Elm Road Express September 2023

Our school year has been off to a great start. We have been reviewing our Elm Road Learning Expectations (see below), along with our SOAR guidelines. Students have been doing a great job of learning and practicing procedures and expectations over the past few weeks.

We had a great turn out for our Back to School Popsicle event! Thank you to our PTO for all of their support to provide this event! It has been great to have families in the building for our Parent Information Nights over the past two weeks.

We are excited to host at Elm Road a family engagement event later this month: "Helping Your Student SOAR." This event is open to all Elm families and a paper flyer came home this week. Please rsvp if you are able to join us!

As summer turns to fall, please remember to send your child with a jacket when it is below 60 degrees, as it is needed for recess.

PTO kicked off the Barnaby's Fundraiser last Friday and we are on our way to raising funds to support PTO incentives for Elm students! Remember, Thursdays are the days to turn in collected funds so students can get the tickets to give out.

Kindly,

Mrs. Beers

The P-H-M Education Foundation is once again sponsoring Penn High School's Homecoming Parade, Family Fun Zone and new this year--FIREWORKS after the football game! The entire P-H-M community is invited to come out for this fun-filled family event. All the fun starts with the Homecoming Parade (grab your spot on the route by 5:00 p.m.). Info on the Parade route, Fun Zone, Football game and Fireworks can all be found on PHMEF's website. CLICK HERE.

Sept 11: PTO Meeting at 2:30

Sept 20: PTO Restaurant Night @ Red Robin 4-8pm

Sept 26: Hearing Screening 1st and 4th grade

Sept 26: Vision Screening 1st, 3rd and 5th

Sept 27: Helping Your Student SOAR- Family Engagement Night @ 5:30-6:30

Oct 6: PTO Fall Festival 6:30-8:30pm

• Parents: please call the attendance line and provide an explanation for your child's absence no later than 9:00 A.M. on the day of the absence. You can reach the attendance line by calling 574-259-3743.
• Parents: to volunteer, please make sure you have filled out the background check form and watched the Bullying Video. Currently we are working on the background checks that have been turned in. We are very excited that so many people want to come in and help!

• Safety is our top priority!
  
• When arriving at the school, please approach from the SOUTH off of Capital. Following this direction allows our traffic to keep flowing and does not interfere with our buses that are waiting to enter our parking lot to drop off the students. Do not go around the buses. At any time they may need to move into the parking lot! Use your turn signal, when entering the parking lot, so cars exiting know that it is safe to go. Exit RIGHT turn only.
• Parents picking up or dropping off children are reminded to have students exit their cars curbside ONLY for the students' safety. Parents, please stay in your car.
• Pull up as far as safely possible to the next car before having students exit or enter your vehicle. Always follow the directions of the safety patrol assistants.
• We are having cars pull around the corner, into the bus pick up/drop off area after buses have loaded/unloaded as means to keep cars moving through. If someone waves you around the corner, please follow the corner and pull up to the next person.
• Please help your child memorize their car rider number. This helps dismissal go a little quicker!
• Please add other family members to the emergency pick up list for your child. They need to have the tag we sent home or a picture of it on their phone to pick up your child.
• Students have received a tag with their car rider number on it, once they notified us they will be picked up at the end of school. Please hang this from your rearview mirror to help us identify your car.
• If your child is going to be a car rider who is picked up at the end of the day, please email pfadden@phm.k12.in.us to get a car tag if you have not already received one.

Welcome back and a warm welcome to new students/families to Elm Road School! I am excited to be back for another fantastic year of fitness! I would like to introduce/welcome back Sarah Sime to the gym at Elm Road. She will be teaching our kindergarten gym classes this year. I (Mrs.Parisi) will be teaching first through fifth grade.

Our view at Elm Road is that physical education is much more than recess, more than a time to play. It’s a time of learning. Our first goal is to help children improve their movement skills. In addition to helping children become more skillful, we attempt to make them feel good about themselves as movers so that they’ll feel more confident to participate in physical activity outside of school. We also want to see them develop teamwork and sportsmanship skills to help them in all areas of life. If children are given a good foundation of skill development, cognitive understanding and positive attitudes towards physical activity, they’ll be on their way to becoming adults who desire the benefits of a physically active, healthy lifestyle. A letter was sent home to inform you of your child’s specific days and times for physical education.

In order to provide the best possible experience for your child, open communication and cooperation is a necessity! We have listed several items that will help promote increased effectiveness in physical education classes:

• Help your child(ren) understand that physical education is a class to learn as with any other subject area. Encourage him/her to have a serious attitude and to try his/her best!

