DODDS-Europe

Schweinfurt EMS September 2012 www.schw-es.eu.dodea.edu www.TeamSchweinfurt.com CIV: 09721-81 893 DSN: 354 6734/6518 Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. 4 p.m.

Thanks to the U.S.O., Trevor Romaine, a prolific childrens author came to visit our school and gave presentations to the students to help them cope with kids issues like bullying, homework, and deployed parents. Romaine, a former South African soldier himself, talked to the students about what it is like to worry about parents and how to deal with their emotions. Telling very poignant tales from his own life, and creating a cartoon to help the students relate, he had a very moving and enjoyable presentation.

Thanks to the Schweinfurt Army Garrisons Fire Department, students of all ages were able to explore fire trucks, practice holding a water hose to put out fires, and learn about important safety techniques. The fire department brought four emergency trucks, including a Hazmat Containment Vehicle, that students learned about and even sat inside. The highlight of the presentation was being able to pretend saving a local house from disaster as students doused pretend flames with the water thrower.

Miss Edwards Kindergarten students have been busy this Fall. In late September we made a Venn Diagram with the apples we brought in and then made homemade applesauce. It was all natural and very yummy! Then as part of Hispanic Heritage Month we made refried beans from scratch and then had mini-burritos for snack. Everyone gets a chance to take part, or observe the process from beginning to end. As part of our curriculum we cook 2-4 times a month. It is really exciting to see the children involved in Math, Science, Social Studies (culture), Nutrition and Language Arts as we explore different foods where they are from, how they are made and what they taste like! Thanks to our parent volunteers we are able to add this dimension to our learning experience!

October 23-31 Oct-Red Ribbon Week 24 Oct- Dental Screening for Sure-Start; 8:30 26 Oct-Middle School Dance-Bingo/Chili Cook off 6-9 pm 28 Oct- Scholastic Book Club orders due 31 Oct-Kindergarten Fall Festival November 01 Nov-End of 1st Quarter 02 Nov-No School for students-Teacher work day 03 Nov-Crafters Market 8:00-3:00 in MPR 06 Nov-PTA Meeting 08 Nov-Parent Conferences (SS-8th grades) 09 Nov Parent Conferences (SS-5 grades) 12 Nov-No School Veterans Day 15 Nov-Principals Coffee @8:15 22-23Nov-Thanksgiving Holiday 29Nov-01Dec- Jungle Book Performances December 04 Dec-PTA meeting 06 Dec-German Local school visits SEMS 8:00 -1:00 06 Dec-Principals Coffee@ 8:15 08 Dec-Arts and Crafts Show 8:00-3:00 in MPR 14 Dec-3rd grade Holiday Program 1:45-2:15 17-21 Dec PTSA Holiday Market 24 Dec-04Jan-Winter Recess

Jordan, Alyson, and Samantha enjoy their gameboard based on the book Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph. Jaylon and Travan getting ready for a another game.

The National PTA Reflections Program encourages students across the nation and in American Schools overseas to explore their artist talents and to express themselves by giving positive recognition for their artistic efforts. Since it was founded in 1969 by Mary Lou Anderson, millions of students have benefited from this program. Last year four students attending our military schools in Europe received recognition for their achievements at the National PTA level. Students may submit an original piece of art inspired by the annual theme, in any of following arts areas: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts. Student artwork is recognized and judged with the appropriate developmental age and skill levels in mind, the Reflections Program is organized by school grade, offering 5 divisions: Primary Preschool-Grade 2, Intermediate Grades 3-5, Middle Grades 6-8, High Grades 9-12, Special Artist NonGraded. The Special Artist Division is a new division of the Reflections program. This is a non-graded division limited to students whose physical, cognitive or mental health challenges meet the guidelines in the American Disabilities Act. There are specific rules and guidelines for each art area. Students may enter numerous times in any or all of the arts areas. Deadline: January 17, 2013. Contact the SEMS PTSA for more details.

