11/28/2010

What's Happening in your Grade in December?

KINDERGARTEN For Social Studies we will be focusing on traditions. Students will share their family traditions with the class. In Math we’ll be studying combinations to 6 using counters to combine sets. (Example-one and three make four). This is not focused on written addition but focused on using manipulatives. This helps the students see in a concrete way to combine sets. We’ll have various Christmas activities. We’ll participate in the Christmas Sing-Along (this is not a parent program, just for students).

Season's Greeting from FIRST GRADE! This month we will be learning about different holiday traditions from around the world. We will sample different foods, play games, learn dances, and gain a better appreciation for other cultures. We will be learning map skills as well. If you have lived in or traveled to another country and would be willing to share your experiences with us, please let your child's teacher know as soon as possible! Thank you for all your help and support this year! We hope each family has a wonderful holiday season!

Seasons Greetings from SECOND GRADE! December brings lots of Christmas learning and fun. The students will be learning about the Christmas traditions of other countries as well as our own traditions. Along with these we will be working with counting money, measuring items, working with time and continuing adding and subtracting with two and three digit numbers without regrouping. We hope you all enjoy your winter break.

THE THIRD GRADE is super excited about the holidays! See you later B Track, and welcome back C-Track. Many of our students are in choir and we are excited to see them perform for the school. Some classes are having holiday parties and spreading good cheer. This month the character trait the school is focusing on is "caring" and this is a great time of year to show others you care with a random act of kindness. Miss Gilan's class is making scarves to donate to the homeless this Christmas before they go off track. There are so many awesome things going on in the 3rd grade, we truly have an amazing group of students.

This month FOURTH GRADERS will be working on multiplication and division (remember to study your math facts at home!), learning about the water cycle, fossils, and soil, and studying trappers and traders. We are also looking forward to some special science presentations by the Utah Museum of Natural History. The Science Fair is coming up in January so those that signed up to participate should be working on projects. Winter is coming so please remember to dress warmly.

FIFTH GRADE is getting ready for the holidays! We are doing some fun art activities that go along with the season. In Science we are repelling and attracting with Magnets. The first ten amendments, also known as, The Bill of Rights, is what we are studying in Social Studies. It’s hard to believe we are almost half way done with the 2010/2011 school year! You know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun! Have a great Winter Break!

SIXTH GRADE Teachers want to thank parents for their support! We have classroom volunteers, room helpers, generous donations, and time spent at home in support of our students. Parent/Teacher Conf. were recently held and we’re thrilled with efforts that are in place to help students succeed. The triangle of Parent/Student/Teacher working together to foster student learning is a must! It is great working with your children. Thanks for all you do!

Box Top Contest Coming in January


Annual Battle of the Box Tops & Labels 2011
Hey, cut that out again! We did outstanding with our Fall Contest ($2384 from Box Tops and 4520 Labels which were doubled by Campbell's this fall for a grand total of 9040 Labels) so keep an eye out for them and keep cutting this winter. Do you think we can beat it? From January 3rd until February 18th, we will be having our annual “Boys vs. Girls” school-wide contest. Each teacher will have a collection folder for boys and girls. The winner will have their t-shirt worn by Mrs. Yost for a day:
“We Won! Boys Rule!” or “We Won! Girls Rule!”
Don't forget: The contest begins January 3rd and ends at the start of school February 18th. Once teachers return after the winter break they will be given $10 each to spend on something they need for their class. Keep watching as we report what supplies or rewards the teachers purchase for their students. Your children get the reward from all your hard work cutting and collecting Box Tops and Labels!
Thanks for your amazing support! Let the battle begin!

Reflections Awards of Excellence Announced


We had so many amazing entries for the Reflections Art Contest this year! Foothills has such talented students! Thank you to all that entered, and the parents and teachers who encouraged them. Five entries have been chosen in each category to move on to the Council level of the competition. The following students have been chosen to continue on in the competition:

