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A l b e m a r l e C o u n t y P u b l i c S c h o o l s Volume 24, Issue 1
V. L. Murray Quarterly
November 2014
Dear Murray Families,
It is hard for me to believe it is already the end of our first quarter. It has been a wonderful start to our
school year. The students, staff, and parent volunteers have been busy working every day on a number of pro-
jects and learning activities across all grade levels.
We have a few new additions to our instructional staff this year. Ms. Karen Warlick is our new Special Educa-
tion Resource Teacher. Ms. Jayme Rowland and Ms. Rebecca Shifflett also join our special education team this
year as instructional assistants. Ms. Ames Winter is new to our staff as our English as a Second Language
(ESL) Specialist this year. We also are fortunate to have several student teachers from the University of Vir-
ginia this semester. Ms. Angelique Coulouris is completing her internship in Ms. Cleaver’s first grade classroom.
Ms. Kristina Brown is completing her internship in Ms. Morris’s preschool classroom. Ms. Caitlin McDaniel,
Mr. Justin Schwartz, and Ms. Nicole Kirk are completing their Adaptive PE internships with Ms. Tillar-Hughes.
Ms. Torie Besteray is completing her Occupational Therapist internship with Ms. Cory Boucher-Carpenter. Ms.
Carly Geddes and Ms. Casey Toney are completing their Speech and Language Therapy internships with
Ms. Candice Montero. In addition to the instructional additions, Ms. Carla Dodson joins our front office team
this year.
I want to thank our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) for the many different
ways they have already supported our school this year. The funds they raise for
our school provide valuable additional resources that would not otherwise be
available. They have sponsored teacher grants that provide additional instruc-
tional opportunities for our students beyond the core curriculum. For example,
our Maker Cart allows teachers access to a mobile lab stocked with tools and materials that students can use in
their Project Based Learning units. A critical support this year has also been the assistance with sustaining our
ST Math software licenses. In addition to the financial support, our PTO has increased their volunteer pres-
ence in some key areas of need this year. Ms. Kristine Terrell has helped organize volunteers for assistance in
the library media center and during lunch for our K/1 classrooms.
I also want to thank our PTO for another successful “Flick on the Field” event last month as well as helping to
provide mulch and supervision during our “Day of Caring” beautification project. If you are interested in be-
coming more involved, there are a multitude of ways that we can use your support. I encourage you to come to
one of our monthly meetings and learn more about how you can help keep Virginia L. Murray … ”A Great Place
to Grow.”
Mark Green [email protected]
PRESCHOOL NEWS Chelsea Morris—[email protected]
Ever since school started the boys and girls in the preschool classroom have been learning how to be a class-
room community and take care of each other. We learned about Responsibility, being Polite, and how to be
Helpful in our room, our homes, and our world.
All of these things helped us welcome a classroom pet, Jimmy Taco! We
have been polite sharing him and staying quiet when observing him, as well
as responsible and helpful in completing our leopard gecko's daily care.
Jimmy has sparked amazing curiosity and investigation in the classroom and
those qualities have carried over into exploration of many other things—
insects, leaves, water, weather, and more.
We work so hard every day at writing, reading, and problem-solving. We ended the marking period with a field
trip to an orchard/pumpkin patch and had a fabulous time. We then read a wonderful book called Reading for the Record. All the boys and girls are looking forward to the holidays and we know the upcoming weeks will bring continued
learning, friendships, and fun!
KINDERGARTEN NEWS Peggy Morgan—[email protected]
Marcy Williams—[email protected]
Sara Hankins—[email protected]
Kindergarten has been a whirlwind of activity these past few weeks! We have settled into our classroom com-
munities and are ready and eager to explore all the exciting adventures that the year will offer .
We had the perfect day for our first field trip to Drumheller’s Apple orchard in September. The
apples were crunchy and especially delicious when so recently picked. It was a wonderful opportunity
to begin to observe the signs of fall. As the weeks pass we are taking note of all of the changes this
season has to offer.
Kindergarteners will continue to use their senses as they explore different ways the five senses impact their
day to day lives.
