Shark Tales – May 2017
Have a wonderful summer!
From the Administration
Upcoming Events
Dear Shark Families,
May 11
It’s hard to believe that the 2016-17 school year is already coming to
an end. Where did the time go?!?! This has been an amazing year -- lots of learning has taken place, friendships have strengthened, and
parent involvement in the building has increased. We have one
month left, so we want to make sure that we continue to work hard
and make good choices right up to the last bell.
Culver’s Night
Several parents have asked about summer school opportunities for
their children. Please be sure to check out the district website at
www.sd308.org and click on the “School District 308 Summer School”
link under “Important Information.”
Thank you to everyone for an outstanding year! For the fifth graders
who will be moving on to the junior high, we wish you luck and know
that you will be very successful. For those who will be moving away
and not returning to Southbury in the fall, we hope that you continue
to excel at your new school. For those who will be returning to
Southbury Elementary School in the fall, we can’t wait to see you back
in August!
May 24
Field Day
May 26
Last Day of School – 4 Hour Day,
12:45pm Dismissal
May 29
Last Day for Teachers – Grades
go live
Everyone have a wonderful summer! Be sure to continue reading,
writing, and stretching your brain!
Lindsay Allen
Principal
Cara Chase
Assistant Principal
We need volunteers for Field Day! If you are
interested in volunteering, please sign up on sign up
genius. Thank you!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b49a9a92a
a1fa7-southbury
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
Read. Write. Think. Grow.
Southbury: A Community of Learners.
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Teacher & Staff Updates
Kindergarten News
We made it to May!! Exciting things are happening this month! In
Language Arts, we will read fiction and nonfiction literary texts about
community. Our reading objective is that readers will understand that
literary and informational texts can explore similar topics. Based on
what we learn, we will then form an opinion of our favorite text with
more than one supporting detail in our writing. In science, we have
planted different types of seeds such as rye grass, cat grass, and lima
beans. We continue to make observations and write about our
findings in our plant journals. In math, we have wrapped up Unit 7 on
addition and subtraction within 10. We will continue to review various
skills taught in order to prepare for 1st grade!
We are looking forward to wrapping up the school year with several
activities including our One Author One School author panel,
Blackberry Farm field trip, and Field Day!
1st Grade News
May is our final month of 1st Grade, however, we have a lot of
excitement to look forward to. The most important thing is, “The
butterflies are coming!” Our caterpillars are growing and starting to
change, soon we will have butterflies.
This month in ReadyGen we will be reading, One Classroom Many
Cultures and we will be learning opinion writing.
We have started our countdown to the last day, and it has been a lot
of fun. We have our Fine Arts Night, May 3rd, our authors are coming
to visit on Friday, and we are really looking forward to Field Day!
Art Updates
Thank you to everyone who
attended Southbury’s first Fine
Arts Night! Every young artist
was a star during this
spectacular event. Special
thanks go out to our parent/
high school volunteers and
members of Southbury’s Fine
Arts Club. This night would not
have worked without your help
and support. Every frame
purchased helped to raise extra
funds for our art room.
Mrs. Ayoung Chee hopes that
all our young artists continue to
practice using their creative
and artistic skills this summer
break. There are many outdoor
and indoor activities that foster
creative problem solving and
artistic exploration. Get the
family together and make some
memories. ☺
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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2nd Grade News
4th Quarter is flying by and second grade has been very busy! We
wrapped up our measurement unit in math, and started on final unit
on geometric shapes. Students are learning how to identify and
describe two and three-dimensional shapes. They’re also learning
how to divide shapes into equal parts.
Our last unit in reading will focus on the theme, Changing the World.
We’ll read informational and literary texts to understand how people
can change the world with strong commitment. In writing, students
will continue to work on understanding how opinions and reasons are
connected by writing various opinion pieces. Science has been a
blast this quarter! We have been learning all about air and weather
with fun investigations like making parachutes, kites, and pinwheels.
We’ve also spent some time outside to learn about wind, rain, clouds,
and more. There’s only a few more weeks left, but we have so much
to look forward to! As we finish up the school year, please remember
to have your child continue to read, write, and practice math facts
over the summer so that they can have a spectacular start to their
third-grade year. We have enjoyed working with you this year and
hope you have a fabulous summer!
