Simis Scoop
November 1, 2024
A Note from Mrs. Murray
Hi Simis Families,
We loved seeing families at Trunk or Treat and conferences. Our spirit week was full of fun and creative outfits from our students! What a great way to end the month. Thank you to those families who attended our virtual Simis Safety Forum. The presentation can be viewed here. The Madison District safety forum will be held in December. District safety protocols can be reviewed here.
Please remember that school starts at 7:45. If you arrive after 7:45, students will be marked late. Cars dropping off can use the right line after 7:45 as no staff members are present to safely cross students from the left lane.
Next month we will have our Arizona IB Day of Service on November 13th. Students in older grades will be helping students in younger grades make friendship bracelets with inspirational words that can will donate to our middle schools for social workers to pass out to students needing a positive message.
November 15th is the Discover Madison Tour for incoming Kindergarten families. Please share this information with any families you know who will be registering for kindergarten and may be interested in Simis. New this year, our district will host a Discover Madison Middles Schools tour. This is a great opportunity for our 4th grade families to learn a little about our 5-8 programs. Learn more and sign up here.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and look forward to seeing students on Monday!
In partnership,
Mrs. Murray
Literacy Comprehension: Understanding Text Structure
Understanding text structure is a crucial aspect of literacy comprehension, as it helps students make sense of how information is organized within a text.
Recognizing different structures—such as cause and effect, compare and contrast, sequence, and problem and solution—enables students to navigate texts more effectively, enhance their understanding, and improve retention of information.
Here are examples of how to practice understanding text structure for each grade from K-4:
Kindergarten (K)
- Example in Classroom: Read a simple picture book with a clear sequence (e.g., "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"). Create a sequence chart that illustrates the days of the week and what the caterpillar eats each day.
- Example at Home: Parents can read a familiar story and ask questions like, “What happened first? What happened next?” This helps children recognize the order of events.
1st Grade
- Example in Classroom: Use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast two animals. Students can list similarities and differences after reading informational texts about each animal.
- Example at Home: After reading a story, parents can encourage children to draw a Venn diagram to show what is similar and different between two characters in the book.
2nd Grade
- Example in Classroom: Teach cause and effect using a story like "The Three Little Pigs." Discuss how the pigs' choices (cause) led to the wolf’s actions (effect). Create a cause-and-effect chart.
- Example at Home: Families can ask their child to identify causes and effects in everyday situations, such as, “What happens if you forget your lunch?” This reinforces understanding of cause and effect.
3rd Grade
- Example in Classroom: Focus on problem and solution structures by reading a story where the main character faces a challenge. Have students identify the problem and discuss possible solutions.
- Example at Home: Families can encourage children to think about problems in their own lives and brainstorm solutions, relating it back to stories they’ve read.
4th Grade
- Example in Classroom: Introduce more complex texts and ask students to identify the author’s organizational structure (e.g., compare and contrast, chronological order). Have them write summaries based on this structure.
- Example at Home: Families can have their child read a nonfiction article and then summarize it by outlining the main points, discussing how headings and subheadings help organize the information.
These activities help students at each grade level develop a better understanding of text structures, enhancing their overall literacy comprehension skills.
Mathematics: Math Manipulatives
Math manipulatives are physical objects that students can use to understand and explore mathematical concepts. These can include items like blocks, counters, number lines, shapes, and even everyday objects like coins or buttons.
How Math Manipulatives Help Students Learn:
Concrete Understanding
Engagement
Problem-Solving Skills
Visual Learning
Collaboration and Communication
Differentiation
Here are several ways families can use math manipulatives at home to support their children’s math learning:
1. Everyday Items for Counting
What to Do: Use objects like buttons, coins, or small toys for counting exercises.
Activity: Have your child count, group, or sort these items by color, size, or type.
2. LEGO and Building Blocks
What to Do: Use LEGO bricks or other building blocks to explore addition, subtraction, and patterns.
Activity: Create structures that represent math problems, like building towers to visualize addition (e.g., 3 blocks + 2 blocks = 5 blocks).
3. Cooking and Measuring
What to Do: Involve your child in cooking to practice measurement and fractions.
Activity: Use measuring cups and spoons to follow a recipe, discussing the quantities and how they combine.
4. Card Games
What to Do: Use a deck of cards for math games that reinforce addition, subtraction, or number comparisons.
Activity: Play games like "War" where players compare cards, adding values to determine the winner.
5. Dice for Math Games
What to Do: Use dice to practice addition, subtraction, or multiplication.
