January
2017
Volume 24
Issue 2
V
The Bear Facts
1
January 2017
A Note from
Ms. Cole
&
Mrs. Schrieffer
Art News
It has been a very good year in art classes
this year. We have already begun testing for
Art Visions classes for the 2017-18 school
year. Phase one of Art Visions testing is the 2
part drawing test. Those will be graded and if
a student scores high enough on that part they
will move on to phase two of the testing. Parents will get notification if their child will be
continuing the testing process. The phase two part will be an
interview in which the student brings in 2-3 pieces of artwork
they have done anywhere--home or school. They will be asked
questions about their artwork from a panel of 3 judges. Students will be informed over Spring Break as to whether they are
in Art Visions or not for the following school year. Good Luck to
all that were nominated to try out.
New Year’s Greetings from the Office! We are so thankful
for our thoughtful PGS families! Your children are very special to us and we enjoy seeing them every day! We cannot
say thank you enough for the kindness and generosity that
you show us all year! Thank you for thinking of us during
this holiday season!
Just a friendly reminder as we start the second semester…if
your child has any type of transportation change please
send a note to the office. Your child’s safety is our primary
concern. Class pictures will be taken January 26th and they
are preorder only. Be on the lookout for an order form to
come home.That is also the day that Good News Club resumes.
Happy New Year!
Love,
Ms. Cole and Mrs. Schrieffer
Lisa Blain
Music
Welcome Back PGS!
I hope you had a great holiday season. Also thank you so
much for the wonderful gifts and holiday wishes!
Just a few reminders about this upcoming year:
Library News
• Music Visions meets every Thursday and Friday from
The new books have arrived and we are looking forward to
gobbling up some fantastic literature!
The upper grades have been buzzing with learning about
cultural diversity.
Students are reading about the upcoming Chinese New Year
and they will be exploring different ways to celebrate the Chinese holiday.
Kindergarten and first grade learners will continue their sign
language lessons through games and stories.
The library is getting a face lift! Students, teachers, and administration are working hard to update our media center!
7:30-8:05am (Please be mindful of absences/tardies)
• Honors Chorus meets every Tuesday from 7:30 – 8:00am
(Parents/Students will be notified if cancelled)
• Save the Date: District Six Choral Festival – March 7,
2017 at 6:30pm
• Location: DHS College, Career, and Fine Arts Center
• Congratulations to the 5th grade for a job well done on
your Christmas program!
• Upcoming 3rd Grade program “P is for Palmetto”– February 2, 2017 @ 6:30pm
Parents, a special thank you for all you do to help me make
your child’s musical experience the best! Have a great year!
The Bear Facts
2
January 2017
JANUARY - SCHOOL HEALTH NEWSLETTER - 10 HEALTHY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR KIDS
The following tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
1.
I will clean up my toys, and keep my room in good order.
2.
I will brush my teeth twice a day, and wash my hands before eating and after the bathroom.
3.
I won’t tease dogs, even friendly ones – and keep my hands and face away from their mouths.
4.
I will drink more milk and water, and limit soda and fruity drinks.
5.
I will apply sunscreen before going outdoors.
6.
I will find a sport or activity that I like, and do it at least three times a week.
7.
I will always wear a helmet when bicycling or boarding.
8.
I will wear my seat belt every time I get in the car.
9.
I’ll be nice to others, and friendly to kids who need friends – like someone shy or new to school.
10.
I’ll never give out personal information or pictures of myself to strangers or over the internet.
MAKE HEALTH YOUR RESOLUTION
Healthy You: Make healthy food choices, be active, make an appointment for a check - up, vaccination, or screening. Know
your numbers – weight, blood pressure, cholesterol. Wash your hands often. Be smoke free. Get enough sleep. Learn and
practice a new health tip each week. Make a new friend.
Healthy Family: Plan to eat more meals together as a family. Encourage and support physical activity. Put together a family
health history. Know where to go for health care in town if you do not have insurance. Keep pets vaccinated and healthy. Add
a health related web site to your favorites list, and check weekly updates. Spend more time together. Be courteous and
practice good manners.
Healthy Home: Go green. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Install smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide alarms on every level.
Keep cleaning products and medications away from children. Have a winter weather emergency plan, and stock your home
and car with necessary supplies. Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning and hypothermia. Never use generators, grills, camp
stoves, or similar devices indoors.
Healthy Community: Volunteer at your church, school, or one of the many community centers needing help or an extra hand.
If you have received help from others, try to repeat the gesture. Extend a common courtesy wherever you are – they are always
appreciated and hopefully duplicated.
Healthy Workplace: Stay home if you are sick. Wash your hands often. Participate in healthy workplace programs. Take steps
to prevent job stress. Reduce work injuries and practice good body mechanics.
Enjoy a new year of healthy possibilities!
The Bear Facts
3
January 2017
Guidance
Congratulations to the following students who were chosen as Terrific Kids for the 2nd Nine Weeks:
Destiny Williams, Eddie Bennett, Carter Trantham, Gunnar
Howard, Dalton Felmet, Riley Peterson, Sophie Davis, Olivia
Lawson, Seth Taylor, Sassy Miller, Alexia Malone, Kinsley
LeGrand, Patience Ballard, Hayes Bowyer, Anna Reid Nelson,
Tyler Hawkins, Logan Smith, Marcus Felmet, Lucas Holmes,
Emily Patton, Douglas Reid, Brecken Brown, and Tyler
Camara. These children were honored at a breakfast on Jan.
12.
Parents please be
watching for notifications regarding Spring Testing dates
and 5th Grade registration and
visit to Gable Middle School.
You will want to be aware, and
help your student prepare for
these important events!
Mrs. Nelson
K – Exploring and researching arctic animals
1 – Researching animal classifications
2 – Researching and making posters about biomes
3 – Researching animal adaptations
4 – Role play causes of the Revolutionary War
5 – Role play industrial revolution
Grades 2-5 have also done several virtual field trips through
Skype in the Classroom.
