4th Grade Showcase

UNIVERSITY ACADEMY

October NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 27TH, 2017

Half Day/Early Dismissal

at Noon

October 30, 2017

Parent Teacher Conferences

October 30, 2017

1-6pm

NO SCHOOL

October 31 and

November 1, 2017

Skate City

November 10, 2017

5-7pm

Parents Lunch and

Learn

Community Resources in

Mayerberg

November 17, 2017

2-3pm

NO SCHOOL

Thanksgiving Break

November 22-24, 2017

F&P Testing Begins

November 27, 2017

FAST Testing for

Kindergarten Begins

November 27, 2017

D.A.R.E. Class for

5th Grade Begins

November 30, 2017

Transportation

Changes

Please make sure

you are letting the

Lower School

Office know about

afternoon

transportation

changes

before noon.

816-412-9230

Or

816-412-9282

Please leave a

voicemail if we

are not able to

answer.

~Thank you~

Bus Arrives Late?

Please call

Apple Bus:

816-252-8800

September ended with kicking and

joyful screaming when both students

and their families converged on the

UA football field for the 3rd annual

Kickball Tournament. With about 40

different students participating and

60 total family members in attendance, the UA stadium was the

perfect arena for such an exhibition. Attendees were split into 4

teams each featuring a 4th Grade teacher, Sporting KC (Gawin),

KC Chiefs (Finney and Howard), KC

Royals (Cook), and KC Monarchs

(Jefferson). After the turf rocks settled

from the first round of matches the teams

left remaining were the Chiefs and

Monarchs. The two teams dueled it out

in the finale. Many of the plays

were fueled by the tension of

cheering teammates and fans, dropped fly balls, and the

hustle of the competitors.. In the end, the Monarchs won

the title, complete with a small cookie and water reception

where all families laughed and connected. Thank you to all

the UA families who

made this event such a

success. Join us

next year!

Upcoming Events

First Grade Field Trip

Students of the Month: Honesty

First grade had a wonderful time at Johnson Pumpkin Farm. Students were able to pick a pumpkin that they later measured and sorted in class, and they learned about many animals that live on the farm.

KG: Ariyah Keaton

1st: Camille Moore

2nd: MarQuan Phillips-Rice

3rd: Julien Triggs

4th: Rheegan Wright

5th: Tyvin Willard

Page 2

First Grade Guided Reading Guided Reading in 1st grade builds comprehension,

reading level, and vocabulary skills. All 1st graders are split by F&P reading level. The split allows the Guided Reading teacher to focus on bridge skills required to move from one level to another. We see large reading growth through the use of Guided Reading.

First Grade Flat Stanley Hello from First Grade! We are so excited to announce that we sent over 55 Flat Stanley’s across the United States. Some might climb the Rocky Mountains, go swimming at the beach, hang out with friends and family, or even visit the Statue of Liberty. Our first graders are anxiously await-ing to hear about the adventures of our Flat Stanleys and to learn about different states in our country!

MONTANA

TEXAS

FLORIDA In a Helicopter in ALABAMA

Last Friday, the 4th & 5th graders were able to travel to the

Kauffman Center where they listened to the sounds of the

Kansas City Symphony. During this experience, students

went from Earth to Space

and everything in between

for their scientific symphonic

exploration! We learned

about the solar system,

planets, stars and more

through exciting orchestral

music inspired by science.

Page 3 OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

Scheduling Reminder

Please contact your student’s teacher if

you are needing to schedule a meeting,

or are wanting to bring Birthday

snacks to school. Appointments must

be made 48 hours in advance. This is

to ensure classroom instruction is not

interrupted.

4th Grade Field Trip

Cold Weather Reminder

It is hard to believe that we are

getting into the winter season and

the cold weather will be all around

us.

We need your help to make sure

your children have on appropriate

clothing for outdoor recess.

Library Note

Parents: At conference time, you may

receive a note from the library staff stating that your child has

overdue books. Please come visit the library while you are

here and pay for your child's book or you can pay through

School Pay!

Thank you for getting your child's library account cleared.

Medication Reminder to Parents and Guardians

Per page 44 of the Student-Parent Handbook, University Academy strongly recommends that

families dispense both temporary and maintenance medications outside of school hours,

if possible. Please make sure your student is taking his/her medication at home and not bringing

any medication to school. Remember, it is against school policy to send ANY medication to

school with your student. Please call the nursing office at 816-412-5979 with any questions or

concerns.

Gift cards for students who achieved advanced or

proficient on the MAP test for 2016-17 will be available

for pickup starting Monday, October 30th at 1pm. Friends

of UA, the sponsor of the gift cards, will be on site from

1pm-6pm to personally distribute. Gift cards will then be

available for pickup from the Lower School office from

November 2nd until November 10th. Please be sure to

have your signed conference form in order to receive the

gift card.

MAP Incentive

Hi parents –

In First grade high reader group -- we

read the last of 6 chapters from Sideways

Stories from Wayside School and did

crossword puzzles to reinforce

vocabulary. Enjoyed reading some

chapters freely from a second grade

Social Studies book learning about

communities and urban, suburban and

rural areas. We then began a book study

of Mrs. Katz and Tush, by Patricia Polacco.

Second grade – looked at cells and

molecules in real life, muscles being one

in particular. We read and talked about

Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco for

a change of pace and played some

challenging games and put together

jigsaw puzzles to grow neurons in our

brains. Enjoyed beginning map skill

spatial understanding through book

The Journey Home.

