Wednesday, December 4 Churchill Chatter School Newsletter

Churchill Chatter - Issue 14, December 4, 2019


In This Week's Issue

  • Book Fair Thank You
  • Getting to Know Churchill: Audrey Gordon, First Grade Teacher
  • AAP Parent Information meeting tomorrow -- Thursday, December 5, 9 AM in the Exploratory Arts Room
  • CRS Calendar of Upcoming Events
  • CRS PTA News -  Staff Appreciation Luncheon enjoyed by all, Winter ASA registration begins 12/6 for PTA members and on 12/11 for non-members, Dogwood Holiday Drive 12/2-12/6

Thank You for Making This Year's Book Fair a Huge Success!

bookfair

Every year Mrs. Biliter and I are astounded by the excitement that surrounds the book fair. I am constantly amazed at the energy and participation we see in the library during book fair. If you were here any time during the week, you would have felt a true sense of community. It is one of my favorite times of the year.

A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to our amazing volunteers who work so hard to make it look easy and effortless to pull off this huge undertaking!  An especially big thank you to Christie Stute – who does so much preparation ahead of book fair week that everything runs like a well-oiled machine.  I can’t express how much I value her energy and dedication.

An extended thanks goes to Christie, Shelli Bushman, Amanda Clark, and Heather Capps who spent countless hours working at the book fair – and they always do it with a smile! They put their personal lives on hold to be here for over a week. The book fair’s success is largely a result of their dedication.  In addition, we would like to thank the volunteers that came in and helped with setup, browse days, sales and take down. What an awesome team of people we had involved! Everything ran so smoothly this year. It is a pleasure to work and chat with all of you. Finally, thank you to all the parents and teachers that came to visit the book fair. I know that each teacher appreciated every book donation or gift certificate that they received.

Thank you to each of the book fair volunteers (many of whom worked multiple shifts):

Carla Abutaa, Rahila Altay, Martina Barnes, Ann Bauer, Nikki Berkland, Lorna Bradbury, Christie Buschmann, Mingchao Chen, Maggie Chen, Sarah DiMonte, Rayna Dinsmore, Courtney Dodge, Chrys Gaitatzes, Jenny Gillespie, Bill Grant, Karen Hall, Jae Han, Alison Hueber, Angela Keiser, Elaine Kelly, Lauren Maimone, Elizabeth Marino, Sondra May, Taeko Moriyama, Reina Murray, Bonnie Myshrall, Joanne O’Brien Catherine Paschkewitz, Marieke Pernot, Elaine Poplstein, Megan Roberge, Mary Rohmiller, Shannon Shattock, Antonia Sherman, Judy Smith, Stefanie Stayin, Yukari Suzuki, Kristi West, Melissa Witt, Emily Yardimci, and Ellie Zand. I apologize if I missed any names – if you were here, we thank you!

Our earnings at the Book Fair support improvements to library and literacy programs year after year.

Sari Warren, Librarian


Getting to Know Churchill:  Audrey Gordon,
First Grade Teacher

audrey

Ms. Gordon in her classroom.

Ms. Audrey Gordon has an enthusiasm for life that is contagious. She is passionate about teaching, running, and spending time with family and friends. Ms. Gordon’s interests are well suited for her first grade students who are brimming with excitement for learning, moving, and friendships.

Ms. Gordon grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her whole family still lives there and she loves going home to visit. Ms. Gordon has an older sister, an older brother, and a younger brother, as well as a large extended family, including many adored cousins. Ms. Gordon explained that her mom has eleven siblings so she has a lot of cousins!

Ms. Gordon is delighted to be teaching first grade at CRS. She enjoys young kids’ curiosity and gusto and appreciates that her role at CRS also allows her to work and learn from so many incredible teachers. When she was in elementary school she was a big fan of the Junie B. Jones books and she is tickled to watch her students embrace those same books.

Before starting at CRS two years ago, Ms. Gordon attended the College of William and Mary. She was a cross country and track and field athlete for their Division I program while pursuing her degrees in Elementary Education and Psychology. Ms. Gordon shared that running has been a big part of her life since high school.

We are so grateful Ms. Gordon is a part of our CRS family. We appreciate the kindness and joy of learning that is an integral part of her classroom. First grade includes incredible developmental strides, occasionally a lost tooth, and emotional highs, too. Ms. Gordon knows how to guide the students to make leaps in learning and to offer support and encouragement. Plus, thanks to her love of running she has the endurance to keep up with first graders’ phenomenal energy levels. Thank you for all you do, Ms. Gordon!


AAP Parent Workshop: 
Level IV Identification and Application

If you are interested in learning more about the identification and application for Level IV, full-time AAP services, please attend a parent workshop this Thursday, December 5, from 9-10 a.m. in the Exploratory Arts Room.  If you would like to view the PowerPoint presentation in advance for the December parent workshop, please visit:  AAP Screening & Identification Presentation.  Please note that the deadline for Spring referrals is January 9, 2020. Please contact Esther Lee, AART, at eclee1@fcps.edu for more information.  


Just before Thanksgiving....

kinder

Kindergarteners named all the things they are thankful for (above) and celebrated with family members during their "Donuts with Grownups" event (below).

donuts

During PE class, students got in the holiday spirit by creating their own Thanksgiving-themed sculptures from sports equipment.

turkey

Wellness: Benefits of Experiential Field Trips

jamestown

Ms. Del Signore's fourth graders enjoyed their trip to Jamestown in November.

