BEELINE

Catonsville Elementary November 2013

Linda Miller, Principal Danalee Potter, Asst. Principal

Principal’s Corner Principal’s Corner Mrs. Miller would like to thank the teachers, staff, parents and students for all that you do each day for

Catonsville Elementary School. Joining together our best efforts allows us to be one of the best elementary

schools in Baltimore County!

We invite you to visit your child’s classroom during American Education Week to observe firsthand the out-

standing instructional program presented by our talented teachers to our fabulous students that are so willing

to learn and apply what they know!

Thank you to CES parents and PTA, the Catonsville community as well as BCPS and Baltimore Government per-

sonnel for creating a plan to relieve overcrowding and improve the infrastructure to a 21st century learning

environment for our students!

Dates for your Calendar

November

7-25 Spiritwear Sale

8 Purple Friday

11 Movement Equipment Arrives for P.E. Classes

13 Anti-Bullying Assembly

14 Pre-K Conference Day~No School for Pre-K Students

15 Conference Day~No School for All Students

Report Card Distribution (During conferences)

18 Report Card Distribution (for those not attending conferences)

18-22 American Education Week

Visitation Days:

Monday: Kindergarten & Grade 5 Tuesday: Grades 2 & 4

Wednesday: Pre-K & Grade 1 Friday: Grade 3

22 Purple Friday

25 School Progress Team Meeting 3:30pm

26 Picture Retakes

28 & 29 Schools Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

December **December’s Beeline will be on the CES website only starting 12/5**

2 Schools Closed for Students for Professional Development Day---NEW!!

3 Grade 4 Joe Corbis Fundraiser Due

November 2013 Page 2

News from the Office….. November

Capital Relief for the Southwest Area

As you may have heard, Baltimore County Public Schools is working to address overcrowding and air con-

ditioning concerns not only in the southwest area, but across the school system. BCPS will be conduct-

ing four projects in the Southwest area: New schools at Relay, Westowne and Catonsville Elementary

Schools. (The new school for CES will be built on the Bloomsbury location.) The fourth project will be

an addition to Westchester Elementary School. All projects are anticipated for completion fall 2016.

In the year prior to the new openings, BCPS will convene a committee to work on one redistricting plan.

For more information go to www.bcps.org, click on Relief Strategy Updates (under What’s Happening) then click on Southwest Area then click on Proposed Capacity Solutions.

Medications in School

It is against BCPS policy for students to carry medications of any kind. This includes non-prescription

as well as prescription medications, vitamins, etc. Often, parents send students to school with medica-

tion so the student can give the medicine to the school nurse or other parent (if the student is travel-

ing between two homes). Both of these actions are against policy. Medications must be transferred BY

ADULTS ONLY. Students found with medicine may be subject to disciplinary consequences as de-

scribed in the BCPS Student Handbook. Please be sure that you are not having your child transport

medication to and from school for any reason. If you have additional questions regarding this policy,

please contact the school nurse.

American Education Week

Across Baltimore County, American Education Week will be held from November 18th to November 22nd

from 9:00am to 12:00pm each day. Parents are invited to visit their child’s classroom and observe the

learning taking place. The visitation schedule will be as follows:

Monday Kindergarten and Grade 5

Tuesday Grades 2 & 4

Wednesday Pre-K & Grade 1

Friday Grade 3

Unfortunately, due to the size of our student body and size of our cafeteria, we will not be able to ac-

commodate parents in the cafeteria during lunch. Please be mindful of the parking during this week.

DO NOT PARK IN NUMBERED SPACES! They are reserved for school staff. We encourage

all staff and students to celebrate education and higher learning by wearing college t-shirts and sweat-

shirts on Friday!

News from the Office (continued)….. November

Appropriate Etiquette When Visiting the School

When visiting the school, please keep in mind the following:

Be respectful of the work that our teachers and students are doing. Do not interrupt the teachers in-

structing or the students learning that is occurring in the classrooms.

