Volume 7, Issue 6
March 2015
ANNE E. MONCURE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
75 Moncure Lane Stafford, Virginia 22556
Bear Facts
“Making A Difference Today for Tomorrow”
Mr. Greg Machi – Principal
Word of the Month:
PERSEVERANCE
Calendar of
Events
McDonald’s
Spirit Night
5-8pm
3/3
Interims go
home (K-5)
3/6
Author Visit
Ginjer Clarke
3/10
State-side
tornado drill
3/11
Market Day
Orders Due
3/17
SMART Night
(6-8 pm)
3/18
Clothing Sale
7-2 pm
3/21
Mrs. Bonnie Norton – Assistant Principal
Mr. Machi’s Message…
Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,
It’s hard to imagine March is here. After a couple of
very cold months, I am optimistic that Mother Nature has a
batch of beautiful spring weather around the corner.
Regardless, Moncure has a lot going on this month.
The month of March kicks off when Moncure’s fourth
graders are given the NAEP assessment on March 4th. The
NAEP assessment is also referred to as the Nation’s
Assessment to compare Unites States students to
equivalently aged students around the world. Schools are
randomly chosen to participate in this assessment. Test
sessions are expected to last 90 minutes and student
performance is never shared with testing sites. I only ask
that we make the environment as positive for testing as
possible. Like all secure testing situations, fourth grade
students will not be permitted to enter or exit their testing
settings until all students are complete. There is no need for
our fourth graders to study for the NAEP. We do ask,
however, that participants simply do their best and get plenty
of rest the night before the NAEP assessment. A brochure
that explains what participation in the NAEP means is located
below. Thanks for your cooperation.
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/parents/2012469.pdf.
Student of the
Month Breakfast
3/27
Buffalo Wild
Wings Spirit
Night (all day)
3/30
Spring Picture
Day
3/31
Other events planned for the month of March include
an author visit from Ginjer Clarke, McDonald’s Spirit Night,
Moncure’s participation in a State-Wide Tornado Drill, our
rescheduled SMART Night, our Scholastic Book Fair (3/163/20), Moncure’s Spring Clothing Sale, Buffalo Wild Wings
Spirit Night, Spring Picture Day, and another Student of the
Month Breakfast. Additionally, Spring Bear Season is
scheduled to kick off on March 30th and run through April 3rd.
Please refer to the calendar at the back of this newsletter for
spirit day themes. As you can see, the month of March has
several things happening.
I would like to thank our students, parents, PTO, and
community for making our “Tape our Principals to the Wall”
challenge a great success. As you are aware, we are in the
Continued on page 2
PAGE 2
BEAR FACTS
Mr. Machi’s Message Continued…
midst of saving money to purchase 5 Chrome books for each of our classrooms. These
notebook computers will allow us to challenge our students through collaborative
learning, research, and writing experiences. It is exciting to see and hear about how
Chrome books have changed classrooms across the US. I look forward to seeing our
children use them soon.
Finally, throughout the month of March, there will be quite a few occasions to
recognize our student’s accomplishments, provide our children with valuable learning
experiences, and welcome visitors to our building. Thanks again for sharing your
children with Anne E. Moncure’s staff. It is truly a pleasure working with you and your
children. Have a great month!
Greg Machi
Principal
Norton’s Notes
Many activities have either been canceled or rescheduled due to snow and
the bitterly cold weather. We will keep you posted as things change or are
rescheduled.
One major reschedule is SMART Night is now taking place on March 18, 2015.
The PTO has several activities scheduled for the month of March. The
Clothing Sale is on for Saturday, March 21st. This is a very massive event and
many people are needed to staff various jobs. Please consider giving a few
hours to support Anne E. Moncure Elementary School. It’s a good way to meet
new people and find some great bargains. Our PTO is also sponsoring our
author visit on Tuesday, March 10th. There is also a Scholastic book fair and
Bear Season scheduled in March. More information as to the activities planned
around Bear Season will follow.
As we move towards spring there are things that you as parents can help
your child with when they have struggles. As always, encourage reading and
take the time to read with them on occasion. In mathematics, we encourage
problem solving and critical thinking, but have an awareness of numbers is still
vital. Strategies such as combinations to ten and working on the facts is always
a good use of time.
continued on page 3
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 3
Norton’s Notes Continued…
A good tool for practice and review is the First in Math site which offers
fact practice and multiple operational problems solving to first through fifth
graders from school and home. If your child has not come home with
information and access for this program please contact your teacher or our Math
Specialist, Ms. Kutt.