Literature:
Kennady C
Courtney D
Mikaela J
Katelyn M
Alyson W

Music:
Katelyn M
Ellie P
Brynne R
Gideon R
Mason S

Photography:
Heather D
Kathryn H
Race M
Elsie S
Morghan W

Theater:
Ruth B
Blake P
Reina P
Garrett P

Film:
Ruth B
Alex B
Kennady C
Garrett P
Sarah S

Dance:
Brianna D
Blake P
Reina P
Garrett P
Madison R

3D Art:
Alex B
Girbaud F
Easton M
Phoebe S
Caprice W

Visual Arts:
Allie C
Joshua G
Katelyn M
Makayla S
Blake W

We especially want to thank the businesses that so generously donated prizes for Reflections! Holdman Studios and the Art Institute at Thanksgiving Point donated 5 gift cards for the winners of the 3D art category to make a blown-glass flower in their studio. What an exciting way for them to learn something new and keep being creative! Arctic Circle donated coupons for free ice cream cones to every student who entered. That's a lot of smiles to share! The Herriman Walgreens donated a wonderful prize for the class that turned in the most entries. Every student in that class will receive their own single-use camera, a treat, and a coupon for developing their next masterpiece. And the winning class is (drum roll please) Mrs. Ford's 6th grade! Thanks for entering, all of you! We hope you all continue to be creative and have fun with the arts.

11/04/2010

Notes from a Librarian: Historical Fiction


(Webmasters Note: Although it is not July, many of our older grades are busy studying Utah and American history, so I thought this article would be appropriate.)

Historical Fiction


July is a month when we remember the past and is the perfect time to pick up a historical novel. Fortunately there are some great historical novels for children. Even kids that usually only like to read fantasy may find they really enjoy these books because they have fully developed characters and well crafted plots in addition to well researched historical settings.

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (2000)

This book is about a girl in Philadelphia during one of our country’s worst epidemics, the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. In three months the fever killed about 10% of the population of the city. The sickness not only brought death, but also food shortages because the farmers are afraid to enter the city. The book is carefully researched and explores all the ramifications of that kind of situation. The author tells a good story with interesting and believable characters. For ages 10 +.

Charlotte’s Rose by A.E. Cannon (2002)
You may already know that Anne Cannon is LaVell Edward’s sister. She has written a number of books for young adults, but never really wanted to write a “Mormon” book. Her editor encouraged her and so she wrote Charlotte’s Rose. It is a story of a girl and her father who are converts and are crossing the plains to Zion. Along the way Charlotte agrees to take care of an infant whose mother has died and whose father is too grief stricken to care for the child. I like this pioneer story because it is not overly sweet, idealized or preachy. The book was written for the national market, but it portrays Mormons as real people instead of either religious fanatics or spiritual superheroes. Ages 10 +

Lord of the Nutcracker Men by Iain Lawrence (2001)
At the beginning of the book, Johnny is living in London with his family at the start of WWI. Like so many children from that time period, he is sent into the country so that he will be away from the fighting. Johnny’s father is a toy maker who enlists and is sent to the trenches in France. He spends the long hours of waiting carving little statues of the men he sees around him and sends them with his letters to his son. The boy sets up the little men and has them act out the different battles of the war. As Johnny plays with the little men, he begins to believe he can influence the real events going on in the battlefield. This book is populated with wonderful characters that are fully developed, and change and grow during the course of the book. One of the great moments of the book is when the father describes the miraculous Christmas Truce of 1914 and Johnny plays out the truce with the little men. Ages 10+

Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt (2007)
It is strange to think of a book about the 1960’s as a historical fiction but this fun and entertaining story actually deals with some of the major issues of that time period. The main character, Holling, is stuck alone in a class room with Mrs. Baker every Wednesday afternoon. At first he thinks that Mrs. Baker hates him, but during the year they find out a lot about each other through studying Shakespeare together. As a result they are able to support each other when Mr. Baker goes MIA in Vietnam and Holling’s sister gets caught up in the hippy movement. Many of my fellow librarians thought this one should have won the Newbery last year. Ages 8+


Donna Cardon is a children's librarian at Provo City Library and a well known children's book critic. We'd like to thank her for allowing us to republish her articles for our readers.

10/28/2010

What's Happening in your Grade in November?

KINDERGARTEN no report.

FIRST GRADE November is a month of Thanksgiving. We will be doing many activities that focus on Thanksgiving. We will be studying about customs and traditions such as popcorn and butter making. We will also be studying nutrition--learning the food pyramid and understanding what kinds of foods we should be eating to live a healthy lifestyle. We will also be learning about good hygiene--being good to your nose and cold prevention. We always encourage our students and their parents to read at home to reinforce the skills taught at school.

As we head into November, SECOND GRADERS will be learning about Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims in Reading and Language Arts. In Math, we will be extending our present skills with money and measuring. We will continue to practice adding and subtracting with two and three digits (without regrouping). We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.