News Flash for October: by Michaela Perkins, Brianna Jackson , and Mariah Ramirez Student Council and the National Junior Honor Society are off to a great start for SY 2012-2013. Elections were held for both organizations and the elected officers are: Student CouncilCarson Kreager (President) Kyle Pingco (Vice President) Aiyanna Ordillas (Secretary) Michaela Perkins (Treasurer) Kayla Dozier (Parliamentarian). The class reps are: Quincee Jones, Jacob Mathews, and Miranda Moore are the 8th Grade Reps, while Vanessa Lake, Taj Pahman, and Kenya Sligh for 7th grade and 6th grade reps are Gabriella Grum, Brianna Jackson, and Georgia Kauble. National Junior Honors Society officers are: Lindsey Goodrich (President) Faith Flynn (Vice President), Alyssa Nair (Secretary), Vanessa Lake (Treasurer), and Shania Hickey (Parliamentarian). The Middle Grades held a Halloween Dance on October 26th and the theme was Haunted Mansion. Both Student Council and NJHS helped organize and set up for the dance. Students danced to Halloween songs and some popular tones. In addition to the dancing there was a costume contest. The 8th grade held a chili contest to raise money for their field trip later this year. On October 19, NJHS and Student Council members volunteered their time to the SEMS PTSA Fall Festival. Students and parents enjoyed the activities for the students. During October Student Council organized a Red Ribbon Campaign to make students more aware of drug use and the effects it can have on your health.

In the September Newsletter we explained what CSI meant and how it is a process in all schools in DoDEA as well as public schools in the United States. We introduced the Smart Goals for Schweinfurt Elementary Middle School which centered on Reading Comprehension and Problem Solving. For each of the smart goals, we have introduced a school wide strategy for helping our students to become more proficient in those focus areas. In Reading Comprehension, we are implementing a program called The Six Comprehension Strategies and will be focusing on one strategy a month. An overview of the strategies is listed below. As you read at home with your children, you might want to use some of these strategies when talking about what you and your child are reading. September focus Making Connections October focus Visualizing November focus - Questioning

In Mrs. Voce/Mrs. Smiths class we did an experiment involving raw and cooked eggs. First, we formulated a hypothesis about which egg (boiled or raw) would spin faster. We also had to defend our choice. Second, we cooked the raw eggs for 20 minutes and discussed evaporation and condensation. After the eggs cooked we investigated the characteristics of the boiled eggs. We used hand lenses to observe the inside and outside of the shell and recorded our observations. We then cut our eggs in half and observed the yolk and egg white. Our final reflections were about how a raw egg and a hard-boiled egg are similar and different. We also learned (and saw pictures) about how different birds lay different eggs: some have spots, some are different colors, some are of different sizes, etc. At the end of our experiment we ate our eggs. We learned that science can be exciting and fun.

Students in grades K-5 are making Veterans Day cards for 1-91 CAV soldiers who are currently deployed in Afghanistan. Mrs. Andrea Savage, a very involved parent, came in and asked if the school would help support the Family Readiness Group (FRG) by making cards for their soldiers. The FRG wanted to get cards out to soldiers by the end of the month, in time for Veterans Day. There was no question that students at SEMS could help. This is one small way that our students can touch soldiers and bring a smile to their faces during these long months of deployment. Some students were even able to make cards for their very own parent!! This was an opportunity students and soldiers will not forget. Overall, it was a touching experience both for the school and the community.

By Lynn Szatkowski October 3rd proved to be very sweet day in the Schweinfurt EMS cafeteria, the winners of the lunchroom rewards program were rewarded for their good lunchroom behaviors with an ice cream sundae celebration. The new lunchroom rewards program was created by the lunchroom team as an incentive to promote good lunchroom behaviors for grades 1-5 as well as fostering a learning environment and to support our school wide CSI goals. Every day at lunch each class has an opportunity to earn 2 Wilbur bucks for following the lunchroom rules, at the end of the month the class in each grade level with the most Wilbur bucks is the winner and will be rewarded with a special treat. Septembers winners were Ms. Broomheads 1st graders, Mrs. Donaldsons 2nd graders, Mrs. Guests 3rd graders, Ms. Myers 4th graders and Mr. Jordans 5th graders.