Also on the SOL horizon: Teachers in grades 3, 4, and 5 are identifying
students for remediation/test taking strategies in math and reading in
preparation for spring SOL’s. Tutoring is being developed within each grade
level 3, 4, and 5 to provide remediation in both reading and math. You may
have already or will be receiving invitations to tutoring for your child if they are
having challenges in certain areas of math or reading. These sessions will be
held before or after school.
Reminder that spring break is the week of April 5th through April 12th.
Thanks for being a partner in the education of your children. We appreciate you
and your children benefit in so many ways from your involvement. Please
continue to volunteer and support your children. It is a very worthwhile
investment.
Sincerely,
Bonnie Norton
PAGE 4
BEAR FACTS
Kindergarten News
February proved to be another busy month for our Kindergarteners! We began the
month learning about Groundhog’s Day by predicting and graphing whether or not the
groundhog would see his shadow this year.
We also spent a great deal of time learning about two of our nation’s presidents –
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Valentine’s Day was celebrated as well as
the 100th day of school. Our students spent the day counting, graphing, and singing
about the 100th day and even enjoyed a special 100th day snack.
We will kick off the month of March by recognizing Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2nd. In
honor of this special day, many classes will be creating Seuss hats and reading as many
Dr. Seuss books as we can!
During the rest of the month we will practice counting coins - focusing on the dime,
continue working with addition skills and measurement tools, and begin our units on
community helpers, our five senses, and magnets. We will continue to work with
syllables and beginning & ending sounds, word families (words with same ending
patterns) and using letter sounds to increase independent writing.
With the arrival of spring, many children become involved in after school activities.
Please remember to keep a consistent bedtime routine throughout the next few months
so that your child may be alert and ready to learn each day. Also, please continue to
send a jacket each day, as it can be quite breezy on our playground.
As always, we thank you for your continued support at home!
~ The Kindergarten Team
First Grade News
Can you say snow days? First grade has been busy working to catch up from
our frequent days off during the month of February. We have finished our
midyear literacy assessments and have been busy in our other subject areas.
Our students have been learning about Famous Americans in Social Studies and
hibernation, migration, and adaptation in Science. In Language Arts, we have
been practicing fix up monitoring and summarizing. In math, we have finished
graphing and we are finishing up measuring.
In the month of March we will be busy learning how to write
informational reports, and how to infer and make predictions in
Language arts. In math, we are finishing up measurement and
moving into addition and subtraction to and from 20 as well as
working on patterns. In Social Studies, we will finish up Famous
Americans. March will be a busy month for Science. We are working on force
and motion, Earth and the sun, and matter. We are all excited about the
month of March and the arrival of spring!
The First Grade Team
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 5
Second Grade News
Welcome to March…and hopefully warmer weather. Second graders will be busy this
month learning about the ancient civilizations of China and Egypt and the contributions
each has made to our world today. This social studies unit is so much fun to teach, and
the students will enjoy learning about the Great Wall, Chinese characters,
Hieroglyphics, and mummies. We will celebrate the completion of these units with a
Chinese Feast—watch for more information to come home with your child at a later
date.
Continue to read with your child each night and make sure he/she is filling out their AR
log. We have many second graders on the “Wall of Fame” for meeting their AR goal for
the last nine weeks. Who knows what Mrs. Torino will do next for those readers that
meet their goals!
We will continue adding double digits with and without regrouping in math. Soon we
will be subtracting double digits and trading. Keep practicing those basic math facts at
home!
Think SPRING!
Second Grade Team
Third Grade News
Third Graders are currently working on multiplication and division. Your
child should be practicing the multiplication and division facts through the 12’s
for at least 15 minutes each day. The SOL states that third graders should be
able to recall these facts. (Children should also be reviewing the addition and
subtraction facts that should have been mastered in second grade.)
We realize that everyone is busy, so we have listed a few ways to practice
the facts.
 Go to First in Math and practice facts.
 Make or purchase flash cards.
 Use flash cards or call out facts in the car.
 Practice facts during each commercial break, or better yet, turn off the
T.V. and practice facts.
