L.Thank you so much for all of those who’ve helped so far.
On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, author Jennifer A. Nielsen will visit with our 4th-6th grade classes. If your child brings any of her books to school that day, Ms. Nielsen has graciously said she will sign books when she visits.
On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, author Tammi Sauer will visit with our PK-3rd grade classes. If your child brings any of her books to school that day, Ms. Sauer has graciously said she will sign books when she visits.
Ms. Kenney from Village books will also be hosting a “Read to Me Picture Book Festival” here at Deretchin on November 16, 2024. You can sign up for free tickets and get more information at: reading https://www.readingisrevolutionary.org/
If you have any questions feel free to email me at CMattern@conroeisd.net or call me at my direct line, 832-592-8778.
Happy Reading,
Cristofer W. Mattern
Library Media Specialis
The Conroe Independent School District (District) as an equal opportunity educational provider and employer does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in educational programs or activities that it operates or in employment matters. The District is required by Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as Board policy not to discriminate in such a manner.
For information about Title IX rights or Section 504/ADA rights, contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Section 504/ADA coordinator at 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, TX 77304; (936) 709-7752.