Pride PostDecember 2017

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

afee@aacps.org http://www.aacps.org/html/schol/Elementary/soes.asp

December Dates5th- PTA Meeting 6:30pm7th- 2 hour early dismissal No school for PM PreK8th- School closed for students Parent/Teacher Conferences11th- Band & Strings Concert 6:30pm11th- PTA Talent Show sign up deadline15th- Interims go home19th- Chorus Winter Concert 6:30pm22nd- Grandparents Breakfast 9-10am25th-Jan 1- Christmas/Winter Break-Schools & Offices closed

In this issue:Grade Level News- Pgs 2-6Pride in the Pride- Pg. 6School Counselor-Pg 7Uniform Policy- Pg 8Visitors- Pg 9Attendance-Pg 9Outside Food- Pg 10Early Dismissals- Pg 10Changes in Dismissal- Pg 10Lunch/Recess Schedule- Pg 10Lunch Prices- Pg 10PTA News- Pg 11Harris Teeter- Pg. 12Giant Rewards- Pg 12Clothing for Cash- Pg 13Health Room Info- Pg 14-17Twitter- Pg 18School Cameras- Pg 18

Principal’s Message

Season’s greetings families, I hope that everyone had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving with loved ones!!! Thank you so much for supporting this year’s Seven Oaks Fun Run! Our goal was to raise $20,000 for a new playground. Because of your help, we got very close to our goal and had a blast at the same time. Here are some fun stats:• Seven Oaks has PROFITED over $17,396.58!• Seven Oaks students got pledges from 38 states and 8 countries!• Over 56% of the students received pledges with their families for the event!• 100% of the students ran in the Seven Oaks Fun Run to help their school! We still have outstanding pledges. As of right now, we have collected 88% of what was pledged. Let’s continue to work to collect 100%!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Farah SpringerPrincipal

SEVEN OAKS

Grade Level News

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The Pre-K PackHello families! The month of November has truly been an exciting one! We've added

new letters and sight words to our repertoire, practiced counting, making sets, and writing numerals. We've also explored how our five senses help us describe our world. Thanksgiving is coming soon and while you are out continue to practice your letters and sounds, counting, and practicing your name! When we come back to school we will have brand new letters and sight words! I can't wait!

Kindergarten CornerThis month we will continue Theme 2 “The Power of Us”. We have had a great time

learning about the community that we live in and how it impacts our lives. We are also looking forward to so many winter themed activities in December! We will compare different Gingerbread stories that we will be reading and on the 21st parents are invited to join us as we rotate through the other kindergarten rooms to participate in fun activities and crafts. This event will end in our regular classrooms where parents are encouraged to stay to help decorate gingerbread houses with us. Finally, on the 22nd we will have a pajama party with cookies and warm cocoa as we watch the Polar Express! Hurray for December!

Greetings from First GradeWow, it's hard to believe that it's the holiday season already. It seemed like just yesterday our

school year began. We had a great first quarter with our Monarch Butterfly unit and now finishing up our Design Dilemma unit and building our Three Little Pigs' houses. We are excited for our first field trip on December 4th to Toby's Theater. We would like to say a special "thank you" to all of the parents who volunteered to chaperone the classes. In December, we will begin our "Holidays Around the World" unit, studying different countries and cultural traditions. We wish you all Happy Holidays from the First Grade teachers.

Second GradeHappy December parents! In December students will continue working on creating instructional

directions or “How To” paragraphs in writing. In mathematics, students will work with place value to add and subtract 3-digit numbers. In science and social studies, students will learn about technology and how it has changed the world. Near the end of December, students will participate in an author study of Jan Brett, who celebrates a diverse range of cultures in her books. Don’t forget that our first field trip, to the Maryland Science Center, is on Thursday, December 14th! Happy Holidays!

Welcome BackPlease join us as we welcome our Speech Pathologist, Ms. Martin, back from maternity leave!

Thank you to Ms. Lindamer for doing such a great job in her absence.

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Fourth GradeWe are excited to kick off a new quarter and the 4th grade theme is Collaboration. This theme

will be evident across subject areas. In addition to that, we are teaching the students how to demonstrate the skill of collaborating within the classroom.

In Reading, we are studying informational textual genres and how to write informational pieces using textual evidence. In Math, we are working on equivalent fractions and comparing fractions. In Science, students will be learning how to communicate with codes. In Social Studies, the students are exploring how Maryland moved from being a colony to a state. We continue to encourage your continuous support this quarter as we anticipate it is going to be a rewarding journey.

