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J. R. Briggs Elementary School Briggs At Large Newsletter The Voice of John R. Briggs Elementary School November 18, 2004 Volume 23, Number 12 |
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Upcoming events…DECEMBER Dec. 8 – Early Release – Prof. Devel. Title I Math Tutoring – am only Dec. 9 - School Council Meeting – 6:15 pm Dec. 16 - PTO Meeting – 6:30 pm Dec. 21 - School Committee Meeting Dec. 22 - Holiday Concert – at Oakmont 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. Dec. 24 – Jan. 2 Holiday Break Dec. 25 – Jan. 2 Holiday Break Sounding Out is not an Option! Parents often ask, “How can I help my child when he/she comes to an unknown or difficult word?” here are the strategies that your child has been practicing at school. 1. Know the book title. 2. Do a picture walk. 3. Think about what is happening in the pictures. 4. Go forward-go backward (say “blank” in place of the unknown word and go on or reread the sentence). 5. Find a chunk (chip). 6. Get your mouth ready for the first sound in the word. 7. Think about other words you know that look like that (look, book, shook). 8. Last option – ask someone to tell you the word. Here is a poem that might help. When I get stuck on a word in a book, There are lots of things to do. I can do them all, please, by myself: I don’t need help from you. I can look at the pictures to get a hint, Or think what the story’s about. I can “get my mouth ready” to say the first letter, A kind of “sounding out.” I can chop the word into smaller parts, Like on and ing and ly. Or find smaller words in compound words Like raincoat and bumblebee. I can think of a word that makes sense in that place, Guess or say “blank” and read on Until the sentence has reached its end, Then go back and try these on: “Does it make sense?” “Can we say it that way?” “Does it look right to me?” Chances are the right word will pop out like the sun In my own mind, can’t you see? If I’ve thought of and tried out most of these things And I still do not know what to do, Then I may turn around and ask For some help to get me through. -Jill Marie Warner Magazine Fund Raiser Our school will be sponsoring its annual Magazine Subscription and Music Drive as a major fund raising project. The drive will begin on January 28th and end on Monday, February 7, 2005. This event is the major sponsor of our Enrichment Program (climbing wall, scholarship funding, and special programming). Please save your (family and friends, too) magazine renewals and new subscriptions for our drive. Magazine subscriptions may be extended, too! Holiday Concert We are pleased to announce that this year’s J. R. Briggs Elementary School Holiday Concert will be held at the Oakmont Regional High School Auditorium. Wednesday, December 22, 2004 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. There are a number of reasons why we have re-located the concert. *First, this will allow the optimum use of space. Every year we face over-crowding in the J. R. Briggs Cafetorium. The Oakmont Auditorium will allow for spacious, comfortable seating. *Second, parking is another issue at John R. Briggs School, Oakmont has sufficient parking to accommodate large groups of people. *Third, the sound system at Oakmont is state of the art. This will allow everyone in the audience to enjoy the concert. JRB on the Web Did you know that Briggs Elementary School has a web page? Fire up your browser and go to www.awrsd.org/jrb to find electronic copies of the Briggs at Large newsletter; Friend of Briggs PTO newsletters, minutes and agendas; age-appropriate, educational (and fun!) web sites for your children; news articles written by Briggs students; and more. Have suggestions for other information you would like to see on the web page? Email Mrs. Davis at tdavis@awrsd.org! School SafetyFor safety reasons, the main entrance will be locked at 3:45 p.m. We have a number of after-school activities occurring in our school. For your child’s safety, we are asking ALL after-school visitors to sign-in and enter through the Extended Day Entrance. Student 2 Student This week’s article contains information on the grade level Basket raffles. These are baskets being raffled to raise money for our school and each grade level. Each ticket costs $1.00. The themes of the baskets are Snowy Day – Specialists, Arts and Crafts – K, Scrap Booking – 1st, Automobile/ Travel – 2nd, Italian – 3rd, A Touch of Chocolate – 4th, and Bath, Body, and Spa – 5th. Each one of these baskets is excellent in its own way. The amount of money earned for each basket goes to the corresponding grade level. The teachers decide what they will buy with their collected money. Last year the raffle brought in $2600 altogether! We are hoping to top that this year. Mrs. Horgan will announce the winners on December 22nd after the Holiday Concert (at Oakmont). Extended Day News Ext. Day will be celebrating
Christmas Around The World this month and is looking for ideas to use. If
anyone has a special way that they celebrate the upcoming holidays and would
like to share those ideas with us, please contact Dorene at 978-827-1412 or just
send them into us at school. December Student Council Once again, the 5th Grade Student Council has chosen two thoughtful community projects. · Hat- Glove- Mitten Giving Tree New or slightly used items to be donated to an area Battered Women’s shelter and Homeless shelter · Food Drive Canned or packaged food items to be donated to the Ashburnham food Pantry. Stop in our lobby to make a donation or send in with your child. Thank you for your continued thoughtfulness! Winter Weather Students should be coming to school with appropriate clothing for outdoor recess. Please be sure your child has a warm jacket, hats, gloves or mittens. Boots and snow pants are required for play in the snow! Please mark names in everything. Title I Math TutoringTitle I math tutoring sessions (before and after school) have begun and will run eight (full) weeks, ending the week of February 14th. FROM THE LIBRARY Thanks so much to everyone for contributing to a very successful Scholastic Book Fair. Special thanks go to those who volunteered to help set up, take down, and work at the Book Fair. It was great to see the “regulars” as well as some new faces volunteering. You are each very much appreciated! Funds generated from the Book Fair are used to purchase replacement and new resources for the library, which services the entire school. Thanks again for all your purchases! TOYS FOR TOTS Please help Oakmont’s Senior Class in collecting Christmas toys for the needy during the Class of 2005’s 2nd annual Toys for Tots drive. Collection boxes will be placed in the main office at Oakmont, Overlook, Westminster Elementary and Briggs Elementary. Toys must be unused and unwrapped. Please drop off your toys at any of these locations until December 21st, or call Erin McDonald at 874-1793 to arrange for a pick- up. Thank you so much for your help! CHORUS REHEARSAL SCHEDULE Monday, Dec. 13 – SELECT CHORUS 1:55-2:40 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14 - ALL CHORUS 3:00-3:45 After School Tuesday, Dec. 14 – SELECT CHORUS 3:45 – 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20 – ALL CHORUS 12:30 – 1:45 p.m. – Oakmont Tuesday, Dec. 21 – JRB Band - Chorus 1:40 – 2:40 All School Rehearsal Holiday Concert – Dec. 22 – OAKMONT 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. Last updated 12/09/04 by Tiffany Davis. |
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