Simis Scoop
October 18, 2024
Principal's Letter
A Note from Mrs. Murray
Welcome Back Simis!
Welcome back from fall break! I hope you had a wonderful time with your loved ones. As we jump back into our school routine, I want to remind you that parent-teacher conferences are just around the corner. This is a great opportunity to discuss your child's progress and goals for the year. Our teachers want to meet with every student's family. We do only offer 1 conference per student so that the same information is communicated to both adults for the student at the same time. Please reach out ot your child's teacher for information on how to sign up for a conference.
I’m also excited to share that we have some community events coming up this fall! Mark your calendars for our Trunk or Treat celebration and Fall Spirit Week—both promise to be fun-filled occasions for our students and community. Thank you for your continued support!
In partnership,
Mrs. Murray
PATS Trunk or Treat Event!
We are so excited to see you next week at Trunk or Treat (5pm on Friday 10/25)
1. Spaces are available for trunks!
2. Volunteers are needed!
3. Candy donations are needed. Please drop them off at the front office!
4. Register ahead of time so we have candy for you!
5. Reminder: Mask Free and School Safe Costumes Welcome!
Register, sign up as a volunteer or as a trunk here: https://www.simispats.org/trunk
Activity Fee/Tax Credit: Anyone can donate!
What's Happening in Classrooms?
Literacy: Comprehension
Comprehension Skills: Building Background Knowledge and Research — How Parents Can Help at Home
In today’s fast-paced academic environment, comprehension has become a cornerstone of student success. One of the most effective ways to enhance comprehension is by building background knowledge through research. When students can connect new information to what they already know, it becomes easier for them to understand and retain new material.
At home, families can play a critical role in helping their children develop these skills. Here are a few ways to support comprehension through background knowledge building and research:
1. Encourage Curiosity: Foster a home environment where questions are welcomed. Encourage your child to ask "why" and "how" about the world around them. Use everyday experiences, such as cooking or a walk in the park, to expand their understanding of various subjects.
2. Provide Access to Resources: Ensure that your child has access to a variety of books, magazines, or online educational platforms. These resources can help them explore new topics and dig deeper into subjects they’re curious about, building a broad base of knowledge.
3. Make Research Fun: Help your child with research by turning it into a fun, family activity. Explore documentaries, read articles together, or visit museums to discover new topics. Engaging in active research outside the classroom helps to solidify learning in an interactive way.
4. Discuss Current Events: Talking about news, cultural events, or even family history can provide context for many topics children encounter in school. These discussions help students relate academic content to real-world scenarios, enhancing comprehension.
By fostering an environment of curiosity, supporting research habits, and creating connections between school and home life, parents can help their children develop the critical thinking and comprehension skills that are essential for academic success.
Mathematics: Math Discourse
Discourse in Math: Building Understanding Through Communication
Discourse in math refers to the process of engaging students in meaningful conversations about mathematical concepts. It goes beyond simply answering questions or solving problems; it's about how students articulate their thinking, reasoning, and understanding. Encouraging discourse in math classrooms helps students deepen their understanding, clarify misconceptions, and develop problem-solving strategies.
Here are a few ways discourse enhances learning in math:
Critical Thinking: By explaining their reasoning, students are pushed to think critically and connect concepts, which strengthens their comprehension.
Collaborative Learning: Discourse fosters an environment where students learn from one another. Peer discussions provide diverse perspectives, helping everyone refine their ideas.
Mathematical Language: Engaging in discourse helps students develop the language needed to describe math processes, an essential skill for grasping more complex concepts.
Confidence: As students verbalize their thoughts, they gain confidence in their mathematical abilities. They see that it's okay to be wrong, as long as they’re willing to engage in the process of figuring out the correct approach.
Encouraging discourse at home can be as simple as asking your child to explain their homework problems or having them teach you a math concept. An example an be giving students a handful of change and asking them to give you the total amount and explain how they know the total. Engaging in these conversations can solidify their learning and show them that math is about understanding, not just memorizing answers.
Building Student Self-Efficacy: Community Circles
Community Circles in the Classroom: Building Connection and Trust
Community circles are a powerful tool used in classrooms to foster a sense of belonging, connection, and trust among students. These circles create a safe space where students can share their thoughts, experiences, and feelings with one another, promoting social-emotional learning alongside academics.
Here’s why community circles are beneficial in the classroom:
Building Relationships: By participating in community circles, students develop stronger relationships with their peers and teachers. This helps create a classroom environment where everyone feels valued and heard.
