Paw Prints 🐾 March 2024
The Newsletter of Auburn Early Education Center
Principal's Message
Hello and Happy March!
It has been a fun week (February 26-March 1) thus far as we celebrate Read Across America at AEEC! Each day students and staff participated in different activities to expand their love of reading. Monday- “Buddy Up and Read Day”, Tuesday- “Cozy Up and Read Day”, Wednesday- “Character Dress-Up Day”, Thursday-“Rocking Readers Day”, and Friday-“AEEC Loves Reading Day”!
Spring Picture Day is March 21, 2024. Students will take individual pictures that will be available for purchase.
AEEC will host Kindergarten Kickoff on April 25th from 5:30-7:00pm. Please share this information should you know of any families with a rising kindergartener. The flyer is pictured below.
2nd Grade ACAP Testing begins at the end of this month. Students will take the ELA portion on March 26, 27, and 28 and the Math portion on April 2 and 3. Testing starts promptly each day at 8:00am. This is a time for our students to shine and show off the knowledge that they have gained throughout the year. Attendance and arriving on time are crucial to promote student success on the ACAP.
Thank you for your continued support, and I hope everyone enjoys Spring Break!
Sincerely,
Glori Lammons
ACS Digital Device Policy:
ACS Digital Device Policy: Students shall not possess any digital device within the testing room when participating in ACAP testing. The possession of a digital device by students participating in ACAP testing is strictly prohibited during the administration of a test. The ONLY exception to this policy is for students who have been pre-approved by the Building Test Coordinator or the Principal to have a digital device that is necessary for the health and/or well-being of the student. If students are in possession of a digital device that is within their reach during the administration of an ACAP test, the device will be confiscated and, if the appropriate administrator determines that there is reasonable suspicion that the device was used to capture, record, or share test information or to facilitate cheating on the test, it may be subject to search pursuant to ACS policy for any information directly related to the ACAP test being administered. Additionally, the student will be dismissed from testing immediately and the test may be invalidated in accordance with ACAP policy. Violation(s) may result in disciplinary action by ACS in accordance with the ACS’ disciplinary policy.
Curriculum News
Fluency Fun!
What is fluency?
Reading fluency is more or less a skill that enables the reader to read quickly, accurately, and with expression. Fluency is the ability to read “like we speak”.
Why is fluency important?
Fluency is a critical building block of reading, because fluency development is directly related to comprehension. Students fluent in reading will struggle less with difficult words and will more easily comprehend complex topics.
What can we do at home to improve reading fluency?
Visit these websites for ideas to use at home:
- https://readingpartners.org/blog/5-easy-ways-parents-can-increase-their-childs-reading-fluency/
- https://natalielynnkindergarten.com/reading-fluency-activities/
- https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/summer-reading/articles/summer-reading-and-fluency-tips-parents-reading-rockets
Hopefully, some of these activities will help develop enthusiasm in your small reader. Loving books and getting lost in stories is a powerful experience, and it has such a profound impact. It’s exactly what we want for our kids. Developing a love of reading is our goal. Strengthening foundational skills such as fluency will certainly help them achieve this goal!
Marlee Clifton, NBCT
Instructional Coach
Title 1 News
Happy March! March is always a beautiful month when spring starts to shine brightly and the sun shines longer with Daylight Savings time happening on Sunday, March 10th.
March is not only an exciting month within AEEC with many activities planned for students such as Read Across America and new reading incentives, but with March also comes spring break. A week for many students to travel with family or to just relax at home and enjoy playing outside in the fresh air.
If you do decide to hit the road for a fun road trip, be sure to check out the link below for some fun activities to help keep you from hearing those lovely words, “I’m bored” or “Are we there yet?” Even if you aren’t going anywhere this spring break, be sure to keep this link saved for those summer road trips.
Link: Road Trip Games
I hope you have a wonderful month in March. It is always a busy one at school and I hope you and your family take the time to enjoy each other during the week of spring break.
Please never hesitate to reach me via email at padorman@auburnschools.org or phone me at (334) 887-4950 if you have any questions or concerns. Happy Spring!
Always Choose Kindness,
Dr. Dorman
Counselor News
I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Spring Break! Looking ahead to March, we will be focusing on our new word of the month, PATIENCE.
We will also be exploring careers this month. If you have a cool, interesting career and would like to come speak to one of my guidance classes about your career, please let me know! You can email me at: bbhandley@auburnschools.org
Nurse News
Happy Spring! Please see the attached updated ACS Wellness Policy.
This month, AEEC will begin kicking off The American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge on March 1st and the program will continue through March 22nd. Building on key learnings for nearly 45 years in America's schools, the Kids Heart Challenge focuses on whole body wellness, helping students improve their own health and better their character while raising life-saving donations for the American Heart Association to help kids facing heart-health issues.
Media Center News
Sartain, Kara
AEEC Media Specialist ~ Technology Coordinator
Apple Teacher
Art and Music
Art
Gett ready for AEEC’s Virtual Art Show! All artists have been working so hard to complete their
piece of art for the virtual art show. Artwork will be available for purchase From March 18, 2024
to April 1, 2024. I will send out a link once it is available.
This month we will begin to work with clay. Students will have the opportunity to knead,
pinch, and roll clay with their hands.-Mrs. Kuhlman
Music
Kindergarten did an AMAZING job on their Showcase performance, Pajama Party, this past month! All students are diving deeper into our instrument journey and having fun making music each week. Some of our favorite activities include locomotor and non-locomotor movement, pitch exploration, and simple, echo, call-and-response, and folk songs. We also love reading music rhythms and bringing books to life by using musical instruments to highlight the text!
-Mrs. Schiller
PTO News
One of our most favorite weeks of the school year is quickly approaching! Teacher Appreciation Week will be March 25th through March 29th! PTO cannot wait to treat our teachers to delicious meals and treats each day! Be on the lookout for each teacher’s personalized Amazon Wish List if you would like to purchase a hand selected gift for them that will be delivered directly to the school.
If you have a second grader taking the ACAP, PTO is providing treats and incentives for the second grade teacher’s classrooms for a post-testing reward! Good luck second graders! We know you will do your best and make us all so proud!
As the end of the school year quickly approaches, we are thinking about the 2024-2025 PTO. Would you like to get involved? Email ptoaeec@gmail.com and let us know if you would like to join a committee or volunteer more next year. We would love to have you join in on the fun!
Upcoming Dates for AEEC
March 4-8: Spring Break/No School
March 15: End of 3rd 9 Weeks
March 21: Spring Pictures
March 25: 1st Grade Field Trip: Gouge Center
March 25-29: Teacher Appreciation Week
March 26, 27, 28: 2nd Grade ACAP ELA Testing Days at 8am
March 25: Checklists Go Home
March 29: Pep Rally
April 2-3: 2nd Grade ACAP Math Testing Days at 8am