Baltimore Highlands Elementary

1st - No School for Students - Professional Day

4th - No Afternoon Learn and Play

5th - Schools Closed - Election Day - Learn and Play Closed

14th - Report Cards Distributed

18th - 22nd - American Education Week

18th - Pre-K Conference Day - No School for PS or PK Classes-School in Session for Grades K-5

19th - No School - Pre-K and Elementary Conference Day

20th - In the Know-It-All with Mrs. Marti -AM Session 9:30-10:30 am PM Session 4:00-5:00 pm

22nd - Coffee Talk with Principal Goldbloom 9:00-10:00 am

27th - Schools Close 3 Hours Early - Thanksgiving Holiday Begins

28th - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday

29th - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday

We will celebrate American Education Week from Monday, November 18th through Friday, November 22nd. American Education Week is a chance to honor our educators and celebrate public education. We will be welcoming families to celebrate with us throughout the week. We look forward to seeing everyone and sharing all of the amazing learning that is happening at BHES! Please watch for more information coming home next week!

Fall Harvest Festival

Students will participate in fall activities on Wednesday, November 6th. Students should be sure they are on time for school to participate in fall activities and Bingo throughout the day.

We look forward to a wonderful month.

Mrs. Goldbloom

Please see the Right to Know Letter attached below.

Pre-K

We had a great month in Pre-K! We plan to continue our learning in November and are excited to have all of our families come for conferences on November 18th and 19th!

We will be learning the letters F, L, and O. We will continue working on rhyming words and counting syllables that are in words. In reading, we will continue learning about a variety of texts including non-fiction, fiction, informational and fantasy. We have been talking about what an author and illustrator does, as well as answering comprehension questions from our stories.

In math, we will continue learning about 2 dimensional shapes and building sets to 10. We will also continue counting to 20 daily.

We want to thank our families for your continued support in your child's social/emotional and academic learning.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten will be learning lots of things in the month of November!

In Reading, we will be focusing on "My Community Heroes". During this module we will learn about what makes a community and the important roles we all have in ours!

In Writing, we will be writing informational text by gathering facts and going through the complete writing process.

In Social Studies, we will be constructing a model of our Baltimore Highlands Community!

In Math, we will be exploring efficient ways to count, compare and represent quantities. We will also be learning how to write equations and solve story problems using efficient strategies.

Please remember to read with your child nightly and practice their sight words at home!

We look forward to meeting with you on Conference Day (November 19, 2024) to discuss your child's growth so far this year!

1st Grade

Happy November!

Reading

In reading, we have started our third module called Amazing Animals and will be learning about what makes animals special! In writing, we will be writing an informational text about our favorite animals. In Phonics, we continue to learn letter sounds and spellings. We have introduced more short vowels such as "o", "i", and "u" and have started working on recognizing and spelling words with these letters.

Math

In math, we are working on building fluency with adding and subtracting. Please practice adding and subtracting numbers within 10 with your child.

We will also be starting our first science unit called Feather Phenomena. We are going to explore how animal body parts help animals survive.

Teacher conferences will be coming up on November 19th, so please look out for information about signing up soon! Hope you have a fabulous month and let us know if you have any questions!

2nd Grade

Reading

All of our texts this module in ELA will focus on how to work out disagreements - a very important life skill for everyone! The students will also be working on a persuasive writing piece with a focus on research.

Math

In math, we will be making graphs and answering questions about graphs, solving addition and subtraction story problems, adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers using efficient strategies and representing addition and subtraction on a number line.

We will also be starting a Social Studies unit which will focus on the features of the United States.

3rd Grade

In November, third grade will be starting new units in both math and reading!

Math

In math, we will be starting Unit 3, which focuses on multi-digit addition and subtraction. This unit builds on second grade skills, allowing students to further their understanding of addition and subtraction. In this unit we will also introduce the idea of rounding and how we can use that to help us add and subtract more efficiently.

ELA

In reading, we will be starting module 3, which focuses on American History. This unit we will dive into the history of the 4th of July, the US Constitution and the Statue of Liberty. We will use these materials to dive into different reading skills, such as, text structure, author's purpose and central idea.

