Weekly Highlights
Friday, January 20, 2017
Preschool News

During the month of January, the Turtle Class has been learning about arctic animals.  We have read several books and have done a few art projects, including making penguins and polar bears.  We have also been learning about winter, snow, and ice.  Students made snowmen to hang in the hallway.  We are having parent volunteers come in to participate in several winter activities and games and are looking forward to having their help!
Also, Debi Gnau has spent many hours, with the help of her kids, painting handprints on our bathroom walls.  We really appreciate all her hard work and love how awesome our walls look!  
BG News

The fourth-grade students at Beverly Gardens are having fun learning about fractions this winter.  In the past month, they have been doing all kinds of games and sorting activities to help develop an understanding of fractions and the mathematical reasoning that goes along with them.  The fraction sort that is pictured, is the very first one that kicked off our fraction unit.  Students were asked to discuss with their group and determine if different fraction pictures, sets, number lines & actual fractions represented ½ or not.  Next, students rotated to a different group and discussed the answers they saw.  If they did not agree with an answer, they were not allowed to move it, but instead placed a mini post-it note on it to spark further discussion.  After critiquing at least two groups, students were asked to return to their own group and look at the flagged cards that could be mistakes.  Students began to ask questions within their groups and help each other come to higher levels of understanding.  

Stevenson News

This week in kindergarten, we added a new portion to our day.  Each day of the week, we will have a special focus to help the children become good citizens.  On Morning Message Mondays, we will talk about the peak and pit of their weekend.  This is something that made them happy and something that made them sad.  On Tootle Tuesdays, we will be filling out Tootles (friendly notes) for either a classmate, student, or faculty member.  In the note, the students will tell that person what they did that made them feel great.   On Work It Out Wednesdays, we will learn different social stories to help them work out their problems politely and effectively.  On Thankful Thursdays, we will tell each other things for which we are thankful.  On Feelings Fridays, we will pick a feeling, learn about it, and then demonstrate it. 
This week, we talked about the different ways we can greet our friends.  A great way to make your friend feel happyis to give them a gentle high five and say "what's up?"  Many times, children want to connect with friends, but do not have the skills to do so. Teaching social stories is a great way for your child to learn how to interact with others. 
 
Leveled Reading Groups are under way!  The New Year brought new groups.  Children have been grouped together to work on similar skills.  Stevenson students are working hard to blend sounds to read words, remember our popcorn words, make rhymes, and decode unfamiliar words.  Students are practicing asking and answering questions to aid comprehension, retelling stories and identifying characters, setting and major events.  We are so proud of our little readers.  Thanks to all the support staff and effective teaching strategies, we already have students who have mastered the skill they were working on and moved on to another skill.  Way to go kindergarteners.

MRMS News

Students in honors algebra are finishing up the graphing inequalities unit with linear inequalities and system of inequalities.  The student's final product is creating a treasure map using inequalities and linear equation for X marks the spot.  Then they will trade it with another student so they can try to find the coordinate point where the treasure lies.
 
Students in ELA 8 classes are studying the art of poetic performance this week through developing a poetic performance anchor chart, viewing various poets perform their work, and creating poetic performances in class.  They are working on analyzing what makes a good performance and how audience, setting, and content play a role in poetic performances.
Stebbins News

AFJROTC's Academic Challenge Team wrapped up its 2016-2017 season after participating in the Level I competition. This year's team was made up of five, all-new members who participated in an ACT/SAT-based competition against JROTC programs world-wide for the opportunity to advance to Level II. Unfortunately, the team did not advance to Level II. Instead, the cadets exhibited "Service Before Self" and scrimmaged the Stebbins High School Academic Challenge Team to help them prepare for their competitions in the GWOC.
 
Congratulations to our 2016-2017 CyberPatriot Club that placed two teams in the Gold Tier and one team in the Silver Tier in the All Services Division. CyberPatriot competitions place students in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with the managing the computer network of a small company. This is only the club's third year of competition and membership has grown to fifteen members that take part in the STEM-based activity. 
 
Last night, Stebbins High School hosted a College Credit Plus information night.  There was an excellent turnout for a presentation by Liz Cicchetti from Sinclair Community College and then tables were set up to answer any questions.  The higher education institutions that were present to answer any questions and hand out materials were Sinclair, Wright State, and Clark State.  The number of students in the Mad River district that participate in the College Credit Plus program has been steadily increasing and Stebbins is excited to be offering many College Credit Plus courses within the building!  The Guidance Department is looking forward to another successful year with College Credit Plus and the possibility of adding more participating students! 


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