Here is a picture of 4th grade skyping with an aquanaut at
Aquarius (underwater laboratory off the coast of Florida).
Our Computer Lab Mission Statement:
To encourage a love of technology by providing skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in a digital world!
Leigh Swad
Computer Lab Manager
Parents please visit our web site and FaceBook page to send us
emails, check the lunch menu, view our photo gallery and learn more
about what’s going on at PGS.
The Bear Facts
4
January 2017
Physical Education
Physical Education
Remember to wear comfortable clothing and tennis shoes to PE on your PE day. This is important to help keep our students safe from injuries. We just finished our holiday games. The students
have their favorites; turkey hunt and Grinch. We are now working a little on noodle hockey. This
semester we will begin fitness testing grades 3-5.
Healthy Start Morning Program:
On Monday and Friday mornings the gym is open from 7:15-7:35 for students to be active.
Each grade level will have certain days that they will be able to come into the gym.
2nd Grade
1st Grade
Jan. 9th Jan. 13th Jan. 20th Jan. 23rd
Feb. 6th Feb. 10th Feb.13th Feb. 27th
Jan. 27th
March 3rd
Jan. 30th
March6th
Jump Rope for Heart
Be on the lookout for information coming in February.
The Bear Facts
5
January 2017
What’s happening in 4K?
Our class has been having a great first semester learning how to be students at PGS! We’ve been very
busy learning how to do many new things for the very first time! We love to paint on the easels, and play
with different manipulatives at our activity table. We also love pretending with our dress up basket, and
learning new games and songs. Boy, do we love to sing and dance!
We’ve been working hard on learning many letters of the alphabet, nursery rhymes and new math games
and puzzles. We’re also learning how to write with pencils correctly and form letters and numbers. Come
and visit us and see all the fun we’re having while learning!
The Bear Facts
6
January 2017
Mrs. Cherry
Mrs. Plexico
In the winter, I like to go down a big snow hill on a sled.
Katelyn Boyle
In the winter, I like to throw snowballs at my mommy and daddy.
Sometimes they throw snowballs at me. I like to make snow
angels too! I like winter!
Nolan Crum
In the winter, I like to build a snowman.
Landon Daniels
In the winter, I like to build a snowman when it snows.
Blake Foster
In the winter, I like to wrap gifts for my new baby cousin. I gave
her a toy teddy bear. It is blue. It is under my tree.
Grayson Howard
In the winter, I like to go down a hill in a sled.
Nevaeh Mattox
In the winter, I like to open presents. I open them on Christmas
Day. I hope I get a toy snowman. I like to make snowmen and
snow angels.
Reese Lawson
In the winter, I like to play in the snow. I like to throw snowballs
at people. I like to eat baloney sandwiches when I come inside
my house. I like to decorate my tree.
Krishawn Lewis
In the winter, I like to make a snow fort. I get to decorate it. I
paint it. Then I put ornaments inside it. I like to make a
snowman treat. It is has a little chocolate with white sprinkles.
Treyden Long
Mrs. Stephens
In the winter I like to play in the snow.
Kelsey Gault
In the winter I like to make a snowman.
Dalton Felmet
Ms. Stafford
In the winter, I like to ride my four wheeler in the snow.
Gunnar Howard
In the winter, I like to build a snowman.
Mason Gault
In the winter, I like to go sledding.
Gabriel Hurlburt
In the winter, I like to have snowball fights.
Alex McAbee
In the winter I like to have snowball fights.
John Michael Brown
In winter I like to build a snowman.
Owen Bass
In the winter I like to ice skate.
Hayden Bishop
In the winter I like to drink hot chocolate.
Emilee Paccione
The Bear Facts
7
January 2017
Mrs. Cranford
Mrs. Ross
It is hard to believe that we have completed half of the
school year already. This past nine weeks have gone
by very quickly and we have been very busy. Over the
course of the second nine weeks, we have been
learning about the different holiday traditions and the
importance of each holiday. We have focused mainly
on Thanksgiving and Christmas. In math, we have been working hard to learn about place value as well as comparing two
digit numbers. We have also been learning to count to 120 by
ones and tens. The children have done a terrific job. In writing,
we have focused on writing letters to Santa Claus telling him
what we wanted to get for Christmas. Our class has done an
amazing job this nine weeks! All their hard work has really paid
off! I am so very proud of all the progress we are making.
Christmas Letters:
Mrs. Cranford’s class had a great 2nd nine
weeks. They worked very hard in all areas. They
spent a great deal of time making a Christmas
book for their parents. They loved sharing holiday traditions and drawing the illustrations for
their story. We hope all the parents were excited about receiving this special gift. I know I loved reading Sarah Catherine’s
and Hannah’s when they were in first grade. The students
have also been writing in their journals. Here are a few stories
they have written this year.
Last Night By: Wyatt Ross
We went to Zaxby’s to eat. Then we went to Toys R Us and I got
TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) stuff.
I got a red mask and 2 games. Then we went home to play. I
had fun.
Dear Santa:
I am looking forward to Christmas. I can’t wait to see all the cool
presents under the tree. At Christmas, I always wonder how you
take all those presents to all those children in one night. I have
been a good little boy. I hope I get lots of presents. First, I would
like a Battle moves Pikachu and a Nerf gun. Next, I want an Xbox
and a marshmallow gun. I would like a boxer puppy and a dog
house. I want dog food and dog bones. I can’t wait for Christmas!
Love,
Easton
Peacocks By: Kairi Owen
Peacocks are pretty. These are the reasons why peacocks are
pretty. Peacocks have shiny tails. They are blue. Peacocks
look like painted flowers. Their feathers shimmer in the light. I
love peacocks.
Mexico By: Cameron Barr
If I could fly I would go to Mexico. They speak Spanish and I love
tacos. I can play soccer in Mexico. They have beaches and
swim in the water. They ride horses. I like Mexico.
