• Thursday, October 5, 7:30-9:30am Ms. Vue's Pre-K Family Day
• Tuesday, October 10, 7:30-8:30am Coffee with the Principal
• Monday, October 16, 5:00-7:00pm Academic Parent Teacher Teams
• October 19-20, NO SCHOOL MEA Break
• Friday, October 27, NO SCHOOL Conference Preparation
• Monday, November 6, Picture Day
• Thursday, November 9, 4:00-7:00pm Family Conferences
• Friday, November 10, 10:00am-7:00pm Family Conferences
• Friday, November 10, NO SCHOOL Family Conferences
• November 23-24, NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Break

The Four Seasons A+ Elementary Family Handbook handbook has information on daily routines, academic goals, and policies (Family Engagement Plan, School Continuous Improvement Plan, Parents Right to Know, etc.).

ENGLISH

Prefer a language other than English? You can open the newsletter link and click a button on the right (on a computer) or at the bottom (on a mobile device) to have it translated into many different languages. Please know that the translation function may be inaccurate or incomplete. If you have any questions, please call us at 651-290-7595.

KAREN

ကျိာ်ဂုၤဂၤတခါလၢနအဲၣ်ဒိးအီၤ လၢအတမ့ၢ် အဲကလံးကျိာ်န့ၣ်အိၣ်ဧါ. နအိးထီၣ်ကွၢ်လံာ်တၢ်ကစီၣ်ပှာ်ဘျးစဲ ဒီးစံၢ်လီၤဖဲ ပှာ်ဘျးစဲအဖီခိၣ်ဖဲစုထွဲတကပၤ(လၢခီၣ်ဖၠူထၢၣ်ဖီခိၣ်) မ့တမ့ၢ် စံၢ်လီၤဖဲတၢ်ဖီလာ် (လၢနလီတဲစိ ဖီခိၣ်) ဒ်သိး တၢ်ကကွဲးကျိာ်ထံအီၤလၢကျိာ်အဂုၤအဂၤအဂီၢ်သ့ဝဲဒၣ်န့ၣ်လီၤ. ဝံသးစူၤသ့ၣ်ညါလၢ လံာ်လၢ တၢ်ကွဲးကျိာ်ထံအီၤန့ၣ် ကအိၣ်ဝဲဒီး တၢ်အကမၣ် မ့တမ့ၢ် တၢ်တလၢတပှဲၤသ့ဝဲဒၣ်န့ၣ်လီၤ. နမ့ၢ်အိၣ်ဒီး တၢ်သံကွၢ်တဖၣ်န့ၣ်, ဝံသးစူၤကိးပှၤဖဲ 651-290-7595 န့ၣ်တက့ၢ်.

SOMALI

Ma waxaad doorbideysaa luuqad aan aheyn af-Ingiriis? Waxaad furi kartaa lifaaqa wargeysyada oo guji batoonka midigta (ee kumbiyuutarkaaga) ama xagga hoose (ee taleefankaaga gacanta) si aad wargeyska ugu tarjuntid luuqado badan oo kala duwan. Fadlan ogow in natiijada turjumaaddu ay noqon karto mid aan sax ahayn ama aan dhammaystirnayn. Haddii aad wax su'aalo ah qabtid, fadlan naga soo wac 651-290-7595.

HMONG

Puas xav tau ua lwm hom lus? Nej qhib txoj kab mus rau hauv daim ntawv xov xwm thiab nias lub pob ntawm sab xis hauv lub koos pis tawj, los sis yog lwm hom twj no ces nyob hauv qab, ces yuav muaj txhais ua ntau hom lus. Nco ntsoov tias cov lus txhais no yuav tsis raug txhua lo los sis txhais tiav tiav. Yog nej muaj lus nug, thov hu rau peb ntawm 651-290-7595.

SPANISH

¿Prefiere un idioma que no sea inglés? Puede abrir el enlace del boletín y hacer clic en el botón a la derecha (en una computadora) o en la parte inferior (en un dispositivo móvil) para traducirlo a muchos idiomas diferentes. Tenga en cuenta que la función de traducción puede ser inexacta o incompleta. Si tiene alguna pregunta, llámenos al 651-290-7595.

