Essential Areas

Estimadas familias de nuestra escuela

Current Events for the month of January in Essential Areas.

• Art: All Cheetahs will create artwork in honor of the Lunar New Year on January 29th. It will be the year of the snake. Some grade levels are also finishing our weaving unit and clay unit. We will get organized in the art studio by collecting all of our artwork into our very own art portfolios to keep for multiple student art shows coming up in the next months. This year Mrs. Moncus is participating in the CLI Leadership Pathways through Austin ISD and will be including CLI into every lesson throughout the school year. This month's CLI lessons will be: Idea & Movement. Mrs. Moncus has created our first ever Donors Choose for the art studio. Here is the link if you would like to contribute towards our first ever Donors Choose Project: https://www.donorschoose.org/sunset-valley-art-studio

Here’s the link to find our weekly schedule of what we are learning (WWAL) in the art studio:

https://kimmoncus.wixsite.com/mysite

Here’s the SVE art studio Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3PCVAMVKAQB8Q?ref_=wl_share

Here’s the link to our SVE online art gallery at Artsonia:

https://www.artsonia.com/class/access.asp?url=%2Fclass%2Fdefault%2Easp%3F

School ID: SunsetValley

Access Code: TRCR-NJDJ

🎶 Music Notes 🎶

We are thrilled to share that the Kindergarten Winter Program was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this wonderful event. For those who were unable to attend, a video of the performance will be available soon for you to enjoy and celebrate your child's hard work. The PTA president created an album in Google photos of the performance. She has shared with the parents on WhatsApp and would like other parents to include photos of the performance. The link is the following: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7PycLaxEXVQSu2tRA

Here’s what’s happening in music class this month:

Kindergarten
Our youngest musicians will continue to build on their steady beat skills through instrument playing, tracking and pointing to musical icons, and moving to the beat. They will also explore the concept of high and low speaking and singing voices in music using simple chants and songs.

First and Second Grade
Students are focusing on singing songs and playing instruments as they enhance their musical abilities and teamwork in class. The students will begin to start learning pieces for their Spring performance.

Third Grade
Our third graders loved the Nutcracker docent presentation and the field trip to see Act II of The Nutcracker! They are continuing to enjoy Nutcracker-themed learning centers while also diving into new Music Memory pieces.

Fourth and Fifth Grade
These students are advancing their musical knowledge by learning new Music Memory pieces and refining their recorder skills. If your child has taken their recorder home, please ensure they bring it back to school for class.

• PE: Our next 4 weeks will be working on Throwing and Catching with all grade levels. We are waiting for Marathon Kids to get up and running to start tracking students' activity through running laps and daily physical activity during PE class. Reminder Run Club takes place on Tuesday mornings at 7 am on the blacktop.

• Library: Visit our updated SVE Library Website.

Search our card catalog.

Pay for lost library books online here.

SVE Library Book of the Month Club: request donate

The library will be closed after the Winter Break from January 7 - 17 due to inventory. There will be no extended hours on Monday, January 13th.

Please encourage your child in 4th and 5th grade to read our selection of Texas Bluebonnet Books. Voting will take place mid January for students that read 5 or more books.

Please reach out to your essential area teacher with any questions:

Art: Kim Moncus kim.moncus@austinisd.org

Music: Amanda Leatherberry amanda.leatherberry@austinisd.org

PE: Jesus Martinez jesus.martinez2@austinisd.org

PE: Isaiah Goodman isaiah.goodman@austinisd.org

Library: Marla Meza marla.meza@asutinisd.org

The Essential Area Team

Estimadas familias de nuestra escuela

Current Events for the month of December in Essential Areas.

• Art: All Cheetahs will create and glaze their clay creations this month. Kindergarten will be bringing home their ceramic bells before the winter break. We are beginning our clay unit with all K-5th. Look for a calendar created by your favorite little artist to come home just in time for the New Year! All projects we have been working on will be due for a grade before we leave on winter break. This year Mrs. Moncus is participating in the CLI Leadership Pathways through Austin ISD and will be including CLI into every lesson throughout the school year. This month's CLI lessons will be: Idea & Movement. Mrs. Moncus has created our first ever Donors Choose for the art studio. Here is the link if you would like to contribute towards our first ever Donors Choose Project: https://www.donorschoose.org/sunset-valley-art-studio

Here’s the link to find our weekly schedule of what we are learning (WWAL) in the art studio:

https://kimmoncus.wixsite.com/mysite

Here’s the SVE art studio Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3PCVAMVKAQB8Q?ref_=wl_share

Here’s the link to our SVE online art gallery at Artsonia:

https://www.artsonia.com/class/access.asp?url=%2Fclass%2Fdefault%2Easp%3F

School ID: SunsetValley

Access Code: TRCR-NJDJ

🎶 Music Notes 🎶

Tis the Season! We had an awesome Veterans Day performance! It was great to have all the participation from the students!

