Welcome toCentral Elementary

SchoolGo Eagles!!!2015-2016

Notes From Mrs. MizellDear Parents,

On behalf of the teachers and staff of the Central Elementary School (CES), I would like to welcome you. We have lots of happenings going on at Central. Our PTA ladies are busy with our membership drive and t-shirt sales. Reading & Writing Assessments are being given as well as math screeners. Children are settling into routines both at home and at school. Reading each night makes a difference in school performance. Stay informed of Central’s events by following us on Twitter and/or like us on Facebook. 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. I am blessed to work with the Central staff, families, and community.

Reaching New Heights-Soaring to Excellence   Sincerely,

Cindy Mizell

School MottoReaching New Heights-Soaring to Excellence

School VisionOur vision is for Central Elementary School to be a safe and loving environment full of positive, caring teachers and staff

meeting the academic, physical, and emotional needs of each child – whatever it takes.School Mission

Our mission is to provide a learning environment which:•Places the child first in all decisions made.

•Uses best practices and the latest technology. •Sets high expectations for all staff, parents and students.

•Supports all students and helps them reach their individual potential.

•Communicates and works as a team with parents and the community to ensure each child’s success.

Announcements• October 1st – 2nd thru 5th

Grandparents Breakfast• October 8th – Sonic Night 5:00-8:00• October 21st – Fall Pictures K-2• October 22nd – Fall Pictures 3-5

• October 22nd – Parent Teacher Conferences• October 23rd – No School

Non-Nutritional Days• September 25• October 30• November 20• December 18• January 30• February 12• March 17• April 22• May 24

Lunch Times5th: 10:50 -11:104th: 10:45 -11:05 3rd: 11:05 -11:252nd: 11:15 -11:35 1st: 11:30 -11:50 Kdg: 11:40 -12:00

PTA Dates•October 22nd

Candy Bar Kickoff•October 22nd – Nov 13th

Candy Bar Sales•October 28th

Glow stick sales end

October Kindergarten News

• Reading- Emergent Reading Looking Closely At Familiar Texts; Super Powers Reading With Print Strategies and Sight Word Power

• Writing- Looking Closely; Observing, Labeling, and Listing Like a Scientist; Writing for Readers

• Math- Counting and Comparing; What Comes Next?• Science/Social Studies- Pumpkins, Columbus Day,

and holidays.

Dates to remember: October 2: Book Fair Ends

October 21: Fall Pictures K-2October 22: Parent/Teacher Conferences (See you there!)

October 23: Professional Development- No school October 26: Field Trip to Pumpkin Patch @ Alma Middle School

October 31: Non-Nutritional Day/Fall Party

What are we studying??

Reading:. Word DetectivesMath: Shapes

Writing: How To Writing Read 100 Minutes per week. Study reading sight words.

We are studying Solar System.

Study your spelling sight

words too!

First Grade

Second GradeOctober News

Reading- Becoming Experts: Reading Nonfiction

Writing-Informational

Math- Shapes, Blocks & Symmetry and Stickers, Number Strings & Story Problems

Science- Weather Changes, Components of Weather, and Weather’s Effect on Earth

Scarecrow Pete by Mark Moulton*Not available at Crawford County or Fort Smith Libraries

*The book of the month is a suggested book that Second Grade teachers think your family would enjoy reading. This book may or may not have been read in the classroom.

Third Grade Happenings We are Learning:

Reading: We will continue to work on ourNonfiction Reading and then move to Character Studies

Writing: We will be finishing up Information Writing and move on to “Baby” Literary Essays.

Math: We will be finishing our unit over collecting and solving story problems. We will then move to Perimeter, Angles, and Area.

Social Studies: We will continue to study about “Countries Around the World.” We will finish learning about the USA and move to Brazil.

Frolics of a 4th Grader

Social Studies:We are learning about the Iroquois and Algonquin

Indians in our content centers!

Reading:We have started a new and EXCITING nonfiction unit on

Weather!! We will be conducting whole class research projects and then individual research projects! We are reading LOTS of nonfiction books and learning how to take notes about what

we have learned!Writing:

We just started learning about essays! In this opinion writing unit, we will be writing persuasive

and personal essays!!Math:

We are finishing up our unit on multiplication and division. Our next unit will focus on geometrical shapes!!! This will be an exciting unit in math!!

5th Grade• ScienceThis month we are learning about

ecosystems! We will build ecosystems in lab this month. The students will learn how an ecosystem works, all about pollution in an ecosystem, and plants, animals, water, insects, food chains and more!

• MathThis month we are finishing up our unit over volume! Then we will be getting into our unit over adding and subtracting with large numbers. (Thousands)

• Reading WorkshopThis month we are learning about reading complex nonfiction books. They will learn how to find the main idea, take notes, and study the format of a nonfiction book.• Writing Workshop This month the students are learning how to write a

nonfiction text all about something that interests them. They will be learning the important things that go into a nonfiction writing,.

• Social StudiesThis month we are learning about Exploration in the Western Hemisphere and the effects of colonization. We will be focusing on Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, and Henry Hudson. Students will get to work in a variety of centers and participate in

interactive read alouds.

Gifted & Talented

K-2 Enrichment is provided for all students in the district by Mrs. Wilcox. Students focus on creative problem solving.

Students that are placed in the 3rd-5th grade GT program attend a 2.5 hour pull-out session with Mrs. McDaniel once a week. Students focus on problem solving, leadership, communication , and research skills.

Gifted students in 6th-12th grade meet with Mrs. Taylor and focus on motivation, values and positive attitudes.

Reading is important because…

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

 Reading Recovery is effective.

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 Teacher

Reading Recovery at Central Elementary, Van Buren School District

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!

with Reading Recovery

Success is Within Reach!

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.