Windsor Farm Elementary

March 2019

"Anchored in Academics"

Jason Otte, Principal Teri McCalpin, Assistant Principal

Dear Students, Staff, Parents and Community members, As we proceed through the school year I would like to reinforce a very important topic, and that is procedures for when parents etc. visit the building. These procedures are not new, but should be reviewed. When parents visit the building, they must stand in front of the camera, push the button and should state their reason for the visit. If the secretary opens the door after learning the reason for the visit, everyone must report immediately to the main office and get a sticker after they have been run through our raptor system. Please do not hold the door for anyone standing behind you. Once in the building, get your sticker and wear it so it is visible. I have instructed all my staff that any parent in the building not wearing a sticker should be politely challenged and taken to the office. This is for the safety of everyone. I am requesting that parents please help us by following protocols. There are no exceptions to being run through the raptor system and it must be done during every visit. It is important to continue the conversation with your children. Please reinforce to them that they should never open the door for anyone outside when walking in the hall with their class etc. Don’t be afraid to ask them what they do when the school practices a security drill. Ask what is expected of them. We can certainly reinforce to students what expectations are if they are not sure what to do. Just a few reminders parent conferences are scheduled for March 5th and the Science Expo is scheduled for March 14 in grades 3-5. Please see paperwork enclosed for additional details. For all other events please see the calendar within the newsletter and the calendar on the AACPS website. In closing, I would like to thank all of you for your continued support. Information on PARCC and MISA testing is listed below. Please keep in mind that these are tentative dates and at present we only have the PARCC window at this point. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Sincerely, Jason Otte, Principal MISA testing dates: At present, the window for PARCC for Grades 3, 4, and 5 is April 24 - June 6. Specific dates for PARCC will be sent home on a separate letter. Please keep in mind that the dates could change at the directive of the state or county. We will notify you of any changes and an official letter will be sent once dates are solidified. Science MISA – Grade 5 ONLY March 12, 14, 15, and 18 Please arrive on time

The Anne Arundel County Public School System does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age national origin, religion, disability, or socioeconomic status in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs. Questions regarding nondiscrimination should be directed to Leslie N. Stanton, Specialist in Human Relations, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, 2644 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD 21401; telephone 410-222-5318; TDD 410-222-5500.

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March 1 Guest Reader 2 Dr. Seuss' Birthday - Read Across America 4 3:30 pm - Lion King Jr. - Select Cast 5 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS -Parent/Teacher Conferences 6 Ash Wednesday 7 7:45 am - Art Club 3:30 pm - Dance Club 9 Interims Go Home 10 Daylight Savings Time Begins 11 3:30 pm - Lion King Jr. - Select Cast Rehearsal 12 3:30 pm - Lion King Jr. - Whole Cast Rehearsal Interims Go Home 7:00 pm - PTO General Meeting 13 Field Trip - Grade 3 Museum of Industry 14 7:45 am - Art Club 3:30 pm - Dance Club Science Expo 17 St. Patrick's Day 18 3:30 pm - Lion King Jr. - Select Cast Rehearsal 19 3:30 pm - Lion King Jr. - Whole Cast Rehearsal 20 8:05 am - Books and Breakfast - Grade 4 21 3:30 pm - Dance Club PTO Spirit Night Fund Raiser Potbellies 23 9:00 am - PTO Pancake Breakfast/Vendor Fair 25 3:30 pm - Lion King Jr. - Select Cast Rehearsal 26 2 Hr. Early Dismissal 27 8:05 am - Books and Breakfast - Grade 1 28 3:30 pm - Dance Club 29 5:00 pm -Mother/Son Night - Severna Park Bowling Lanes

PARCC and MISA Testing is Coming The following tips are offered for success. What can you do to get your child in the mood for The Big Test!

• Start with a bedtime. A good night’s sleep is essential.

• Get them up 15 minutes earlier than usual so that they do not have to rush around in the morning.

• Feed them a healthy breakfast. Save the sweet and sticky items for another day so they won’t sugar-crash in mid-test.

• Have them dress in comfortable clothes and shoes. Send them with a sweater or sweatshirt to put on the back of their chair in case they get cold.

