SUNNYSIDE SCOOP DECEMBER, 2018
Principal Points December 2018 Developing Traditions For the past number of years my wife and I have hosted our families’ Thanksgiving dinner. Let me be honest, it’s flat out exhausting. Our household begins prepping for the big day the weekend prior, often to the dismay of both of my girls who are given cleaning tasks to make sure our house looks respectable for all of our guests. My oldest daughter, a freshman in high school, loves to tell me that no one really cares how our house looks, they just come for the food. While this very well may be true, my wife and I tell her she’s cleaning anyway, to which we get an exasperated “ugg” back in reply. Even though it’s a ton of work, having the extended family gathered around the table is a tradition I love dearly. I love hearing about my cousins vacations and watch as my niece and nephew, who both now have kids of their own, add to the number of those at the table. It’s a crazy busy day, but it’s a tradition I love and value. A number of years ago my wife and I decided we were going to work hard to place a premium on our evening dinner meal to try and make sure we always had dinner together as a family. There are some nights this doesn’t happen due to schedules, but overwhelmingly, this is a tradition we’ve made time for, which both of our girls love. We do this for a number of reasons: We develop relational bridges Often my wife and I are able to relate to our daughters through stories they share. By sharing how we also experienced similar situations they encounter growing up we are able deepen our parent/child relationships. For instance, just a few nights ago I told my youngest daughter she was as “stubborn as a mule.” She replied, “I get that from you.” It’s true, and she’s heard my stories to know this. We discuss and discover everyone’s stories We make time to actively listen to what’s happening in each family members day. My girls love when it’s their turn to share about their day as they are the focus of the entire family when they are sharing their story. We don't’ settle for “fine” or “okay” Our daughters know they are not allowed to answer questions about their day with either “fine” or “okay”. As parents we need to dig deeper to hear their stories, sometimes asking questions that require a more detailed answer such as, “Tell me what the best thing about your day was” We share a good laugh together I fully acknowledge I’m the goofy one in our household. My wife will often say she feels like she’s raising three children, but I love a good laugh, and will often find ways to thread humor into our conversations. It not only lightens the mood, it also creates a pathway to deeper conversations with our kids. I encourage you to work and make a habit of eating together as a family (even better yet, make the meal technology free...and turn the TV off!). These are moments and memories you will never forget, or regret, making. Best of all, it doesn’t cost us anything, but the rewards are bountiful. Wishing you and your family a wonderful season of making traditions and memories together! Dr. Flansburg
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Monday, December 3 Junior Coach Meeting in Room 143 Wednesday, December 5 Junior Coach Meeting in Room 143 Friday, December 7 Dinosaurs Before Dark at Irondale, 6:30pm Saturday, December 8 Dinosaurs Before Dark at Irondale, 1pm & 6:30pm Tuesday, December 11 December Birthday Lunches with Principal PTA Meeting in Library, 6:00pm Thursday, December 13 Band Tour Day Band Concert at Edgewood Friday, December 14 Student Leadership Team Meeting in Library, 7:35am Tuesday, December 18 SLT Sponsored Used Book Sale 5th Grade Wax Museum Wednesday, December 19 SLT Sponsored Used Book Sale 4th Grade Rollerskating Field Trip Thursday, December 20 1st and 2nd Grade Bowling Field Trip Orchestra Concert, 7:00pm Friday, December 21 Sunnyside Annual Sing-A-Long Monday, December 24 - Tuesday, January 1, 2018 Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)
December Specialist Update! 1st Grade: Music - Students will be introduced to a varied holiday repertoire that is sung at the all school sing along. They will also practice adding body movements to holiday songs. Finally, they will continue to practice identifying beat vs. rhythm and will discover what one and two sounds on a beat look like, sound like, and feel like. Art - Abstract Art Watercolor Painting, Clay Candle Holder Phy Ed -mini basketballs,chase and flee, and locomotor movements Science -Lego WeDo Robotics
2nd Grade: Music - Students will be assessed on the rhythmic concept of quarter rest as well as review writing quarter note and paired eighth notes. Students will also review holiday music for the sing-along. Art -Keith Haring Bending Bodies, Reward Choice Day, Earthenware Clay introduction Phy Ed -mini basketballs,chase and flee, and locomotor movements Science - Lego WeDo Robotics
3rd Grade: Music -Students will continue to work on folk dances in preparation for the 3rd grade folk dance evening in January. They will also practice stick passing games as well as 3rd grade rhythmic and melodic concept using a variety of holiday games and traditional songs. Art - Torn Paper Self-Portraits, Reward Choice Day, Clay planning and introduction Phy Ed -Basketball activities, finish throwing tests, and Locomotor movements Science - Lego WeDo Robotics Technology - We’ll be finishing up our Native American legend books and starting a unit on coding.
4th Grade: Music - Students will be introduced to B, A, & G on the recorder. They will begin reading, writing, and playing these three notes on the treble clef staff. Art - Wayne Theibaud Cakes, Reward Choice Day, Value Still Life Drawing Phy Ed -Basketball activities, winter type sports Science - Lego WeDo Robotics
5th Grade: Music - Students will review holiday music for the sing-along as well as review the notes of the treble clef staff using varied recorder repertoire. Students will also practice observing and responding to different listening examples and describing their responses individually. Art - Reward Choice Day, Clay Names Phy Ed -Basketball activities and winter type sports Science - Ecosystems
Mark Your Calendars!! All Sunnyside students and families are invited to this year's Sunnyside Performing Arts production. Performances will take place on Friday, December 7th at 6:30pm and Saturday, December 8th at 1:00pm and 6:30pm. Note: All performances are at Irondale High School. The cost for this event will be a free will donation and there is no previous ticket purchase needed. Hope to see you there!!
Band
Orchestra
The 5th Grade Band is doing a great job! Our concert on Thursday December 13th should be wonderful. Be on the lookout for more information. Anyone who has not yet joined the Monday morning practices should be ready to join us for a later concert, so keep working! Thanks to all of the parents for having their kids regularly practicing and coming to lessons prepared!
The Sunnyside orchestra concert will take place on Thursday, December 20th. 5th grade orchestra members will tour between Pinewood and Sunnyside for school day performances with the 4th graders at each school, and then all students in 4th and 5th grades will conclude with a final concert at 7pm at Edgewood Middle School. Orchestra students should arrive at 6:40 for tuning and warming up. Contact Ms. Spargo with questions: annika.spargo@moundsviewschools.org
Winter/spring activities flyers will be in backpacks soon! Winter/spring Community Education Youth Activities registration will open December 3 at 6am. Watch your student's backpack for the NEW Community Education flyer showcasing the offerings happening at your school as well as Districtwide evening classes and events.
Title One at Sunnyside Elementary School Sunnyside Elementary is a Title One School. Title One funds are used to support additional literacy needs. Sunnyside Elementary wants to ensure that all children are making growth and are meeting their academic goals. Teachers work together as a team and make decisions on how best to meet the literacy needs of each and every student. One way we help to ensure that children are making the needed growth, is by providing an additional small group in reading for those students who would benefit. In this small group, students meet with a reading intervention teacher for literacy instruction at his/her instructional reading level, in addition to meeting with their classroom teacher.