![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/_fr/25.a3934678.jpg)
![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/_fr/25.837e887c.jpg)
FES Knightly News
Weekly Family Newsletter
Week of January 22nd-26th
New and Important Information
Kindergarten Registration
Please spread the word! If you know have a child or know a family who has a child who will be 5 years old on or before August 1st, 2024, kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year will be on March 4th from 4:30-6:30 at all Boone County elementary schools.
All registrations will be online, and paper registration packets will no longer be accepted. If you don't have access to a computer or have questions about registering, there will be staff on hand to assist at Florence Elementary on March 14th.
The following items are required to complete registration:
- Certified Birth Certificate
- Proof of residence (phone bill, utility bill, lease agreement, etc.)
- Current KY Immunization Certificate (must be dated within 1 year of start date of school
- Current Physical
- Social Security Card
Parents with children currently enrolled in Boone County preschool will still be required to register their child for kindergarten.
Boone's Beginners
Boone's Beginners is a FREE monthly workshop for parents with children ages 0-5. This month's meeting is at Burlington Elementary School from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Dinner and prizes are provided at each meeting. Thanks to Boone County FRCs, Connect the Dots, and KET Education for making these events possible.
Assemblies this Week
Tomorrow (Monday), we will have our first Dojo Wall reward assembly of the year. Students who made the Dojo Wall for December will be invited to an assembly and given the chance to participate in some student vs. teacher games!
To attend the reward assembly, students must earn 95% positive Dojos and/or receive teacher approval to attend. We will continue to offer various incentives to students who reach this mark every month.
We will also have an assembly on Friday to celebrate our students who have done a great job this year and who scored proficient or distinguished on the state test last year.
Stay tuned for photos of these events in next week's newsletter!
Math Bingo Night Date Change
Due to some difficulty obtaining some of the supplies we needed, Math Bingo Night has been rescheduled to February 29th.
Repeats from Last Newsletter
Joke of the Day
If your child has a school-appropriate joke that they would like to share, please have them submit it on the school website under Students or click here. Selected jokes will be read during the morning announcements and during lunch.
Screen Time in Young Children
A study published by JAMA Pediatrics on January 8, 2024, looked at how watching TV or videos when kids are very young might affect how they sense things around them. They studied a group of children to see if early screen time could lead to different ways of processing sensory information, like touch or sound.
The researchers found that kids who watched more screens at 12, 18, and 24 months old had changes in their sensory processing. Some kids were more sensitive to sensations, while others were less aware. This could be important because it might be linked to certain behaviors seen in conditions like autism.
In simple words, the study suggests that increased screen time early in life might be connected to how kids sense things. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for babies less than 18-24 months and to limit screen time to only one hour for children 2-5 years.
ACCESS Testing for English Learners
Dear Florence Elementary Community, We hope this newsletter finds you well and ready for the upcoming ACCESS testing period, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 8th and will run until February 16th. During this time, students identified as English Language Learners will be participating in the ACCESS test—a crucial assessment that evaluates their proficiency in English across four key areas: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
The ACCESS test provides a valuable opportunity for our students to showcase their understanding of the English language, demonstrating growth and progress in their language skills. We encourage all students to approach this assessment with a positive mindset, aiming not only to meet but exceed their previous performance.
One of the primary goals of the ACCESS test is for students to achieve a score of 4.5 or higher. This benchmark allows students to exit English language services, marking a significant milestone in their language learning journey. However, it's important to note that we are not only looking for students to meet this benchmark but also to exhibit continuous growth in their English language proficiency.
To ensure the best possible testing experience, we recommend the following assessment tips for all students:
- Get a Good Night's Sleep: Adequate rest is crucial for optimal cognitive function. Encourage your child to get a good night's sleep before each testing day to help them stay focused and perform their best.
- Be On Time for School: Punctuality is key. Arriving to school on time ensures a smooth start to the testing day and helps reduce any unnecessary stress. Please make every effort to ensure your child is at school promptly.
Thank you for your continued partnership in our students' educational journey.
Best regards, English Language Team
Reminder about Pokemon Cards
Please do not allow your child to bring Pokemon cards into school. They cause a lot of problems that disrupt the learning environment when students trade them or when they get lost.
Spring Sports Leagues from i9 Sports
i9 Sports offers organized soccer, t-ball, baseball, and flag football leagues for boys and girls ages 3-14. Spring seasons start April 20th. They offer:
- Age-appropriate instruction for each division
- Coaches background checked and certified
- All skill-levels welcomed; No tryouts!
- One day/week; practice held before game
Knights of the Week
Congratulations! These students and staff were nominated by teachers because they ROCK!
