James Gettys Elementary
January 2025
Happy New Year and welcome back!
We hope that everyone had a restful and enjoyable holiday break.
As we begin the new year, we’re excited to welcome everyone back to school and look forward to the many opportunities and achievements 2025 holds. It's a fresh start, and we're eager to dive into new lessons, challenges, and successes together.
Let’s embrace this new year with enthusiasm, positivity, and a commitment to making it the best one yet. Here's to a productive, inspiring, and rewarding term ahead!
Don't forget about our "Lost and Found". Now that the cold air has decided not to go away anytime soon, there have been more coats, sweatshirts and even gloves and hats that have seemed to have lost their owners. We invite guardians to come and check it out if you notice anything missing.
Special events around our building last month included:
🐐Kindergarten thanks the Rentzel family and friends for bringing a goat, a calf, and 2 chickens for us to see and learn about. This ended our language arts farming unit. Next we are learning about several Native American tribes. We are comparing the environments where they lived in different parts of our country. We are also learning about the clothing, food and shelter they had which helped them survive in each environment.
⚡2nd grade did a culminating activity for their Greek Myth unit. They dressed up as Greek Gods and Goddesses. The students participated in Olympic events and tasted Greek foods. The students enjoyed trying new foods from Greece. They also built a yummy gingerbread house on the last day before break!
🧑🏻🍳 In 3rd grade, the students got to research different parts of the world! They then were challenged with making a dish from that country and family were invited to come taste test with the students as they presented their project.
🌟Fourth Grade went on their field trip to the Capitol and the State Museum in December!
from the Guidance Counselor😇
We started a new tradition this year.
We had two special friends arrive the last two weeks before winter break. The Elves! They helped spread some holiday cheer and bring joy, laughter, and lots of smiles to our students. We're sad to see them leave, however we're sure they'll be back again next year!
-The elves arrived on day #1. They came in riding the office flamingos with a special note for the students.
- On day #2, the elves were found hanging from the sun catchers in the lobby. (they must have wanted to be trapeze artists)
- The elves wore themselves out from all their activities, so they booked themselves a spa day on day #4
- Day #5 the elves made themselves comfy in our tree with a closed sign for the weekend.
- Day #6, the start of the last week before break. The students were getting excited for the holidays. The eves were on the "look out" for positive behaviors in the cafeteria.
- Day #8 they found the fake snow and decorated the office windows.
- Day #10 The last day of school! The elves found the paint and made a sign wishing students a wonderful break. They listed every single student on "Santa's nice list".
The library has been a busy place this month! Some classes have traveled back in time to learn about Florence, Italy, and the Renaissance Period. Other classed have gone back to World War ll and learned about the Christmas Truce of 1914.
Several classes have learned the history behind the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, as well as how the tree gets milled and sent to Habitat for Humanity to help build homes for people in need. A true act of kindness and giving!
Of course, we have also made it to the North Pole!!
Next month, the trout eggs arrive!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Enjoy the time with family and friends. See you in 2025!
-Mrs. Daniels
We hope everyone is having a great start to the new year and is excited for what is to come!
we would like to invite our families to the event happening at Gettysburg Area High School, See picture for more details.
As always, we will continue to be in the community as a support. If you have any questions, need connections to school or community resources/services, or would like to express student concerns, please stop by to chat with one of us! We are happy to help in any way we can! Our location and times for this month are listed below:
Wednesday, January 8, 9:30-11:30am @ Adams County Library (basement)
Thursday, January 16, 10am-12pm @ Waldo’s
Friday, January 24, 1:30pm-3:30pm @ McDonald’s (Steinwher)
Thursday, January 30, 10am-12pm @ Dunkin
Lastly, please consider applying for our district’s Free and Reduced Meals Program. Even if you are unsure if you qualify, we encourage the application. Follow this link and reach out if you have any questions!
https://www.gettysburg.k12.pa.us/services/food-services/about-food-services
Tara Zimmerman
(717) 334-6254, option 2, ext. 6104
Rachel Hastie
(717) 334-6254, option 4, ext. 7139