We have been gearing up for all of the learning that we will be doing at Murray by discovering how to be effec-
tive listeners, learning how to collaborate with others to discover things, and how to ask questions in the proper
way for a school setting. We participate in morning meetings by greeting and sharing with our fellow students!
Our literacy time offers many choices such as listening to reading, handwriting, working with teachers on guid-
ed reading, and word study. We work on independent activities to learn how to identify lower case letters so
that we can also learn and read names of our classmates.
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V. L. Murray Quarterly
Our math block is filled with partner activities, time with teachers investigating numeracy and problem solv-
ing, ST Math, and independent games. We have been working on calendar activities, counting and comparing
quantities, and exploring how numbers work. We are beginning to explore measurement by comparing objects
to see which group is longer.
We are excited at the prospect of learning how to read, how to write, and how to be problem solvers. We
can’t wait to continue our journey through our kindergarten year!
FIRST GRADE NEWS Jessica Cleaver—[email protected]
Heather Solga—[email protected]
We have had a great start to our year in first grade! What fun we have had! First grade writers have been
busy imagining, discovering, and creating amazing works to share with classmates, friends, and family. Ask
your first grader about these fun writing experiences—Monster Planning, The Beanstalk Story, and My
Leaf Story. While writing, we continue to work on correct letter formation and writing sentences that start
with an upper case letter and end in correct punctuation. Students have been armed with a simple checklist
so that they are able to monitor themselves as they progress as authors.
First grade scientists are practicing their skills of observation, investigation, and experimentation as they
learn and explore plants and seasonal change. Ask your first grader about these cool experiences—The col-
ored water stem experiment, My greenhouse bean project, The build-a-plant design challenge, our Edi-
ble and nonedible gardens, Bug hunting, Leaf rubbings, and Walks on the nature trail.
First grade mathematicians are strengthening their numeracy skills by working through stations that focus on
combining, comparing, and building numbers in various ways. These investigations are helping our students to
continue building and developing their problem solving strategies, while also giving them plenty of practice in
communicating their thinking.
It has been such an exciting time for us during our Reading Workshop! These
first grade readers readily give all of their attention when listening to books
during read aloud and are so eager to read for themselves. We are moving to-
gether through the stages of learning to read and headed to the time where
we read to learn. Our reading stations allow for choice and personal pacing,
while fostering independence and accountability. Our Small Guided Reading
Groups involve lessons that match and build from the developmental stage of
each student! We cannot wait to see where we go from here!
“To learn to read is to light a fire.” -Victor Hugo
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Volume 24, Issue 1
SECOND GRADE NEWS Elaine Broadus—[email protected]
Emilie Pastorfield—[email protected]
We hit the ground running in second grade this year! Through project based learning, we have been exploring
how systems in our environment work, the communities we’re a part of, and how and why communities change.
Our second graders are so proud of the fall garden they planted and are anxiously wait-
ing for harvest time. We had a wonderful field trip to the downtown mall to learn more
about Charlottesville's past and to see and appreciate the changes of today. We are
now more knowledgeable about our Charlottesville community's geography and history.
We’re excited to broaden our scope to learn about other communities in North Ameri-
ca, beginning with the Powhatan Indians right here in Virginia. Our field trip to Jame-
stown was a wonderful beginning!
During Literacy, our children are busy reading, writing, and working with words. They are developing personal
reading tastes and a stronger writing voice every day. They are thrilled to be growing as readers and writ-
ers, and we are enjoying watching and guiding them as they grow.
Math has also been an exciting time each day! We have focused on strong number sense and mathematical
communication. The second grade students are becoming better problem solvers each week, and it’s fantastic
to see them working together to build on each other’s understanding.
We’re off to a wonderful start with a great new group of friends!
THIRD GRADE NEWS Jen Donalson—[email protected]
Ellen Patterson—[email protected]
We have hit our stride in the first quarter of third grade! We begin each day with a
morning meeting where students participate in a greeting, a curriculum based activi-
ty, and discuss our message for the day. These meetings have helped us start each
day in a positive way and make everyone feel important!
