September Newsletter

September is finally here, and there was a slight tinge of coolness in the air this morning. I am looking forward to cooler weather. We have a lot going on in September. Please ask your student's teacher how you can get involved with Fruchthendler.

Our Mission Statement is Together, We Expect Excellence.

• Parent/Teacher Conferences - Conferences are this month, 9/18-9/20. Please make sure to schedule a time with your student's teacher. This is the time to meet with them and address any concerns you may have while we are early in the year.
  
• Attendance - One of the keys to academic success is being at school every day on time. It is crucial that students are on time. Many classes do their morning circle where students are checking in with each other and bonding as a class. It is important that students do not miss this time.
• Facebook– Please check out our Facebook page. We will be posting school-related announcements on this site. The PTA has a group page where families can share pictures from the events or get information. Please request access from the PTA group in order to view the group.
  
• Dining for Dollars (D4D) - This is one of our easiest fundraisers because it is a win-win. You don't have to make dinner AND money gets donated to the school. A huge thank you to everyone who attended our D4D events last year. We try to have two each month. They are a great opportunity to hang out with other families and support the school.
  
• Sports Seasons - Cross Country begins 9/9, basketball begins 11/4, and Track and Field begins 2/3. In order to compete, a student must have a physical form. I will be sending out those forms the first full week of school.
  
• PTA and Volunteering - We are always looking for volunteers to help out in the classroom. The PTA is always looking for volunteers to help at events. Please contact the front office if you are interested in volunteering. Ms. Kayla or Ms. Carmen can make sure you have any paperwork you need. If you are a parent, you do not need paperwork to volunteer with your child.

Our Trait of the Month is Respect. Respect is seeing value in all people and things & treating them with care. We will be talking about respect throughout the month of September.

Counseling with Ms. Lana:

This month in counseling, students will be focusing on friendship and respect. Kindergarten students will be learning what it means to be a friend, how to make friends, and how to maintain friendships. First through fifth grade students will focus on the topic of respect. Students will create classroom respect agreements, learn different ways to show respect, and practice respecting others' opinions and ideas.

OMA with Mrs. Gale:

This month in OMA, kindergarten will be putting on a short musical performance for their grandparents and families on September 6th before lunch. First grade will practice a song in Spanish and will be learning about the different instruments in an orchestra. Second grade will be learning a song in Chinese and reading the lyrics to a song from the movie Mulan. Third grade will start learning how to play the recorder. Fourth grade will be listening to music and learning a dance from Medieval times. Fifth grade is working on changing the lyrics to songs while keeping the same rhythm. Band will be learning their first few notes on their instruments.

Discovery Lab with Dr. B:

In Discovery lab – We move from computer skills to scientific investigations. Kindergarten begins a very hands-on unit with the students to explore some materials that we use to make things in our everyday lives. First grade is learning all about the forces that create motion and balance. Second grade begins a series of investigations to understand how to describe the basic properties of solids and liquids and how mixtures of solids can be separated using various tools. In third grade, we will learn all about how vibrations create sounds and that the way a material vibrates controls the qualities of the sound that is created. Fourth grade is learning all about energy. Electrical energy and circuit design is being studied in the regular classroom, while magnetism and kinetic energy is being investigated in Discovery Lab. Fifth grade is investigating the properties of mixtures and solutions; including creating and separating different mixtures, understanding solutes and how they affect the properties of a solution, and how different salts crystallize.

PE:

In PE – Fourth and fifth grade will begin Firebird runs twice a month. The Firebird run is intended to be a personal challenge for each student to observe their own growth and development over the year. The goal is to sustain a steady jog for one lap around the back lot of the school (1/3 of a mile). Games involving teamwork, strategy and creativity will continue for another week. Then we will move into our first sports skills unit, soccer. Please make sure your students are coming to school on their PE day with appropriate footwear to be active (no Crocs!).

In the month of September the Kinder through 3rd grade PE classes will line dancing, juggling scarves and jumping rope. All three activities are super fun and help students improve coordination, aerobic fitness and confidence. At this age these activities are challenging so we will be focusing on resilience. Our favorite phrase in PE is “I am strong. I am tough. I can do hard things.” We stay positive, patient and keep trying. We will be spending more time outside so please ensure your child is staying hydrated and bringing a water bottle to school every day.

September (Respect)

8/19 – 9/10 – DIBELS (BOY) Testing Window

9/2 – Labor Day – NO SCHOOL

9/4 - Chess Club Starts

9/6 – Fall Picture Day

9/6 – Kinder Grandparent Day

9/6 – Fall Movie Fest – 6:30 pm

9/9 – Fire Drill after announcements

9/18 – 9/20 – Parent Teacher Conferences (dismissal time 11:25)

9/23 – 10/3 – Quarterly Benchmark Assessments (Q1) 2nd – 5th Grades

If you ever have a question or concern, please do not hesitate to contact me at (520) 731-4400.

GO FIREBIRDS!!!!

Sincerely,

Mr. E