Preschool- Chrisla M.
Kindergarten- Willow B.
1st Grade- Semane J.
2nd Grade- Bobby T.
3rd Grade- Mary Faith O.
4th Grade- Asiya S.
5th Grade- Lynzie W.
Staff of the Week- Mr. LaCoude
Here's What We're Learning this Week
Kindergarten
Reading/Writing- We are starting week 2 of narrative writing.
Math- We are counting to 100 and making groups of 10s.
Science- We are looking at weather patterns.
Social Studies- We are looking at how we build community outside the classroom.
First Grade
Reading/Writing- This week students will be learning about Folktales.
Math- Students will be exploring place value and understanding tens and ones.
Social Studies: We will be learning about state history, and how things have changed over time.
Second Grade
Reading/Writing- Students will be taking the second round of MVPA. Students will also be continuing reading folktales while exploring trickster tales. Students will also be working on words with the long i sound.
Math- Students will be taking round two of MVPA. Students will also be working on mental addition and subtraction.
Social Studies- Students will continue the unit on landforms
Third Grade
Reading/Writing- In reading, students are identifying and citing information from a summary to determine the theme, lesson, and/or moral. We are also reading Pourquoi tales and discussing how they are like other folktales that we have read.
Math- In math, students are solving two-step word problems using the four operations.
Other Important 3rd Grade Information for this Week: Students will be taking the MVPA on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Fourth Grade
Reading/Writing- Students will be learning about poetry, and point of view.
Math- Students will review previously learned standards and begin to learn long division.
Science- Students will learn about weathering and erosion.
Fifth Grade
Reading/Writing- Students will be working on an opinion piece that goes along with their volume zoo project.
Math-Students will be learning how to find volume and they will be starting to work on their volume zoo project!
Science- Students will be researching their endangered species that they chose for they zoo project.
Social Studies-Students will be learning about the reasons for revolution.
More Important 5th Grade Info- Students will be starting their volume zoo project. This project consists of the students making animals out of cardboard boxes, so if you have any boxes that could be donated it would be greatly appreciated.
Gym
Kindergarten is learning to follow a rhythmic activity leading up to a dance.
First grade is learning to move in various pathways and levels during a dance.
Second grade is focused on aerobic activities and Cardiovascular.
Third grade has started a learning a dance sequence and pattern leading to a dance.
Fourth grade is working on muscular endurance using plyometric
Fifth grade is learning how flexibility and muscular endurance can be beneficial in their daily life.
Photos from Around the Building
Girls Bball Team
The girls celebrate their victory at Collins Elementary
Cheerleaders
The FES cheerleaders perform at the basketball game
4th Grade
Ms. Bodenbender's Language Arts Class
Kindergartners' New Years Resolutions
FES Students are Artists!
Ms. Vater's Class
The students in Ms. Vater's class are working hard on writing.
From the Transportation Department
From Mr. Dave Burton, FES Lead Bus Driver
Boone County Schools has invested in new GPS technology that will help alleviate the problems of unpredictable pick-ups and drop-offs during times of inclement weather, break downs, accidents and bus driver shortages. This new app, that is free to parents, will provide additional safety for our students and give our parents peace of mind.
Click here to view a video about the Zonar app.
From the First Aid Room
Information from health services regarding Covid:
If your student tests positive for Covid and have no sick symptoms, please contact your primary care provider to obtain guidance and determine when your child can return to school. If your child is sick and tests positive for Covid please contact your primary care provider for guidance on care and when to return to school. Students should not return until they are recovered, and symptoms resolved.
Pictures from Our Past
Recess has been a favorite part of students' days for as long as there has been school. Here are some photos of the playground at FES from the 50s.
From the Cafeteria
SBDM Update (UPDATED FROM LAST WEEK)
The School Based Decision Making Council at FES is made up of the principal (Ryan Burch), three teachers (Alicia Bachman, Abbigail Supe, and Megan Timmerding), and two parents (Alicia Coulter and Vee Miller). This group makes policy decisions and approves some of the school's financial and instructional activities. Meetings are usually held on the first Monday of each month at 4:15 in the FES library. Meetings are open to the public (except for occasional closed sessions).
The meeting on Monday, January 8th did not have enough members in attendance to make decisions. The meeting has been rescheduled for January 29th at 4:15 in the FES library. Click here for this month's agenda.
All of our SBDM policies are available on the FES school website.
On the Calendar
Important December Dates
- January 23rd- Boone's Beginner's @ Burlington Elementary; 5:30-7:00
- Feburary 29th- Grandparent's Math Bingo Night (other family members invited as well); 5:30-7:00
Click the calendar above to see the schedule of all events throughout the year.