Volumn I Issue 5 CASSINGHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL February 2012

AN IB/PYP WORLD SCHOOL

A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL H. Jeannine Hetzler

Please join us for IB Parent Night 2012 on

Thursday, February 16. This event, in support of

our efforts to “live the learner profile”, will provide

parents with a chance to live the Cassingham

International Baccalaureate experience. Jana

Clarke, our teacher leader, a number of faculty

members, and I will coordinate a lively, interactive

evening full of information about why our lessons

and units of study operate in the ways they do.

We’ll gather in in the Community Room at 6:30 to

begin the hour-long event.

Here are some additional events within our building

that move us toward our goal to “live the learner

profile”.

Thirty-two students took an artistic risk and

entered our 2012 Yearbook Cover Contest. After

extensive review of the applicants by our staff, our

yearbook design will be announced during our town

meeting on February 3rd

.

Mrs. Forsblom and a group of 2nd

& 3rd

graders are

intently preparing for two performances on March

2nd

with Opera Columbus here in our theater at

1:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Our students will help the

company communicate a powerful message about

empowerment in the face of a challenge. In this

case the challenge is a territorial troll within a

production of “3 Billy Goats Gruff”.

Ms. Goodenow and our school’s Social and

Emotional Climate committee are coordinating a

Kindness is Contagious recognition board. All

Cassingham students have the opportunity to be

highlighted on this board by demonstrating

principled behavior during their entire school day.

February

2/1……..Report Cards Go Home

2/3……..1st Semester Safety Patrol Party -

Gymnasium 3:10-4:00 p.m.

2/6-10….National School Counseling Week

We appreciate Ms. Goodenow!

2/6-12…Jump Rope & Hoops for Heart

2/7……..PTO Volunteer Luncheon

2/14……Late Start-Doors Open at 9:20

2/14……Valentine’s Day Parties-2:15 p.m.

2/14……Market Day Pick-up 3:15-4:00

2/16……IB Parent Night 6:30 p.m.

2/20……Presidents’ Day—NO SCHOOL

2/23……PTO Skating Party 6:30-8:30

2/25……BEF BRAVO Event 7:00-11:00 p.m.

2/28……Pizza Night at Bexley Pizza Plus

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Cassingham teachers have been reflecting upon

their Language Arts instruction with Matt Glover.

Mr. Glover has been helping us hone the ways our

students demonstrate their knowledge within

Reading & Writing Workshop. During his most

recent visit, January 19, Mr. Glover modeled

conferences for us and worked directly with some

lucky students. This exciting work will continue

with a final half day of professional development for

teachers in April.

...kindergarteners will soon be learning how to

Share the Planet? We will explore living things to

learn more about our world. We will be actively

involved with observing animals and plants as we

grow to understand the characteristics of living

things. Non-fiction reading and writing will become

the focus of our workshop times.

...first graders are exploring how people use self-

expression to show thinking, feeling and/or culture?

A BIG THANKS to Bill Manchester for his creative,

interactive presentation that brought our line of

inquiry to life!

...second graders shared information about our

notable persons at our recent Town

Meeting? Everyone had to listen carefully to the

facts shared, two were truths but one fact was

fabricated. Next, we will meet a new friend named

Ed Venture as we learn about How the World Works

through forces & motion including weather.

...third graders have been working to solve recess

problems and understand how we can organize

ourselves to help the common good? We have used

critical thinking to identify

some reoccurring issues and

gathered information to make

informed decisions about

possible solutions. We are

continuing our efforts to improve recess over the

coming months. We appreciate the support of

many people at Cassingham while we collected

information, but especially Ms. Hetzler and the 5th

grade. In our upcoming unit, Sharing the Planet, we

DID YOU KNOW...

¡Feliz invierno! Happy winter!

This month in Spanish, first graders are learning

about birthday celebrations in Latin America. Se-

cond graders are about to embark on a unit regard-

ing sports related vocabulary. Third graders will be

working with fruit words. Please send in any fruit/

veggie stickers that are from a Spanish speaking

country. We will be collecting them to see where

our winter produce originates. Fourth graders are

working with geography and countries in Spanish.

Fifth grade is continuing to learn about culture, tra-

ditions and history in Spain. Sixth graders are

working with communication activities regarding

their interests and technology. Ask your student to

teach you the “frio/caliente” chant that all classes

are learning to aid with remembering important

words!

En La Clase de Español Señora Kristen Konya

will explore how our actions affect our natural

resources.

…fourth graders are currently exploring various

forms of self-expressions related to immigration,

Underground Railroad, and the War of 1812? At

the end of February, students will be expressing

themselves through various forms of international

song and dance. They will perform at the Wexner

Heritage House and at the February 24th

Town

Meeting.

...fifth graders are currently studying energy in the

form of light, sound, and heat in our How the World

Works unit? We are also observing Isaac Newton’s

laws as we play with marbles, scooters and coins.

The Snap Circuit Pro kits are also a source for

adventure as we inquire into how electricity works.

We look forward to Michael Bashaw’s visit later

this month as the climax of this unit!

...sixth graders will be learning about the Ancient

Civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt, India,

and China? We will study the

elements of civilizations and use this

knowledge to create our own

Museums. Watch for more

information concerning a tour to be a

part of this exciting educational event!

SAFETY PATROL NEWS Mrs. Sonja Hutchison, Advisor

Special thanks to all our Patrol Members who are

braving the winter season! Most do not complain as

they look forward to their morning cup of hot choc-

olate! The new second semester schedules have been

emailed to parents and if you need an extra copy,

there are color coded schedules on the Safety Patrol

board. Choose the colored sheet that coordinates

with the corresponding sheet posted on the board.

