1. education
2. school

DOLPHIN SPLASH
G i l p i n
M a n o r
E l e m e n t a r y
S c h o o l
A Message from the
Principal and Assistant Principal
May 2015
Dear Families,
The fourth marking period is underway and our students continue to put forth their best effort here at school.
During the month of May and into the first few weeks of June, students are expected to continue to work hard
in all of their academic areas as well as to demonstrate our core values of respect, responsibility, and safety.
Many of our students have been recognized on the morning news for “Making a Splash,” meaning that they
have done something exceptional that has been noticed by one of our staff members; for example, working
hard to improve a grade on an assignment, helping another friend without being asked, exceeding academic
and/or behavioral expectations, etc.
The month of May and June bring many events for students, families, and staff. Most grade levels will be going on a field trip during the month of May. Please be sure to turn in the permission slip and field trip money
before the day of the trip; this helps us to get an accurate count for admission, transportation, and lunches.
Staff Appreciation Week is May 4 – 7. During Staff Appreciation Week, staff members are recognized for
their hard work and contributions to help students reach their greatest potential. If you haven’t come out to a
PTA meeting yet this year, consider joining us on May 12 at 6:00 PM. On May 14, GMES will host the Science Fair. Several students are participating by completing individual or class projects. We hope that you’ll
stop by to see the research and experiments that were conducted.
Don’t forget to note these important dates:
Tuesday, May 12: 4th MP Interim Reports Are Issued; PTA Meeting
Thursday, May 14: Science Fair
Thursday, May 21: Spring Concert
Friday, May 22: Inclement Weather Make-up Day – School is Open
Wednesday, June 3: Fun and Fitness Day
Friday, June 12: Last Day of School
Thank you for your continued support of Gilpin Manor Elementary School. We are always looking for feedback (positive and constructive!), so please don’t hesitate to contact the school if you would like to share what
we are doing well and/or what we can do to improve.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dingle
Principal
Mrs. Nesmith
Assistant Principal
Business Partners with Union Hospital of Cecil County and
Cecil County School Employees Federal Credit Union
***REMINDER***
S c h o o l i s o p e n f o r s t u d e n t s o n F r i d a y, M a y 2 2 .
CLASSROOM NEWS!
In Second Grade, we are continuing to build and refine our math skills. We will be estimating and solving real world problems using mathematical strategies, explaining the importance of place value, fluently add-­
ing and subtracting numbers, representing and analyzing data, and measuring objects using the appropri-­
ate measurement tool. In Social Studies, we are examining "change." We are comparing the past and the present, and identifying how and why things change (such as communication, transportation, commu-­
nities, etc.). In Science, we are continuing exploration of air and weather. In RELA, we are acknowledg-­
ing differences in the points of view of characters in a story, describing how words and phrases supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song, and describing the connections between a series of histor-­
ical events, scientific ideas, or steps in technical procedures. We have had a fantastic year and our se-­
cond graders have made a tremendous amount of growth. We are very proud of each and every one of them, and hope that everyone enjoys their summer!
Third grade is gearing up for the fourth marking period. Students are preparing to take the Spring Scantron assessment in Math and Reading. In Math, students are learning about the attributes of quadri-­
laterals. We will then apply our knowledge of quadrilaterals to help us find area and perimeter. In Read-­
ing and Writing, we are focusing on the Compare and Contrast text structure. Students will examine the similarities and differences between characters in texts and texts by the same author. In addition, stu-­
dents will use Compare and Contrast vocabulary words to help them construct paragraphs to highlight similarities and differences between two related topics. You can practice this skill at home by having your child read two books on the same topic, comparing and contrasting recipes, or discussing the similarities and differences between two objects. In Social Studies, we are learning about how economic principles help us manage our money and make us wise consumers. As the marking period is underway, please encourage your child to continue reading, study their spelling words, and practice their math facts daily.
Fourth grade has been busy and will continue to be busy through the end of the school year. We have had our trip to Fort McHenry and it went very well. Our fourth graders understand more about the history of Fort McHenry than many other schools. We will be taking our next field trip on May 26th to Mount Har-­
mon. There, students will explore what life was like during the colonial times. In Language Arts, we have been exploring perspectives and point of view. Our students have been creating opinion pieces using fac-­
tual information to support their opinion. They have been exploring the difference between first person and second person, as well as firsthand account and secondhand account. In Math, we are entering our Geometry unit. They will be exploring attributes of angles and shapes. Lastly, our students will be looking at the Earth's surface in Science. They will be exploring the history of the earth as well as landforms that have been formed because of the changing of The Earth. We look forward to all of the wonderful end of the school year events! It is an exciting time of year for 5th grade. The fifth grade students will be participating in many fun and educational experiences during the fourth marking period. They will be traveling to the Conowingo Dam for a field trip, visiting Elkton Middle School, playing in a kickball game against the teachers, and prepar-­
ing for their promotion ceremony. In addition, parents and guardians will need to be on the lookout for Family Life permission slips. In the classroom, the students will be learning about the American Revolu-­
tion in Social Studies, cells in Science, volume/polygons/line plots/converting measurement in Math, and point of view in Language Arts. Family and friends, please mark your calendar for the Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony which will be held on Friday, June 12 at 9:30 AM. The ceremony will be held here, at Gilpin Manor, in the cafeteria.
Counselors Corner
PBIS RELATED…
A Special THANK YOU to Ashlie Burkhardt, local Jazzercise Instructor and Josh Hayhurst, SuperDojo Karate Instructor, for joining us for our Marking Period 3 No O Zone event! Our kiddos had a great me working out in celebra on of their respec ul, responsible and safe behavior.
5th Grade – Mark Your Calendars!
As a part of our transi on from elementary to middle school (I know, can you be-­‐
lieve it?) our 5th graders will be visi ng Elkton Middle School on the morning of May 27th!
Also, during the evening of May 27th, parents and students will be invited to join EMS staff at Elkton Middle for an evening of sharing. Please keep an eye out for more informa on from the 5th grade teachers
IMOM
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IMOM Chapter Meeting will be held on May 21, 2015. If you haven’t had a chance to attend, please do so this month.
It is a great opportunity to spend quality time with your child and discuss topics to better your relationship!
You may RSVP by cutting the portion
of this page below and return it to
Mrs. Steczak by May 18th.
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IMOM RSVP is due back by May 18th to Mrs. Steczak.
Name of adult(s) attending:______________________________________________
Email address:__________________________________________________________
Names of Children Attending:
_______________________________
______________________________
P.E. Fun & Fitness Day GMES Newsletter
Fun & Fitness Day 2015 will be held on Wednesday, June 3rd. The Procession of Grade Levels and Opening Ceremony will begin at 9:30 AM in the school parking lot next to the Elkton Middle School athletic fields. The Fun & Fitness Day festivities will begin following the Opening Cere-­
mony and last until 1:15pm. All classes will be eating lunch in the cafeteria at their normally scheduled lunch shift time. Please DO NOT sign your child out and leave the school grounds for lunch. Students will be receiving ribbons and a treat between 1:30-1:45 PM. If you would like to take your child home fol-­
lowing the festivities, you may sign your child out with their homeroom teacher in their classroom. Please join us in the festivities and watch your student-athlete(s) participate in fun cooperative games, competition, and exercise! Thank you!
Attention All Chorus Members:
Our Spring Concert will be on Thursday, May 21st at 6:30PM in the cafeteria. All chorus members are expected to attend the evening concert.
Please dress in your best attire for this occasion (a solid colored shirt and
black slacks/skirt would be fine). Chorus members should report to the
music room by 6:15PM so that we may warm up and prepare to go on
stage.