Shark Bait Moorefield Station Elementary School 22325 Mooreview Parkway Ashburn, VA 20148 Principal: Karen D. Roche Assistant Principal: Mike Stine Admin Intern: Colleen Flaherty

November 2013

A NOTE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION: The first marking period has come to an end. I hope you have had an opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss his/her progress and plan for the upcoming quarter. Regular communication is the key to a successful home-school connection. Studies show that consistent communication can only help to improve your child’s educational program.

Teachers will be using the teacher workdays to finish conducting conferences, complete report cards and plan for the upcoming second quarter.

Please remember that the more challenging work starts in November, so attendance is very important. When students are present in class and punctual, they get the important material covered by their teacher. Please make every effort to have your child in school each and every day.

Test scores are one way to determine Accreditation and Adequate Yearly Progress; attendance rates are also a factor, so being in school ready to learn is a key to success.

November 18th-22nd is American Education Week. I hope you will mark your calendar and visit your child’s class to see all the great activities that he/she is involved in on a daily basis. More information will be coming in your child’s classroom newsletter.

As we start the new quarter, please be mindful of the kiss and go procedures; do not drop your students off on the side street or in the kiss and go line. This is extremely dangerous. Students are to wait in the car until you reach the gym entrance.

Reminder – DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF ON THE SIDE STREET OR IN THE KISS AND GO LANE UNTIL YOU REACH THE GYM ENTRACE. Thank you for helping us keep your child safe.

Important Events for October/November:

November 1 – Grading Period Ends November 2 – Lace Up For Learning (pre registration required) November 3 – Daylight Savings, Turn Back Clocks November 4 & 5 – No School (Teacher Planning and Work Day) November 5 – Election Day November 6 – Moveable Monday Schedule November 6 – Vision & Hearing Screening November 8 – Mobile Science Lab Event, 6:00pm November 13 – Report Cards Sent Home November 20 – Picture Day Make-up November 27 – 29 – No School (Thanksgiving) December 9 – 13 – Book Fair December 11 – Interims Sent Home December 11 – 4th/5th Gr Chorus Performance, 7:00pm December 11 – Book Fair Night Event, 5:00pm-7:00pm December 23 – January 1 – Winter Break January 2, 2014 – Classes Resume

A MEMO FROM MUSIC: For the month of November, 4th & 5th grade Winter Chorus continues rehearsing for their performance on December 11th at 7pm. Fourth grade rehearses on Friday mornings from 7:30-8:00AM and fifth grade rehearses on Monday afternoons from 2:05-2:35pm. Lyrics to all the chorus songs

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Shark Bait have been posted on the music page of the school website, which is updated regularly to keep you informed of upcoming musical events during the school year. Also included on the website will be any extra materials your child needs to prepare for musicals, as they occur throughout the year. If you are the parent of a 1st or 2nd grader, ask them to sing our “November” song to you. If you’d like to find out more about what we are doing in class, ask your child!

SNIPPETS FROM SEARCH:

In SEARCH this month, kindergarteners will use their Creating Thinking Key in their Not a Stick lesson. First graders will be introduced to the word “permutation” and see how many ways they can dress a scarecrow. Students in second grade will try their hand at the logic lesson Barnyard Round Up. In third grade, students will be encouraged to put on their creative thinking caps as they solve a problem using shapes. November might be getting colder, but our brains are just starting to heat up!

Art E-facts:

Students in grades first through fifth have been creating wonderful artwork. The first grade has recently finished a project using continuous line to make a fish composition. The students reviewed the primary colors when painting their fish. The second graders are working on a cut paper silhouette landscape. We looked at photographs of silhouettes and talked about how they are created. Third grade has created a fall silhouette composition using background, middle-ground, and foreground. In addition, the fourth grade students have finished reviewing symmetry while creating positive and negative space shapes. Finally, fifth graders also reviewed positive and negative space while creating symmetrical faces.

Throughout the month of November, the students will continue using the elements of design in their artworks,

along with learning new “art words.” We will be learning about new artists and works of art. In addition, we will be integrating art with cultures learned in the classroom.

BITS AND BYTES FROM THE LAB: The month of October is coming to a close and autumn has arrived. This is an obvious sight in the lab because the first graders are using Pixie to draw the seasons and their changes.

Speaking of change, continue to watch the Moorefield Station website for updates and continuous changes. There is a helpful calendar at the bottom to keep you posted about all that is occurring at our school! Important upcoming events would be a school newspaper, produced by our very own Sharks!!!