Dear Santa:
I am looking forward to Christmas. I can’t wait to see all the cool
presents under the tree. At Christmas, I always wonder how you
get your sleigh to fly. I have been a good boy. I hope I get lots of
wonderful toys. I would like a bike. Next, I would like a game
called Roblex for the Xbox 360. Next, I want Minecraft Story Mode
for the PS4. I want a lab top. I want a Five Nights of Freddy toy. I
want a stuffed puppy. I can’t wait for Christmas.
Love,
Skyler
What I Hate to Do By: Logan Owens
I hate to clean my room when it is very messy. It takes me a long
time. My cousin and I play in my room. We try to clean together.
I do not get to play outside if I don’t clean it up.
We hope you enjoyed a few of the stories our students have
written. We are so proud of them.
Mrs. Wyatt
Mrs. Price
Mrs. Wyatt’s first grade students were hard workers all
the way up to the last day before the holiday break. Before
Thanksgiving, the students read books about the Pilgrims and
compared the lives of Pilgrim children to their own. They learned
that Pilgrim children had to help their parents do chores such
as hunting for food and cooking. Also, they discovered that
since there was not electricity at that time the children did not
have television or video games. Our students realized just how
lucky they really are. As Christmas approached, our daily routine got very busy. In addition to our academic schedule, the
students worked on completing their Christmas books as a
surprise for their families and writing letters to Santa. They were
so excited that Santa had read their letters and written them
back! There will be many more fun and interesting things to
learn in first grade in 2017. Happy New Year!
Enjoy reading some of our writings!
Mrs. Price’s first graders worked hard all the way up
to the last day before the holiday break. In addition to our
academic schedule, the students worked on completing their
Christmas books as a surprise for their families and writing
letters to Santa. They were so excited that Santa had read
their letters and written them back! There will be many more
fun and interesting things to learn in first grade in 2017. Happy
New Year!
Christmas
By Hayden Bright
I like to bake cookies for Christmas. I like to listen to Christmas music.
I like to visit with my family. I like to open presents.
Christmas
By Austin Owens
I like to open my presents. I like to talk to Santa.
I like to decorate the tree.
The Bear Facts
8
January 2017
Ms. Carruth
Ms. Foster
I’m so proud of the progress our class has made in reading and writing since the beginning of the year. It is so rewarding to watch each child grow into an independent learner.
They take such pride in meeting their individual goals and I
enjoy providing them with opportunities to celebrate their successes!
We will continue to explore the genre of non-fiction by reading and writing biographies about the leaders we admire in
an attempt to incorporate the characteristics of great leaders
in our own lives. The beauty of the Reading/Writing Workshop approach is that it allows us to learn how to read and
write non-fiction while integrating “real life” instruction.
The success of the workshop approach used in our literacy block has led to a transition to the same approach in
math. Students are also working on individual math fluency
goals as we begin to work on subtraction strategies and
telling time.
As readers, we feel like it is important to share our love of
books with everyone. We decided that one of the best ways to
do this would be to study the elements of a good book review
and write our own. We hope our reviews will inspire you to
read some of our favorite books!
Our class has made so much progress in reading during the
second nine weeks! They have worked a lot with determining the
difference between facts and opinions, drawing conclusions, and
making inferences. They have created story maps and can identify
the author’s purpose of a piece of writing. Many language skills
are introduced in second grade. The students have been focusing
on determining whether a sentence is a statement, command,
question, or exclamation. Students practice these skills throughout the week and in their writing performance tasks. We also spent
a significant amount of time exploring nonfiction books and text
features. We spent time searching in nonfiction magazines to find
all of the text features. The students created a nonfiction book from
the things they cut out of magazines. Students also worked in partners to publish their very own Literary Nonfiction story! The students were very proud of these. As the third nine weeks approaches,
we will be busy learning even more!
We are off to a very great start in math this year. The students
comprehend the new terms and strategies that we are using with
addition. We have been working extremely hard on our math goal
this nine weeks. It has been so much fun to watch the growth of
each student and the progress they are making with their math
facts! The students truly are working hard each week to meet their
goal. The students have had fun working together counting money
and understanding the value of each coin. We will continue to practice and review all of the strategies learned and build on new knowledge. We are Math Wizards. Bring on subtraction!
In social studies we have been learning all about landforms.
Students had the opportunity to create edible landforms in SAIL.
They are able to compare and contrast between different landforms. We also learned about Government. The students researched several different government leaders and found out their
roles. We will be switching over to Science and learning about
Weather in the third nine weeks.
Llama Llama Red Pajama
Written By: Ann Dewdney
Reviewed By: Andi Silvers
There is a llama family. They go to the store. The little baby
wants everything. The mama says, “No. No, No”! I like this
book because it makes me laugh. It reminds me of my sister.
I recommend this book to anyone that has a brother or sister!
Shipwrecked
Written By: Barbra Park
Reviewed By: Ellie Sumerel
Junie B. wants to be in a play. She wants to be the fastest
boat, but this girl named May started bragging that she had
the fasted boat. Read this book to find out who’s boat is the
fastest. I chose to read this book because I like being in
plays. I recommend this book to anyone who likes acting in
plays.
Writing Sample
Small Moment
Columbia, SC
Saturday, September
17th, 2016 I went to
Columbia for a
Carolina game!
When we got there I
saw the stadium. I
saw Brandon Mcllwain, the quarterback for USC! We got a
sticker, it said “Beat ECU”. Not even two minutes into the game,
Carolina scored their first touchdown! Go Carolina! My brother
and I made a friend, his name was Anthony. He was a student at
Carolina! When someone got hurt during the game they put on
the song Sweet Caroline and I said “Bon, Bon, Bon”. As the
game went on, it was a close one! I was nervous that Carolina
might lose! They pulled it off though and won. The score was 20
to 17! I had a great time in Columbia. I can’t wait until the next
game!