Fifth Grade Thank you to those parents/guardians who attended the 1st quarter awards assembly. We

are proud of the hard work students put forth during the 1st quarter. We are looking forward to meeting those parents we did not get to meet on our second conference day scheduled for Friday, December 8, 2017. If you haven’t already done so, please return your confirmation slip. In math, students will be working on multiplying and dividing fractions by fractions. The second quarter math benchmark assessment will be administered in early January. In science, students are continuing the study of the relationship between stars and their relationship in our universe. In Social Studies, students are continuing to study the significant events that led to the Revolutionary War. Students will continue to analyze colonial reactions to changes in British policy that will eventually lead to war. They will also trace the origins of founding principles that appear in the Declaration of Independence. In reading, we will continue to use interactive read alouds to foster analytical thinking through whole group and small group discussions. In writing, students will continue to synthesize information from multiple sources in order to write an assortment of analytic essays. The second quarter reading benchmark assessment is scheduled for January, and students will need to produce an essay similar to the research simulation tasks studied in the second quarter. We hope you enjoy the holiday season!                                                

Triple E Arts & HumanitiesTriple E Arts & Humanities continues to engage in project-based learning activities in which

the process takes precedence over the project. Currently, we are still working on skills building for the units discussed in last month's newsletter. Imagination is an important 21st Century skill, and therefore all of our activities are meant to engage your child's imagination while using problem-solving skills to solve artistic challenges.

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MediaStudents will be introduced to this year’s Black-Eyed Susan nominees. There are fifteen picture

books we will read over the next few months. Students will get to vote on their favorite in the spring. Also, there are ten chapter books. Students in grades four and five will be able to vote for their favorite if they read five Black-Eyed Susan books by the spring.

The fourth and fifth grade students will start coding this month. We will be using the program Scratch. Second and third graders will be reading about inventors. Our younger students will be learning about authors, illustrators and characters traits.

Instrumental MusicIn December, we will be refining and performing our winter concert. As a reminder, the Band/Strings

Evening Winter Concert will take place on Monday, December 11th at 6:30 pm at Seven Oaks Elementary in the Cafeteria. All Students in band/strings should report at 6:00 pm. Attendance is mandatory for all enrolled band/string students. At least one parent or guardian must attend the concert to care for your child and transport them home after the concert but all are encouraged to attend and invite family members. There is no cost to attend the concert!

Now is a perfect time to make sure your child has proper concert attire that fits for the uniform if you haven't already. The uniform for band/strings evening concert is a plain white shirt long/short sleeved, the navy blue school pants (No blue jeans please) and dark colored close-toed shoes and socks.

Please encourage your child to continue practicing their instrument at home as homework for band/strings class on their winter concert music. 10-15 minutes daily is recommended for beginning instrumental music students and 15-20 minutes daily is recommended for advanced instrumental music students. The practice length can be divided up into 2 or 3 smaller sessions so it seems shorter.

ArtBe on the lookout for the new artist of the month Amy Sherald.

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Music NewsIn music classes, the children are acquiring new skills. Kindergarten students are working on rhythm

and melody. First grade and second grade students are working on rhythm, form and melody. Third graders have been exploring form, melody and tone color. Fourth graders are studying rhythm. Fifth graders are learning about meter, dynamics, and tempo.

Both the instrumental ensembles and the chorus continue to prepare music for our Winter Concerts. The Instrumental Winter Concert date is December 11th, at 6:30 pm.

The Chorus Winter Concert date is December 19th, at 6:30pm. There will be a daytime performance at 8:45am on the same day. Dress for chorus concerts will be: Blue school pants and a white, long-sleeved, collared shirt/blouse.

For those involved in after school chorus, our schedule is listed below. Please remember After school rehearsal ends at 3:50.

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Thank you for all you do to support the music program at Seven Oaks. We wish you a Happy Holiday Season.

PRIDE IN THE PRIDEWe would like to recognize the following families for their dedication to Seven Oaks:

Thank you to:

Ms. Torrens, Ms. Hepburn, Ms. Mc Call, Ms. Coleman, Ms. George, Ms. Barry, Ms. Weaver and Ms. Marburger for volunteering in the classroom.

Ms. Hylan and Ms. Alexander, Ms. Browder for volunteering in media.

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SCHOOL COUNSELOR NEWSDecember 2018 TLMorgan-Elam@aacps.org

SCHOOL COUNSELOR NEWS DECEMBER 2017

Children and Holiday Stress Families want their holidays to be happy for everyone, especially the children. Many parents do not realize that the holiday season can be a time of hustle, bustle and a never-ending whirlwind of stress for their children. It is important to remember that children (and parents) need to find time to relax and enjoy a wonderful time of the year. How can children relax when they see their parents running around frantically shopping, baking, decorating and becoming stressed at the thought of blowing the holiday budget after one trip to the mall? These tips may help both parents and children recognize holiday anxiety and feel less stress. Signs of a child's holiday stress may include:

Tears for seemingly minor reasons Nervous behaviors such as nail biting and

hair twirling Physical complaints including headaches and

stomach aches Regression to younger behaviors:

bedwetting, temper tantrums Withdrawal from school, friends and family A change in your child's regular behavior

Here are some ways to reduce stress for the entire family:

Remember routines - For parents of small children, this is especially good advice. During the holidays, children will find their routines disrupted. They are often dragged along on shopping trips or taken to special events. They stay up past bedtime and eat too many holiday goodies. When a routine is broken, stress can result.