In literacy, we have practiced the routines of Being a Writer, participated in Book Clubs, and investigated
different types of nonfiction writing including our weekly Scholastic News Magazine. If you are interested,
take a look at a digital copy of their magazines at scholasticnews.com. We read and listened to many good
examples of published writers. Then we published a piece of our own writing.
Our first quarter math Investigations Unit focused on addition and subtraction, place value, problem solving,
and graphing. Our kindergarten Buddies have been a great help in providing us data when we were making bar
graphs and line plots. We have enjoyed playing math learning games such as Capture 5 and Make a Dollar.
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V. L. Murray Quarterly
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Volume 24, Issue 1
In Science, we have been studying animal habitats, adaptations, biomes,
and ecosystems. We have taken nature walks, played games, and partici-
pated in programs with animal experts from the Wildlife Center of Vir-
ginia and from Triple C’s Animal Adaptations group. Students completed
an animal research project (diorama/model, power point, poster, bro-
chure) that focused on a biome of their choice. We shared our projects
at a Science Biome Fair. Please take a look at the Wildlife Center’s Crit-
ter Cam Moderated Discussion Archives link to see our live discussions
with a Wildlife representative. Pogo is the name of the opossum adopted by our third grade class and we
plan to work with the Wildlife Center throughout the year. The information they learned from these pro-
jects will carry into future science discoveries.
It has been a wonderful first quarter of third grade!
FOURTH GRADE NEWS Hollins Mills—[email protected]
Laura Richardson—[email protected]
Our big idea in fourth grade this year is “How do decisions affect our world?”. In the first quarter, fourth
graders explored this big question in many ways! We began the year by making collaborative decisions
about what materials to purchase for our class from the class budget. We also spent time organizing for
learning and considering the relationship between organization and waste.
Next we studied watershed systems. Students made action plans for how to have positive
impact on our area watershed. They planned and held an incredible action day with trash
pick-up, signs to promote community awareness, and the creation of a video skit about pol-
lution and watershed! In our unit on living systems, students considered case studies of
how human decisions have affected different ecosystems in our world.
This lens for our work has been an exciting thread to weave through our studies and connect our work in
different units and subjects. Fourth graders are off to an amazing, big thinking start! We’re excited to
see the different directions this guiding question will take us in as our year together progresses.
FIFTH GRADE NEWS
Courtney Dillard—[email protected]
Sara Haas—[email protected]
Fifth graders began the year by setting personal goals and writing letters to their teachers telling them all
about their hobbies and interests. They have been busy reading many books from either the fantasy or con-
temporary fiction genres. They met with classmates to discuss their readings and analyze the plots, charac-
ters, moods, and themes of the texts. They have been advancing their writing skills by composing several
pieces utilizing the writing process (planning, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing). After an extensive
study of sentences (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative sentences, subjects and predi-
cates, run-ons, fragments, compound and complex sentences, and conjunctions) they worked on mastering the
elements of a well-written paragraph.
Our young historians began the year by reviewing the geography
of Virginia and then studied the First Virginians, their languages,
methods of adaptation, and contributions to the arriving English.
After learning about Virginia’s unscathed environment, we settled
Jamestown and spent some time planning a smarter colony. We
finished the quarter working on projects about the various attrib-
utes of Colonial Virginia.
For math this quarter, we have reviewed place value, multiplication, division, and calculating perimeter and
area. We have extended these concepts as well to include the use of several mathematical properties and stu-
dents moved toward deriving area formulas. This requires the use of variables and the application of all math
operations. It is impressive to see the improvement they have made when explaining their reasoning and sup-
porting their work!
Fifth graders focused on matter during science. How does heat affect matter? What happens to molecules as
matter changes its state? As they studied sound, the connection to matter was clear. Sound needs matter to
travel! With partners, students designed and made an instrument that could demonstrate differences in pitch
and volume. They were able to explain the connection between frequency and
pitch using their instruments. Science is a busy part of our day!
We look forward to another nine weeks of having fun while learning!
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V. L. Murray Quarterly
ART EDUCATION NEWS Jocelyn Johnson—[email protected]
In art class, students are encouraged to Act Like Artists—Looking, Learning, Creating, and Reflecting—in or-
der to develop their creativity. This year, I'm emphasizing a GROWTH MINDSET, reminding students that
learning takes place when they continue to work and try even as things become difficult or unfamiliar.