Hello, Four Seasons A+ Community,

It's hard to believe we're already finishing the first month of school! Thank you for all of your support and patience as we implemented new systems, like our dismissal routines at family pickup, and worked with the Transportation Department to make over 100 changes to students' bus stops in addition to the many changes in routine for all families with the start of a new school year.

The first month of school has also been a very exciting time to reconnect with returning students and start building relationships with all of our new students. We are also welcoming several new staff to Four Seasons A+, including several new positions in our community. It's been exciting to see our students reintroduced to the dance studio with our new dance teacher, Mr. Romero. We also have two new full-time intervention teachers, Ms. Flemming, who provides reading instruction to 3rd - 5th graders, and Ms. Sam, who supports select students in all grade levels with learning and following school-wide expectations. Additional new positions include a teacher-coach, Ms. Thielen, who is focused on strengthening arts integration, and three new teaching assistants who support our classroom teachers, Ms. Danielle, Mr. Seth, and Ms. Maria, who also manages our library.

As we begin to set expectations for a great school year, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

I look forward to working with all of you this school year,

Ryan

🌎At Four Seasons, students are learning about and celebrating Hispanic Heritage month (from September 15 to October 15). Students have a chance to color and contribute artwork to our school-wide display, located near the cafeteria.

Our school wishes a “Feliz Día de Independencia” to many Spanish-speaking countries throughout these few weeks! We are excited to learn about and celebrate our Latino students and their cultures!

Now that we are back to a more regular school year, it is likely that students will be exposed to conditions such as colds, strep throat, COVID, lice, influenza, etc. Please monitor your child's health. Students with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea must stay home from school. Students can return to school when they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medicine and are feeling well enough to participate in learning. Masking is optional. Masks and COVID rapid tests are available.

We will be partnering with Children's Dental Services to provide dental care for students at school this year. Please watch for a permission form to come home with your child. If you want your child to receive dental care at school, complete the form and send it back. If you need more information, call Nurse Kim or Natalie at 651-888-7623.

Hello, my name is Ms. Koch (pronounced “Cook.”) This is my second year at Four Seasons and I am looking forward to continuing to build up our PE program here. Physical Education is off to a great start. My biggest goals for all my students are for them to find joy in moving their bodies, to build confidence in trying new things, and to be able to work together with others. In September we were working on creating routines, moving our body at different speeds and in different pathways safely, following the rules of simple games, and working on cooperation and playing fairly. We are setting the foundation for the year in PE.

Our rules in PE are:

• Take care of you.
• Take care of others.
• Take care of our space and equipment.

If you have any questions at any time, feel free to reach out: tarah.koch@spps.org. I will also need volunteers for some units. If you are interested in helping out during a bicycle or ski unit, for example, or on our field days in the spring, let me know!

In the dance room, we have been cultivating a curriculum that emphasizes West African dance, ballet and modern dance. The students are exposed to a rich and vibrant world of movement, culture, and creativity. The classroom is designed to be engaging and educational, fostering both physical and cultural understanding.

Introduction to West African Dance, Ballet, and Modern Dance: Students are introduced to the fundamentals of West African dance, ballet, and modern dance. They learn about the history and cultural significance of these dance forms, emphasizing the connections between movement and storytelling in African traditions.

• Basic Movement Skills: Students gradually develop fundamental movement skills such as balance, coordination, and rhythm. They practice basic dance techniques like footwork, arm movements, and body isolations that are common in West African dance, ballet, and modern dance.
• Exploration of Rhythms and Music: Throughout the curriculum, students explore various West African rhythms and music. They learn to identify different drumming patterns and the role of music in dance, enhancing their ability to synchronize their movements with beats and melodies.
• Cultural Awareness: Cultural appreciation is an essential aspect of the curriculum. Students are exposed to the diversity of West African cultures, their traditional costumes, and the significance of dance in various ceremonies and celebrations.
• Performance Opportunities: The curriculum provides opportunities for students to showcase their dance skills. They may participate in school assemblies, recitals, or community events, allowing them to gain confidence and stage experience.
• Respect and Inclusivity: Throughout the classroom, students are encouraged to respect the cultural origins of these dance forms and appreciate the diversity of their classmates. Inclusivity and a sense of belonging are promoted as students collaborate and learn together.
• Physical Fitness and Well-being: Dance is not only an art form but also a physical activity. The curriculum supports students in building physical fitness, flexibility, and endurance, promoting overall well-being.
• Life Skills: Beyond dance techniques, students develop life skills such as teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and self-expression, which are valuable both in and out of the classroom.

