Greetings Parents:

It’s hard to believe that we only have two weeks before our Thanksgiving Break, as the last couple of weeks have been very busy here at Locust Grove Elementary.

First I would like to acknowledge our PTO and volunteers again for a wonderful job in planning a very successful Fall Festival. The on-going hard work and dedication that has been provided is greatly appreciated.

Mr. Brown, our school counselor, recently conducted the mentor orientation for those interested in supporting our students both socially and/or academically. If you did not have an opportunity to participate is this note worthy cause please contact Mr. Brown or Ms. Stone, the Parental Involvement Paraprofessional, for more information.

Parents with students that participated in the Georgia Milestone assessment will receive performance scores in the upcoming weeks. Information of how to interpret scores collected from the new assessment will be provided, as such cannot be compared to that of the CRCT. If there is an identified area where your child may need additional support, we encourage you to visit the Parent Resource room to check out instructional materials that can be utilized for extended practice.

The Georgia Department of Education requires that all schools participate in a School Climate survey. Stakeholders at all levels will participate in this process (staff, students and parents). This is where we need your help, as your feedback will assist in guiding the work that we do as a school. The Georgia Parent Survey is modeled after the student survey and contains 24 questions. Parents may complete the survey using their personal computer, smartphones or tablet. The data will be used as part of the calculation of the School Climate Star Rating. Survey responses are anonymous and will be submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education for analysis. Please take the time to complete this survey using the following URL address:

Georgia Parent Survey:

http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/parents.nsf/Survey.xsp

Kindergarten InformationHello Parents and Guardians! Kindergarten is a busy place! This November we are learning about Pilgrims, Native Americans, and the first Thanksgiving. We have additionally learned about maps and globes. We even found some treasure along the way! It is exciting to see how our students are learning to read and improving every day. Please be sure to practice sight words regularly and read with your child. In math, we are beginning our shapes unit. We will be covering two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and learning about their attributes. Please reinforce all of these skills with your students at home and ask them about their day!

Dear Second Grade Families,

This month we are thankful for YOU! We appreciate all that you do at home to

help your kids grow! We have been working really hard at learning how to solve one

and two step word problems with addition and subtraction. Also in reading we have

talked about different points of view, main idea and how to write from resources. The

children have been really excited to learn about the Creek and Cherokee Indians and

their way of life and comparing it to ours. Please begin to work with your children on

counting money, telling time to the hour, half hour, five minutes and quarter hour.

Don’t forget the canned food drive that will help needy families. It will begin on

Monday, November 9, 2015. The class with the most participation will get a pizza party.

PLAY FIRST IN MATH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! Congratulations to Mrs. Ponder’s class

who has yet to be beat as the FIRST IN MATH TEAM OF THE WEEK! Keep playing!

Third graders are doing an amazing job learning many new concepts! We are continuing to learn different strategies to multiply and divide numbers. We are also learning how to effectively explain our thinking as we solve word problems

that involve using any of the four operations.

The students have also been learning about how to use photographs, maps, etc. to help them understand the text. Science is being integrated into this subject,

as well. The students are using passages about Georgia Habitats. These passages contain maps, photographs, etc. that will give the students additional information about habitats. The students will also choose one Georgia Habitat

and write an informational piece about it. This piece will include: location, animal and plants that live here, and adaptations those animals and plants must

have in order to survive in this habitat.

Please make sure your child is completing activities on First In Math, math homework, as well as reading every night!

We fabulous fourth graders continues to rock and roll in learning; we have learned so much over the past nine weeks. We have completed our pre/post assessment, and have experienced tremendous growth in all areas. We will continue this trend as we aim to master all areas of the curriculum.

Reading

Our small guided reading groups have been very effective in improving students’ goal in reading. We are still continuing to meet with individuals as well to ensure that their needs are being met. Digging deeper into the text and citing textual evidence continue to be the main focus in reading. Please continue to help your child become better thinkers by asking your child higher order questions in order to promote their critical thinking skills.

Mathematics

We are now approaching Unit 3 in our curriculum; however we want to share with you how much we have mastered in math. We now have a better understanding of Numbers in Base Ten and Number Operations. We are making better sense of numbers, and even more meaningfully engaged in our mathematical applications. Our students are extremely excited; they are expressing their passion for math each day. Students are explaining their mathematical thinking and justifying their answers. We are super excited!!

Social Studies/Science

In Social Studies, we have completed our units on Native Americans and Explorers; in Science we have completed Ecosystems, and we are currently learning about (Solar System) - Planets and Stars. Our new Science lab teacher Mrs. Brown is assisting by reinforcing these concepts though hands on science experiments. We continue to apply our reading skills in these contents areas.

Writing

Finally, in writing, we have been working on expository pieces. Students are working on strengthening their and organizational skills. We are linking content through writing as well. Therefore students will use their understanding of the planets and stars to construct writing pieces; this will also be done using topics in social studies.

Parents, please continue to encourage your child to complete his/her nightly homework; nightly homework assists in reinforcing concepts taught in school which ultimately helps prepare students for further success. When all homework is done for the week, students receive a PAW to go towards attending the Wildcat Fest. PAWS are earned in various ways. The next Wildcat Fest is coming soon, so reach for every opportunity to earn PAWS.

