THE BEACON
CHESAPEAKE CITY
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Mr. Alan Loman, Principal
Mrs. Mandy Feeney, Assistant Principal
MARKING PERIOD 4
OF THE 2014—2015
SCHOOL YEAR
APRIL 13
THROUGH
JUNE 16
It is hard to believe that this is the last newsletter of the 2014 – 2015 school year. This year has
been a blur but a very, very good blur. I am so fortunate to have been assigned to a school with
wonderful students, a great faculty and staff, and a tremendous parent and community support. As
we move into the last marking period, I am confident that the year will end on a strong note.
During the last marking period of the year we begin the process of preparing for the next school
year. The biggest task facing us will be developing the class lists. In early April, I will be charging
the teachers with the assignment of preparing proposed class lists. As they develop these lists, I will
ask them to consider the student’s instructional and emotional needs first and foremost. One major
change that will happen this year is that the name of your child’s teacher for next year will be listed
on the final report card that goes home on the last day of school. Once the report card goes home,
the assignment will be final and we will not make any changes. There are many factors that go into
these decisions and making changes affects the balance of the classes which will have a major
impact on the teacher’s ability to meet the needs of all students. If you would like input in to this
process, please submit a written request to the school prior to May 15, 2015.
Many of you have noticed that we have been having some minor construction here at school over
the past month. We are very excited that we have been able to relocate our main office to the former
Music room. By doing this, we have significantly increased the safety for all of our students and
staff. Now, when someone comes into the main entrance, they can only go into the office and cannot
access the rest of the school until we’ve determined that it’s safe for that person to be here. This
change was made possible through a “Safe Schools” grant and will ensure a much safer school for
all of us.
Finally, the budget process through the Cecil County government continues and we are awaiting the
County Executive’s proposed budget. The Executive has already notified CCPS that she is not going
to include funding for major capital improvements next year so the plans for building a new
Chesapeake City Elementary School are being put on hold for at least one year. As we await the
news on funding for instruction, it is important to remember that if you are concerned about the
number of children in your child’s classrooms next year, appropriate funding must occur in order
for there to be enough teachers to cover the needs of our students.
As we move into the last marking period, I want to thank everyone in the Chesapeake City
Elementary School community for your continued support. This is an amazing school community
and the students are very fortunate to have such a group of carrying and dedicated individuals in
their corner. As always, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Alan Loman,
Principal
Pre-Kindergarten
Spring is finally here! Our prekindergarten friends have been talking about signs of spring
all around us: warmer air, flowers blooming, birds, butterflies, animals waking
up from hibernation, leaves growing on trees, greener grass. Soon, we will be
talking about the life cycle of seeds and will plant seeds to observe what
happens. We have met 19 of our 26 Alphafriends and the kids are doing a great
job identifying the letter and the sounds each letter makes. Ask your child to
write their first name! They have been working very hard on handwriting
mechanics to write their names correctly. We are very impressed with their hard
work! We continue to work on counting in math and are now comparing objects using the
words heavier and lighter. Make sure your child is reading every night with an adult to
help increase their reading skills and to model the importance of reading!
Now is a good time to check your child's change of clothes in the classroom. Our prek
friends have been growing and may not fit into the set of clothes they currently have in
their lockers. Please send in a fresh change of clothes for your child in case of an accident.
Kimberly Bonson
Kindergarten
Spring is in the air!! We have been studying the farm along with identifying living
and non-living things. Students have been working in our farm center,
performing farm chores such as gathering and selling eggs, feeding the animals
and making a big farm breakfast. During the Farm Unit, students learned about
many types of farms and the five foods groups. As a culmination, students were
able to taste foods from each group. They often surprise themselves by finding
new foods they liked. We will be visiting Kilby’s Creamery and Dairy Farm in May.
Keep an eye out for further info.
Students have worked hard learning assigned star words. We are proud of the students who
read 50 star words correctly and have moved up to the “50 star word club.”
We are working on learning to read 75 words for our next star word test and a
chance to move up to the “75 star word club. Continue to study your assigned
stars words each week.