 Write problems on paper and give timed drills such as 25 problems in
2 1/2 minutes. Your child should strive to improve his or her score.
Thank you for your continued support at home. It truly
does make a difference!
PAGE 6
BEAR FACTS
Fourth Grade News
We are well into the third quarter of the school year and the students are
working hard finding ways to show what they know. It has been wonderful to
see all the Science Fair Projects. Due to the weather SMART Night is now on
March 18th, and the boards will be on display for all to see. There will be a lot to
see and do also. Please be sure to join us.
Math- Fractions is our next big unit, which is rather complex, so students will
need to be able to add/subtract fractions with and without like denominators
and present the answer in simplest form. Anytime you can incorporate fractions
at home please do so.
Language Arts- We will be Making Inferences as we read. Writers often do not
state the way a character feels explicitly. Instead, writers will include details
about how a character acts and readers must use these details to make
inferences about the character’s emotions. When you infer, you use
observations, prior knowledge and experiences, and details from the text to
make connections and come up with ideas.
Many children may have difficulties making inferences from texts, but you
should point out that they make inferences constantly. For example, they may
know that they have a cavity because they have not been brushing properly and
have a pain in their tooth. Making inferences is like being a detective; you must
look at all the details and put them together to come up with an idea and make
an educated assessment of a situation.
Social Studies- Students will be learning about the Civil War and the major
events and important people surrounding that era. Information about our
Fredericksburg Battlefield and Chatham House field trip will be coming home
soon. Two classes will go March 31 and two others on April 1.
Science- Students have been studying about force, motion, and energy. Our
next unit has us learning about Electricity. We will be building circuits, testing
static electricity and much more.
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 7
Fifth Grade News
Thank you to those that donated to our basket for the
DARE basketball game, it looks fabulous. We look forward to
seeing you on March 6 at Brooke Point High School for the
game; the educators are hoping to take the title.
Can you believe that we are already half way through
the school year? This year is flying by and as always, our
fabulous fifth graders are hard at work!
Students are working hard on their measurement skills
as well as building their multi-step problem solving strategies
during each math lesson! In reading, students are studying drawing conclusions
and author’s purpose within the text. We continue to work on comprehension
strategies and higher-level comprehension questions to go along with the books
we are reading.
In social studies, we are well into our American Story and we will begin
having classroom discussions about how the leaders of this new nation chose to
organize their government. Students should be studying their social studies and
science materials nightly to help them remember the information for tests and
quizzes.
As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
your child’s teacher!
Kind regards,
The Fifth Grade Team
All FOCUS students will begin working on their “Passion Project.” This is an
independent study unit that allows the students to demonstrate advanced
knowledge on a specific topic chosen by him or her. The students will use
formats other than writing a report to present information in a thorough,
entertaining, and interesting way to their classmates. Each student’s work will
be displayed at the FOCUS Festival on April 30, 2015 at Brooke Point High
School from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
This month, the third grade students are being introduced to the proper
way of conducting an independent study. Fourth grade will learn about the Lost
Colony, a Mysteries in History unit.
Fifth grade FOCUS students will finish reading Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, an
exciting and informative novel by James Swanson. They will be participating in
book talks and working on in-school projects pertaining to this book. A field
trip to Ford’s theater is planned for Monday, March 30, 2015 as a culminating
activity for this very interesting unit of study. Students will be bringing home
field trip forms the week of March 2-6.
Also, be on the lookout for information pertaining to Summer Discovery,
Stafford Public Schools’ week-long enrichment program for gifted and talented
learners. It is a wonderful experience for our gifted students.
-Grace Hynden
PAGE 8
BEAR FACTS
Clinic News
WHAT IS ASTHMA?
Asthma is a chronic lungs disease that affects the airways. Children with asthma have
airways that are inflamed. Inflamed airways are very sensitive so the react strongly to
things called “triggers.” Triggers are either allergy-causing substances, such as dust
mites, mold and pollen, or irritants, such as cigarette smoke and fumes from paint and
cleaning fluids.
Symptoms of asthma include acute episodes of:
 Coughing
 Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound during breathing)
 Chest tightness
 Shortness of breath
Symptoms can vary in severity: they can be mild or moderate and affect activity levels,
or they can be severe and life threatening.
Asthma triggers and symptoms vary from one person to another. Some children have
asthma symptoms only occasionally, while others have symptoms almost all the time.
