Welcome back-to-school! I am so pleased to have you and your child as members of our A-8 family!

Please take some time to review the information in this packet. Hopefully, it will answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact me via notes, emails or phone calls anytime if you have any additional questions or concerns. I will get back to you before the end of the next school day.  E-mail addresses and voicemail extensions are listed below.

E-mail:

Janet Sicilia

e-mail: jsicilia@crsd.org  voicemail: 215-944-2279

We are GREEN! Check out NES Website and click on e-Friday folder for weekly info.

Check out my website –websites periodically updated

Look for Friday e-mails to look ahead into learning!

Concerning issues that require immediate attention please call the office and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

School Wide Behavior System: Throughout your child’s Newtown Elementary career he/she will be focusing on the 4 realms of our school climate. Respect, Responsibility, Kindness, Safety Although each theme is highlighted once per marking period, we constantly develop and encourage these core values.

 We are practicing - "caught you in action" raffle slips to reinforce values.

Curriculum

       Our schedule provides for 80 minutes of math, 30 minutes of Science three times per week45 minutes of Social Studies daily, and, 90 minutes of Reading/Writing Workshop daily.

Math

-New program called Bridges

-K-5 curriculum, PA Core Math standards based

-Focus on deep understanding of concepts, skill proficiency, and complex problem solving

-Encourage to show different ways of thinking and multiple ways to problem solve

-Combination of whole group, small group, and independent activities

-Activities: Problems & Investigations, Work Places, and Number Corner

  -Books: Student Book and Home Connections (Books will be sent home for HW, please return next day)

Social Studies: Pennsylvania, Geography, regions of North America

Science:  Animal Studies, Land and Water, Energy

Language Arts: Please visit Journeys page
Reading: Building a community of readers who use various strategies to

think about and discuss reading ideas

Writing: Building a community of writers who find stories everywhere

Word Study: Finding spelling patterns and utilizing generalizations

Homework

       The Council Rock School District policy on homework states that

4^th  grade students should have approximately forty minutes of homework nightly. If your child is taking longer to complete his/her homework, please let me know so adjustments can be made.

Any time left over should be spent reading!

          Please check and sign your child’s homework book and folder each day. Typically, our homework looks like this:

         Reading- Please help us build the bridge between home and school by          

         assisting your child with his/her 20 minutes of reading time. After reading,        

         please have your child write the title of the book read in the homework

         book.

Word Study- nightly homework will be in your child’s Word Study Notebook. This book will come home each night and should return to school every day with the appropriate activities completed.

             Math- Home Connections Book 1-4 pages a week

Consistent fact practice (addition, subtraction and multiplication) will be a great help as we move through the curriculum.

Science/S.S./Language Arts- occasionally your child may have a project or activity to do or simple materials to bring to school

****Birthdays

       No treats may be sent in.  If volunteers are permitted, we would love to have you join us as a guest reader.  If not, let me know and I will give you a link to join us virtually.

A Book dedication form from the library is included with your packet as a spectacular way to immortalize your child’s special day!

Spotlight On…

          Throughout the school year, students will be “spotlighted” in our room. The children will be given an opportunity to share a bit of themselves through pictures and special mementos that they can bring and keep at school for one week. At the end of the week, please check with me about bringing in a special addition from home. You will be given a date on which your child’s spotlight collection is due. I look forward to this chance to learn more about your children!

Book Clubs

          Book club orders are taken once or twice a month and are generally due four days after they have been sent home. Please send a cash payment or a check made out to “Scholastic”. Books will be delivered two to three weeks after an order is placed. If you would like to surprise your child with the gift of reading, we will gladly keep the order confidential for you! Just let us know ahead of time.

Parent involvement (if permitted)

* All volunteers/chaperones must have their PA clearances submitted to the district office at Chancellor Center.

       Our school welcomes parent volunteers.  The home-school connection is purposeful and powerful. Please sign-up if you would like to be a guest reader, a math helper or if you have a special talent, hobby, interest that relates to one of our curriculum areas or units of study and that you would be willing to share with all of us. When you come to school as a classroom or school volunteer, you will need to sign-up in the office with your license and get a nametag.

Dismissal

          If you plan on picking up your child from school, please fill out the transport slip and send it in to school the day it will be used. This will be your child’s “ticket” out the door in the afternoon when car riders are called. Children who are car riders every day can get permission from the office and fill out one form for the year. Changes made during the day must go through a phone call to the office.

Absences

           Please send a note in to school with your child when he/she returns from an absence or fill out excuse through the website (News and Events tab: Online attendance). If you are going on a trip, please email me ahead of time and I will forward to the office.

Student Council

Student council representatives remain to be elected. If your child is elected, you will need to arrange transportation for their monthly

8:00 AM meetings!

Snack

We have snack @ 10:30 each morning.  Please have a snack for your child to bring each day.  BOGO? If so, feel free to send in a nut-free snack to share for our forgetful friends.