Remember to silence or place your cell phone on vibrate. AT NO TIME should visitors be using their cell

phones to take/make calls or to take photos. (Keep in mind that not all of our students are permitted to

be photographed or videotaped.)

If you would like to conference with your child’s teacher(s), contact them by phone or email in order to

make an appointment.

PTA Scholastic Book Fair

The Annual PTA Book Fair will be Nov 18th thru Nov 22nd . This coincides with American Education Week. Our

hours are 9:00 am to 3:00p.m. in the school library. We will also have a Family Night on Wednesday, Nov 20th

from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Please come out and support the event. All proceeds are donated to the school library.

First Quarter Attendance

The state standard for student attendance is 94%. Your child’s attendance rate can be found on the quarterly

report card. Our attendance committee works to recognize students with good or improved attendance. This in-

cludes students that arrive to school on time each day. We understand that circumstances arise and/or students

may be ill. However, if your child’s attendance rate is of particular concern, you will be notified by the school to

review the attendance concern and to develop a plan to improve your child’s attendance. If you need assistance

for your child or your family, do not hesitate to contact the school counselor and/or administration.

Fall Spiritwear Sale

We will be having a fall spiritwear sale. There will be CES wear for students and families. Samples of the items

for sale will be available in the office window. Sale runs from 11/7 through 11/25. Don’t miss out, these items

make great holiday gifts!

Mascots and Reusable Grocery Bags

We have our CES bee mascots and Catonsville grocery bags for sale in the office!. The mascots are $8

each or 2 for $15 and the bags are $3 each or 2 for $5. These make great stocking stuffers or holiday gifts!

Stop in the office to purchase one today!

November 2013 Page 3

Mrs. Potter’s Monthly Message:

Dear Families,

Did you know that just missing 10 percent of school can have a major impact on your

child’s learning? In fact, research shows that excessive absences and tardiness in the early

grades (KG & 1st grade) leads to low reading and math proficiency in 5th grade.

Punctuality and attendance is one of the important behaviors that contribute to aca-

demic success. It is very important that your child arrive on time for school since so much of

our school business, classroom instructional plans and daily routines are established at the be-

ginning of the day. The habits and attitudes about school attendance that you share with your

child today will set the tone for his or her success later in life.

According to Baltimore County Policy Rule 5120; ―Regular school attendance has a posi-

tive effect on learning and helps to establish habits necessary for responsible adulthood.

Therefore, it is important that all schools give special emphasis to implementing and communi-

cating to parents and students the attendance policy as stated in the Student Handbook.‖

Since punctuality and good attendance are essential factors for academic success, we

will be closely tracking your child’s attendance and working with you in a timely fashion if your

child demonstrates an excessive pattern of tardiness or absences from school. We will be run-

ning reports and sending a ―letter of concern‖ to parents of children with excessive tardiness

and/or absences.

Thanks for reinforcing the importance of punctuality and good attendance to your chil-

dren. It truly makes a difference! For more information, please see the attached flyer, ―Help

Your Child Succeed in School: Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early.‖

Respectfully,

Mrs. Potter Mrs. Potter & The Attendance Committee

November 2013 Page 4

Pre-K Units of Study for November

Can you believe it is the beginning of November already? The children are doing a great job of following

the routines of school! We are working hard at school and learning so many skills!

In Reading, we will be finishing up the ―Families Everywhere‖ unit and move into our new unit ―All Kinds of

Friends.‖ In each of these units we will continue to work on phonological skills, comprehension skills and vocabu-

lary. Below are some of the skills and concepts that we will cover:

Identifying the letters of the alphabet and matching the lowercase letters to the uppercase letters

Counting the number of words in a sentence by clapping for each word

Comparing length of sentences

Repeating rhyming words

Developing vocabulary about family; aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, etc.

Developing vocabulary about friends; friend, share, together, anger, hurt

Predicting the end of a story

Discussing the stories read in class

Discussing feelings

Identifying opposites

In Mathematics, we will continue on the unit, ―My Five Senses‖ and then begin the unit, ―Seasons All

Around.‖ In these units we will work on identifying, extending and constructing patterns. We will use manipu-

latives to construct patterns.