With proper control of asthma, children should have minimal or no asthma symptoms.
COMMON ASTHMA TRIGGERS
Although triggers that cause an asthma episode vary among individuals, there are
several common triggers.




Allergens such as pollen, animal dander, dust mites and molds.
Irritants such as cold air, perfume, pesticides, strong odors, weather changes,
cigarette smoke, and chalk dust.
Respiratory infections such as a cold or the flu.
Physical exercise, especially in cold weather.
Asthma can be controlled with proper medical diagnosis and management. It cannot
be cured. With appropriate asthma care, students with asthma should have minimal or
no asthma symptoms. When their asthma is managed effectively, they can safely
participate in all school activities. New treatment emphasizes preventing episodes by
using medication appropriately and by protecting the airways from exposure to the
triggers that cause the inflammation.
CLINIC NEEDS
If you have any sweatpants lying around and not needed, the clinic can
always use sweatpants!
Please continue to call with any medical updates on your students and as always,
please feel free to call me with any questions or concerns!
Michelle West RN, BSN
658-6300
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 9
SCOLIOSIS FACTS FOR PARENTS
In accordance with Virginia State law, parents of students in grades
five through ten will receive this yearly information sheet containing
important facts about Scoliosis and Scoliosis screening.
Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature or turning of the spine. It affects 23% of the population or an estimated 600,000 people in the United States. If
left untreated, scoliosis can progress to a serious problem, causing back pain
and degenerative arthritis of the spine. It may lead to disk disease or
sciatica. It can also threaten the psychological well-being of a young adult
when there is an obvious deformity.
Although scoliosis may result from an injury, a birth defect, or a
crippling disease, 90% of cases are from unknown causes. It may run in
families and affects girls seven times more often than boys. It most
frequently develops during the growth spurt between ages 10 and 15, but
can also develop or progress later in life. Early detection and intervention
may prevent further structural deformity and resulting secondary problems.
Scoliosis screening is an observation of the student’s spine while
standing as well as performing a forward bend. A scoliometer, a device for
measuring the amount of abnormal curvature in the spine, may also be used
during screening. Treatment of scoliosis varies between no treatments
needed, bracing of the spine, to spinal fusion surgery.
Since the development of scoliosis is gradual and usually painless,
scoliosis may develop without the parent or child being aware. It is
important for parents to monitor their child’s development during these
growing years and to have students checked by the family physician
routinely. The signs of scoliosis may include uneven shoulders, a shoulder
blade that appears more prominent than the other, uneven waistline creases,
one hip higher than the other, and/or a leaning to one side.
If you have concerns about your child’s spinal health, contact your
family health care provider or school nurse for follow up. If you do not
have a primary care physician, with your written permission, the school
nurse can provide an initial screening. Should further evaluation be
necessary she can direct you to other health care resources.
PAGE 10
BEAR FACTS
Math Moments
Susan Kutt, Math Specialist
skutt@staffordschools.net
Instill a Love of Math
Parents are bombarded with messages to read with their children, but it’s rare to hear about the
importance of doing math with them. Here are some helpful tips on why and how to instill a love of
math in your children.
Early Math Matters
We may take for granted that our children will inevitably learn how to add, subtract, multiply and
divide, but early math lessons establish the base for the rest of their thinking lives. “Mathematics that
kids are doing in kindergarten, first, second and third grades lays the foundation for the work they are
going to do beyond that,” says Linda Gojak, president of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM). “They are learning beyond just counting and numbers.” That’s why it’s so
important to help children love math while they are still young. Parents can build on those first
preschool lessons by counting with their children, asking them to look for patterns and recognize shapes,
then moving on to numbers, Gojak says.
The goal should be to make math “real” and meaningful by pointing it out in the world around you. That
could include checking and comparing prices at the grocery store, driving down the street counting
mailboxes, reading recipes, calculating coupons, or even measuring food or drink at the dinner table.
Kevin Mahoney, math curriculum coordinator at Pennacre Country Day School in Wellesley, Mass.,
says when his children were little, his wife kept a small measuring tape in her pocketbook. While they
were waiting for their order at a restaurant, the children would measure different items on the table.
Just as you encourage your early reader to look for familiar letters, ask your child to watch for math,
regarding math as highly as you do reading. “Every parent knows that it’s a good idea to read to your
child every night, but they should also realize the importance of talking about mathematical situations
with children every day,” says Mahoney.