It is hard to believe it is already November! This month will fly quickly, too. We have been hard at work in 5th grade!

• Students did a great job presenting their very creative 4-H projects.

• In Math, we are working on decimals to the thousandths. Remember to talk to your kids when you are shopping (in the store or online) about money and even have

them try and estimate how much money will be spent.

• We learned about famous inventors of the 19th century and will be moving on to immigration in Social Studies Your child may be asking about where your family came

from as we will participate in an Ellis Island simulation to see how it felt to be an immigrant.

• In Reading and Writing we are working on non-fiction text. Students did an awesome job with their informational magazines. We will continue to work on

informational writing with a focus on immigration. Students will look at two articles and compare and contrast the hardships immigrants faced coming to America.

• Finally, we are so excited about our trip to Rock Eagle in March! A letter was sent home with pricing and payment options. If you have a great idea for a fundraiser and

would like to help, please let your child’s teacher know.

We are so thankful to have such an exceptional group of 5th graders!!

Last month, I shared information with you the Standard for Mathematical Practice (SMP) #1, which was to “Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.” This month, we want to help our students with SMP #3: “Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.” This means that they have made sense of their answer and can explain it.

Students at all grades can listen or read the arguments of others, decide whether they make sense, and ask useful

questions to clarify or improve the arguments. They may use pictures, objects, or other actions to explain “why” they have that answer. You can use sentence stems like:• Tell me what your answer means. • How do you know that your answer is correct? • If I told you I think the answer should be (offer a wrong answer), how would you explain to me why I’m wrong?To watch videos of Standard #3 in classrooms, please visit https://www.illustrativemathematics.org/practice-standards/3 Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions about the math in your student’s classroom. You can email me: mhall@henry.k12.ga.us

Thanks,Mollie HallMath Instructional Lead TeacherLocust Grove Elementary770-957-5416

Locust Grove Elementary would like to congratulate our School Level winners for our 2015 Literacy Days competition. We are very proud of their hard work! For the Poetry Recitation contest, our

winners are as follows:Kindergarten – Khalil First Grade – Kendall

Second Grade – Brooke Third Grade – Mahkel

Fourth Grade – Phoebe Fifth Grade – Richard

Our Writing winners are:

Kindergarten – Ian First Grade – Misiah

Second Grade – Jesse Third Grade – Ivory

Fourth Grade – Damiah Fifth Grade – Eliana

These students participated in the South Area Cluster Literacy Days competition on Friday, November 6. They all represented Locust Grove Elementary School very well.

Science LabLGE is very excited about the addition of the Science Lab. Students will come weekly to do hands-on experiments and scientific explorations that enhance the curriculum in the classroom. Parents we need your help, donations of household objects to help our students. In order to provide such activities, we are asking for the following donations. Thank you for your support and be sure to check out the Science Lab in room 3!

Donations requested (Please write "Science Lab" on containers.)• 2 liter bottles with lids• Yarn• Scissors• White board markers• zip lock bags (various sizes)• Pencils• Tape• Kleenex tissues• hand sanitizer• Paper towels

LGE’s Afterschool Program is “SUPER”! That’s right…we have a SUPER Staff, lots of SUPER Activities and the kids say it’s… SUPER FUN! WELCOME to our new and returning ASEP families. Our largest group is our 3-5th grade group with almost 30 students! Not far behind is our K-2nd group with almost 20! Ms. Loretta, Ms. Bethany, Ms. Donna, Ms. Ciera, Ms. Lindsay and Ms. CeCe have been working hard to make sure our kids stay engaged and entertained. Afterschool is a special place at LGE and we are excited to see what the year holds!WISH LIST: Our students read every day and our books have had a good life but are showing their age. We would love to refresh our book library. Please consider donating your gently used (or new) books to the LGE ASEP Library. We can use books on any level, but prefer no “board” books. REMINDERS: • Anyone picking up a student from ASEP should be ready to show identification. Sometimes we have instructors cover the office and they are required to ask for I.D. Please understand that this is for the safety and security of our students. We appreciate your patience and understanding. • PLEASE be sure we have current contact info, including names of authorized people who can pick up your child on file. • Tuition is $50 per week (5 days). We operate every day that school is in session. • You can pay online at myschoolbucks.com (small service charge applies).• Our program runs from 2:30 pm until 6:00 pm. After 6:00pm there is a $1.00 per minute late charge. • Currently we do not offer “Drop In” service. ASEP INFO: LGE’s After School program is offered through Henry County Schools and gives families/students the opportunity for after school care and the students don’t have to leave the building. We are here every day that school is in from 2:30pm-6:00pm. Students have a nutritious snack, complete homework, and have at least 2 enrichment classes per day, as well as gym and/or recess time depending on the weather. Cost of the program is $50 per week, per student. If you are looking for reasonable and fun after school care, with qualified professionals, contact Mr. Lavon Brown @ (770) 957-5416 or Lavon.Brown@henry.k12.ga.us for more information.

Junior Beta Update!

