Kindergarten Orientation for Incoming 2025-2026 Kindergarten Families
Families with a child turning five years old on or before December 1, 2025 are invited to attend our Kindergarten Orientation, held at IMES on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Snow Date: Wednesday, March 12. Information about Kindergarten Registration will be provided.
This evening presentation is for parents/caregivers only.
K-5 February Curriculum Highlights
Kindergarten: In reading, students will be focusing on two main skills: decoding CVC words through additive and whole-word blending, both in isolation and in continuous text, and beginning to read simple decodable books by orchestrating skills of pointing one-to-one, recognizing familiar high-frequency words, and decoding CVC words. In writing, students will be making sure their writing is easy for others to read by writing in more conventional sentences and rereading their work as they write. In math, students will continue to explore and develop a basic understanding of addition and subtraction. In science, our budding engineers will be modifying and adapting their pinball machines designs as they learn even more about forces and motion.
Grade 1: First grade readers and writers continue to grow their curiosity around nonfiction topics. Students will build their knowledge by reading more than one book on a subject and be on the lookout for keywords to help them think, talk, and write about what they have learned. During word work, students will be discovering the difference between digraphs and blends. They have learned that a digraph contains two consonants that only make one sound. Now students will be reading and spelling words with blends, where two or more consonants sit together but each makes its own sound. In math, students are working on organizing information into different types of graphs. In this topic, they will learn to use tally marks and make picture graphs. This month students will also use strategies to count beyond 100. These strategies include counting by 10s, counting on a number chart to 120, and counting on an open number line. The much anticipated 100th day of school will be taking place in February! Students will complete activities centered around the number 100.
Grade 2: Second grade mathematicians are busy learning to tell time and count change. Solidifying place value within 1,000 is the next focus. Writers are learning ways to support their opinions about books read. Learning to include details and use varying sentence structures is important work happening during workshop. Students are also checking their writing pieces for correct capitalization and punctuation. During reading, students are tackling longer books with longer words using varying strategies to decode unfamiliar text. In science, students are learning about the landforms that make up the earth’s surface and how they change over time.
Grade 3: In February, we continue our study of characters as we dive more deeply into making and supporting inferences with evidence from the text. In Fundations, we are reviewing the open syllable, and exceptions to this rule, in multisyllabic words. In writing, third graders continue to write essays based on a strong opinion about a story. Furthermore, we are reinforcing writing meaningful sentences and paragraphs using all our students have learned about uppercase letters, spelling, and punctuation. In math, we will focus on understanding fractions as numbers that can represent a portion of a whole or a point on the number line. Also in February, we will further investigate the grove snail’s population. Students will analyze data to construct the idea that, in a population, organisms with adaptive traits are more likely to survive than those with non-adaptive traits. At the close of the unit, students take on the role of biomimicry engineers as they observe different organisms to understand the functions of their traits and get ideas that can help them design solutions to problems.
Grade 4: In February, fourth graders will shift back to focus on fictional texts. Students will engage deeply with stories by examining character development, relationships, settings, challenges and solutions, and themes. They will strengthen their ability to draw insightful conclusions about what they read, using specific evidence from the text to support their ideas. This thorough approach to comprehension lays the groundwork for their next challenge: writing thoughtful and well-supported literary essays. In this writing unit, students will learn to craft a clear thesis statement about a text, gather evidence to back up their ideas, and explain their thinking in detail. By analyzing different parts of a story and connecting them to the bigger picture, they will build essential skills in critical thinking and interpretation. In math, students will extend their understanding of multiplication to multiplying fractions by whole numbers. This unit also focuses on using the four operations to solve problems involving time. In addition, students will focus on how to read, make, and interpret line plots. Students will have the opportunity to apply their understanding of fractions in this unit, as they work with line plots that feature data measured in halves, fourths, and eighths of a unit. This hands-on practice reinforces their fraction skills in a meaningful and engaging way. Finally, students will wrap up their study of European exploration and colonization by connecting these events to the establishment of the 13 English Colonies. From there, they’ll begin exploring the exciting journey toward the American Revolution, delving into the key events and factors that sparked this pivotal moment in history—one of the most engaging and memorable units of the year!
Grade 5: During the month of February, fifth graders will spend a lot of time talking about pizza, cornbread, lasagna, and trays of brownies as they continue their work with fractions in math. Addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators began in January and is followed by addition and subtraction of mixed numbers. Students will then work on multiplying and dividing fractions and mixed numbers. In ELA, 5th graders have been working on the craft of writing a literary essay beginning with a thesis statement and supporting that thesis with information from the text. This work will wrap up in early February and students will begin to focus their reading work on non-fiction texts by thinking about main ideas, supporting details, text structures, and word attack strategies for content specific vocabulary.
Elementary Progress Reports K-5
Classroom Teachers and Special Area Teachers are completing progress reports for our students. Progress Reports will be made available on February 14 via the Parent Campus. You will receive an email when the reports are available for viewing.
The progress report reflects your child’s progress in relation to the current NY State Standards. Student performance is reported on a continuum from beginning to secure for the specified time of year. As the year progresses and as children move from one grade level to the next, schoolwork becomes more challenging, and expectations increase accordingly. Therefore, the assessment indicators -beginning, developing, approaching secure, and secure- may vary as the student moves from semester to semester, or from year to year. Thus, a rating of “secure” may change in a particular area over time. Due to the pacing and/or complexity of the curriculum, some indicators may not be expected at the beginning or middle of the year, therefore, you may see NE, indicating a standard is not expected for that time of year. (See Progress Report Rating Scale below.)
