Kindergarten
Report cards and middle of the year test results have been sent home. Please remember to sign the 2nd line on the report card envelope and return it to school, if you have not already done so. The report card and any information inside are for you to keep. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to your students’ teacher.
Students are beginning to learn addition. The transition from number pairs to addition should be smooth. Please continue to work with your student at home with their math homework to help reinforce the concepts learned at school. Again, there are some fun videos/songs on YouTube by Jack Hartmann that help with addition.
Now that middle of the year testing is complete, iPads will be sent home nightly. Please be sure that they are taken care of properly when they go home. I know chargers are sometimes hard to keep up with, but please try to keep track of your student’s charger. These will need to be returned to school at the end of the year with the iPad, or you will be charged for a replacement. They should be returned to school daily, fully charged and ready to use. This is very important, as iPads are used during the school day as well. If a student forgets their iPad or it is not charged, after 2 times, the iPad will be kept at school to avoid classroom disruptions due to these issues. Students should know how to access and use all programs (Amplify, iReady Math, and iReady Reading). However, there are cheat sheets in your student’s binder to help you navigate the programs should they forget.
First Grade
February is a wonderful time to celebrate friendship! Our classroom has been filled with joy as students share acts of kindness and appreciation for one another.
This month during our ELA block, we will focus on writing opinion texts and writing complete sentences on a single topic. Also, we will continue studying sight words from the lists in the binders. Please practice these with your child daily to enhance their reading skills.
For our math block, we will be exploring numbers beyond 100, all the way to 120! Also, students will start adding two-digit numbers and practicing concepts of greater than and less than.
Second Grade
This month, our second graders have been diving into the world of three-digit addition and subtraction! With engaging activities and hands-on practice, students are building their confidence in solving complex math problems.
Alongside math, we are exploring multisyllable words. Through fun games and group discussions, students are learning to identify and pronounce words with multiple syllables, enhancing their vocabulary and reading skills.
In science, our focus is on turtles! Students are discovering fascinating facts about these incredible creatures, their habitats, and the importance of conservation.
As we celebrate Valentine's Day, the classroom buzzes with excitement! Students will participate in fun crafts, share heartfelt notes, and enjoy sweet treats, fostering friendship and kindness among peers.
Third Grade
Dear Families,
We hope this message finds you well and filled with joy. As we move through February, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt appreciation for your continued support and partnership. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of our students.
Important Announcements
· Valentine Card Exchange: We will have a Valentine card exchange. Please encourage your child to bring in cards to share with classmates.
· Second Nine Weeks Behavior Party: We are excited to celebrate our students' positive behavior with our second nine weeks Behavior Party. Details will follow soon!
· Second Quarter Awards: Join us on February 7th at 2:00 PM to celebrate our students' achievements during the second quarter. We look forward to recognizing their hard work!
· We have an in house field trip from the Science Alliance that will focus on Thermal Energy.
Celebrations from the Week
This month, it is our turn to share announcements on the morning announcements in the office. We are proud to highlight the accomplishments of our students and staff who have gone above and beyond.
Additional Information
February proves to be an exciting month for our learning community:
· In ELA: We are focusing on understanding the meanings of unfamiliar words, helping our students expand their vocabulary and comprehension skills.
· In Math: Our focus is on finding area, where students will engage in hands-on activities to deepen their understanding of this important concept.
We are grateful for your involvement and support in your child’s education. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our school community.
As we continue through this month, we look forward to working together to create a positive and enriching environment for our students. Together, we can achieve great things!
Warm regards,
Third Grade Team
Fourth Grade
Greetings families! For 3rd quarter, students have started all things fractions! Students are currently working on comparing and finding equivalent fractions. This will lead us into adding, subtracting, and multiplying fractions! It is highly encouraged that you review multiplication facts with your child at home nightly and student notes. They have AVID Cornell notebooks to review when needed at home. In science, we are continuing our study of the states of matter. We will be beginning our energy unit and delve deeper into the scientific method for the upcoming Science Fair project that students will be completing towards the end of the quarter.
