Mr. Ward’s Message:
As we say goodbye to October and welcome in November Freetown Elementary School would like to pause and say, “THANK YOU”! The Freetown Elementary School Community is strong, thriving, and supportive. Regardless if we are asking for donations for school supplies, or cleaning materials, or sponsors for the Fun Run, or bringing in a pumpkin or two for your child and a friend, getting your child to school daily, or being present at home checking in with your child about school or homework your assistance is appreciated more than ever. The partnership between home and school is stronger than ever and we at Freetown Elementary School want you to know that it does not go unnoticed. With that thought in mind and as we enter into November a month of thanks, “WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU!”
Attendance Matters Weekly Update:
Goal: 94% of the FES student population will attend school daily.
September Daily Student Attendance for September was 96% - Goal achieved!
October weekly attendance data indicate:
October 1-4: 96.5%...Met Goal!
October 7-11: 96%...Met Goal!
October 14-18: 95%...Met Goal!
October 21-25: 97%...Met Goal!
October 28-31: 97%...Met Goal!
The month of October daily student attendance was FANTASTIC over 96%. Let’s take that into November!
Upcoming events:
November 5th: No School - Professional Development Day
November 11th: No School - Veterans’ Day
November 11-15: Scholastic Book Fair Week
November 14: Cup-Stacking Night & Scholastic Book Fair Night
November 18th: November PTO Meeting beginning at 6:30 PM
November 27th: Early Release Day - Students dismissed at 12:15 PM
November 28th & 29th: Happy Thanksgiving - No School
FES News and Happenings:
No School on Tuesday, November 5th due to the election day taking place at FES. School will resume again on Wednesday, November 6th.
The week of November 11-15…
November 11: No school due to Veterans’ Day observance.
November 12-15: Scholastic Book Fair Week. Your child’s teacher will share what day your child will be visiting the book fair.
November 14: Family Book Fair Night from 5:30 - 7:00 PM in the auditorium. Also, on November 14th it will be Cup-Stacking Night in the gym with Mrs. L’Heureux from 5:30 - 7:00 PM.
PTO Corner:
PTO meetings are held in person and virtually. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 18th from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. The meeting will be in person as well as virtual to accommodate for families. Hope you will consider joining the FES PTO.
FES PTO website is...https://freetownelementarypto.weebly.com/
News and Happenings from around the classrooms - Week of October 28-November 1:
Pre-School: This week in preschool we learned about the letter V and the sound it makes. We learned about a few nocturnal animals, such as skunks and bats. The preschoolers also learned about pumpkins, and we made jack-o-lanterns. We ended the week with a fun Halloween party, and the preschoolers looked great in their Halloween costumes!
Kindergarten: In kindergarten this week we focused on the letter Ss, HFWs am, see. We continued working on the story element of characters and also continued with print concepts of left/right and top/bottom tracking. In math we worked on the numbers 1-5: Identifying/naming, matching quantity, formation and the concept of more and less. We completed a variety of Fall and Halloween activities and stories. We celebrated with costume/Dress up Day on Thursday.
Grade 1: This week in first grade we learned about -r and -s blend words. We are reviewing digraphs, bonus letter words, and -l blend words. For comprehension we discussed key details and predicting what will happen in stories. In writing we are working on writing a complete sentence using a complete thought and an uppercase letter at the beginning and an end mark. . For math this week we worked adding 3 numbers by making a ten first. In science, we cut open our pumpkins and investigated what was inside.
Grade 2: This week students reviewed all of the concepts we have learned thus far in math (bar graphs, picture graphs, 1 and 2 step word problems, mental math strategies). In phonics we are focused on the magic e syllable with long vowel o. We also learned when to double a letter or drop the e when adding a consonant or vowel suffix to a word. In reading we learned how to identify the main idea of a text. In writing we are starting our animal research projects. In science, we are learning about forms of water.
Grade 3: This week in math, third graders explored different types of patterns with numbers and shapes. They also reviewed for their unit 1 test, which consisted of using strategies to solve a variety of multiplication and division problems, as well as finding rules for patterns. In reading, we began a new unit, and the first essential question that we explored is, “How do people make government work?” In writing, students have typed their personal narratives and presented their stories with their classmates. It was so fun hearing all of their wonderful stories and allowing each individual to shine!
Art: Kindergarteners finished their adorable silly line monsters by cutting out paper shapes for the face. Grade 1 is learning about abstract art and working on an ABC abstraction. Grade 2 is learning about radial design as they work on a paper version of a Mexican mirror. Grade 3 complete their Frida Kahlo inspired self portraits. Students really enjoyed learning about her self portrait entitled The Frame, and they were proud of their own self portraits.
Physical Education: The classes that did not have the chance to play the Skeleton Run game last week completed it this week. The other classes started cup stacking.
As a reminder, Family Cup Stacking night is Thursday, November 15th from 6-7pm
Music: This week, students K-3 have started the 1st week of their unit on improvising. Grade 3 will begin improvising movements in Mama Lama, Grade 2 will explore improvising using mallet instruments. Grade 1 and Kindergarten will improvise with arioso type songs.
Library: In library class we read "Pumpkin Magic" in kindergarten and first grade. Then we did a virtual pumpkin and Halloween cookie sorting and pattern activity on Seesaw. In second and third grade, we used the Makey Makeys which are circuit based makeshift keyboards. Students connected pumpkins to the Makey Makey and the pumpkins took the place of select keys on the keyboard. Students tapped on the pumpkins and they could make sounds on the Halloween Makey Makey Halloween sampler. Students also worked on Scratch to design a pumpkin and build an algorithm for it.