Welcome to the start of the 2019-2020 school year which is now already well underway. Students are currently completing informal diagnostic testing to ascertain the most appropriate academic and social settings for them. Education as always will take place in several different formats, including the classroom, field trips, and a variety of other activities. Detailed below are several of the scheduled activities so that you may have an opportunity to discuss some of them with your child and even be involved with the fun of planning together. We look forward to a year filled with fun, learning and growth!
SEPTEMBER
- Wed Sep 25th2019 - Color War
- Fri Sep 27th2019 - Bonanza Day Answer Deadline
OCTOBER
- Thu Oct 3rd2019 - Field Day
- Tue Oct 15th2019 - Favorite Sports Team Day
- Thu Oct 24th2019 - Field Day
- Thu Oct 31st2019 - Trunk or Treat
NOVEMBER
- Thu Nov 14th2019 - Field Day
- Fri Nov 22nd2019 - Thanksgiving Feast
DECEMBER
- Tue Dec 17th2019 - Pajama Day
JANUARY
- Tue Jan 28th2020 - Great Sandwich Competition
- Thu Jan 30th2020 - Field Day
FEBRUARY
- Fri Feb 14th2020 - Red, Pink and White Day
- Tue Feb 25th2020 - Field Day
MARCH
- Wed Mar 11th2020 - Backwards Day
APRIL
- Tue Apr 15th2020 - 50's Day
- Thu Apr 30th2020 - Field Day
MAY
- Wed May 6th2020 - Crazy Sock Day
BONANZA QUESTION
Each monthly newsletter will feature a Bonanza Question or activity for your child to answer, do, or engage in. Those children participating will be eligible for a prize or special activity. We encourage you to spend time with your child partaking in these activities as it is an excellent opportunity to bond and connect with them. In order to be eligible for a prize, the student has to write the answer in his/her agenda, and has to make sure the parents signs next to the answer.
September Bonanza Question: Write down at least 10 words that can be found using the letters in the word "establish". Each letter may only be used once.
Deadline Day: Friday September 27th, 2019
INFO BURSTS
- Amendment to school Calendar:Please note that in keeping with the Palm Beach County Public School Calendar, there will be no school on Veteran's Day - November 11th, 2019.
- Unfortunately, we are unable to heat lunches for students brought in from home. This is a health department regulation which we have to adhere to. Please, therefore, send in foods that your child can eat without being heated.
ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE
A big welcome back to everyone!! As summer is now becoming a distant memory and school begins to click into gear, the need for routine and structure with our children becomes increasingly significant.
At Kentwood, we implement organization by providing our students with consistency and grounding from the moment they enter our hallways. We have specific routines for the way we take attendance, how we write in our notebooks, the notebooks that we use for each subject and the strict schedule that we follow daily. When students are continually late to school, frequently leave early or simply forget their lunches, agendas or homework, it REALLY throws them off for the entire day.
Please be aware, therefore, of the importance of Homebase and your child being on time to school. Homebase is not merely a period to take attendance, but is rather a time to settle and prepare the students for the day. We make sure that each student has lunch; that there are no medication issues; that no child is upset or agitated, that any home issues are addressed, that the students have all their notebooks for the day, that their pencils are sharpened, and that they are ready and prepared for the rigors of learning. And of course, we leave time for them to socialize, have fun, and get all their morning energy out. When a child arrives late to school, they miss out on being settled and often struggle through the morning to begin their day and get on track. Participating in Homebase provides your child with a healthy, productive start to the morning which usually extends into a carries through to the rest of the afternoon.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. Have a fabulous month and enjoy your children!
LOWER SCHOOL
MS. FESTA
I am so excited to be starting the school year with all of you! I love teaching and sharing all my favorite ideas with my class. Since the start of the year, we have been working on our classroom rules, working as a team, being kind to each other, and getting to know each other.
We also started our academics. We learned how to write our heading for our subjects. We are learning our math vocabulary relating to position. We have even acted out the math vocabulary with paper shapes and math manipulatives. We have started our novel, "James and the Giant Peach". We all are enjoying the novel so much! After reading some of the novel, we discuss what we read and then complete post-reading activities. For skills, we have discussed and did class examples of "Tattling vs. Telling" and "Self Control". We all are looking forward to continuing with more academics and improving our skills.
MS. OSBORNE
Ms. Osborne's class has had a wonderful start to the school year. Everyone is now comfortable with one another and we have already begun working heavily on our Social Skills Program!!! We are also currently reviewing our basic math concepts, math vocabulary and practicing new math skills. The students are mostly working independently on the lessons and getting one on one instruction when needed. This quarter we are reading "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" by Beverly Cleary. This is a fun book and we are enjoying some laughable moments together. In science we are learning about atoms and the origins of their discovery. We will be conducting experiments in the future - sure to be lots of fun!!! In geography we have been learning how to read and follow different types of maps. We also plan on doing some fun geography projects as a class this year. I am very excited to be with such a great class!! I am looking forward to a fun-filled year with lots of growth and learning!!