• Listen to music while getting ready for school; avoid video game playing or action packed, aggressive TV shows.

• Try to keep the morning calm and hassle free so they don’t get upset which may make it hard for them to concentrate.

• Tell them, “You are ready. Do your best – and that’ll be good enough for me.”

Day Light Savings Time Begins March 10

Don’t Forget To Put Your Clock Forward WINDSOR FARM ELEMENTARY Kindergarten Registration It’s spring again and time to register all future scholars living in our area. Kindergarten registration will begin April 3. Hours are from 9:00-11:30 in the main lobby from April 3th to the 5th. If you are unable to make this time, please call the office to set up an appointment. Please tell all your friends and neighbors. All children reaching the age 5 on or before September 1, 2018 are eligible to enroll. We will need to see your child’s birth certificate, immunization record, social security card, and 2 proofs of residency in the form of a 1.Lease, or Mortgage Paper (mandatory) , 2. Bank Statement, or Utility Bill (BGE, Water Waste, Telephone). Information will be provided about our Kindergarten Child Orientation Day at the time of registration. Please call us at 410-626-8547 if you have any questions.

Windsor Farm Science Expo We are looking forward to our school's Innovators of Science and Engineering Challenge (ISEC). Our Science Expo (ISEC) is schedule for Thursday, March 14. Students in grades 3-5 were given a packet about the Expo. The deadline for the submission for the EXPO and the Safety Forms was February 4. However, if any 3-5 graders are still interested we will take any last-minute forms by Friday, March 1st. All projects should be dropped off in the morning to the cafeteria. Judging and family viewing will by March 14 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Student Projects will be returned to students on Monday, March 18th. First Place winners in grades 3-5 will be sent to the AACPS Science Expo on April 27, 2019, at Old Mill Complex (more information will be provided to our first-place winners). Change in Breakfast Service Effective March 1, Food Service has changed the breakfast service. Children will now have 2 choices (such as banana bread, muffin, or roll) along with fruits, juice, and milk. Children will no longer have a large variety of items to choose for breakfast.

Page 3 Broadneck Road and the Parking Lot Arrival time and dismissal time can be very hectic at the school. We are asking for the safety of all students, parents, and members of our community to please be very aware of parking and driving habits. When exiting the school after dropping off or picking up your child, please look BOTH ways before pulling out on to Broadneck Road. We are getting reports of near misses for people driving on Broadneck Road and not entering the school. Please obey posted speed limits. There are many communities further down Broadneck. When coming into the school parking lot, if you are walking your child to the doors or picking them up at the doors, please use marking parking spots. Avoid blocking already parked cars or empty spots. Reserved spots are for administration to allow us to get the office up and running to take care of the business for the day. Also, be aware of children and parents walking through the parking lot. We would like to avoid accidents and keep everyone safe.

Kindergarten

Happy Almost Spring!!! We are hoping that even if March enters like a lion, he quickly becomes a lamb. March 5 will be our second round of Parent-Teacher conferences. We will meet with all parents in May. In language arts, we are studying letters and their corresponding sounds. We are working on

incorporating these sounds into our writing. Please encourage your child to read to you at night. Even if they are able to read only one or two sentences, it will help build their confidence and fluency. We are also identifying nouns and verbs. In math, we have begun adding within 10. The children will be using manipulatives, drawings and pictures. We will also be working on answering word problems. In science and social studies, we are going to be discussing the weather and how it can affect our environment.

Kindergarten Team First Grade March is always a “meaty” month of learning. Our first graders will be working extra hard to get ready for second grade by mastering those necessary first-grade skills. Please continue to support good work habits by completing nightly homework assignments. Flash cards are a great way for children to memorize and master both addition and subtraction facts to 20.