The Berenstain Bear’s New Neighbors
Written By: Stan and Jan Berenstain
Reviewed By: Sassy Miller
Berenstain Bear looks out the window and sees a car pull
up. The person gets out and puts a Sold sign on the For Sale
sign. Daddy Bear wants to know who has moved into the
house. Who moves into the house? If you want to know then
get this book. I love this book because it teaches you a lesson. The lesson is always love one another. I recommend
this book to people that like bears and their neighbors!
January Joker
Written By: Ron Roy
Reviewed By: Avery Johnson
Bradly Pinto wakes up in the middle of the night. There are
strange lights. They think they’re aliens. Their cousins are
baby -sitting them and they go missing. What will they do… I
like this book because it is a mystery. I recommend this book
if you like mysteries.
The Bear Facts
Easton Rider
9
January 2017
Mrs. Pitts
Mrs. Gaskins
Our class has been working so hard in Reading, Writing, and Research Workshop! Our focus for the second nine
weeks was on differentiating between fiction and non-fiction,
continuing to choose just right books, and honing our reading
strategies in order to increase our stamina and comprehension. We have written book reviews, illustrated facts and opinions about snowmen, and compared and contrasted elements
in our stories.
In math we conquered a new skill, addition with regrouping, and learned how to regroup ones into tens in many different
ways. Many students preferred the hundreds chart, while others
liked Base 10 blocks! We also learned about money, the different coins, and their values. Working with real money was a great
experience. Thanks to the parents who sent in money -- this
really enriched your children’s learning experience.
In Science and Social Studies, we finished learning about
animal groups and created our own book about a specific type of
animal, using facts and opinions. We talked about our government and its branches, and discussed the upcoming election.
We have also learned about landforms and bodies of water,
needs and wants, and producers and consumers. Students had
fun reading about the different landforms in partners and creating a bubble map with important information about each type of
landform.
Mrs. Gaskins’ class has continued to work hard on
reading and writing during the 2nd Nine Weeks. We integrated
science and social studies into our reading workshop during
our units on animal groups, landforms, and Native Americans.
For example, each student picked an amimal, researched it,
and began making an animal trading card. We will finish these
in January. The task of keeping a reading log was introduced in
the first nine weeks and the students continued to practice this
valuable reading comprehension strategy until the first week in
December, at which point they were rewarded for their hard work
with a board game party. Our trip to the Greenville Zoo was a
success and laid the groundwork for our unit on animal habitats
that we will begin in January. Finally, math has become a more
fun time of day as our class has transitioned to a math workshop format, just as we do during our literacy block. In other
words, instead of whole group teaching, students are introduced
to a new math skill in a mini-lesson and then rotate through
workstations where they work on maintaining old skills as well
as practicing the new skill (skills learned this 9 weeks were twodigit addition strategies and coin recognition and counting). This
format also gives the students more time to work on the computers during math time to practice their facts with Reflex Math.
As a result, the class as a whole is making good progress
toward our goal of everyone correctly answering all 100 facts in
6 minutes.
When I Went To The Movies
By: Destiny Jackson
I love the movies! I saw the movie called Finding Dory. I ate
popcorn and candy and I drinked Dr. Pepper. I loved the
movie! That movie was fiction. I think I liked that movie.
That movie was Awesome!
Mrs. Million and Ms. Silvers Kissing Animals,
by Dhruvi Patel (“small moment”writing)
It was very funny that Mrs. Million kissed a pig and Ms. Silvers kissed a goat at Farmer’s Day! It was very gross to me. It
was weird-how did Mrs. Million have this idea for raising money?
Some people thought it was funny, cute, gross, and sweet! The
pig was wearing a scarf and the goat was wearing a shirt and a
scarf. The goat’s name was Baby and the animal that Mrs. Million kissed is a pig and it’s name was Penelope. It was very
incredible at Farmer’s Day!
Students also got practice writing non-fiction! Caroline
wrote about the ocean!
The Ocean
By: Caroline Gaskins
The ocean is very very very BIG! There are loooooots of fish
in the ocean. There are octopus’s eels sharks dolfins sea
turtuls and whales. The ocean has 3 zoens. The sunlight
zoen the Twilight Zoen and the Midnight Zoen. There are
two tipes of mammals in the ocean dolphins and wales.
There are only a few reptiles one is a turtule.
The Bear Facts
10
January 2017
We have had an amazing second nine weeks in Third Grade. In science, we participated in several fun experiments to
learn about rocks and minerals. We observed different types of rocks, minerals, and soil types. We also discovered different
types of landforms. We looked at weathering and erosion as well. Science is exciting and the kids are having a blast.
In South Carolina History, we have learned about the exploration of our state. We then moved into the settlement of
South Carolina and we also talked about pirates that were native to this area. They really enjoyed talking and learning about the
pirates! We are currently discussing the Revolutionary War.
In Math we are continuing to work with multiplication and will be reviewing area and perimeter. As always, we are
staying busy in third grade and looking forward to another great nine weeks!
Don’t Eat Me
Hello! My name is Jesse Katsopolis the turkey. What’s your name? Why would you want to eat me? For one, you don’t know where
I’ve been! I could have been in the mud. My next reason is what did I ever do to you? Did I tear a wall out of your house? I think not!
The next reason you wouldn’t want to eat me is because you’ve got other options out there somewhere. You can just eat duck
instead of me! It’s time for me to wrap this up. I need to get on with my life. So are you going to eat me or not?
