Volume 1, Issue 4 December 2007 Fillmore Connections “Making A Better World One Student At A Time” Millard Fillmore Elementary 315-497-2670 www.moraviaschool.org Kindergartners Make Candy Houses! Mrs. Ranke's Kindergarten class house deep in the woods. We canes, and various other can- Important Upcoming Dates had a wonderful time making thought it would be fun to make dies. They looked and • January 8th—APT Meeting candy houses with their parents a candy house and then eat it! smelled delicious! Thanks to on Friday, December 14th. Ear- Lots of creative houses were all the adults that came in to • January 9th—BOE Meeting lier in the week we read the book made that day out of graham help! We had a great time! • January 11th—Student Council called "Hansel And Gretel," where crackers, marshmallows, M & Skating Party these 2 children found a candy M's, Hershey kisses, candy • January 11th—End of Marking Period • January 18th—Report Cards Go Home • January 21st—Martin Luther King Jr. Day—NO SCHOOL • January 23rd—BOE Meeting Inside this issue: Principal’s Corner 2 FYI—Free Books! 2 Brandan Jaquith shows his candy house. APT News 3 Holiday Spirit 3 4th Grade Iroquois Projects 4 Christmas Around the World 5 Happenings 6 Page 2 Fillmore Connections Principal’s Corner Dear families, of the following information is We are presently preparing repeated elsewhere in this children for the NYS ELA newsletter it bears repeating: Assessment and, of course, Happy Holidays from the Millard Please make sure to listen your support is important. Fillmore Elementary carefully to radio stations and Research has shown that Community! First a “Thank you” TV regarding inclement weather children who are familiar with to Ms. Abbattista, Mr. Little, and and possible school closings. In the meanings of words such as: Ms. Kinney for their hard work the same vein try to limit calling “evaluate, describe, support, with the Chorus, Band, and art the school as the phone traffic summarize, predict, infer” tend complicates the process. to do better on tests. Children Principal Howard Seamans displays this Holiday season. Job well done! Folks enjoyed Please, please, please make should be encouraged to do the fruits of their hard work sure to update emergency their best on these when they were treated to a information, address and assessments – that may mean wonderful performance at the contact information, including diminishing over anxious Senior Luncheon and again at the alternate, plan “B” feelings in some children while the, standing-room-only addresses. Much of the reminding others how important presentation on Concert Night confusion can be avoided if this is. Let’s start telling them (Tuesday the 18 th .) The kids there are clear contingency now that they will do great if sounded great and had a great plans for early dismissals. they continue to work hard, ask time performing. Thank you for questions, and see the whole your support. thing as a challenging puzzle As stated in a previous (Like a video game.) newsletter be sure your child is The early dismissal on adequately dressed for outside Thursday, December 13 th went recess – hats, boots, and Have a joyful Holiday! relatively smoothly considering gloves. Children who are not the many considerations (and adequately dressed will not be hands!) necessary to able to participate in their Howard Seamans successfully and safely see (much needed) outside play. children home. Although some FREE BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOLERS! The Imagination Library, county offices by the enrollment founded by country music date of February 4, 2008. To singer Dolly Parton is donating enroll your child, please send in “all children will books to preschoolers residing their name, birth date and ad- in Cayuga County. Each month, dress to: have a library of the Imagination Library will 60 books...” send an age appropriate book to children (under 5), regardless John Gavras Center of income, living in a county 182 North Street registered with the foundation. The foundation mission is that Auburn, NY 13021 all children will have a library of 60 books by the time he or she (315) 255—2746 enters kindergarten. ENROLLMENT Taken from the Auburn Citizen, Pamphlets on Cayuga County Cayuga’s Preschoolers Will Re- Imagination Library will be avail- ceive Free Books by Diana able at schools, libraries and LaMattina, Staff Writer Volume 1, Issue 4 Page 3 APT News Happy Holidays! We had a very 2008. We will once again be information will be coming. successful cookie kit sale this providing breakfast for all year. Thanks to all who bought, students in grades 3 – 8 and Come to our next meeting! We donated and/or helped make would love to have some parent meet in the Elementary School Library on the second Tuesday and distribute the