We will also continue to work on constructing sets to match a given numeral. We will begin to combine and

separate sets. It is important for the children to understand that when they count to a certain number, that

is the amount in the set. Some children have difficulty with this skill. If you want to practice at home, have

your child count objects in a group and then ask them how many are in the group. Some children will want to

recount again to tell you the amount. Point out to them that the number they said is the total.

In Writing, the children continue to practice writing their names using an uppercase letter for the first

name and all lowercase letters for the rest of their name. Also, the children will draw pictures to communi-

cate their thoughts and ideas. The children will dictate sentences to match the picture. We have practiced

drawing a circle for a head and adding onto the body using shapes. Please help your child with this if it is hard

for her/him.

Important Dates:

American Education Visitation Day-November 20th- 9:00-11:00 a.m. (morning class) and 1:00-3:00 p.m.

(afternoon class)

Prekindergarten Conferences-November 14th (School Closed for Prekindergarten Students) and 15th-

(School Closed for Elementary School Students)-Please send back the sign-up sheet if you have not already

done so.

Thanksgiving Break-School Closed for All Children-November 28th and 29th –Have a wonderful holiday!

November 2013 Page 5

Kindergarten Units of Study for November

What fun we are having at school! The children are learning many new concepts! Here are our plans for the different

areas of instruction:

Phonics- We will continue introducing the letters and sounds of the alphabet. We will identify the vowels, A, E, I, O, and U.

We are identifying the letters of the alphabet in text and practicing writing them correctly. We will be playing word games

by putting word parts back together after we have broken the words apart. We will also look at words in order to identify

which words are long and which words are short. We will continue working on rhyming words. Students are working in small

groups according to their abilities.

Shared Reading- We will be reading the big books, Quiet in the Library, Birthdays, Wishy-Washy Day, and Dan, the Flying

Man. We will take picture walks to develop an understanding of the story and make predictions. Also, as we read the stories

we will answer essential questions to relate the stories to our life experiences. We will retell stories by acting them out and

becoming the characters. Also, we will identify the beginning, middle and ending of the stories. In all of the stories we will be

working on understanding the story elements: characters, setting, problem and solution.

Mathematics- We are continuing our Everyday Counts Program which addresses patterns, the calendar, counting the days that

we have been in school, graphing and estimation. During Math time we will continue working on the Investigation, Counting and Comparing. This investigation works on counting and comparing numbers and quantities. We will begin the new Investigations, What Comes Next? In this investigation we will work on copying and extending patterns. We will distinguish between patterns

and non-patterns. We will identify the unit of a pattern.

Upcoming Events:

American Education Week- November 18 – 22nd. Our visitation day is Monday, November 11, 2013. We hope to see you on

the morning of the 11th!

Conferences will be held on Friday, November 15th, 2013. Please look for sign up information coming home very soon.

Students do not have school on that day.

Have a great Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!

Page 6

1st Grade Units of Study for November

Math: Unit 2: Making Shapes and Designing Quilts: 2D GeometryThis geometry unit continues to focus on two-dimensional

shapes and the relationships between them. Students observe, describe, compare, classify, represent, and compose and de-

compose 2-D shapes. Students learn to use geometric language to describe and identify important features of familiar 2-D

shapes. As they sort and describe groups of shapes, they begin to distinguish specific attributes of triangles and quadrilater-

als.

Reading: In this unit, Exploring Elements of Fiction/Nonfiction through Animal Text, students continue their learning about

literary texts from unit 1. They deepen their understanding by identifying problem and solution and describing attributes of

story elements. Students will work collaboratively in diverse pairings and small groups to explore nonfiction texts and text

features, and continue to learn how to treat their peers with respect and to learn when it is appropriate to speak and listen.

Students will apply learning from nonfiction resources in order to conduct animal research to share with others.

