BUBBLES’ BLOG
DECEMBER-JANUARY 2015/16 NEWS
S. B. BUTLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
IMPORTANT DATES / EVENTS
Tue, Dec 1st
Picture Retake Day
9-10:30am
Tue, Dec 1st
Wreath Pick-up
After School
Tue, Dec 8th
Early Dismissal – Teaching & Learning Initiative
1:12pm
Wed, Dec 9th
1st Trimester Report Cards Go Home
Fri, Dec 11th
Polar Express Movie Night
6-8pm
Tue, Dec 15th
Chorus & Band Concert
6:30pm
Wed, Dec 16th
Groton Strings Festival – FHS
6:30pm
Wed, Dec 23rd
Early Dismissal – Winter Holiday Recess
1:12pm
Thu, Dec 24th – Fri, Jan 1st
No School – Winter Holiday Recess
Tue, Jan 12th
Early Dismissal – Teaching & Learning Initiative
1:12pm
Thu, Jan 14th
PJ’s & Cookies Literacy Event (snow date 1/21/16)
5:45-7pm
Sun, Jan 17th
SBB at the Providence Bruins
3:05pm game
Mon, Jan 18th
No School – Martin Luther King Day
Tue, Jan 19th
PTO Meeting (media center)
6:30pm
*******************
Student: __________________________
Teacher: _________________________
Parent: ___________________________
Contact # ________________________
# of children in your party: ___________
# Tickets Ordering:_____________ x $20/ticket = $_______________ enclosed
(cash or check payable to SBB PTO)
Return to school in an envelope marked “Providence Bruins”
ORDERS DUE BY FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER
Dear S.B. Butler Families,
I wanted to take the time to thank our PTO for the numerous fundraising efforts,
family events, and after school programs that they host and offer throughout the school year.
Their support to our school community, teachers, and students is greatly appreciated. Their
efforts and support is one piece of the puzzle that makes our school community and learning
environment successful.
We have been enjoying very mild temperatures so far this season. However, as I look
ahead to our colder winter months please remember to make sure your students come prepared
for the weather. We will make every attempt to get students outside during recess.
Ask your students about our “Book Recommendation” bulletin board. Students can
recommend books to each other by completing a recommendation form at home and returning
them to their teachers. The forms will then be posted on the bulletin board for all students to
see. Students can get the recommendation forms from their teachers.
We will be hosting our first “Cookies and PJs Night” here at S.B. Butler on Thursday,
January 14, 2016 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Teachers will share stories and families will snuggle in
classrooms while they read a book together. We end the evening with cookies and milk in our
cafeteria. A flyer with more detailed information will be coming home with your students in
December.
Please enjoy the holiday season this year! I want to thank all of our S.B. Butler families
for everything you do to help our school, our staff, and most importantly, our children. They
are the reason for what we do each and every day and I am thankful for the role you play in
this.
In Partnership,
Steve Wheeler
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Thank you, Literacy Volunteers!
On behalf of the SBB staff and students, we would like to again thank
the eleven parents who came to the Literacy Volunteer training on
November 18th. Your role as a Literacy Volunteer is an important one
and will contribute to our students reaching their goals as they read
and write. I hope to see you all again real soon in our classrooms!
Health Room
Mrs. Grater & Mrs. Donnel
Here are some more tips on staying health for the upcoming holidays.
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The main way flu viruses spread is from person to person in respiratory
droplets of coughs and sneezes.
CDC urges you to take the following actions to protect yourself and others from
the flu virus:
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Take time to get the flu shot
Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs
If you are sick with flu-like illness CDC recommends you stay home at least 24 hours
after your fever is gone
While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
Cover your nose and mouth with tissue or your arm when you cough or sneeze.
Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available use
alcohol-based hand rubs
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way
Flu like symptoms include fever, cough sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, chills and
fatigue. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. You may also become infected with the
flu and have respiratory symptoms without fever.
Remember making healthy choices will help keep you and your family well through upcoming
holiday season!!!
Art
With Ms. Whitchelo
I’m very excited to announce that we will have a visiting artist in
the art room April 6-7. Eric Sturtevant will be on hand to talk to
art students about his amazing illustrations and do some art
instruction. Eric has recently put out a children’s book and they
will also be available to purchase. I’m excited for the students to
meet a working illustrator who can share his silly and funny kid’s
drawings, and talk to students about a career in the arts.
http://www.ericsturtevant.com/
Kindergarten
Mrs. Horler & Mrs. Whitten
December is a very exciting time in Kindergarten. We will be exploring various cultures and
holidays around the world. Some other exciting days are:
11th – Gingerbread Day
18th – Pajama Day
23rd – Gift Book Exchange
Our Kindergartners will be continuing Unit 2 in math. The following are
the Math Skills for Unit 2:
Exploring 5 groups
Identify, order and write numbers 6-10
Identify and continue patterns
Identify two dimensional shapes
Addition and Subtraction stories
Introduce the nickel
At this point in the year, all lowercase letters and sounds have been introduced. We will
continue to work on proper formation of these letters. We will revisit and go into depth about
writing small moments in January by focusing on including a beginning, middle and end in our
stories.