THE THIRD GRADE would like to thank the Rotary Club for donating dictionaries to our students. They are becoming better at spelling and writing because of them. We are also excited to meet with parents for Parent Teacher Conferences. This year the 3rd grade is going on a field trip to the Clark Planetarium. Tracks A and B are going on Tuesday, November 23rd. Our team wishes you a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

FOURTH GRADE Tips for not being a TURKEY in 4th grade this month:

T
wenty minutes or reading a night.
Use common sense and dress for the weather
Recorders will be ordered
Keep practicing multiplication facts
Everyone come to Parent Teacher Conferences
Yearn to learn!

FIFTH GRADERS continue to work hard. In math we're tackling long division and beginning fractions. Colonial America will come alive for students in Social Studies. Many 5th graders are learning their states, capitals, and postal abbreviations. Mrs. Onaderra, our literacy specialist, is helping our students become fantastic writers. She's especially focusing on persuasive writing with them to prepare them for our State Writing Assessment we will take in February. Continue to encourage your students to study weekly spelling and vocabulary words and be prepared on all their book reports and poem recitations. We're proud of how hard our students are working!

Did you know that SIXTH GRADE has a Guidance Program? We meet together as a grade and discuss how important it is to show kindness and respect for others. We focus on a specific character trait each session. These include extending the hand of friendship, responsibility, integrity, individual differences, bullying, moving past mistakes, setting goals, truthfulness, etc. Sometimes we even have guest speakers present these important messages. We have really seen a difference in the way the kids interact and treat each other! We enjoy working with your awesome kids!

10/27/2010

Affordable Health Care Option


The Outreach Secretary for the Health Services Department of Jordan School District wanted us to share the following information with our parents that do not currently have health coverage and do not qualify for Medicad.

Primary Care Network (PCN) is a health plan offered by the Utah Department of Health and covers services administered by a Primary Care Physician. Enrollment is based on family size and household income with priority given to families with children.

Open Enrollment is November 8th - 22nd.

Please visit the PCN website for more information.

10/25/2010

Boxtops Contest Results


Outstanding! Excellent job!

Our Fall contest earned us $2384 from Box Tops and 4520 Labels which are doubled by Campbell's this fall for a grand total of 9040 Labels! The winning class was White (D track) followed by a close second with Craven (C track). Each student in these two classes received a mini pumpkin! Other top classes included Foster AM, Foster PM, M. Brown, Tipton PM, and Colvin PM - - each student in these classes received a mini bag of popcorn and a couple mini pumpkins to decorate their room with. Thanks for your amazing support of Box Tops and Labels. Please keep saving your Box Tops and Labels over the next couple months since our 2nd Annual Boys vs. Girls Battle of the Box Tops and Labels will be from Jan 3 till Feb 18. The winner will have their t-shirt worn by Mrs. Yost: "We Won! Girls Rule!" or "We Won! Boys Rule!" So remember to: Cut That Out!

UPDATE: The teachers at Foothills Elementary were recently told they each get to spend $2 per student (in their class this year) on whatever they choose. Your children get the reward from all your hard work cutting and collecting Box Tops! As the teachers spend their money we will report to you what each teacher purchases for their classroom. (Check out the PTA website to see the list from September and October.) Here's what more teachers have purchased:

Cox (2nd grade): Art supplies.
Yates (3rd grade): 24 Dictionaries to be used everyday for spelling.
Rudd (3rd grade): White boards, dry erase markers and totes for students work/assignments.
M. Brown (4th grade): Building Fluency books, folders, notebooks, classroom supplies.

10/22/2010

PTA President-Elect Needed

Often as parents we wonder about the programs that are running at the school. Are they meeting the needs? Are they good enough? Is enough being done? We may ask ourselves: "What are they doing about it?" or "When are they going to do such-and-such" or we may even wonder: "What are they thinking?"

You are "they." You, the parent of a Foothills student are "they" of the PTA. The P in PTA stands for Parents. All of us siting on the board are busy parents just like you. For most of us, a neighbor or friend begged us to come and serve with them and so we do. We are are "they."

We are begging you now. You don't need special skills, all you need is willingness. We need a President Elect to join us now and learn the ropes of PTA so that he/she will be ready to lead in 2011-2012.

So come make new friends. It's not as hard as you think. You may even have fun. And you will have the satisfaction that you've made a difference in the lives of lots of children.

If you have even a little interest in becoming part of the PTA board in any way contact the school who will put you in touch with the PTA president. Or leave a comment here on this site.

Book Fair Volunteers Needed



We are having a Book Fair in the school library during Parent/Teacher Conferences on November 3rd and 4th and then again on Nov 17th and 18th. Book Fair is a great way to get books into the hands of your children and encourage their love of reading. It's also an opportunity for you to donate books to the classrooms.