• Physical activity must be done regularly to achieve health benefits. Therefore, your child’s participation is important. Experts recommend 60 minutes of physical activity every day for elementary students! This means in addition to our lessons, we hope they are finding time to move throughout their non-gym days.

• Please encourage your child(ren) to dress appropriately, For comfort and safety purposes, he/she should have a pair of securely fitting tennis shoes. Crocs, sandals or slip on shoes are not safe or effective for fitness.

• Please feel free to contact Mrs.Sime (ssime@phm.k12.in.us) or Mrs. Parisi (dparisi@phm.k12.in.us) if you have any questions throughout the school year.

• So far we have covered what physical education is and introduced them to safety procedures, fitness activities, warm ups and cool downs.

Debbie Parisi &Sarah Sime

Welcome back friends!! My name is Andrea Shell and I am the Youth Development Specialist at Elm Road Elementary. I am available to assist families with resources they may need. I also see students individually and in small groups to work on academic, home and/or personal/social issues in order to help them be more successful in school.

Reminder - All students receiving services need to complete the permission slip EACH year.

Christ Child referral forms are available. Christ Child is a wonderful organization that will help eligible families with new clothes and winter coats for children 12 and under. In order to see if your family qualifies, please give me a call to set up an appointment. All information is confidential.

You can reach me at 259-3743 if there are any questions. Thank you! Looking forward to a new school year!

Growing Readers

Empowering Readers, Enriching Futures

Marcie Ritchie, Title 1 Reading Specialist

September 2023

Welcome Back, Readers!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As the summer sun begins to set and the school bells start to chime, it's that exciting time of the year when we welcome our young scholars back to school. We hope you've had a wonderful break and are ready to embark on a new journey of learning and growth. As your Title 1 Reading Specialist, I am thrilled to be a part of your child's educational voyage.

Nurturing a Love for Reading

Our mission this school year is to nurture a lifelong love for reading and learning in each and every student. Research shows that strong reading skills are the foundation for academic success across all subjects. With your partnership, we can help your child become a confident and enthusiastic reader.

Your Role as Reading Partners

As parents and guardians, you play a crucial role in fostering your child's reading skills. Here are some ways you can support your young reader:

• Read Together: Set aside time each day to read with your child. Whether it's a storybook, a magazine, or even a recipe, reading together helps develop vocabulary and comprehension.

• Create a Reading-Friendly Environment: Designate a cozy reading nook at home filled with a variety of books. Let your child see you enjoying reading as well.

• Ask Questions: After reading, ask your child about the story. Encourage them to share their thoughts, predictions, and favorite parts.

• Visit the Library: Take regular trips to the local library to discover new books and authors. Library visits can be exciting adventures!

Stay Connected

Communication is key to your child's success. Feel free to reach out to me via email at mritchie@phm.k12.in.us or through the school office at 574-259-3743. Stay updated on our activities and resources by visiting our school website Elm Road Elementary Home Page. Once there, you can find the school newsletter through the Quick Links tab.

Let's make this school year a memorable and transformative one for your child. Together, we can unlock a world of imagination and knowledge through the power of reading.

Warmest regards,

Marcie Ritchie

Title 1 Reading Specialist

Elm Road Elementary

P.S. Keep an eye out for our monthly newsletters, where we'll share tips, book recommendations, and student spotlights.

Welcome back to a new school year. I have loved seeing all the smiling faces again. I have not started my groups yet, but should start meeting with student in the middle of September. I am looking forward to meeting with all the students again. I do want to make sure everyone is aware of the Community Connections Fair on October 7, 2022 from 10:00-1:00. This free event is held at Schmucker Middle School and will be a great opportunity for everyone to learn about organizations in our community that can help you and your family. The students will also have projects on display. I hope to see many of you there.

Ms. Pillow

ENL Teacher

It is time for Saint Joseph Health System to administer its annual Community Health Needs Assessment. This is a voluntary survey for parents where the community shares information about their family’s health and the health of the community. The results will guide St. Joseph Health System in creating 3-year implementation strategies to impact identified health needs in the service area. Just click the link and select the English or Spanish survey.

Link: Community Benefit | SJHS (sjmed.com)

Website: elmroad.phmschools.org
Location: 59400 Elm Road, Mishawaka, IN, USA
Phone: (574)259-3743
Twitter: @ElmroadES