Unit 4 Math will have students composing and decomposing numbers to 20,
representing and solving addition and subtraction problems, and using data,
measurement and geometry in a variety of situations. Our new Science Unit,
Wood, will begin soon. Students will explore properties of wood, as well as
make their own particleboard and plywood. Students will also experience the career of
carpenter by sanding, nailing, and staining wood.
Mrs. Huyett , Mrs. Messing, and Mrs.Wallendorf
1st Grade
Our first graders are counting the days until summer and second grade!
In Language Arts, the students are working hard to improve their reading
skills, using all that they have learned throughout the school year. The
students are trying to read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to
support comprehension. They are reading on-level text with
purpose and understanding. They are using context to confirm
or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as
necessary. It is still important that the students practice their
high frequency words and spelling words frequently at home. We
will be writing informative/explanatory texts in which we name a topic, supply
facts, and provide a sense of closure. We will also write opinion pieces with a
topic, opinion, a reason, and a sense of closure.
In Mathematics, we will continue solving word problems for adding,
subtracting, and comparing. We will continue to mentally add and subtract
within multiples of ten using various strategies. We will compare numbers
based on tens and ones and add two-digit numbers up to 120. We will also
tell time to the hour and half-hour on a digital/analog clock. Finally, we will
partition two-dimensional shapes into halves and fourths. Many of the skills
learned throughout the year will be reinforced and expanded!
In Science, the students will investigate pebbles, sand and silt. In Social
Studies, we will learn about geography.
We are very excited about our upcoming field trip to The Grand
Theatre to see The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley on Monday,
April 27th. Parents will receive a field trip permission slip and a
request for chaperones for the theatre trip soon.
The first graders have made tremendous progress and we are really proud of all
of them! Thank you for supporting your child’s education this school year!
Mrs. Lemerand and Mrs. Shives
2nd Grade
Reading:
During the fourth marking
Science: Students will be learning about
period, we will work on identifying key
agricultural engineering and the
details with support from the
Engineering Design Process in
text, describing connections
our new unit, Engineering is
between
Elementary. Our second grade
texts,
and
using
comprehension
skills
understand
character’s
the
to
meteorologists
will
be
busy
observing
temperature, wind, and clouds, and will be
point of view, setting, or plot. We will also
participating in many hands-on activities
be working with alliteration, rhymes, and
during the Air and Weather unit.
how word and phrases give meaning as we
explore poetry. Our writing focus will be
on writing and supporting opinions.
We
are looking forward to visiting the DuPont
Theater in May to see Charlotte’s Web!
Social Studies: As we study Our Changing
World, the students will learn to read
timelines,
about
gather
the
past
informational
Math:
marking
During
period,
the
fourth
the
second
compare
from
sources,
changes
transportation,
information
in
communication,
graders will continue to develop
communities, and environment, and learn
their understanding of number sense. This
about how people affect their environment.
includes solving real world problems using
We look forward to helping your children
mathematical
place
grow and learn during this last marking
value, and measuring objects with the
period! Thank you for your support during
strategies,
using
appropriate measuring tool. We will be
collecting and creating bar graphs and line
plots. We will also be working with time,
shapes, equal shares, and rows, columns,
and arrays.
this year.
Mrs. Ruocco, Mrs. Bouldin, and Mrs. Pierce
3rd Grade
English Language Arts: This marking
period our overarching concept is
“Forces”. We will be reading a variety of
texts that show different “forces” that are
placed on the characters. We will be
Social Studies:
This fourth marking
period we continue to work on our
Economics Unit. Third graders will
explore economic concepts like: wants
and
needs,
supply
and
demand,
focusing
opportunity
on
point
of
view
and
the
difference between characters’ point of
view and our point of view. We
will
also
compare
characters,
setting, and plots between
different stories written by
the same author.
We will
finish
the
year
reading
different fables and focus on
the different lessons that we can learn
from them. We will be writing an opinion
paper to show our point of view on a
topic.
