Churchill Chatter - Issue 19, January 25, 2017
 CRS Speech-Language Pathologist Meghan Palmer reads a picture book with some second graders.
Spotlight on Speech
As the speech-language pathologist (SLP) for Churchill Road, I work with students and staff to prevent, identify, and treat various aspects of speech, language, voice, stuttering, hearing, and related disorders. Along with the more than 150,000 SLPs across the country, I have a master’s degree and am certified by American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). In the public elementary school setting, speech and language are naturally integrated into every aspect of a student’s day – understanding instruction, participating in the classroom, and developing and maintaining relationships with peers and adults. Strong communication skills form the foundation for listening, speaking, reading, and writing, all of which are critical for academic success.
Wordless picture books are gold mines of language development opportunities. Since there are no words, only pictures, the reader gets to be in charge of the words. Each “reading” of a wordless picture book is a new adventure and allows for endless creativity. Such books encourage descriptive skills, perspective taking, increased awareness of story grammar elements, and collaborative storytelling.
There are three stages to “reading” a wordless picture book with your child. First, explore each picture. Really look at the detail of the illustrations and point out interesting characters or situations. Second, talk about what you see. Label and describe the picture, expanding on your child’s words and introducing more advanced vocabulary. Build predictions skills by guessing what will happen next, and make connections to your child’s life experiences. Third, tell the story. Younger children may need more parent support to connect the story elements (“First… then… next… last…”) and provide adequate details.
There are many excellent wordless picture books available, including “Chalk” by Bill Thomson, “Good Night, Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann, “The Lion and the Mouse” by Jerry Pinkney, and “The Snowman” by Raymond Briggs.
For more information on communication disorders and potential warning signs, visit http://identifythesigns.org/ or contact your friendly Churchill Road SLP, Meghan Palmer, mmpalmer@fcps.edu.
 Churchill Road Geo Bee Finals
CRS Geo Bee Winner Crowned
Churchill Road crowned a new Geography Bee champion on January 19. Congratulations to 6th grader Joshua L. for winning his third consecutive Churchill Road Geo Bee -- what an achievement! Joshua will represent CRS in the County Bee. Congratulations to fifth grader Jacob S. and fourth grader Christian J. for their second and third place finishes, respectively. Their hard work paid off.
Congratulations also to the following students who competed in the school finals: Atharva B., Andrew C., Vendela F., Elliott L., Daniel O., Arthur W. and Kaiden W.. And, thank you to fourth grade teachers Mr. Nicholas Kilpatrick and Ms. Devon Rook for overseeing the Bee.
 Chili Luncheon a Staff Favorite
Thank you to the kindergarten and first grade families who provided a delicious Chili and Salad bar for our CRS staff. There were more than nine tasty chilis and a lovely selection of fresh salads, freshly baked cornbread, a variety of the yummiest desserts and lots of chili toppings, including fresh chives from a parent's herb garden that had everyone talking! Thank you to our amazing hostesses who left no detail overlooked and all our wonderful volunteers and the student artists who prepared the bright and cheery artwork for decorations: Ana Florez, Javier Fonseca, Tracy Hill, Sarah Keshavarz, Sonia Khelil, Jennifer Miller, Gauri Rana and Sean Satkus. And a big thank you to CRS PTA Staff Appreciation Chairs Luz Janada, Carole Smith and Kristi West for organizing this staff favorite.
Churchill Road Summer Camps
Churchill Road is excited to host six unique summer camps sponsored by some of our very own teachers! Fliers for each camp are in today’s (Jan 25) VIP folders. Additional fliers can be downloaded from the CRS homepage: http://www2.fcps.edu/ChurchillRoadES/summer_student_programs.html.
Art Camp – Hosted by Art Teachers Mrs. Wallace & Ms. Gong
Schedule: 4 1-week long sessions from July 17–August 11, 9:00 AM–3:30 PM
For rising 2nd-8th graders
Bobcat Sports Camp – Hosted by P.E Teachers Mr. Varhol & Mr. Yellen
Schedule: 4 sessions (2 3-day/2 5-day) from June 28-July 21, 8:30 AM–3:30 PM
For rising 1st-6th graders
Count Me In Math Camp & Math Mindset Girls’ Camps – Hosted by CRS Teachers Ms. Hamlin & Mrs. Lackey
Schedule: 2 sessions (Count Me In, July 10–14) and (Math Mindset, August 7-11), 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
For rising 3rd-6th grade girls
Nature Camp & Nature Camp Junior – Hosted by CRS Teacher Mr. Woler
Schedule: Nature Camp - 2 Sessions (July 10-14 and July 24–28), Nature Camp Junior - 1 Session (July 17 – 21), 9:00 AM-3:30 PM
For rising: Nature Camp (5th-7th graders) and Junior (2nd-4th graders)
Summer STEM Camp – Hosted by CRS Teacher Mrs. Stets
Schedule: 3 1-week sessions between July 10 - August 11, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
For rising: 4th-6th graders
Summer Theatre Camp – Hosted by Teachers Mr. Ericson & Mr. Gustaveson
Session 1: July 10-21 (Two Week Session / Rising 4th-7th graders) and Session 2: July 24-August 18 (4-Week Session / Rising 7th-12th graders), 8:30 AM–3:30 PM
 Fourth graders mixed it up and had breakfast for lunch.
