Jan 5, 2013 - the house can help her visualize what's in a story. ..... child make a timeline to help him keep track of
January 2013
Vol. 16 No. 5
Dominion Trail Elementary School 44045 Bruceton Mills Circle - Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Phone: 571.252.2340
Absentee Line: 571.252.2342
Principal’s Pen Upcoming Events
11 – Clubs and Candids 11 – 7:00 am Friday Fitness 15 – PTA Meeting 7:00 pm 16 – PTA Cultural Arts Assembly 17 – End of Grading Period 18 – Moveable Student Holiday 21 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday 22 – CLARITY Parent Portal opens for grades K-2 23 – MOVEABLE MONDAY 25 – Credit Union Deposit Day 30 – School Level Spelling Bee 9:00 am 30 – Market Day Pick Up 30 – Report Cards Sent Home
Happy New Year Dominion Trail Families! I hope everyone found time to enjoy the company of family and friends during the holidays and winter break. Looking ahead into January there are just twelve days left before the end of the second marking period. You can help your student stay focused on his or her school work by reviewing the day’s events each evening and talking together about any school-related work that comes home. Maintaining a consistent routine for homework allows for the development of good study skills. Please consider attending the PTA Meeting on January 15 at 7:00 pm. You’ll have an opportunity to learn what the PTA will be focusing on during the second half of the school year and there will also be an informational presentation about the opening of the CLARITY Parent Portal for parents of students in grades K-2. Finally, the staff and I thank you for your feedback given through our school survey last month. You can find more information about the survey results inside this issue of the Husky Herald. We consider your feedback as part of our school improvement planning each year and appreciate you taking the time to share with us. Sincerely, Susan L. Mabee
Safety Reminders
Geography Bee The Yaghan were a nomadic tribe indigenous to Tierra del Fuego, an island group that is divided between Argentina and what other country? By answering this question correctly, 5th grade student Hameem Chowdhury became the 2012 Dominion Trail Geography Bee Champion. Coming in a close 2nd place was 5th grader Justin Rebok. The questions were very challenging and we applaud all of our participants. Congratulations to the following 4th and 5th students who represented Dominion Trail in the schoolwide bee: Calvin Simpkins, Genna Marsh, Luke Marks Hameem Chowdhury Tameem Kopti, Sean McElroy Jeremy Ritchie, Justin Razon Justin Rebok, Michael Ellsworth, and Armin Nowrouzi.
Please help us keep our children safe! We are all in a hurry at one time or another, but we need your help to prevent speeding in the parking lot. When you turn off of Bruceton Mills Circle, please slow down. Often there are children in the crosswalk and it is difficult to stop quickly. Please make it an automatic thought to SLOW DOWN when you turn into the entrance of the school. In order to lessen the morning traffic back up, consider carpooling or if your child is a bus rider, taking the bus to school. Lessening the volume of morning traffic will also help students get to class on time. Thank you for your help as we all work together for the safety of the students.
The correct answer to the championship question: Chile. Check it out…. You can find calendar updates, The Husky Herald, classroom news, and much more on our Dominion Trail website at http://cmsweb2.lcps.org/dom iniontrail/site/default.asp
Staff Supervision begins at 7:30 am. Please do not drop your child off at school before 7:30 am as we cannot provide supervision before that time. Thank you for your help and cooperation.
Don’t Forget to Bring Your ID
As you make plans to visit us at school, please be prepared to show your picture ID and state a reason for your school visit when you use the A-Phone system in order to ask for admittance to our school. Additionally, if you walk your child to class in the morning, you are asked to stop by the office to obtain a visitor badge first. In the afternoon, if you are picking up your child from school, please do not go to the classroom before the end of the school day. You are asked to make arrangements with your child to meet in the front of the school. Thank you for your cooperation.
If due to a disability, you need assistance to enable you to participate meaningfully in any activity at Dominion Trail, please contact the school office at 571.252.2340, at least five working days prior to the event.