Third, fourth, and fifth graders are about to take benchmark tests online to assess their understanding of concepts taught in the classroom. Take a moment at home and Google “Virginia Online Practice Tests” or “Virginia SOL Practice Questions” and see the many websites that can help your child prepare for the assessments they will take this year. You know what they say, “Practice makes perfect!”

We are slowly receiving the equipment to begin our morning news show. The fifth graders had the opportunity to apply for a position in the news show. Applications that arrived before the deadline will be analyzed. Auditions will begin shortly. We are limited to the number of positions we can offer students. We hope to offer an opportunity for everyone that applied. If your child does not get the position they desired, we will have many more chances for individuals/groups to be on the morning news!!!

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Shark Bait COUNSELOR’S CORNER:

Thanks to all who donated food for our “Moorefield Makes a difference” service project! Loudoun County’s Interfaith Relief was pleased at our collection. In November, 5th graders in Mrs. Lissak’s class will be sponsoring another drive for Interfaith and the Loudoun County Animal Shelter. Blankets, towels, pet food, and animal toys of all kinds will be collected and given to animals in need throughout Loudoun County. Support groups are currently being scheduled and many have begun. Guidance lessons this month will focus on responsibility and being thankful. Individual counseling is always available for students, as are fun lunches with our counselors.

We have enjoyed meeting with many students and families and are more than happy to meet, should you have any concerns.

BOUNCING INTO P.E.:

What are we learning?

In November students will learn about the FITT principal while getting our "sweat on" in our ciurcuit training classes. A healthy diet goes hand in hand with a good workout program, so we feel this is the perfect opportunity to introduce the food groups and a healthy balanced diet. For more information on our nutrition program visit www.choosemyplate.gov. In addition to all our great exercise and nutrition, we'll be sure to have a little bit of fun with some dance, bowling, and volleyball skills!

Website:

We have added some "at home" workouts that you can all enjoy together in the comfort of your living room. Just click on Physical Activity Videos on our P.E. website and get started!

Skills of the Month:

Dance and Rhythm Striking with Hands Rolling and Bowling

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH PTO INFO:

Link to the MSE PTO page from our very own home page. Keep up to date with special events and spirit wear orders.

You heard it here first…the PTO will be hosting the next spirit wear order from their website. You can order and pay right online! This order process is coming soon. Stay alert and look for all the announcements on the MSE homepage!

SAFETY FIRST:

All visitors to schools will be required to verify their identification with school personnel prior to entry; regardless of the frequency they may visit an individual school. To Request Entry:

• Have Photo Identification Ready • Stand on the yellow footprints • Push and release button • Present photo id when asked • Please go directly to the office to sign in and obtain

a visitor’s pass All exterior doors will be closed and locked at the beginning of school and remain so until students are released for the

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Shark Bait day. Using the AIPHONE will be the only way visitors will be admitted to the school. These security practices are intended to assure parents, students and staff of the school’s commitment to safety and security, balancing both the needs of the public with reasonable security provisions.

HEALTH ROOM NEWS:

The Vision and Hearing Screeners will be back on November 6 from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm at Moorefield Station Elementary to screen the students in KG, third grade and those new to Loudoun County. Two volunteers are needed to escort the students to and from the screening.

The cold and flu season will soon be upon us. If you are in doubt as to sending your child to school, please refer to the October 2013 newsletter.

Tips to preventing colds and flu:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or singing the Happy Birthday song twice, and wipe with paper towels:

o Before: eating o after: coughing/sneezing, using the

bathroom, playing outside, coming inside coming home from school

• Don’t touch the T-Zone: eyes, nose and mouth. • Sneeze or cough into your elbow. • Eat healthy and nutritious foods. • Get plenty of sleep.

• Drink plenty of fluids

FACTS FROM FLES:

5TH graders are doing an awesome job with their oral presentations of “Todo Acerca de Mi” (All about Me) in

Spanish. They are fantastic with their power points, videos, and posters. Fabuloso trabajo! (Fabulous work!)

4th graders are very enthusiastic to present the weather of the day in Spanish. They are very creative with their posters, power points, and videos. Tremendo trabajo! (Tremendous work!)

KEEP POSTED ON HAPPENING AT MSE!:

Visit http://www.lcps.org/mses

Note: If due to a disability you need assistance to enable you to

participate meaningfully in a school meeting or event, please contact

the school office (571-252-2380) at least five working days prior to the

event.

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