FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IS MULTI-FACETED:
We know from research that when families are engaged in their child’s education, children excel. There are many ways your family shows involvement in the education of your child. There are many things that happen at home to set the stage for successful learning. Ensuring your child goes to bed on time and gets a good rest prepares them to be ready for a day of learning. Packing a healthy snack and lunch each day, ensures your child has the energy they need to work hard throughout the day. Setting aside a time and place for homework builds the routines and organization needed throughout your child’s educational career. Ensuring your child is at school on time (8:30- in the classroom) allows them to begin the day with the rest of the class and in an orderly way to begin a day of learning.
There are many opportunities to participate at school. Finding time to correspond with the classroom teacher when a question or if problem arises helps support your child with math, reading, homework or social issues. Scheduling parent conferences allows you to learn first hand how your child is doing and how you can best support them at home. Attending classroom celebrations gives you a window into the learning and culture of the classroom.
Family involvement also includes participating in school functions and activities. School concerts, art shows, Science Night, and the upcoming Halloween Dance are ways to be involved in the community and life of our school. Research shows that students who feel connected to school perform better. We hope throughout the year you are able to attend school events and help your child feel connected to the school community.
Our School Site Council and PTO have set goals to increase family engagement and participation. We would love to hear your ideas and thoughts. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, Nov. 10th from 8:15-9:00 AM. Please come and share your ideas.
Save the Date! Lincoln-Eliot Halloween Dance
Friday, October 30 6-8pm
This is a fun event in which the entire L-E community turns out in costumes and students dance to spooky songs and favorite line dances. Pizza and treats are served in the cafeteria. Teacher treat raffles always bring some competitive fun! WE NEED VOLUNTEERS.
- Sell Tickets (4 volunteers)
- Sell Pizza and Treats (6 volunteers)
- Set Up from 3:30-4:30
- Sell Raffles (2 volunteers)
For questions or to sign up to volunteer, please contact:
Carol Pelon Jena Rossi
carolandnoah@comcast.net jena_rossi@newton.k12.ma.us
617.480.9923 617-559-9540
You can buy your Teacher Treat raffle tickets at any time. See the attached flyer to purchase.
From Nurse Heather Gagnon
Halloween Safety
With witches, goblins and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods this month, it’s important to remember a few safety tips to keep Halloween fun and safe for everyone.
- Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not on the street or around parked cars
- Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks and low-flying brooms
- Carry a flashlight to light your way
- Adults or responsible teenagers should accompany trick-or-treaters
- Save the candy eating for home when an adult can look through the treats
- Throw away opened candy and be cautious of small, hard candy with young children
- Keep the capes & other costume parts away from candles and feet that might trip
- Use face paint rather than masks that can limit vision
- Go only to houses with the lights on
Adapted from the American Red Cross
Highlights from Classrooms – Spotlight on Grade 2!
Writing Workshop : Small Moments Unit
Our writing time this fall is mostly spent writing personal narratives. Each student has a list of topics he or she would like to write about. A small moment could be a personal narrative, a memoir, or even realistic fiction. In the Small Moments unit, students write text that’s a very focused vignette from their lives. A topic such as “My Trip,” “Going to Summer Camp,” or “My Baseball Game” typically produces information loosely related to the topic. Rather, a small moment tends to be very effective because it narrows in on something very specific. Students will publish one story this fall.
Continents, Oceans, and More…
First Mapping Skills then off to Mexico…
Students are learning so much during social studies. They read the book Me on the Map by Joan Sweeny to learn about Newton’s place in the world. In this picture students are placing the correct place from Lincoln-Eliot all the way to the Milky Way. An upcoming homework assignment will be to make maps of their bedrooms, learn about keys/legends, and practice using a compass. Students also have been learning about the seven continents, the major oceans, and landforms. This geography background will help them during the Mexico study.
Math
In Unit 2, students work on fluency of addition and subtraction within 20, represent and solve story problems, and practice strategies for addition and subtraction. One strategy is called the “3 Reads Strategy”: What is the problem about?, What is the problem asking us?, and What is the important information?
Science
Students are enjoying our study of Seeds and How they Travel. This Life Science unit is taught in two parts, the first in the fall and the second in the spring. In the fall, children experience using a hand lens, the process of germinating seeds, identifying seeds, and learning how seeds travel. When we conclude this unit in the spring, we study the Life Cycle of a Butterfly. This is always a favorite with the children. They have the opportunity to observe the complete metamorphosis, from egg to butterfly.