So What If It’s Hard?
What if you hated math as a child? Parents should try to set aside their distaste for math and encourage
their children as much as possible. Young children are eager to learn. “It’s hard to learn to talk or walk.
But they don’t care,” says Sue VanHattum, a community college math teacher in Richmond, Ca., who
blogs about math learning,“They just push themselves over their limits. They are going to come at math
with that same attitude.”
Avoid talking negatively about math, even if you have no need for trigonometry in your daily life. “A
lot of people will only joke that they cannot do math or announce publicly, ‘I’m not a math person.’
When a parent does that in front of a child, it suggests that math’s not important,” says Char Forsten,
education consultant and writer, who urges parents to create that desire to learn by constantly screening
the environment for math. “Have you seen any good math lately?” she likes to ask students.
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 11
Math Moments continued…
If your child believes that math doesn’t really matter, he’s not going to be as open to learn. “Attitude has
everything to do with learning. You can’t make anyone learn. If a child has learned not to love math, if
they don’t love math, and aren’t willing to learn, you have to deal with that first,” Forsten says.
If you are stuck on how to foster math enthusiasm, talk to your child’s teacher about some ways to
support math learning at home. There may be a new game that you have never heard of, which both you
and your child will love.
Play Games
With so many facts and figures to memorize and apply to math problems, children learn early that math
is something that requires work. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun; keep the pleasure in math by
playing games with your children. Many games, even the ones adults play, rely on math. With countless
websites, computer games and phone apps, parents have endless options, but don’t forget about the
nondigital games you loved as a child. The classics that require manipulating cards and game pieces,
calculating along the way, may have the same appeal for your kids as they did for you. One game worth
considering is Chutes and Ladders. A 2009 study conducted by Carnegie Mellon and the University of
Maryland found that preschoolers who played the game improved math skills significantly compared to
those in the study who played a different board game or did nonmath tasks.
As you play with your kids, try to tap into your own love for math. When you play Trivial Pursuit, you
are using math to determine how many spaces you need to get to the next wedge or predict which
category you can answer best. The game doesn’t have to be about math, but should involve it. If you
have a good game store in your area, stop by and ask the salespeople for help. Some of VanHattum’s
favorite games really push logic, which is the basis of math, and get children thinking visually. Check
out Link, SET, Rush Hour, Blokus and Spot It, to name a few.
“Playing games is a great family activity,” VanHattum says. “The more you have a tradition of playing
games, the easier it is to bring in other games you like.” So while you may not be passionate about your
child’s latest board game, you can work up to another game you like. Try to make the game personal to
your family by playing it in your own special way. “Mathematicians make up their own rules,”
VanHattum says. “It’s really important to be open to making up your own games. Change the rules. ‘In
our family, we play the game this way.'”
Flexing Math Muscles
Riding a bike, swimming in the deep end, and playing an instrument are just examples of our favorite
childhood activities that require practice to master. So does math.
“Math is an intellectual muscle building; it’s crucial for fully developing a child’s potential,” Mahoney
says. “Those muscles can atrophy. If school is the only place you do math, then it becomes something
you only do at school. Then you don’t even think about using it in real life.” So brush off those negative
feelings about math and instill enthusiasm. Math will play a role in your child’s life forever.
“It’s important to remember that those basics are essential for later learning. A lot of the stuff we learn in
math we apply in different ways later,” says Gojak, who emphasizes the thinking skills that math
provides. “I might not have to worry about what an isosceles triangle is, but it’s still an important part of
education.” As they grow, kids will learn that they are willing to work hard at something they love. It
may just be math. Either way, remember that your child does not have to excel at math to enjoy it. “It
doesn’t matter if they’re good, it matters whether they like it,” VanHattum says.
Coming Soon! Fluency Web page
PAGE 12
BEAR FACTS
SCA NEWS
In March we will be collecting toiletry items for the McKinney Vento program to
benefit students and families of Stafford County. Details will be sent home with
students. Our collection will be from March 2nd – March 18th. There will be a
large donation box by the front office.
We will begin our Pennies for Patients in April!
Keep sending in your plastic. Moncure is currently in first place with the TREX
challenge!
Thank you as always for your support and generosity.