Activity: Play "Dice Sums," where players roll two dice, add the numbers, and compete for the highest sum.
6. Pattern Making with Art Supplies
What to Do: Use colored beads, crayons, or stickers to create and extend patterns.
Activity: Make a bracelet using beads in a specific pattern or draw a patterned picture.
7. Scavenger Hunts
What to Do: Create a math scavenger hunt around the house, where children find items that match specific math criteria (e.g., find something that is a certain shape or has a particular number).
Activity: After finding items, have them categorize or count them.
8. Using Puzzles
What to Do: Engage with puzzles that require counting, sorting, or spatial reasoning.
Activity: Work together to complete jigsaw puzzles while discussing shapes and patterns.
Building Student Self-Efficacy: Community Circles
The skill of the month is "staying on task." This involves focusing on a specific activity or assignment without getting distracted. This skill is essential for academic success, as it helps children complete their work efficiently and effectively, leading to better learning outcomes and improved grades.
Students will be recognized when they are on task throughout this month. Teachers will create opportunities to recognize this skill using the strategies below:
1. Clear Expectations
- What we Do: Establish and communicate clear guidelines for staying on task during lessons and activities.
- How It Helps: Students understand what is expected of them, which promotes accountability.
2. Modeling Behavior
- What we Do: Teachers can demonstrate staying on task by verbalizing their thought process while completing a task.
- How It Helps: Students learn by observing and can mimic these behaviors in their own work.
3. Structured Routines
- What we Do: Implement consistent daily routines that outline when and how tasks will be completed.
- How It Helps: Predictable schedules help students anticipate activities, reducing anxiety and distractions.
4. Use of Timers
- What we Do: Incorporate timers for specific tasks, allowing students to work in focused intervals followed by short breaks.
- How It Helps: Time constraints encourage students to concentrate and manage their time effectively.
5. Visual Aids and Checklists
- What we Do: Provide visual reminders and checklists to help students keep track of their tasks and priorities.
- How It Helps: Visual tools can help students stay organized and aware of their progress.
6. Frequent Check-Ins
- What we Do: Conduct regular one-on-one or small group check-ins to assess students’ focus and understanding.
- How It Helps: Feedback helps students recognize when they are off-task and encourages them to refocus.
7. Positive Reinforcement
- What we Do: Acknowledge and reward students for staying on task with praise, points, or small incentives.
- How It Helps: Positive reinforcement builds motivation and reinforces the desired behavior.
8. Peer Support and Group Work
- What we Do: Encourage collaborative tasks where students can hold each other accountable for staying focused.
- How It Helps: Working in pairs or groups can enhance motivation and accountability.
To support this skill at home, families can create a structured environment by establishing a designated homework area free from distractions, setting clear expectations for tasks, and using timers to encourage focused work sessions. Additionally, breaking larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps can help children feel less overwhelmed and more motivated to stay on task.
Reinforcing positive behaviors with praise when they remain focused can further encourage their commitment to completing tasks.
Approaches to learning
Did you know that as an IB world school, we help our students develop their approaches to learning skills?
The IB approaches to learning skills (ATL) are grounded in the belief that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s life in and out of a school context. The approaches to learning skills support students in being agentic and self-regulated learners.
We support learners in:
Thinking skills
Communication skills
Research skills
Self-management skills
Social skills
Be sure to ask your student about how they are developing their ATL skills. Look for ways to encourage them to develop these skills at home as well as in school.
RULER Strategy: The Blueprint
The Blueprint is a tool in the RULER program that helps people develop empathy and conflict resolution skills:
How it works
The Blueprint is a series of questions that help people reflect on their thoughts and emotions during a conflict. The questions help people consider the other person's perspective and feelings.
How to use it
The Blueprint can be used to solve current or past challenges, or to plan for future situations. It can also be used to analyze characters and groups in literature and history.
Benefits
Using the Blueprint can help people:
-Develop empathy
-Build perspective-taking skills
-Develop better conflict management strategies
-Preserve relationships and community
The way individuals in a school interact with one another significantly influences classroom performance and the overall school environment. Conflicts among students can hinder learning and lead to teachers spending more time addressing issues rather than focusing on instruction. The Blueprint provides a framework for both students and educators to effectively handle conflicts. At school our social workers use the Blueprint to help students and adults resolve conflict with others. By using the Blueprint, participants learn to view disagreements from each other’s perspectives, fostering empathy through understanding feelings and collaborating to find constructive solutions. This approach not only helps mend relationships but also enhances the school climate, leading to safer and more effective learning environments where students can flourish.