3rd Grade News
AVID Updates
What a wonderful year we have
had this year as we have
expanded AVID to our 3rd, 4th,
and 5th grade students! Our 5th
graders have worked hard in
order to prepare for junior high,
and our younger students have
begun to incorporate some
AVID strategies into their
learning. We will be using skills
and strategies from AVID to
work with additional grade
levels next year. It’s never too
early to teach college and
career readiness. We are
excited to see what next year
will bring through AVID!
Our 4th quarter is in full swing!!! We can’t believe the end of the school
is upon us.
In reading, we are learning that literary texts and informative texts can
be used to explore similar topics and ideas. Our unit selections have
focused on the inspiring lives of Clara Lemlich and Rosa Parks.
In writing, we have been working hard on expressing and arguing our
opinions. Our 3rd graders will express their opinions on which person,
Rosa or Clara, they felt had a greater impact on the events that took
place in their reading selections. We have been having very powerful
conversations about the injustices these powerful women endured in
preparation for this writing endeavor.
In math, we’ve started our unit on the representation and
interpretation of data through the use of bar graphs, scaled pictures
graphs, and line plots. We will end the year with the study of
geometry.
In Social Studies we are wrapping up the school year with our study of
famous Illinoisans. Our 3rd Graders are very excited about our wax
museum scheduled for Monday, May 15th. We hope to see all our 3rd
grade families there!
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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4th Grade News
Southbury’s fourth graders are singing and drawing to learn about
geometry. In math, the children are measuring and drawing angles
and classifying shapes. They are also singing a song about lines, line
segments, rays, and the like to help them remember all they have
learned.
In reading and writing, the children are exploring and creating
narrative text to analyze characters and situations. In science, fourth
graders are learning how to use hand lenses and microscopes.
Also this month, the fourth grade will host an American Revolution
Museum. This event features student projects and even students in
costume, and it is a culminating activity for a social studies unit on the
causes, events and people that led to the founding of the United
States of America.
Over the summer, the students are encouraged to keep reading and
practicing math problems. The Oswego Public Library and Anderson’s
Bookshops are among the great resources for summer reading
suggestions.
5th Grade News
This year is quickly coming to a close. As the 5th graders wrap-up the
end of their elementary school career, there is much on which they
can reflect and celebrate…some highlights would be Springfield, Civil
War Day, Philosophical Debates, the Underground Railroad, Shark
Fests, and the 5th Grade Musical.
Special Education Updates
May is Better Hearing and
Speech Month! This annual
observance has been
sponsored by the American
Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA) since 1927.
This month provides an
opportunity to learn about
communication disorders and
the role of the American
Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA). This month
provides an opportunity to raise
awareness about
communication disorders and
the available treatment options.
These options improve the
quality of life for those who
experience problems speaking
understanding, or hearing.
Experiencing Step-Up Day and learning how to work combination
locks are sure signs that junior high is just around the corner, and they
are definitely excited for what lies ahead in 6th grade. This 5th grade
class is an incredible group of students who have shown outstanding
character. Their teachers have greatly enjoyed the year with them
and wish them all great success in their futures!
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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STARS Update
The STARS program is going to Brookfield Zoo on Friday, May 12th!
Each class will be studying the topic of zoo before going on this field
trip, including the animals they want to see, the habitats the given
animals live in, and the expected behavior to exhibit while on the
field trip. To prepare for the field trip at home, please feel free to
discuss various zoo animals that your child wants to see. Your child
will be expected to bring along a sack lunch. We are all very
excited to be going on this field trip, it will be a great day!
Our classes have enjoyed getting to know the therapy dogs that
visited the STARS program. The last therapy dog visit was at the end
of April. They were able to pet the dogs, feed them treats, see them
do tricks, and take them for walks. It was a great experience for your
children!
As the weather is getting warmer, please still ensure to send your
child with a coat. It is very windy on the playground and sometimes
colder than the actual temperature on the given day. Also, make
sure you are providing your student with a water bottle as the
weather gets warmer as well. Here’s to a fun last month of school!
Speech Updates
May is Better Speech and Hearing Month! It is a great time to learn
about Speech and Language Pathologists and what they do. Did
you know?
You’ve been caught reading!
Physical Education
Updates
May is going to a great month
for Southbury student athletes!
Our student athletes are going
to be finishing up fitness testing.
