|
Dragon Days Calendar
February 14 6th Grade ArtPlus
February 15 4th Grade Colonial Day (Snow Date Feb. 22)
February 18 No School – President’s Day
February 19 3rd Grade ArtPlus
February 19 PTO Parent Meeting “Let’s Talk About It”, Theater, 7:00pm
February 21 3rd Grade Field Trip – National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
February 22 3rd Grade Silk Route Day
February 22 New Student Picture Day - New to CRES or no previous picture only
February 22 PTO Bingo Night
February 22 SCA Spirit Day: Jersey Day!
February 27 Drawn Together Author Minh Le visits, Grades K-3
March 1 6th Grade Ethics Day Field Trip
March 1 Kindergarten Rotations – Dr. Seuss
March 5 Family STEAM Night, 6:00pm Gym
Colvin Run Features Spotlight (All Grades)
Find out more about what’s new at Colvin Run by clicking on our Features webpage! You can find pictures of recent highlighted student events and activities by scrolling to the bottom of the main page of our Colvin Run website and clicking on a story.
Some featured pictures and stories this month:
Rise Against Hunger – The Langley Pyramid community came together to package meals for Rise Against Hunger. The group packaged 93,096 meals which will feed 465,430 people. Thanks to all students, parents, staff and the Great Falls Rotary Club for their participation!
Crossing Guard Appreciation Day – CRES walkers, bike riders, and their families celebrated our Crossing Guard, Ms. Edie, on Wednesday, February 13th! Students made signs and a fun banner to tell Ms. Edie how grateful our community is to have her making sure everyone arrives and leaves school safely every day.
Do you have great pictures of a Colvin Run event? Please share them! (All Grades)
We love to receive parent photos of Colvin Run events, from either classroom or whole school events. Here are a couple of tips that will enable us to make the best use of your photos, particularly those taken from a phone camera:
- Choose “actual size” when emailing pictures – smaller file sizes pixilate and appear fuzzy when used on our website
- Try to take landscape photos (width greater than height) when possible – our website configuration doesn’t do well with portrait layout photos
- Send photos to the Main Office to be reviewed. Photos must be of Colvin Run events only. Pictures with multiple children included are best. Email your pictures to Krista Giunchi at cresdragons@gmail.com.
Thank you for helping us demonstrate the great things that happen in our Colvin Run community! Keep the photos coming!
Save the Date: Upcoming Parent Meetings (All Grades)
Tuesday, February 19th - "Let's Talk about It!", 7:00pm, Theater
Please come join us for dessert and participate in this important discussion. Mrs. Hansen and Ms. Allen's presentation will include how to effectively communicate with your child’s teachers and how each grade level shares information to parents. Information about this meeting was sent home in last week’s Wednesday folder. This is a Parent-Only event and dessert will be served! Please RSVP here if you plan to attend. Questions? Email cresevents@gmail.com
Monday, April 29 – Kindergarten Kick-Off, 1:30pm, Cafeteria
If you have a rising Kindergarten student, please fill out the Survey of Preschool Children form that will be sent home in February 20 Wednesday Folders.
SCA Spirit Day: Jersey Day is February 22! (All Grades)
Get your game on and show your Colvin Run spirit by wearing your favorite team jersey on February 22! Everyone can team up to show CRES pride by wearing team jerseys, uniform shirts, team colors or Colvin Run spirit wear. Go CRES!!!
Drawn Together Author Visit (K-3rd Grades)
In celebration of our Read Your Heart Out Challenge, the library is hosting award-winning author Minh Le on February 27th for K-3rd grades. His book Drawn Together has been acclaimed as a “Best Book of the Year” by NPR, School Library Journal, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Public Library, and many others. He will be signing his book Drawn Together for families who pre-purchase through the Colvin Run Library. More information regarding this opportunity will be sent home with your child on Friday.
Read Your Heart Out Colvin Run! (All Grades)
Do you LOVE to read? Colvin Run ES Library announces THE READ YOUR HEART OUT CHALLENGE 2019. Can our community read 2,019 books in the month of February?
We think that we can! Stop by the Library for details. The challenge ends February 28.
