The Week of March 27th

Weekly Newsletter

Welcome Back from Spring Break!

I hope you all had a restful Spring Break. We are in the 4th quarter and the end of the year is quickly approaching. This is always such a busy time at Charles Ellis and there will be many things happening, beginning with GMAS testing next week. 

GMAS Testing Schedule

Monday          4/3                  ELA   Section 1

Tuesday         4/4                  ELA   Section 2       
Wednesday    4/5                  Math  Section 1           Thursday       4/6                  Math  Section W2

Although 3rd grade students will take the GMAS test on the above dates, 5th and 8th grade students will continue to take the test on 4/7, 4/10 and make-ups will be on 4/11. This means that parents will not be able to come in for lunch or to volunteer on any of those days. I am sorry for the inconvenience. 

Dates to Remember:

3/27: Return from Spring Break

4/3-4/11: GMAS Testing 

4/13: Field Day (Tentative Date)
4/14: NO School – Spring Holiday
4/18: 3rd Grade Field Trip
4/19: 1st and 2nd Grade Field Trip
4/18: Parent Education (5:30) and PTA Elections (6:30)
4/24–4/28: BOGO Book Fair
4/27: Book Fair Late Night
4/27: CultureFest
4/28: Dress Down Day - $1 – Autism Awareness 
4/29: PTA Talent Show

Upcoming HEALTHY snack weeks for 23 students: 

Some suggestions for snack are: precut fruit (apples, grapes, bananas cut in half, oranges, etc.), precut vegetables with hummus for dipping, cheese and crackers, granola bars or chewies, trail mix, applesauce, hummus and crackers, yogurt or Gogurt, graham crackers…  The purpose of snack is to provide a nutritious energy booster when the students need it.  Please keep in mind the nutritional value when choosing a snack.  

3/27      Wyatt

4/3        Alex

4/10      Britt
4/17      Dajshea

The Week of March 13th

Weekly Newsletter

Spring Pictures

**Students are allowed to dress up for Spring Pictures on Monday, March 13th. Envelopes for class pictures were sent home with students last week. Class pictures are $10 and money is due on Monday.

Field Day T-shirts

Green Field Day T-shirt order forms were sent home last week. An extra copy of the order form went home with all students on Friday, whether they'd brought back the green forms or not. Both the  t-shirt order forms and money are due this week. Our class color is Athletic Heather Gray.

Athletic Heather Gray

GMAS Testing

3rd grade students will begin taking the Math and Language Arts portions of the GMAS test beginning on April 3rd. Please make sure that your student is well rested, hydrated, and nourished. Studies show that these three things can drastically impact a child's performance on tests. 

Monday          4/3                  ELA sect. 1-2      Grade 3^rd-8^th       

Tuesday         4/4                   ELA sect. 3         Grade 3^rd-8^th        

Wednesday    4/5                   Math                 Grade 3^rd-8^th       

Thursday       4/6                   Makeups 

KISS A PIG

Students are invited to bring in $2 on Thursday to raise money for Diabetes prevention and awareness. $1 to dress in GREEN and $1 to attend the KISS A PIG Dance which will be located in the Multipurpose Room and will take place during Explorations. If your student would not like to attend they will go to their regularly scheduled Exploration. There will be St. Patrick's Day Accessories for sale as well. 

Savannah Derby Devils

The Savannah Derby Devils came to Charles Ellis to promote healthy eating on Wednesday. The students were excited to meet the Derby Devils and watch them perform stunts in the Multipurpose Room. 

LEGO CHALLENGE 

Some of our students participated in the Lego Challenge to help raise money for Wyatt Rath. Nearly $1,000 was raised by Ms. Olivia and the Lego Club!

  

Dates to Remember:

3/13: Spring Pictures
3/15: Kindergarten Orientation
3/16: Dress Down Day - $1 – Green It Up and $1 for Kiss a Pig Dance
3/17 – 24: Spring Break

3/27 Return from Spring Break

4/3 GMAS Testing Begins

4/13 Field Day (Tentative Date)

Upcoming HEALTHY snack weeks for 23 students: 

Some suggestions for snack are: precut fruit (apples, grapes, bananas cut in half, oranges, etc.), precut vegetables with hummus for dipping, cheese and crackers, granola bars or chewies, trail mix, applesauce, hummus and crackers, yogurt or Gogurt, graham crackers…  The purpose of snack is to provide a nutritious energy booster when the students need it.  Please keep in mind the nutritional value when choosing a snack.  

3/13      Nico

3/27      Wyatt

4/3        Alex

4/10      Britt

The Week of March 6th

Weekly Newsletter

Wyatt's Lego Challenge

Students at Charles Ellis are again raising money to support Wyatt Rath on his road to recovery. On March 7th, to support Wyatt in his battle against Leukemia, children will be able to bring a bag of Legos from home to compete in the LEGO CHALLENGE. It will cost $5 to participate. If kids do not have Legos, some will be provided. Students will need to bring $5 and legos (if they have them) to participate in this fundraiser on March 7th.

