| Chelsea Elementary School
Home of the Eagles February Newsletter |
| Principal's Message
It may be freezing outside, but the activities and events are heating up inside the building. Basketball season is wrapping up and playoffs are around the corner. We just had our meeting for 8th grade parents and the high schools. Cony, Gardiner, Hall-Dale, and Erskine were represented. Parents and students received a brief overview on procedures and then had the opportunity to meet with each of the high schools representatives. The two contract schools will be Cony and Hall-Dale. We hope that everyone has a safe and relaxing February vacation! MEA- Maine Educational Assessment Tests will be given the weeks of March 5th - 23rd. These are state mandated tests that the school must give to students in grades 3-8. We would ask parents for help in help providing snacks for the students during the testing weeks. These snacks will be distributed to the grade during the testing window. In the past we have had parents bake muffins, send in doughnuts, buy a case of Cheese Its at Sams etc. We ask for this type of support again in making this two-week testing window an enjoyable experience. In the week leading up to the testing your child's grade level teacher will be sending home information regarding snacks etc. Mr. Doiron |
| At Chelsea School we pride ourselves with the tremendous support our parents give to our school. We would like to, however, limit unscheduled parent visitations to classrooms. Teachers appreciate parent involvement but would like to schedule times with parents so they may continue with their day's curriculum.
We also hope to make the morning transition easier for the students by saying good-bye in the front entrance of the school. This gives students a smoother transition in the classroom when starting their day. We would also like to remind parents that students are not to be in the building before 8:00. There is no supervision. |
| Kindergarten - Mrs. Galarneau and Mrs. Beeckel
The kindergarten students have been working on learning the letters, Pp, Ff, Gg and Rr this month. We have used bingo daubers to practice the letter Pp. What fun they had making purple poke a dots on the outline of the Pp. We finger painted with frosting and fluff and wore bright red wristbands for starting our week out with the letter Rr. We have spent some time learning about Martin Luther King and what Civil Rights stand for. We read many stories about his life and what it was like for him to grow up during that time. Now that we have snow, we are able to work on our snow unit. The children are writing stories and are doing science experiments with snow. They enjoy playing outside, making forts, snowmen and angels. Please remember to mark your child's clothing with their names so it is easier to identify who they belong to. Kindergarten Registration
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| 1st Grade - Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Grant
First graders started the new year by learning about matter in science. They focused on solids and liquids and we celebrated at the end of the unit by making Jell-O and seeing it change phases of matter. We are now starting our unit on penguins. In math we have been doing several activities focused on surveys. The students learn to collect data and then make a representation about it. They have also been practicing adding and subtraction math facts. Our next math unit, called Block Towns and Quilt Squares, will be centered around geometry. In reading we are finishing up our ARL short vowel keys and have begun guided reading groups. The students have started our new spelling program and enjoy having a test every Friday. |
| 2nd Grade - Mrs. Acosta
In science, second graders have been learning about the weather and the four seasons. We have drawn and illustrated what Maine looks like in each of the four seasons. We are learning about what controls the weather and what makes rain and snow. In writing, we are still working on our poetry books. We are learning about Haiku, limerick, alliterations, and acrostic poems. Students are learning how to use visual language to "paint the picture" in poetry. In reading, students are being evaluated on word fluency and accuracy. In math, we have been working on place value and reading numbers accurately while identifying the place value of numbers. |
| 3rd Grade - Mrs. Delgallo and Mrs. Pelletier
Wanted: Highlights and/or Ranger Rick Magazines. These will be used for free-reading time during the third and fourth grade lunch period. If anyone has previous issues that are in good condition and are willing to donate to the third and fourth grades, please send to room 19. This month we have learned about the Railroad. We read books, did some Reader's Theater stories, made a time line and wrote poems. We also went to see the play Harriet Tubman at the Civic Center. It was great! In science we finished adaptations and are moving on to grasslands and the arctic. In math we are working on place value and adding and subtracting numbers up to the thousands. |
| 4th Grade - Mrs. Biswell and Mrs. Rush
January has brought its challenges with the cold weather and wind. Students are reminded to dress warmly for outdoor recesses. We had an awesome speaker come to our class from the Maine Discovery Museum. Tony Sohns taught us about animals throughout the world with a focus on Maine animals. Creatures such as black widow spiders, tree frogs, snakes, and other animals. We could touch most of them and listen to their sounds. In math we are learning about double-digit multiplication. (Now students understand the need to know both their addition and their multiplication facts.) We are still learning about Maine. Next we will focus on knowing where all 16 counties are located and some information about them. We have been doing research on famous Maine people and creating a report. We'll do a project to share our knowledge. We all learn so much from each other. |
| 5th Grade - Mrs. Frailey
At this point in time the fifth grade is working on division and math vocabulary. We have also been learning how to solve logic problems, and I have actually heard, "Wow! These are fun." In science the fifth graders are learning about birds, and we have had the good fortune to be invited to view the eighth grader's PowerPoint presentations. These are a great tie-in to social studies and let the children know what will be expected from them in the future. In reading class we are reading Doll House Murders by Betty Ren Wright. In writing we are doing some creative writing, and working on structure and fluency. Just a reminder the penny drive is fast approaching. |
| 6th Grade - Mr. Todd and Mr. Crosby