Crossing Guard Appreciation Day! (All Grades)
Ms. Edie has been the CRES Crossing Guard for YEARS!!! She always has a smile for everyone, a kind word for kids and adults, and a wonderful big heart. She never leaves her station until she knows every child who should be crossing has crossed. She knows everyone by name and, most importantly, safely crosses all the children every day. She is a treasure -- we are lucky to have her!
CRES walkers and bikers celebrated Ms. Edie in a BIG way this morning! Along with a huge banner and fun thank you posters, walkers and bikers brought baked goods and flowers, gift cards, hand-made pictures and beautiful thank you notes and cards.
Kids showed their appreciation for Ms. Edie with balloons and noisy cow-bells too! She was so very grateful.
Family STEAM Night is March 5 (All Grades)
Family STEAM Night is coming to Colvin Run on Tuesday, March 5th. Family STEAM Night offers a variety of engaging, hands-on science activities such as: Castle Geometry: Math in 3D!, Are you My Baby?: Animal Adaptations, How Slow Can You Go?: Defying Gravity, Fingerprint Analysis: Forensic Science and Shrink Me!: Taking Metric Measurements and many more. These experiments are specially designed to help encourage students to take interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, as well as to encourage students to develop curiosity in everyday life situations.
STEAM Night Volunteers Needed!
We need at least 20 volunteers to help students with hands-on science demos for Family STEAM Night. All materials and instructions are provided by Children's Science Center. No experience necessary. This is also a good opportunity for high school students (16 years and older) to earn service hours. Please share with others so we can get enough volunteers to have all of the science demos.
Anyone that volunteers will be entered in a raffle for the 4 free tickets to the Children’s Science Center Lab in Fair Oaks Mall and have first choice of show in the Dome Theater.
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0b4bacac2ba46-family3
Questions? Email Tim Judkins at tjudkins@gmail.com
STEAM Night Family Building Challenge (All Grades)
- Our annual STEAM Night build challenge is to...... create your own Invention or a Rube Goldberg device.
- Bring in your project the afternoon or evening of March 5th
- Projects need to be set up by 5:50 p.m. Students will be expected to stay with their project from 6-6:30 p.m., then are free to enjoy Science night!
- All projects should be student led. Any adults working on Invention must always have child supervision!
- Please fill out an intent form once you know you will be making an invention, so we know how many spaces for which to plan. You can find the Building Challenge intent form here, or pick up a copy in the Main Office or STEAM Lab.
Definition of Invention: a new, useful process, machine, device or product, that did not exist before and is a unique idea.
A Rube Goldberg device is a machine designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and overcomplicated fashion. Often, these machines consist of a series of simple devices that are linked together to produce a domino effect, in which each device triggers the next one, and the original goal is achieved only after many steps.
Calling All Artists for STEAM Night! (All Grades)
Express yourself! Ms. Grimm and Ms. Wiseman are looking for Colvin Run Elementary artists to submit their artwork for the STEAM Night Art Gallery which runs March 5th from 6-8pm.
Important Details:
- DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING ART: February 28
- WHERE: Bring to Ms. Grimm or Ms. Wiseman (We will create a label and hang work before 3/5)
- WHAT: Students may submit original art that is either 2-D or 3-D, and no larger than 24” x 28”
- HOW MANY: Maximum number of entries per student is 2
- LABEL: Please write your name and your classroom teacher’s name on the back of your artwork.
- EXTRAS: Students are encouraged to remove and then bring home their artwork at the end of the STEAM Night.
Reflex Math surpasses 1,000,000 facts (All Grades)
On January 30th, our students surpassed 1,000,000 math facts solved using Reflex Math. To date, our students have solved 1,125,688 math facts. Reflex Math is designed to support school learning, and every child in the school has an account. You will find the website www.reflexmath.com on our CRES homepage. If you have a SMART device, you can download the app.
Parents, does your child know their Math facts. Would you like a fun way for them to practice their Math facts? Have them log into Reflex Math. An important building block of future math success is mastery of basic Math facts. If you do not yet have a Parent Account, you can set up an account to monitor their progress by following these steps:
Click https://accounts.explorelearning.com/reflex/parentlogin
Follow the Onscreen instructions to set up the account with your own username and password.