Southbury student athletes will
then be bouncing their way on
to net sports! They will be
learning the basic skills of
volleyball and tennis. At the
end of the month all students
will be participating in the best
day of the school year! Field
Day!!!!! If you are interested in
volunteering please sign up on
sign up genius.
Delayed or impaired speech and language development happens
in 5-10% of all children.
There are many factors that can result, cause, or contribute to
communication disorders. Some but not all are hearing loss (either
from chronic ear infections or hearing impairment), illness, injuries
(such as head injuries), psychological conditions, or syndromes
(such as Down Syndrome, or Autism Spectrum Disorder).
A Speech-Language Pathologist has the ability to treat a large
range of impairments. Some of these include voice disorders,
fluency or stuttering disorders, use of language, understanding of
language, reading comprehension, social language, and
articulation disorders.
In hospitals and private practice, Speech-Language Pathologists
also treat chewing and swallowing, due to the anatomy for speech
is the same as the anatomy for chewing and swallowing.
Deb Convey, Steph Tarmann, Kelly Okel
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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Front Office Updates
Hello Shark Families!
The Front office is working hard on wrapping up the 2016-2017
school year and preparing for the 2017-18 school year. Dr. Allen
and Mrs. Quick will be working over the summer months. The Front
office will be open Monday – Thursday this summer. Please call
before you make the trip over as I may be out and about the
building and I would not want to miss you. 630-551-9800. ☺
It is very important to review your child’s profile online with payment
to ensure that your child will be placed in a classroom for next year.
Please remember that if you still need to provide us with proofs of
residency and/or any other paperwork, your student will not be
registered for the 2017/18 school year. Also, if your lease expired
during the current school year or during the summer months, you
will need to provide us with a copy of a current one. If you have
any questions, please contact the front office.
As a reminder: the office can get inundated with forgotten items
that are brought in from home. To ensure items aren’t lost we
placed a blue “place items here” box in our front corridor that is
checked throughout the day. Please understand that we do not
interrupt valuable classroom learning to call up to the teacher to let
them know items may be down at the office for a student to pick
up. Additionally, we do not have someone employed to deliver
items regularly. Items do get picked up eventually from various staff
members passing the office throughout the day.
Your
understanding is greatly appreciated!
Have a wonderful and safe summer break. See you in August!
GOOOOOO Sharks!
Music Updates
Wow! It has been an amazing
year. Thank you to all the Sharks
for your support and musical
endeavors. We are finishing our
last units and getting ready for
a composition project with
several of the grades. We are
using Garageband to write and
record our very own pieces of
music. The songs will be posted
to my website. 5th grade is
working on finalizing their STOMP
projects. Videos will be posted
on the Bloomz account.
Thank you again for your
musical support Southbury.
Tom Santoyo
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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ESL Updates
Kristen Serio – ESL Resource Teacher
I have attached a flyer from WIDA, the developer of the ACCESS test. Please read over the flyer which explains
the 2017 ACCESS scores. We do not have scores yet and parents will not receive official reports until the fall.
I want to share the following information on scoring changes with parents now so you are able to understand
your child’s scores when you receive them. If you have any questions regarding ACCESS scoring please
contact me at [email protected].
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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News from Nurse Sara
Wow, can you believe we are done with school this month? I can’t
wait to see and hear back from the students in August. Here’s some
important end of the school year information to be aware of.
Medication pick up: Any student who has had medication(s) stored
in the health office must have a parent/guardian pick up
medications by the last day of the school year. Any medications
that are not picked up will be disposed of.
Vision and hearing- If your child received a vision or hearing referral,
please forward the examination form completed by a physician to
the health office.
Dental and vision- The State requirement for kindergarten and 2nd
graders include a current dental examination. Kindergarteners also
need to have a current vision examination on file.
2017-2018 Annual Health History- You should have received the
new health history form a few weeks ago, please complete both
front and back of the form. I’m requesting the forms be turned in
promptly to ensure any heath accommodations or concerns can
be discussed as soon as possible.
Medical documentation- The SD 308 website has Asthma Action
Plans, Food Allergy Emergency Action Plans, and the School
Medication Authorization Form available to print. These must be
dropped off by a parent/guardian on/before the first day of the
upcoming school year along with any medications the student will
need.