For social studies and science, we have been working on the theme: I am curious about how to share ideas. In Unit 2: The Science of Sound –The students will discover that sounds are created by vibrations and that the sounds can be

soft/loud or low/high. We will model how sound waves travel and how different musical instruments make sound. In the rest of this unit, the students will determine the difference between noises and music, as well as how sound can travel over distance to communicate a message. Look out spring!! The first graders will be working on an exciting unit about BUBBLES!! In math, students will continue to explore and understand how to compose new tens when adding one-digit numbers to two-digit numbers using their understanding of place value. They will also be exploring 2-dimensionsal and 3-dimensional shapes. They will learn about their attributes and how we see them in our everyday lives. As the unit continues, students will partition circles and rectangles into halves and fourths. Last but not least, we will learn more problem-solving strategies and understand the meaning of the equal (=) sign and how we can write equations on both sides of an equal sign. We will try to go outside daily at recess, but the weather can fluctuate. Dressing your child for the daily forecast will allow the children to enjoy recess and hopefully avoid illness. Thanks for all you do to support your child’s education!

First Grade Team Second Grade

We know that we are lucky teachers

to have such great students and families!

We continue to “March” on! We are

finishing up our Theme 3 Unit 1:

Environmental Stewards. Students

learned ways to protect their environment. They

enjoyed researching various habitats around the

world. As a culminating activity, students are making

a diorama of a habitat. They are turning out great!

The students are really expressing their creativity.

Students will have the option if they want to display

their work at school or take it home.

Our next unit will be Storytelling. Second graders

will discover ways to tell stories through dance, art,

drama, music, and language. Throughout this unit,

students will explore Native American Culture. We

will also enjoy reading folktales and fables.

This Photo by

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Our geometry unit is ending soon, and students

will complete the Checkpoint

Assessment in the beginning of

March. We are pleased with their

progress! Please continue to encourage your child to

use math vocabulary and describe solid and plane

shapes throughout their environment. Our next unit

in math is Solving Word Problems with Two Digit

Numbers adding and subtracting. It’s very important

for students to comprehend the math story problems

and not just look for key words when solving. During

these problem-solving lessons, students will be

encouraged to read problems carefully and think

about what they already know about the problem and

what the problem is asking them to find out. Then

students will come up with a plan to show how to solve

the problem. Finally, they will solve for the answer

and check it to see if it makes sense. Eventually, we

will move into adding and subtracting numbers within

1,000 with and without regrouping. Students will

begin by using base ten blocks to represent three-

digit numbers and drawing models. It’s important that

students have a strong understanding of place value.

They should practice breaking apart numbers. For

example, 345 is really 300 + 40 + 5.

Last, but not least, reading comprehension

homework and/or fluency is due on Fridays. Most

students are turning in their assignments. Please

double check with your child. These activities are

designed to reinforce reading standards that have

been taught in class and to give the students

additional practice answering questions by referring

to text details.

As always, thank you for your continued support.

We’re ready to SPRING into new learning in March!

Second

Second Grade Team

Third Grade Wait! March already? Aye! LUCK o' the Irish to

all our wee lads and lassies and their

mums and dads during this return of

the green (spring- FINALLY!) month!

We will be working really hard

to be sure to have covered topics

that might be seen in PARCC, along

with its interesting vocabulary and

question formats. With any LUCK, we should be able

to show our district that Windsor Farm third graders

rock when it comes to learning! So kiss the Blarney

Stone, wear the green, get out the four leafed clover

and wish us LUCK in April when we take the PARCC!

In reading, we will continue to work on theme

three. We will use literary and informational text to

engage in exploration of extreme behavior in people

and in nature. Students are also focusing on different

types of poetry. We will compare and contrast the

themes, determine the central message, lesson, or

moral and distinguish their own point of view from

that of the narrator of those of the characters.

Of course, we continue to also read novels and non-

fiction regularly, both as a class and independently so

students can hear fluent reading and become so

themselves.

In math, we continue to learn about fractions.

Reading, writing, using fractions, comparing fractional

amounts, equivalent fractions, and represent

fractions on a ruler will all be tested on the PARCC,

so we are spending instructional time making sure our

students have the basics down. We’ll continue to

infuse using the four operations and practicing our

facts. Problem solving with multiple steps still tends

to be a problem for many students. Please have your

child practice this skill daily and remind them to look

for key words to know which operation is being asked

for.

There are still lots of things to learn and we will

be as busy, busy, busy as leprechauns this month.

We all feel we are so LUCKy to work with your

students!