To link your account to your child’s Reflex Math account, you need to know the below.
1. The Reflex Math Usernames are grade level specific: cresk, cres1, cres2, cres3, cres4, cres5, or cres6, depending on your child’s grade level.
2. Click your child’s Teacher
3. Click your child’s Name
4. Type in your child’s Password.
Who has Reflex Math Accounts? Kindergarten-2nd grade students were given Addition/Subtraction and 3rd-6th grade students were given Multiplication/Division. 2nd grade students will also be given Multiplication/Division later this year. Please contact your child’s homeroom teacher if your child misplaced their login credentials.
What if the game moves too fast? For students first learning their facts, Reflex Math may move a little too fast. If the game moves too fast for your child, that's ok. Reflex Math is meant to be a faster-paced game. Have them practice offline until their speed improves, and then they can try Reflex Math again. Their success and confidence is important. They will find the game more fun when they know some facts.
From the Health Room (All Grades)
Get up and Move!
Physical activity makes you feel better and gives you more energy. Growing kids need 60 minutes of exercise each day. You can always break up your exercise into short, 10-15 minute bursts. Encourage kids to try something fun like playing tag, enjoying a new sport, or exploring your local park. Stuck indoors? Don’t sit on the couch – get up and move! It doesn’t matter what you do, just be active and play at least 60 minutes every day! Watch a video that shows great ideas for incorporating quick bursts of activity into your day:
Mindfulness Corner
Students getting a little nervous before a big test or project is normal, but feeling super stressed and worried over the small things throughout your day can be unhealthy. If you feel overwhelmed, try these simple breathing exercises to help you calm down and relax:
- Bunny Breath: Imagine being a bunny that is sniffing the air—breathe 3 quick sniffs through the nose and slowly breathe out one long exhale through the nose
- Flower Breath: Imagine smelling a beautiful flower—breathe in slowly through the nose and out slowly through the mouth, letting go of any tension
- Bear Breath: Inhale through the nose, pause; exhale out the nose, pause. Breathe in to a count of 3 or 4, pause for a count of 1 or 2; breathe out for a count of 3 or 4, pause for a count of 1 or 2.
- Hissing Breath: Imagine being a snake—breathe in slowly through the nose and breathe out through the mouth with a long and slow hissing sound.
References: https://move-with-me.com/self-regulation/4-breathing-exercises-for-kids-to-empower-calm-and-self-regulate/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356?pg=1
Costa Rica Recap - “Pura Vida” (Grades 4-6)
January 19th-25th, twelve Colvin Run students and their parents visited Costa Rica along with Professora Muriel and Ms. Seiler as part of our annual field trip to learn about the Costa Rican culture and why Pura Vida - “Pure Life” - is their motto. Costa Rica’s natural richness is the perfect setting for students to enrich their knowledge, practice their Spanish, and understand what it means to be global citizens. During the week-long field trip, they visited and stayed at a local eco-farm to learn about how the Costa Ricans conduct experiments, share sustainable farming techniques and ways to live a ‘greener’ life. Students also made soap, visited a local hot spring heated by the Ricon de la Vieja (one of Costa Rica’s 9 volcanoes), toured a chocolate plantation to learn about the benefits of organic food, and made their own chocolate.
They hiked to the picturesque La Fortuna waterfall, spent time in a National Park observing birds, monkeys and a variety of flora, visited a school where they got to communicate with students using their Spanish skills, and took a zip-line canopy tour through a rainforest. This was a memorable trip for students, parents, and staff.
This field trip opportunity is available to rising 5th and 6th grade students (current 4th and 5th grade students) during the 2019-2020 school year. An information and interest meeting will be held this spring for current 4th and 5th grade students and parents. More information is coming soon.
Math League Signups for Grade 4-6 Algebra Contests (Grades 4-6)
If you are interested, please sign up - this test is GRADE LEVEL unlike AMC-8 and MATHCOUNTS which are geared towards middle school students.
Participation requires advance sign up - limit 30 students per contest; Sponsored by CRES PTO.
What is the Math League Contest?