Math: We will be reviewing quite a few
concepts this marking period. We will
continue
to
work
with fractions and
multi-step
word
problems.
Please
continue to practice
all basic math facts
at home each night. We will review area
and perimeter with different shapes. We
will introduce quadrilaterals this marking
period.
cost,
and
running
a
business. We will also participate in one
of our favorite activities: Mini Society.
Each third grader will set up and operate
his/her own business! Parent support is
always acceptable.
Science: We are excited to announce our
new unit of science study. We will begin
our Final Unit: The Physics of Sound!!
Third Graders will learn that sound is
produced by vibrating objects. They will
understand the relationship between the
pitch of a sound and the physical
properties of the sound source. They will
observe and compare how sound travels
through solids, liquids, and air.
We will be going to Fair Hill
this marking period on
Monday, May 4. Look for
information on the trip as
it comes closer. Thanks
for all of your support this
year!
Mr. Patton and Mrs. Griffie
4th Grade
Spring has sprung and our sprouting
In Social Studies, students will continue
fourth graders are marching on!
their study of their home state and
Congratulations
to
our
March
become informed citizens by investigating
the
Multiplication Madness winners!
Our macro-concept in Language Arts for
the 4th Marking Period is Perspective.
This unit is about the use of close
following
questions:
How
are
economic decisions made in Maryland and
What role does government play in the
economic processes of Maryland?
reading, writing, and research to develop
In
an understanding through the
knowledge of Magnetism and Electricity
comparison of point of view in
and
literature
process. Students will use knowledge of
and
texts.
informational
and
explore
we
will
the
build
electricity to design and build
identify
working alarm circuits. The
evidence used to support a point of view.
engineering
and
on
engineering
will
Students
paraphrase
Science,
our
design
design
They will also compare first and third
process is very interesting
person points of view in literature and
and engaging!
second hand accounts in informational
During the month of May, we hope to be
text. Students will be asked to write an
traveling to the Maryland Science Center
opinion
relevant
in Baltimore to enhance our study of
information from past experience or from
Mechanics of Motion, Earth’s Changing
print and digital resources.
Surface and Magnetism and Electricity.
piece
by
recalling
In math, Unit 4 is about building on
ideas of number operations and problem
solving.
Unit 4 focuses on
We look forward to an electrifying trip!
Please look for information to follow!
Again,
thank
you
for
your
time,
geometry and organizing and
continued efforts, and consistency as
using data.
spring has sprung!
Ms. Mabry, Mrs. Powers and Mrs. Strauss
5th Grade
Congratulations to our 5th grade
students
who
showed
great
perseverance in completing multi-step
math problems and managing multiple
pieces of text during our first round of
PARCC! Fabulous job!
Congratulations
to
our
March
Multiplication
Madness
winner,
Emmerson Sentman! Rounding out
the Final Four were Jason Davies,
Dennis
Kemether
and
Kaydence
Buckley. Great job to all for a fierce,
yet friendly competition!
Our upcoming trip to the North Bay
Adventure Camp on Friday, April 24th,
is quickly approaching. Please continue
to submit your CCES and North Bay
permission slips. As the trip nears, we
will send home the specific information
needed in order to make our trip a
success!
Speaking of quickly approaching…we
can’t believe it is that time of year to
talk about celebrating our 5th graders as
their elementary years come to an end.
Please mark your calendars with these
important dates:
April 20th
June 5th
June 16th
5th Grade Class Picture
5th Grade Class Picnic
5th Grade Moving Up
Ceremony (Morning)
We will be asking you for your support
with these events in the form of
planning, time and food donations.
Please look for further communications
to come home regarding these events.
Our final macro-concept for the year in
English Language Arts is Perspectives.
This
unit
is
about
examining,
understanding, and conveying opinions
by identifying and evaluating point of
view. In Social Studies, our macroconcept is Revolution.
