November 14, 2019


IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

Thursday, November 21st- Orders for Pies Due!
More information about the Pies and Poinsettias fundraiser below!

Saturday, November 23rd- LC Breakfast for the Parents of the Threes and Fours 8:30-9:30

Tuesday, November 26th- LC Thanksgiving Program and Lunch; K-8 12:45 Dismissal; LC 3:00 Dismissal

Tuesday, November 26th- Pie Pick-Up
Pies ordered in the Pies and Poinsettias Fundraiser will be available for pickup from 8:30-3:30 in the Art Room.

Wednesday, November 27th- Friday November 29th- NO SCHOOL for Thanksgiving Recess

Tuesday, December 3rd- Giving Tuesday

Saturday, December 7th- Little Creek will hold their Wreath Sale at the Dickens Festival
If you would like to pre-order a wreath with your Little Creek child's ornament on it, see below!


PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT - LITERATURE
Each week, we will be highlighting one of our programs or offering resources for the Radcliffe community to illustrate The Radcliffe Way!

This year, our Literature students have been introduced to, and engaged in, studying the Signposts, helpful strategies we use to dig deeper into what we are reading.  The students have been introduced to the six different Signposts, been given opportunities to practice identifying them in whole class reading experiences, and they have been encouraged to find examples of them in their independent reading.

Our goal is to have our students STOP, NOTICE, and NOTE when they encounter these in books. Here is a "cheat sheet" for you for each of the Signposts.  You will notice that there are three parts to each Signpost: The first part is what you notice in the story, the second part is the essential question you must ask yourself and answer, and the third part is how noticing and answering the questions help you as a reader.  All three parts are equally important!

Contrasts and Contradictions (CC)
... a character says or does something that's opposite (contradicts) what he/she has been saying or doing all along.
Stop and think to yourself:  "Why is the character doing that?"
The answers could help you make a prediction or make an inference about the plot and conflict.
Aha Moment (AHA) 
... a character suddenly realizes, understands, or finally figures something out.
Stop  and think to yourself: "How might this change things?"
If the character figured out a problem, you probably just learned about the conflict.  If the character understood a life lesson, you probably just learned the theme.
Tough Questions (TQ)
...  the character asks him or herself a really difficult question.
Ask  yourself: "What does this question make me wonder about?"
The answers will tell you about the conflict and might give you ideas about what will happen later in the story.
Words of the Wiser (WOW)
... a character (who's probably older and a lot wiser) takes the main character aside and gives serious advice.
Stop and  think to  yourself: "What's the life lesson, and how might it affect the character?"
Whatever the lesson is, you've probably found a theme for the story.
Again and Again (AA)
... you notice a word, phrase, object, or situation mentioned over and over.
Stop and think to yourself: "Why does this keep showing up again and again?
The answers will tell you about the theme and conflict, or they might foreshadow what will happen later.
Memory Moment (MM)
... the author interrupts the action to tell you a memory.
Stop  and think to yourself: "Why might this memory be important?"
The answers will tell you about the theme, conflict, or might foreshadow what will happen later in the story.

We also teach that the Signpost examples can be found in movies and television shows so we hope that as you watch with your child you will begin to have conversations around the Signposts then too!

Please feel free to ask your child to explain the Signposts to you!  Try to find examples in your own personal reading, and lastly, make the Signposts part of the conversations you are having about reading, television shows and movies!

Please let us know if you have any questions!
The Literature Department



Below, Lorenzo works on using short video clips to work on identifying Contrast and Contradictions, and student's in Mr. Orr's Literature classes use text mapping and the Signposts to dig deeper into the short story "Banner in the Sky."


   
BOX TOP$

THE NEXT GENERATION OF BOX TOPS IS HERE!

Box Tops is changing to fit today's families. The new and improved Box Tops mobile app uses state-of-the-art technology to scan your store receipt, find participating products and instantly add Box Tops to your school's earnings online. 