Sidewalk Arts Festival 

The Sidewalk Arts Festival was rescheduled for Friday, March 10th. Sidewalk squares and a box of chalk are $10 and all the proceeds go to fund Erdkinder trips. There will be snacks available to purchase. The Sidewalk Arts Festival will be held Friday from 3-6.

Montessori Week: Peace Celebration

On Friday, we concluded Montessori Week with students and staff gathering in the back yard and singing songs for peace. Many staff members and students came to school dressed as their favorite Montessori materials, including Ms. Tanya, who was the hundred board. 

Plant and Animal Adaptations Presentations

Students from Room 21 joined Ms. Jazmin's class for plant and animal adaptations lessons on Wednesday and Thursday. They were able to see firsthand both plant and animal adaptations in the classroom. Thank you to all the presenters that were able to share their expertise with our students during Science Week.

 

Dates to Remember:

3/7: LEGO CHALLENGE FUNDRAISER FOR WYATT

3/10: Sidewalk Arts Festival 3-6pm
3/13: Spring Pictures
3/15: Kindergarten Orientation
3/16: Dress Down Day - $1 – Green It Up and $1 for Kiss a Pig Dance
3/17 – 24: Spring Break

Upcoming HEALTHY snack weeks for 23 students: 

Some suggestions for snack are: precut fruit (apples, grapes, bananas cut in half, oranges, etc.), precut vegetables with hummus for dipping, cheese and crackers, granola bars or chewies, trail mix, applesauce, hummus and crackers, yogurt or Gogurt, graham crackers…  The purpose of snack is to provide a nutritious energy booster when the students need it.  Please keep in mind the nutritional value when choosing a snack.  

3/6        Aleksander

3/13      Nico

3/27      Wyatt

The Week of February 27th

Weekly Newsletter

Khan Academy

All 2nd and 3rd grade students should be using the Khan Academy website to practice for the MAP test. This site aligns directly to your student's MAP scores. **Last week, only 6 out of 18 students logged in to Khan academy to practice their math skills. Parents, please make sure that your student is practicing the skills that they are learning at school. This is a partnership and we will only be successful if everyone is doing their part. If you have any questions about this please contact me via email.

                                                

The following is a link to an article about parent involvement and how beneficial it is for students.

http://www.nea.org/tools/17360.htm

The Promotional Guidelines for MAP and SRI

Sidewalk Arts Festival

The Sidewalk Arts Festival will be held outside of Ellis on Friday, March 3rd.

Dental Presentation

Students enjoyed a dental presentation on Wednesday. They learned all the ins and outs of taking care of their teeth correctly.

Dates to Remember:

2/27-3/3 Montessori Education Week: 

3/2 PTA- Dr. Seuss Reading Day with Dad

3/2:5:30-8 Cosmic Education Science Night/PTA Meeting
3/3: Sidewalk Arts Festival 3-6pm
3/3: Dress Down Day - $1 – Dress Up like your favorite Montessori Material
3/7: LEGO CHALLENGE FUNDRAISER FOR WYATT
3/13: Spring Pictures
3/15: Kindergarten Orientation
3/16: Dress Down Day - $1 – Green It Up and $1 for Kiss a Pig Dance
3/17 – 24: Spring Break

Upcoming HEALTHY snack weeks for 23 students: 

Some suggestions for snack are: precut fruit (apples, grapes, bananas cut in half, oranges, etc.), precut vegetables with hummus for dipping, cheese and crackers, granola bars or chewies, trail mix, applesauce, hummus and crackers, yogurt or Gogurt, graham crackers…  The purpose of snack is to provide a nutritious energy booster when the students need it.  Please keep in mind the nutritional value when choosing a snack.  

2/27      Eva

3/6        Aleksander

3/13      Nico

3/27      Wyatt

The Week of February 20th

Weekly Newsletter

                                                

*Science Projects*

Students are still presenting Habitat projects. They are taking such pride in all their hard work and it shows!

Khan Academy

2nd and 3rd grade students should be using the Khan Academy website to practice for the MAP test. This site aligns directly to your student's MAP scores. If you have any questions about this please contact me via email.

Media Festival 

Every year hundreds of students in all grades in Georgia produce media projects and submit them for judging, first in local and then system festivals. Projects are judged for their excellence in production, writing, creativity, lighting, and impact. The Media Festival does not pit one entry against another. Rather, it seeks to recognize a high quality of workmanship and thoughtfulness, and doesn’t simply award first, second, and third place. The due date for Media Festival projects at Ellis will be Monday, February 27, 2017.

*Please remember to email me if your student would like to participate in the Student Media Festival.