In summary, over the last three weeks, we've been focused on West African dance, ballet, and modern dance. This offers students a holistic learning experience that combines cultural appreciation, physical development, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the world through movement and expression.

What a fabulous first month of school! Thank you for all of your support at home getting the littles up and ready for school -- all these routines at home are so helpful to keep them engaged once they get to our classrooms 🙂. This month we have worked on being back at school, making new friends, noticing how we are different and similar to each other, walking in hallways, playing safely on playground equipment and generally being in school! It's always an exciting time of year, and everyone is already demonstrating such nice skills.

This next month we continue building our classroom family and in late October we will transition to the area of Study "Exploring change in our World." Please keep in mind our upcoming parent sign language classes, beginning October 23rd, our Academic Parent Teacher Team night on October 16th (food and childcare provided!) and Minnesota Education Association (MEA) break from October 19-22nd. Thank you again in playing such a big role in your little's education!

In Pre-K we are learning how to be in school, following routines and being around other friends. Please visit our classroom during our Pre-K Family Day October 5, 7:30-9:30am.

In Kindergarten we have been learning and practicing routines, especially how to be a STAR at school.

• In Literacy we have begun our phonics lessons; learning letter sounds and routines around literacy stations. As a whole group we have been talking about how to care for books and how to use our classroom library.
• In Social Studies we are learning how to be great digital citizens when it comes to using our iPad as a learning tool. We will begin learning about the zones of regulation.
• In Math we are learning how to interact with the whole group lessons, working on representing numbers 0-5 and the routines around our math stations. We will implementing our iPads using Waggle, the students online math platform for individualized learning.

Please continue reading for 15 minutes each night and work on counting to 30. We are enjoying getting to know your students.

Ms. Chelsea and Mrs. H

This September we have been very busy 1st graders! We have practiced our rituals and routines and learned how to be a STAR student (ask you're a little learner what a STAR student looks like in school!) We have worked hard on knowing our letters names and sounds, done many phonics lessons and enjoyed reading lots of books! In math we are identifying and counting numbers past 100 as well as developing our addition skills. Most importantly, we are becoming hard working students that try their best, and kind little people who treat others with respect and love. Thank you so much for sharing your little learners with us this year! We take our responsibility as teachers very seriously and hope to have a wonderful year with your children in our first-grade families.

Yours in Learning, Carissa Becker, Cormac Brissett and Karen Pappas

3rd graders are working hard to learn to be ready for learning. We have been talking about being STARS and how we can be respectful and kind. Third grade is an important year of learning with many exciting challenges. Sometimes those challenges feel too big, but we know we just can't do it... YET. We are learning how these challenges help our brains learn and grow.

In the first weeks of school, Four Seasons Elementary 4th Graders have demonstrated understanding of how to be a STAR throughout the school day. We are Safe, Accountable, Team Players, and Respectful. Students have earned stars through following expectations in the mudroom, hallway, and during specialist (PE, dance, and music).

Reading - School: Practice daily. Home: read for fun! Practice sounding out words.

• I can be a respectful member of the classroom community.
• I can practice reading to understand.
• I can segment and blend words (ch-i-p, chip).

Math - School: Practice daily. Home: practice addition, subtraction, and basic multiplication.

• I can solve multi digit addition and subtraction equations.
• I can represent multiplication equations through drawings (arrays, rectangles).
• I can explore division patterns.
• I can use mental math and estimation strategies.

Content (Health) - School: Practice daily. Home: discuss making healthy choices.

We will rotate through learning about Health, Social Studies, and Science at the end of each school day. We will start with Health. We will learn about Personal Wellness (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Social, Spiritual).