Third Grade Team

Fourth Grade As we begin March, the 4th grade team is hoping Spring is around the corner and will stay. We continue to work on fiction and non-fiction text. The comprehension skills learned are working on problem/solution, making inferences, compare and contrast

characters, and determining theme. All students will continue to participate in advanced learning strategies such as Socratic seminar, higher level questioning. They will be exposed to the Jacob's Ladder program and they will use components of the William and Mary program. The 3rd reading benchmark will be Friday March 22. This month in math, students will learn about multiplying fractions (4.NFB.4) and comparing decimals. The students will continue to review multiplication and long division. It is important for students to continue to practice their mastery of basic facts as content becomes more challenging. One way to help your child with math is to have them use the First in Math website.

Page 5 In science, we will explore the topics of sound, electricity, circuits, and magnetism. Students will discuss conductors, series and parallel formations, and physical properties of magnets. The “Big Ideas” we will investigate is how electricity and magnetism affect our lives. The Science Benchmark will be Friday March 28. Students will continue their study of Maryland. In Unit 4, they will discuss the impact of immigration and the Civil War. Content will focus on the time period from the 1800's to the present. Arlington Echo trips are in late May and more information will be coming home in late March. If you are interested in being a chaperone please go on the county website and fill in the background check. Thank you

Fourth Grade Team

Grade Five

Math- We will be wrapping up unit 10 by dividing

decimals by whole numbers and dividing decimals by

decimals. Finally, students will use their knowledge

of multiplying and dividing decimals to convert within

the metric measurement system.

Theme 3 – Unit 11

Big Ideas: Classifying Two-dimensional Geometry

In this unit, students will learn that geometric

shapes have properties that allow them to be put into

categories. Since kindergarten students have been

putting objects in categories and classifying. This

unit extends students’ prior knowledge of using

spatial reasoning skills to discuss and categorize two-

dimensional shapes by focusing on attributes of

shapes. It is essential for students to see the

relationships between shapes as hierarchical, for

example rectangles all have 4-sides, but not all 4-

sided shapes are rectangles.

Reading- Fifth graders are lucky to have some

amazing books to read this March! In the ALPS single

subject class, our William and Mary novel

study, Wednesday Wars. Students in the

Exploratory Trail classes will be continuing guided

reading with a variety of novels and nonfiction texts,

including informational texts, biographies, realistic

fiction and fantasy stories. Our StoryWorks

Magazine will provide some high interest selections on

the Triangle Factory Fire, a mysterious lion attack

and a fiction story that takes place on Mars. March's

Interactive Read Alouds will focus on understanding

poetry and will include works by Longfellow and

Whitman.

Writing ~ Lucy Calkins unit of study: Research

Reports – Through the Lens of History will be our

focus this month. As with the narratives, this unit is

a detailed, step by step process, which takes time

and patience. We will continue to write for various

purposes during quick writes and other subject areas.

In addition, we will be writing job applications for

BizTown. The emphasis will be following directions,

completing the application accurately, and

proofreading.

Social Studies – Students will be learning about

key battles of the Revolutionary War and the impact

they had on both sides. We will also be learning

about how the war affected different groups of

people in the colonies like African Americans, Native

Americans, and women. Students will also be learning

about the advantages and disadvantages of both the

Continental Army and the British Army. Finally,

students will work to create a recruitment poster

that would persuade Americans to join the

Continental Army.

Science- We will begin our fourth unit: Caught Up

in Food Webs. In this unit students will be

investigating the connection between all living things

on Earth by examining food webs and how it connects

to Earth’s ecosystem. The students will be

investigating these essential questions:

1. Can plants grow without soil?

2. How does energy flow through an ecosystem?

3. How are food webs affected by humans?

4. How can I communicate about food webs?

The Fifth Grade Team

Out of Area

If your student is enrolled at Windsor Farm

on and Out-of-Area placement or you wish to

submit an Out-of-Area placement for your child to

attend Windsor Farm, applications are on line for

you to complete, required documents and FAQ's at

http://www.aacps.org/outofarea The fillable

Application and supporting documents (if needed)

should be submit to the school for review.

The deadline for submission is May 1. If

this is a new application, you must register your

child in the school they normally would attend prior

to submitting your application.

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