This unit is
about the conflicts and compromises
that led to the development of our
country as a result of the battles of the
American Revolution. These
concepts will be woven
together as students engage
in reading informational
and
historical
fiction
throughout the marking
period. They will be asked to
examine and gain an understanding of
the many perspectives that were
developed during this time of change in
America.
During guided reading,
students
will
read
texts
that
complement these themes in both
subject areas such as Guns for General
Washington, Tolliver’s Secret, Phoebe the
Spy and Daughter of Liberty.
In Math, Unit 4 is all about comparing
attributes using Measurement and Data
concepts.
Students
will
utilize
measurement conversion within the US
customary and metric systems while
solving real-world problems, determine
volume
through
the
use
of
multiplication and division of whole
numbers and decimals, and explore
geometric figures by identifying their
common attributes.
These basic
skills build upon our previous units
of number operations and number
sense. Thank you to all parents who
frolicked with fraction homework during
the past unit!
We appreciate your
support!
Again, thank you for your time,
continued efforts, and consistency as
spring has sprung…hopefully!
Mr. Rash, Mrs. Steiner and Mrs. Wescoat
If you have
Medication in the Health Room…
If your student has medication in the health room, it must be picked up by a parent or guardian
by the close of school on Tuesday, June 16th. In the interest of safety for your child and others,
we cannot give medication to children to take home. Also, school policy states that any
medication remaining in the school after school closes for the summer must be discarded.
If your child will be taking medication next school year, it is helpful if you can have the necessary
forms completed during the summer. New forms are needed every school year. Please have
your child’s physician fill out and sign the forms. The completed forms, along with a supply of
medication in the original pharmacy labeled bottle should be brought to the school Health Room
at the beginning of next school year.
Summer is also a great time to update physicals, schedule eye examinations and hearing
screenings. Please provide the school with a copy of screening results and updated physicals and
immunizations to keep in your child’s health record. Many doctors are now recommending a
second varicella immunization as well as Hepatitis A vaccines. Be sure to send in any vaccine
updates to Nurse Mollie for the school record.
Submitted by Mollie S. Graham RN, BSN
School Nurse
Band & Chorus
The 4th and 5th Grade Band and Chorus spring concert will be on Thursday, May 21, 2015, at
6:30 p.m. in the school gymnasium. Chorus members should wear some combination of black
and white. All are welcome to attend.
Students in grades 1, 2, and 3 will give a concert on Friday, June 5, at 2:00 p.m. in the school
gymnasium. This year’s theme is Disney: The Movies, The Music. All are welcome to attend.
Congratulations to the following students for being selected for the CCPS All County Chorus
for 2015:
Emma Long
Leora Poteet
Kira Hook
Hayden Rash
C. C. Geidzinski
Mr. D’Amico
Music Teacher
Olympic Day 2015
Olympic Day
T-Shirt Sale
CCES
will
once
again
Olympic Day t-shirts.
sell
The sale
begins on April 15th and will
conclude May 1st. The t-shirts
will have the same design as last
year! BELIEVE – ACHIEVE – SUCCEED. It is
This year, Chesapeake
City
Elementary
School’s Olympic Day
is
scheduled
for
Friday, May 29th. The rain
not mandatory for students to purchase
date for the event is Wednesday,
Olympic Day t-shirts.
June 3rd.
Students could also
choose to wear a t-shirt in the designated
color of their class.
Pre-K – Orange
Kindergarten – Gold
st
1 Gr. – Royal Blue
3rd Gr. – Green
participate
On this day students will
in
fun
and
exciting
fitness related games and activities!
th
4 Gr. – Light Blue
5th Gr. – Tye Dye
We look forward to a day filled with
sunshine and smiles! See you there!
2nd Gr. - Red
Fifth grade will be given the option of
purchasing a Tye-Dyed t-shirt to celebrate
Mrs. Vaughan
PE Teacher
their last year at CCES! Further information
regarding Olympic Day t-shirts will be sent
home ASAP.
