Glenwood Elementary School
eNews: December 16, 2015
FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
This year, the Glenwood Junior Optimist Club's newest initiative is to spread optimism not only
throughout Glenwood, but also throughout the community! The Optimists collected food to
donate to the Media Food Bank, but they didn't stop there! They also decided to volunteer at
the Media Food Bank this past weekend. Students, parents, and teachers sorted through
oodles of food donations in order to prepare for the community members' arrival. It was a
valuable experience for our Optimists and their families to see how our donations were used
and how much they were appreciated. Way to go Junior Optimist Club!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
th
5 Grade Band/Strings Concert
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5 grade RTM Orchestra (@board meeting)
Holiday Sing-Along:
th
Wednesday, December 16 @7PM
Springton Lake
th
Thursday December 17 @7:30 PM
Penncrest
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Wednesday December 23 @1:45pm. Glenwood
HOLIDAY SING-ALONG INFORMATION:
This is a fantastic opportunity for the Glenwood Community to gather one last time before we
part for winter break.
Volunteers: If you are signed up to volunteer early, (to help out with parties) please be sure to
sign in at the main lobby (any time after 1:15). ***Classroom volunteers prior to the sing-along
must have their clearances.*
Parents, family members and siblings are invited to attend the Holiday Sing-Along and enjoy
this special event with us. The program will begin in the gymnasium at 1:45 PM (enter the
building any time after 1:25). Access to the classrooms will not be permitted during the show,
so if you are going to be viewing the show, please park and proceed to the gymnasium. In the
interest of calmness and security, please understand that only ADULTS are permitted to attend
the classroom festivities after the Holiday Sing-Along.
Everyone must sign in at the main lobby to our building and obtain their Glenwood visitor badge
before entering the school. We will have additional volunteers and personnel to help get
everyone signed into the building. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding.
If you are planning on signing your children out of the building early, parents must first notify the
classroom teacher and complete the sign out form in the classroom. Next you will need to sign
your child out in the main lobby area before exiting the building.
Parking will be limited so please try and carpool. Once the Glenwood lot is full, it will be closed
by security. Thank you for your cooperation and please share this information with your
neighbors and friends! We hope to see you here!
Thanks for your continued support! Feel free to contact me at 610-627-6901 or
ebucci@rtmsd.org if you have questions or concerns with which I may be able to assist.
Eric F. Bucci
KINDERGARTEN
The kindergarten A.M. classes went to see the Nutcracker performed by Parkside Dance
Company. We all enjoyed it. We just met Mr. F and discovered that he has "funny feet". We
are all looking forward to the upcoming holidays.
FIRST GRADE
The first graders are learning how to be non-fiction writers. They are learning that they are
experts on topics and have many lessons to share with others by telling and writing information
"across their fingers". The first graders are learning to keep their readers' questions in mind as
they write. They are learning that nonfiction writers teach with pictures and words. The first
graders are hard at work planning, organizing thoughts, sketching, and self-assessing their
nonfiction pieces.
SECOND GRADE
Second graders will begin learning how to subtract within 100 by using a variety of strategies.
We are not teaching regrouping (borrowing) yet. It will be the next topic taught. Please refer to
the math newsletter that went home for helpful hints or go to Pearson Realize for additional help
with daily lessons. We will continue to read fiction and fantasy stories and discuss character
develop in the stories. Ask you child about a book that he/she has read in class. Talk about the
characters. What are their character traits? Why do you think that?
THIRD GRADE
This week, third graders have stayed very focus and motivated. In math, we started a new unit
using a multiplication table to multiply and divide. We are looking forward to mastering those
skills this unit! In reading workshop we are getting situated with our new nonfiction unit. We
have been comparing and contrasting fiction and nonfiction, discussing what we like and look
for in nonfiction, and setting goals for ourselves to achieve by the end of the unit. Writing
workshop is still busy with third graders “writing up a storm”! We are working on gaining more
information for our writing from various resources, including expert language into our pieces,
and starting to revise to make it to best that it can be. Third graders have worked very hard this
week and are looking forward to next week’s festivities!
FOURTH GRADE
Our Fourth grade mathematicians are in the move! Mrs Omlor and Mrs. Barry's class just had
an assessment on double digit multiplication. Mrs. Grace-Green's class will have an assessment
on long division. We are so pleased by what we have accomplished so far this year. We will
show all that we have learned when we take our Benchmark Assessment on Topics 1-4 on
Friday. Students are reviewing in class, and may continue to review by using their notes,
notebooks, and the Pearson Realize website.
