Pride PostMarch 2019

Seven Oaks Promise

Seven Oaks P.R.I.D.E.Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Discipline, Excellence

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Farah Springer, Principal Phone (410)222-0937

fspringer@aacps.org Fax (410)305-2590

Amy Fee, Assistant Principal https://twitter.com/sevenoakses

March DatesWomen’s History MonthNational Nutrition Month4th- National School Breakfast Week5th- School Closed for Students- Parent Conferences12th- Interims sent home16th- 5th Grade Pancake Breakfast21st- International Night 5:30-7:3026th -2 Hr Early Dismissal (Prof Dev) No PM Pre-K

In this issue:Vision & Hearing- Pg 2Grade Level News- Pgs 2-5School Counselor- Pg 6CRASC- Pg. 7Flapjack Fundraiser- Pg. 8Multicultural Night – Pg. 9PTA Info- Pg. 10Yearbook- Pg. 11Chaperones/Volunteers– Pg 11Free/Reduced Meals- Pg 11Uniform- Pg 12Parent Connect- Pg 13Visitors/Attendance- Pg 14Outside Food- Pg 15Early Dismissals- Pg 15Changes in Dismissal- Pg 15Lunch/Recess Schedule- Pg 15Lunch Prices- Pg 15Harris Teeter/Giant Rewards- Pg 16Clothing for Cash- Pg 17Health Room Info- Pg 18Twitter- Pg 18School Cameras- Pg 18

Principal’s Message

Dear SOE Families,

Great things are happening at SOE! We are lucky to share your children! March brings lots of activities and field trips to enhance daily instructional opportunities.

Students have been working diligently on their science projects and showing their brain power! We are fortunate to have such engaged and enthusiastic learners.

A special thank you goes out to our PTA for planning several fun-filled activities, including our family dance. Thank you to all who participated in all our fundraising events!!! Your support is greatly appreciated!!!

In partnership,

Farah SpringerPrincipal

SEVEN

Grade Level News

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Pre-K We are rocking and rolling in Pre-K! Our brains are growing each and every day! Many

families ask "what can I do to help at home?" The best thing you can do for your little learners is read, read, read! Read and ask questions about the stories you are reading; this skill builds comprehension in little readers, it shows them what smooth reading sounds like, and makes reading exciting and pleasurable! Keep reading with them and watch how much they grow :)

Happy Reading Little Geniuses!

Kindergarten CornerThis month we will continue with Theme 3 “The Power in Our World”. In this theme, we will

learn about plants, animals, and nature. We will learn that we have the power to adapt to the environment in order to stay safe.

In Science we will also learn about animals’ habitats and needs in order to survive, plants’ environments, needs, and adaptations in order to survive, human’s needs for survival, different types of weather and adapting to the environment to be safe.

In Language and Literacy skills, we will focus on reviewing all letters with an emphasis on corresponding sounds, high frequency words, pronouns, and word families.

In Math we will be learning about counting to 81 by ones and tens and by starting with any given number, counting objects and writing the number to show how many up to 20, comparing two groups of objects (up to 10) using greater than, less than, or equal to, comparing two written numbers from 1-10, adding and subtracting within 10 using objects, fingers, pictures, drawings, numbers, sounds (i.e. clapping), and/or equations, solving addition (up to 10) and subtraction (within 10) word problems, and decomposing numbers 4 to 7 in more than one way using objects, drawings, and/or equations

We had so much fun celebrating the 100th day of Kindergarten last month! Thanks again parents for helping your child with their homework projects each month!

First GradeForget March Madness, it’s MARCH GLADNESS! We completed our second semester recently

and the first graders are still working hard. We are looking forward to a great Spring!This month, we will be learning more about how sound and light influences communication. We

are very excited for our March 1 field trip to experience the Meyerhoff Symphony live. We will also be celebrating Dr. Suess and everyone’s love for reading!

Parent-teacher conferences will be on March 5th so please continue to check your child’s blue folder for more information.

Vision & Hearing ScreeningVision & Hearing Screening has been rescheduled for March 25th. The retest date will be April

3rd. All Pre-K, K, 1st grade and any students new to the county will be tested.

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Second GradeThird quarter is off to a great start! Conferences will be held on Tuesday, March 5 th. Your child’s

teacher has informed you if a conference is needed at this time. This will be the last scheduled conference date of the school year. Students need to continue to dress appropriate for the weather. Students should be studying spelling words daily at home in addition to practicing at school. Your child should be reading each night at their level and recording on their reading log. If you need books on your child’s reading level, you can search on scholastic.com by their level.