This year I'm experimenting with collecting student work in portfolios. This means I will only be sending
work home mid-year and at the end of the year in K-4th. Fifth graders will bring all work home to-
wards the end of the year, after our Final Art Show. I hope this will allow kids to see growth over time
and get work home safely. Feel free to email me with feedback or to stop in to see a special artwork if you'd
like!
I plan to continue our Murray ART BLOG at http://vlmartists.blogspot.com/ . Feel free to comment, sub-
scribe, share resources, or just drop in to enjoy student work.
A special thanks to the parent volunteers who have signed up to come in to help change student work in
frames. We still need help in March and in April. Please email me if you are interested or want to know
more.
Finally, a big thanks for sharing your children with me. I feel privi-
leged to watch them learn and grow. Remember, Art Matters at
Murray,
CLINIC NEWS Carrie Land—[email protected]
Fall is here and we are fast approaching the winter months and flu season! The
best prevention for not getting the flu is getting your entire family vaccinated.
A few tips for handling colds and flu. Please remember to wash your hands fre-
quently, use a tissue or your elbow when coughing and sneezing, then wash your
hands well. Eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water and fluids, get daily exercise,
and be sure to get a good night’s sleep.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL IF:
your child has had a fever in the last 24 hours,
your child has vomited or had diarrhea in the last 24 hours, and/or has stomach pain or cramping,
your child has a viral illness that makes them feel bad,
your child has been diagnosed with a contagious illness,
your child has a constant runny nose or cough.
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V. L. Murray Quarterly
If you believe your child may be getting sick, please delay sending them to school until you have had enough
time to observe them and know for certain they are well enough to be in school. Children who come to school
sick are not productive learners and are often miserable all day. More importantly, they can spread the illness
to classmates and teachers. Remember they need to be fever free without medication, or on an antibiotic for
a contagious illness for 24 hours before they can return to school.
We are still having an occasional outbreak of head lice. Please help us stay on top of this issue by continuing to
check your child/children’s heads on a regular basis. Watch for excessive scratching.
Feel free to contact me at any time. Let’s all work together to make Murray a healthy place to grow!
EDEP Sarah Mayo –[email protected]
To all EDEP Parents:
We are very pleased to announce that our Murray/EDEP web page is up and running.
Thank you to those parents who have given us permission to add their children’s photographs to our website.
We are hoping to capture the smiling faces of each student while they are playing and while they are involved
in EDEP activities so that we can display those photographs throughout the year.
Please feel welcome to take a moment and view our website.
www.k12albemarle.org
Click on Schools
Click on V L Murray
Click on EDEP
ESOL NEWS Ames Winter—[email protected]
I am excited to join the Murray staff and work with our English Language Learners (ELLs)
this year! We have a few students who are new to the United Sates, so in addition to
working on beginning language skills, there is a lot of cultural learning taking place. For ex-
ample, they were all excited about celebrating their first Halloween, so a practice run of
Trick-or-Treating was definitely in order!
For beginning speakers, we have put an emphasis on Speaking and Listening skills, as well as on basic “survival”
vocabulary and English phonics. The progress is so rapid in young children. I love being a part of it.
We also have several ESOL students with more advanced English skills, so our focus has moved to advanced
conversation and presentation skills, reading comprehension, and writing skills. We have been studying vocabu-
lary and filling in gaps that may exist since they are learning English and using another language simultaneous-
ly. One of my students is actually reading a novel in English already!
Murray teachers are great with our ELLs, and we collaborate every day. Thanks for welcoming me to Murray!
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V. L. Murray Quarterly
GIFTED RESOURCES NEWS Leslie Gibson—[email protected]
The school year is off to a great start and I am excited to be working with all grade
levels! As the gifted resource teacher, I collaborate with all grade level teachers in
order to provide and enrich their lessons for the varying abilities of students. I hope
to help students become creative problem solvers and critical thinkers across disci-
plines and across grade levels.
Problem solving continues to be a focus throughout our schools. All grade levels are
striving for students to learn beyond simple recall of facts and to understand the con-
nections and implications of what they learn. We want students to retain what they learn and to also be able
to apply this learning in multi-step, thought provoking problems.