In writing, we will be writing a descriptive essay about a meaningful place. In this writing, we will practice using sensory words, synonyms, and making our writing truly come alive!

4th Grade

Reading - Module 3 "Rise to the Occasion"

In the month of November, our 4th graders will be diving into the qualities that we need to rise to the occasion. The students will be reading a Biography, an Argumentative Text, Historical Fiction, Narrative Fiction, a Play, and a Diary/Autobiographical Fiction. All text referencing overcoming challenges. We will get a deeper understanding of the characteristics we need to rise to the occasion while developing our comprehension skills with synthesizing ideas, identifying plot elements and identifying themes. These comprehension skills were introduced in Module 1 and Module 2. We will be extending and building on what we learned. At the end of the Module students will be completing a Performance Task. The performance task is an Opinion Essay. Students will use evidence collected from the text that were read throughout the module to give their opinion, "What does it take to meet a challenge?" We are excited to see how our writing improves from our first performance task.

Math - Unit 3 Fractions and Decimals

This month in Math, our 4th graders will be working with a variety of tools such as folded paper strips, egg cartons, and geoboards. We will revisit number lines and base ten pieces introduced in Units 1 and 2, to model, read, write,compare, order, compose, and decompose fractions and decimals. We will be generating equivalent fractions in Module 1. In Module 2, the students will be introduced to mixed numbers. In Module 3, we start introducing decimals within the tenths and hundredths. Module 4 concludes Unit 3 and students will investigate and make connections about the relationship between fractions and decimals. The Number Corner Volume 1 for October was a great foundation to introduce fractions and decimals and how to express them showing those relationships.

5th Grade

Reading

As we enter the month of November, 5th grade will be exploring a variety of texts and media that present them with information about natural disasters. We will be focusing on the genre of informational text. We will be providing students with opportunities to identify central ideas, summarize events, and to ask and answer questions. Students will encounter narrative nonfiction, realistic fiction, and persuasive books in order to build vocabulary and knowledge about the causes of different types of natural disasters. Informational text is our most challenging genre for our 5th graders. Try doing some hands-on activities, watching educational documentaries, and emphasize the importance of preparedness to build interest about natural disasters at home!

Math

As we enter a new month, we also enter a new unit in math! Our 5th graders will be shifting their focus from fractions to place value and decimals. They will study skills and concepts related to place value, from reading, writing and comparing decimals to rounding and examining the decimal patterns. They will use their understanding of place value to add and subtract decimals to the hundredths place value. At the end of this unit, division will be the focus! Division is another challenge our 5th graders have struggled with in the past, so try practicing solving long division problems at home. With more practice and repetition, the better chance for students to master the skill.

Interested in gaining English language skills for life, work and active involvement in your child's education? We're excited to introduce you to the Family Literacy English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). This program is designed for parents whose first language is not English.

• Eligibility - You must have a child aged 0-16 living in your home who is either attending a Baltimore County Public School, select private schools or the Judy Center of Baltimore County. You also must be at least 18 years old and officially withdrawn from high school.
• Cost - No cost for class. You will need to purchase a student textbook and workbook, available at any CCBC campus bookstore.
• Ready to Sign Up? Attend a Walk-In Registration Session! You must first attend an in-person walk-in Family Literacy ESOL Placement and Registration session. Registration is in person only; no advanced online, phone or mail in registration.

For more information or if you have any questions, please email esolfamilyliteracy@ccbcmd.edu or call 443-840-3456.

It is so hard to believe that it is already November. October was a busy month with celebrating Unity Day, Anti-Bullying Month, Trunk or Treat, and ending the month with our fun monthly incentive, "BOO Bingo" celebrating all of the students who have shown positive behaviors and followed our school code of conduct.

November is a time where we think of all the things that we are thankful for and ways we can spread kindness. The character strengths that we will be highlighting in our daily morning meetings during November are disagreeing respectfully, communication, and peer pressure. They will learn more about each strength through a variety of activities, videos, and games. Ms. Phipps and Mrs. Bradham will be teaching classroom guidance lessons on relationship skills. The primary grades will learn ways to show kindness, learn ways to show empathy, learn ways to create positive and supportive relationships with other students and learn about personal space. The intermediate grades will develop language and conflict resolution, learn to demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem, and identify peer pressure to make safe decisions. If you need to contact the counselors, please email or call:

pphipps@bcps. org (Pre-K - 2nd Grades) and bbradham@bcps.org (3rd - 5th Grades).