› The Math League Contest is a grade-level 30-minute, multiple choice, math contest containing 30-35 questions
› The Math League provides an opportunity for math-loving students to participate in an academically-oriented activity and to gain recognition for mathematical achievement
› Their main goal is educational: to promote enjoyment and study of mathematics by organizing contests for grades 4-12
› Questions cover a variety of difficulty ranges and involve topics of interest to above-average students
› Top 5 scores within each school will be used as official scores for school team ranking
Who can participate in the Math League Contests?
- Only 4th Graders may participate in the 4th Grade Math League Contest - Limit, 30 students, there will be a waitlist thereafter
- Only 5th Graders may participate in the 5th Grade Math League Contest - Limit, 30 students, there will be a waitlist thereafter
- Any Mathlete may participate in the Algebra contest, however, priority will be given to 6th, then 5th, then 4th - Limit 30 students , there will be a waitlist thereafter
- Competition Dates: TBD - however, will be held after school April 15th or later that week at Colvin Run Elementary - Location TBD. Parents pick up at 5:00 p.m.
- The Math League Competition test is funded and made possible by CRES PTO
How do I sign up? Deadline to register: Thursday, February 28, 2019
Middle School Transition Information for Rising 7th Graders (6th Grade)
Parents,
Please review the following information in regard to your child’s middle school transition.
- Parents can view their child’s course request using their ParentVue accounts. Course request changes can only be made in Studentvue.
- Online course request changes can be made until February 28 however make sure to review your assigned school guidelines for course requests listed below.
- Students can only register for schools based on the current address on record. If you have moved, you can contact Kerry Henry at KSHenry@fcps.edu to find out what steps need to be taken. If you plan on moving, your child must register for the school they are currently zoned for. Once you move, you can contact Kerry Henry and the middle school that they filled out a course request for so that they can transfer the student over to your new zoned school.
- Students who qualify for Algebra 1 will automatically be placed in this class upon qualification in June.
- Please contact Ms. Allen (fpallen@fcps.edu) if you have any special situations.
- The following links can be used to view the course catalogs for the middle schools
Cooper Middle School
https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/#/frontPanel/312/nocourselist/0/1/0
Pink course request forms were sent home in January with the 6th grade students. Students completed their online course requests during school on either January 28th , 29th , February 7th , or 8th. It is important that students course selection that they did online match what was turned in on the pink course request forms. IF THE ONLINE REQUEST DOES NOT MATCH THE PINK FORM, THE PINK FORM WILL BE USED FOR FINAL COURSE SCHEDULING. If you would like for your child to make a change, you MUST email our Cooper Middle School contact, Annie Eisman at adeisman@fcps.edu If a change is not communicated to Mrs. Eisman, the pink sheet will be the final determination. Copies of completed course request forms will be sent home in the 2/13 Wednesday folders.
Longfellow Middle School
https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/#/frontPanel/426/nocourselist/0/1/0
Students completed their online course requests on February 6th. No forms are used in the course registration process for Longfellow. All students scheduled to attend Longfellow will take AAP classes if they have qualified for the program or Honors classes in English, Social Studies, and Science. The only classes that Longfellow students choose are their Math and Electives.
From the Counseling Office (6th Grade)
Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety An IndieFlix Original Documentary
Thursday, February 28 at 7 p.m., Langley High School Auditorium
All teens experience some amount of anxiety – it’s a normal reaction to stress. But when temporary worries or fears become pervasive and interfere with relationships, schoolwork and health, anxiety disorders are at play. Anxiety disorders are highly common and highly treatable, yet most who suffer don’t seek assistance. How can we as a community recognize the signs of this mental health epidemic and what resources are available? In a yearlong focus on youth anxiety, the Safe Community Coalition, in conjunction with the Langley High School PTSA, is hosting a free showing of the IndieFlix Original Film Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety on Thursday, February 28 at 7 p.m. in the Langley High School auditorium. This important, eye-opening documentary features students affected by anxiety, mental health professionals and Olympic athlete and mental health advocate Michael Phelps in opening up the conversation and providing hope around a topic many find difficult to discuss. Following the movie, a panel of mental health professionals from Langley High School and the community will lead a panel discussion and question and answer session to provide further information.
This event is free and recommended for adults and students in 6th grade and up.