Promoting Emotional Well-being: Community circles provide a platform for students to express their feelings, concerns, or challenges. This can help reduce anxiety, build empathy, and support emotional health.
Enhancing Communication Skills: Students learn to listen actively and communicate respectfully, both of which are essential life skills. They also gain confidence in expressing themselves in a group setting.
Fostering Inclusivity: Circles create an inclusive environment where every voice matters. They give students a sense of ownership and involvement in the classroom community, encouraging cooperation and reducing conflicts.
Families can support the values of community circles by encouraging open conversations at home and modeling active listening. One strategy is to ask everyone to think of an answer to a question at the dinner table and then go around and respond without interrupting (exp: what is your favorite game to play as a family and why). When students feel heard and supported, both at home and in school, their overall well-being and academic success flourish.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
Types of Action Students Can Take
Many people think that Action is easy to define. It is something you do, right? But Action is much more than that. Action is a part of who we are. If we want to change the world we need to start with changing ourselves. But sometimes change is hard. How do we make changes to the way we think so we can help the world?
If we want our students to make a difference in the world we need to help them personalize the action they take, and understand that it is not just a mandate from their teachers and parents, but a lifelong mindset they develop.
Taking action can happen at any age. It’s all about how we as parents, educators, and the community, support children and youth as they begin the learning journey towards becoming adults that are change agents!
Be on the lookout for ways your student is taking action at home and let your child’s teacher know about it. Action can look many different ways, here are some previous examples:
Creating a classroom library for the class to use
Researching more about a topic from what was taught in class
Setting up a lemonade stand on the weekend to raise money for a cause learned about from research
Creating your own book about the first day of school
Creating a poster about recycling and hanging it up around the neighborhood
Student Wellness
October is National Bullying Prevention Month
At school we teach students to be respectful, responsible, and safe. This month we will focus on advocating respectfully for yourself and others to prevent bullying. In class students will learn about being an Upstander, the Stop, Walk, Talk strategy, and how to make sure we are all appreciated for who we are at school.
Key Points for Families
Everyone Deserves Safety: Every child should feel safe and supported at school. Many schools have policies to help prevent bullying.
Impact on Learning: Bullying can make it hard for kids to concentrate and may lead to lower grades and loss of confidence.
Positive Actions Count: Encouraging kindness, acceptance, and inclusion can help create a supportive school environment.
Be Involved: Kids can play a big role in stopping bullying. Encourage your child to speak up and support others who may be bullied. This is called being an upstander.
We All Have a Role: Everyone can help prevent bullying by standing together and showing that it’s not okay.
Strategies for Families
Open Communication: Talk to your child regularly about their day. Ask open-ended questions to encourage them to share their experiences.
Teach Empathy: Discuss the importance of treating others with kindness. Role-play different scenarios to help them understand feelings.
Encourage Problem-Solving: Help your child think of ways to handle challenging social situations, like walking away or seeking help from an adult.
Model Positive Behavior: Demonstrate kindness and respect in your own interactions. Kids learn a lot from watching their parents.
Stay Informed: Read the school handbook and discipline matrix
Promote Friendships: Encourage your child to build friendships with peers and include others in activities to foster a sense of community.
Report Concerns: If your child is in a hard social situation or sees a peer in a challenging situation, encourage them to speak to a trusted adult right away.
MTSS: Supporting the Whole Child
Please see the information linked to learn more about our district procedures for MTSS. MTSS is a multi-tiered system or support for students that focuses on academics, behavior, and emotional development. Our system is designed to facilitate growth for all learners in every area of school.
Updates from the Health Office
Notes from Nurse Megan
Please do not send medication to school in your student's backpack. Students should not hold onto their own medication at school. Administer medications before or after school. If your student requires medication administration during the school day, please contact the health office for assistance.
Please return any clothing (washed) that your student has borrowed from the health office. We rely heavily on these items and don't want to have to send students home when they need clothes.
Health Office reminder
Your student must stay home for a full 24 hours after fever, vomiting or diarrhea. For example, if your student is sent home with a fever on Monday, they will automatically be excused from school on Tuesday. We will welcome that back to school on Wednesday if they are symptom free without the use of medication. Thank you for being considerate of our school community and keeping your child home when sick.
Contact Nurse Megan at 602-664-7322 or mbefort@madisoned.org with any questions/concerns. Thank you!
AASA Grade 3 Reports
If your student attended Simis as a 3rd grader, AASA reports are available to be picked up from the Simis front office. Madison Meadows has scores from students who were in 4th grader last year.