Social Studies: (continued from October) In Unit 1 the student is learning about the world of school. In Social Studies the

students explore their roles and responsibilities as individuals and as members of various groups. They will identify school

workers and explain how they depend on each other. Students will consider why school members must follow rules. They will

read and interpret simple maps of a classroom. They will describe how they cooperate to learn, to achieve common goals, and to

resolve conflicts.

Health: Students explore why and how they are special in a group and how their feelings play an important role in their daily

mental health. Students will role play and study ways to deal with feelings appropriately.

November 2013

2nd Grade Units of Study for November

Reading/Language Arts: Students will continue to build a strong literacy foundation by asking questions, making observations

and connections, and communicating in a variety of ways. Students will read biographies, informational articles, picture books,

short stories, and beginning chapter books. They will continue to expand their range of writing through research, reflection,

and revision of a variety of products and short writing pieces including journal entries, personal narratives, and opinions/

arguments. Students will develop an understanding of the concept of success and what it means to be successful. Students

will read about real people and characters that have been successful, noting the traits that helped each person reach his/her

goals. They will apply this information to their own lives as they read and understand both fiction and nonfiction text.

Essential Questions:

What does a good reader do?

What is a complete thought?

How do we know when we have been successful at something?

How does asking and answering questions (such as who, what, where, when, why, and how) demonstrate comprehension of

informational texts?

How does identifying the main idea, of a text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs demonstrate comprehension of

informational texts?

Why is it important to explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contributes to and clari-

fies a text?

How do I introduce the topic or name of a book, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion and provide some sense of

closure while writing an opinion piece?

How do I name a topic, supply some facts, and provide a sense of closure while writing an informative/explanatory text?

How do I recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some detail regarding what happened, use temporal

words to signal event order and provide a sense of closure while writing a narrative?

Science: We are finishing our first unit of science, A Space Odyssey. In this unit, students have learned about the chemical

and physical interaction of the environment, Earth, and the universe that occur over time. Later in the month we will begin,

If…Then…. In this unit, students will learn about chemistry concepts such as the structure of matter, conservation of matter,

physical properties, and physical and chemical changes. The unit also investigates physics concepts of energy and electricity.

Social Studies: Student will study Unit 1 Geography of Neighborhoods and Communities. The students will learn to describe

physical and human characteristics of rural, small town, urban, and suburban communities. They will also use map elements

(key, title, compass rose, author, date) and learn how to read and interpret maps of communities. Vocabulary words: citizen,

symbols, community, geography, region, physical features, neighborhood, bird’s eye view, and physical and human characteris-

tics.

Math: We are currently working in the second unit of math, Shapes, Blocks, and Symmetry: 2-D and 3-D Geometry. In this

unit, students will reason with shapes and their attributes; become fluent with addition combinations to 10+10; tell time to the

hour and half hour.

Essential Questions:

How are numbers represented?

How does the base ten number system work?

How do mathematical operations relate to each other?

What are flexible, effective, and efficient methods of computation?

What are efficient strategies to represent and solve word problems involving addition and subtraction?

What are units of measurement for time and how are they used?

What do good problem solvers do?

Additional News: We will continue with Book-It this month so please look for your child’s Book-It calendar in their folder.

They should read for 20 minutes a night in order help work on word and sentence fluency.

November 2013 Page 7

3rd Grade Units of Study for November

Reading: Unit 2 –A Delicate Balance - The Relationship between Humans and Nature. Throughout this theme, students will

work to develop an answer to the following essential question, ―What is the relationship between humans and nature?‖ Stu-

dents will read a variety of literary and informational text related to the theme.

Math: Unit 4 Addition and Subtraction. During this unit of math students will use efficient strategies for adding two-and

three-digit numbers. Students will evaluate and compare expressions using addition and subtraction to write equations and

inequalities. Please continue to practice multiplication facts at home.

