Madison SEPAG Meeting - June 12, 2024 - Special Education Parent Advisory Group
The next Madison SEPAG meeting will take place on June 12, 2024. Please see this link for additional information.
Fifth Grade Celebration and Coach Stroker
The KRS Class of 2024 Fifth Grade Celebration Ceremony will take place on June 14, 2024 at 9:30 AM on the black-top behind the school. The ceremony will focus on celebrating every KRS fifth grader as special, contributing, individuals. The ceremony will last approximately 1 hour and the fifth graders are expected to remain at school for the duration of the school day.
This year on the day of the Fifth Grade Celebration, we have a very special afternoon planned for our soon to be sixth graders. With great thanks to the KRS PTO, Coach Stroker will visit to speak to the fifth graders. Coach Stroker is an excellent inspirational speaker for children and adults. We are thrilled that he will be presenting to inspire and empower the fifth graders as they prepare to transition into the next chapter of their educational journeys.
We are looking forward to celebrating our 2024 Fifth Grade Class!
Bus Drills Today
Today, Dr. Koop, Mr. Levine, bus driver Mr. Alfano, and Mr. Therasmond, conducted bus drills for all grade levels. The goal of every drill was to instill bus safety guidelines in the students so that they are prepared to safely ride in a bus. Dr. Koop and the students reviewed bus safety rules and the students practiced exiting out of the back of the bus emergency exit
News from STEAM Teacher Mrs. Conner!
STEAM students participated in the Madison Day of Service. The Coding Team led by Ms. Bosworth visited KRS. The High School students prepared a digital presentation explaining coding and showing the block-type coding that elementary students use and the more advanced types of coding that they could use in the future. They prepared a “Robot Activity” where groups gave students directional codes to get from one spot to another. They ended the class with a brand new coding program, Kodable. Students had the opportunity to code to create their own character and have that character make and run through mazes. Any classes that did not participate in the Day of Service due to scheduling will receive the opportunity to use Kodable with me during Technology classes.
News from the Art Room - Ms. Obermaier
hank you to the MEF for generously funding books for the art room!
Kindergarten has had a wonderful year! They have impressed me with their art skills and enthusiasm.
First through Third Grades have been working on fiber arts projects. This is such a favorite at this age. I encourage you to provide them with potholder looms, weaving projects, or burlap and yarn on a plastic needle to continue during some summer “down” time.
Fourth grade is working on their name in graffiti-style lettering for the final days of school.
Fifth grade have finished their clay projects and are learning to make Kumihimo bracelets.
***Students who have a piece in the art show will receive an invitation in their backpack this week. I am able to bring a very limited amount of artwork to the show. Please understand that if they do not receive an invitation it does not mean they are not talented in art, or that they didn’t do well in class. I have been extremely impressed with the creativity, talent, and enthusiasm of your children this year!
News from Media Specialist Mr. Locke
In May,, grades 2-5 began an extensive research unit. First, students learned how to
access the World Book Online with district passwords. Students were taught the basics
of research: how to search for articles in databases, and filter and refine their results
through choice of subject, database, date, publication and other selections. Students
also learned how to select a specific language for the article to be translated into and
an audio feature to have the article read to them if necessary.
Students were then taught about the ethical sharing and use of information, a
professional library standard, wherein they learned how to give credit for the information
they use by putting research from articles into their own words (read, understand, and
re-write), and how to create citations from database tools and paste citations into a
citations/bibliography sheet at the end of their slideshow project or google doc essay.
Students applied these research lessons by creating slideshow presentations about a
country or city they would like to visit. K and 1st grade students learned how to open a
Google Doc, change the size, font and color of words, and how to insert and move
pictures. Second graders also reviewed these skills and applied them to Google Slides
presentations.
5th graders learned how to use EBSCO databases to research their United Nations
Sustainable Development goals for the More than Madison project. Students were
introduced to the variety of databases the district subscribes to, and were taught how to
filter the results and use the various tools (including citation, translation, audio and
sharing) that these more advanced databases offer. Students were also introduced to
JerseyClicks, New Jersey’s Online State Library, which offers many of the same
databases for free and is a good resource available to anyone who does not have
access to paid databases, thus increasing equity in the research field.
After all of their hard work learning how to research with databases, students relaxed a
bit by learning about themes in literature. We read one of my favorite books The
Barnabus Project by the Fan Brothers in class. We discussed the theme of perfection,
and the terms “relative” and “subjective.” Then students flexed their imaginations by
drawing, labeling and writing about their own “perfect pets”, a combination of animals
(or just one animal) with its special characteristics and talents, and explained why these
pets are “perfect” for them. Students also viewed interviews of the authors, including
The Fan Brothers (who are actual brothers) demonstrating how they collaborate by
illustrating different sections of the same picture together (Terry likes to draw whales, Eric likes to draw people! When they were growing up and sharing a bedroom, they
used to draw fish on their bedroom walls).
