Marching into March

“We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit.” (Education for a New World; retrieved from bitsofpositivity.com)

Greetings, dear families, 

I apologize for not doing my blog in February; it was a crazy busy month and my first focus is always teaching and then communicating with you. If you haven't heard your children talking about the Writing Scrimmage January 15, well, let's just say it was one heck of an assignment! It was a practice assignment that served as a benchmark to see what skills needed to be addressed when writing an informational or expository essay. Students were asked to read two articles (you can find it in Google Classroom Cycle 3), and address the prompt given at the end of the readings.

As of today, some students are still working on learning how to read, interpret, and address the prompt, as well as learning to cite their sources (this is a biggie!). For the lessons, students were divided into learning groups based on their needs in the following categories: Introduction; Body Paragraphs; Transitions; Vocabulary, Style, Sentence Patterns; Word Choice; and Conclusion. **If students participated in the small group lessons they needed, they were exempt from doing the Apprentice Sentences.**

Writing is not a quick process for many of our students, so I find it worthy of using any time I have to work with them in pairs, small groups, or individually. Our next Writing Scrimmage is scheduled for March 12 and I look forward to seeing the growth the students are sure to make.

March 11: Walk or Bike to School Day
March 12: Writing Scrimmage
March 13: Half-day for Students
March 13: End of the 3rd Marking Period (*All work for the 3rd quarter is due no later than Wednesday, 3/11)
March 14 - 22: SPRING BREAK
March 23: 4th Marking Period begins

When students return from Spring Break, we will have a two-week window to review for GMAS. I will send specific testing dates to you as soon as I have them. We are being asked to do a pretest beginning April 1 (not an April Fool's joke). As soon as I know more about what that entails, I will share information with you.

Standardized testing is a hot topic and can cause a lot of anxiety among children, families, and teachers. Although testing is serious,  we will be approaching it with as little stress as possible. Our focus is on growth and encouraging students to focus on doing their best. We believe that students will perform better if they are well-rested and relaxed. As partners in your child's education, we would appreciate you helping us with this. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch.

Lastly, we need a few things for our classrooms if you are able to make a donation:

• Facial tissue
• Hand sanitizer
• Plastic cutlery (spoons and forks)
• Paper towels

Parents of 8th graders: It is my understanding that students/families were notified today about their high school placement. While we all want the best for your child, we would appreciate you speaking with your child about being gracious when discussing this with their classmates. We have an amazing group of kind and compassionate students and want to ensure that everyone feels supported and encouraged, no matter the outcome of the high school application process.

Thanks for hanging in there. I'll be in touch soon (and won't let an entire month slip through my fingers).

Ms. Susan

Here's to New Beginnings

Comes January, cold and gray

The new year's just beginning

And February, short and bright

With Valentine hearts winning

Rick W. Cotton 

www.familyfriendpoems.com

The 7th Grade Trip
     All 7th grade students were given handouts this week regarding our February trip to Rock Eagle. Please make sure all permission slips and money is turned in by February 10. If you didn't see the handout, please ask your child about it and make sure it isn't hiding in his/her bookbag, Chromebook case, binder, etc. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

The Spring semester of DEEP is well on its way. Three students from the Fall semester were chosen to read their work at Yamacraw Center of Performing Arts on Sunday, 2/16 at 5 pm. 

GMAS tutorial has started for 8th grade students in reading and math. The reading tutorial takes place on Thursdays from 3:15 - 4:15. The math tutorial letters were sent home with a calendar showing dates that tutorial will be held. 

Conferences
     We are approaching our last week of conferences. If you have not already scheduled one with your child's homeroom teacher, please do so at your earliest convenience.

Progress Reports
     Progress Reports for the 3rd nine weeks will be sent home next Friday, 2/7.

Students are completing assessments this week as we end Cycle 3 and move into Cycle 4. Students will be given time to make corrections on their Math and Natural World tests tomorrow and next week. The final assessment for Language is the Poetry Anthology and is due tomorrow, 1/31.

Enjoy our wacky weather and get in touch if you have any questions or concerns.

