Sylvan Park Paideia Design Center

Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year! Although summer days may have come to an end, the school year marks the beginning of a new learning adventure. As a part your child's educational experience, the Related Arts program provides a place to develop different skills and nurture special interests. In this issue, you will find information regarding the first nine weeks. We are looking forward to a bright and promising year! Thank you,

Your Related Arts Team

I’m thrilled to be starting another year of teaching Art at Sylvan Park! The school year is already off to a great start. This nine weeks in art class we will be following the statewide standards and exploring our creative sides, while having fun in the process! A main focus for this nine weeks across all the grades is self-portraits, as well as our continual study of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. I look forward to getting to know you and your students throughout the year. If you would like to come volunteer in art class, or if you have any questions, please contact me at margaret.williams@mnps.org.

Welcome back parents and students! I am ready for another great year at Sylvan Park. This first nine weeks we have hit the ground running.

During the first nine weeks in music all grade levels will be learning proper technique and care for the many instruments we have in the classroom as well as what it means to be a polite audience member. Kindergarten will explore the various voices we all have, move in response to music, and listen for steady beats and patterns in music.

First grade will also work on recognizing patterns as well as same and different phrases. We will also practice singing songs with low, middle, and high sounds, and imitate short/long sounds in preparation for identifying and producing rhythmic patterns. Second grade will sing simple songs with correct singing technique and gain more experience using solfege syllables when singing (Do, Re, Mi, etc.). Students will also create and demonstrate their own 4 beat rhythm pattern.

Third grade will work on identifying notes and their values, as well as their correct letter name on the music staff and corresponding solfege syllable. Students will also play patterns and improvise on instruments.

Fourth grade will begin experiencing harmonizing in music through singing partner songs as well as identifying meters and creating their own composition in simple form. We will begin recorders with fourth grade this 9 weeks and more information on that will be sent home in the next month. 4th grade will also be the actors and crew members for this year’s Disney musical! If your child is interested in participating please come to a parent information meeting on Tuesday August 29th at 6 pm. We will be going over rehearsal days, our attendance policy, and discuss the commitment of participating in a Disney musical. There is a part for everyone that wants to be involved in the show and it is such a wonderful experience! I hope you will encourage your child to participate.

If you need to reach me, my email is emily.biederstadt@mnps.org and my extension at school is 105. My planning is from 8:00-9:00 each morning. I’m looking forward to another wonderful year!

Welcome to Physical Education. Our objective is for you and your family to develop an appreciation towards lifetime physical activity. Our goals are that students will be able to do the following:

· Demonstrate competency/proficiency in a variety of movement forms.

· Apply movement concepts to the development of motor skills.

· Achieve/maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness.

· Demonstrate responsible personal and social behavior.

· Understand and respect individual differences.

· Understand that physical activity provides the opportunity for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction.

Thank you to the students for participating in our physical education program and to all the parents at home who support physical education and a healthy lifestyle. You may contact me at thesa.scott@mnps.org.

¡Bienvenidos a todos! Welcome to all! Each year our curriculum centers on common topics relating to vocabulary, conversation, grammar, and culture. Class content focuses on a development of the Spanish language that builds, expands, and deepens from kindergarten through the fourth grade. In K-4, our first nine weeks curriculum content includes numbers, colors, calendar vocabulary, and basic conversation appropriate for each grade level. Other topics include classroom actions and items. Culture will also be a part of each class. Topics are chosen to promote a deeper of understanding of Latin culture and to maximize student interest and motivation. Specific class content including vocabulary, activities, and class discussions will be sent home to you by e-mail and in your child's folder.

Evaluations and assessments are a natural product of classroom activities. Our activities are designed to foster natural acquisition of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural information. Students are given multiple opportunities to experience success in the classroom.

If needed, you may contact me at tracy.poole@mnps.org. I am looking forward to a wonderful year of learning, success, and adventures with your children. Let the Spanish begin!

The Counselor's Corner will focus on Restorative Practices this semester. We will learn what it is and how we resolve conflict. It will enhance our vocabulary skills with new terminology and exciting ways to discuss what happens in a conflict. We will also utilize our Second Step program, provided by MNPS, that is aligned with the ASCA standards for School Counselor's. Feel free to email any questions or concerns to marvetta.smith@mnps.org.

We are pulling it all together!