Volunteers are needed for the following days:

Thursday November 4th from 3:15-5:15
Wednesday November 17th from 3:15-5:15
Thursday, November 18th from 3:15-5:15
Help is also needed taking down the book fair on Friday Nov. 5th at 9:30
and Friday Nov. 19th at 9:30.
If you can help call Adrien at 3 02-11 31.

Volunteers will receive a $5.00 credit toward anything at the book fair.

10/19/2010

Parent Teacher Conferences A,B,C Schedule Online

Starting October 20th through October 27th you can schedule your A,B,&C track parent-teacher conferences online at this link: https://www.canyoncreeksoftware.com/scheduler/ut/jordan/index.cfm

The school's password is "mustangs".

When you schedule your appointment you'll be given a Confirmation Number that you can use to go in an view or reschedule your appointment if needed.

And information sheet with step by step instructions will be coming home this week with your student. If you need help with scheduling please call the school at 302-8599.

10/18/2010

Reflections Rules and Entry Form Links


Summery of Reflection Categories and Links to Complete Rules and Entry Forms

Theme: "Together We Can"


Complete rules can be found at the links below or copies of the rules may be picked up at the front office. Please read through official rules before entering to be sure your entry will not be disqualified. The following summery is provided only for convenience. Each student is responsible for following all the official rules of participation.



General Participation Rules
can be found Here.

You may also read this article from this site for more general information about Reflections.


Rules Summaries

Literature
Link to Offical Rules. Please read before entering. (PDF)

· May be fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry or drama (not a collection)

· May not exceed 2,000 words

· Submit one original and two copies, Number all pages

· Illustrations may be included but will not be judged

· Paper not to exceed 8 ½ x 11 inches

· Write student’s name on back of each page; submit in manila folder with Official Entry form in a sheet protector attached to the back with masking tape.



Photography
Link to Official Rules. Please read before entering (PDF).


· Original black & white, color, or group of images.

· All images included must have been taken by the student. Collages of photos not taken by the student should be entered as Visual Art.

· Not to exceed 11 x 14 inches

· Mount on cardboard mat or poster board, do not frame (must be 2D)

· Protection with shrink wrap or plastic cover is highly recommended

· Official Entry form taped to the back of the photograph in plastic protector and attach to the back of the photograph with masking tape.



Musical Composition
Link to Official Rules. Please Read before entering (PDF).

· Voice, instruments or combination. Lyrics or instrumental

· No longer than 5 minutes

· Entire composition must be the original work of the student.

· Use of notation software is permitted in the printing of the score. Midi or algorithmic composition software is not permitted.

· Student doesn’t have to be the performer.

· Notation required for Middle/Junior level (6th grade), not required for primary level or intermediate level.

· Record the performance on CD (audio recording)– write name, grade, state and year on cardboard or plastic container

· Pack CD in a large envelope with score (if required)

· Secure Entry form in a plastic sheet protector to outside of envelope with tape.



Visual Arts
Link to Official Rules. Please read before entering (PDF).

· Paint, drawing, print, collage, photographic collage, etching, punch work, fiber work or computer-generated artwork.

· Must be flat no more than 3/8 inch thick

· Not to exceed 24 x 30 inches including mat.

· Mount on cardboard mat or poster board, do not frame (must be 2D).

· Protection with shrink wrap or plastic cover is highly recommended

· Official Entry form in sheet protector, taped to the back of artwork



Choreography/Dance

Link to the Official Rules. Please read before entering (PDF).

· Must be original choreographed dance (your own moves and combinations)

· Recorded on DVD. .MPG/.MPEG, .MOV/.QT (quick time), .WMV (windows media). Recording should be saved as a file, NOT AS A DVD MOVIE.

· Up to three dancers – the choreographer doesn’t have to be the dancer.

· No longer than 5 minutes

· Write name, grade, state and year on cardboard or plastic container of CD

· Pack CD in large envelope

· Secure Entry form in a sheet protector to outside of envelope with tape



Film/Video
Link to Official Rules. Please read before entering (PDF).

· Animation, narrative, documentary, experimental, media presentations. No PowerPoint!

· Student must be director, screenwriter and cameraperson

· If using computer, the student must do the work

· No longer than 5 minutes

· Acceptable Formats: .MPG/.MPEG, .MOV/.QT (quick time), .WMV (windows media). Recording should be saved as a file, NOT AS A DVD MOVIE.