Chase Bourne
Mrs. Brown’s Third Grade Class
Thanksgiving
Hi, I am Jurkey the turkey. I know that Thanksgiving is coming right
around the corner and someone wants to eat me. Can you try to help me
convince the hunter not to eat me? OK, let’s get started. I feel sick. I feel weak
like I’m gonna fall to the very hard ground. I have a bad fever. It’s like I’m in a fire
pit. I think I might have the flu! I need a flu shot. I’m so boney you won’t get any
meat off of me. I look like a skeleton. I have too many bruises and scars. I
always start to bleed so you will eat a lot of blood. Yuck! I hate being ugly. I have
a gobbler. They are ugly and soggy like a wet paper towel. Have you ever gone
to Chick-fil-A? Their kids’ meals are especially awesome. They have the coldest, sweetest tea ever. BEST of all is their milky, buttery, sweet, ICE CREAM!
Please don’t eat me for Thanksgiving.
Alayna Zimmerman
Mrs. Catto’s Third Grade Class
Snowman
At night, my snowman friends and I slide down the street. Then, I go with my friends to the
park and drink hot cocoa made by our mothers. We have a snowman race. We give
everyone a turn. We go to the ice rink and slide on our bellies. Then, we play a game of
baseball. We have a snow ball fight after the baseball game. My friends and I sled down
the big hills. We have fun in the park every night.
Hayden Boyle
Mrs. Humphries’ Third Grade Class
The Bear Facts
11
January 2017
Who knows about The Lost Colony of Roanoke? Do you know what happened to it? Ask a 4th grader and
they could tell you some very interesting facts and their opinions! We have enjoyed studying about early America
and about the people who first ventured here. The colonists really worked hard! We are ready to learn about the
American Revolution in the coming weeks.
Also this nine weeks we got to have a lot of fun and celebrated our first Pajama Rama! All students
worked really hard to reach a reading goal and got to wear their comfy PJ’s, enjoy a special treat, and watch “The
Chronicles of Narnia”. What a great day this was to celebrate the leaders that each of these students have
become!
The Snake and the Mouse
One day there was a snake in someone’s backyard. As the snake was slithering around, it spotted a mouse. The mouse said, “Ooh some cheese!” The
mouse then saw the snake. The snake got closer and closer until it was only
a foot away from the mouse. The snake said too loudly, “I will sneak up
behind the mouse.” The mouse did not move, but the mouse said in reply,
“Why do you want to eat me?” The snake responded, “Because I am hungry.”
The mouse said, “Do you want some of my cheese?” The snake replied,
“Sure.” The mouse and snake became friends after this.
By Callie Bennett
The Discovery
Hi, I’m Dr. Clark and I have discovered a new species of animal. This species is a snake
unicorn. I want to tell you all about it. The snake unicorn lives at the end of a rainbow and
it sometimes tries to eat the rainbow, which is what causes rainbows to disappear for a
while. The snake unicorn travels a lot because it has to find a rainbow. If it cannot find a
rainbow in his homeland of Hollywood, then the snake unicorn gets in a tree and will nibble
on leaves and bark. The snake unicorn has a hoof that he swings around when he sees a
predator or when he gets scared. The snake unicorn is rare, but is sometimes called
snakicorn. The snakicorn is very hungry all of the time. It eats everything except humans
and their predators. The snakicorn was such a great discovery for me.
By Chloe Clark
Tell Me
Tell me I’m graceful,
Tell me I’m sweet,
Tell me I’m goofy,
Tell me I’m silly,
Tell me I’m fun, clever, and creative,
Tell me I’m brainyBut tell me the truth
By Willa Brockman
The Bear Facts
12
January 2017
The fifth graders have really been working hard this nine weeks. We have been finishing our study of
Ecosystems. We took our trip to Barrier Island and had a blast!
In Social Studies, we have been studying Westward Expansion, Immigration, and Inventors. We have
been very interested in learning about the history of the United States.
We have accomplished so much at the end of this 2nd 9 weeks. Math is getting even more difficult. We
are working with decimals, fractions, numbers and operations, and algebraic expressions.
In Language Arts, we have been studying verbs, commas, and learning new spelling words.
We hope you enjoy some of our Barrier Island writings.
Five Big Ideas I Learned at Barrier Island
The first thing I learned at Barrier Island is that the whole island is made of sand. The second thing I learned at Barrier
Island is that some jelly fish will not sting humans. The third thing I learned at Barrier Island is some trees can live with very little
sun light. The fourth thing I learned at Barrier Island is that a pond goes through stages. The order of the stages are pond, marsh,
swamp, and the last phase is forest. Each stage is a lot different. The fifth thing I learned at Barrier Island is the smaller the plant
the bigger the leaves to attract more sunlight.
Bailey
One big thing I learned at B.I. is that ort is bad. The second thing I learned is that you have to use the Seven Habits to
succeed. The third thing I learned is that an estuary is salt water and fresh water mixed. The fourth thing I learned is that B.I. is just
sand. The fifth thing I learned is that palm trees are actually grass.
Tyler
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Wasting things is not good for the environment.
There is a type of turtle called a Terrapin.
Trees depend on shade.
Barrier Island is home to many animals such as turtles, snakes, and raccoons.
Some of a war was fought on Barrier Island.
Jackson
The Bear Facts
13
January 2017
News to “Assist” You from your,
“Assist”ant Principal
Let’s Get Organized!
It seems this time of year we are all thinking of ways to become better. Many of us call these promises
to change “New Year’s Resolutions.” While I’m not a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions, I do think we can take
a step back to evaluate ourselves and make changes at any time that have a positive impact on our lives.
When you model this sort of self-reflection and goal-setting for your children, you are teaching them to strive for
excellence. So, what can you do as a parent to help your children resolve to get organized and take care of
business? Keep reading for some helpful hints!