For science, during December we will use our five senses to explore gingerbread. In January,
we will investigate winter and winter animal habitats.
We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!
First Grade
Mrs. Celtruda & Mrs. Grigg
In science, the children will be learning about how animals survive
winter.
They will be learning about hibernation, migration and
adaptation. We will be having our Hibernation Celebration will be on
Friday, December 18th. The children may wear their pajamas to
school that day, and bring a sleeping bag or blanket as well as a cuddly
toy. We will be having a special snack and watching a movie about
hibernation.
We will be going on a field trip to the Mystic Aquarium December 17 th. We will be eating lunch
there and returning to school around 1:45. More information will follow soon.
We hope your family has a safe, healthy, and wonderful holiday season.
Second Grade
Mrs. Bailey & Mrs. Westkott
November was a busy month. The children enjoyed making their placemats for the 1st and 2nd
grade feast with our high school buddies. We will see them again in December. The students
always look forward to their arrival.
Both Second Grade classes have had the opportunity to visit the Mystic Manor. It is always a
pleasurable trip and is lovely to see the interaction the children have with the seniors. They
are compassionate and helpful. We will continue to visit every other month.
In math we will be working on a short unit of measurement and geometry.
Then we will move onto subtracting 2-digit numbers. Please continue to
practice addition and subtraction facts to help with more challenging math
concepts.
As we wrap up lab reports in writing we will then begin writing opinion pieces.
The children will be writing about reading in this unit.
It is exciting to see the children choosing a variety of books during Reader’s Workshop!
Third Grade
Mrs. Gwaltney & Mrs. Zuliani
Predicting, questioning, connecting, drawing conclusions, and making inferences are the
strategies that we continue to practice in reading. TASS (turning the question around when
answering open-ended questions with supporting details) is still a
strategy we are using to help write complete open ended responses.
This can be a challenging, but effective in writing complete answers.
We have moved on to Information Writing which is a structured,
written-to-teach, expert-based type of writing. We continue to work
on different ways to elaborate in these written pieces. For example:
including facts, definitions, descriptions, and other concrete details
about the topic.
We are shifting our focus in Math for Unit 3. Our area of focus will be on customary and
metric measurement. Our lessons will focus on volume, mass, and time. There are lots of
opportunities to practice these concepts at home. Fun things you can do together include
cooking, timing a fun family activity, and measuring big and small items around the home. Have
fun together!
Fourth Grade
Mrs. Burdick, Mrs. Genovese & Mrs. O’Connell
·In language arts, we will continue our focus of nonfiction reading and writing.
·In math, we will be shifting our focus to Unit 3, which will be the division of
whole numbers, interpreting remainders, and using multiplication and division to
solve word problems.
Please continue to have your child practice multiplication and division facts
daily!
Upcoming Events:
·December 15: Band and Chorus Concert at 6:30 p.m.
Fifth Grade
Mrs. Hubbard & Mrs. Wilson
The fifth grade class would like to thank all who contributed to our very successful Annual
Fifth Grade Bake Sale. We raised $1,266.00! A special thank you to our co-chairs – Mrs.
Pearse and Mrs. Henderson for all of their efforts in coordinating this event! We could not
have done it without them!
Our annual school wide food-drive will take place during the
month of December. All donations will go to our local food
locker. Look for more information to come home the first part
of December.
In writing, we have been researching and discovering
information about the Westward Movement to help us create
an informational piece.
www.khanacademy.org .
In math, we are continuing to learn about multiplying and
dividing fractions. A helpful website to aid in additional
understanding or any questions is Khan Academy :
Students are continuing to enjoy reading Wonder and implementing their reading strategies.
In Science we are wrapping up our unit on the moon and seasons. We will be starting to explore
our lens unit.
Have a safe and joyful holiday season!
PE/Health
Mr. DeMario
Motivating Kids to Get Fit
With childhood obesity increasing at staggering rates, parents and caregivers must play an active
role in protecting children’s health. Eating healthy foods is a key factor in maintaining their overall
well-being. But, this has to be balanced with regular physical activity. Children who are physically
active on a regular basis will reap enormous benefits. Studies have shown that they:
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Are less likely to become overweight
Have a decreased risk of developing type 2
diabetes
Have reduced blood cholesterol levels and
lower blood pressure
Have higher self-esteem and reduced
incidences of depression and anxiety
Are more likely to build strong bones and
muscles
Are more attentive in school
Now that we know why children need to be active, it’s time to get them up and moving. Here’s how:
1. Focus on fun. You don’t have to call it “exercise,” just consider it an activity. Find out which
ones your child likes and encourage those.