Dates to Remember:

2/21  Application opens for PRE K 4 Lottery

2/22-24 Jump Rope for Heart

2/24   Father/Daughter Dance 7-9

2/27-3/3 Montessori Education Week

Upcoming HEALTHY snack weeks for 23 students: 

Some suggestions for snack are: precut fruit (apples, grapes, bananas cut in half, oranges, etc.), precut vegetables with hummus for dipping, cheese and crackers, granola bars or chewies, trail mix, applesauce, hummus and crackers, yogurt or Gogurt, graham crackers…  The purpose of snack is to provide a nutritious energy booster when the students need it.  Please keep in mind the nutritional value when choosing a snack.  

2/20      Matthew

2/27      Eva

3/6        Aleksander

The Week of February 13th

Weekly Newsletter

                                                

*Science Projects*

Students are still presenting Habitat projects. They are taking such pride in all their hard work and it shows!

**Valentines Day Project**

We will have a Valentine exchange in Room 21 on February 14th. The students are expected to design their own structure that will be used to hold Valentines. I will send home the following flier and a class list so that students can address their Valentines accordingly. 

Valentine Activity (2) by Marianne on Scribd

Media Festival 

Every year hundreds of students in all grades in Georgia produce media projects and submit them for judging, first in local and then system festivals. Projects are judged for their excellence in production, writing, creativity, lighting, and impact. The Media Festival does not pit one entry against another. Rather, it seeks to recognize a high quality of workmanship and thoughtfulness, and doesn’t simply award first, second, and third place. The due date for Media Festival projects at Ellis will be Monday, February 27, 2017.

*Please remember to email me if your student would like to participate in the Student Media Festival.

Room 21- Wish List

• coffee filters

Dates to Remember:
2/14 Valentine Exchange

2/21  Application opens for PRE K 4 Lottery

2/22-24 Jump Rope for Heart

2/24   Father/Daughter Dance

2/27-3/3 Montessori Education Week

Upcoming HEALTHY snack weeks for 23 students: 

Some suggestions for snack are: precut fruit (apples, grapes, bananas cut in half, oranges, etc.), precut vegetables with hummus for dipping, cheese and crackers, granola bars or chewies, trail mix, applesauce, hummus and crackers, yogurt or Gogurt, graham crackers…  The purpose of snack is to provide a nutritious energy booster when the students need it.  Please keep in mind the nutritional value when choosing a snack.  

2/13      Willow

2/20      Matthew

2/27      Eva

3/6        Aleksander

The Week of February 5th

Weekly Newsletter

                                               

*Science Projects*

Students have already begun sharing their findings with oral presentations. The animal and habitat research has brought about many interesting conversations in the classroom. The students are eager to share the information that they have gathered and synthesized. I can't wait to see the rest of the presentations this week. *All projects are due Monday, February 5th.

Media Festival 

Every year hundreds of students in all grades in Georgia produce media projects and submit them for judging, first in local and then system festivals. Projects are judged for their excellence in production, writing, creativity, lighting, and impact. The Media Festival does not pit one entry against another. Rather, it seeks to recognize a high quality of workmanship and thoughtfulness, and doesn’t simply award first, second, and third place. The due date for Media Festival projects at Ellis will be Monday, February 27, 2017.

I will send out a flier for the Student Media Festival on Monday. Although I would love to focus on this in the classroom, I am unable to work it in to our schedule during the next three weeks. If your student is interested in turning in a project to the Media Festival, just contact me and I will get you the paperwork and assist you in whatever way I can. Parents can teach students how to use the programs needed to produce the projects, but they must be completely student produced. These projects can also be something that your students have already produced. Students do not need to create something specifically for this festival. 

Media Festival Website

Informational Media Festival Slideshow


Self Portraits

If you happen to be in the school lobby, please check out the artwork. Several of our students have self portraits hanging. 

Valentines Day Project

We will have a Valentine exchange in Room 21 on February 14th. The students are expected to design their own structure that will be used to hold Valentines. I will send home the following flier and a class list so that students can address their Valentine's accordingly. 

Valentine Activity (2) by Marianne on Scribd

Room 21- Wish List

• plastic spoons
• paper plates
• paper towels
• napkins
• bottle of white vinegar

Dates to Remember:

2/8    District Tornado Drill

2/10  Dress-Down Day - $1 – Pink Out for Susan G Komen

2/21  Application opens for PRE K 4 Lottery

2/22-24 Jump Rope for Heart

2/24   Father/Daughter Dance

2/27-3/3 Montessori Education Week

Upcoming HEALTHY snack weeks for 23 students: 

Some suggestions for snack are: precut fruit (apples, grapes, bananas cut in half, oranges, etc.), precut vegetables with hummus for dipping, cheese and crackers, granola bars or chewies, trail mix, applesauce, hummus and crackers, yogurt or Gogurt, graham crackers…  The purpose of snack is to provide a nutritious energy booster when the students need it.  Please keep in mind the nutritional value when choosing a snack.  

2/6        Stella

2/13      Willow

2/20      Matthew
2/27      Eva