• I can demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

Important iPad reminders:

• Bring a fully charged iPad to school each day
• iPad is a school device, only to be used for academics
• Only the student’s school accounts should be on the iPad

Hello 5th grade families and Four Seasons community!

We are off to a great start in 5th grade, working hard and having some fun too! We have been focusing our first few weeks on community building, stamina and skills development. We have talked a lot about how to solve problems and keep our classes and communities calm and strong. In math, both classes have been reviewing addition, subtraction and multiplication skills to get ready for the rigor of 5th grade math. In literacy, we have been working on stamina and problem solving around word understanding and comprehension. We have also focused a lot of our time on getting all of our 5th graders on the same page with STAR behaviors, making sure that everyone knows how to be safe, use teamwork, act with accountability, and treat others with respect. Ask your student how they use STAR behaviors every day – we have been having great success with student understanding and utilization.

5th grade is an important year, not only do our 5th graders help set the tone for the school but they are getting ready for middle school and their academic accomplishments to come! Please take a moment to remind your student how important they are and how capable they are. They can do amazing things and it all starts with being a STAR.

If you would like work for your student to do at home when they do not have specific homework, they can always work on Xtra Math (available through Clever and ideal for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts) and READ (read, read, read and then read some more)!

Thank you for reading and all you do for your family!

With love,

Ms. Kopp-Reddy and Ms. Augustin (your 5th grade team)

The CogAT7 will be administered to all SPPS kindergarten and second grade students sometime between October 9, 2023 and November 9, 2023. The test is only available to take during this time frame. If you do not want your child to participate, please contact your school’s principal.

Students in grades 1, 3, 4 and 5 may also take the CogAT7 test if requested by a staff member, parent or community member. Please contact Katie Spear by October 9, 2023 if you want to request that your student take the test.

email: katherine.spear@spps.org or (651)290-7585 x47951

Hello! We are Hope Larson and Christine Holm, the SLPs providing Speech and Language services at Four Seasons A+ Elementary. We have been busy meeting with our students and adjusting our schedules along the way. We are happy to be back with new and returning students showing STAR behavior! If you have questions about speech services, you can reach out to us by calling the main office or emailing us at hope.larson@spps.org and christine.holm@spps.org

Watch for our Speech-Language tip of the month, starting in the next edition of The Spotlight!

Hello! My name is Annie Backman and I am the occupational therapist at Four Seasons A+ Elementary. I have enjoyed meeting new students and connecting with returning students since the school year has started. In occupational therapy I like to focus on enriching sensory experiences and strengthening fine motor skills. Please feel free to reach out if you have more questions about occupational therapy. My email is annie-louise.backman@spps.org.

We are very excited to offer Extended Day Learning (EDL) this year at Four Seasons!! EDL is a free program offered to all 3rd through 5th grade students who are looking for some extra educational enrichment and fun. We will hopefully be offering three classes: Lego League (coding and robotics with legos), a Performing Arts class, and a Music based class.

Important things to know:

– EDL will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:15pm to 3:45pm.

– There are no buses for EDL, meaning your student needs to be picked up from school at 3:45pm. We are hoping that Rec Check at Merriam Park (the park next to the school) might be able to accept some students whose families will be unable to pick them up until later in the evening – more information on this to come.

– A snack is provided at EDL.

– There is no cost involved. It is a free program!

– The first day of EDL programming will be October 23rd, 2023.

Please consider signing your student up to join us at EDL! This is an excellent opportunity for more learning and important skills development. More information and sign up sheets will be sent home with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders some time in the next two weeks so keep an eye out. You can also reach out to Sarah Kopp-Reddy (5th grade teacher) at sarah.kopp-reddy@spps.org with any specific questions, comments or concerns.

The Minnesota Report Card gives you easy access to understandable district and school data.

The tool is designed to provide parents, educators, schools, districts and citizens with easy access to important information about schools to help them make decisions and be engaged in the education of Minnesota students. Follow this link to the MDE Report Card to choose from several reports to learn more about the state of education in your local district, a specific school, or the state as a whole.