Science: Safe Racer: Throughout this unit, children will be involved in experiences that will encourage them to create a plan

and modify their plan to meet specific criteria. They will work in cooperative teams to create a vehicle that will travel a dis-

tance while, at the same time, protect the ―driver‖ of the vehicle….an uncooked egg.

Matter: Just the Facts!: This unit is designed to introduce students to the physical properties of matter and how matter

changes when heat is added or removed. Social Studies: Economics and Me. In these unit students will explore the following ideas: scarcity, opportunity cost, con-

sumption, production, interdependence and advertisement.

Upcoming Events: Field trip to the Museum of Industry on November 11th.

American Education Visitation Day for third grade is the morning of Friday November 22nd.

4th Grade Units of Study for November

Math: Multiplication and Division Concepts and Facts. Students will look for and make use of structure when completing

function tables and express regularity in repeated reasoning when determining products and quotients.

The following skills are ―big ideas‖ that are developed in this unit:

Understand meanings for multiplication Distinguish between a factor and a multiple

Connect multiplication and division as inverse operations

Use multiple representations for multiplication and division problems

Write and evaluate expressions and equations Determine the missing values for function tables

GT Math: Unit 3: Dividing with One-Digit Divisors. Students will apply understandings of properties of operations and the

base-ten system to divide multi-digit whole numbers using strategies including reasoned estimation, area models, and algo-

rithms. Students will also evaluate numerical expressions and express relationships on a coordinate plane.

Unit 4: Data and Graphs. Students will organize, display, and analyze data by constructing and interpreting a variety of repre-

sentations including, line plots, single and double line graphs, single and double bar graphs, and stem and leaf plots.

Reading: Through firsthand and secondhand accounts, students explore, ―What makes a person memorable?‖ Students will

analyze personal journeys of famous and everyday people, including how they have responded to situations they face. They will

compare firsthand and secondhand accounts of events in people’s lives, including autobiographical and biographical texts. Stu-

dents will routinely summarize main ideas and their supporting details in order to build toward their comparisons, as well as

draw conclusions about the ways in which individual life journeys are recounted based on who is authoring the text.

Science: Too Hot to Handle: Students will learn how to create a STEM Fair project by investigating heat transfer by thermal

conduction. They will compare effective and ineffective questions in order to determine a testable question for a project in-

vestigation while determining the independent variable, the dependent variable, and the controlled variables in the project

investigation. Participation in the STEM Fair for fourth grade is optional.

Fossil Detectives: Students will perform the role of a paleontologist through a series of explorations and explanations. They

will learn the process of fossil formation by exploring and classifying them. They will discover when fossils were formed and

how scientists use them to understand the Earth’s past.

Social Studies: Unit 2: The Earliest Americans. Students will investigate how geography impacted the cultures of a variety

of Native American groups. Students will be organized into groups and take on the task of researching the Native American

tribes of a particular region of the US. They will be responsible for gathering information about the food, clothing, housing,

and culture of the region and explaining how the geography of the land influenced these. The unit will end with a presentation

of information and visual aids (student created) to their peers.

November 2013 Page 8

5th Grade Units of Study for November

Reading: Unit 2 Natural Transformations: The students will be reading a variety of articles and short non-fictions texts in

order to practice the following strategies:

Determining theme

Drawing inferences

Compare and contrast two or more characters in a text

Using word attack strategies to determine the meaning of unknown words and figurative language

Summarizing

Language: Students will:

Write an informative text to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Write narratives to develop events using effective technique, descriptive details and clear event sequence.

Math:

Mrs. Lattea, Ms. Ruszkowski (green) and Mrs. Holmes:

Unit 3: Division

Unit 4: Data, Graphing, and Probability

Ms. Ruszkowski (blue): Unit 3: Fractions

Unit 4: Data, Graphing, and Probability

Science: Mrs. Stuthmann- Geology Rocks Ms. Ruszkowski- Weather the Weather

Social Studies: Unit 1 Colonial America: The Thirteen Colonies

Other:

~ All 5th grade students should know their multiplication and division facts! Please practice if needed.

