OSCAR PATTERSON ELEMENTARY MAGNET
SCHOOL
ROCKET NEWS
Message from the Principal
Congratulations to our Teacher of the Year, Jennifer Chastain, and Support Staff of
the Year, Alicia Ward! These employees were selected by their peers to represent Oscar
Patterson in up-coming district-wide competition. These two ladies work very hard to
help make Patterson a positive place for students.
We are also proud of Zaydn Brown our 4th Grade Spelling Bee champion from Ms. Feliciano’s class and runner up Aaliyah Hughes from Mrs. Fouraker’s class. Congratulations to all the classroom winners who participated in our school spelling bee. A competition will be held at Rutherford for all the participating elementary schools on January 9th.
Our students have been working hard this past semester in all subject areas. We are
especially proud of the work they have completed in our new SRA program and know
it will pay off with measurable increases when we complete our mid-year testing. In
the area of writing our students participated in a district-wide writing exercise which
was scored with their results then being compared to other students within our district.
Our staff and students have all been trained in the 6 Traits of Writing which is implanted at all grade levels. Please encourage your child to do his very best on all writing exercises.
We will be kicking off our Science Lab with a Showcase during the week of December
16th. Students will be visiting the lab and participating in hands-on experiences. Ask
your child about his/her Science Lab experience.
Recently your child has been involved in activities which focus on Computer Science.
They have been exposed to “coding” activities in an effort to excite them about the
possibilities of learning a new skill that can pay off for them in the future. Thanks to
our Media Specialists,, Ms. Besenyi, for coordinating these learning experiences.
We hope you have a safe and restful Christmas holiday. See you in January!
Patti Fowler, Principal
Title I News
December 9, 2013
Dates to Remember
Dec. 9
SAC Meeting/Oversight
Committee Meeting
@ 3:30 pm
Dec. 17
Christmas Performance
@ 5:30-7:30 pm
Christmas Luncheon
Dec. 18
Family Night/Ornament
Making
@ 4:30 pm
Dec. 20
Early Release @ 11:30 am
Dec. 23– Jan. 6
Holiday Break
Important
All visitors must have a valid
form of identification any
time that you visit any Bay
District campus or to check
out a student. This is one of
the many ways we keep our
campus safe.
Holiday Tips: Busy Parents Helping Busy Children
Parent tips from www.floridapirc.usf.edu
Busy parents often complain that they “just don’t have time” for
“quality time with their children. Parents may go to work, come home,
prepare dinner, tackle chores, attend meetings or school functions,
then catch a few winks so they can get up and do it all over again.
During this Christmas break from school, involve your children in the
things you have to do anyway. In this way, everyone wins. The household jobs gets finished, and your children gain self-confidence along
with learning other skills by successfully completing tasks.
YOUR SCHOOL SPAR REPORT IS AVAIABLE IN THE
FRONT OFFICE IN THE TITLE I
NOTEBOOK
Music Notes
On December 17th, the 4th & 5th grade music classes, as well as the 3rd-5th grade chorus will put on a
holiday concert. The performance will begin at 5:30 pm at the start of our parent night. Fourth and fifth
grade music classes will show off their ukulele skills. The chorus will sing several selections and tie together
a few holiday songs with a skit written by Mr. Shack. Our school would like to express our gratitude for
Mr. Shack’s generosity of time and talent, working together with Ms. Davella to prepare our students for
their performance. We hope to see you at the show!
Note: Students participating in the performance should arrive by 5:15 pm.
Ms. Davella , Music Teacher
Word Wizards
Holidays are great times to increase vocabulary knowledge. The brain remembers best the things
that have strong feelings connected to them, so at this exciting time of year, we can get results when
we encourage vocabulary growth. Here are some ideas:
-Talk about the decorations and symbols and their names: wreath, ornament, sleigh, manager, nativity, etc.
-Ask your child to help you think of lots of synonyms for a holiday word: a perfectly round Christmas
tree bulb is also a sphere, an ornament, a decoration and a ball. Traditions can be called rituals, practices, celebrations.
-Remind your children we’ll have another drawing of lots of names from the Word Wizard hat at the
end of January, so the more times they turn in one or more new words they’ve learned, the more
chances they have to get their names selected from the hat to win a prize!
-Go get the power...the power of words!
Cathy Everitt, M.S., CCC-SLP
Health Note
The holidays are a time to celebrate, give thanks, and reflect. They are also a time to pay special attention to
your health, so eat healthy and be active. With balance and moderation, you can enjoy the holidays the healthy
way. Choose fresh fruit as a festive and sweet substitute for candy. Select just one or two of your favorites from
the host of tempting foods. Find fun ways to stay active, such as dancing to your favorite holiday music. Be active for at least 2 1/2 hours a week. Help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.
Enjoy the holidays!
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P
ositive
B
ehavior
S
ystem
A simple formula for positive parenting
Positive parenting can teach your child to behave better, but it takes time. Remember that all kids misbehave at one time or another. In fact, your child may
act up at first just because you start dealing with her differently. But if you
keep positive parenting in the equation, you will start to see change for the better.
Give time and attention– The most important principle of positive parenting is to spend time with
your child.
Clearly state what you want– It’s not enough to tell your child what you don’t like, be clear about
what you do like.
Praise your child often– Don’t wait for perfect actions before you praise your child. Praise everyday
actions, including routine tasks. By praising good behavior-even if your child is acting up more than
usual-you will help her choose good behavior over bad.
Set limits– Setting limits means helping your child understand the bounds of good and bad behavior.
Never discipline your child for actions that are part of growing up, such as bed-wetting.
Oscar Patterson Elementary Magnet School
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