· Write name, grade, state and year on cardboard or plastic container of CD

· Pack CD in large envelope

· Secure Entry form in sheet protector to outside of envelope



Theater
Link to Official Rules. Please read before entering (PDF).

· Mime, storytelling, monologue, puppeteering or one act

· All script, costumes and sets must be the work of the student.

· Up to three performers may be used, the student does not have to be one of the performers.

· No longer than 5 minutes

· Recorded on DVD. .MPG/.MPEG, .MOV/.QT (quick time), .WMV (windows media). Recording should be saved as a file, NOT AS A DVD MOVIE.

· Write name, grade, state and year on cardboard or plastic container of CD

· Pack CD in large envelope with a copy of the script

· Secure Entry form in sheet protector to outside of envelope



Thee Dimensional Artistic Creations
Link to Official Rules. Please read before entering (PDF)

· Any art having length, breadth and depth

· Sculpture, Jewelry, Visual Arts, Ceramics. (no kits, or precast ceramics)

· No size limit but must be movable.

· Attach copy of completed Entry form in a sheet protector. List materials used, and process.

· Photographs of advancing 3-D art entries will be taken by the PTA for the next level of competition.

Reflections General Information


"Together We Can"

Entries Due: October 22nd

What is Reflections?

· Reflections is a nationwide arts program sponsored by PTA. The program “provides opportunities for students to express themselves and to receive positive recognition for their artistic efforts.” (www.pta.org)

Who May Enter?

· Every student is invited to enter as many or as few of the seven categories as they would like (only one entry per category). The categories are: Literature, Musical Composition, Photography, Visual Arts, Dance, Film/Video, Theater*, and 3D-Art*.

· Reflections projects are generally done outside of the classroom. Though teachers may encourage students to submit class work as Reflections entries.

· All Reflections entries must be the work of only one student.

How Do I Enter?

· Read the official rules for the category you would like to enter. Official rules are available from a link found at the Utah PTA website or copies are provided at the front office.

A summery of the category requirements and specific links to rules and entry forms can be found on this website.

· Follow the guidelines carefully so that you don’t get disqualified.

· Do your very best work! (Students must do their own work.)

· Completely fill out the entry form, include signatures.

· Turn in your entry by the due date.


How Are Entries Judged?

· Each entry is judged in three areas: creativity, artistic merit and interpretation of theme.

· Entries receiving Awards of Merit will move on to compete at council, regional, state and national* levels.

· The Grade Divisions are as follows: Primary K-2; Intermediate 3-5; Middle/Junior 6-8.


Incentives

Students receive a treat for every entry they turn in. The class with the most entries will have a fun class activity and all entries will be awarded ribbons. The top 5 entries in each category chosen to go on to the next level will receive a gift card.


Remember, this is a fun chance to be creative and to express artistic talent. Not every entry can win, but everyone is a winner by entering. Have fun!


*3D-Art and Theater are Utah PTA pilot programs and do not go on to national competition.
Did you know that in 2007 Utah had more per-capita national Reflection winners than any other state?

Did you know that last year Foothill’s Elementary has had two entries make it all the way to the state level?

10/03/2010

Red Ribbon Week October 4-8


I Aim to be Drug Free

Please take time to sign and return the Red Ribbon Pledge that accompanied your Red Ribbon week letter. All the student's pledges will be displayed on their classroom door.

Monday: "I Aim to be Cool and Drug Free"
Wear: Your cool shades (sunglasses) to school
Activity: Make a target and darts in your class to display in the cafeteria.

Tuesday: "I Aim to Put a Cap on Drugs"
Wear: Your favorite hat
Activity: Assembly

Wednesday: "I Aim to Sock it to Drugs"
Wear: Your craziest pair of socks, mismatched socks
Activity: Sock Hop, There will be fun music and events outside at recess.

Thursday: "I Aim to Turn My Back on Drugs"
Wear: Your shirt backwards
Activity: Fill balloons with classroom pledges

Friday: "I Aim to Take a Stand for a Drug Free Land"
Wear: Red White and Blue
Activity: Students who have family that are in the armed services, law enforcement or safety/protection professions are invited to come to school for lunch. Please sign up by Wednesday if you want to buy a school lunch. Don't forget to come dressed in uniform! We will also have fire fighters and their trucks on the playground at lunch recess. Students can take the opportunity to visit with these heroes in our community and tell them thanks.

What's Happening in Your Grade in October?

From last year’s box tops collections, teachers were able to spend 2$ per student. In each grade’s report are some of the things they have purchased thus far.