Notes from Nurse Megan
Please do not send medication to school in your student's backpack. Students should not hold onto their own medication at school. Administer medications before or after school. If your student requires medication administration during the school day, please contact the health office for assistance.
Please return any clothing (washed) that your student has borrowed from the health office. We rely heavily on these items and don't want to have to send students home when they need clothes.
Nurse Megan is looking for donations of XS/S/M girls tops. Thank you!!
Health Office reminder
Your student must stay home for a full 24 hours after fever, vomiting or diarrhea. For example, if your student is sent home with a fever on Monday, they will automatically be excused from school on Tuesday. We will welcome that back to school on Wednesday if they are symptom free without the use of medication. Thank you for being considerate of our school community and keeping your child home when sick.
Contact Nurse Megan at 602-664-7322 or mbefort@madisoned.org with any questions/concerns. Thank you!
November 6th: Teacher Collaboration Time (TCT)-E1pm release
November 7th: Meadows Future 5th Grader Night
November 11th: No School, Veteran's Day
November 13th: Teacher Collaboration Time (TCT)-E1pm release
November 15th: Discover Madison Tour (incoming kinder)
November 15th: Holiday Helping Hands Applications Close
November 16th: Turkey Trot 1pm
November 22nd: Discover Madison Middle School Tour (current 4th grade students)
November 22nd: Dad's Club Movie Night
November 27-29th: No School, Thanksgiving
Information & Updates!!
New Library Information!
Please help your students return their library books so they are able to check out new books each week! If books are lost or damaged beyond repair, please:
1) Provide the library with a replacement copy of the same book. Books can be used and in good condition but must be a like-for-like replacement (i.e., hardcover for hardcover).
2) You may now pay the replacement cost of the book through PowerSchool, a check made out to 'Madison Simis,' or cash (exact amount, please).
We want to thank all the awesome library volunteers who keep our library books circulating and Simis students reading! Your time and help is so appreciated.
Looking for a specific book or want to browse and see what’s available in our library? You can search the Destiny Discover website to see all the selections!
If you have any questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We appreciate your involvement and support!
Thank you,
Mrs. Sarmiento & Mrs. Brandstatter
What is Site Council:
Site Council reviews school data, discusses school procedures and practices, makes decisions about tax credit allocation, and helps inform the principal in decision making.
Recent Highlights:Governing Board Q&A
Discussed: Safety forum and Tax Credit Promotion
Next meeting: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support at Simis
Did you know?
Each year there is an activity fee of $50 for each student. Our Simis Site Based Management Council determines how all Tax Credit resources will be used at Madison Simis. This year we will use these funds to pay for our grade-level field trips, assemblies, and character education.
Process
Parent/Guardian:
https://az-madison.intouchreceipting.com/
The online portal page instructs guardians to login to POWERSCHOOL.
Guests can create an account and login directly through the online portal page.
Once logged in, parents can PAY Fines/Fees that are posted on their student's account or self select Items at Schools. For example, Activity Fees have already been posted on student's accounts and can be paid through Pay Fines/Fees. Please email receipts to simisoffice@madisoned.org.
Native American students may have their activity fees paid by grant funds if they have proof of Tribal membership. Please have interested families contact Martha Sullivan for information.
Families can contact simisoffice@madisoned.org for a scholarship form.
After School Vendors
If you are looking for a fun activity to engage your student after school dismisses, don't forget to look at our vendor offerings at Madison Simis!
THRIVE Parent Information Series
Madison School District has modules available to families in the THRIVE section of the Madison website. These short and informative videos with experts in the field provide families with resources to approach and support their child in ways that align with the students of the Alpha and iGeneration.
Volunteering at Simis
Click here to register as a school volunteer! All adults must be approved volunteers through the District to volunteer at Simis. Please remember when you volunteer that you are approved for a specific area of school during your visit. To avoid distractions in the learning environment, we ask that volunteers come to school to volunteer and then exit the school following their volunteering, not going into other classrooms to visit with students.
School Lunch Visitor Registration Form
Sign up for a lunch visit here! Please read the details on the sign up form for more information.
As a reminder, we ask that all parents sit with their child at the visitor's table in the cafeteria and say goodbye as students head out to recess. Siblings cannot attend with parents/visitors. Friends do not join the lunch visit.
If you have a student who struggles with separation, please consider not coming to lunch as a visitor until later in the school year. This will help prevent challenging good-byes after the visit.