Social Studies Textbook Adoption
LCPS has formed a committee this year to recommend for "adoption“ K-3 "textbooks" or resources for Social Science. While it remains uncertain whether funding will be available to purchase these resources this year or next year, an examination committee wishes to make a recommendation for these K-3 resources, so that when financial resources become available, LCPS can have the recommendation in place. The resources proposed for adoption will be available for examination at all LCPS elementary schools. Three publishers who are on the official Virginia Department of Education list of accepted resources will provide their proposed resources to each elementary school for display and examination between January 9 and February 15, 2013. At DTES, these proposed resources will be available for parents and teachers to examine beginning January 9. A table with these resources will be located across from the cafeteria. Parents who wish to examine these materials will need to bring their ID and stop by the school office to receive a visitor badge. Parents are encouraged to provide feedback to LCPS regarding the proposed adoption of Social Studies Resources.
Inclement Weather Earlier this fall you received information about school cancellations/delayed openings and early closing due to bad weather. Kindergarten parents should take particular note of shortened sessions during a two hour delayed opening. This information is also available on our school website. Now that winter is truly here, please read this information carefully and put it in a safe place (on the refrigerator) so you can easily find it when needed. You may also want to consider signing up for Alert Loudoun which is a service that you can sign up for to receive various alerts including inclement weather. Information about signing up for Alert Loudoun is posted on our website under Quick Links. In the event of inclement weather please do not call the school office.
MSAAC Committee Information MSAAC, The Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee works in partnership with Loudoun County Public Schools staff, parents, and community to further the academic, social, and cultural development of every student and to ensure that the needs of all minority students are met. The group meets at the LCPS Administration Building on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm. All meetings are open to the public. The upcoming agenda and the minutes of previous meetings are posted on the school system website at www.lcps.org under the “Information” tab and “MSAAC” selection option.
SCA/LINK Food Drive The SCA is pleased to sponsor the Dominion Trail "Soup-er" Bowl food drive January 22nd – February 1st. All donations will be given to LINK which provides emergency food to people in need in our community. Additional information regarding the drive will be coming home soon. Together, we can help tackle hunger!
DTES Parent Survey 2012-13 Results.
14% of DTES Families Responding
% Favorable
1. Parents and visitors are made to feel welcome.
98%
2. I am encouraged to express concerns or make suggestions to my child’s teacher.
92%
3. My child’s teachers regularly provide me with information about my child’s academic progress.
92%
4. The administration is easily accessible to parents and children.
96%
5. The administration fosters a climate of caring, trust and high expectations.
92%
6. High expectations for academic achievement are evident in my child’s classroom.
92%
7. My child is being taught to respect people of different cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds.
90%
8. My child feels respected.
95%
.
9 My child is not afraid to make mistakes. He/she feels confident in taking academic risks in school.
87%
10. Dominion Trail provides a safe environment for my child.
93%
11. I am satisfied that my child is receiving a quality education at Dominion Trail Elementary
94%
The Husky Code Today I will… Be Safe Be Respectful Be Responsible Be Ready to Learn
Spotlight on Specials
P.E. News After winter break we plan to bounce right back into action with basketball and juggling skills. We’ll fine tune our dribbling skills with dribble tag games and obstacle courses. Our older students will get a chance to shoot on our baskets and play a few modified games, while our younger students will have a chance to shoot with our “Monster Hoop”. We plan to keep the energy at a high pace by moving right into dance and tracking our steps with pedometers. The P.E. Star Classes for the month of December were Mrs. Golden’s 2nd grade class and Ms. Rather’s 1st grade class.
– Mrs. Dabbenigno
& Mr. Rifenburg
SEARCH
This month in SEARCH, kindergarten and 1st grade students will problem solve using tangram pieces. Additionally, kindergarteners will think creatively in our lesson about The Greedy Triangle and be introduced to logic matrix problems. 1st graders will also use their Reasoning and Connecting Thinking keys as we read the book Q is for Duck An Alphabet Guessing Game. 2nd grade students will try their hand at one of my many favorite lessons – Puniddles, which encourages students to make the connection between words and picture clues. 2nd graders will also need to rely on reasoning and good listening skills in our Surprise in the Middle lesson. Students in 3rd grade will attempt to make some challenging block structures and will complete a creative writing piece. Happy New Year! – Mrs. Leonard
Music Notes The Standards of Learning for music education are varied and great. Our students work on accomplishing these standards throughout the year through many activities. Our composer of the month for January is Amy Beach. All students will be learning about her life and music in music class, as well as listening to music composed by her. 1st grade is learning songs that they will perform in their Patriotic Program in February. 2nd grade is learning the songs that they perform in their musical in March. 3rd grade is learning about expression including marcato, staccato, and legato. 4th grade is learning how to play the soprano recorder. 5th grade is beginning to play new notes on the recorder. All grade levels will continue to learn about notes and rhythms, which they practice every day. – Mrs. Olejer & Ms. Deglans
Art News
During January, 1st grade will create a snowman using a sponge and white paint. They will then design a scarf using a pattern. 2nd grade will draw a fox in the snow and learn how at add a shadow. 3rd grade will make a paper mask. This will complement their study of the history and culture of ancient Mali in the classroom. In the art room 3rd graders will make a Dogon animal mask. 4th grade will work with watercolors and will learn different watercolor techniques. They will create a landscape using the skills learned. 5th grade will look at art work by the artist Van Gogh but focus on his painting of a chair. They will design and color their own 3D paper chair. – Mrs. Johnson & Mrs.Hanes
School Counseling News Group permission slips will go out in early January. If you are interested in signing your child up for a guidance group please contact the counselors. Mrs. Pavicic will be taking maternity leave beginning in February. We are pleased that Ms. Lynne Wilson , certified and experienced School Counselor will be substituting for Mrs. Pavicic in her absence through the end of the school year. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Pavicic at school.