2. Limit TV and computer time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than
“two hours of daily media exposure” for children ages two and older. When they are watching or
clicking, make sure they take breaks and move around.
3. Schedule play dates. The key word here is “play.” Have your child get together with a friend
and play a game of tag, race down the block or kick a ball around.
4. Get fit as a family. Create some funny dance moves. Put up a net and shoot hoops. You could
also visit a zoo, play miniature golf or enjoy other activities where a lot of ground is covered on
foot.
5. Choose fitness-oriented gifts. For your child’s next birthday, consider giving him or her a jumprope, mini-trampoline, hula-hoop — something that will encourage movement.
6. Clean up. Chores don’t have to be a bore. Sing a silly song with your child as you both wipe
tables and counters. See how long both of you can hold a funny face while folding and putting
away clothes. Older kids can help wash the car. On a hot day, this can turn into water play.
7. Skip the mall. Go to the playground. Sure, most malls have kids’ play areas. But, when the
weather is nice, enjoy a local park or playground instead. Fresh air always does a body good;
especially a little one.
8. Be a model of fitness. It’s much easier to motivate kids to be active, if you lead an active
lifestyle. Whether you follow a structured fitness program or are lucky to get in some morning
stretches, let them see you moving. It will likely inspire them to do the same.
9. Encourage walking or biking whenever feasible. This is easy to accomplish if you live near
stores, libraries or other places you visit regularly. If you live in a remote area, establish a safe
route to tour on bike or on foot with your child.
10. Be a fitness advocate at your child’s school. Do you know how much physical activity your child
gets at school? Now’s the time to find out. If you don’t like the answer, gather support from
other parents to enforce positive changes.
Notes: The American Heart Association recommends:
 All children age 2 and older should participate in at least 30 minutes of enjoyable, moderateintensity physical activities every day. These activities should be developmentally appropriate
and varied.
 If your child does not have a full 30-minute activity break each day, try to provide at least two
15-minute periods or three 10-minute periods in which they can engage in vigorous activities
appropriate for their age, gender and stage of physical and emotional development. Any concerns
about your child’s physical or overall health should be discussed with their pediatrician.
From the website, PBSparents……
Music Classes Are Making Lovely Music at SBB!
Mrs. Martelle, Mrs. Stevenson & Mr. Schneider
Winter Concert Season Is Upon Us!!
The S.B. Butler Winter Concert will take place on Tuesday, December 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the
gym. This will feature the 4th and 5th grade chorus, as well as selected members of the band.
The Groton String Festival is on Wednesday, December 16th at 6:30pm at Fitch High
School. This concert will feature all orchestra students in grades 5-12. This concert will be a
great opportunity for our young musicians to see and hear the middle and high school
orchestras as well.
o Celebrate the Arts at Northeast Academy: January 21-22,
2016; Snow date: Jan. 28-29. Our SBB students will take part in
this event once again this year! Details to follow…
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Spring Instrumental Concert:
(6:30pm) at SB Butler
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Mark your calendars! We will once again be performing at the Hartford
Wolfpack hockey game! The game will be Saturday, March 12th at 3pm
when they will play the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Stay tuned for more
details.
Reading
Mrs. Fridinger & Mrs. Pombrio
How Do You Celebrate Reading and Writing During the Holidays?
Sometimes it seems the holidays are filled with endless activities and
you might wonder how you can continue to support your child’s reading
and writing progress at such a busy time of year.
Here are a few ideas to help your child continue growing as a reader and a writer during the
holidays:
• Have your child keep “To Do Lists” for the entire family.
• Make holiday readings a tradition. Find a holiday book and have each family member
read from it each year.
• Have your child read holiday cards when they are received and let him write a
message in outgoing cards. Perhaps your child could write a family update letter to
accompany holiday cards.
• Let your child read ingredients from holiday recipes while you bake together.
• Encourage your child to keep a holiday journal. Have her reflect on the year noting
what she is thankful for and what she hopes for in the upcoming year.
• Turn screens off sometimes. They can steal valuable time from reading. Set limits.
• Set aside time for your child to “show off” reading skills. Grandparents love to
celebrate accomplishments and many children love being the center of attention.
• Turn a favorite holiday story into a family skit. Have your child practice her lines
with fluency and expression.
• Give books as gifts! Find books that focus on an interest your child has. If he’s
asking for a bike, find a book that includes a bicycle adventure. You can find books on
every topic under the sun. It takes a little effort, but nurturing a love of reading is
worth the investment!
"Wear the old coat and buy the new book."
— Austin Phelps
WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A JOYOUS HOLIDAY
SEASON!