Students will be continuing to explore geometry concepts while working with the M² program. Students will be investigating 2- and 3- dimensional shapes by experimenting with bubbles and discussing similarities and differences. Students will also be describing the properties of shapes including faces, edges and vertices as they compose and decompose shapes. Students will continue to explore and write opinion pieces in writing workshop. In this unit students will see through the eyes of an Environmental Steward, and study how we can change the world!

Third Grade

Third grade has been moving quickly through the 3rd marking period! Students are continuing to work hard. Fourth Grade is fast approaching! In reading, students are continuing to work on understanding texts in a deeper way. In writing, students are continuing to work on opinion pieces and supporting their opinion with reasons. Students will be asked to organize their writing, write an introduction and conclusion, and use linking words and phrases.

In math, students will be focusing on developing a deeper understanding the relationship between multiplication and division by investigating patterns in numbers and operations. In science, students will be studying and investigating how Earth systems work. In social studies, students will identify the role of economics in everyday lives, focus on personal decision making and how it impacts others and identify economic principles and processes that are helpful to producers and consumers when making good decisions. We look forward to another month of learning and fun! As always, please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.

Fourth Grade

In this month of March, our students will be learning strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems in fractions and mixed numbers in Math. In Reading, students will continue to learn how to identify poetic elements and devices to interprete the author's perspective and the theme. In Science, students will learn about heat energy and how collision affects the motion of objects. In Social Studies, students will be learning about the role of Maryland in the War of 1812 and how these conflicts influenced her growth and stability as a state. In Writing, our students will be learning how to write opinion pieces and build their confidence in creating constructive arguments on various topics.This month we will be engaging our students in a weekly reading challenge called the "Hot Stuff" to boost their love for reading. We encourage you to continue to support your student and remind them to read every day and complete the reading log weekly.

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Fifth GradeAs the third quarter continues, and interims are getting ready to be distributed, the

time has come to reflect on our progress. We will continue to promote rigor, critical thinking, and collaboration in all content areas in order to prepare for our upcoming third quarter benchmark assessments which will be at the end of March in Reading Language Arts. The math county assessment is scheduled for early April. In math, we have ended our unit on fractions, and continuing our lessons on adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing decimals. We will be moving to geometry towards the middle of the month. In science, we finished our unit on the four spheres, and have begun studying food webs. Specifically, we will be focusing on ecosystems and hydroponic farming. In addition, students will be taking the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) beginning on March 11th. In Social Studies, students will continue to explore the American Revolution. Students will identify the key turning points in the war and analyze these events from multiple perspectives. In Reading Language Arts, students will read a combination of literary and informational texts. Literary text instruction will be geared around various literary elements and how they contribute to meaning. There will be an emphasis on interpreting poetry. Students will focus their thinking around the evidence in the text in order to support their thinking. Students will continue to compare and contrast themes and topics, as well as integrate information from several literary texts in order to write or speak about various literary elements. Although our 5th Drownproofing trip is not until April 1st-4th, it is important to mark these important dates on your calendar as we will need many parent volunteers, both men and women. (If you would like to chaperone, you must have fingerprints on file with the school board) More information will be sent home mid-March. Did you know that the fourth most common cause of accidental death in the United States is drowning? During Drownproofing, techniques and skills will be taught to students to help in an emergency situation.  

Music NewsIn music classes, the children are learning new skills. Kindergarten students are doing lots of

moving to show high and low, as well as fast and slow. First grade students are also using lots of movement to practice the pitches so and mi. Second grade students are developing their rhythm and melody skills with a variety of songs from around the world. Third, fourth and fifth graders are playing their recorders as well as learning about other musical elements.

Chorus is working on music for the Spring Concert. The concert date is Wednesday, May 22. For those involved in after school chorus, our rehearsals will resume on March 6. We will meet every other Wednesday. Our schedule is listed below.

March 6 March 20 April 3 April 17 May 1 May 15

Please remember afterschool chorus ends at 4:00.Thank you for your support of the music program at Seven Oaks

Elementary.

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Media

The students are learning a lot in Media class! The primary students are learning how to locate books in the Media center and are working to identify features of nonfiction texts. In addition, they will conduct research to learn about animals, transportation, and communication.

The intermediate students are learning about Fiction Genres, Folktales, and Poetry in the media center. They will use our Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) to help them locate books of specific genres. They will use our many databases to help support their learning in their classrooms.

Students are reading and checking out the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan books!!