Notes from our Library
Ginjer Clarke, author, will visit Moncure on March 10th
Ms. Clarke writes amazing, nonfiction animal books. Her interesting fact-filled books are not
only educational but fun to read. Our Moncure students have really been enjoying them and
are excited to meet Ms. Clarke. During her visit, the author will talk to the students about her
research and writing process, play some animal games, read some excerpts from her
books, and have a Q and A session. Fliers have been sent home containing information
about Ms. Clarke and her books. We have books available for purchase; Ms. Clarke will sign
the books during her visit.
Book Fair Changes!
Due to inclement, winter weather, we
moved the Book Fair to March 16 – 20.
Book Fair Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9 – 3
Wednesday: 9 – 3, 5 -8
Friday: 9 – 12.
Happy Reading!
Mrs. Hugar and Mrs. Lewis
SMART Night is Wednesday, March 18.
Come out to Moncure, enjoy the
activities, and visit the Book Fair.
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 13
From the Counselor’s Corner
The 5th grade students at Moncure Elementary will be
taking a field trip to their perspective middle schools in April.
Moncure Elementary feeds into either Stafford , Shirley Heim
or H.H. Poole Middle School. This is a great opportunity for
students to learn a little bit about middle school and also the
electives that are offered for rising 6th grade students. The
guidance department will be sending home permission slip in the next few weeks once
a date has been confirmed. Please fill it out and return to Ms. Conde.
Student of the Month Breakfast
We had a great turn out for the student of the month breakfast on February 27th .
Over 60 people attended! The word of the month for February was respect. We want
to thank everyone who brought in a breakfast item to share! The breakfast is a great
way to recognize the wonderful character traits that the students here at Moncure
Elementary possess. The word of the month for March is perseverance. We look
forward to seeing you!
Physical Education News
Physical Education
News
Congratulations on another fantastic month! We finished volleyball skills with all
grades. Our students will be learning the bump, set, and serve. Jump Rope
for Heart has been rescheduled for the last week of March. Info should
come out this week. Children can earn ducks plus lots of prizes will be raffled
off for students who raise money!!! The event will take place during your child’s
P.E. class. All donations should be made ON-LINE, we will accept checks, but
prefer online donations! Let’s spread awareness and help those who suffer from
heart disease and stroke.
Running Club is back!!!! The second session will start the week of March 17th.
K-2 will be Tuesday mornings from 8-8:45 and 3-5 will be Thursday mornings 88:45. We will hold running club each week starting March 17th and 19th leading
up to the Great Train Race, the first weekend of May. The form for running club
is available under class files on our webpage, and the link for the Great Train
Race sign-up is under links. We are looking forward to another great month!
PAGE 14
BEAR FACTS
Notes from ART
The Sketchbook
Whew! It’s been a crazy winter!! We
are trying to catch up on projects in the art
room. Kindergarteners have been studying
the work of Wayne Thiebaud and painting
gum ball machines! First graders have
created super cool self-portraits of
themselves “shouting their creativity”.
Second graders are working on a color
wheel project. Our third graders are
catching up on their African studies and
finishing their mosaic tiles. Fourth graders
are starting a clay project. Fifth graders are
about to start an awesome self-portrait and
learning about Chuck Close.
Artsy stuff for March:
Make a leprechaun trap! Here is a link to some fun directions
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/to-catch-a-leprechaun-710897/
Awesome interactive art site: http://www.nga.gov/kids/
Mrs. Brooks
brookshd@staffordschools.net
Latest Tweets from @SCPSchools
http://twitter.com/@SCPSchools
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 15
From the Music Room…
As we begin the month of March, students in music have been participating in
learning about how musical note values can be mathematically added, continued to
expand their exploration of various songs and (very recently) applied body percussion
(using your body as a drum) to various patriotic marches.
Our various delayed openings and closures (due to snow) have presented a
challenge. It seems as if we are about to settle back to a steady practice schedule for
our 3 music clubs (Chorus, Ukulele, Drums). As Winter turns to Spring and the SCPS
Fine Arts Festival approaches, Stafford County Elementary Schools will once again be
presenting a county-wide 3rd grade narrated musical story. This year we are telling the
story of Strega Nona. Strega Nona is an original children's book written and illustrated
by Tomie dePaola. It concerns Strega Nona and her helper. The helper causes the title
character's magic pasta pot to create so much pasta that it nearly flooded and buried a
town. It is a fun, creative, age-appropriate story that lends itself to some entertaining
musical treatment.