In October KINDERGARTEN will center many activities around the upcoming holiday of Halloween. We will continue to spotlight a letter each day. We will be learning spooky songs and participating in our fun Halloween party that we have planned. A unit that we will be focusing on is Autumn. We will be learning the different characteristics of the current season.

Box Tops: Colvin: Train/map set for geography & social studies; construction sets for fine motor skills.


In FIRST GRADE Our first grade students will be doing lots of exciting things in October. We will be learning about fire safety and the season of fall. We will be participating in the Red Ribbon Week activities and talking about taking care of our bodies. We will be doing some fun Halloween learning activities as well!


During October, SECOND GRADERS will continue to work on learning new skills with reading, language arts and math. We will be exploring a new part of our curriculum--outer space. We are continuing to practice for our music program in the new year. October is a fun month with Halloween activities and our first party. Please continue to have your children read 20 minutes a day and complete their weekly homework packets.

Box Tops: Eastman: Organizing tubs for math games and centers.

The THIRD GRADE is super excited about the Jog-A-Thon. Thank you for your support in this awesome fundraising activity! We are also pleased to announce the classes that had 10 days of perfect attendance: Miss Gilan, Ms. Droz, Ms. Webster and Mrs. Weldy. The classes are doing an awesome job collecting box tops and Campbell soup labels. We are off to an awesome start and look forward to conferences with you in November.

Box Tops: Webster: Notebook/composition books for reading, math and science; folders for each student and stickers/erasers. Weldy: Tools and materials to make artist trading cards. Gilan: Notebooks, pens, markers, and erasers.

FOURTH GRADE will be working on many things during October: addition, subtraction, multiplication, Native Americans, Mountain Men, Utah environments, rocks and minerals, and much more. Watch for information about Halloween parties - D track will have theirs before they go off track. 4th graders on tracks A, B, and C will present a short Halloween program after the parade on Friday, October 29. As is starts to get colder, please send your child to school appropriately dressed for the weather.

Box Tops: D. Brown: Electric pencil sharpener, recordable DVDs and DVD cases. Draper: Folders, colored pencils, positive stickers, twizzlers and name tags. White: Foam dice, playing cards (both for math box homework) and Torch Awards Medals for making homework goals.

FIFTH GRADE is working busily in many subject areas. We are working hard in writing with Mrs. Onederra. She is our school's reading specialist and is working twice a week with each class to make them EXCELLENT writers. We enjoy having her expertise in our school. We are continually working hard in math; learning more about graphs, addition and subtracting whole numbers and decimals as well as multiplication. Most classes are studying Changing of the Earth's Surfaces for Science. We’re having a great learning year with fantastic students!!

Box Tops: Alm: Friday's rewards and Friday's drawing items. Hebertson: Candy for Friday reward activities and for drawings. Opie: Candy for rewards and auctions; marbles and buckets for incentive program.

SIXTH GRADE is planning a Star Party! We have been studying stars and constellations in science class and now we can put our new knowledge to practice! On Oct. 11 at dusk, we have invited the Salt Lake Astronomical Society to bring their professional telescopes and let all sixth graders and their families look through them. They will answer our questions and teach us even more about the moon, planets, star clusters, other galaxies, nebulas, binary stars, etc. We realize this is a school night (Monday), however, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of our students to look through these types of telescopes. To add to the good time, we have made plans to sell doughnuts, drinks, and glow lights. The Foothills 6th Grade Star Party should be an exciting event that you won't want to miss. We hope to see you there!

Box Tops Contest Ends Oct 8th


Hey, hurry up and - - cut that out!

The Box Tops and Campbell's Labels Fall Contest ends Oct 8th at the start of school! Please turn in as many Box Tops and Campbell's Labels as you can! (Campbell's Labels is doubling EVERY label we send in this fall! Wow!)

The winning class will receive mini-pumpkins and a story from Mrs. Yost.

Stay tuned for who the winning class is!