Mrs. Vaughan
PE Teacher
Running and Walking Club
Exciting Fitness News!! Students in the grades 3, 4, and 5 have the opportunity
to participate in an after school program, which will prepare them to run a 5K
(3.1 mile) race. The CCES Running and Walking Club will begin on Monday, May
4th, and will take place on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Students will
need transportation home from the club on those days.
regarding the Running and Walking Club will be sent home soon!
More information
Career Day 2015
Attention CCES Parents, Grandparents, Retirees, Aunts, Uncles and Community;
If you are interested in sharing your career with students, please remember to complete and send
in the Career Day Presenter Form that was sent home recently or simply fill out the section below.
All jobs and careers are welcome!
Here are the dates for this year’s events:

On Thursday, May 14, we will hold our traditional Career Day for grade 3-5
students from 1:30-3:30.
o This afternoon session will contain several 20-minute blocks where you will
meet with a small group of students and discuss your career.
o On Tuesday, May 19 (Rain Date: Friday, May 22) we are going to hold our second
Truck and Tractor Day for PreK-2 students from 9:15-11:45.
o If you use a truck or tractor for your job, please consider joining us!
I would love to have a total of 10 vehicles for students to explore and
learn about.
My hope is that some folks from last year will be able to join us again and we’ll get some new
jobs represented as well! It would be great to have as many careers represented as possible so
that students can learn about all the choices out there from “real people, doing real jobs”!
If you are interested in learning more about Career Day (or Truck and Tractor Day), or have
questions about volunteering, don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
CAREER DAY PRESENTER FORM
(PLEASE RETURN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE)
Your Name
Child(ren) & Teacher(s)
I am able to participate in (please check all that apply):
Career Day, on Thursday, May 14 (Please plan to be here from 1:15-3:45).
Truck and Tractor Day on Tuesday, May 19 (Please plan to be here from 9:00-12:00).
Rain Date for Truck and Tractor Day on Friday, May 22.
Occupation and description of what you do
Best email to contact you
Best phone # to contact you
Will you be able to bring handouts or hands-on materials? YES
NO
Please indicate any special needs or notes for your presentation (DVD player, overhead projector,
computer and/or presenter, etc.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Classroom Guidance News
In addition to career exploration, we will be spending classroom guidance time learning about and
reinforcing bullying-prevention strategies. The concept of empathy is so important when making
choices about what we say and how we act. Positive choices made with empathy will help make
peer relationships better rather than worse. My hope is that each one of our children feels
confident and exhibits empathy in order to get along with others!
The following books are great stories to read at home about friendship and bullying prevention:








The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill
Simon’s Hook by Karen Gedig Burnett (A favorite of grades 3-5 about handling teasing.)
Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna
The Bully Blockers Club by Teresa Bateman
Nobody Knew What to Do by Becky Ray McCain
Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornon and Maria Dismondy
Big Bully by Greg Watkins
Trouble Talk by Trudy Ludwig (An important story about spreading rumors.)
Group & Individual Guidance
If you would like for your child to participate in a lunch group with me, please let me know. As
always, feel free to contact me if you have any behavioral, social, or academic concerns about
your child and would like for me to meet with him/her individually.
Mrs. Marino,
School Counselor
PTO News
The PTO thanks the fabulous school community for continuing to support PTO sponsored events!
We especially thank those who attended the Sock Hop on a snowy evening. Once again, the
children really enjoyed themselves and looked awesome in their 80’s attire!
We are also sponsoring a RUN FOR READING on Wednesday, April 22nd, otherwise known as the
annual Walk-a-thon. All the funds collected will benefit the children with new books for the
classrooms.
Our Family Movie Night was such a huge success that we will be offering another night this time
outside (if the weather cooperates). The tentative date is May 1st.
On Olympic Day we will be offering food for sale. Look for more details to follow regarding these
events and more.
Many Spirit Wear orders have been submitted! If you haven’t ordered, there is still time to show
your Canal Digger pride! Orders are due Thursday, April 9th.
Thank you everyone for making our school truly a small town delight!
Ms. Palmer, Mrs. Steiner and Mrs. Galasso