Mechanics Grove School

We want to wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and time off. We are grateful for all of you and your partnership in helping all our students grow!

The Mobile Dentists are coming to Mechanics Grove School on

Wednesday, December 11, 2024!

Great News! Our school has partnered with Smile Programs to offer in-school dental care. Best of all, in most cases there is no cost to you if your child is insured with Medicaid or CHIP! Private insurance and affordable self-pay options are also available

Easy & Convenient

Having your child seen by the in-school dentist saves you valuable time. Top quality care is provided by local, licensed dentists right in the familiar surroundings of your child’s school. Dental care includes a complete exam, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride and sealants when needed. Restorative care, such as fillings, may also be provided.

Parents, this exam also meets the 6th grade dental requirement.

Keep Your Child Healthy

By having your child see the in-school dentist, you can help reduce the risk of:

• Early Tooth Loss caused by dental decay

• Gum Disease

• Heart Disease

• Impaired speech development

Taking care of your child’s teeth is an important part of keeping them healthy

Simply fill out the enrollment form and return it to the school or REGISTER ONLINE Today! @

https://www.myschooldentist.com/MGMEIL_schsrm

REGISTER BEFORE 11/27/24

A Note from Specials Teachers:

Art: Students have been exploring different art mediums and artistic processes while learning new skills and techniques. The third grade students have been learning proper watercolor painting methods as they learn to blend analogous colors. The fourth grade students successfully completed their oil pastel projects and are now in the ideation stage of a mixed-media painting and printmaking cityscape project. The fifth grade students completed their abstract relief sculptures and are almost finished with an original watercolor painting. Students used past knowledge of color theory to experiment with mixing and blending original unique colors. The fifth graders are also looking forward to some exciting up-and-coming projects like our legacy ceiling tiles and our plushie sewing unit!

Music: We have had an amazing month in the music room! Students have been hard at work making all kinds of music. In 3rd Grade, students learned the folk dance “Los Machetes” to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. 3rd Graders also played xylophones for the first time using the story, “Bedtime at the Swamp.” They focused on improvising melodies on xylophones while using correct playing technique. 4th Grade learned the dance “No Rompas Mas” for Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as the singing game, “Al Citron.” 4th Grade also used xylophones and the book “Frank Was a Monster” to create their own rhythmic and melodic compositions. 5th Grade is currently working on their Music Concert, titled, “Sounds of Winter.” Students have been hard at work singing, dancing, playing, and composing their pieces of music for the concert. Please make sure you have December 11th, 2024 marked on your calendar! We can’t wait to see you there!

PE: Students have been staying active with a fantastic first few months of PE class! In October we learned about fundamental skills in both flag football and soccer, while focusing on the importance of leadership, teamwork, and sportsmanship in athletics. Students will continue to practice manipulative movement skills such as dribbling, passing, kicking, throwing, and catching. We will also be working towards reaching personal fitness goals in target areas of cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility. In PE students are leading the PACK every day by focusing on habits such as synergizing, being proactive, and thinking win-win. In November, our partnership with the Keumgang Martial Arts Academy will be taking place as students will have the opportunity to participate in four different lessons that highlight the following themes: Confidence/Self-Esteem, Trust, Ambition, and Respect/Anti-Bullying. We are extremely excited for students to get to experience this and hope to inspire kids to try new ways to stay active.

DD:

At the end of September, we focused on using the Online Catalog (OPAC) to both find fiction and non-fiction books by author or subject. Third grade is now working on using the table of contents, index, and glossary in non-fiction books. Fourth grade is creating book reviews to display on the television in the Discovery Den and fifth grade is learning to identify fantasy stories. All three grades learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin and are observing our jack-o-lantern in a jar, named Pumpkinstein, as he decomposes - don’t forget to ask your student for updates on how he looks! (see picture below).

A Note from our Social Workers

As the holiday season approaches, we often take this time to reflect on our lives. We think about what we are grateful for and do our best to spread joy to all. However, sometimes the holidays are the hardest time of year. Kids who struggle to find the “little joys” in life, may need extra help to develop the skill of practicing gratitude and positive thinking. Attached are a couple of options families can do with their kids to promote gratitude and positive thinking.

The first is “The Wheel of Thanks”. The Wheel of Thanks is a fun way to share your appreciation. Spin the wheel to land on a sentence starter, then take a moment to finish it with your thoughts and feelings.

The second is “I am Thankful”: Gratitude Placemat. Each family member gets their own placemat to color. Once everyone has finished, enjoy sharing and celebrating the things that make you smile or feel joy.

Important Dates

11/18-11/25- Penny Wars Fundraiser!

11/25- All school SPORTS DAY

11/26- 3rd Grade Field Trip (3rd Graders wear your Lead the PACK shirts), 4th and 5th grade wear FALL COLORS

11/27, 11/28, 11/29- NO SCHOOL

12/7- MG Choir Perform at Mundelein Tree Lighting Event (4:00pm)

12/11- 5th Grade Music Concerts (details on flyer from Mrs. Oropeza)

12/13- SIP Day (Early Release- students dismissed at 11:05am)

Follow Us....
1. Follow us on our facebook page: Mechanics Grove School
2. Twitter handle @mg75wolves

3. Follow us on our instagram page: mechanicsgroveschool

4. Follow us on Tik Tok @ principal.be.kind