Say "No" - You don't have to accept every invitation to cookie swaps, parties and gift exchanges that you receive.

Nutrition - Have you ever noticed the lines at fast food restaurants as the holidays approach? The lines are getting longer because people are often too busy to go home and cook a nutritious meal. Add all of those sugary holiday treats, and you end up with a stressed out, hungry family. Plan at least one healthy meal for the family every day. Take the time to talk and enjoy being together as a family.

Family traditions - Many don't realize how important traditions are to themselves and

their children. Family traditions offer great comfort and security for children. What are your family traditions? Perhaps your family would enjoy creating a holiday calendar or baking cookies together.

Attitude check - Both children and their parents need to have an attitude check before the holiday season begins. Take a deep breath, and have everyone in the family pledge to make the holiday season a time of joy and peace. The less holiday stress you feel, the more relaxed your children will be.

Rest and relaxation - Everyone, especially a child, needs to take a "time out" over the holiday season to rest and relax. A well-rested child will be much happier on a trip to the mall than one who is in need of a nap. Schedule some rest and relaxation time for everyone in the family.

Favorite things - If you are traveling for the holidays, bring your child's favorite blanket or stuffed animal. A bit of home will help your child feel more comfortable.

Laugh - Laughter is still the best way to beat stress and change everyone's mood from bad to good. Lighten the mood with funny movies, sledding or cozy chats over cups of hot chocolate (don't forget the marshmallows).

Make a stress-free holiday your new family tradition! Fond memories of the holidays are a beautiful gift you can leave with your children. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the holidays may be one of the few times when you can offer a present that only you can give — priceless memories of a holiday filled with fun, love and laughter for the entire family.

Source: Anne Arundel County Maryland Department of Health, Last Updated: 11.21.13

http://www.aahealth.org/programs/behav-hlth/adolescent/child-holiday-stress

How to contact my school counselor?

Mrs. Elam’s email address is TLMorgan-Elam@aacps.org. I can be reached by phone at 410.222.0937. Finally, for more in depth conversations, please contact me to

schedule an appointment. I look forward to working with you in support of your child’s success.

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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.  You will be required to check into the system even if you are only coming to school to pick up your child.  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. Forgotten items can be brought to the main office and will be delivered to your child at lunch time by a staff member. Your cooperation in this security effort is greatly appreciated.

Should you have any questions, please contact James Batten, Supervisor of School Security, 410-222-5083 or jdbatten@aacps.org.

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 8:00a.m.-8:15 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 2:20.

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

Lunch & Recess Schedule

Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

1st Grade

2nd Grade

Kindergarten

10:30-10:55

11:00-11:25

11:30-11:55

12:00-12:25

12:30-12:55

1:00-1:25

Recess

10:00-10:25

10:30-10:55

11:00-11:25

11:30-11:55

12:00-12:25

1:00-1:24

Lunch

2017-18 School Lunch PricesApplications for Free/Reduced Meals will be done online this year.

Please follow the link below:

https://applyformeals.aacps.org

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PTA News

Seven Oaks Elementary School PTA presents

Family Talent Show January 19, 2018

Start practicing now! Sign up deadline January 3rd.

Full Dress Rehearsal January 12th

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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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Important Message from the Health Room

This is a reminder to all parents of the medication policy in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Student possession of any medication, prescription, or over the counter medications in school is prohibited unless a “Parent Request to Administer Medication at School” is on file in the health room. Over the counter medications include but are not limited to: cough drops, antacids, medicated lip balm, medicated lotions/creams/ointments, etc. This form needs to be completed by the physician and parent or guardian. The medication ordered by the physician, needs to be brought by the parent/guardian in a labeled prescription bottle, or be in an unopened bottle/box if an over the counter medication, like Tylenol or Advil, has been prescribed.

The medication is kept in the health room in a locked cabinet and is dispensed as needed per physician orders to the student in the health room.

Parents, it is a great idea to have medication on file for your child when they come to the health room for minor illnesses such as a headache, stomachaches, and cramps. They can come to the health room, receive the medication, rest for a few minutes and return to class. This way they are not missing important class work.

If your child uses an inhaler for their asthma and needs to have one in school, they must follow the same procedure as having medication in school. No student is to be in possession of any form of medication in school unless the proper forms are completed and on file in the health room.

Attached is the Medication Administration form that needs to be completed by a physician and parent or guardian in order for your child to receive medication at school. Please provide this form to your health care provider if you would like your child to receive medication during this school year.

“Parent’s Request to Administer Medication at School” on next page.

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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 System

Seven 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 James Batten, Supervisor of School Security, at (410) 222-5083.