Important Dates
October 23rd 2024: Teacher Collaboration Time (TCT)-E1pm release
October 23rd-25th: Conferences
October 24th-25th: Half Day Early Release 11am
October 25th: Trunk of Treat
Week of October 28th: Spirit Week
October 29th: 5pm Virtual Safety Forum
October 30th: Teacher Collaboration Time (TCT)-E1pm release
Library Information
Information & Updates!!
Library Information
Please help your students return their library books so they are able to check out new books each week! If books are lost or damaged beyond repair, please:
1) Provide the library with a replacement copy of the same book (used and in good condition is acceptable). This is the preferred method!
2) Pay the replacement cost with cash (exact amount, please) or check made out to 'Madison Simis.'
We want to thank all the awesome library volunteers who keep our library books circulating and Simis students reading! Your time and help is so appreciated.
Looking for a specific book or want to browse and see what’s available in our library? You can search the Destiny Discover website to see all the selections!
Book Character Pumpkin Decorating!
Get creative for fall! Decorate a pumpkin to look like a character from a book you love! Decorated pumpkins will be displayed in the library for the next month. Here’s how to participate:
- Think of a favorite book or character you love!
- Decorate a pumpkin of any shape or size to represent the book character.
- Get creative using paper, glue, markers, pipe cleaners, fabric, or any other craft items you have around! You may paint the pumpkin as well. Spray paint or permanent paint works best.
- Please do not carve or put any holes in the pumpkins.
- Turn in your pumpkin to the library with an index card that has the book character and the title and author of the book written on the front side and your name, your teacher’s name, and grade level on the back. See Mrs. Sarmiento or Mrs. Brandstatter in the library if you need an index card.
- You may receive help from family members.
- All pumpkins must be submitted by 10/31.
- Have fun!
60 Day Book Review
We’re excited to let you know that we’ve added new books to our library. To keep you in the loop, we’ll be listing these titles on our website for the next sixty (60) days. The review period will start on October 4, 2024 and end on December 3, 2024.
Steps to Locate New Book Lists
Step 1- Log onto madisonaz.org
Step 2- Click on Families and then Family Resources
Step 3- Click on Library Resources
Step 4- Click on Parent Access to Library materials
Step 4- Select the school
If you have any questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We appreciate your involvement and support!
Thank you,
Mrs. Sarmiento & Mrs. Brandstatter
Simis Site Council Updates
What is Site Council:
Site Council reviews school data, discusses school procedures and practices, makes decisions about tax credit allocation, and helps inform the principal in decision making.
Recent Highlights:Governing Board Q&A
Discussed: Safety forum and Tax Credit Promotion
Next meeting: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support at Simis
General Announcements
Did you know?
Each year there is an activity fee of $50 for each student. Our Simis Site Based Management Council determines how all Tax Credit resources will be used at Madison Simis. This year we will use these funds to pay for our grade-level field trips, assemblies, and character education.
Process
Parent/Guardian:
https://az-madison.intouchreceipting.com/
The online portal page instructs guardians to login to POWERSCHOOL.
Guests can create an account and login directly through the online portal page.
Once logged in, parents can PAY Fines/Fees that are posted on their student's account or self select Items at Schools. For example, Activity Fees have already been posted on student's accounts and can be paid through Pay Fines/Fees. Please email receipts to simisoffice@madisoned.org.
Native American students may have their activity fees paid by grant funds if they have proof of Tribal membership. Please have interested families contact Martha Sullivan for information.
Families can contact simisoffice@madisoned.org for a scholarship form.
Parent/Guardian Opportunities
After School Vendors
If you are looking for a fun activity to engage your student after school dismisses, don't forget to look at our vendor offerings at Madison Simis!
THRIVE Parent Information Series
Madison School District has modules available to families in the THRIVE section of the Madison website. These short and informative videos with experts in the field provide families with resources to approach and support their child in ways that align with the students of the Alpha and iGeneration.
Volunteering at Simis
Click here to register as a school volunteer! All adults must be approved volunteers through the District to volunteer at Simis. Please remember when you volunteer that you are approved for a specific area of school during your visit. To avoid distractions in the learning environment, we ask that volunteers come to school to volunteer and then exit the school following their volunteering, not going into other classrooms to visit with students.
School Lunch Visitor Registration Form
Sign up for a lunch visit here! Please read the details on the sign up form for more information.
As a reminder, we ask that all parents sit with their child at the visitor's table in the cafeteria and say goodbye as students head out to recess. Siblings cannot attend with parents/visitors. Friends do not join the lunch visit.
If you have a student who struggles with separation, please consider not coming to lunch as a visitor until later in the school year. This will help prevent challenging good-byes after the visit.