East Primary

Explorer

Kiski Area School District November 2019

November 4

November 6

Parent/

Teacher

Conferences School Closed

Make-Up

Picture Day

November 7

November 13

1st Grade Field Trip

PTO Meeting

Fundraiser Pick—up

4:00

Family Reading

Night

November 25-December 2

No School Happy

Thanksgiving

Dates to Remember:

Title I Schoolwide Newsletter

Family Reading Night

Featured Readers KAHS Cheerleaders

Turkey Give Away

First Grade

Pumpkin Patch

During the fall season, apples, pumpkins, and brightly colored leaves take center stage. First graders at East Primary focused on pumpkin of all shapes and sizes while learning about two-dimensional shapes. First grade students created their own pumpkins out of various two-dimensional shapes. Not all pumpkins are perfectly round circles as some students read in “The Legend of Spookley, The Square Pumpkin” by Joe Troiano. This picture book describes Spookley, the only square pumpkin in a pumpkin patch. The story focuses on how Spookley, although not perfectly round like all the other pumpkins, brings his own unique abilities to help the pumpkins in the patch.

Written by: Mrs. Derby East Primary First Grade Teacher

Wednesday, November 13

6:00PM East Primary Cafetorium

Make a Turkey Door

Hanger

Here at East Primary the first nine week period has ended and we are moving into the second quarter of the year. As the school year progresses, certain school tasks may start to get more difficult for your child. But do not fret! There are small things you can do at home to help your child feel and become more successful. Helping kids recognize good study habits can help lead to success.

Lead by showing. If young children notice that you or a sibling are always reading a book or magazine, they will be encouraged to read as well. Also, limit distractions during homework time. If they see that you place importance on studying, then they will place importance on studying Be practical. No one is perfect. At this time in their development, they shouldn’t feel pressured to excel in every subject. They should be expected

to try their best! Unrealistic goals can lead to early burnout in the elementary years and negatively affect your child as they advance through the upper grades. Remember, all kinds of skills have value. Some children will excel in academics, others in sports or activities beyond academia. This is okay! Pointing out their strengths builds confidence and gives them the courage to work at something they may not feel so confident in - like school work. Encourage independence. Children can do a lot more than what you might think. Encourage them to try on their own first, but let them know you are there just in case they get stuck. Also, asking them to explain what the teacher said or did when she introduced a topic they are struggling with may help remind them how to work through a particularly difficult problem. Put some thought into various study spaces. Have a designated quiet space at home so that children know that is where they go to study or accomplish important tasks. When they go to this space, be sure to respect their space and time, and make sure to limit distractions, especially electronic devices and television. Help them with time management. Using a calendar or planner can help children plan out the best time to study or complete school work. Often children have other after-school responsibilities, such as chores, scouts, or religious activities. It is good for them to understand that while they may not have a lot of time one evening, they will have plenty of time the next. Encourage them to plan when to study during the week and let them learn to plan around fun activities. Remember, your role in their success is very important. Support your child by showing them that learning can be a fun and positive experience. A positive attitude toward learning and homework has a big impact on their desire to do their best!

Written by: Mrs. Pursh

East Primary Guidance Counselor

Reading & Cooking by Mrs. Miller

East Primary Reading Specialist A fun way to incorporate reading with your child is through cooking. Cooking is always delightful for children, especially when they can eat the results! Pick an easy recipe to read. Show your child the recipe and go over it together. Ask your child to read the recipe to you as you work, and tell your child that each step must be done in a special order. Let your child help mix the ingredients. When the recipe is done, sit down and enjoy the special treat you made together!

Here is an easy recipe to help you get started:

5 Cup Salad (Ambrosia)

Ingredients:

*1 cup mandarin oranges, drained

*1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

*1 cup mini marshmallows

*1 cup coconut

*1 cup sour cream

Put each ingredient in a large bowl, mix thoroughly. Chill for an hour. Serve, enjoy! This recipe can easily be doubled.

TO BECOME A BETTER READER, YOU MUST READ!

Title IX and 504

The Kiski Area School District is an equal opportunity educational institution and will not discriminate on the bases of race, color, national origin, sex and handicap in its activities, programs or employment practices as required by Title VI, Title IX and Section 504. For more information regarding civil or grievance procedures, contact Mrs. Christine Ross, Federal Programs Coordinator at 1048 School Rd. Leechburg, PA, 15656 or by calling (724) 845-2032.

Power of Positivity Written by: Mrs. Paga

East Primary Kindergarten Teacher

Kindergarten teachers and students have implemented a POSITIVITY project that correlates with our "All About Me" theme in Language Arts. We invited the whole building to be involved. Our goal is to empower our youth to build positive relationships by seeing the character strengths in themselves and others. Character is more than "grit" or "self control", it is who we are; it's what is inside of every one of us. These relationships are the foundation of health, happiness and resilience. We want to inspire students to build positive relationships and be consistent at doing so. Making children aware that every one of them has character strengths helps provide them in self-awareness.

We have our "POWER OF POSITIVITY" wall down in the kindergarten wing. If we witness any student or staff displaying positive character strengths ranging from bravery and forgiveness to integrity and gratitude and everything else in between, we will share it to the wall. We have a basket filled with star shaped cutouts, the teacher takes one and writes down what they observed, the name of the person they’re acknowledging and will add it to our wall. This is something our kindergarten classes are excited about and we are hoping to see how it boosts the morale throughout our building. We know that people don't need a pat on the back for what they do or for who they are, but we do recognize that people tend to make more of an effort when they feel appreciated. We hope this project makes our students and staff feel appreciated for who they are and what they do, day in and day out, to make our building successful. Don't always focus on the negative: focus on the positive, and we will flourish.

Power of Positivity Character Strengths*

~bravery ~connection/purpose

~creativity ~fairness

~forgiveness ~gratitude

~optimism ~modesty

~humor ~integrity

~kindness ~leadership

~love ~love of learning

~open-mindness ~perseverance

~self-control ~social intelligence

The students in 3D have been busy little “Monsters!” In math class, the students practiced multiplication strategies by completing “MONSTER-plication” projects. Each student created an adorable monster by demonstrating their understanding of multiplication strategies. The students used repeated addition, the Commutative Property, modeling with groups, and arrays to build their monsters.

In English Language Arts, 3D students listened to a story called, “The Monster of 17 Murray Lane.” It is a short story about the first time a child meets the monster that lives in their bedroom at 17 Murray Lane (a fictitious address). The child is fearful of the monster in the beginning of the story, but by the end they are best friends. After listening to the story, students worked through the writing process to develop a narrative piece of writing. The published pieces exploded with detail and creativity!

Written by:

Mrs. Laedlein

East Primary Third Grade Teacher