3rd grade representatives from each of our 3rd grade classes will be invited and
Moncure will have 8 representatives. Meanwhile, ALL the 3rd graders will be having
increased "hands-on" with Orff Xylophones and related percussion instruments.
The theme of our Spring Concert, and Fine Arts Festival performance, will be
"Water." The MES Chorus will be singing songs that all have connections to water.
Selections will include "River of Dreams" (Billy Joel), "Sing'in In the Rain," "Raindrops
Keep Falling On My Head," and more. Selections by the Drum Group and Ukulele Club
are not strictly water themed, but all 3 groups will participate in this celebration of
water. The focus on water will also be to help raise donations for "H20 for Life: Schools"
which is a nonprofit that raises money to help provide clean drinking water, and water
accessibility to poverty stricken schools in Africa. MES Music Clubs are partnering with
H20 for Life: Schools to raise money for Site #5 in South Sudan. Site #5 is an area that
badly needs a school, but cannot support a school without digging a much needed well
for water. You can find more information on the efforts of MES Music Clubs to help Site
#5 in South Sudan at this link:
www.h2oforlifeschools.org/index.php/component/k2/item/822-moncure-elementaryschool-music-clubs-chorus-world-drum-group-and-ukulele-club
Please consider a donation! Thank you!
ESOL News
We have completed most of our WIDA ACCESS testing for English Language Learners (ELLs). Each
year through this test, ELLs are able to show how much their English Language Proficiency has
improved. I am so proud of how much progress our ELLs have made this year!
As a reminder, you can schedule a parent/teacher conference at any time during the school
year. If you need an interpreter for your conference, please make sure to tell your child’s teacher.
You can also send notes to your teacher or the school in the language you are most comfortable
with and we will make sure to get it translated.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or would like to set up a time to meet with
me, please feel free to call or email me. I will get back with you as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Lori King
Kingla@staffordschools.net
PAGE 16
BEAR FACTS
PTO Corner
Up Coming Events:
Mar. 3rd:
Mar. 3rd:
Mar. 5th:
Mar. 10th:
Mar. 17th:
Mar. 17th:
Mar 18th:
Mar. 20th:
Mar. 21st:
until 2 pm
Mar. 30th:
Mar. 24th:
Spirit Night at Aquia McDonald’s from 5:00pm-8:00pm
4th & 5th Grade Variety Show Dress Rehearsal from 6:30pm-8:30pm
4th & 5th Grade Variety Show at 7:00pm
Author visit by Ginjer Clarke, book orders due for an autographed copy
Market Day orders Due
Deadline for consignors to enter items for the Clothing Sale by 10:00 pm
SMART Night
Clothing Sale drop-off from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm
Volunteers shop early 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Clothing Sale from 7:00 am until 11:00 am
Discount period: all items not picked up by noon will be 50% off 12:30 pm
Spirit Night at Buffalo Wild Wings-All Day
Market Day pick-up from 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm
Our Duct Tape Fundraiser was a huge success!!
The students had a great time duct taping our
Principal and Assistant Principal to the wall.
We brought in $4,200 of our $7,000 goal. Help
us get closer to our goal by donating at
http://moncurepto.digitalpto.com/how-to-getinvolved/make-a-donation! 100% of all
donations go straight to the PTO. Every $250
gets us a new Chromebook for a Moncure
classroom. We will be keeping track of your
donations on our new website at
http://moncurepto.digitalpto.com. Thank you
for your support!!
The Moncure Bears are going to go "wild" for
Ginjer Clarke on March 10th! Ginjer is the
author of nonfiction books for kids about animals. We'll have fun learning about how she decides what
animals to write about and hear all about researching and writing a nonfiction book. Mrs. Clarke will be
autographing books. Please send your book order in order early to reserve your copy(ies). Limited
quantities of books available!
Our Spring Clothing Sale is March 21st. Registration for consignors
and volunteers is open now! Start entering your items now. The
deadline to enter your items is March 17th at 10:00 pm. If you have
previously registered for our online inventory system, sign into your
account and click on "register for upcoming sale" to begin adding items
to your inventory. If you are a new consigner, you can sign-up for the
upcoming sale. Please go to the Moncure Clothing Sale website at
www.mysalemanager.net/g_consignorlogin.aspx .
