Sunshine Elementary Newsletter

By: JaSharra Henderson

Volume 1, Issue 1

August 24th, 2011

Dear Parents and Care-

givers,

Welcome to a

new and wonderful

school year at Sunshine

Elementary . It is great

to be at a school as de-

lightful as Sunshine Ele-

mentary. I have been

impressed with the

dedication of parents

and the efforts from stu-

dents. Everyone is work-

ing hard for students to

harvest a successful

school year. Our quest

this year is to continue

educational practices

that guarantee our stu-

dents achievement, ex-

cellence, and academic

growth. Parents please

continue to work closely

with our scholars and

let us continue to keep

school-teacher-parent-

communication our

number 1 priority. Par-

ents, I can see that you

all are working dili-

gently on getting your

children to school every

day, and on time. If your

child is receiving spe-

cial instructional ser-

vices make sure you

continue to meet with

the resource teachers

or specialists.

There are sev-

eral instructional strate-

gies that can be used to

support you while you

are working with your

child within your home

environment. I encour-

age you to sign-up to

become a member of

our PTA at Sunshine Ele-

mentary. You can help

maintain our success-

ful educational envi-

ronment by checking

your child’s agenda

book for homework

assignments and cor-

respondence. Please

allow your child to

have read-aloud time,

practice math facts,

and word problems

after school. Your con-

tinued participation in

playing vocabulary,

spelling, and geogra-

phy games is ex-

tremely helpful during

our journey to suc-

cess. I look forward to

working with all stu-

dents, parents, and

volunteers during our

quest to “harvest suc-

cess”!Educationally

Yours. JaSharra Hen-

derson

Harvesting Success!

"Imagination

is more im-

portant than

knowledge.

Knowledge

is limited.

Imagination

encircles the

world."

-- Albert

Einstein

Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3

Reading Center~

Objective: Students will practice reading by reviewing books previously read:

Students will work with buddy pairs to practice reading.

Students will work together in groups finding words that were located in the story previously read.

Students will work together by selecting characters from the story previously read and attempt to

remember what the character did during the story.

Art Center~

Objective: Students will have opportunities to strengthen fine-motor skills and develop illustrating

capabilities:

Students will use scissors to create collages using magazines.

Students will use Play-Doh to create their very own masterpieces.

Students will create beach scenes using finger/ foot paint, sand, and Die-Cuts.

Listening Center~

Objective: Students will have the opportunity to strengthen cognitive skills and develop listening

capabilities:

Students will listen to books on tape as they follow along in the text.

Students will use puppets to act out the actions of the characters as they listen to the text being read.

Students will sign the alphabet as instructed by audio material.

Poetry Center~

Objective: students will have the opportunity to improve social skills:

Students will read poetry focusing on manners, rules, and being polite.

Students will create fiction and non-fiction rhymes.

Students will select rhyming words from various poetry readings, while practicing reading the poems on

Magnetic Wall~

Objective: Students will have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of word meanings:

~Students will select words from the word basket and match them to the corresponding objects.

~Students will create words using various letters.

~Students will identify and group words to their corresponding scenes such as; beach, ocean, forest,

market, and playground.

Behavior Management: Each and every student should

always be treated with dignity

and respect regardless of their culture, special need, or home

environment. Discipline is a time

to learn which behaviors are ap-propriate and which behaviors

are not. Rules and expectations

should always be clear and con-cise. Inappropriate behavior

should immediately be ad-

dressed. Appropriate behaviors should always be recognized and

rewarded. The key component in

behavior management is using patience and understanding to

reach the goal of harvesting so-

cial, intellectual, emotional, and or physical development.

Family-Teacher Communication: School-teacher-parent-

communication is an essential

ingredient in harvesting a suc-cessful school environment. Let

us all work diligently to make

School-teacher-parent-communication our number one

priority. There are several ways

that you may contact me. My E-mail address is jasharrahender-

son@pgcps.org. My phone num-

ber is 301-555-1234. I will be scheduling home visits for those

who desire them. There will be

several opportunities during the school year in which you will

have the opportunity to voice

your questions and or concerns such as; Student-Parent Ex-

change Day, and Parent Teacher

Breakfasts. I am always open for suggestions as to how we can

harvest a positive educational

environment.

Our Classroom Schedule:

Time

(Approx.)

Activity Notes

9:15-9:30 Arrival Bathroom Table Play /

Fine Motor Play

9:30-9:40 Transition/Sensory Warm-up

9:40-9:55 Opening and Math Concept

(theme related)

Calendar, Music/Movement

9:55-10:00 Transition activity Choosing centers (one

to be for working on the individual IEP

goals )

Children should have individual visual mini-

schedules for center time so they know where to go

(Center Management)

10:00-10:45 Center Time One center can be the sensory area This time

MUST include 15 minutes of IEP goal related

one-on-one time

10-45-10:55 Transition/ Oral

Motor Warm-up

Some classes may need toileting at this time, others

may take individual children during previous activ-

ity

10-55-11.40 Meeting Time: Oral language and

vocabulary Phonological awareness

Social skills/Pragmatics

Children rotate through: • Welcome ( Song, Greet-

ing) • Theme related language activity • Social

skills/play activity (Turn taking etc)* This should be

related to IEP goals

11.40 Prepare for Lunch Bathroom- wash hands

11.45-12:15 Lunch Lunch break for one staff member

12:15-12:45 Music/Quiet Reading Time/Bathroom Lunch break for one staff member

12:45-1:15 Motor/Guided Play/Sensory Activity Outside if weather permits Lunch

break for remaining staff

1:15-1:30 Speech Box

1:30-1:40 Transition/sensory break/ choose centers

(one to be for working on the individual

IEP goals )

Children should have individual visual mini-

schedules for center time so they know where to go (

Center Management)

1:40-2:25 Center Time One center can be the sensory area This time

MUST include 15 minutes of IEP goal related

one-on-one time

2:25-2:45 Snack Time (Children move to sensory

area when finished)

PECS and snack language boards should be used as

appropriate to encourage language

2:45 Transition

2:48 Story Time This should include manipulatives and student interac-

tion

3:00 Closing/ bathroom /bus