English Language Arts Update: Our English Language Arts curriculum is focusing on standard RI.4.3, emphasizing understanding of historical, scientific, and technical texts. Students will learn to:
- Identify key events, procedures, and concepts
- Recognize cause and effect relationships
Sequence events and ideas
How You Can Support Your Child:
Encourage reading of various texts at home
Ask open-ended questions to practice identifying cause and effect
Create charts or diagrams to visually map relationships
- Discuss real-life examples of cause and effect
Living Wax Museum update:
- Students will begin working on their presentation boards for the Living Wax Museum. This part is to be done at home. Finished boards are due no later than February 14, in class.
Students should also begin practicing and memorizing their monologues.
Fifth Grade
Hello 5th Grade Families!
We hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful snow and the extra time with loved ones! What we will be learning this month:
- ELA: Comparing and contrasting characters, settings, and events in different genres
- Math: Continuing to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers, and multiplying and dividing with fractions
- Science: Beginning genetics and heredity and the human body systems
- Social Studies: Continuing to work on state projects they have started in class
As a reminder, don’t forget to join PowerSchool's Parent Portal if you have not done so already. This way, you can help your child keep track of their grades and missing assignments. Students have been logging in to complete their assessments and check their grades as well. Please feel free to stop by the front office with identification to complete the form to join.
Thank you for your continued support, and please be sure to keep in touch with us!
EC
The EC team will organize various learning events this month to enhance hands-on life skills and prepare students for the upcoming nine weeks. Students have demonstrated notable progress in both their academic performance and social development. Families and friends are invited to witness these achievements at the upcoming awards ceremony, where we will recognize the growth observed during the second nine weeks. Additionally, the integration of some students into general education classes has shown marked improvement, particularly in their peer interactions. We look forward to this month's opportunities for all our students.
Support Teachers
ESL- Dale - This month, students will be taking the WIDA ACCESS test, which helps measure how much they’ve grown in their English language learning! The test is broken down into four sections: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. We have been working hard to prepare by practicing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Students have completed practice activities, worked in small groups, and built their confidence to show what they know!
We are so proud of them! Once testing is complete, we will celebrate their hard work before returning to our regular ESL classroom routines. Thank you for your support in encouraging your child to do their best
Data Manager
Parents just a few friendly reminders . . .
Tardies & Check Outs - Parents, we have many students who are tardy and or check out early, we ask that you please make every effort to arrive on time and only check out early when necessary. These habits cause multiple interruptions to classrooms but most of all it takes away from your child’s instructional time.
Absences - Please make sure you are turning in Dr. notes and or handwritten notes which should include your child’s full name, date of absence along with the personal illness or injury information.
ID Check – Per Onlsow County School Policy, we are a 100% ID check school. Please make sure you bring a state issued ID or driver’s license with you, a military ID will not be accepted as a form of ID.
We appreciate your help and support as we work together to ensure your child has a safe and successful school year.
AVID - 2ND GRADE
Second-grade teachers use the AVID Elementary instructional methodology, which is defined by avid.org as “an intentional systemic approach to support all Pre-K-6 students to develop the academic habits they will need to be successful in middle school, high school, and college.” Throughout the academic year, our second graders are exposed to and utilize WICOR strategies, learn how to self-assess and self-advocate, and develop positive and productive peer relationships in and out of the school environment.
Take-home binders, utilized in all of BFES’ second grade classrooms, are an excellent example of the “O” (Organization) in AVID’S WICOR model. These binders are taken home and brought back to school daily. A second grader’s binder typically contains the following materials: a soft pencil pouch that holds basic writing supplies, school/classroom policies, school/classroom schedules, 1:1 login information, study aids, a folder (or two) for homework worksheets, graded work, and handouts from the office and, lastly, blank notebook paper. Granted, binders may vary slightly from one classroom to the next in terms of content, but the general format remains the same.
In addition, BFES second graders develop valuable self-assessment skills as they chart their weekly homework completion, spelling test scores, and/or iReady lessons. While our students’ progress is tracked in different ways according to teacher preference, this AVID strategy of self-assessment can be quite useful for early elementary students, as it motivates young learners and gives them a visual representation of their academic growth. Along with utilizing self-assessment strategies, second graders also work on becoming successful self-advocates. Around the beginning of their second-grade year, our students reflect on their previous academic year and set new personal goals that they then strive to accomplish. We also provide students with different methods of communicating questions about their schoolwork – for example, a class mailbox or a designated section on a progress chart encourages student/teacher communication, since many younger students may not feel comfortable speaking up in class.