Third grade –stations: learned about

the states and capitals through games

and songs, started the Highlights

magazine series Which Way USA,

learned math through Mathmania

and stretched our brains through a

spatial game called Walking Sticks.

Fourth and Fifth grades –

Mathmania. – great math puzzlers

Which Way USA (facts about each

states through fun challenges)

Landforms A to D: archipelago, atoll,

badland, bay, beach, butte, mesa,

canyon, cape, point, cave, cliff,

continental shelf, crevasse, delta.

US states and capitals through

games and songs

Basic information about our

country through a game called I

Love America Jingo

Science – how

did the Earth

begin – under-

standing Plate

Tectonics

paper-cut snow flakes (yes, I went there) to nature-themed ori-

gami, the students in Lower-school are moving up and out with

their creativity. I'm so happy with what's going on in Art and we

look forward to showing you, the families and

friends, what

we've been

doing.

Advanced Studies

Art

preparation for that performance. 1st and 2nd grades are pre-

paring for a great concert on Tuesday, December 12th at 6

p.m. We are looking to showing our families and friends what

we've learned.

If you have any questions about the

concert, please contact Mrs. Miller by

email: millerk@universityacademy.org

or phone: 816-412-5945.

Music

Greetings from Lower School

Music!!

A letter recently went home informing

families that the 3rd-45th concert

on Tuesday, December 5th will be

moved to a later date. Information

will be sent home as soon as that date

has been finalized. New song words

will also be sent home for students to practice in

Page 4 OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

Creative Movement Greetings U.A. families! Fall is upon us and we are trying to get

moving outside as much as possible while we still can! Grades 3-

5 have been focusing on fitness concepts, and as you might have

seen on DOJO. We will continue to work on fitness and body

systems through dance, game play, and various workout

"routines". All of the fitness concepts we are working on are tied

directly to body systems! I hopes is that they can use this new

knowledge inside as well as outside of school! K-2 we have been

working on polishing our gross motor as well as locomotor

skills through activities such as dancing, stations, scarves,

parachute games, animal actions, cup stacking, as well as Yoga.

For more information please see my webpage on the University

Academy website. Happy Fall! Mrs. Slater

As we head into the 2nd quarter of the school year

already (wow, that was fast) our focus in Art will

include the colors and the look of the season. From

falling leaves to painted landscapes, from

Page 5

Computers Please visit my website to read my full newsletter to get info on how you can check in with your students progress from almost anywhere you are.

http://www.universityacademy.org/schools/lower_school/teacher_pages/jordan_hadjian.

Lower School Counselors,

Mrs. Hagan - K, 1st & 5th -

haganc@universityacademy.org

- ext. 5973

Mrs. Sanders - 2nd—4th -

sandersk@universityacademy.org

- ext. 9260

Counselor’s Corner drug, tobacco and alcohol free!

Also, our

Student

Ambassador’s are excited to kick off our 1

st

Community Service Project this

semester. They are working very hard to plan an upcoming event, in which donations will go to support a local animal shelter. Stay tuned for more details in the near future!

Red Ribbon Week:

Lower School has been honoring Red Ribbon Week over the past week by focusing on this year’s theme: ”Your Future is Key, So Stay Drug Free.” The Red Ribbon

symbolizes the commitment to a healthy, drug free lifestyle. Students have dressed up to show their

support with being drug free and aiming towards a bright future! Let this week be a spring board for meaningful conversations at home about the importance of staying

2017-18 Yearbook PRE-Sale Guarantee a Copy!

Soft copies $30 (hard cover $35).

Pre-order ends March 9,2018.

5 ways to purchase: 1. Pay at Front office. 2. Our Business Office can take payment with credit card over the phone by contacting Becky Johnson at

816-412-5900 Ext. 5920. 3. Pay online with

Lifetouch (ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter Code #10410918) 4. Pay with your SchoolPay

account. 5. Send cash to school in provided

envelope or one you write out with student & teacher name.

Questions about the yearbook? Call 412-5958 Larry Eichner. Family Fun and Fit Night

The Family Fun and Fit night this month was a blast as

students showed their parents the different activities that

we participate in during PE classes that get our hearts

pumping and keep us fit! There were also more parents

who participated in the activities with their children than

I've seen in a long time! This was awesome to see!

Thanks parents for being great examples of how to have

fun and be fit!!

Remember to read every night with your child. Here are some questions to

ask your student while reading together at home.

What is the character’s problem?

How is the character trying to solve his problem?

What is the setting of the story?

How is the setting important to the story?

What do you predict will happen next? Why do you think that?

How is this story connected to yourself?

How is this story connected to the world?

Is there another book that this story makes you think of?

Title I Tidbits UNIVERSITY ACADEMY

The mission of University Academy is to prepare students to succeed in an institution of higher learning and to become leaders in society.

6801 Holmes Road Phone: 816-412-5900

Kansas City, MO Fax: 816-410-0322

Read to Grow Your Mind!

BINGO for Books

A big thank you to all who attended the annual

Bingo for Books! We had a great turn

out. There were 250-300 in attendance! We

gave away boxes of books and who knows how

many bags of popcorn! The cafeteria was abuzz

with chatter and shouts of Bingo! Events like

this are possible from the generous support of our parents and families at Book

Fair time. Part of the earnings from Book Fair go to the purchase of books for

Bingo for Books! So see, it is true that what comes around goes around.