Organization—I like to call this “Having a place for everything and putting everything in its place.” For
elementary children this means having a folder, binder and/or book bag that houses everything they need to
take back and forth to school on a daily basis. It also means taking the time to sort, file, and purge on a regular
basis. Parents, you will have to help your child with this on a daily basis. If this isn’t feasible, at least sit down
with your child once or twice a week to go through his book bag/binder and file away important papers, sign and
return important forms that need to be returned to school, and trash old papers that are no longer needed (along
with the school supplies that no longer work and the Cheez-It crumbs that are lurking in the bottom of the book
bag.) While older elementary children are developing the responsibility they need to handle this task independently, it’s still important for parents of 4th and 5th graders to assist in this endeavor. Anytime your older child
starts this process without you having to nag, be generous with your praise and throw in a little reward; you’re
more likely to get a repeat performance this way!
Homework Haven—-If you haven’t already, establish a “homework spot” for your child at home. This is
a place where your child has everything she might need including supplies, extra paper, a dictionary and/or
thesaurus, a stapler, and adequate lighting. This homework spot should be free from distractions and away
from the television. Some children prefer white noise or soft music while they’re working and many children like
to sip on water and snack while they study. Every child is different, but most children perform at their best when
they can have a snack and complete homework immediately after school. Remember that homework is intended to help your child practice the skills she’s learned that day and most children look forward to getting it
over with and having the rest of the evening to play and relax. Encourage your child to begin with the hardest
tasks first and check off each assignment as it’s completed (it feels so good to do this!) Encourage your child
to work independently but be there to offer that much needed help and support. You might set a timer and let
your child try to beat the clock (but remind him or her that sloppy, incorrect work will be redone to discourage
rushing). Another little trick that works wonders with children is rephrasing a negative into a positive. Instead of
saying, “John, you have to hurry up and do your homework. I’ve asked you three times to get started,” try this
instead, “John, after you complete your homework, we’re going to do something really fun together!” A little
positivity can go a long way! Finally, don’t do your child’s homework for her! I know it’s tempting and some
children are masters at manipulating their parents, but the homework helps your child master the skills learned
at school and it’s part of your child’s JOB to get it done. It’s also a great way to teach responsibility and
accountability which can help foster a healthy self-esteem.
Getting and staying organized doesn’t have to be a headache. Start small with a commitment to help
your child organize his book bag/binder and then follow through with a weekly sort, file, and purge. Now,
tackling your child’s closet or the toy room is a discussion for another day! ☺ Happy New Year.
Ms. Silvers
The Bear Facts
14
January 2017
By: Mia Silvers, Assistant Principal
If I had to sum up this year with just one word, it would be LEADERSHIP! We have
seen so many students using their 7 Habits at school and showing true leadership through
their actions. Hearing elementary aged children speak so intelligently about using the 7
Habits is a true source of pride for me and all the adults in our building. We’re growing
leaders, one student at a time, and we’re always searching for ways to reinforce those
skills in our students. Our school’s partnership with Bojangles has given us the opportunity to recognize student leaders who are truly making a difference. I’m proud to present
to you the list of BOJANGLES STAR LEADERS for the second nine weeks. These
students were chosen based on their demonstration of the 7 Habits and Leadership skills.
3rd Grade Star Leaders:
Wyatt Stephens
Lily Cate Malone
Dalton Deal
Kindergarten Star Leaders:
Micky Joyce
Casey Phillips
Capers McCravy
Hayden Bishop
4th Grade Star Leaders:
Tyler Lee
Tanner Droze
Kara Allen
1st Grade Star Leaders:
Riley Peterson
Jett Wyatt
Olivia Lawson
Shayla Morgan
5th Grade Star Leaders:
Bradley Baytes
Aden Savage
Hayley Billings
Kyrstin Gosnell
2nd Grade Star Leaders:
Ellie Sumerel
Maggie Humphries
Natalie Baytes
Destiny Jackson
The Bear Facts
15
January 2017
News from Your Princi“PAL”
Dear PGS Families,
Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that it’s 2017! I hope that each of you had wonderful holidays with your
families. I would like to start by saying thank you for all of the wonderful wishes, cards, and presents. It is such
a blessing to serve as your principal. Your kindness and generosity never cease to amaze me!
We have once again been invited by Franklin Covey as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School to participate in the
upcoming Spartanburg Leader in Me Symposium. The Symposium will be held February 15-17 at the
Spartanburg Marriott. We will have teachers presenting break-out sessions, as well as student greeters,
speakers, and talent showcased during the conference. We will hold Leadership Day on Thursday, February
17th, as we have been a school selected to hold tours on that day. Educators from across the southeast will be
attending this symposium and will be touring our school. Please let us know if you are willing to volunteer in any
way to help us prepare for this very important day, February 17th. We would love to have parents as part of our
action teams.
Hats off to……………………………………………………
· Mrs. Burgess, Ms. Blain, and our 4th Grade Teachers and Students for the special Veterans Day Program
· Mrs. Ashley Wyatt, Ms. Carruth, Mrs. Gaskins, Ms. Foster, and Mrs. Burgess who recently received
grants for their classrooms.
· Mrs. Burgess, Ms. Blain, Mrs. Humphries and our 5th Grade Teachers and Students for a wonderful
musical holiday program
· Our wonderful PTO Officers: Brooke Shugart, President; Holly Hoenig and Danielle Henry, Vice-Presidents; Ashley Miller, Secretary; Will Peeler, Treasurer and all of our parent volunteers for our Fantastic
Book Fair, Grits with Grandparents, and Winter Parties
· Walker Jackson, 2016-2017 Spelling Bee Winner
The Bear Facts
16
January 2017
Parents, please remember to reinforce the 7 Habits with your children daily.
n
Habit 1. Be Proactive -- You’re in Charge (Do what’s right when no one is watching).
n
Habit 2. Begin with the End in Mind -- Have a Plan (Set goals).
n
Habit 3. Put First things First (Work First, Then Play).
n
Habit 4. Think Win-Win- (Everyone can win).
n
Habit 5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood -- Listen Before You Talk
(Listen with your eyes, ears, and heart).
n
Habit 6. Synergize --Together is Better (Work as a Team).
n
Habit 7. Sharpen the Saw -- Balance Feels Best (Take care of your body, heart, mind, and soul).