UPDATE: The teachers at Foothills Elementary were recently told they each get to spend $2 per student (in their class this year) on whatever they choose. Your children get the reward from all your hard work cutting and collecting Box Tops! As the teachers spend their money we will report to you what each teacher purchases for their classroom. In the September newsletter you read what 11 teachers as well as the 1st Grade and 6th Grade Teams had purchased so far. (Check out the PTA website to see the list from September.) Here's what more teachers have purchased:
Colvin (Kndrgrtn): Train/map set for geography & social studies; construction sets for fine motor skills. Eastman (2nd grade): Organizing tubs for math games and centers. Webster (3rd grade): Notebook and composition books for reading, math and science work; folders for each student and stickers/erasers. Weldy (3rd grade): Tools and materials to make artist trading cards. Gilan (3rd grade): Notebooks, pens, markers, and erasers. D. Brown (4th grade): Electric pencil sharpener, recordable DVDs and DVD cases. Draper (4th grade): Folders, colored pencils, positive stickers, twizzlers and name tags. White (4th grade): Foam dice, playing cards (both for math box homework) and Torch Awards Medals for making homework goals. Alm (5th grade): Friday's rewards and Friday's drawing items. Hebertson (5th grade): Candy for Friday reward activities and for drawings (kids who earn tickets for good behavior, 100% on spelling/vocab, getting planners signed, etc.). Opie (5th grade): Candy for 5th grade rewards and auctions; marbles and buckets for incentive program.

9/24/2010

Thanks to Jog-a-thon Volunteers!

The PTA would like to thank all the many parent volunteers that came out to support the jog-a-thon on Friday. It was so great to see moms and dad and siblings running along side their Foothills Students!

We'd also like to thank our Dare Officer and the Herriman High Mustang for coming to cheer us on.

Many thanks to Holly Jones, our Fundraiser chair, and her committee for organizing the event. And thanks to Mrs Yost and Mr. Hanson for their support of the PTA.

Foothills Parents on Facebook


An unofficial group of parents have formed a group on facebook. They send out notices right to your facebook page about events, the lunch calendar and any important PTA website updates. It's also a place where you can connect with other Foothills parents and share photos and information.

To join, search for "Foothills Elementary Parents" and push the "Like" button.

9/19/2010

School Open for Regular School, Tuesday Sept. 21st

*Updated 4:00 pm*

The Jordan School District Site now says that all schools will be open tomorrow, September 21st.




***********************************

*Update 5:30 am*

The Jordan District Site says the following:

School Closure Information for Sept. 20
  • Due to the significant impact of the fire surrounding Herriman City, the following schools will be CLOSED on Monday, Sept. 20:
  • Herriman High School
  • Fort Herriman Middle School
  • Butterfield Canyon Elementary
  • Herriman Elementary
  • Foothills Elementary
  • Silver Crest Elementary
  • Reasons for school closures:
  • Large numbers of students have been displaced from their homes due to mandatory evacuation.
  • Schools need time for the smoke to dissipate within the building.
  • It’s anticipated that some areas of the fire may not be entirely extinguished by Monday.
  • City and County officials indicate there will be significant traffic congestion and disruption as individuals are allowed to return to their homes.
  • The high school is being used as the emergency shelter facility for all displaced families.

NOTE: Information regarding whether school will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 21 will be made available at www.jordandistrict.org and through TV and radio.


************************************************
Updated 11:30pm

The PTA president got a call from Mrs. Yost. It still has not been decided if Foothills will be closed tomorrow due to the smoke in the air. Please check the 5:00 am news for any closure announcements.

If school is closed PTA will try to get the word out through the room parents.

The school district website will have closure information for all local schools, but as of right now is crashed due to high volume. www.jordandistrict.org

Will update this site as new information comes in.

9/16/2010

Jog-a-Thon, Come Cheer on our Kids!















Foothills Jog-a-Thon is Friday, September 24th.


AM Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grades - 9:00am

3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Grades - 10:00am

PM Kindergarten - 12:00pm

All B Track Students are invited to come and participate. B Track students should come to the gym 15 minutes before their start time.

Volunteers are needed from every class to help with crossing guard, water stations and to stand along the route. Please contact the Room Parent of your children's classes to volunteer. All Volunteers need to arive 15 minutes before their classes scheduled time.

All other parents, family members and members of the community are invited to cheer our students on along the jogging route. Please click on the image of the flier above to see a copy of the route.

PTA Jog-a-Thon Money Due 24th

Money for the Jog-a-Thon for C&D tracks is due on Friday September 24th.

Class parties will be awarded to the class per grade that raises the most money. Prizes will also be awarded to the overall top selling students.

100% of the money earned goes right back to our school.

8/30/2010

What's Happening in Your Grade in September?

In KINDERGARTEN we will be working on the following— Math: Numbers 0-10 (recognition and making sets); Language Arts: We will concentrate on one letter each day in the alphabet. To help us learn our alphabet we will be singing songs, doing activities based around each letter and working on writing our letters the correct way; Writing: We will learn how to write our name
the proper way. Many fun activities are planned based around Fall. By December your child should know all their Alphabet and half of their letter sounds.