Donations- If you are looking to replenish any clothing for the health
office, I am always looking for pants, shorts, and shirts ranging from
sizes 6 and up. Dixie cups are also welcome as are Kleenex and or
baby wipes.
It has been a great second year for me at Southbury, and I have
enjoyed meeting so many students and families. Thank you all for
your help in keeping our students healthy. I hope everyone goes
out and enjoys the warm weather over the summer. I will provide
my contact information below in case you are in need of
forwarding any missing health forms to me.
Sara Karantonis, MSN, RN
Southbury Elementary Building Nurse
Office (630) 551-9802
Fax (630) 551-9897
[email protected]
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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LRC Updates
Are you looking for a reason to clean off your bookshelves or a way
to acquire some new reading material? Look no further! “A Buck for
a Book” gently used book sale will be running through the end of
the school year. Beginning May 8th, students can bring in books
they no longer use. Then beginning May 15 until the end of the year,
students may come in and buy books during their LRC class time.
More details will be in the Southbury Elementary 2017 “Buck for a
Book Sale”. All proceeds benefit the LRC to buy more titles and
materials.
Below are the dates that all library books are due back:
Kindergarten: May
5th
/ First-fifth grade: May
12th
Please be sure to look high and low for any books that belong to
the Southbury LRC!
The school year has sure gone by quickly but don’t let that mean
that reading comes to a halt! We hope all students will keep
reading during the summer. If you aren’t sure how to guide your
child to find good books to read, the Monarch and Bluestem books
are a great place to begin! Summer reading logs for the Monarch
and Bluestem books will be available in the LRC starting May 15th.
Grow your brain strong, read all summer long!!
Why Read 30 Minutes
a Day?
• If daily reading begins in
infancy, by the time the child is
five years old, he or she has
been fed roughly 900 hours of
brain food!
• Reduce that experience to just
30 minutes a week, and the
child’s hungry mind loses 770
hours of nursery rhymes, fairy
tales and stories.
• A kindergarten student who
has not been read aloud to
could enter school with less
than 60 hours of literacy
nutrition. No teacher, no
matter how talented, can
make up for those lost hours of
mental nourishment.
Therefore,
• 30 minutes daily = 900 hours
• 30 minutes weekly = 130 hours
• Less than 30 minutes weekly =
60 hours
You now understand why
reading daily is so very
important. Why not have a
family reading night? It is great
to just turn off the television for
20-30 minutes and read and
share.
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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Gifted Updates
Kids who are advanced intellectually often let their imaginations ruin
wild and experience fears beyond their years. So beyond saying, “Not
every molehill is a mountain,” what can you do to help? These books
offer help.
What to Do When You Worry Too Much, by Dawn Huebner, PhD., is an
interactive self-help book designed to guide 6-12 year olds and their
parents through the cognitive-behavioral techniques most often used
in the treatment of generalized anxiety. Engaging, encouraging, and
easy to follow, this book educates, motivates, and empowers children
to work towards change.
In Why Smart Kids Worry, Allison Edwards guides you through the mental
and emotional process of where your child's fears come from and why
they are so hard to move past. Edwards focuses on how to parent a
child who is both smart and anxious. Edwards's fifteen specially
designed tools for helping smart kids manage their fears will help you
and your child work together to help him or her to become more
relaxed and worry-free.
From Worrier to Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Fears and the
parent companion book Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to
Conquering Your Child's Fears offer help too.
For a quick read based on Harvard research, read this article and learn
the three words that turn anxiety into success.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/03/can-threewords-turn-anxiety-into-success/474909/
For self-help with other issues, the series of What to Do When… books
offer interactive suggestions for you and your child.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake: A Kid's Guide to
Accepting Imperfection
What to Do When Your Temper Flares: A Kid's Guide to
Overcoming Problems With Anger
What to Do When You Dread Your Bed: A Kid's Guide to
Overcoming Problems With Sleep
What to Do When It's Not Fair: A Kid's Guide to Handling Envy
and Jealousy
What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kid's Guide to
Overcoming OCD
What to Do When You Feel Too Shy: A Kid's Guide to
Overcoming Social Anxiety
What to Do When You Grumble Too Much: A Kid's Guide to
Overcoming Negativity
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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Social Work Updates
Southbury Elementary 820 Preston Lane, Oswego, IL 60543 | Telephone: 630 551 9800 | Fax: 630 551 9819
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