Finally, the AVID Elementary framework emphasizes collaborative learning in the classroom to help students broaden their knowledge base and develop positive working and personal relationships with their peers. BFES second-grade teachers regularly incorporate collaborative learning opportunities, such as “Think-Pair-Share” during Ready Mathematics instruction. Peer editing and partner activities are also frequently seen in our second-grade classrooms, although full implementation of these learning opportunities often takes significant time to achieve, given the younger, and therefore less mature, personalities of our students. It is quite worthwhile, though, to observe productive student learning teams in our classrooms!
Student Services
School Counselor: During the month of February students in grades K-2 will be learning about listening skills and grades 3-5 will be learning about Guideline: Be Responsible.
Nurse Custy: The dentist will be returning Feb 19-20 to continue providing restorative services to those signed up.
**All children with fevers of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater will be excluded from school until fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aspirin, etc.). Those with vomiting and/or diarrhea can return when they have been symptom free for 24 hours.
School Social Worker News- Karen Dew
To increase attendance and motivate our students to attend school daily, an attendance incentive program is being implemented.
Attendance data will be kept on a weekly basis for each class and posted on a bulletin board in the front office. Classes will be competing to be the class with the highest perfect attendance. Perfect attendance means no tardies and staying the entire school day. Our school’s instruction day is from 8:30 AM until 3:30 PM.
At the end of the month, the attendance data will be totaled and the class with the highest perfect attendance will be rewarded.
Please encourage and support your children in helping them achieve perfect attendance.
Thank you for your support.
Karen Dew
School Social Worker
If you feel I can be of assistance for your student and/or family, please reach out to me by calling me at 910-347-4459 ext. 74015.
Specials
In Art - Grades K-5 will continue to work on different levels of weaving, sewing, and yarn work. We will also introduce famous black artists to honor Black History Month!
In Media -Book fair will be happening February 24-March 4, 2025. Parents can set up their students E-Wallet starting on February 3, 2025. The book fair will be open during Literacy Night. This month in the library we will be reading about Black History Figures.
In Spanish -Working on the Spanish Alphabet, vowels, and weather. Learning about places and transportation.
1st-2nd grade New vocabulary : places, transportation. New verbs. Working on reading, and writing sentences.
3rd-5th grade: New vocabulary places and transportation, New verbs. Continue practicing writing, reading and conversation.
In PE- Goodbye January and hello February! This month we will continue Chinese Jump Rope (2-5), jumping and balancing skills (K-1), and we will begin speed stacking (cup stacking) towards the end of the month.
As always, please make sure that your child comes prepared (wearing sneakers and comfortable clothing) on his/her PE day. I want to ensure that students can safely participate and wearing sneakers is one of the best ways to help students do so.
In Music - This month, we will explore the fascinating world of jazz and its influence on American music. Additionally, we will be focusing on drumming techniques from various cultures while revisiting the notes of the treble clef. Students will also deepen their understanding of the piano.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2/4- 4TH GRADE Field Trip WOHS SYMPHONY
2/6- CICI'S PIZZA NIGHT
2/7- SECOND NINE WEEK AWARD CEREMONY
2/10 - 100TH DAY
2/12- 1/2 DAY FOR STUDENTS. PDD FOR STAFF
3-5 BEHAVIORIAL PARTY 9:00 - 10:30 AM
2/13- SCIENCE ALLIANCE 3RD GRADE
K-2 BEHAVIORAL PARTY 9:00 - 10:30AM
2/17- TEACHER WORKDAY
2/18- NAGP NATIONAL TESTING
2/18-2/19- SMILE DENTIST WILL BE ON CAMPUS
2/21- 4TH/5TH GRADE SMILE SQUAD DANCE 3:30- 5:00PM
2/24- 4TH GRADE LIVE WAX MUSEUM
2/26-3/4- BOOK FAIR