Junior Beta had their 1st "Borrow - a -Jr Beta" Club member service

project on Wednesday, November 4th and it went WELL!!!! Thank you

to all the LGES Wildcat Teachers for helping our members help you,

too! Most Jr Betas have also helped with a LGMS project run by Dr.

Lynette Falkner regarding seat belt mini-pillow kits for medical patients

with a port or sensitive breast cancer scar. Amber, our Club President,

has run parts of a couple of our meetings with the help of Karly, our

Club Vice President! Kaylee has been a major asset as our Secretary,

too!

Title I provides federal funding to schools that have high poverty levels. The funding is meant to help students who are at risk of falling behind academically. The funding provides supplemental instruction for students who are economically disadvantaged or at risk for failing to meet state standards.

The Title I program originated as the Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965. Its primary purpose was to ensure that all children were given the opportunity to be provided with a high quality education. Title I is the largest federally funded education program for elementary and secondary schools. Title I is also designed to focus on special needs populations and to reduce the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students.

States that have Title I schools have several requirements to keep the funding. Schools must have a child poverty rate of at least 40% to operate a school wide Title I program. A school wide Title I program can provide benefits to all students and is not just limited to those students who are considered to be economically disadvantaged.

LGE TITLE I FAST FACTS: Locust Grove Elementary is a School-wide Title I School ALL LGE Teachers and Paraprofessionals are Highly Qualified Parents/Guardians may ask for teacher/staff qualifications at any time LGE has no designation from the state Schools can be labeled as Focus, Priority, Reward All families were invited to participate in the Family Input Team meeting where we discussed, received

input, reviewed and revised our Parent Involvement Plan and School Compact for Student Success for 2015-16.

Title I Funding provides: Math & Literacy Coach (Ms. Hall and Ms. Rainer) Parent Liaison (Ms. Kim) Family Resource Room (Room #1) Title I Tutors Technology and Resources Additional Teacher Training Parent Engagement Budget 1% (Approx. $3000) Academic resources in Math, Literacy & Science to be used at home to support student success. Family Nights / Academic workshops to provide families with understanding of math, literacy and science

standards so they can help children at home.

LGE is a school-wide Title I school that receives extra funding from the State and Federal government to support student academic success.The 2015-16 LGE Parent Involvement Plan and Compact for School Success has been sent out.

Extra copies are available in the Family Resource Room (Room #1), as well as in the front office and on the LGE website: www.henry.k12.ga.us/lge. New families registering should receive a copy to review and then return the acknowledgement form. This is a Title I requirement and it’s important for everyone to know what LGE has planned for student academic success! If you need transportation to a meeting or workshop, school papers or other documents translated or need the services of a translator, please contact Kimberli Stone 770) 957-5416 or Kimberli.Stone@henry.k12.ga.us and she’ll be happy to help you out.LGE Has a Parent Team that meets monthly to discuss school activities, data and other information. Check the website for dates. Everyone is welcome to join us and give input and ideas about how to make LGE the best it can be! LGE spends 1% of its Title I Budget on Parent Involvement/ Engagement resources and activities. A survey will be sent out at the beginning of the year, asking for your input on how we can best use money. If you have suggestions or resources you’d like to see in the Wildcat Resource Room, please contact Ms. Kim. All our family resources are housed in the Wildcat Resource Room (#1 across from the office). Stop in and see what we have that you can use at home to support your child’s academic success! LGE wants to meet the needs of all our families. If you need anything translated into your own language, we can provide that for you. Also if you need transportation to LGE for PAWS Conferences, Parent/Teacher Meetings or other Activities we can help!

LGE quiere satisfacer las necesidades de todas nuestras familias Si necesitas algo traducido a su propio idioma, podemos disponer que para usted. También si usted necesita transporte a LGE para Conferencias PAWS, reuniones de padres / maestros u otras actividades que podemos ayudar.

My Name is Kimberli Stone and I am the Parent Liaison for Locust Grove Elementary. As a Parent Liaison my goal is to keep

parents/guardians inform of school activities and volunteer opportunities. I also operate the Parent Resource Room located in Room 1 directly across from the main office.The Parent Resource Room was allocated by Title I to provide free academic resources to the parents to help assist students at home. Everything in the Resource Room is FREE to check out with no time limit! The Room has activities that are also used in the classroom and games to help with family bonding while building academic skills. There is a wide arrangement of Parent Power books that are available for checkout.

The Parent Resource Room is open from 7:45 AM – 3:00 PM. If these times are not convenient for you, please give me a call and we can schedule an appointment.

I am very excited to be here at Locust Grove Elementary and eager to help our parents help our students! If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact me by e-mail at Kimberli.Stone@henry.k12.ga.us or 770-957-5416.

I look forward to serving you!!Kimberli StoneLocust Grove Parent Liaison

We are proud to have community partners that support our school and more importantly our student’s success! If you are interested in becoming a Partner in Ed, Please contact Ms. Kim Stone or Mr. Brown for more details on partnership!

November 5 Science STEM Night 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

November 9 - 13 Student Led Conferences

November 16-19 Grandparent Appreciation week and Book Fair!!

November 23-27 No School