MRS. STEINBERG
It's been a fantastic start to the year for us which makes me so excited for a great year ahead. In Reading, we started the year with the novel "Holes", and what a great book! The kids are really enjoying it. When we are finished, we will complete our second 5 paragraph essay relating to the central theme of the book. If all the parents could help me out be trying to keep the kids from watching the movie until we are done, even though some may have seen it already, I would really appreciate it. We will watch the movie as a class when we are finished and do a compare/contrast activity. Telling them that the book is always better than the movie is not nearly as effective as showing them. In Language Arts, we have been working in the new spelling books, focusing on vocabulary, analogies, proofreading, and color coding. Next week, as we begin our first 5 paragraph essay, we will be putting forth more focus on writing skills by taking basic sentence structure and turning it into more "mature" writing by dissecting the subjects and predicates and adding detail. In math, we have been reviewing some of the basic skills: fractions, decimals, basic geometry, to make sure that we plug in any skills that may have been forgotten or missed. In Social Studies, we have begun our unit on Geography, specifically the colonization of Africa. Science Class has been interesting, with topics including celestial objects and radioactivity. We work on Social Skills throughout our day, whenever the opportunity arises, but specifically, in Skills Class, we have been working on what it takes to make a good first impression and why it is so important. Until next time . . .
MS. WARREN
Hello Kentwood parents. The students are off to a great start of the 2019-2020 school year. We have begun reading our first novel, "The Call of the Wild", by Jack London. The class has really enjoyed the beginning stages of the book. Recognizing character traits, following the plot, and identifying the theme are among several things we stress. Language Arts class has placed emphasis on nonfiction reading comprehension and working through units in the Spelling Connections. We also color-code the spelling words per unit to show the break-down of the unit words; the students learn the meanings and how to use them. In social studies, we are learning Economics with emphasis on economic growth, business cycles, inflation, money and banking, The Federal Reserve System, and Government laws and rules for businesses. In Science we are studying our fabulous Earth as we explore the Earth and solar system, minerals, rocks, the atmosphere, weathering and erosion, forces in the Earth, and the Sarah's history. Social skills is a major part of Kentwood's program. Discussions concerning appropriate social engagement and getting along with others is a huge aspect of our school. I am very pleased to say we are off to a great start! Again, welcome and to those returning, welcome back!
LEARNING LAB
Greetings from the Learning Lab,
Our year here in the Learning Lab is off to a great start! The students have been coming here for the first two periods of the day to work on their reading and language arts skills. Everyone is very motivated to be working on their individual tasks, which have been tailored for their particular needs. As a group, we've begun reading our novel, "The Trumpet of the Swan." We're learning many facts and new vocabulary words connected with the novel. Ask your child how many days it takes for a swan's egg to hatch (the answer is 35 days!). We've also embarked on a study of the Amazon Rainforest, and the animals that make their homes there. In fact, in October, we will be going on a field trip to see a theater production which focuses on saving the rainforest. So please be on the lookout for the permission slip for that trip. We are looking forward to a fun and successful year. We hope to see you all at our October conferences, when you will actually have an opportunity to see your child's work. As always, thank you for your support, and for giving us the opportunity to work with your child.
HIGH SCHOOL
Hello Kentwood Families! We are excited to welcome everyone and are looking forward to a great academic year! Thank you to all who came to our High School orientation night, we hope you enjoyed it and found it helpful. During the school year we will utilize the newsletter to inform our families on upcoming events, activities, and important dates.
During the first couple of weeks of school we have been working on diagnostics, assessing each student's academic level to determine the appropriate classroom placement. We begin each day with a home base, during which time the students have an opportunity to prepare for classes, check in with their teacher, order lunch and socialize with their peers. Double period of Math is to follow, where each student has been placed on the individualized program allowing them to work at their own pace. During double period of English every day the students work on different sets of skills. On Mondays, they work on research papers focusing on identifying the main idea of the research topic and building their writing ideas around it. On Thursdays and Fridays the students write essays and work on the grammar lessons with their teachers. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays the students read and discuss the novel, and then organize their ideas on the factor sheets which they are going to need when it is time to write their book reports. The students are taught to utilize our Kentwood color coded writing system, helping them organize and express their thoughts on paper.
In Science and Social studies classes the students work with the textbooks, periodically watch a film and learn how to analyze and write. We find that students who are visual learners do well in these kinds of lessons and those who are not visual learners acquire visual learning skills. These types of lessons also encourage the student to think systematically and to organize an opinion around facts. In social studies classes the students work in groups, focusing on preparing a presentation on an assigned topic. During Science classes we also work on science experiments. Our first lab experiment focused on density and the students have completed their lab set up. Before we conduct the experiment we discuss as a class, develop a hypothesis, form the procedure, and set up the lab sheets. Once the experiment is complete, the students complete the lab sheet. The experiments have always been a popular portion of class, and I am sure the students will continue to enjoy the activities. Social skills are a huge emphasis in every class. We continue to discuss specific social skills and the importance of applying these skills in life.
High school students are required to obtain 1 full credit of Physical education to graduate. Our physical education class promotes movement - breaking students out of their stationary lifestyle, it teaches skills that they will use throughout their lives - skills like relationships between nutrition, exercise, and health, while acquiring basic body management skills. Physical education classes also help children learn how to engage in healthy social interaction, teach cooperation through group activities, and encourage teamwork through identification as one part of a team. Please contact me if you have any questions or need information.
HOMEWORK: Each of the high school students have been placed on individual homework levels with at least one assignment every night. They should take home their agendas, red homework folder and anything they need. In high school, it is the student's responsibility to remember the assignment or carry the agenda. It is not the parent's or the teacher's. Please help us enforce this to help our young people develop organization skills and a greater sense of responsibility. No student should spend more than one hour on an assignment this early in the year. We will let you know when the amount of homework increases. If the student works for an hour and is unable to complete the assignment, there is no penalty. The student will be given more time to work on it; but the student must show some work. Thank you for your support.
Thank you for your support.
Ms. Wiehl