EEE    In Arts & Humanities will begin March by finishing our third unit of the year focusing on different perspectives. 2nd and 3rd grade are using life size puppets or shadow puppets for writing and acting out stories of empathy, while 5th grade is writing and recording raps about empathy. Kindergarten and 1st grade are choreographing nursery rhymes and the four seasons in teams, showing how movement tells a story. 4th grade has been exploring different ways the arts bring joy to humans. They will now pick a person to interview and select the right type of gift through the arts for this person.

As we finish March, we move into units based on understanding the structure and function of objects, plants, animals and tools. Kindergarten will design a 3D model of themselves as a bug, which also ties nicely to their plants and animals unit in Science. 1st grade will be creating wellness videos for other classrooms to use that tell stories about how all living things share traits and culture. This also ties directly to their classroom curriculum. 2nd grade will continue to explore self regulation techniques and create a Mindful Museum of artifacts from the unit inspired by their explorations. 3rd grade will be composing music using different types of non traditional instruments. 4th grade will explore the sound of objects to write and record a radio drama. 5th grade will be discovering how humans perceive situations and objects differently.

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This Month during Classroom Guidance.

TEST TAKING STRATEGIES This month students in grade 5 will take the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA). MISA are science assessments in Grade 5, 8 and High School. These assessments provide educators, parents, and the public with information on student progress towards science literacy. In April, our students in grades 3-5 will take the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a test of reading and math achievement. Now is a good time to review test taking strategies. Students have worked hard in class and are ready to show what they know. Below are a few test taking strategies you can review with your child in preparation for any test.

1) Be sure to get plenty of rest the night before the test and eat a healthy meal the morning of the test. The PARCC tests endurance and skill. 2) Stay focused on the test and pace yourself so that you don’t run out of time. 3) Use strategies such as process of

elimination to remove incorrect answers and save time. 4) Read the question first. The test requires you to read passages and then answer questions about what you read; so this will help know what you are looking for as you read. 5) Read the short essay directions carefully to be sure you’re addressing the question, providing enough details, using evidence from the text to support your claims and starting with a topic sentence. 6) Check back over your work to be sure that you’ve answered all questions. Double check to prevent careless errors in math. Finally, RELAX and use positive self-talk. You have worked hard all school year and are ready to show what you know - Mrs. Elam & Ms. Queen.

Fall 2019 Magnet Information Sessions

Dates for the Fall 2019 Magnet Information Sessions are already posted in English and Spanish. Visit the home page of www.aacps.org/magnet for additional information or to print the information session flyer. Late applications are being accepted for some Magnet Programs for entry in Fall, 2019. See www.aacps.org/magnet for details.

Work Habits and Mindfulness K Work Habits and Mindfulness 1

Work Habits and Mindfulness

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Test Taking Strategies/Mindfulness

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Test Taking Strategies/Mindfulness

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Test Taking Strategies/Mindfulness 5

T he Counselor ’s Cor ner March 2019

Mrs. Theresa L. Morgan-Elam School Counselor

(410)222-0937 Tlmorgan-Elam@aacps.org

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PTA NEWS

Here's a sneak peak at upcoming March events...

3/5 - No School: Parent/Teacher Conferences

3/8 - Family Skate Night

3/12 - Interims Sent Home

3/16 - Fifth Grade Flapjack Fundraiser

3/21 - Family Multicultural Night

3/21 - Chick-fil-a Spirit Night

3/26 - 2hr Early Dismissal

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FAMILY SKATE NIGHTFriday, March 8th5:30pm - 7:30pm

Wheels Skating CenterOdenton, MD

Admission is FREE for PTA MembersNon-PTA Members pay only $3 per skater

(does not include skate rental)$3 for Quad & $4 for In-Line/Speed Skates

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Chaperone/Volunteer Background Investigation ApplicationBackground investigations are required for all overnight chaperones, volunteers, and

student teachers who have unsupervised access to students either on or off school property. Unsupervised access is defined as an adult having responsibility for a student or students not in the direct and continuous view of a school staff member.  A background check is required regardless of how brief the unsupervised time will be.

Background investigations forms must be submitted online* and a minimum of three weeks prior to the event.  Applicants are required to review and acknowledge the AACPS

screening criteria for chaperone and volunteer background investigations before applying for a background check.

Please consider submitting your application now so that you will be cleared for any upcoming events.

https://www.aacps.org/Page/1869 Mandatory Volunteer Video

In addition to the background check, volunteers are required to watch a short video prior to volunteering.

You may use the link below to view the Volunteer Video:

https://md02215556.schoolwires.net/Page/2460Please fill out the form on the next page after viewing the video and return to school.