Tips for Reading Success January 2013
Dominion Trail Elementary School Susan Mabee, Principal
Read-aloud favorites ■ Snow Party How do snow women, men, and children celebrate the first snowfall of winter? In Harriet Ziefert’s story, they gather for a big celebration on the new-fallen snow. Dressed in colorful hats and scarves, the snow people sing, dance, eat, and exchange gifts. A fun read-aloud for a snowy day. ■ If You Decide to Go to the Moon This nonfiction book by Faith McNulty takes your youngster on an imaginary trip to the moon. She will discover what supplies astronauts need, how it feels to blast off, and what it’s like to land on the moon. Also includes scientific facts about the moon’s atmosphere, temperature, and gravity. ■ Mitch and Amy Twins Mitch and Amy have very different personalities, and they start most of their days by arguing. In this book by Beverly Cleary, it takes a school bully to bring the twins together—and to show them that their bond is stronger than they thought. ■ Big Red Barn This classic rhyming story by Margaret Wise Brown is just right for beginning readers. Your child will meet farm animals and learn about other things on a farm, like scarecrows, cornfields, and weather vanes. (Also available in Spanish.) © 2012 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
How stories work Knowing how stories are organized can make it easier for your child to understand them. Most books follow a familiar path: we meet the characters in the beginning, they face a problem in the middle, and the problem is solved in the end. Here are some activities that will let your youngster explore stories. What’s in a story? Read a book aloud, and ask your child to make a “story house” for it. She can start by drawing a house with four rooms and a triangular roof. Then, have her write the title on the roof and illustrate a different “story element” in each room: characters, setting, problem, and solution. When she reads books, thinking about the house can help her visualize what’s in a story. What’s the order? Being able to tell what happened first, next, and last can improve your youngster’s reading comprehension. Help her read a story. Then,
each of you can divide a sheet of paper into thirds and draw a different event from the story in each section—but place them out of order! Trade papers, cut the sections apart, and put the events in order. Finally, have her use the drawings to retell the story. What will happen next? Encourage your child to use what she knows about stories to make predictions. Read a book, but pause before the problem is introduced. Can she predict what it will be? (She might look at previous pages for clues.) Then, stop before the book ends, and ask her to guess the solution.♥
Stronger writing muscles w When your youngster holds his pencil correctly, writing is easier. He can strengthen his hand muscles — and enjoy writing more — with these tips: ● Have
him write while holding a penny or marble between his ring finger and pinky. He’ll think it’s funny, but it will remind him that those two fingers don’t belong on his pencil! Or he could try writing with a miniature-golf pencil or broken crayon — he will have less room for fingers that don’t help with writing.