Many of our third, fourth, and fifth grade students visited the University of Virginia’s Fralin Art Museum to
participate in the 28th Annual Writer’s Eye competition. It was an enriching trip! Thank you again to chaper-
ones Gail Davidson, Nicole Shreves, and Kimberly Smith for joining us on this wonderful trip. Just a reminder
that Writer’s Eye submissions are due to me by November 14, 2014.
The Curry School of Education at UVA is now accepting applications for the 2014-15 Saturday Enrichment
Program. The program provides learning opportunities designed to cultivate interest and potential in a wide
variety of fields. December 1st, 2014 is the deadline for submitting an application. For detailed explanations
of classes offered, or to submit an online application, please visit http://curry.virginia.edu/community-
programs/student-enrichment/sep.
GUIDANCE NEWS
Cindy Payne—[email protected]
In Guidance we’ve spent the first nine weeks reviewing Bucket Filling and Bullying
Prevention. In September all classes read one or more of the Bucket Filling Books.
In a new twist on the Golden Rule, the books explain to children that we all carry an
invisible bucket in which we keep our feelings about ourselves. When our buckets are
full, we are happy; when they are empty, we are sad. It's important to know that we
can fill our own bucket and so can others. We can also dip into it.
A BUCKET FILLER is someone who says or does nice things for other people. By do-
ing this, they are filling other people's buckets and filling their own bucket at the
same time. The metaphor of a bucket helps all children understand the importance
of consideration and empathy. On the other hand, a BUCKET DIPPER says or does
things to cause other people to feel bad. A bucket dipper empties their bucket when
they say and do mean things. Students are also reminded to use their lid to take
personal responsibility for their buckets and remember they do not have to allow
others to "dip" in their bucket.
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V. L. Murray Quarterly
In October, we talked about how bullying is the worst kind of dipping. The Olweus definition that we use in
Albemarle County is that “Bullying is when someone says or does mean or hurtful things to someone else who has difficulty defending their self. It is repeated, intentional, and involves a power imbalance.” We spend
time looking at the difference between a conflict and bullying. While both can be problems, the response
may be very different. For one, a conflict involves both students engaging in problem solving; while bullying is
about consequences and safety.
We spent time talking about using your lid for self and others. We explored various strategies for holding on
to your personal power and not allowing another person to take that away from you. And we talked about
building communities where we take care of each other. I stress that kids without friends are more likely to
be picked on and when we make sure everyone is included, bullying is much less likely to happen. I encourage
them all to be Powerful Peers – a hero friend that speaks up when something is wrong. For more details on
these lessons, I invite you to visit my blog at counselorpayne.blogspot.com.
LIBRARY/MEDIA CENTER NEWS Elizabeth Waterbury—[email protected]
We’re off to a good start in the library this year! Many students have recom-
mended some of their favorite reads from the summer, and we have bought them
for Murray’s library. Unsurprisingly, all of these books have been very popular!
Kindergarteners and first graders have been learning about concepts such as fiction, non-fiction, his-
torical fiction, and easy reader. Kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders are also meeting
some popular series characters, and sometimes connecting with classroom ideas. Second and third grad-
ers are getting to be proficient at understanding Dewey, using the catalog, and then finding their own
books. Third and fourth graders have been working with reference materials like dictionaries, thesauri,
and databases (they used to be called encyclopedias!). Fifth graders have also touched on the ideas of pla-
giarism and fair use. Third, fourth, and fifth graders are all currently in the middle of a read-aloud.
I hope everyone is starting to get excited about our Scholastic Book Fair, November 17-21. Please mark your
calendars!
MUSIC NEWS Linda Corradino—[email protected]
We have been very busy in Music this fall! All classes have been
singing, playing instruments, dancing, and just enjoying making
music. We will now begin talking about folk music and folk danc-
ing. We will discuss how important each of these art forms are
to the history and culture of many countries around the world.
We will also be learning several patriotic songs that are im-
portant to our country’s history.