Applying for Free or Reduced-Meal PricesThe application for Free or Reduced-Meal prices can be found at the link below:

http://aacpsschools.org/nutrition/apply-for-free-or-reduced-price-meals/

*Families must re-apply each school year.

Yearbook OrdersAll yearbook order forms and payments are due by March 22, 2019. Order forms have been

sent home. If you need an additional form you may get one in the office.

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Seven Oaks Elementary School Uniform Policy Seven Oaks Elementary School Uniform Policy

Things listed below are in

COMPLIANCE with the mandatory uniform policy for boys and girls. Adhering to this policy

will help make your time at Seven Oaks Elementary School pleasant and

enjoyable.

Tops: Tops must be light blue, navy blue or white long or short-sleeved polo style Tops must be tucked in securely.

Other Tops: Other tops may include a V-neck

sweater style vest, front button cardigan, sweatshirt with a banded collar or a Seven Oaks Elementary School sweatshirt. Tops must be light blue, navy blue or white.

Belts: A solid, plain black, dark brown, or navy blue leather or leather-like belt must go through the loops and be buckled securely around the waist. Belt buckles should be plain.

Shoes: Shoes must be safe and enclose the foot. Shoes may not expose students to safety hazards nor should they impede a student from moving quickly during an evacuation of the building. Athletic shoes are permitted.

Pants: Navy blue or Khaki full-length standard issue pants are to be worn securely around the waist with a belt.

Skirts/Shorts/Skorts: Navy blue or Khaki in color; must extend to the middle of the thigh when standing at attention. (Shorts may be worn between April 1 and Oct. 31)

Things listed below are

VIOLATIONS of the uniform policy. The policy is for

girls and boys.

Tops: Tops may not have any designs, logos,

characters, names or numbers of any size. Sleeveless tops, crop tops, v-necks, halters, undershirts, and tee shirts are not allowed. Tops may not be un-tucked (White T-shirts may be worn under the school uniform top.)

Other Tops: Tops may not have a hood, zipper, designs, logos, characters, names or numbers of any size. Jackets and coats may not be worn in class and must be kept in the student lockers.

Belts: Belts may not have anything dangling. They may not contain chain loops, symbols, larger designer insignia, characters, names or numbers of any size.

Shoes: Flip-flops or sandals may not be worn to school.

Pants: Pants may not contain large designer

insignia, characters, names or numbers. No bandanas. Pants may not be rolled up or tucked into footwear.

Skirts/Shorts/Skorts: Mini and/or tight skirts/shorts/skorts are not allowed.

Jewelry and Accessories: Jewelry should not pose safety hazards or be a distraction. Necklaces should not be longer than 18 inches. Charms may not be replicas of weapons or contraband.

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Notice to Parents and VisitorsAll parents/visitors must report to the main office before proceeding

into the school. The safety of all students and staff in Anne Arundel County Public Schools is of utmost importance to all of us.  Our school will be utilizing a system for checking in all visitors.  The system is called: V Soft by RaptorWare.  When you visit our school for the first time, you will be asked to present a government-issued photo ID to a staff person in the school office.  This card will be scanned, and the following information will be collected:  your photo, your name, and your date of birth.  This information will be utilized to check you in, create an ID badge, and compare your information against sexual offender databases throughout the country.  If your name appears on any of the lists or you refuse to allow the use of your ID, then access to the school will be denied.  On future visits to a school, in which you have previously registered, you will only be asked to show your ID as your name will be selected from an existing list of previous visitors.  You will also be asked to sign out with the office upon leaving the school so that we know you have departed the building.  The information collected will not be shared outside of the school and is kept on a secure server. 

We ask that you say your morning goodbyes at the front door and allow your child to proceed to his/her class independently. We also ask that you help your child be responsible for bringing all materials needed every day, including lunches, instruments and homework. Your cooperation in this security effort is greatly appreciated.

1 Attendance Regular school attendance is an important factor in student success. As a parent,

you can encourage proper attendance by ensuring that your child gets adequate rest, eats a healthy breakfast, and has adequate time to catch the school bus or walk to school.

There are lawful reasons for absence from school. Whenever your child is absent, you must provide a note of explanation to the school within three days of your child’s return to school. Absences of five consecutive days or more require a physician’s note.

School hours are from 8:15 a.m. until 2:40 p.m. Students who walk or are driven to school should plan to arrive between 7:55a.m.-8:10 a.m. Students should not be dropped off before 7:55 a.m., as there is no supervision until this time. All students are expected to be in their classrooms by 8:15 a.m. so as not to be marked tardy. We highly recommend that all communities form walking groups, so students can walk together, and adults can take turns supervising the walk to and from school.