● Did
you know it takes more strength and coordination to write on a vertical surface? Let your child give his hand and wrist muscles a workout by writing and drawing on a chalkboard, whiteboard, or large cardboard box. He could play school, or he might use markers to turn a box into a fire truck or castle.♥
January 2013 • Page 2
Poetry play Can your youngster describe a tree in 17 syllables? Or use rhyming words to write a riddle? Making up poetry is a fun way to practice thinking and writing. Consider these ideas. Haiku A haiku is a 17-syllable poem in three lines. Let your child choose something outside, such as a pine tree. Then, take turns writing lines of a haiku about it. The first line has five syllables (“Tall,
Building words Exploring prefixes and suffixes can help your child learn more words quickly and easily. Try this wordbuilding game. Materials: 18 index cards, pencil, 3 bowls 1. On separate index cards, help your youngster write six prefixes (un, re), six suffixes (ed, ing), and six root words (wind, bake). Put the prefixes, root words, and suffixes into three separate bowls. 2. Take turns drawing cards, one at a time, and try to make words. For instance, re + wind = rewind, and re + wind + ing = rewinding. (You can rearrange your cards at any time to make more words.) Note: If a root word drops an e before adding the suffix (bake + ing = baking), your child can cover the e with the suffix card. 3. When the bowls are empty, tally your scores. Earn 1 point for each word with a prefix or suffix and 2 points for each word with both. The high score wins.♥ O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s reading, writing, and language skills. Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 540-636-4280 •
[email protected] www.rfeonline.com ISSN 1540-5648 © 2012 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
green, and pointy”), the second has seven (“Standing in the dark forest”), and the last has five (“With sticky pinecones”). Note: He can dictate his lines to you if he’s not writing yet. I Spy Write an “I Spy” poem together. First, have your youngster choose a small item in a magazine picture (say, a star). Help him think of a pair of rhyming words for it (shiny, tiny) and use them in a two-line riddle. (“I spy something bright and shiny. It’s high in the sky and looks very tiny.”) Variation: Suggest that he draw a picture with hidden objects and write an “I Spy” poem about it. For instance, he might draw a soccer ball in the sun.♥
Successful read-alouds My daughter doesn’t always want to sit still long enough for me to read her a whole story. What should I do? The first thing is to try to figure out why this happens. Perhaps the books have too many words on a page for her, or maybe there’s a better time of day to read aloud. You might start with a book that has one sentence per page and work up from there. Then, experiment to find the best time to read. Your daughter may want to snuggle up with you right after school , or you could read while she eats a snack. Also, choose a spot without distractions. You might sit in the living room with the TV off or go out on your front porch or to a quiet park bench.♥
Let’s have a treasure hunt My boys have always loved treasure hunts. I used to draw picture clues for them, but now that my younger son is starting to read, I decided to write clues so he could practice his new skills. First, I hid one of their favorite books under a sofa cushion. Then, I hid a series of clues to lead them to the book. For example, I wrote, “Look under the thing that controls the TV.” Under the remote
control, I left a clue directing them to look under the milk carton, and so on. The boys worked together to read the clues. It was cute to watch my older son help his little brother sound out words like “under” and “carton.” When they found the book, we read it together. Then, I had them practice writing by making a treasure hunt for me!♥
January 2013
Dominion Trail Elementary School Susan Mabee, Principal ■ Sophie the Awesome Sophie knows her life would be great if she could show people how awesome she is. But her humorous stunts lead to trouble, and it’s an unexpected rescue that finally earns her the title of “Sophie the Awesome.” The first book in the Sophie series by Lara Bergen. (Also available in Spanish.) ■ Liar & Spy Georges thinks it will be fun when his only friend, Safer, invites him to join a spy club. But as plans to observe their mysterious neighbor become dangerous, Georges isn’t sure he can trust Safer. A tale about friendship by Newbery Medal–winning author Rebecca Stead. ■ Guys Read: The Sports Pages This collection, edited by Jon Scieszka, includes short stories by children’s authors and nonfiction from famous athletes. Read about unusual baseball superstitions, the case of the missing trophy, the life of hockey player Dustin Brown, and more. From football to track to mixed martial arts, there’s something for every sports fan. ■ Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter share tips and stories to inspire young writers. Written in a friendly questionand-answer format, the book includes advice about writing “ugly” first drafts, bringing characters to life, creating suspense, and keeping a journal.
© 2012 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Reading resolutions Here’s a New Year’s resolution that’s fun and rewarding to stick with: read more! Have your child try these tips for a year full of reading. Read a “mile.” There are 5,280 feet in a mile. How long will it take your youngster to read that many pages? He can resolve to read a certain number of pages each day and keep track of his daily page count on a calendar. You might celebrate with a trip to the bookstore when he reaches –41 mile (1,320 pages), –12 mile (2,640 pages), and –43 mile (3,960 pages). Variation: Work toward this goal as a family, and combine your totals. Explore new genres. Encourage your child to branch out. If he normally reads mysteries, for example, he could try science fiction or historical fiction. He might aim to read a book from a different genre each month.