In language arts, the sixth grade students are reviewing for a three-chapter grammar test and have just finished a descriptive writing. The Spelling Bee competition is starting, and they are reading Maniac Magee as well as doing vocabulary development on the book. In math, the students have just finished a study on multiplication facts and are now studying decimals. In social studies, students are immersed in a unit on Ancient China. Students in sixth grade science have begun a unit on animals. Sixth graders are looking forward to using laptop computers in the classroom as a resource in extending their learning of class discussions and activities. |
| 7/8th Academic Team - Mr. Gammon, Mrs. Perry, Miss McDonough and Mrs. Raymond
The 7th and 8th grade team is gearing up for the MEA's (Maine Educational Assessments). Although the tests aren't until early March, we will soon begin discussing the test and practicing test-taking strategies. The 8th graders will be taking the tests on-line and the 7th graders will be taking the test in the traditional paper/pencil format. We will be sending out more information as the time approaches letting you know your role as a parent. The 8th grade has been working on an interdisciplinary unit called "Immigration." This unit includes most of the subject areas: science, reading, writing, social studies, art, music, and technology. The students have interviewed relatives, created a family tree and timeline, read fictional, as well as non-fictional accounts of the immigrant experience, and studied the history of Ellis Island. The unit will end with an Ellis Island simulation where students will get to experience what the process must have felt like. They each have drawn names of immigrants from a variety of countries, or processors, and each student will be expected to adopt the persona of that immigrant or processor, and dress the way that person might have dressed in 1900. Science has contributed to this unit by studying diseases and how they affected immigration. Students created a slide show to show their research. They also have been reviewing cell processes and are looking forward to chemistry study in the near future. Seventh grade students are busy researching and studying towns and cities of Maine. They are creating travel brochures, which integrate art, history, technology and research skills. Students have been reading short stories based on the theme of "Survival" in language arts, experiencing great authors like Jack London, May Angelou, and Gary Soto. In math students are learning about exponents and their applications and reviewing the rules for divisibility. In science, students have been working on Earth Science studying rock, minerals and geological processes. We are noticing that a few students' supplies are running low. Please continue to encourage your students to always come to class prepared with completed assignments and required materials. |
| PE News - Mrs. Peterson
7 & 8th graders will be going Cross Country Skiing in the next couple weeks to the Arboretum in Augusta. We will be renting their skis, poles and boots at a minimal price. Jump Demo Team Show- The South Bristol Spin drifters will give a 30 minute demonstration to the school on jump roping skills and tricks. 3rd & 4th graders will have their Jump Rope for Heart event on Friday, February 16th 9 - 11:00 a.m. in the gym. All money raised goes to the American Heart Association. Up coming Basketball events
Pep Rally for tournament playoffs will be on Friday, February 9th at 2:15pm in the gym. The annual students vs. teachers basketball game will be on Friday, February 16th at 1:45 p.m. The teachers are unbeaten!!! |
| Art News - Mrs. Dunn
Some students from the Chelsea School will have their work in an upcoming exhibit at the Harlow Art Gallery in Hallowell in March. The gallery is sponsoring a student art exhibit. Watch your next newsletter for more details! First grade students have been learning about colors in art class. They made a book about colors, and have been enjoying many fun projects involving learning about color mixing. Check out their "tie dye" t-shirt color mixing projects on display in the hallway. Second graders are also studying colors and color mixing. They just finished making their own "color wheels" which involved learning about the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Third graders have been learning about the art of Vincent Van Gogh. They have done their own versions of Starry Night - (one of Van Gogh's most well known paintings). Eighth graders are up to the medieval times in their study of art history. They are learning about how much patience is involved in making a mosaic! |
| Music News - Mr. Morgan
I would like to thank the students, parents and staff for a successful holiday concert. Right now I am doing assessments with grades K-4. This allows me to know my effectiveness as a teacher. When a child sings I listen for pitch, rhythm and tone. I then give each child a grade of exceeds, meets, partially meets and does not meet. I'm looking for a certain skill level depending on the grade the child is in. I will also be putting essential performance indicators on the report card in the future for grades K-4. The performance indicators are music skills we work on in each grade. The band is working hard on music for our Union Band Festival. We are only inviting students who have reached a certain playing level by March. This year Mrs. Dunn and I have chosen to do Kind Midas and the Golden Palace for our play. The music includes lots of solos and duets for students to sing. We will be holding reading tryouts the week of February 12th. Rehearsals will begin after the February vacation. |
| From the Nurse - Jenny Young
Parents of all 5th graders and all 6th & 8th grade girls; your children will be bringing home a letter on January 30th explaining scoliosis screening. Only return the letter if you DO NOT want your child screened. If you have any questions, please call me at school. The screening will take place on February 8th. |
| Guidance - Mrs. Blake
8th grade transition began with a Parent Night on January 17th. Cony, Gardiner, Hall-Dale and Erskine Academy were represented. Information was presented and many questions were answered. 8th grade students are allowed up to two choices. Many of our 8th graders went to shadow day at Cony on January 30th. The Hall-Dale shadow day is scheduled for February 13th (snow date is February 15th). The Erskine shadow day is scheduled for February 27th (snow date is March 1st). Gardiner High School has scheduled their 8th grade parent Night on March 1st. Invitations will come in the mail. Erskine Academy has scheduled their Open House on March 14th, 7:00 p.m. (snow date is March 15th). This is an important date because 8th graders who have decided to attend Erskine can register and chose their courses for the next year. 8th graders will be expected to choose their high school by March 19th. 7th grade students just finished a unit on Bullying in Health. |
| Adult Education
Call the Adult Education Office at 549-3261 ext. 3 to register. Still room to register: Maintaing and Repairing Your PC
Adult Child Quilting (child must be 10 years of age) Chelsea School
Mother/Daughter Self Defense
Red Cross Babysitting Certification
Chelsea Eagle Cards
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