Greetings Fairmeadow Community,

 

This past week I had the fantastic opportunity to spend an entire school day shadowing one of our second grade Firebirds, so that I could gain deeper insight into the student experience at our school. What an amazing experience it was! In one short day I learned to solve 'tricky' words applying four different strategies during reading workshop, I explored algebraic thinking through a function machine model in math, I practiced three narrative ending strategies for a story I composed during writing workshop, and I even rehearsed my reading expression and dance moves through a GoNoodle dance, 'Don't Read Like a Robot'. GoNoodle wasn't my only chance to get physical, kickball at recess, tag at lunch, running, jumping jacks, and stretching during PE all provided for quite the work out!

 

I felt more tired than usual after my shadow day, and full, not just from the veggie burger I ordered for school lunch. I felt full of pride and appreciation for the thoughtful community experiences that our teachers created for my fellow students and me. I felt full of respect for the children I worked with all day, for the attention, focus, and determination they committed to their work, and for the nurturing, support, and guidance they provided for each other. It was hard to leave my carpet square behind and return to the office on Thursday, but the deep appreciation I have for our students and teachers will surely serve to improve my work as principal.

 

Make it orange, make it end, wear orange on Wednesday to show your support of Unity Day, 2016! Unity Day, this coming Wednesday October 19th, highlights the importance of healthy peer relationships, with a focus on preventing bullying behavior at school. Students, staff, and community members are encouraged to wear orange, the Unity Day color, to show a commitment to this important message. The Unity Day slogan for 2016 reads together for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion, a theme that explicitly connects with our year-round work on social and emotional health through the implementation of the Steps to Respect and Second Step curriculums. Throughout the day, teachers will be reading a touchstone book with students to launch into a discussion about kindness and upstanding behavior, and commitments we can all make to support the social and emotional well-being of all students at Fairmeadow. Students are encouraged to participate in our Unity Day lunchtime activity, the building of a Fairmeadow Unity Day Tree. Please consider ways to reinforce the messages of Unity Day through conversations at home. For more information about Unity Day, please visit the pacer.org website linked here.

 

Please join me for our monthly Principal's Coffee this Friday October 21st starting at 8:45 am in the Fairmeadow MP Room. During this month's coffee we will explore and discuss reading instruction at Fairmeadow. Our presentation will feature an in depth tour through Reading Workshop, including a review of key objectives K-5, a sample reading workshop mini lesson, instructional materials and book review, and ample time to discuss participant questions. Our resident expert, Literacy Teacher on Special Assignment, Heather Cleland will join us for the morning! I look forward to seeing you for this important discussion!

 

On Monday, October 31st Fairmeadow will celebrate Halloween with our annual Halloween parade from 8:35-9:10 a.m. on the blacktop and field. Students are welcome to come to school in costumes if they wish on Halloween, however costumes must be school appropriate. Please do not send your child to school in a costume that includes any sort of weapon, or a costume that includes fake blood. While the Halloween parade is a fun opportunity to celebrate a fall tradition, October 31st is still a school day and costumes must not present a major distraction to student learning in the classroom. I look forward to seeing you at the parade!

 

This Monday, October 17th concludes Partners in Education (PiE) Rally Days at Fairmeadow! A very special surprise performance on Monday morning before school will serve to celebrate our community's amazing generosity and commitment to our students. A donation to PiE before the end of the day Monday will still qualify for the PiE matching grant, doubling your donation! PiE supports teaching and learning across our school by funding Spectra Art, Science Lab, Living Classroom, Classroom Aides, part of our Reading Specialist, and much more! Thank you for your contribution to PiE!

 

I hope to see you at Fairmeadow soon!

 

Grant Althouse