At PGS, we focus on the following paradigms:
n
The Paradigm of Leadership: Everyone can be a leader.
n
The Paradigm of Potential: Everyone has genius.
n
The Paradigm of Change: All change starts with me.
n
The Paradigm of Motivation: Educators empower students to lead their own learning.
n
The Paradigm of Education: Develop the whole person.
If you want to learn more about the 7 Habits and The Leader in Me, please visit our school’s website
http://pge.spartanburg6.k12.sc.us/ and click on the following links:
Leaders @ PGS or the logo at the bottom of the page “The Leader in Me Great Happens Here.”
Please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or email, or just drop in if I can ever be of assistance.
My door is always open! I LOVE BEING YOUR PRINCIPAL!
Sincerely,
Jennifer F. Million
Principal
The Bear Facts
17
January 2017
Mrs. Malone 4-K
Mrs. Cranford
Garrison Cromer
Cameron Barr
Tyler Chapman
Leendsy Hernandez
Caleb Jones
Logan Owens
Nathan Parham
Wyatt Ross
Shaniya Young
Mrs. Cranford
*
*
*
*
*
Mrs. Cherry
Kaylee Barrientos
Kelsie Owensby
*
*
Mrs. Price
Mrs. Plexico
Amelia Bagwell
Woods Beasley
Anna Clark
Conner Combs
Nolan Crum
Reese Lawson
Treyden Long
Gabriel Ortiz-Mendoza
Judson Batton
Hudson Bowyer
Easton Catto
Ayden Fuentes
Payton Stafford
*
Mrs. Ross
Ms. Stafford
Levi Combs
Gunnar Howard
Jessy Shchirov
Caylynn Anthony
Anna Grace Ellason
Robert Harper
Emily McAbee
Jada Pruitt
Easton Weaver
Mrs. Stephens
Hayden Bishop
John Michael Brown
Emilee Paccione
Caden Peeler
The Bear Facts
Mrs. Wyatt
* Hayden Bright
* Abigail Duthie
Emmy Dyar
Will Finch
* Scott Giles
* Cameron Lee
* Reese Lineberry
* Maddox Merritt
Shayla Morgan
* Austin Owens
* Abbie Patton
* Sarah Phillips
* Macy-Claire Renfrow
* Bella Sellars
* Gavin Smith
* Anna Taylor
* Seth Taylor
Ayden Tucker
*
18
* Anna Grace Ellason
Aiden Esquivel
* Robert Harper
Trinidy Harris
* Olivia Lawson
* Adi Lucy
* Emily McAbee
* Jada Pruitt
* Aliyah Rogers
* Zach Shockley
De’Miah Tribble
* Easton Weaver
* Lauren Willis
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Emmy Dyar
Scott Giles
Reese Lineberry
Austin Owens
Abbie Patton
Anna Taylor
Ayden Tucker
Mrs. Ross
Mrs. Price
*
Mrs. Wyatt
Cameron Barr
Madison Brown
Evyn Kate Dill
Brady Foster
Leendsy Hernandez
Ryan Hines
Caleb Jones
Kylee Neibel
Kairi Owen
Logan Owens
Nathan Parham
Riley Peterson
Emma Pittman
Wyatt Ross
Tristan Steadman
Kaitlyn Theye
Shaniya Young
Judson Batton
Hudson Bowyer
Easton Catto
Lila Davis
Sophie Davis
Kaylie Eaves
Ally Farr
Kaeden Felmet
Ayden Fuentes
Owen Lawson
Coleman McSwain
Jamey Metcalf
Jenna Cate Murphy
Ann Claire Peake
Ashton Rollins
Abbie Smith
Payton Stafford
Leah Tollison
Jett Wyatt
January 2017
Ms. Foster
Jenna Burnette
Silver Durham
Aubri George
JJ Green
Tambor Harper
Will Hatchett
Maggie Humphries
Alexia Malone
Adyson Mathis
Marlee McCumber
Ava-Reese Painter
Benjamin Schafer
Tim Shchirov
Mrs. Brown
Kylie Allen
Spencer Baker
Hayes Bowyer
Leah Burgess
Lilly Harris
Abby Harvey
Raquel Hernandez
Bo Lancaster
Callie Satterfield
Wyatt Stephens
Tristan Vanderburg
Mrs. Emory
Mrs. Gregory
Braden Baucan
Willa Brockman
Logan Brooks
Joseph Carter
Parker Freeman
Austin Hurlburt
Kristen Shchirov
Bradley Baytes
Morgan Frank
Adam Goudelock
Maddie Hatchett
Sophia Knight
Emily Neal
Kade Parks
Joshua Smith
Madolyn Ross
Mrs. McClure
Ms. Carruth
Ian Chapman
Tanner Owens
Heidy Martinez
Yudani Mendoza
Mrs. Catto
Brandon Larios-Mendoza
Hayden Lawson
Lily Cate Malone
Brayden McCumber
Kamryn Poteat
Abby Queen
Mrs. Justice
Kelsi Foster
Biggs Fowler
Triston Long
Lane Meritt
Devansh Patel
Aden Savage
Mrs. Stewart
Mrs. Gaskins
Cooper Brackins
Lana Brannon
Mady Little
Abby McDonald
Dhruvi Patel
Ellie Powell
Kayleigh Rapalee
Colton Weeks
Mrs. Rowe
Mrs. Humphries
Kara Allen
Coleman Brown
Dru Darby
Lucas Holmes
Avery Mason
Sophie Varner
Lexsy Barrientos
Brayden Chapman
Merrin Fowler
Connor Jordon
Jonathan Marcy
Cara McAbee
Bailie McDaniel
Jaeveon Savage
Mary Allen
Hayley Billings
Ellis Catto
Wyatt Lunsford
Isaiah McCumber