Media
Ms. Harper
Students in Grades 4-5 are becoming safe Digital Citizens by earning
their Digital Passport through Common Sense Media. Students are to
complete with a score of 80% five different areas concerning safe
usage of digital media. There is an activity for safe internet
searching, copyright of materials, cyber-bullying, cell phone usage and
privacy issues online. Once a student has completed their passport on
line a written packet accompanies the computer lessons.
Students in Grade 3 will begin learning about becoming safe Digital Citizens in February.
Presently they are learning about parts of a book and the Dewey Decimal System.
Students in grades Pre-k through 2nd are hearing different genres of literature.
Math News
Mrs. Fleming
As the holidays and colder weather approach, it is the perfect time to do some cooking
together as a family! Baking and cooking are perfect opportunities to
incorporate some math at home! Children can practice adding
fractions by doubling recipes.
They can also work on their
time telling skills by figuring out what time it will be when
their food will be done cooking. If they want something
finished at a certain time, they can practice their elapsed
time skills by working back in time to figure out when to put
their goodies into the oven.
Children can also practice their
estimation skills in the grocery store as you shop together for the
ingredients you’ll need for your recipes. If you bake cookies, children can place them in arrays
on cookie sheets and tell you the multiplication equation that would match. Once the cookies
are baked, they can practice division as they place their baked goods into containers. There
are countless ways to have fun with math in the kitchen!!
Special Education Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists
Mrs. Salovitz, Mrs. Harris,
Mrs. Buttermore & Miss Kasparek
Need something to do on a snowy day? Here’s a great craft that’s fun and
teaches telling time on an analog clock.
Grab two paper plates, count every 4 to 5 notches (indentions in the plate) and make your
cuts. Write your hours numbers in between the cut notches. Then, take your second plate
and hold it underneath your hours plate. Make marks to indicate where your number
should be. Once, your plate is marked, choose another marker color and add your numbers
by your pencil marks. Stack your plates, hours on top and make a hole for your fastener.
Create colorful clock hands (matching hours and minutes), attach hands with your fastener
and presto - a time teller cheat and peek!
Kids can take a peek if they forget how to read minutes. For example, the minutes hand
falls on the 3. They lift up the flap and see the number 15 (3 x 5 = 15). The minutes hand
is on 15.
Twenty Ways You Can Help Your Child Succeed in School
This excerpt was from an article in Colorin Colorado, a bilingual site for educators and families of English
language learners. This is Part Two of a three-part column that is applicable for both Spanish and
English-speaking parents. Part One was published in last month’s Bubbles Blog.
Support your child academically.
6.
Make sure that your child gets homework done. Let your child know that you think education is
important and that homework needs to be done each day. You can help your child with
homework by setting aside a special place to study, establishing a regular time for homework,
and removing distractions such as the television and social phone calls during homework time.
7.
Find homework help for your child if needed. If it is difficult for you to help your child with
homework or school projects, see if you can find someone else who can help. Contact the
school, tutoring groups, after school programs, churches and libraries. Or see if an older student,
neighbor, or friend can help.
8.
Help your child prepare for tests. Tests play an important role in determining your child’s grade.
Your child may also take many tests during the school year, and your child’s teacher may spend
class time on test preparation throughout the year. As a parent, there are a number of ways that
you can support your child before and after taking a test. Learn more about this subject by
reading:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/supporting-your-learner/test-prep/
Get involved with your child’s school.
9.
Learn what the school offers. Read the information the school sends home. Talk to other
parents to find out what programs the school offers including after-school activities.
10.
Volunteer at your child’s school and/or join your school’s parent-teacher group. Teachers
appreciate it when parents help out at the school! There are many ways that you can
contribute. You can make food for a school event, send special snacks for your child’s birthday
celebration at school, attend “parent’s night” activities and attend your child’s school
performances. Attending your school’s PTO gives you a chance to talk with other parents and
work together to improve the school.
Get informed and be an advocate for your child.
11.
Ask questions. If something concerns you about your child’s learning or behavior, ask the
teacher or principal about it and seek their advice. Your questions may be like these – What
specific problem is my child having with reading? What can I do to help my child with this
problem? How can I stop that bully from picking on my son? How can I get my child to do
homework? Which reading group is my child in?
12.
Learn about your rights. It’s important to know what your rights are as the parent regarding
services. Learn more about parent rights by reading:
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/your-rights-parent-public-school-student
13.
Let the school know your concerns. Is your child doing well in school? Is he or she having trouble
learning, behaving or studying? If so, contact the school’s principal or assistant principal and let
them know your concerns.
Dr. Nancy Anderson, school psychologist at Butler Elementary School, provides consultation to any parent
requiring help for issues related to their child’s educational achievement. Contact Dr. Anderson at
nanderson1@groton.k12.ct.us.