Traditional Box Tops clips are being phased out of production, but may continue to be found on many products throughout the store. You can still clip and send them to school.


8TH GRADE TRANSITION

8th Grade Parents!
Transition to High School can be very overwhelming, but please know that we are here to help make this a smooth process.  

Please refer to the list below as a guide:
  • Attend Open Houses
  • Arrange a time to talk to Admission staff or guidance counselors about specific questions:
  • What admission tests are required?
  • What paperwork is required and when is everything due?
  • What academic supports are provided?
  • Arrange a shadow day for your child to spend a day at the school
  • Complete Applications:
    • Teacher Recommendations are to be sent directly to Kim Nistler
    • Complete the Transcript release form

For more information, please contact Debbie Cohee-Wright.

PIES AND POINSETTIAS




CHOPTANK FOOD DRIVE

Dear Radcliffe Family, 

The Choptank Homeroom will be running a food drive to benefit the Chestertown Food Bank. We will begin collecting food on Wednesday, November 6th and go until Friday, the 22nd . As an incentive for students, the homeroom with the most food collected by the 22nd will receive a whopping "500 Extras" to go towards their class goal. 
Designated boxes for each homeroom will be in the lobby to collect the goods brought in each day. Please note that the food must be non-perishable and not past the expiration date. NO expired food can be accepted! Toiletries and baby supplies will also be welcomed. 

The Choptank Homeroom looks forward to aiding the needy in our community along with your help! Thank you in advance for your generous donations! If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Bushby or Jenn Connor.

Sincerely,
The Choptank Homeroom
ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS PROGRAM

We are so excited to announce that Radcliffe has been selected by ACME as the benefiting non-profit in the Acme Give Back Where It Counts Reusable Bag Program for the month of November.

Radcliffe will receive a $1 donation for every bag purchased at the Acme store located at 711 Washington Avenue, Chestertown MD for the month of November. The bags are sold right at the front of the store!




LITTLE CREEK WREATH FUNDRAISER

Save the Date!
It's time to Spruce It Up with Little Creek! Little Creek's fresh evergreen wreaths will be available for pre-sale now until Friday, November 22, 2019. Each pre-sale wreath will receive a handmade custom bow of your choosing, festive decorations, and a holiday ornament handmade by Little Creek's little artists! All proceeds from these wreaths will go to supporting Little Creek and it's amazing staff - so be sure to grab a wreath for every door! They will not only spruce up your home, but the proceeds will help spruce up our Little Creek! Thanks for your support, and be sure to share our Spruce It Up wreath sale with any of your family and friends who might be interested this holiday season. Wreath pick up will be Friday, December 6th at Radcliffe Creek School's Great Room. To pre-order your wreath, click here!

We will also be selling wreaths again this year at the Dickens Festival on Saturday, December 7th . You can buy a pre-made wreath or make one of your own. There will be a limited number of pre-made wreaths. 
AROUND THE CREEK

In Ms. Aly's OT handwriting group, Owen, Bridon, and Caden participate in a gross motor warm up, fine motor warm up, and writing practice using a modified Handwriting Without Tears program.

Students in the Two's room made corn stalks using Lego paint stamping!


Douglas and Noland show off their reptile and amphibian habitat mural in Mr. Littlefield's Discovery class. 

  Mrs. Holmes' first period Math class participated in a cooking activity!


Liym and Aidan use magnetic force to create beautiful art in Discovery class with Mrs. Kirby.

   
Students in Ms. Connor's Discovery classes are constructing working hands to represent muscles and bones.


Olivia's Bake Sale to raise money for Happy Crates was a huge success!


Students in the Three's class are having fun during center time!


Radcliffe students were very lucky to have the opportunity to hear from many Veterans that are close to our community on Wednesday morning! Thank you to all Veterans who came to talk to our students.

Radcliffe Creek School
201 Talbot Boulevard
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-8150

Discover. Create. Thrive.