Mr. Ward’s Message:
Another great week at Freetown Elementary! With each passing day students are learning the expectations of FES Within those expectations students are becoming more and more familiar with our core values of being respectful, responsible, and safe. Keep up the great work Freetown Fox students!
Thank you to all the preschool families who participated in the Preschool Open House that took place last Tuesday evening. Many families attended with their child and we could not help but notice the smiles, positive energy, and joy that was beaming from each child who was eager to show their family their classroom and teacher. Thanks for joining us!
Thank you to all the students and families who bought some books at our Fall Scholastic Book Fair. The students were excited and eager to share their newly purchased books. Enjoy spending time with each other as you read together. Time spent reading with your child is time well spent. Enjoy each other’s company as you snuggle up while reading a book.
Did you know…
Freetown Elementary School has a partnership with the Community Engagement Program of PACE Child Care Works. With this partnership FES and PACE offer a free weekly parent/child playgroup for 3 and 4 year olds on Friday mornings. The time of the playgroup is from 10:00 - 11:30 AM on Fridays. Registration is required. If you are interested please email Tammy at tdesnoyers@paceccw.org or call Tammy at (508) 999-9930 Ext 129.
Attendance Matters Weekly Update:
The goal that has been established... 94% of the FES student population will attend school daily.
It is required for students to attend school regularly. Please make every attempt to send your child/ren to school.
September 11-15: 98%...Met Goal!
September 18-22: 96%...Met Goal!
Upcoming events:
September 29: Fall Individual Picture Day - Lifetouch is the provider
October 6: Early Release Day - Students will be dismissed at 12:15 PM. No lunch service.
October 9: No School due to Indigenous Peoples Day / Columbus Day
FES News and Happenings:
FES School Council Meeting: On Wednesday, September 27th at 8:15 AM there will be an FES School Council Meeting. All members of our school community are invited to attend. The purpose of the school council is to assist the principal and school council team members in adopting educational goals for the school, identifying the educational needs of students, reviewing the annual school budget, and formulating a school improvement plan.
News and Happenings around the classrooms:
Preschool: This week in preschool we began our Lively Letters program, which uses mnemonic cues, hand motions, character stories, and visuals to teach letter sounds. We learned about the letter p, a mother who is quiet while her baby sleeps. We incorporated the letter p into sensory experiences including purple and pink playdough as well as a pom pom table. We also continued our study of nursery rhymes. One class learned “This Little Piggy,” and practiced number recognition and sequencing while studying this rhyme. Another class learned “Jack and Jill” and “Do You Know the Muffin Man?” Students learned about pulleys during their study of “Jack and Jill” and graphed their favorite muffins while studying “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”
Kindergarten: This week in kindergarten we continued getting to know our classmates, routines and rituals. We also started our Wonders ELA curriculum. Our comprehension skill was looking for details in a story. Our sight word was “I” and we reviewed the upper/lowercase letters from Aa-Hh. In writing we are learning that illustrations are a form of writing that can tell a story. In our Ready math curriculum we discussed counting, 1:1 and that the last number counted is the total in a group. We were also introduced to ST Math and JiJi the Penguin which has an added math component.
Grade 1: This week in first grade we continued to review letters and sounds. We have been discussing characters and settings of stories. In writing our first graders are learning what a complete sentence looks like (subject and predicate). For math this week we have learned about counting on to add. In social studies we are continuing to learn about each other and how we are a community.
Grade 2: This week in second grade in reading we learned about character traits and how characters respond to challenges. In phonics we worked on closed syllable words with blends and digraphs. In math we continued to learn about place value and worked with 2- and 3-digit numbers. We began to learn about writing a “How To” story. In social studies we learned about map skills.
Grade 3: This week in math, students were introduced to the four strategies in multiplication: repeated addition, drawing pictures, making arrays, and skip counting. In reading, students continued to read the story, "Judy Moody.” Students created their own “Me Collage” to coincide with the character Judy in this story. In writing, students completed their bio poem and presented their poem to the class. In social studies, students learned about the regions within Massachusetts.
Art: Kindergarteners are practicing good pencil grip and seat posture as they draw various lines and line designs. Grade 1 is learning how repetition creates a balanced design in their repeating line designs. Grade 2 completed their first project, a world collage. This project introduced them to the year long theme of art around the world. Grade 3 continued to work on their mini line designs- they are amazed at how much control they now have in drawing small, neat and even lines.
Physical Education: Students learned the 5 Components of Fitness and then did stationary exercises to work on the components. Students practiced the pacers exercise by running partner pacers and also ran laps around the gym by jogging, weaving through cones, and skipping. Later in the week they also worked on kicking skills.
Music: This week, students K-3 have started the second week of their unit on being expressive in music. We will learn new songs, games, and movements to be performed with appropriate musicality. In addition, Gradees 2 and 3 have begun basic note reading activities. 3rd Grade chorus sign up forms are going home with students. If you would like your child to participate please sign and return them.
Library: This week during library class, kindergarten and first grade students learned about manners with a library book. We read two books and students responded by drawing how they can show good manners with a library book. Second and third grade students learned how to use the Destiny catalog where they can search for books in the library. Library books are due on the following days: books are due back this Monday and Friday for students who have library on Day 3. Books are due back for students this Tuesday for students who have library on Day 4. Books are due back this Wednesday for students who have library on Day 1. Books are due back this Thursday for students who have library on Day 2.