Eglin Elementary Chronicle
Mr. Dennis Samac, Principal
Visit our website: www.okaloosaschools.com/eglin
Questions? Call 833-4320
EGLIN ELEMENTARY VISION STATEMENT:
Eglin Elementary School will be a community of learners where everyone is responsible and committed to preparing our students for
tomorrow’s challenges.
Self-Respect & Respect for Others:
Our key to Success!
Remember the 3 B’s
Be Safe
Be Responsible
Be Respectful
Hello from First Grade,
First grade students have been actively learning,
growing, and developing the skills needed to be
successful! We are excited about the learning
opportunities that the second semester of the year
will bring and have transformed our classrooms
into learning laboratories filled with engaging
learning experiences!
In English Language Arts, our teachers have
provided students with challenging and complex
texts to enhance fluency, academic vocabulary, and
comprehension skills. First graders have also been
developing close-reading skills, through the use of
high-quality literature and focused instruction.
Through close- reads, we have been examining the
meaning of words, analyzing text, and completing
meaningful performance tasks. In addition,
students will continue to work on foundational
skills, such as phonics, phonemic awareness, and
correct grammar usage. During Writer’s
Workshop, students have been exploring their
creativity through various writing assignments.
Students have engaged in interactive writing
lessons and have learned about effective writing
traits. To celebrate our love for reading, students
participated in our first grade’s annual Read-AThon fundraiser! First graders circulated through 7
first grade classrooms and participated in fun and
exciting literacy activities. The activities included,
flashlight reading, interactive plays, making books,
and much more!
In Math, students have been developing an
understanding of whole group numbers with an
emphasis on extending a counting sequence and
understanding place values. During the upcoming
months, students will focus on comparing numbers
and two-digit addition and subtraction. Students
have been modeling “talk moves” which include
wait time (allowing students adequate time to think
about the problem), restating (repeating what was
said in their own words), re-voicing (the ability to
articulate what others stated), prompting (adding
information onto an existing problem or solution),
and applying reasoning (students justify their
reasoning). Our little mathematicians give their
very best every day!
In Science, we have been exploring the world
around us using our inquiry skills. During the first
semester of school, student studied how scientists
work, objects in the sky, Earth’s resources, and
most recently matter. Our science experiments
have included, observing rocks, finding out how
objects move, which objects sink and float, and
comparing living/non-living things. In addition, our
science teacher Mrs. Gilmer has also provided us
with many hands-on science experiments that have
sparked our interest and love for science!
In Social Studies, students have learned about
the historical aspects of holidays such as Veterans
Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas celebrations around
the world, and the influence and impact of brave
men and women such as Martin Luther King Jr.
and other historical figures.
First grade teachers would like to thank our
parents for your continued support and look
forward to the remainder of a great school year!
Learning together,
Laurren Seegars
1st Grade, Grade Level Chair
Character Trait Word for January
Tutoring Dates:
3rd Grade:
Feb. 2, 4, 11, 18, 23, 25
4th Grade:
Feb. 3, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26
School Office Hours:
7:15 am -3:15 pm
Safety First!
Parents,
For the safety of our students and
to help increase traffic flow, please
observe the following when picking up
or dropping off children on the car
ramp:
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Pull all the way to the end of the
ramp before dropping off or picking
up students.
Children should exit from the right
side of the vehicle only!
Please do not block the car ramp
crosswalk.
Please use the crosswalks when
walking to school.
Please put the card with your child’s
name on it in the right side window
of your car.
In addition, please be especially
cautious of our students as they
cross the street at the intersection
of Gaffney and Hatchee Roads.
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Thank you for your cooperation.
Mr. Dennis Samac
Principal
Eglin Elementary
Home of the Eagles
Set your AR Goal!