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Volume 24, Issue 1
The Kindergarten and first grade classes have just learned a folk dance from
Mexico called “La Raspa”. Ask them to show you some of the dance steps! The fourth
and fifth graders learned a folk dance called “Sashay the Donut”. We realized the
name did not seem so silly once we learned the dance step that contributed to the
name. The children had so much fun learning this dance.
The second and third grades have been working on telling stories through music. Both classes have read
a folk tale from Africa and dramatized each story with movement, acting, and music. They are beginning to
create many pieces that will culminate in their musical later in the school year.
We have had so much fun this past nine weeks and look forward to the next nine weeks!
PHYSICAL EDUCATION NEWS Kathy Tillar-Hughes—[email protected]
This first grading period has been fun and busy working on wellness testing and curriculum objectives. Along
with our sports and curriculum objectives, we’re learning what it means to be a team player. We’ve learned
how we can be instrumental in helping classmates to improve their skills and how that contributes to being a
part of the school community. The upper grades have been testing in the areas of endurance, flexibility, and upper body strength as part
of the required Virginia Wellness Test. We’ve also been working on skills needed to play soccer, hockey, and
basketball. The lower grades have been working on the importance of spatial awareness, the difference between locomo-
tor and nonlocomotor skills, and beginning skills used to play different games. The weather is starting to change but it is still important for kids to get outside and exercise. If you can’t
get out, here are some inside activities you can try. All you need are some regular household items and a lit-
tle imagination. Combine a few of these tips, and they’ll quickly add up to a fun and healthy 60-minute routine.
Naturally, the best way to get your kids moving is to get up and go with them. So make daily activity part of
the program, and you could enjoy the health benefits too!
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V. L. Murray Quarterly
www.k12albemarle.org
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Volume 24, Issue 1
At-Home Gym Step to it: Take three trips up and down the stairs with your child, or do 20 step-ups on one step. Kangaroo Jump: Tape a shoelace to the floor in a straight line. Have your child stand on one side of the
string with both feet together. Count to three, and cheer as he or she jumps over the string and back 10
times. Take a short break—and do it again! Crab Crawl: Sit with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent. Lean back and place your hands flat on the
floor behind you. Lift your seat off the floor, putting your weight on your hands and feet. Now, crab crawl
around the room with your kids! Can Do: Go to the kitchen and find two of the heaviest cans your child can hold. Have him stand with his
feet flat on the floor, with the cans in his hands and arms at his side. Show him how to lift the cans up to his
chest, bending his arms at the elbows. Have him hold for two seconds, and then slowly lower his arms. Repeat
10 times. Reach for the Sky: Grab a small textbook and hold it by the spine. Make an “L” with your arm—with your
upper arm at shoulder level and your forearm pointing toward the ceiling. Now extend your arm straight over
your shoulder, pushing the book toward the sky. Return to the bent-arm position. Repeat 10 times, and then
switch arms. Have your kids follow along with their own books (and arms). Get On Down: Start with two bottles of laundry detergent (or any large bottle with a handle). Have your
child stand with her feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart. Place the bottles on each side of her feet.
Watch as she bends her knees, grabs the bottles, and stands up. Repeat 10 times. Hoop it Yourself: A trashcan (or even a box) makes a great indoor basketball goal— perfect for a quick game
of one-on-one.
Remember too, that healthy food choices play a big role in our overall good
health. Challenge yourself to trying one new food a week. You can make
yourself a yummy smoothie and sneak some greens in without even tasting
them! I’m looking forward to another great year and want to thank all of you for
your continued support of our Physical Education program.
Please take a look at our Lost and Found in the gym and
collect what your child has misplaced. Clothes left be-
hind at the end of each semester will be sent to the
Goodwill. This is a good time to make sure that all
jackets and coats are labeled. Thanks!
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Volume 24, Issue 1
SPECIAL EDUCATION/FUNCTIONAL SKILLS NEWS Karen Warlick—[email protected]
Mabel Morris—[email protected]
A WORD FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (VDOE) ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION:
Virginia Family Special Education Connection is a new website dedicated to providing comprehensive infor-
mation on special education issues, practices, and services to Virginia families who have children with disabili-
ties. This resource was developed by VDOE, in collaboration with the Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human
Disabilities at George Mason University.