~ 5th grade conferences will be held Friday, November, 15. Report cards will be distributed to parents at this time. If you are

unable to come, report cards will be sent home the following Monday with your child.

~ 5th grade American Education visitation day will be Monday, November 18, 2013. We look forward to seeing you!

November 2013 Page 9

November 2013 Page 10

The Fine Line Between Giving Support and Helping Too Much

by Deborah S Cohen, Ed.D

Special Education, Inclusion

A parent of one of my students recently said she was struggling with walking the fine line be-

tween giving her daughter the support she needs and supporting her too much. This is always a difficult

decision parents must make. On the one hand, struggling students have felt abandoned by the people

they trust (like their parents and teachers) when they really are trying as hard as they can but still do

not do well in school. On the other, they do need to become independent and learn how to succeed in

school without extra supports. Let me give you some food for thought.

We have no trouble offering support to students with disabilities that are obvious, like poor

eyesight or hearing, an inability to move around on their own, or a broken arm. Everyone sees the need

for extra support in these cases. Some of these supports may be needed forever, like for poor eyesight

or hearing. Others may be temporary, like for a broken arm that will heal.

It’s more difficult, however, when the need for support is invisible. Children with an auditory

processing disorder, reading or executive functioning disability need support, sometimes permanently.

They are often accused of being lazy and dependent on others. If you think about it this way, accusing

a child with a reading or writing disability of becoming dependent on a spelling checker is no more rea-

sonable than accusing a child with poor eyesight of becoming dependent on eyeglasses!

Children with poor hearing can be brilliant, yet have to wear a hearing aid forever. Similarly, a

child with a learning disability may need certain supports forever, yet become a highly successful

adult because they are creative and innovative. Most schools focus less on creativity and innovation and

more on reading, writing, math, and spelling. Of course, all children need to learn these basic skills. But

for those who have learning issues, they may need some additional support in order to succeed while in

school. They also need encouragement because their areas of strength (such as creativity and social

skills) are not valued as much as their areas of weakness (like spelling and academic writing).

If you know a child who struggles in school, consider whether offering support can lead to suc-

cess. When possible, give them temporary support only until they can succeed on their own. But if they

need support forever, that’s OK. Remember that there is life beyond school where the things they do

well may be more important.

My original question was, how much is too much support? We need to offer them exactly how

much they need in order to be successful in school. If your son is working hard and still not succeeding,

he needs more support. (For ideas of what kinds of support you may need to offer, read "Options for

Helping a Struggling Student.") If your child is getting a lot of support from you, and you are working

harder than she is—that is too much support. (For help in deciding whether your child is working hard

enough, read "Is My Child Working Hard Enough in School?"). We want children to be as independent as

possible as soon as possible. That just might mean they will need some supports for a little while and

others forever.

November 2013 Page11

Art Units of Study for November

Kindergarten: Students will be discovering how to create overlapping shapes by painting pumpkins

as a main source.

1st Grade: After completing their sunflower gardens, students will be paper weaving different kinds of houses,

and adding a background to them.

2nd Grade: Students will choose an animal, and learn to combine a frontal and side view by painting it realisti-

cally.

3rd Grade: A special request was made by some of the students to repeat a ceramic castle unit. They will study

the parts of a castle and design and build one using clay!

4th Grade: Students will be combining an ―ant’s eye view ― with a lesson on tints and shades to create an eerie

moon lit sky.

5th Grade: Students will begin a ceramic unit on their choice of a realistic or imaginary animal piggy bank.

Please stop up to see all the first unit projects the students have completed. They are fabulous!

Music Units of Study for November

Save the Date! 5th Grade Winter Concert is Tuesday, December 17th, 2013 at 7:00 pm

featuring the 5th Grade Band, Orchestra, and Chorus.

Kindergarten: Students will identify, move to, and perform high and low pitches in a

variety of songs and instruments.

1st Grade: Students will perform and identify their first solfege pitches, sol and mi, by ear and on the staff.

