Page 1
Cresthaven Star Chronicle
Sherri Gorden, Principal
Emily Madan, Assistant Principal
Believe...Achieve...Succeed
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/cresthavenes/newsletter/ January 23, 2015
Grade Level Curriculum Updates
Third Grade: Our thir d gr ader s finished up Quar ter 2 with an exciting tr ip to Imagination Stage wher e
we saw the play 101 Dalmatians. The students were thrilled to connect what they learned about plays to this
performance. This quarter, we will be reading several Historical Fiction stories including one about a Blizzard!
We will also focus on character actions and key details from history. In Mathematics, we will continue to identify fractions using shapes and number lines. Our students just completed their writing project telling about the changes in technology over time. This quarter, they will create a narrative story. Science instruction will consist of the production of heat energy; and in Social Studies, students will be learning about the culture in Ancient Mexico. Homework will continue to be sent home weekly. Thank you for encouraging your children to read at least 20 minutes per
day!
Fourth Grade: Four th gr ade is off to a gr eat star t for the 3r d mar king per iod! Students will be r eading Wher e
the Mountain Meets the Moon as a novel study during our Fantasy Genre exploration. In addition, we will be
reading a plethora of myths and studying mythological creatures. Students will look at informational text towards the end of the marking period when they study weather and weather patterns. This also matches what we
will be learning in science. Historically, this has been high interest reading since we examine hurricanes, tornados, and tsunamis. In science, they will Identify and describe seasonal weather conditions and use tools to collect
data on seasonal weather conditions. In math, students will be spending most of the quarter learning fractions. Students
will add, subtract, compare, and multiply fractions. We will also spend time on measurement and data as well as geometry. For social studies, students will analyze the difficulties encountered in the early settlements of Jamestown, St. Augustine, and Plymouth. They will also describe how the environment and location influenced the culture of each settlement. For writing, students will write an opinion on how media messages affect youth. They will also use the writing
process to write a memoir.
Fifth Grade: The fifth gr ader s ar e continuing their jour ney thr ough the Common-Core curriculum. In reading
students are beginning to dig deep into poetry by understanding its meaning. Soon students will write informational text poems to teach their classmates about a factual topic! In Math, students are challenging their
brain with fractions. They are adding, subtracting and multiplying fractions using hands on manipulatives to
enhance their understanding of this complex topic.
Calendar Items
Jan. 29
Report Cards Distributed
Jan. 30
2nd Marking Period Awards Assembly
Feb. 3
6:30pm PTA Meeting at Roscoe Nix
ES
Holiday—President’s Day—No School
Feb. 16
Early Dismissal—1:00pm
Feb. 27
Principal’s Corner
Dear Parents,
The first half of the school year is over. This second half can
be the busiest and most challenging part of the school year for
us all. During the upcoming months students will continue
with their daily instruction and will also prepare to take the
new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers Assessment or more commonly called PARCC. This
assessment will test students in reading and math. Students
will take the test on the computer over a period of four days
during the months of March, April and May. As the testing
window gets closer we will share more schedule details with
you. Until then please continue to have your child read, read,
and read and study and practice their math problem solving
strategies so that they are confident learners and test takers.
Sincerely,
Ms. Gorden
Page 2
Cafeteria Update: As par t of the Healthy Hunger Free K ids A ct of 2010, students ar e r equir ed to have access
to water at no charge where lunches are served. This is accomplished by providing students with access to the water
fountain outside of the cafeteria. On Monday, January 26, 2015, the Division of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS)
will pilot a new initiative offering an eight-ounce bottled water to all students who receive a meal assistance. Students will have the choice of milk and/or bottled water with their meal. This initiative is available at lunch time only.
In addition, students who do not receive meal assistance may purchase a bottled water for $.50.
Attention Parents of Fifth Graders! Fr ancis Scott Key Middle School invites all par ents and guar dians of incoming sixth Grade Students to an informal meeting on Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 at 6:00pm in the cafeteria at
Key MS. Parents will review the registration process and the instructional program at Key Middle School.
Montgomery College Enrichment Opportunities!!! Register now for the spr ing session of Kids’ College at
Montgomery College!!! High-quality youth programs are offered at Montgomery College that are educational, engaging and fun! Kids’ College- Enrichment courses for students ages 7-18 in math, art, engineering, sewing, computers and money management afterschool and on Saturdays at MC campuses
Baseball Clinics- 4 week baseball clinics starting in January provided by Raptor coaches and players
For full details and registration, please visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/youth or call Youth Programs at 240-5677264 or 240-567-7917 or visit Cresthaven’s website at http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/cresthavenes/
Emergency Contact Information
In the event of inclement weather, please check MCPS Website or local news channels for closing, late opening or
early release. Cresthaven opens at 11:00 AM on two-hour delayed opening days and early dismissal is at 1:00 PM.
Please update your contact information for emergencies such as early dismissals, illness, etc.