Education and Disability Laws:
IDEA—the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is our nation’s special education law. The IDEA guides
how states, school districts, and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related ser-
vices to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.
NCLB—No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, Public Law (PL) 107-110, is the nation’s latest general education law. It
amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and has brought sweeping changes to our edu-
cational systems. What does the law require, what does it change about education, how are states respond-
ing, and what does the law mean for children with disabilities?
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Before there was IDEA, there was the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimi-
nation on the basis of disability. Section 504 of this Act continues to play an important role in education, es-
pecially for students with disabilities who may not qualify for special education services under IDEA.
Americans with Disabilities Act – The ADA
Passed by the Congress and signed into law by the President in July 1990, the ADA is the first comprehen-
sive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. The ADA protects the civil rights of people with dis-
abilities in all aspects of employment, in accessing public services such as transportation, and guaranteeing
access to public accommodations such as restaurants, stores, hotels and other types of buildings to which
the public has access.
Assistive Technology Act
Assistive technology can greatly improve the access and function of people with disabilities in school, work,
home, and community. The Assistive Technology Act is intended to ensure that people with disabilities have
access to assistive technology devices and services. Find your state’s AT program!
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Volume 24, Issue 1
Energizing Brain Breaks — ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS, MATH
Addition or Multiplication: You and your partner will each be revealing a certain
number of fingers to each other. The first person to add them together wins the
round.
1. Stand up and find a partner. A group of three works well.
2. Face your partner and both will say "Rock, Paper, Scissors Math". At the same
time pound your fist to your open palm with each word. When you say "MATH" you
should put between 1 and 4 fingers out. No thumbs are allowed. You are also not allowed to display zero fin-
gers. Players are encourage to hold their fists flat so their partner can see how many fingers they have dis-
played.
The person who adds the numbers together and says the number correctly is the winner for that round. If a
person says an incorrect answer the automatically lose that round.
4. Play the best of five rounds.
Save the Date – November 15th
Ivy Creek School, 227 Lambs Lane, Charlottesville
Parent Resource Center “Live and Learn – Parent Workshops and Resource Fair”
A Free Event for All Families
For more information: Deborah Anama at 434-975-9400 0r [email protected]
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Volume 24, Issue 1
IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP November 11 Picture Make-Up Day – AM November 13 Hampstead Players present “Oliver Twist” – Gym – 12:50 – 1:50 PM – sponsored by PTO’s Cultural Enrichment Committee November 14 Writers Eye Submissions due to Mrs. Gibson (if you were on the 9/22/14 trip) November 14 PTO’s “Kids Night Out” (KNO) - sponsored by the Helping Hands Club—5:30—8:30 PM NOV 17—21 Scholastic Book Fair November 18 PTO Meeting – 7:00 PM November 19 Scholastic Book Fair—Family Night November 21 Annual Turkey Bowl – Fifth Graders versus Faculty/Staff November 25 VLM Spirit Day—wear you VLM shirt and/or Murray Green NOV 26-28 NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving Break December 12 Fifth Grade Field Trip to Williamsburg DEC 22-JAN 2 NO SCHOOL – Winter Break January 5 Welcome Back! January 12 Fifth Grade Parents Meeting at VLM with Dr. McLaughlin, Henley Middle School 6:00—6:30 PM—SpEd Meeting, 6:30—7:30 PM—General Meeting January 14 Fifth Grade Students Meeting at VLM with a Henley Counselor and some former VLM students 1:15—2:15 PM January 16 End of the second nine weeks January 16 PTO Meeting – 1:30 PM January 19 NO SCHOOL—Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 20 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS—Teacher Work Day
January 20 Inclement Weather Make-Up Day #1 (if needed)
V.L. Murray Quarterly is published quarterly and distributed to all
V.L. Murray Elementary families.
Albemarle County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age,
sex, disability, national origin, pregnancy, or marital status. Title IX of the Educational Amend-
ments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§1691 et seq., prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational
programs or activities receiving federal funds, including discrimination in employment and
student admissions. All Albemarle County Public Schools students, applicants and employees
are covered by this law.