PBIS Monthly Incentive - Turkey Trot - November 22, 2024

Establishing a pediatrician for your child means finding a doctor specifically trained to care for children, where you can schedule regular checkups and seek medical advice for any concerns you have about your child's development and health. It is important to choose a pediatrician and for them to meet your child BEFORE your child becomes sick. Most pediatricians will not see a sick patient who is not already registered with them.

If you need help choosing a pediatrician for your child, please contact Ms. Grisley, the school nurse, at 443-809-6063 or lgrisley@bcps.org. Ms. Grisley can provide a list of area doctors that accept most insurances, including medical assistance. If your child does not have health insurance, they can and should still have a pediatrician. Ms. Grisley and Ms. Marti can help you make an appointment with a low-cost clinic. There are many options for Spanish speaking providers.

7 Reasons Your Child Needs a Pediatrician

• Children should have one "Well Child" visit each year. These are different from when you take your sick child to a doctor. Well Child visits monitor your child for healthy development and can detect problems. This is an opportunity for you to discuss health concerns with your child's doctor and learn about how to prevent illness and disease.
• It may save you an expensive hospital or urgent care visit. A crusty red eye, an earache, a sore throat or a fever should prompt a visit to the doctor, but they are often not serious enough to spend hours and hundreds of dollars at an urgent care or emergency room. Save these resources for people with more serious illnesses and give your child's pediatrician a call.
• A pediatrician can prevent minor illness from becoming a major one. They can help manage constipation, asthma, allergies, eczema, and other chronic conditions.
• Visitin the same pediatrician or pediatric group each year allows the doctor to get to know you and your child to make the appropriate recommendations for healthy development.
• A pediatrician provides follow-up care after a serious injury or illness to make sure your child recovers properly and has any medication refills they may need.
• Pediatricians can make referrals to specialists when necessary, such as : allergists, physical therapists, mental health providers, neurologists, and other specialty providers.
• Pediatricians keep your child's vaccine record in one place so you can make sure they stay up-to-date on vaccines.

Please see the below attachment for Symptoms of Respiratory Illnesses

In this season of gratitude, please know how thankful we are to have such amazing parents and caregivers as partners in the education of your children!

As your child's parents, you are your child's very first teacher and are an essential part of their learning as they move through school. Some examples of "PARTNERING" with your child's school include:

• Great 2-way communication - It's vital that school staff and parents have actual conversations and ways to discuss important topics, ask and answer questions, and share concerns. Here at BHES, those conversations could be at parent conferences, PTA meetings, Shared Decision Making Team meetings, information in student take home folders, phone calls, text messages, emails and social media.
• Involvement - Don't underestimate the value of attending school events including parent conferences, meetings, Back to School nights, Reading Nights, and other activities. Talk with your child while you drive or walk to encourage conversations about school.
• Collaboration - When you communicate back and forth regularly (more than once a quarter) with your child's teacher and share your thoughts and concerns about your student, you ensure that you are informed and working with their teacher toward the same learning goals for your child. Collaboration can also mean participating in groups that plan and make decisions that benefit the students, school and community like the PTA and the Shared Decision Making Team.
• Parent Education and Support and Resources - Take advantage of opportunities for training and workshops to learn about supporting your child's learning at home, for support with the difficult task of parenting, and for resources offered at school to help with essential needs like food, challenges with paying bills, and mental health concerns.

Thank you for all you do every day to help your child grow and thrive!

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact me, Jill Savage, by phone, text or email.

443-809-4006 (Office) 443-809-0792 (Cell) jsavage@bcps.org

Mrs. Marti, our bilingual Family Care Liaison, will meet with our school parents for an hour for In the Know-It-All with Marti workshops! The In The Know It All workshop will be on Wednesday, November 20th! There will be a morning session from 9:30-10:30 am and an afternoon session from 4:00-5:00 pm.