Wellness: Making Any Day Feel Special
We are returning to a full week of school after a stretch of
holidays. Holidays tend to bring a sense
of joy just by being a break from the normal routine, but there are many ways
we can easily make any day feel special. One option is to begin your day by setting a
simple positive intention. An intention
provides a map for your day and can be a word—gratitude, courage,
flexibility—or a short statement: “I intend to successfully complete my
project.” An intention is a seed for the
day and it is amazing how setting an intention can frame the experience of your
day and increase your awareness of opportunities for you to move in the
direction you desire. In addition to
setting an intention, other possibilities for making an ordinary day special is
by deciding to serve breakfast fare for dinner or dining by candlelight. You can try a different route for your
commute, read a book from a genre you do not usually choose, or have a dance
party in your living room. You can always
check the internet for a list of bizarre holidays to celebrate; today is
officially Opposite Day. You and your
family can make this Friday special by sporting your Churchill attire and
joining us at the playground (or gym if there is inclement weather) at 8:00 a.m.
for the first Family Fitness Churchill Spirit Day of 2017. Enjoy finding fun and exciting ways to make
today feel special!
Stop Hunger Now - A Note from Mr. Hutzel
Dear Churchill Road families,
This week will be the last week of our Langley pyramid fundraising efforts to support the Stop Hunger Now event. We have reached 55% of our $29,000 goal, so we still have more work to do. We can only package the number of meals we have raised money to purchase. At 29 cents per meal, we have raised money to purchase and package 55,000 of our 100,000 meals goal.
Every $30 donated provides supplies for meals to 500 children and adults around the world.
We are so proud of your children for all of their work thus far raising money to help children throughout the world. Regardless of the amount of money they donate, your child will gain a better understanding regarding their part in our global community and how they can make a difference in the world. If your child has not yet participated by donating to this cause, there is still time.
Our last in-school collection will be this Friday, January 27th. After January 27th, donations will not be accepted at school, but they will be accepted online through January 31st. Use the link to make a tax-deductible donation: http://events.stophungernow.org/LangleyPyramid2017.
If you are interested in learning more about the meal packing, click to
watch a short video regarding the Meal Packing process. You can click here to watch a video highlighting our 2016 Stop Hunger Now event.
Thank you for your
continued support and for encouraging your children to raise money to help
children and families in our collective effort to Stop Hunger Now.
Don Hutzel, Principal
Cheer Winners of the Week
Congratulations to our Churchill Cheer winners for the week of January 16. Cheers are given to students who follow the four R’s. Winners are: Ved Prakash (Kindergarten); Zachary Dinesman (1st); Meredith Cadin (2nd); Carlos Janada (3rd); and Emily Monteleone (4th). Our good citizenship winners are Sasha Schratwieser (5th) and Tony Zhang (6th). Remember, at CRS we follow the four R’s. We respect ourselves, we respect others, we respect property, we respect the Earth, and we are responsible.
This Friday - January 27 - is Churchill Spirit Day
Show your bobcat spirit and wear your Churchill Road t-shirt or other bobcat gear this Friday. Mark your calendar for the remaining spirit days of the school year.
• February 24 -- Dress Alike Day
• March 17 -- Crazy Hat/Hair Day
• April 28 -- Churchill Spirit Day
• May 26 -- PJ Day
• June 16 -- Churchill Spirit Day
Friday is also Family Fitness Spirit Day. The PTA encourages you and your family to come to school at 8:00 a.m. to enjoy 20 minutes playing on the playground, walking on the track, shooting hoops, or joining a game and having fun with friends all while wearing your favorite Churchill spirit wear!
CRS Calendar of Upcoming Events
Wednesday, January 25:
Family Bingo Night, 6:30 p.m. in the Gym
Friday, January 27:
Stop Hunger Now Final In-school Collection Day
Churchill Spirit Day (all day)
Family Fitness Day from 8-8:20 a.m. (Track, weather permitting, or gym)
Friday, February 3:
2-Hour Early Dismissal at 1:20 p.m. (End of Quarter)
Monday, February 6:
Teacher Workday (Student Holiday)
Wednesday, February 8:
Principal’s Coffee @ 8 a.m.
PTA Meeting @ 8:45 a.m.
Wednesday, February 15:
Parent Information Night: Digital Citizenship @ Home and School
7:00 p.m. in the Exploratory Arts Room
Monday, February 20:
President’s Day (Student Holiday)
Link to the CRS PTA Week at a Glance:
http://www.churchillroadpta.org/crs-pta-week-at-glance
|
