It is that time of year when the holidays are all around us. We are reminded of the blessings and gratitude we feel for the people in our lives. I am so grateful for the Carpenter Hill Colts and every person that is a part of our school community.
Our students have engaged in a gratitude project throughout the month of November. The idea sparked and has grown into something much bigger. At the top and bottom of the stairs are materials to write a note to someone in the building to share your gratitude. This idea has continued into the month of December in the form of gratitude Christmas cards. In addition, this project has extended beyond our four walls. All of our first through fifth grade students created a Christmas card for a young man who is in the hospital. I was overwhelmed by the care and warmth extended by our students. They do not know this young man, but they know he is in the hospital during this time of year. It melts my heart to see the outpouring of love our students have for others.
Colts (and their families) are working hard to stay healthy and attend school every day. We know that attendance matters. We miss our students when they are away. We continue to strive for 97% and better each week. Even with holiday plans and illness entering the school we had 96.97% attendance last week. We want our students present to grow their brains and continue to share their knowledge and understanding with others.
We are working hard to finish the semester strong. When visiting classrooms students are all abuzz with excitement and eager to share their learning and knowledge. Whether they are working on Dreambox, talking about geometry, writing in their journals (and adding a detailed picture), playing soccer, practicing for a holiday performance, coding, or meeting with their teacher in small groups they want to share their experiences. Our teachers continue planning engaging lessons. Students are actively involved in their learning.
Our students continue to grow in math. We are tracking student progress with our resources Formative Loop and Dreambox. We know math can be difficult and that practice and persistence are necessary. Our students, teachers and families are committed to the task. Our students have mastered 16, 565 math skills in Formative Loop, which averages to approximately 31 skills per student. Wow!! Our students continue growing in their math numeracy in Dreambox too. I am thankful for hard workers.
“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” around Carpenter Hill as holiday decorations or winter scenes fill our hallways. Next week we will have a few dress up days for our students and staff to participate in should they choose. With all of this fun we still have valuable assessments to complete to gauge progress.
I am so thankful to be a part of this school. What an amazing experience! We have a community filled with hard working, good people desiring to make a difference for the students at Carpenter Hill. Blessings to everyone this season.
All my best,
Debbie
