Welcome toCentral Elementary

SchoolGo Eagles!!!2013-2014

Notes From Mrs. MizellOn behalf of the teachers and staff of the Central Elementary School (CES), I would

like to welcome you to school. The 2013-14 academic year’s beginning has proven to be an exciting and productive year. To those who are new to Central, we hope that you will quickly feel at home and become involved in the activities of our school through the PTA and your child’s classroom.

As I continue as principal at Central Elementary, I will work diligently with parents and faculty to foster an atmosphere that promotes a learning community that is child centered. Working as a team we will move forward in our mission to create a warm, caring, disciplined, and challenging environment in which all students can learn and reach their highest potential becoming responsible members of society.

Although we strongly believe in academic excellence, we also feel that learning must be fun and rewarding for each child. By working together, students, parents/guardians, and staff can make Central Elementary School an exciting and enjoyable place to learn: Reading & Writing Celebrations, Family Nights, quarterly Friday Fitness, and weekly Rise & Shine assemblies. Research states that parents being involved in your child’s school, students reading at home and at school are the three actions that help your child succeed the most.

Central is in partnership with UAFS as a Professional Development School. Pre-service teachers’ classes are held on Central’s campus providing various teaching and learning experiences for the future teachers. I am blessed to work with the Central staff, families, and community. If you have any concerns, questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

Reaching New Heights-Soaring to Excellence   Sincerely,

Cindy Mizell

Central Elementary 2013-2014 GoalsArkansas Comprehensive School Improvement

PlanPriority 1: Literacy

Goal: All students will improve their performance in writing abilities in the area of content and style and in answering open-response questions in

literary and content reading passages.Priority 2: Mathematics

Goal: all students will improve their mathematics performance in answering multiple choice question and open response questions in numbers and

operations and measurement. Priority 3: Wellness

Goal: Students participating in the BMI screening show a need to improve their physical activity and nutrition in order to develop lifelong health habits

and to live a healthy lifestyle. Priority 4: English Language Learners

Goal: By developing high-quality language instruction programs the school  will enable English Language Learner students to speak, read, write, and

comprehend in the English language, develop high levels of academic attainment in English, meet the same challenging AR State academic content and student academic achievement standards as all students are expected to

meet, and to enter all-English instruction settings. Within the Priorities we add Parental Involvement

• November 25th thru

November 29th –

Thanksgiving Break

• December 23rd thru

January 5th – Christmas

Break

Non-Nutritional Days

• September 27th • October 31st • November 22nd • December 20th • January 29th • February 13th • March 21st • April 17th • May 23rd

PTA DatesNovember

• 5th—PTA Santa Pictures @ 8:00am• 7th—PTA Duck Dynasty Night

• 14th—Skate Night• 25th-29th – Thanksgiving Break

December• 12th – Winter Carnival

From the Counselor……

Our school will be participating in a toy drive for the CASA Christmas party for foster children. Please send a small toy

(dollar or less) with your students to be used as a prize for games they will be

playing at their party.

Word of the MonthInitiative

An eagerness to do something; acting on your own ideas---------------------------------------------------------------------

Amanda Ming - Counselor

NOVEMBER

I would just like to challenge

everyone to take a minute each

day and encourage your child to think of something they are thankful for.

Kindergarten News

Reading- Readers Use Super Powers to Read Everything Becoming a Class of Reading TeachersWriting-Writing for Readers How-To Books: Writing to Teach OthersMath- What Comes Next?

Measuring & CountingScience/Social Studies- Motion & Force, Pilgrims & Indians, Magnets, Thanksgiving, Penguins, Christmas

Dates to Remember:

November 7-PTA Duck Dynasty NightNovember 14- Skate Night December 12-Winter FestivalNovember 18- Progress Reports December 20- Non-Nutritional DayNovember 20- Kindergarten Snack Feast December 23-Jan 3- Christmas Break November 25-29- Thanksgiving Break!

First Grade NewsWhat are we studying??Reading: Reading Non-Fiction BooksMath: : Solving Story ProblemsWriting: Non-Fiction Writing….All About Books.

What’s Happening in 2nd Grade???

ReadingFor November and December we are

studying our Characters in our fiction books.

WritingThis month we are studying Realistic Fiction.

MathOur focus in math this month is

Number Stings and Word Problems.

Science/Social StudiesWe will be learning about

Changes Throughout History.Dates to Remember:

November 25th thru 29th - No School: Thanksgiving Break

Thinkings of a Third GraderReading:

We have started a new unit for reading…we are studying Historical Fiction with a focus on Colonial Life.

Writing:We are starting Persuasive Writing this month.

Math:Area and Parameter is our focus in our third unit!!

We will also be learning different strategies to help us add and subtract!

Science:We are learning all about the Solar System!

4th Grade HappeningsReading- We are beginning a unit of study on Historical Fiction Book Clubs and Informational reading. Students will be reading all kinds of books about immigration.

Writing- We have finished our personal and persuasive essays, we are not working on writing literary essays.

Science- We have finished studying the digestive system and the circulatory system and we are now starting All About Matter.

Math- Students are now studying size, shape, and symmetry. We have been working with power polygons to learn how to create different angles. Please keep working on multiplication facts!!!

5th GradeMath – “Prisms & Pyramids”

In this unit we will be learning how to find the volume of boxes using cubic units.

Science- We are studying light and color and learning how we see light (color). We will also be studying force and motion this month, concentrating on simple machines.

Reader’s Workshop – “Learning Through Reading”

We will be using all we know about nonfiction reading and research to learn about the American Revolution.

Writer’s Workshop – “Bringing History to Life”

We will be learning the foundations of research report writing. Students will learn to use research skills to deepen their knowledge of the American Revolution.

Social Studies – American Revolution

Reading is important because…

Strong reading and writing skills are essential for success in school and later life. Although most children learn to read in their classroom programs, a few children have great difficulty learning to read and write. Reading Recovery can help!

Scientific evidence reviewed by the U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse confirms that

 Reading Recovery is effective.

Reading Recovery Teacher

Bonnie Duff

Central Elementary

Van Buren, AR 72921

479-474-7059

bonnie.duff@vbsd.us

University Training Center

University of Arkansas

Little Rock, AR

Center For Literacy

Contact your local Reading Recovery

professional

Reading Recovery at Central Elementary, Van Buren School District

25 Years of Excellence in North America

•Nearly 2 million American first graders have had Reading Recovery      lessons.•75% reached grade-level standard at the end of their lessons.•All children make progress, but a few do not reach grade-level standard.• Information from Reading Recovery lessons helps schools and parents plan future evaluation and services.

Reading Recovery works because… Families can help by…•highly trained teachers work intensively, with individual children each school day.•lessons are planned to build on the knowledge and strengths of each child.

•being sure your child's school attendance is as regular as possible.•listening to your child read books sent home by the Reading Recovery teacher.•returning the books each day so the teacher can send home new books.•making reading time positive, short, and enjoyable.

To find out more about Reading Recovery visit our website at www.readingrecovery.org

Drop off and Pick up

• Bus drop off and pick up will be located behind the building on North 22nd Street.

• Car drop off and pick up will now be located in the front of Central Elementary School on North 24th Street.