Zachary McDonald
Alivia Moss
Trey Prysock
Arden Silvers
David Sorensen
Mrs. Pitts
Riley Barbare
Chase Davis
Colton Doremus
Adrienne Fowler
Sam Gregory
Ian Langston
Sky Lucy
Addy Parris
MaKenzie Rapalee
Bella Turner
The Bear Facts
Mrs. Sumerel
Tyler Camara
Preston Gibson
Taylor Faye Harper
Ethan Neal
Kyle Parks
Robert Rookard
Bailey Smith
19
January 2017
Mrs. Gaskins
Mrs. Gregory
* Natalie Baytes
Madison Birch
Cooper Brackins
Lana Brannon
Dylan Cothran
Micah Fox
R.J. Graham
Katelynn Huitt
* Kinsley LeGrand
* Mady Little*
* Abby McDonald
Whyatt Nadeau
Dhruvi Patel
Ellie Powell
* Kayleigh Rapalee
* Trevor Stribling
* Caleb Bailey
Bradley Baytes
Christian Edlund
* Peyton Foster
Benson Foster
Morgan Frank
Adam Goudelock
* Maddie Hatchett
Alicia Hernandez
* Parker Hoenig
* Sophia Knight
* Emily Neal
Kade Parks
* Emily Patton
* Kiley Rhodes
Abbigail Riddle
Madolyn Ross
Joshua Smith
Ms. Carruth
McKenzie Anderson
* Rome Bass
Victoria Bradley
Sam Jacobs
Andrew Johnson
* Avery Johnson
Heidy Martinez
* Sassy Miller
* Yudani Mendoza
* Tanner Owens
* M.E Ratterree
* Mary Elisabeth Reid
Andi Silvers
* Ellie Sumeral
*denotes all A’s
Mrs. Emory
Braden Baucan
Abby Bishop
* Willa Brockman
Logan Brooks
* Joseph Carter
Parker Freeman
AK Henry
Austin Hurlburt
Aden Kimbrell
Tyler Lee
Kassidy Miller
Jayna Osborne
Riley Owens
* Rylan Rushton
Kristen Shchirov
Logan Smith
Mrs. Brown
Ms. Foster
* Jenna Burnette
Emma Clark
* McKennon Dill
* Silver Durham
* Aubri George
JJ Green
* Tambor Harper
* Will Hatchett
* Maggie Humphries
* Alyssa Inabinett
* Bryson Justice
* Nicholas Lunsford
* Alexia Malone
Adyson Mathis
* Marlee McCumber
* Ava-Reese Painter
* Easton Rider
* Benjamin Schafer
* Tim Shchirov
Blayne Waid
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* Patience Ballard
Riley Barbare
Chase Davis
Colton Doremus
* Layne Farr
* Adrienne Fowler
* Caroline Gaskins
Marina Graham
* Sam Gregory
Michael Ham
Destiny Jackson
* Ian Langston
* Sky Lucy
* Addy Parris
* Cole Phillips
MaKenzie Rapalee
* Maggie Rogers
* Walker Timms
* Bella Turner
* Connor Wells
The Bear Facts
Mrs. McClure
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Roseanna Benavidez
Kelsi Foster
Biggs Fowler
Hannah Hembree
Anna Grace Ingle
Ty Jacobus
Ella Burcklee Lancaster
Triston Long
Devansh Patel
Jackson Peeler
Douglas Reid
Reagan Rhine
Abby Tollison
Anna Woodward
Mrs. Stewart
Dylan Butler
Lilly Campbell
Holden Flynn
Aiden Haygood
Graham Hoenig
Hayden Lawson
Lily Cate Malone
Jordan Miller
Anna Reid Nelson
Kamryn Poteat
Abby Queen
Briyanna Rogers
DemauriA Scott
Reese Shugart
Hayden Synder
Christian Valentine
Alyssa Waddell
Alayna Zimmerman
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Mrs. Rowe
*
*
*
*
*
*
Mrs. Humphries
* Lexsy Barrientos
Hayden Boyle
Dalton Deal
* Merrin Fowler
* Kamryn Harper
* Tyler Hawkins
Connor Jordon
* Trey Lawson
* Cara McAbee
Bailie McDaniel
* Kamdyn Miller
Madison Mohr
Christopher Rookard
* Jaeveon Savage
* Logan Smith
Thomas Trantham
Kaylie Wilson
Mrs. Justice
*
Mrs. Catto
*
*
*
Mrs. Pitts
Kylie Allen
Mattie Bandy
Chase Bourne
Hayes Bowyer
Leah Burgess
Allison Duthie
Peyton Gibson
Lilly Harris
Bo Lancaster
Noah McCravy
Rhylan Renfrow
Callie Satterfield
Wyatt Stephens
Cameron Stepp
Austin Willis
20
Kara Allen
Dakota Brown
Coleman Brown
Dru Darby
Hayden Dill
Harrison Edlund
Seth Gourley
Jacob Hall
* Lucas Holmes
* Ansley Lawson
* Avery Mason
Troy Miller
Taylor Nelson
Lilly Phillips
Elena Schafer
Leah Taylor
Sophie Varner
Corbin White
*
Mary Allen
Brett Bailey
Hayley Billings
Brecken Brown
Ellis Catto
Mark Mendoza
Wyatt Lunsford
Michael Manchester
Zachary McDonald
Willow Moore
Avery Phillips
Trey Prysock
David Sorensen
Niambi Walton-Cody
Mitch Wilson
Mrs. Sumerel
* Kaylee Calicutt
* Tyler Camara
* Preston Gibson
Kyrstin Gosnell
Blaise Ham
* Taylor Faye Harper
Alex Hendricks
* Walker Jackson
Mattison Lancaster
Ben Lineberry
* Jamison Little
* Aidan Martin
* Ethan Neal
Kyle Parks
Thomas Patterson
Jordyn Price
Robert Rookard
* Bailey Smith
Kendall Wallington
January 2017