2nd Grade: Students will identify and perform a new rhythm, the dotted half note, in a variety of songs.

3rd Grade: Students will perform, dance, and identify the characteristics of folk songs.

4th Grade: Students will identify, analyze, and perform two new combination rhythms (eighth-two sixteenths/

two sixteenths-eighth) in a variety of songs.

5th Grade: Students will compose, notate, and perform their own xylophone melody.

Instrumental Music Units of Study for November

4th Grade Exploratory Music: Students will be exploring the harp. Students will also play open strings using the

bow (arco) and plucking (pizzicato) on open and stopped strings. Students will demonstrate left hand position on

the violin. Students will finally explore symphonic form and be able to play the Open String Symphony to assess

prior performance knowledge.

5th Grade Band & Orchestra: Students will be continuing to work with new notes (Concert Eb and F) and learn

new notes Concert G and A to prepare for our Winter Concert on December 17th. We will also

identify 2/4 time, Common Time, Key signature, Ties, Repeat Signs, and Fermatas in Band. Stu-

dents in Orchestra will be able to perform the D major scale by using stopped notes on the D

and A string. This will be done after we have learned notes B, C#, and D on the A string. We will

also continue to use the bow and learn Up-bow, Down-bow, and key signature as we prepare for

our Winter Concert on December 17th.

November 2013 Page 12

Library Units of Study for November

How quickly the year is going!

Our kindergarten students have been so great about returning their library books.

If you have any questions about what books your child has checked out, please send me

an email. rkaufman2@bcps.org

1st grade is working on personal narratives.

2nd grade is working on character traits.

3rd grade is working learning how to find fiction books and acting out folk tales

4th grade is learning about what makes someone memorable. Ask them about going over Niagara Falls in a barrel!

5th grade is learning about tall tales and researching the relationships between man and nature.

As always, feel free to visit the library at any time, or send me an email if you have any questions.

News from the School Nurse

Hearing and Vision screening is scheduled for December 11-17.

See the attached flyer for information on when to keep a child home from school.

Updates on the Affordable Care Act: There are many changes coming in the new year for the unin-

sured. Among them are expanded coverage, tax credits for some and cost sharing for greater numbers who are

insured. Pre-existing conditions cannot be excluded. It is now required that insurance companies cover 10 essen-

tial benefits such as labs, mental health and substance abuse treatment that some companies used to have as a

―rider‖ with additional costs. Medicaid will be expanded to include those up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level

(FPL). MCHIP will operate the same, except that re-enrollment will be annual instead of biannual. MCHIP and

Medicaid have year round enrollment. Enrollment for the new required health insurances in Maryland do have

deadlines. You can go on line to determine these and also go to your local library or Dept of Social Services for

enrollment information

www.healthcareaccessmaryland.org or www.marylandhealthconnection.gov

Physical Education Units of Study for November

All Grades: We will have Movement Education Equipment for all PE classes through the month of November.

Movement education is learning how to move, or, being educated in the movement functions of the body. Move-

ment Education is applied to physical education, creative movement, educational gymnastics, dance, games, and

other activities of basic skill development. This includes a network of A frames,

and ladders, high bars, and ropes. The equipment will give students the experience

of climbing, swinging, and traveling at given heights.

November 2013 Page 13

For many of us, the fall and winter holiday season is a time to reflect

on what we are thankful for and to experience the joy of giving. What

better way than to participate in our Third Annual CES Giving Tree!

During American Education Week (November 18-22), you will see the

―CES Giving Tree‖ located in the front lobby of the school. Each tag on

the tree will list an item needed by a family in our CES community. If

you choose to participate, simply take a tag with an item you would like

to donate and return the tag with the donated item to Ms. Pfeiffer by

Friday December 13th. Items do not need to be gift wrapped. How

easy is that! If you have any questions feel free to contact Ms. Pfeif-

fer at 410-887-0800 or epfeiffer@bcps.org.

Experience the joy of giving!