FIFTH GRADE
As we edge closer to winter break, in Writer’s Workshop, the 5th grade continues to take a
closer look at best practices in developing an understanding of Text Dependent Analysis (TDA).
Here, the focus is on students being able to read a text and then respond to information gained
specifically from the text. In Reader’s Workshop, Glenwood’s 5th graders have turned their
attention to understanding and developing strategies for how to best read narrative nonfiction.
In particular, 5th grade students will be paying careful attention to the reading of text dealing
with disaster stories and biographies. In social studies, the 5th grade continues to look at the
first Europeans in North America and how their arrival in North America impacted the Native
American population. In Science, the 5th grade continues to use the scientific method in our
study of weather. In Math, the 5th grade is taking a closer look at how to divide large numbers.
In grammar, students are focusing attention on best practices in the art of writing a good
sentence, in particular how to best use semicolons, commas, use possessive nouns and write
sentences beginning with prepositional phrases.
YOGA CLUB
Miss Mazzella, Mrs. Yepremian and Mrs. Falzone are so proud of how far the members of Yoga
Club have come! Their flexibility and focus has increased so much since they started in
October. We appreciate their enthusiasm about Yoga and their eagerness to learn new poses.
Next Monday, December 21, will be the last Yoga Club for the 1st session. A second session
will start in February, so be looking for the sign-up! Thank you parents and guardians for driving
the students so early in the morning! Have a great holiday season and we will see you in
February! Namaste :)
JUNIOR OPTIMIST CLUB
The Junior Optimists of Glenwood are very busy in the month of December! At the last meeting,
the students were busy designing and making holiday decorations for the residents of Fair
Acres. The students wrote inspirational messages of support and encouragement, along with
beautiful winter drawings to make the residents smile this holiday season. In addition, members
of the Junior Optimist Club traveled to the Media Food Bank on December 12th.The students
(along with their parents) organized hundreds of donations, to get them ready to be distributed
to those in need right here in our community. Miss Mazzella and Mrs. Yepremian are so proud
of the Junior Optimists and the way they continue to spread positivity throughout our
community!
STRINGS
A large group of Glenwood 5th graders will be performing with the RTM Elementary Orchestra at
the School Board Legislative Meeting during the “Educational Presentation” (beginning of the
meeting) this Thursday December 17th, 7:30 pm at Penncrest.
FAMILY NIGHT TONIGHT December 16th: Spend some quality time with your family!
Tonight, instead of your child’s regular homework, we will be having Family Night. Take a look
at some of the ideas below, or come up with a special one for your family! Spend the time
usually spent on homework to spend time together. Family Night is usually the last Wednesday
of every month, but is on third Wednesday this month to accommodate our holiday break.
Some great ideas for spending quality time are:
1) Attend the 5th band and string Holiday concert at Springton Lake beginning at 7 pm. (Our 4th and 5th
graders will enjoy this performance at 9:30 am Wednesday.)4 Attend any number of holiday and
community events happening in our community.
2) The weather is unseasonably beautiful and mild! Take a walk with the family, bring the dog and ask
your children to share “Two Stars and a Wish.” Two stars=good things that happened during the day, the
wish=something they wish happened or went differently during the school day.
3) Have a dinner time family time capsule sharing. Have each family member go around the table and
share a favorite memory of a holiday from years past. Include grandparents and extended family. Have
each family member share one thing that they would like to do this season to celebrate.
All of the teachers and staff here at Glenwood hope you have a wonderful time tonight!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Laura Spaulding
GLENWOOD PTG
Keep up to date with Glenwood Events & Happenings. For more information about the following
or to find out how you can help, visit www.rtmsd.org/glenwoodPTG
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Who will you see at Chick-fil-A after the Glenwood Sing A Long? Stop by on
Wednesday, December 23rd from 3pm and 7pm and mention that you are with
Glenwood. Chick-fil-A will donate 15% of checks back to our school. The class with the
highest participation will receive free ice cream coupons. Special guest appearances by
teachers and staff!
Fill their stockings with Wawa Hoagie Coupons! Each coupon is $5 each, never
expires, is good at ANY Wawa location, makes great gifts and is good for 1 free 6" Shorti
Hoagie. Please email Colleenkeinath@gmail.com if you have questions about
Glenwood's Hoagie Sale, going on now through June 2016.
Give the gift that always fits: $25 KidStuff Coupon Books are available for sale. For
more information, please email maryannetroy@comcast.net if you would like to buy a
coupon book.
See you at the Sing A Long!
www.rtmsd.org/glenwoodptg
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