CRS students are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to build on classroom learning through experiential field trips to historic locations, interactive museums, and outdoor adventures. Field trips allow students to see real-world applications of abstract topics studied in school and provide memorable interactive experiences. Field trips also create an engaging break from routine by learning in a different environment and can appeal to visual, auditory, and kinetic learners. Plus, the excitement surrounding a field trip generates an enthusiasm for learning that can spark new interests and passions.

Traveling, whether near or far, can also help benefit our health. Although it can be relaxing to rest at home, exploring away from daily responsibilities can help rejuvenate energy and reduce stress. Field trips, or travels, also often add more movement to our day, encourage us to be flexible because the schedule does not always go as planned, remind us to be patient (if there are lines), and strengthen relationships with our travel companions. 


Kids' Literature Quiz Club Team Begins Competitive Season

quiz

The weekend before Thanksgiving, four of CRS's Kids' Literature Quiz Team (KLQ) students participated in the Burleigh Manor Middle School Quiz Bowl Invitational in Ellicott City, Maryland.  CRS's team, Mia T., Katherine J., Miqy K. and Dylan T., was fast on the buzzer and secured several wins for their efforts. Congratulations to the students for their quick responses to challenging questions, great teamwork, and stellar sportsmanship!  They're working hard to win another world championship!


Cooper MS Theatre Expo 2019 - Register Now

Fifth and sixth graders are cordially invited to the Theatre Expo at Cooper Middle School on Saturday, December 14, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The Theatre Expo is a fun-filled day of workshops so that you can experience what middle school theatre is like and to learn from theatre professionals and work with middle school theatre students!

The cost of the event is $10 per student. This price includes three workshops and pizza. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from Cooper Middle School.

Go to www.coopermstheatre.org for more information and to register. Questions to Meg Baber, mababer@fcps.edu, Cooper Middle School Theatre Arts Teacher.


saxon

Langley Girls Basketball Youth Night

Friday, December 13th

Langley vs. Chantilly

  • Youth girls wearing jerseys get in free!
  • Prizes & giveaways!
  • Varsity halftime fun!
  • Concessions available!

Save the Date: Boys' youth night will be Jan. 24


arts institute

FCPS Elementary Institute for the Arts

The FCPS Fine Arts Office sponsors programs promoting arts in the elementary schools. Each summer, they sponsor a summer arts & STEAM camp for rising 4th-6th grade students who love to sing, dance, act, play, make, and create. (More information will be available on the camp in the spring).  Check out the Institute for the Fine Arts newsletter  here.


CRS Calendar of Upcoming Events

Wednesday, December 11
4th Grade Strings Concert, Gym, 6 PM
6th/5th/4th Grade ADV Strings Concert, Gym, 7 PM

Thursday, December 12
6th/5th/4th Grade ADV Strings Concert for K,1,3,6, Gym, 9:15 AM
6th/5th/4th Grade ADV Strings Concert for 2,4,5, Gym, 10 AM

Tuesday, December 17
Chorus Concert for K,1,3,6, Gym, 9:15 AM
Chorus Concert for 2,4,5, Gym, 10 AM
Chorus Concert for Parents/Community, Gym, 7 PM

Wednesday, December 18
Band Concert for Parents/Community, Gym, 7 PM

Thursday, December 19
Band Concert for K,1,3,6, Gym, 9:15 AM
Band Concert for 2,4,5, Gym, 10 AM

Friday, December 20
SCA Holiday Party Wear Spirit Day

December 23 - January 3
Winter Break - School Closed

Monday, January 6, 2020
Classes resume at 8:35 AM


pta logo

A Scrumptious Feast of Soups & Salads!

lunch

Starting with the incredible aroma filling the hallways and leading staff to the lounge, the 3rd grade put on a fantastic soup and salad staff appreciation lunch!  The staff enjoyed an amazing variety of eleven different soups, multiple salads, and yummy desserts - many thanks to all of the 3rd grade families who made the day such a success.


Winter After School Activities

Our winter session of After School Activities starts in January! Priority registration opens this Friday 12/6 at 9 a.m. for CRS PTA members. General registration will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday 12/11 and end at 5 p.m. on Wednesday 12/18. https://www.churchillroadpta.org/asa


Holiday Toy Drive for Dogwood

The PTA holiday drive in support of Dogwood Elementary students runs until Friday (12/6) morning this week. This annual holiday tradition to help students in poverty at our sister school provides gifts to approximately 400 students each year. Find gift suggestions, learn about Dogwood, and more - https://www.churchillroadpta.org/toy-drive. Thank you for your support and generosity!


Links to PTA News

Link to the CRS PTA homepage:
http://www.churchillroadpta.org/

Link to the PTA Week-at-a-Glance:
https://churchillroadpta.membershiptoolkit.com/newsletters


As outlined by FCPS Regulation 1367.2, school principals shall offer options to nonprofit organizations that want to make their materials available to students and parents. At Churchill Road, non-profit organizations will be permitted to send home flyers in the take home folder 4 times during the year. The dates for the 2019-2020 school year are the weeks of September 16, December 2, March 2 and May 4. These fliers must be related to the school’s educational mission and be age-appropriate. Community organizations must submit their materials in advance to the school’s principal and must include the disclaimer “These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or this School.” Once approved, the organization will be required to make the copies necessary for distribution. Any questions can be directed to Kim Moran, Churchill Road's Public Relations Liaison.