FCPS Cares (All Grades)
If you would like to recognize a staff member for showing he/she “CARES”, click here to nominate the staff member or for additional information. Fairfax County Public Schools wants to recognize employees who go above and beyond to ensure the students, teachers, parents, and community have an extraordinary experience throughout the school year. This is just another means by which parents and community members can recognize the wonderful CRES teachers and staff. The acronym “CARES” clearly defines the CRES approach to meeting the learning needs of our students on a daily basis; A Responsive Culture, with a focus on Excellence in Academics, through Positive Relationships, with Enriching Experiences, For all Students.
Talent Show Coordinators Needed
In order for CRES to have a Talent Show this Spring, we need volunteers to take the lead!
Our Students have so much talent - dancing, singing, instruments....just to name a few! Each Spring we put these talents on display for the whole community to see at our annual Talent Show. This year CRES PTO is looking for a new team of parents to take the lead and manage the event.
Don't worry, you won't have to reinvent the wheel as the retiring team has a binder with all the information you'll need. The Talent Show has already been scheduled on April 10 and 11 with rehearsals on April 8 and 9. The auditions dates are TBD but will fall in early March.
So grab a couple of your friends and take this opportunity to join the PTO events team.
For more information, please contact Mandy Kerr, VP Events: cresevents@gmail.com
Super Hero BINGO- Family Fun Event
Friday, February 22rd
Session I: 5:30pm-7:00pm Session II: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Prizes Ice Cream Dancing Bingo Family Friends
Bingo Night is another fun, family event sponsored by the CRES PTO. It's an evening filled with Bingo, prizes, Good Humor ice cream bars and Superhero fun.
Come dressed as your favorite SUPERHERO!
Click here to volunteer to help
Click here to purchase tickets. Due to limited seating, you must purchase a ticket to have a seat at a table.
Get Excited for Camp Invention at Colvin Run! (All Grades)
June 24-28
Unmask your child’s creativity this summer in the all-new Camp Invention® program, Supercharged, where children build confidence, learn to collaborate and transform their wild imaginations into epic creations. Campers in grades K-6 will learn creative problem-solving skills while coding and programming futuristic robots, uncovering ancient fossils, designing high-tech superhero gadgets and exploring radio frequencies. Local educators will lead this action-packed program featuring exhilarating, hands-on STEM activities teaching children to question, explore, break through obstacles and embrace failure! Early registration discounts are available! Register and find current promotions at invent.org/camp or contact your camp director Mrs. Abernathy at pgabernathy@fcps.edu for more information.
These events are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or this School.
Reducing Anxiety: Strategies to Interrupt the Worry Cycle, featuring Lynn Lyons, LICSW
Monday, April 1, 2019, at 7 p.m. McLean Community Center Alden Theater
Childhood should be a joyful time of carefree play, active learning and spontaneous exploration, yet a growing number of children are trapped in a cycle of anxiety that literally paralyzes them with fear, and affects whole family. The good news is that anxiety disorders are highly treatable, and current research shows that children, teens and adults can be trained to successfully manage anxiety given the proper tools.
As part of a yearlong focus on youth anxiety, the Safe Community Coalition is pleased to present an evening with nationally-recognized speaker Lynn Lyons, LICW and author of Anxious Kids Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children. Lynn will provide practical and straightforward strategies that parents and educators can use to break the cycle of anxious worrying.
Tickets are available at https://reducinganxiety.brownpapertickets.com/]
A limited number of books, as well as a companion book, Playing with Anxiety: Casey’s Guide For Teens and Kids will be for sale. A book signing will follow the presentation.
Please visit the Safe Community Coalition website (mcleanscc.org) for more information.
The Safe Community Coalition – Working Together for Our Youth
The Safe Community Coalition’s annual "6th Grade Ethics Day" workshops for all 6th graders in the McLean and Langley school pyramids are coming up. Volunteers are needed to serve as table leaders for small groups of students from 9am-1pm on the following dates: March 1, 8, 15 & 29. No prior experience is needed and training is provided. It is not necessary to have a child in 6th grade. Please join us one or more days!
Link to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044ea8a9229-6thgrade1
|