We have a reward system where students can earn a music party day if they make it all the way to the end of the keyboard. We would greatly appreciate it if parents would donate snacks for those music class party days. In addition, we would like to recognize individual students by giving coupons to students who are displaying excellence in their behavior/musicianship that they can then use towards a raffle drawing to win a reward/prize. For example, the bulk 250 Pc. mulitcolored smile face novelty toy assortment and the 19’’ X 11” Bulk 500 Everyday Toy Treasure Chest Assortment from Oriental Trading Company is on our wish list. As coupons are being won, we would greatly appreciate any donations to make rewards/prizes in music class fun and enjoyable!

Updates:

• The third graders will attend the Nutcracker (Act II) performance on Wednesday, December 11. Thank you to the PTA for generously donating the money to keep this tradition going!

• The Nutcracker docent will give a presentation on Thursday, December 5 for all third graders in the cafeteria.

• The kindergarten winter music program, “Holidays Around the World,” will be Wednesday, December 13 at 2 p.m. in the cafeteria. Parents are welcome to attend!

Content we are getting into this month:

• Third through fifth graders have been studying the Music Memory pieces and will be having their first test over the first four selections.

• Third graders will be learning all about the Nutcracker through music centers.

• Fourth and fifth graders will be picking up last year where we left off on recorders. Holiday songs for the recorder will add some fun and cheer!

• First and second graders will learn some seasonal songs and play instruments.

• Kindergarteners will continue to rehearse for their winter program.

• PE: Just finished fall FitnessGram testing for 3rd-5th grade. This will be our last week of the Cooperation unit. Our next 4 weeks will be working on Throwing and Catching with all grade levels. We are waiting for Marathon Kids to get up and running to start tracking students' activity through running laps and daily physical activity during PE class. Reminder Run Club takes place on Tuesday mornings at 7 am on the blacktop.

• Library: Visit our updated SVE Library Website.

Search our card catalog.

Pay for lost library books online here.

SVE Library Book of the Month Club: request donate

December 2nd - 9th, students will participate in the optional Spelling Bee written exam during their scheduled visit to the library.

Please reach out to your essential area teacher with any questions:

Art: Kim Moncus kim.moncus@austinisd.org

Music: Amanda Leatherberry amanda.leatherberry@austinisd.org

PE: Jesus Martinez jesus.martinez2@austinisd.org

PE: Isaiah Goodman isaiah.goodman@austinisd.org

Library: Marla Meza marla.meza@asutinisd.org

The Essential Area Team

Estimadas familias de nuestra escuela

Current Events for the month of November in Essential Areas.

• Art: All Cheetahs will have the opportunity to participate in our annual Square 1 Art Fundraiser project. The students will create one of a kind original art for this wonderful event going live online through the 13th! We are beginning our cozy Autumn Art lessons where each grade level will be studying the color wheel and creating Fall themed art using the knowledge learned from the color wheel. This year Mrs. Moncus is participating in the CLI Leadership Pathways through Austin ISD and will be including CLI into every lesson throughout the school year. This month's CLI lessons will be: Statues and Idea & Movement. Mrs. Moncus has created our first ever Donors Choose for the art studio. Here is the link if you would like to contribute towards our first ever Donors Choose Project: https://www.donorschoose.org/sunset-valley-art-studio

Here’s the link to find our weekly schedule of what we are learning (WWAL) in the art studio:

https://kimmoncus.wixsite.com/mysite

Here’s the SVE art studio Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3PCVAMVKAQB8Q?ref_=wl_share

Here’s the link to our SVE online art gallery at Artsonia:

https://www.artsonia.com/class/access.asp?url=%2Fclass%2Fdefault%2Easp%3F

School ID: SunsetValley

Access Code: TRCR-NJDJ

• Music: As we enter November, a month dedicated to gratitude, let’s highlight the role of music in our celebrations. While we cherish family gatherings and festive parades, songs of thanks can enrich our traditions. I encourage students to create their own personalized gratitude songs to celebrate what they’re thankful for. Also, join us for the Veterans Day patriotic program on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in the Sunset Valley Elementary Cafeteria. We’ll honor our veterans, so feel free to invite service members you know. This year, third through fifth graders will begin studying the music memory curriculum in class.

• PE: Just finished fall FitnessGram testing for 3rd-5th grade. This will be our last week of the Cooperation unit. Our next 4 weeks will be working on Throwing and Catching with all grade levels. We are waiting for Marathon Kids to get up and running to start tracking students' activity through running laps and daily physical activity during PE class. Reminder Run Club takes place on Tuesday mornings at 7 am on the blacktop.

• Library: Visit our updated SVE Library Website.

Search our card catalog.

Pay for lost library books online here.

SVE Library Book of the Month Club: request donate

Thank you to PTA for hosting Native American Presentation, Theater of the Plains.

We had 2 fifth graders, 4 fourth graders, 2 third graders, 5 second graders, and 9 first graders participate in our Fiesta Reading Challenge. Congratulations!

Please reach out to your essential area teacher with any questions:

Art: Kim Moncus kim.moncus@austinisd.org

Music: Amanda Leatherberry amanda.leatherberry@austinisd.org

PE: Jesus Martinez jesus.martinez2@austinisd.org

PE: Isaiah Goodman isaiah.goodman@austinisd.org

Library: Marla Meza marla.meza@asutinisd.org

The Essential Area Team