We, the people of 6th-8th grade Art, have been drawing sunflowers for the past month in the Art Room (Ms. Oliverson, room 86). We students were studying the life cycle of the sunflowers and the famous artist Vincent Van Gogh while learning how to draw from real life (a still life). We started out by doing contour line drawings of the sunflowers. Thats when you dont draw from your imagination but by copying something thats really in front of you. We drew the sunflowers. After we practiced, then we made a picture (still life) and colored it. Ms. Oliverson called this a study, and then taught us about Vincent Van Gogh and his series of sunflower still life paintings. Then, we moved on to the fun part, drawing the sunflowers using oil pastels. We made our own series of sunflower still lifes like Vincent Van Gogh with the oil pastels. Some of us made a few and some of us made many, but they are all very good. (Nathan made 5, one for each sibling he has, plus one for himself.) Some of our pictures are realistic and some are abstract and colorful. Weve been working on them for the past few weeks and weve watched and drawn the sunflowers from the time when they were fresh and new until they started to die. Every week, Ms. Oliverson brings in new ones and we add them to our collection. We also named a sunflower Thomas because it was staring at my classmate, Thomas when he was drawing it. Thomas was the longest living sunflower in our class, so we called him the King of the Sunflowers. He is in everybodys picture. Next, Ms. Oliverson is going to give our dried out sunflowers to Mr. Kowalskis Science classes so they can study how they make seeds. The experience we had was great!

Schweinfurt EMS Newsletter

After studying about life in the Western Hemisphere, Ms. Kennys class chose different projects to report on. Some students reported on Pyramids, Mound Builders, (these people lived in mounds for protection). Another interesting project was created by Janelle Pierrette on the Hopi Kachina doll, Gavin recreated a hunting stick from the early people, and Leedema Bagosbah made a colorful Mayan necklace. There were also tepees and archeological sites, but most enjoyed was Ava Beardens Anasazi foods report. She actually made soup with many of the grains

BINGO!!!!!!!! Did you hear the roar? On Thursday, September 20th PTSA sponsored a Bingo and Movie night for the community. It was a huge success with $75.00 gift card being the big prize. Many families went home with polish pottery, crystal and full stomachs! Hotdogs, chips, baked goods, and popcorn were sold for dinner. Yum! The children had a choice of playing Bingo with their parents or enjoying a movie. It definitely was a fun family night event! If you missed it, plan on attending the next Bingo event on October 26th. Dont forget to activate your PTA Membership Card at www.pta.org helpful hint in the area that asks for City use APO and the state area in the dropdown is AE Activate your PTA membership card and start using those benefits!!

From the Nurse:

When the dark and cold weather starts to kick in we usually close the windows and reach for the thermostat to keep our homes cozy and insulated from the cold winter. But, the result can be stuffy, germ-ridden, dry and polluted indoor air, so what do we need to keep in mind when using the central heating through the winter months if we want our families to stay healthy? Keeping the heating blasting out and doors and windows shut to keep out the cold can bring health hazards of its own. An unhealthy atmosphere is far too prevalent in homes and schools during the winter. Perhaps we have the idea that we must keep warm at all hazards, and by acting on this assumption we overcoddle ourselves into chronic ill-health. A warm stuffy house/classroom is the direct cause of illness; because if people do not breathe enough pure cold air, the lungs and respiratory passages deteriorate in health. In winter conditions we spend far more of our time indoors where central heating and closed windows provide a nice cozy environment for germs to breed. And spending more time cooped up together means that viruses spread more quickly from one person to another. Indoor heating dries out the air in the home, which can have several health implications. First of all, it interferes with the functioning of the mucous membranes of your nose, making you more susceptible to colds and other viruses. Secondly, very dry air can aggravate some respiratory conditions and illnesses, such as asthma, allergies and croup. In fact, some cold or flu-like symptoms may actually be a reaction to dust, fungi and other pollutants that have collected in the stale and dry indoor air. If we lived out doors all the time, protected only from wet and discomfort by a rough shelter, we would never contract colds at all. "Cold" is a disease of civilization. A person who is educated up to the idea of keeping his/her house/room rather too cold than too hot, is working on the right lines. If we are busy, we generate heat. If we sit about doing nothing, we deserve to catch cold. The right way to keep warm is to wear warm clothing, and to keep up the body heat by healthy movement and good food. We are thus more independent of artificial heat, and can do without heaters that are kept too warm. Many parents make the mistake of keeping their homes too hot, so the children contract a cold from the sudden change of temperature. Heaters are not necessarily unhealthy so long as the windows are kept well open, but when the heaters are kept too warm and windows are shut we invite illness into the home. People must understand that cold winter air is not harmful, but beneficial to health. Colds do not find their way into the house where people keep open windows all year long. So remember: open the windows in every room of the house, and keep them open all day, or partly open, at least all night long. This is one of the first essentials in the healthy home. A good temperature range is between 64F to 69.5F (18C and 21C degrees).