Ms. Susan

January 21, 2020

Happy Hugging Day!
Happy Granola Bar Day!
Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day!

I guess we should show our appreciation by hugging squirrels who are eating granola bars? In any case, just a few notes...

First, please note that tutorial has been cancelled beginning this Thursday, 1/23, due to parent conferences. However, there are specific tutorial sessions being conducted with selected 8th grade students in reading with Ms. Susan on Thursdays from 3:15 - 4:15. Math tutorial will be with Ms. Christy. A calendar for those sessions was sent home with the permission slips that were sent home Friday. 

If you haven't yet signed up for a parent conference, please do so at your earliest convenience. 

Some of our PE students have been invited to go to Jekyll Island on Friday, along with Ms. Christy, Mr. Sean, and Coach Lesley. They will be demonstrating a game at the PE conference. Can't wait to hear all about their experience as presenters!

The rest of us will be going on a field trip Friday to the Mountain Film Festival. Please make sure you have signed and returned the field trip form so that we can all enjoy this wonderful experience that is both education and entertaining.

We are in our last two weeks of Cycle 3 which means students will be taking exams next week in Language Arts, Natural World, and Math.

Please make sure you are checking your child's work chart and signing the back. This is one way of communicating the work expectations and for all of us to work together to prepare all students to become more independent and accountable for doing their best work.

Thank you for your time,
Ms. Susan

Dear Families,

There are a lot of things happening around Ellis and the Erdkinder program - it's time to make sure you are all kept in the loop (maybe that should be "fast lane" instead of "loop"...).

Boosterthon Fun Run -
     As I am sure you have heard, we have been quite motivated by the Boosterthon Team, aka Nancy and Maddie. The school goal is $18000 and we are almost there. Tonight is the last night to pledge or donate money to this energizing and exciting event. You may go to www.funrun.com to make an online contribution.

7th Grade Trip -
     Our 7th Grade Trip is fast approaching! Please make sure you have returned your child's field trip form. If you have not yet done so, we ask that you do this at your earliest convenience. The fee for the trip is $170 and can be paid in full or  you may make payments. For more information about the trip, please contact Ms. Christy at christy.caughran@sccpss.com.

Report Cards & Conferences -
     Please make sure you have seen your child's report card and selected two conference times on the conference form. These need to be returned as soon as possible as conferences are scheduled to begin next week. 

DEEP Writing Program -
     Over the years our students have had amazing opportunities to work with DEEP instructors as a means of becoming stronger writers or expressing their creativity. At the end of each semester, the DEEP leaders and student peers select the pieces that will be shared at DEEP Speaks. Please help us congratulate Rose, Maeva, and Campbell as the selected readers for the Fall semester. DEEP Speaks will be held Sunday, February 16, at the Yamacraw Center for the Performing Arts. The event is scheduled from 5:00 - 6:30 pm. Please join us as we celebrate all of the writing students from this group. In addition, all students who met the attendance requirement will have their work published. These books never disappoint and continually demonstrate what talents lie inside our adolescents. Students will get a free copy but if you are interested in purchasing a copy, let me know and I will get the information for you.

Signing out for now (and resting up for the Fun Run),
Ms. Susan

JANUARY 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope you had a restful break and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Here are a few things you need to know to start 2020 off on the right foot:

1) Students will get their Social World tests for C3 returned to them Tuesday. Due to instructional time needed to stay on schedule, students will not be able to make corrections during the school day. Test corrections may be completed at home, before school, or during after-school tutorials on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tutorial ends at 4:30 but students may leave early with your permission. Please send in a note or email me if your child is planning on staying for tutorial. Saturday School is also an option on January 25. All test corrections must be submitted by January 27. Thank you for your support, and, as always, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. Test grades, including vocabulary, will be entered into PowerSchool by Tuesday afternoon.

2)Report cards will be issued to your child Friday, January 10.  Conference forms will be attached for your convenience. We are planning on the weeks of January 20 and January 27. 