Get to know an author. Have your youngster list several books by a favorite author and check off each one as he finishes it. When he has read every book on his list, ask him to tell you about the one he liked best. Idea: Help him explore the author’s website to learn more. Watch less, read more. This year, your youngster could spend more time reading than he spends watching TV. Ask him to track his time for both activities on a calendar. (He might draw a book for every 30 minutes spent reading and a TV for every 30 minutes he watches.) At the end of each month, he can see how he did.
What’s on a map? Knowing how to “read” symbols that stand for words is an important literacy skill. Here are ways your youngster can use maps to practice reading symbols: ● Cover up the key on a map. Point to a symbol, and ask your child to guess what it represents. For instance, a star probably stands for a capital city. She can check the key to see if she was right and then pick a symbol for you to guess. ● Suggest that your youngster draw a map of a familiar place (your neighborhood, her school). She could come up with symbols to represent different map elements, like a slide for a playground or a desk for a classroom. Then, have her make a key to show what each symbol stands for. Idea: Look for symbols everywhere you go, and ask your child to figure out what they mean (fork and knife = restaurant, suitcase = baggage claim).
January 2013 • Page 2
Reading Connection INTERMEDIATE EDITION
Reports that stand out
Focus on characters Before your youngster begins her next book report, she might make a “who’s who” describing each character’s role in the story. Example: “Dorothy Gale is taken to Oz by a tornado. She makes unusual friends on her way to meet a wizard.” She can refer to her descriptions as she writes her book report.
Finding a fresh, creative angle can turn an ordinary writing assignment into a fun project. Suggest these approaches to get your youngster motivated — and see how her enthusiasm shows in her work! Create a list Your child might list 10 unusual facts to include in a report. For instance, she could call her paper, “Ten Facts to Know About Robotics” or “Ten Ways Frogs Are Fascinating,” and write a paragraph or section about each fact on her list.
Ask questions What does your child wonder about the topic she has been assigned? Encourage her to write questions before she starts (“Why did Amelia Earhart want to fly?” “How did she learn to fly?”). As she does research, she can jot down the answers. Afterward, she can use her notes to write the report.
Discover biographies Backward spelling Your youngster can practice spelling and creative thinking by playing these two “backward” games. 1. Write the letters of a wellknown word in reverse order on a piece of paper. For example, “freeze” would be “ezeerf.” Ask your child to try sounding out the backward word. Then, he can give the word a silly definition. Example: “Ezeerf: The sound screeching tires make.” Next, let him write a backward word, and you make up a definition. 2. Take turns reading a backward word to each other and trying to figure out what it is. Start with familiar ones, such as your names. Tip: Write the letter sounds you hear, then reverse the letters to discover the word. O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s reading, writing, and language skills. Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 540-636-4280 •
[email protected] www.rfeonline.com ISSN 1540-5583 © 2012 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Biographies are like people—no two are alike. Your child can try the following ideas for learning about the lives of famous folks: ● Reading a biography can be a fun way to explore a school subject further. If your youngster is studying physical science, for example, encourage him to read biographies of scientists who came up with theories about force, motion, and energy. Or if he’s learning about a particular country in social studies, let him look for biographies of famous people who lived there. He’ll get an inside look at different aspects of life in that country. ● The story of a person’s life is often told in chronological order. Suggest that your child make a timeline to help him keep track of events as he reads. He can write each event on a sticky note and arrange them in order on a piece of paper. Putting events in sequence can strengthen his reading comprehension.
Table talk When I try to start a dinner conversation with my daughter, I get oneword responses. Any suggestions? Conversations improve your child’s vocabulary, which can make her a better reader and writer. And the dinner table is a great place to start. Try asking open-ended questions — ones that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer. Also, be specific. Instead of asking, “What did you do today?” you could say, “What game did you play in gym?” You might also have
everyone share their favorite moment of the day. In general, try to keep the conversation light and friendly, which can make your youngster more likely to talk. Another idea is to make a dinner conversation kit. Have family members write questions or topics on separate index cards, and keep the cards in a recipe box on the table. Examples: “Which zoo animal would make the coolest pet?” “What would life be like if we didn’t have electricity?” Take turns drawing a card and using it to start a discussion.