The grade reporting system includes information about your child’s approach to learning as a whole (work and study habits), and their progress in academic areas. Within each academic category, there is an ‘At-a-Glance' description of the content area topics that are addressed at that time of year, as well as the standards that are being assessed. Teachers use a variety of methods to determine strengths and areas that require attention and support. The teacher comments section aims to give you a holistic view of your child as a learner and address specific learning goals.
Katonah-Lewisboro values ongoing communication between home and school. While there is one dedicated parent-teacher conference in our school calendar, families and teachers can reach out at any time to set up additional communication. This report may be a resource for helping students set goals as they seek to advance to the next level. We will continue to help all children grow at their own level of ability and readiness. We remain committed to your child’s success and creating a positive elementary school experience.
Progress Report Rating Scale
Beginning (B): Not yet demonstrating any independence in meeting standard expected at this time of year.
Developing (D): Starting to show some independence in meeting standard at this time of year.
Approaching Secure (A): Demonstrating independence in meeting standard at this time of year, however it is not yet consistent.
Secure (S): Independently and consistently meeting standard expected at this time of year.
(NE): Not expected at this time.
Additional Information:
- The progress report includes sections for ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Visual Arts, Music and PE all in one multi-page document. The same rating scale is applied throughout.
- If you have questions about the content of your child's progress report, please reach out directly to the classroom teacher(s).
Winter Benchmarking
As per our Response to Intervention District Plan mandated by New York State, benchmarks, or screenings, took place this month in grades K-5. The assessments are administered as a whole group and individually, depending on the grade and subject area. The results of the AIMSweb screenings, along with other school data (Running Record, Topic Assessments, etc.) will be reviewed by the IMES RTI Team (Principal, Interventionists, and Classroom Teachers). If your child qualifies for services, changes level of services, or exits services based on the criteria outlined across the district, you will receive a parent communication by February 11.
Belonging at IMES
February is Black History Month, and we are celebrating the achievements of African Americans and recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the U.S honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who have helped shape the nation. The event was created by historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans to highlight the achievements, resilience and cultural significance of the African American community. In February,, our heritage learning board features Martin Luther King Jr. and other notable leaders who have positively contributed and influenced our society. During our K-2 and 3-5 Sharing Assemblies and during our daily Morning Announcements we will highlight remarkable individuals, both past and present.
We are also excited to welcome Bokandeye African Dance Theatre to Increase Miller! The company has performed at cultural and educational events across the Tri-State Area and they are based in Yonkers, NY. They will be teaching us about African culture and history.
We also recognized Lunar New Year! in January and the Chinese Cultural Center were welcome back to IMES to perform! Our students really enjoyed the experience. See some of the pictures below in this newsletter!
Social Emotional Learning
February is the month of growth mindset and the power of YET! We are connecting this work to our February common read Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly.
Hidden Figures is a picture book written by Margot Lee Shetterly and tells the true story of three African American women—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—who worked at NASA and played crucial roles in the success of early space missions, including John Glenn’s historic orbit of the Earth.
The book highlights their intelligence, perseverance, and the challenges they faced as both women and African Americans. Despite the barriers, they made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics, engineering, and science that helped propel America into the space race. Through simple, yet powerful illustrations and text, the book celebrates these unsung heroines and shows young readers the importance of determination, teamwork, and breaking barriers.
Students from each class will continue to receive Eagle Eye Awards! Students who demonstrate Kind, Responsible, and Safe expectations will be recognized and their group photos will be shared on our digital board! Bringing students together at our school assemblies to share experiences and celebrate each other is just one way we create a sense of belonging at IMES.
Valentine's for Vets
We will once again participate in the 'Valentine's for Vets program.
The Valentines for Vets program gives school children an opportunity to create Valentine’s Day cards for our local veterans, letting them know we appreciate everything they’ve sacrificed, and that they aren’t forgotten.
The Valentine’s Day cards will be delivered to local Veteran’s organizations this month.
Outdoor Recess
As a reminder, please be sure your child comes to school in clothing that is appropriate for outdoor play. If the temperature, including the wind chill, is below forty degrees, students should wear the following:
- Warm coats
- Long pants
On snowy days in order to play in the snow (including sledding) students will also need:
- Snow pants
- Boots
- Hats
- Gloves
Please be aware that if a student is not dressed appropriately, he or she will be unable to attend outdoor activities (including recess). If the temperature including the wind chill falls below twenty degrees, the students will stay inside for recess. Dr. Louis A. Corsaro, the school district physician, has advised us in these matters.
Shout Outs!
Thank you to our Kindergarten Team for planning the Q & U celebration.
Thank you to the PTO's Bulletin Board Team and IMpact committee for creating beautiful boards!
Thank you to our Music Teachers who have been preparing our students for their concerts in February!
Thank you to our lunch and recess monitors, Teaching Assistants, and Aides for braving the cold temperatures and supporting our students each and everyday!
Thank you to our students for demonstrating Kind, Responsible, and Safe behaviors and for working hard each day!