Jan. 2015
Important Dates/ Holidays
Feb. 9, 2015 Children’s Dental Health event @
8:30 am
Feb. 9, 2015 1st Grade Awards assembly @ 9:30
am in the cafeteria
Feb. 10. 2015 Children’s Dental Health event @
8:30 am
Feb. 10 MFLC- Coffee Talk @ 8:30 am in the
Media Center
Feb. 10, 2015 2nd Grade Awards assembly @
9:30 am in the cafeteria
Feb. 10, 2015 Robotics class @ 3:00 pm
Feb. 10, 2015 SAC meeting in the Media Center
@ 3:15 pm
Feb. 11, 2015 Spring pictures and Class photos
Feb. 12, 2015 3rd/4th Grade Awards assembly @
9:30 am in the cafeteria
Feb. 13, 2015 Kg. field trip to Mattie Kelly Arts
Center and Niceville Children’s Park @ 8:45
am
Feb. 16, 2015 Washington’s Birthday holiday
Feb. 17, 2015 Volunteer orientation @ 1:45 pm
in the Media Center
Feb. 17, 2015 Robotics class @ 3:00 pm
Feb. 24, 2015 Robotics class @ 3:00 pm
Calendar Dates
Early Release Time 12:10 pm
Early Release Dates
2014-2015
Mar. 5, 2015
Apr. 2, 2015
May 7, 2015
Attendance Reminder:
Students will have five school days,
including the day they return, to bring in
written verification for an excused
absence. The absence will be considered
unexcused if the school does not receive
written verification for the excused
absence in that time frame. After the
ninth absence (excused or unexcused) per
semester, a letter will be sent to parents
or legal guardians notifying them of the
necessity of a doctor’s excuse or excuse
from an official agency in order for the
make-up work to be provided.
Ice Cream!!!
Lunch Menu
Lunch menus are online
@www.okaloosa.k12.fl.us/
foodservices/index.htm
To create a payment account, please go to
schoolpaymentsolutions.com.
Reminder: If you have not already done so, you
may go to applyforlunch.com to fill out
free/reduced lunch applications.
If you have any questions about your child’s
account, please contact Ms. Judy Terry @ 8334322.
The cafeteria will be selling ice cream ala carte on
Tuesdays and Thursdays. The price is75 cents.
Students will need to bring additional money. If
you do not wish your child to be able to purchase
ice cream from his/her lunch account, please
contact Ms. Judy Terry @ 833-4322, or send a
letter saying that they may not use their lunch
account for ice cream.
Parent notification:
If you wish to view the School Public
Accountability Report (SPAR), it will be
available in the front office.
Out of Field Teachers:
In compliance with Section 101.42 Florida
Statues, the following teachers, Mrs. June
Whiting-Cobb, Ms. Vaneesa Harrington,
Mrs. Jones-Urena, Mrs. Renee Laney, and
Mrs. Carol Kotulan are out of field because
they do not have an ESOL endorsement, and
they have an ESOL child in their classroom.
They all hold a valid teaching certificate
issued by the State of Florida and are
working on courses to satisfy the
requirements for an ESOL endorsement.
Boost your day!
Drop off your child & stay for
coffee & conversation with other
military parents
participate fully. Primary students do a
lot of moving in order to internalize the
steady beat and the intermediate students
will need to sit on the floor to perform
on the mallet percussion instruments.
November and December:
Song of the Month: This Land is Your
Land
Unit: Rhythm-Melody-Melody is the
tune of the song. Step, skip, leap,
repeat/Tone Color-the sounds of
instruments/voice
Composer: Leroy Anderson
Link-up program for 3rd grade –
Orchestra Moves
Link-up program for 4th grade-Orchestra
Rocks
Ask your student what they are doing
in Music Class!
Tuesday, Feb 10th
at 8:30am
Jolie Albertson-9:25
2nd Grade:
Aydin Ozdogru-8:12
Ryan Saffo-8:16
Nia Crawford-9:36
Jennifer Moor-9:48
3rd Grade:
Tristan Thompson-7:48
Keylan Hicks-8:23
Jasmine Woods-10:00
Charlee Gonzales-10:16
4th Grade:
Cosner Harrison-7:25
Nevaeh Davis-7:47
Thomas Marion-7:47
Sienna Hilland-9:55
Cards for Troops
Mrs. Kotulan’s class made cards for
deployed troops at Christmas. Pictured
below are the students and the cards they
made.
Join Us for Refreshments
at 8:15am
Mrs. Day
Music Specialist
New Time!