3) REMINDER: SCHOOL CHOICE APPLICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE BEGINNING JANUARY 11! For more information, you may go to www.choice.sccpss.com. If you have any questions regarding the high school application process, please feel free to get in touch with our wonderful counselors: Ms. Ivey (ivey.poinsette@sccpss.com) and Ms. Rebecca (rebecca.burkhart@sccpss.com).

The SCCPSS School Choice Expo will be held at Savannah Mall on Saturday, 1/11, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

4) Monday, January 13, our 8th grade students will have the opportunity to visit Woodville-Tompkins. 

5) The Fun Run/Boosterthon kicks off this week! You may go online to www.funrun.com to register your child. Please share this information with your family members so they know how to contribute to this worthy cause.  The date of the Fun Run is Thursday, 1/16.

6) Yearbooks ... are currently on sale for $20 until February 22. After that date, the cost will be $25. You may purchase them online by going to www.strawbridge.net and entering our school code:
YB108996. You may also pay by cash or check. If paying by check, please make checks out to Charles Ellis Montessori.

7) Ms. Angie, our amazing technology teacher, is offering a class, "Girls Who Code," that will meet on Friday afternoons from 3:00 - 4:15. Classes begin 1/10 and continue through 3/6. Interested children should speak to Ms. Angie. 

8) The winter semester of DEEP begins Thursday, January 23. Class sessions are from 3 - 4:30. If your child was unable to participate in the fall semester, please encourage them to get an application asap. *Note: If your child will be participating in Spring sports (basketball, soccer, etc.), they will not be able to participate in DEEP.

9) Last, but not least, I'd like to share an article with you about anxiety. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this can be a very trying time for our students, especially our 8th graders who are applying for high schools. Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize anxiety because everyone expresses it differently.  Here is the link if you are interested:
https://gozen.com/8-ways-a-childs-anxiety-shows-up-as-something-else/.

As always, your time and support are greatly appreciated. We look forward to seeing your children tomorrow.

Ms. Susan

Happy Holidays!!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

I apologize if I am overloading your inboxes, but I want to make sure you are all informed about events this week.

1) Students were given permission slips today for the Boosterthon Fun Run. The event isn't until January, but we have been asked to get these completed and returned asap. The deadline to turn in field trip forms for the Fun Run is this Wednesday. Last year, we earned over $10,000 and it is a fun way to get some exercise :)

2) Winter DEEP Class: Our fall semester of the DEEP writing program ended last week. We are kicking off the Winter semester with applications ready for the asking. I'd like to get all applications in before break if possible, so if your child is interested in participating, and is not participating in Spring sports (basketball and soccer), please encourage them to get an application!

3) 7th GRADE TRIP!!! 
Our 7th grade students will be taking their overnight trip February 26-28 at Rock Eagle. The cost is $170 per child. I wanted to share this with you now so you, or your awesome 7th grader, can start saving money. As the trip gets closer, we will share more specific information with you. If you have any immediate concerns, please get in touch with Ms. Christy (christy.caughran@sccpss.com). 

4) Junior Achievement Finance Study - I may have mentioned this to you in the last blog, but we have started a unit in Personal Finance to introduce our students to a variety of topics. Last week, students were shown several career aptitude sites and were asked to write about their top 3 careers and what skills, abilities, and education they had to have to obtain those particular occupations. This week, we're learning about taxes - you can imagine their shock when they realized the difference between Gross Pay and Net Pay. It's a good beginning for sure. They have workbooks to help them with the activities if you are interested in knowing more about the lessons.

5) Toy Drive - Officer Maria is collecting unwrapped toys for a toy drive sponsored by the SCCPSS police department. If you have the time and opportunity to donate a toy, we thank you for your kindness and generosity.

6) GRADES ... As I believe I mentioned in the previous blog, Friday will be the end of our second 9 weeks. Therefore, students need to have all work submitted from Cycle 2 and the beginning of Cycle 3 by Tuesday, 12/17.

7) Art Tutorial/Portfolio Assistance - Ms. Tiia has graciously offered to be available for students who are pursuing the visual arts major at Savannah Arts Academy. These tutorial sessions are on Thursdays from 2:45 - 4:15. Space is reserved for students who are seriously considering this option. If your child is planning on attending, please send in a note giving your permission. Please note that students will still be required to do portfolio work at home in order to fulfill the requirements of SAA.