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Outside FoodIn consideration of wellness issues and student allergies, outside food is discouraged

to share with classmates.

Early DismissalsWe apologize for the inconvenience, but for the safety of our students, early

dismissal of students will only occur before 2:30.

Changes in DismissalPlease notify the school in writing if there are changes in your child’s

dismissal.Lunch & Recess Schedule

Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

3rd Grade

1st Grade

2nd Grade

Kindergarten (KB, KD)

Kindergarten (KA, KC, KE)

10:30-10:55

11:00-11:25

Recess

2:05-2:30

1:00-1:25

Lunch

11:30-11:55

12:00-12:25

12:30-12:55

1:00-1:25

10:00-10:20

10:35-11:00

12:00-12:25

2:00-2:25

12:30-12:55 1:00-1:25

2018-19 School Lunch PricesApplications for Free/Reduced Meals will be done online this year.

Please follow the link below:http://aacpsschools.org/nutrition/apply-for-free-or-reduced-price-meals/

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SOE Parents and Supporters!!!

Seven Oaks Elementary joins Harris Teeter's Together in Education (TIE) program to help raise funds for our schools.  It's easy and it's FREE. 

Complete either of the following to link your VIC card: 

Simply give the cashier our code, 4062, and your VIC card when you check out and your card will be linked for the entire school year;

Go to the TIE page (https://www.harristeeter.com/ together -in- education #/app/cms ) and link your card directly;

Contact Jackie Johnson (jjohnsonpta@gmail.com) to link your VIC card to our school. 

That's it!

Once your card is linked, Seven Oaks Elementary will receive a percentage of your Harris Teeter brand (Harris teeter, H.T. Traders, Harris Teeter Organics, HT Farmers Market, and purchases in the HT Pharmacy) purchases credited back to our account.  This program does not interfere with your VIC savings or cost you any money!

Please contact Jackie Johnson (jjohnsonpta@gmail.com) for assistance.

Giant's A+ School Rewards

Seven Oaks Elementary is participating with Giant's A+ School Rewards! This is a great opportunity to participate in and earn CASH from A+ School Rewards, a great fundraising program run through your local Giant! Our school ID number: 05579  

To participate, just visit www.giantfood.com/aplus and scroll down to the center of the page to select REGISTER YOUR CARD from the red box on the right marked FOR CUSTOMERS.

To earn points, use your registered GIANT CARD each time you shop at Giant, and you will earn CASH for our school. You can track the number of points you are earning for our school by checking your grocery receipt.    

Please encourage your family members and friends to support our school. This could result in more CASH REWARDS!

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FROM THE HEALTH ROOM:If your child has a cast or sling, or requires the use of crutches, please notify the Health Room and provide physician documentation regarding the level of activity restriction.

This is the time of year where children are getting sick during school and need to be sent home. If you have recently changed phone numbers, please take a moment to verify that the school has your current phone number(s) on file.

Should I keep my child home?

If your child has a temperature of 100◦ or above with a cough or sore throat, feels nauseated or has vomited, or he/she has a rash that has not been diagnosed by a doctor, your child should be kept home from school. Children must be fever free (less than 100◦) for 24 hours without any fever reducing medication before he/she can return to school. Please encourage your child to practice good health habits: get adequate rest, eat healthy meals, exercise daily, and wash his/her hands frequently. All of these help to keep your child healthy during flu and cold season!

NO FLU VACCINE AT SCHOOL THIS YEAR!

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC recommend everyone over the age of 6 months receive a flu shot. Please plan to make arrangements through your pediatrician to get a flu shot for

your child this year.

Vision & Hearing Rescheduled

Vision and Hearing Screening has been rescheduled for March 25, 2019. The make-up date is April 3, 2019

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A little birdie told me...Seven OaksElementary

is now on Twitter!Follow us

@sevenoaksesGet news and updates

from our school and AACPS

Video Camera SystemSeven Oaks Elementary School is equipped with a video camera system. It covers selected interior and exterior public portions of the building and grounds. It is not monitored constantly but is monitored during emergency situations. During certain events, when the safety or security of students may be in question, authorized personnel from local, state, or federal police or fire emergency units may be given access to view images projected on the camera system. If you have any questions about the system, you may call the office of School Security, at (410) 222-5083.

Record Physical ExamMaryland State Regulation (COMAR 13A.05.05.07) requires that each student entering a

Maryland public school system for the first time has a physical examination form completed by a physician or certified nurse practitioner. The Record of Physical Examination Form should have been provided when students were enrolled. A letter has been sent home to families if their student does not have a physical on file.