Same Place! Eglin
Elementary’s Media
Center
MFLC’s do not keep written
records
*Sponsored
by
Eglin
Elementary School’s PTO &
facilitated by the Military Family
Life Counselors
Kindergarten fundraiser:
Don’t throw away your old laser or
ink jet cartridges!! Kindergarten is
collecting them as a year-round
fundraiser. Please do not send in
toner cartridges from copiers as
these are not part of the fundraiser.
Thanks for your support.
Gingerbread houses!
P.E. Notes
Tennis shoes are required each day for
P.E.. Some students are stilling wearing flip
flops to P.E. Flip flops are not safe for any
P.E. activities. Students will need to have
jackets during the cooler weather as P.E.
activities are held outside. Please remind
your child to wear the proper attire to P.E.
for both their safety and their comfort.
Parents are always welcomed and
encouraged to come out and participate
during your child’s designated P.E. time!
Coaches will be selling Freeze Pops for 50
cents each on Fridays. Proceeds will go to
purchase fitness equipment for the gym.
Many of our kindergarten and first grade
students made gingerbread houses for
the holidays. As you can see by the
pictures, they had a wonderful time
creating their very own gingerbread
house.
Pictured here: Makayla from Mrs. Buck’s
kindergarten class prepares to attach a
graham cracker to the side of her house.
Jingle Bell Jog Results:
Music
classes
include
experiences with singing, playing
instruments, moving, listening and
creating. The musical concepts that are
studied include rhythm, melody,
harmony, form, expressive qualities and
style.
Children will experience
traditional American folk songs in
addition to a variety of world music, and
pieces in many styles. Lessons will lead
toward note reading and music literacy.
Music lessons are fast-paced
and fun, and students will need to wear
comfortable clothing in order to
Kindergarten:
Jacob Bary-10:06
Chasitie Bowers 10:59
Jamal Archer-12:12
Vionna Haertelt-13:20
1st Grade:
Aiden Ballesteros-8:26
Vinson Reed-8:26
Laila Leggett-9:12
Kyra Bowen-9:14
Matthew Ewing-9:24
Pictured here: Caleb from Mrs. Anderson’s
class, added a garage to his gingerbread
house.
Pictured here: All of the other reindeer-Mrs.
Day, Coach Robbins, Mrs. Gunderson, and
second grade teachers.
Pictured here: Lilly is all smiles as she works
on her gingerbread house.
Pictured here: Braylon with his Christmas
ornament, card and mkeka.
The Littlest Christmas Tree Play
Pictured here: In Ms. Clemmons’
kindergarten class, Shaelyn works with her
mother to begin decorating her gingerbread
house.
On Dec. 9, students were treated to two
performances of the Pro Kids Show starring
Scott Humston. Mr. Humston uses humor,
magic, and puppets to teach character
education. He told students that character is
who you are when no one is looking. The Pro
Kids Show is always lots of fun and is
eagerly anticipated each year!
On Dec. 16th, Mrs. Sandy Day and the second
grade, performed the Littlest Christmas Tree play
for both students and parents. As always, it was a
wonderful production. Following the play, Mrs.
Day led the student body in a Christmas song singa-long. Mr. Samac surprised students when he
came out dressed as Rudolph. Mrs. Gunderson
and some of the teachers also surprised students
by coming out dressed as reindeers and performing
adance routine.
Pictured here: Brett Horton assists Scott
Humston in a magic trick.
Pictured here: A beautiful work of art!
Christmas Around the World
Mrs. Johnson’s 2nd grade class had fun learning
about holiday traditions in different areas of the
world. Students made a handwoven mat called a
mkeka for Kwanzaa. They made picture frames
and shell bracelets from Figi, and Christmas cards
and ornaments from the United States.
Pictured here: Santa played by Talan
Schmidt, the littlest Christmas tree
played by Tyeson Ball, and Lauren Bary
as Mrs. Claus.
Pictured here: Scott Humston always brings
one of his puppet friends to his show. Elroy
T. Raccoon had the children roaring with
laughter.
Pictured here: Some of Santa’s elves
decorating the littlest Christmas tree.
Congratulations to Mrs. Donna
Konefal, Eglin Elementary’s
Support Person of the Year!!
Pictured here: Kylie with her picture frame.
Pictured here: Mr. Samac, and Mrs. Konefal
Pictured here: Kylie and Landon with the
Christmas ornaments they made.
Pictured here: Mr. Samac as Rudolph.