Mrs. Vails third grade class finished up their Social Studies Economics Unit with a bartering day. Students brought in goods to trade, completed an inventory, and learned the value of their products as they attempted to trade with other students.

Question: What is the origin of E-N-T-H-U-S-I-A-S-M? Answer: The 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee! Thats right, potential championship spellers; the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee is coming to Schweinfurt EMS! Start practicing your spelling! Classroom teachers will soon begin preparing you for this event by holding an internal classroom and grade level spelling bee in your classroom. Lists of spelling words will be provided so you can get ready for competition How can you prepare yourself for a Spelling Bee? P-R-E-P-A-R-A-T-I-O-N is the key. Start now! Even though the actual spelling bee is more than two months away, you can get a jump on it by starting now. The following are some suggestions: Set up a study area. Select a quiet place where you can go to study. Collect word lists. Get these from your teacher, or go on-line and research spelling bee work lists. (There are hundreds of them!) Study your lists at every opportunity. Take advantage of free time (even a few minutes in class when you finish your class work) and get your list out and study.Set up a workable schedule. Determine that you will study so many words or pages a day. Participate in the Spelling Bee Study Hall. A study hall will soon begin for interested students.The Spelling Bee will be in the Multi-Purpose Room on January 17, 2013. That may seem a long way off, but those who want to be P-R-E-P-A-R-E-D will begin now! More tips and study hints will be published in future articles of this newsletter.

The Goal: For children at Schweinfurt Elementary/Middle School to develop a passion for reading and build on their comprehension. How? By having children read books independently or with their class and then taking computerized quizzes about the books they have read. Children can choose a book from the Information Center OR a book from home. **Make sure the books is Reading Counts. You can check at http:// src.scholastic.com/bookexpert/default.asp? UID=5B531B6F654446B08F702997A29D1EED&subt=0&Test=NA After reading the book children can take a Reading Counts quiz on a computer at school. Each quiz has ten multiple choice questions about the book. Children must achieve a score of 70% in order to get points for the quiz. If a child doesnt pass the quiz he or she can reread the book and then retest after 24 hours. Children have three chances to pass the quiz. Students have a reading range (either number or letter) from their teacher that they should be reading at. The books chosen for reading counts quizzes should fall into this range. School library books are color coded to help students choose books in their lexile. Please see your childs teacher if you need clarification on your childs level. Then What? Children begin to earn points for the quizzes they have mastered. Once at 5 points, he/she adds their brick to the Reading Counts Castle in the MPR. Students and or the class may set goals for the number of points. As they continue to earn points, their brick moves up the castle wall: 10 points, 15 points, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 300 and finally 400 +, which is named the Knights Hall of Fame. Students entering Knights Hall will be invited to a private ceremony and party at the end of the year. Our goal is not the number of points, but that all students are participating and building on their reading skills. For this, we will be doing quarterly incentives. Classes with 100% participation will earn a Reading Rocks Class Reward Children who maintain a quiz average of 70% or above will hear their name on a special morning announcement. Teachers in grades 1-5 also choose three students from each class who have shown significant growth in their reading to receive the Wilbur Award. Schweinfurt students love to challenge themselves to read more and more books every school year.