September 2017

The first few weeks of school were full of excitement! Every time I visit a classroom, I see learners engaged in new experiences. Our students are off to a great start!

Team Building, Marshmallows, and Spaghetti Noodles, oh my: Fifth graders at Axton Elementary started the year with a team building STEM activity. Students worked together in groups to see who could build the tallest tower using marshmallows and spaghetti noodles. Teams then had to measure their towers to see whose was the tallest. 

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Story Time: Students in Mrs. Doss’ class at Campbell Court Elementary enjoyed a variety of group activities at the beginning of the school year, including time reading together as a class, modeling reading aloud techniques, and discussing proper reading habits. These tasks helped the students to begin their SSR time on the right foot.

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Safety First: Students at Drewry Mason Elementary spent time during the days leading up to August 21 learning about what causes an eclipse and the procedures involved in safe viewing during such an event. 

Goals 1 & 3: High Quality Instruction, Safe & Orderly Learning Environments

Rocking in Their New School Shoes: On the first day of school, GW Carver kindergartners listened to the book, Pete the Cat, Rocking in My School Shoes.  Students then went looking for the blue cat who left notes for them all around the school. After no luck finding Pete, students then made an artifact to help them retell the story to their parents once they returned home.

Goals 1 & 5: High Quality Instruction, Family & Community Engagement

Collaboration & Teamwork: Fourth grade students at John Redd Smith Elementary collaborated in math class this month. Students have been working together using the 4 square model for solving word problems. Additionally, the children are learning techniques such as consultation and cooperation.

Goals 1 & 3: High Quality Instruction, Safe & Orderly Learning Environments

Back to School in Style: The Mount Olivet family is excited to be back together for another great year of learning. Back to School Night provided an opportunity for students and families to prepare for the year to come. Classroom teachers hosted grade level meetings, and the staff held Title 1 and iPad information sessions. The first days of school were spent building community and learning classroom routines. 

Goals 1, 3, 4 & 5: High Quality Instruction, Safe & Orderly Learning Environments, Innovative & Cutting-Edge Technology, Family & Community Engagement

Critical Thinking, Innovation, and Technology: The first day of school at Rich Acres greeted students with a lot of smiling, laughing, learning, and exploring. Preschool students read The Gingerbread Man and learned their way around the building while searching for the book’s main character. Fifth graders were presented with a STEM challenge on the second day of school, and, in teams, they were able to build freestanding spaghetti noodle structures that withstood the weight of one large marshmallow. Students and staff are looking forward to another year of critical thinking, creativity, and innovation. 

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

…and the Plot Thickens: Students in Mrs. Fisher’s and Mrs. Stovall’s classes at Sanville Elementary identified external and internal conflicts while reading during SSR this month. Manipulatives were used to teach students how conflict builds before the fifth graders created anchor charts that aided in identifying conflict in literature.

Goals 1 & 2: High Quality Instruction, High Quality Professionals

Building Strong Foundations: A major focus of preschool classes during the first few weeks of school is socialization. Students in Melissa Walker’s class at Stanleytown Elementary have been working in groups to learn how to communicate and work together. One of the class’s favorite activities is building with blocks, bricks, and Legos.

Goals 1 & 3: High Quality Instruction, Safe & Orderly Learning Environments

Taking Off: FC Middle School students in Mr. Cotner's class have been collaborating to design an experiment. The experiment’s goal was to show how changes to paper airplanes affect the flight distance of the plane. Students spent time recording, sharing, analyzing, and graphing their data before writing conclusions based on their findings.

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Best (First) Day Ever: The enthusiasm that students and parents brought to Laurel Park Middle School on the opening day of the 2017-2018 school year was infectious. Everyone arrived eager to reconnect and learn – the first month has been a great start to what promises to be a fantastic school year!

Goals 3 & 5: Safe & Orderly Learning Environments, Family & Community Engagement

What’s in your Water: Students in Mrs. Morris's New Tech Biology class at Bassett High School conducted research at the school’s creek this month. During this hands-on learning experience, each student collected water samples and tested them to see what types of elements can be found in various water sources. They analyzed for items such as nitrates, phosphates, bacteria, turbidity, and PH levels.

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Open Court Instruction (Grades K-2): Elementary teachers have been participating in Open Court literacy training as they prepare for reading and phonics instruction this semester.

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Leading the Learning: Teacher leaders from across the division have been working to complete collaboration tasks at their first Teacher Leader meetings of the 2017-2018 school year. Two areas of focus will be to continue collaborative planning and to cultivate that culture of collaboration in the schools and classrooms across the county.

Goal 1: High Quality Instruction

Congratulations to the teachers who won new technology to be utilized within their classrooms:

Rich Acres’ Michelle Martin won an Apple TV for use with her 2^nd grade students

FC Middle School’s Jacob Overstreet won an Apple TV for use with his English classes

FC Middle School’s Anna Carlton won an Apple TV for use with her Civics classes

HCPS Teacher of the Year Brandon Johnson won a document camera for use with his Health students at Bassett High School

GW Carver’s Jeannie Lowery won a document camera for use with her kindergarten students

Goals 2 & 4: High Quality Professionals, Innovative & Cutting-Edge Technology