You're invited to come out to Cox Elementary Tuesday evening

for Neighborhood Night Out from 5-7. Stop by to see us and say hi!

XENIA PRESCHOOL

This week was farm week. Mrs. Collin's class, along with many others, turned their classrooms into farm and produce stands. The students used creative play and social skills to harvest and sell their produce to their friends.

On Thursday more than 300 grandparents came to the school for " Pastries with Grandparents" to enjoy a treat and read stories to their grandchildren.

ARROWOOD ELEMENTARY

Arrowood's first " Buddy Day" was a huge success. Fifth graders were teamed up with second graders, fourth graders with first graders and third graders with kindergarten students. The older students were prepared with questions to ask their new friend so they could get to know them better. The students also enjoyed the story "Each Kindness" by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Mrs. Christian, highlighting all the opportunities we have to be kind. This event provided a very positive buzz for the staff and students and they are already looking forward to their second Buddy Day planned for November.

Students in Mrs. Lindsay first grade class practiced ways to make 10 using number bonds, counting on, and math drawings.

COX ELEMENTARY

The Cox fifth grade students are spending 20 minutes a day reading about historical fiction. On September 6, the students chose to participate in National Read a Book Day and read silently the novel, "One For Sorrow" by Mary Downing Hahn. The students, along with their teacher, enjoyed this fantastic novel - it is a great ghost story.

MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY

September is National Attendance Awareness Month and McKinley is starting a new program that emphasizes being at school on time and as often as you can. Every student has the opportunity to place a craft stick with their name on it into a container each morning as long as they are at school and on time. A prize for each classroom is raffled off at the end of each week. Of course, the odds of winning increase each time a student is at school on time. Counselor Mrs. Strickland visited each classroom last week to talk about the attendance incentives and to discuss the importance of coming to school and being on time. McKinley students also took part in a discussion about how they can be responsible for getting prepared for school each day. Students shared a lot of good ideas: getting a good night's sleep, setting an alarm, setting clothes out the night before, and getting ready on time. The hope is to decrease the number of tardies and absences in the building that are not related to an illness. The students are excited for the opportunity to earn prizes and seem to understand that their chances of winning increase the more that they come to school on time. Pictured top left are Lucas and Sophie - they are putting their names into the attendance cup.

The Sharing Is Caring Club will be starting again this school year for fifth grade students. The Sharing Is Caring club works on a variety of service activities each school year that focus on learning about compassion, empathy, and ways they can be of service to others in the community. In the past this group has made blankets for a nursing home, made snack bags for the homeless shelter, stuffed stockings, made cookies for the family shelter, and contributed items to 4 Paws and other places in need. The Club is looking forward to getting started this year again and learning how to be of service to more places in our community.

Last week first grade classes at McKinley learned about American artist Jasper Johns. He loved to take symbols we see every day - letters, numbers, maps, and flags - and elevated them to a form of art. Students were inspired by his work "Alphabet" and created art using their names with oil pastels and watercolors. Pictured below are Simeon, Isabell, and Aaron with their Jasper John-inspired work.

SHAWNEE ELEMENTARY

The Shawnee Buccaneer News Crew is up and running for the 2018-2019 school year. These fifth graders do a great job setting a positive tone for the school building over the video announcements each morning. The news crew keeps students up to date on upcoming events, weather, student birthdays, positive student behavior, and much more.

Shawnee students were excited to be in Dr. Zawacki's music class last week. Primary students were taught to read music by using the Primary Prodigies Program. Bucket drumming was a fun and exciting way to sound like rockstars. New this year - ukuleles. Playing and singing together helps students meet more rigorous standards.  

TECUMSEH ELEMENTARY

Second graders in Mrs. Busch's class learned about seedlings using bean sprouts - they are learning about the parts of seeds and how plants grow.

Third graders learned about suburban communities and created posters - check out an example of one group's work below ...

XENIA HIGH SCHOOL

Last week " Buccaneer Buddies" varsity athletes visited the Preschool to read to students, play games, and assist with activities. Pictured below is cross country runner Will and tennis player Cassidy.

Freshman enjoyed a MUSE Machine performance “Nobody But You: Unleashing the Power of Your Authentic Self” last week.  The performance was enjoyed by all who attended.

 

The Guidance Office hosted “ Senior Parent Planning Night” last Thursday. Items of discussion with parents included instructions on creation of student and parent FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) accounts, submission of college applications, and various avenues for students to secure financial assistance. Michelle Dixon, Enrollment Services Advisor from Wright State University, shared valuable information with parents.

 

X-Out Hunger, a weekend hunger initiative, serves approximately 350 students in Xenia Community Schools by providing food students can take home with them on Fridays. The program began with the five elementary buildings. Warner Middle School was added, and now a few students at the high school also participate. As the students get older, the problem of not having food on the weekends doesn't go away, but peer pressure becomes a bigger problem, even bigger than being hungry. X-Out Hunger has a small food pantry for XHS students. A food drive held by XHS students and staff helped to fill the pantry and provide the attention to assisting others in their community. The high school encourages students to confide in a staff member when they are in need of food. A few hygiene products are also available.

The High School Science Department held its annual “ Density Day ” event September 14. Science demonstrations were performed throughout the day to give students hands-on experience and real life examples of science.

LET'S SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

If you have a highlight, story idea, or photo you'd like to share to be included in this newsletter or other district communications, email Wendy Planicka, Coordinator of Communications.