8) THURSDAY, 12/19 - Social World theme test and vocabulary test. These grades will go on the third marking period report card.

9) The Charles Ellis Annual Holiday Sing Along will take place this Friday at NOON in the backyard. You are more than welcome to join us for this fun event. After the singing, all students will return to their classrooms. If you wish to sign your child out of school after the Sing Along, you will need to sign them out of their classrooms. No sign-outs are permitted while outside. 

10) Conference forms will go home after students return from the Winter Break.

11) Remember to check https://choice.sccpss.com to learn about high school criteria, application guidelines, and the variety of programs available to our 8th grade students.

Enjoy the upcoming break with your families and we will see your students back on January 7th. 

Ms. Susan

Parent Information and Important Dates

Hello Families -

It is a busy time of year and there are a lot of different things happening in and out of the building, so I hope it will be helpful for you to have all of the information I have as we move toward the end of our second nine weeks.

1) Correct PowerSchool Information
          Parents and families, it is imperative that we have all of your current contact information and that all of you have enrolled in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. It is possible that you will need to make a new account in order to access online report cards. I am not sure if these online report cards will begin this year or next, but there are repeated requests for us to let all parents know so that they can be prepared. If you have any questions, you may contact Ms. Lucy in the Data Clerk's office. Her email is lucille.holloway@sccpss.com. She will be more than happy to assist you in any way she can.

2) BOOK FAIR
        Our book fair is going on this week (Dec 9 - 13) with a later closing on Tuesday for your convenience.

3) Festival of Lights
         Ms. Jennifer and her students have happily prepared a chorus program for you that is Tuesday, 12/10, from 5:30 - 7. We hope you'll plan on joining us on the playground and in the MPR.

4) 8th Grade Field Trip to SAA
         Our 8th grade students will be going to Savannah Arts Academy for a tour of the school with our counselors, Ms. Rebecca and Ms. Ivey, along with our Gifted teachers, Ms. Patra, and Mr. William. If your child is interested in attending but hasn't turned in their field trip form, the deadline is tomorrow.

5) Upcoming trip to Woodville-Tompkins
         We don't have a date nailed down yet, but our 8th grade students have been invited to tour Woodville-Tompkins. As soon as more information becomes available, we'll be sure to pass that along.

6) Band and Chorus Performance
         Our Erdkinder band and chorus students will be performing at the Savannah Airport this Friday. Again, please be sure your child has submitted their permission slips for this event.

7) End of 2nd Nine Weeks, Donation Dress Down, and Holiday Sing Along
         December 20 is the last day of the second marking period. All student work must be submitted by Wednesday, 12/18. There will be a Donation Dress Down Day as well as our Annual Holiday Sing Along in the backyard. Please feel free to join us if you are able to do so.

8) WINTER BREAK 
          December 21 - January 6, 2020 is our Winter Break. Classes will resume Tuesday, January 7. 

High School Information -----
To review high school options, academic and MAP test score criteria for each school, Open House schedules, and the application timeline. All of this information can be found at http://choice.sccpss.com

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our counselors for organizing a High School Fair last week. Our 7th and 8th grade students as well as some parents were able to visit high school booths to get information from high school representatives. We had an excellent turn-out and our students gained valuable information.

And, while on the subject of high school, you may start to notice a little anxiety in your child, if you haven't already. Applying to high school is stressful and can make children experience a rollercoaster of emotions, as if we aren't already enjoying adolescence enough :). It's a good time to have those courageous conversations about how your child is feeling, helping them make good choices, understanding that they need to continue to grow academically, and to keep an open mind. 
We also have to be realistic with our children because the criteria exists for a reason. Even when children don't get their first choice for a high school, you have to believe that they will be placed in the right place for them. All of your children are precious and no matter where they go from Ellis, we can be assured that they will find their way to a program that challenges them, encourages them, and helps prepare them for adulthood.

Enjoy the next few weeks,
Ms. Susan