kits. volunteers to help serve the HAVE A SAFE breakfast. We start serving at of every month at 7:00 p.m. Keep bringing in the Box Tops. about 7:45 a.m. and end about AND We will announce a new contest 8:15 a.m. so it is quick and it is when we come back from the so rewarding to see the HAPPY HOLIDAY Christmas break. students and wish them luck. Our New York State ELA tests Look for a family fun night SEASON! th begin the week of January 7 , sometime in February. More YMCA Before and After School Program The Auburn YMCA-WEIU offers a safe, affordable quality child and much more. This program quality program for school-aged care during the hours when is NYS licensed and pre- children ages 5-12. We offer a there may be no adult supervi- registration is required. Before and After school pro- sion at home. The program Please contact the Auburn gram in Millard Fillmore Ele- includes games, crafts, home- YMCA for registration informa- mentary School that provides work time, free time, snacks tion, 253-5304. First Grade Holiday Spirit First grade has been bustling with holiday First grade families enjoyed a special treat with spirit! Take a walk down the first grade/ the YUMMY candy houses they made too. They kindergarten hallway and you might hear had fun decorating (and nibbling) with their a first grade chorus of "Jingle Bell Rock" family members, school staff, and other stu- coming from Ms. Glover's and Mrs. dents. Sobotka's room... you would be greeted by mini Santa's "hanging around" Mrs.Flick's room... you will feel like you are on the First graders are always busy... learning and magical Polar Express when you walk past having fun! Mrs. Cook's room... and you'll enjoy de- lightful Christmas stories at Mrs. Shields’ room! In addition to all of this fun, first graders are showing how much we care during this season... we have collected food for our local food pantry and taken up dona- tions for the SPCA! Page 4 Fillmore Connections The Wheels on the Bus... Ms. Clancy's Junior Kindergarten In Art class, with Mrs.Kinney, they Here, they are shown with Mrs. students are learning about our painted a HUGE box and made Englemann, one of our school's “they painted a HUGE school buses. They've learned their very own school bus that they bus drivers and a member of box and made their very that song we all know, "The could climb in and sit. They could the safety committee. Wheels on the Bus go Round and even turn the wheels, which they Thank you, Mrs. Englemann, for own school bus...” Round..." and made bus name also painted! Students took turns all you do to help us stay safe! tags. sitting in the driver's seat in the front of the bus. 4th Grade Iroquois Projects Bernie Lavender & Stephen Nemec Hannah Bennink & Riley Martin Kassia Barrington & Cassondra Miller Mrs. Johnson’s and Miss Sabin’s 4 th grade class are studying the Iroquois culture as part of the 4 th grade New York State curriculum. As part of that unit the students chose an area to study, do research on, write about and make a replica of. There were longhouses, spears, garden tools, jewelry, food, bows and arrows, corn husk dolls, canoes and Iro- quois villages. The students did a fabulous job, they learned a lot and we had LOTS OF FUN WHILE LEARNING! Madison Hares-Ryan Hunter Talbot, Ryan Schenck, Travis Swayze Volume 1, Issue 4 Page 5 Christmas Around the World Third Graders Collect As part a social studies unit, Ms. Santa Claus has several other names in for the SPCA Kneer’s third grade class partici- other countries. Did you know that on pated in a project titled, “Christmas New Year’s Eve in Spain, it is customary Around the World.” We wrote letters to eat twelve grapes at midnight, one Third Graders Collect for the SPCA and drew pictures about our holiday for each chime of the clock? Some of Continuing with an annual tradition, traditions and mailed them to other the other countries that we received third graders collected a variety of participating schools around the letters from include, Romania, Austra- items for the SPCA. The winter sea- world. In exchange, we also received lia, United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, and a son is especially hard for the animal numerous letters, cards, and reci- few from other states within our own shelters. We are very pleased that pes from other countries around the country. our students have shown generous world explaining their traditions as support and caring for our furry well. We all learned some really friends. We would also like to thank fascinating things about how other all of the families for helping their cultures celebrate the holiday! child support this There were definitely many similari- caring endeavor as ties with how our class celebrates well! the holidays, but there were also many interesting differences too.