Attention Parents: please be mindful of how hard

our patrol members work each day and offer a

“thank you” when you see them. A little encourage-

ment can go a long way!

The Mystery Musician for January was Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868). We studied him as a beginning of

our preparation for Opera Columbus’ production of Three Billy Goats Gruff which will come to Cassingham

on March 2. This little opera deals with bullying and how to deal with that sort of behavior.

On Friday, Feb. 24, the fourth graders will present their annual International Program at Wexner Heritage

House (10:30) and at Cassingham (2:30). They are learning songs, games, and dances from all over the

world. The public is invited to either performance.

Notes from the Music Room

by Mrs. Deborah Forsblom

Our annual event, Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart

is just around the corner! Grades 3-5 will partici-

pate in Jump Rope, while 6th grade will participate

in the Hoops for Heart. The event kicks off on

Monday, February 6. Classes have been busy in the

computer lab creating and emailing their website to

donors. You can help your child log on and check

their fundraising progress. www.heart.org/jump or

www.heart.org/hoops students put in their login

and password. A tab at the top - Check my fund-

raising progress - will show them who has donated

and how much. They can then go into Edit my

page and send a thank you email to those that do-

nated. There are even sample thank you notes they

can click and send!

Thank you for supporting Cassingham kids! Our

record breaking year last year, over $8,500.00 in

donations to The American Heart Association, got

us in the top 20 schools in Ohio for donations. Over

the years, Cassingham has donated

$108,763.00. THANK YOU! Cassingham is mak-

ing a difference in research for heart disease and

strokes.

In The Gym With Ms. McCarthy

A Collage From Mrs. Ungar’s Art Room

Here’s what happening in intermediate art classes:

Fourth graders have been working two dimension-

ally in art to create the illusion of depth in their

work. Their fun “Sock Monsters” create a crowd-

ed space using high, medium, & low spaces along

with overlapping taught students how to achieve

their goal.

Fifth and sixth graders have begun their clay fami-

ly bench projects. Students looked at the Family

Sculptures created by artist Henry Moore. They

will build their pieces next week.

A critical date changes this year for Bexley Schools. Students starting kindergarten must be five years old on or before August 1 of the year that they intend to enroll in kindergarten. (Formerly, students had to be five on or before September 30 in order to start school that fall.)

Kindergarten registration for Fall 2012 is scheduled for Tuesday & Wednesday, 4/3 & 4/4/2012 at each of Bexley’s elementary schools.

THINKING AHEAD ABOUT COLLEGE?

Bexley High School hosts an upcoming program

to help school school district parents start pre-

paring for transitions that lie ahead. Parents of

middle school and elementary students will hear

about low-key college visits, financial info and

college search resources, as well as have the

chance to ask questions.

Wednesday, March 7 @ 7:30 p.m.

Bexley High School Theater

A Dose from the Health Office Catherine Burns, R.N. & Joann Spain, R.N.

Ms. Sarah Goodenow Guidance Counselor

IB/PYP Particulars Mrs. Jana Clarke

IB Coordinator

As a staff, we value collaborative planning ses-

sions as we design, reflect upon and revise units

of inquiry to support your child’s academic pro-

gress. Each grading period Cassingham is com-

mitted to ½ day collaborative planning sessions

for each grade level. These professional work

sessions allow time for teachers to examine the

progress students are making across the year and

revise unit plans, gather resources and/or seek

information to enhance that progress. Student

work samples are examined, assessments are re-

viewed and lesson/unit plans are honed during

these sessions. Bexley’s incredible pool of guest

teachers provides high-quality instruction to our

students during these working sessions; we are so

thankful for their work.

Check out what we’ve been planning during

those ½ day sessions:

Kindergarten students will be researching,

observing & discussing worms while cre-

ating an “All About” book with what they

learn. This unit will help them read and

write non-fiction pieces.

First grade teachers set up an inquiry into

maps; students will apply what they learn

by creating and mapping a treasure hunt.

In the second grade, ‘Ed Venture’ will be

guiding students through an investigation

of energy and weather.

Third grade students will have the opportuni-

ty to create model homes demonstrating

what they learn about renewable & non-

renewable resources.

Fourth grade students are studying the con-

nections between personal experiences,

creative expression and historic events.

Fifth graders are investigating light, heat,

sound and electricity through hands-on

experiment stations.

In sixth grade, teachers are setting up inquir-

ies that literally investigate ‘Who We Are’

down to the cellular level.

“Kindness is Contagious”

At Cassingham students are encouraged to “live the

learner profile”. The IB attributes and attitudes

are displayed throughout the school and discussed

and displayed in each classroom. Beginning in Feb-

ruary the Cassingham staff is recognizing students

who are displaying these qualities, even when no

one is looking! Check out all the high fives and

thumbs up our students will be receiving outside of

Ms. Goodenow’s office.

What’s the #1 most common occurrence in children? The common cold. And what is the #1 way to prevent this? Hand washing! A good 20 second scrub does the job. Do you know the difference between cold & flu? Both can have fevers. Flu is more of a sudden onset with extreme exhaustion and muscle aches. Colds have runny noses, sneezing, sore throat & mild hacky cough. What is the 2nd most common occurrence in children? Lice. Peak season for lice is Aug thru Oct, but peaks again in Jan & Feb. The good news is that lice are not harmful; but are inconvenient & highly contagious. Any age can catch head lice but it is most common in ages 5-12. This winter, please educate your child to not share hats, combs, brushes & hair clips. The most common symptom is itching.