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 17
PTO Corner continued…
We have the largest consignor percentages in the Stafford area!
65% if you just sell
75 % if you sell and work a 2 hr shift
80% if you sell and then work at least a 2hr shift +the clean-up shift.
You also need to login to sign up for a volunteer shift, even if you’re not going to be a consignor. Just login and select a shift
time/job. You will be able to choose a job you'd like to do at a convenient time slot. The earlier you sign up, the more jobs and
times you'll have to choose from. Please keep in mind that some of the jobs have changed from past years due to the new
electronic system (i.e. we will need less cashiers...) We have an amazing Moncure community and we count on your help for a
successful sale. Remember…the more you volunteer, the bigger your consignor percentage and you can shop early!
We have some new things in store for you at the Spring sale! We have added a DISCOUNT PERIOD to our sale. It’s an
opportunity for you to still make money on the items that don’t sell during our regular sale hours. All items included in the
discount sale period will be 50% off. Adding the discount period does signal some changes to our sale times and to what you
need to do when entering your items.
Here’s how the sale times will look on March 21 st:
7am-11am – regular sale
11am-12pm – pickup for those items that you don’t want to be discounted
12pm-12:30pm – closed
12:30pm-2pm – discount sale period
2pm – all items not sold will be donated (no additional pickup period)
What this means for you:
• When entering items in your online inventory, you must check the box “discount item” if you want your items to be discounted
during the discount sale period. This will help us separate items for the pick-up period and make it easier for consigners to find
their items.
• If you do not want your items discounted, you MUST pick them up from 11am-12pm. There will not be an additional pickup
period after the discount sale period. All items left on the sales floor at 12pm will automatically be included in the discount
sale and will be donated if not sold. We are working hard to make this sale better and more profitable for you. If you have any
questions, please contact us at Ann.e.moncurePTO@gmail.com.
DESSERT BONUS DAYS are back at Market Day this month with 11 delicious varieties of pies and cakes including the NEW
Orange Creamsicle cake and Peach Supreme pie, yum! Every dessert purchased earns EXTRA PROFIT for Moncure! Spiral
Sliced Ham is another new product featured this month as well. Plus, online orders of $90 or more pre-tax earn a FREE 4-pack of
ChicNSteakes with promo code MARBONUS at checkout. March is also your second opportunity to make a $40 purchase toward
redemption of the FREEQUENT BUYER Program's FREE Set of Collapsible Storage Bowls: Make 2 $40 pre-tax purchases
between Feb-April and a third in May to earn your FREE bowls being delivered in May! Order at www.marketday.com with
Acct# 19084 by 11 pm Tuesday, March 17th with pick-up Tuesday, March 24th from 5:00-6:00pm in the cafeteria.
The PTO has launched a new website. Please visit us at http://moncurepto.digitalpto.com. You will find upcoming dates and
reminders for things happening at school. The website is continually updated and has names and contacts for the PTO board. We
will be able to accept credit cards at the new website. The PTO page also includes information about volunteer opportunities, and
our fundraising efforts, which include: Adopt a Classroom, Box Tops and Campbell’s soup labels, Spirit Nights, and so much
more!
PAGE 18
BEAR FACTS
BEAR FACTS
PAGE 19
PAGE 20
BEAR FACTS
MARCH
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
March is Reading n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Interims Go Home
McDonald’s Spirit
Night 5-8pm
DAY 1
8
9
10
11
DAY 2
12
13
14
20
21
Author Visit
Ginjer Clarke
DAY 3
15
DAY 4
16
DAY 5
17
DAY 1
18
DAY 2
19
PTO
Clothing
Sale
7am-2pm
BOOK FAIR
SMART Night
(6-8)
Market Day
Orders Due
DAY 3
22
DAY 4
23
DAY 5
24
DAY 1
25
DAY 2
26
27
Student of the
Month Breakfast
Market Day
Pick-Up
DAY 3
29
DAY 4
30
DAY 5
31
DAY 1
1
DAY 2
2
3
Spring Picture Day
BEAR SEASON
Rainbow Shirt
Day
Wear Your Best
Smile Day
Buffalo Wild
Wings Spirit
Night (all day)
DAY 3
DAY 4
Fandom Day
Pattern Day
Pajama and Book
Day
28
Agents of
Change