In FIRST GRADE we have been busy learning rules, reviewing the alphabet, beginning and ending sounds as well as short vowel sounds, learning numbers to 30 and skip counting. We will be learning numbers to 40 and reviewing patterns. We are beginning rotations and parent
volunteers. Contact your teacher if you would like to help in the classroom. Remember to read every night, complete your homework and return on Fridays. Help your child get enough sleep each night. First grade is much longer than they are used to and they need energy
to focus on important concepts through the day. We are also practicing for the jog-a-thon by running one lap each morning at recess. Please have your child wear running shoes.

SECOND GRADERS are spectacular! We look forward to a new year with your children. Mrs. Janet Craven and Mrs. Mindy Eastman have joined our second grade team. They have been long-time Foothills staff members. Teachers are getting acquainted with their classroom children and have been busy testing reading and math skills. Students have new Rocket Math goals
and are soaring to them. If you have questions about any part of procedures or curriculum, please contact your child's teacher.

The Third Grade is "Off to Adventure". We have been reading: The Lost and Found, Mulan and The Waterfall. Students are graphing and rounding like champions. We are thrilled to meet our new room parents. We are getting pumped up for the Jog-A-Thon and are excited
to participate. Thanks PTA for all the help you give to the students and the staff.

WELCOME TO FOURTH GRADE! We're excited to be learning a lot of things this year. In math we will be doing multiplication and division. Start the year off right by practicing
multiplication facts daily. Remember to read for at least 20 minutes every night and record it on your reading calendar. In science this year we will be studying rocks, minerals,
soil, fossils, weather, water cycle, and Utah environments. Remember to be to school by 8:25 so each class can earn their attendance incentives. Let's have a great year!

THE FIFTH GRADE is off to a fantastic start! We'd like to welcome BACK Mr. Stirland to our team! He taught 5/6 grades when Foothills opened and it’s fun having him back. Fifth grade gets right to work each year with reciting poems and presenting book reports as well as starting to learn the requirements for the Young American Award. We are also excited to have Mrs.
Onederra, the new literacy facilitator, teaching and working with us in preparation for the DWA (the writing test given in February). We look forward to a full and fabulous year!

SIXTH GRADE is planning a field trip to the Utah State Fair on September 14th. September 24th is a Mustang Market activity. Students will run a business. The Star Party is set for October 11th when telescopes will be available to view the night sky.

8/25/2010

Red Ribbon Week October 4-8


Here is a sneak peek at Red Ribbon Week, coming up October 4-8.

The theme for this year is
I Aim to be Drug Free!

We'll get things started with an assembly on Monday with "The Return of Captain Drug Free."

On Wednesday we'll have a Sock Hop.

On Friday we look forward to our annual lunch with military and law enforcement parents and friends.

We have even more things in the works for this fun week. What a great time to remind our children to stay drug free!

Check future PTA newsletters and this website for more information and updates.

Box Top Contest in Full Swing

Hey - - cut that out! The Box Tops and Campbell's Labels Fall Contest starts Aug 23rd! It will end at the start of school on October 8th! Get your scissors out and get clipping Box Tops and Campbell's Labels! Glue the Box Tops and Labels to collection sheets or simply put them in a ziploc bag and turn them in to your teacher! (Links to Box Top collection sheets and Campbell's Labels product lists can be found at the Foothills PTA website.)

The winning class will receive mini-pumpkins and a story from Mrs. Yost. (Feel free to ask your grandparents and other relatives to help your class win!)


UPDATE: The teachers at Foothills Elementary were recently told they each get to spend $2 per student (in their class this year) on whatever they choose. Your children get the reward from all your hard work cutting and collecting Box Tops! As the teachers spend their money we will report to you what each teacher purchases for their classroom.

Here's what teachers have purchased so far:


Foster (Kndrgrtn): Train set for centers.

The 1st Grade Team: Rhythm sticks/CD, wrist ribbons, class sets of magnifying glasses, egg shakers (rhythm), dance CD (for no gym day for PE), label maker, phonics CD. Craven (2nd grade): "Guess My Number" math learning game, shelf for calendar, whole group activities.
Finlay, N. (2nd grade): A paper binding machine for her class.

Redd (2nd grade): Class rewards and incentives, books.
Taylor (2nd grade): Classroom store incentives for turning in homework, following rules, being responsible, etc.

Thomas (2nd grade): Toys and candy used as an incentive in treasure box.
Droz (3rd grade): Composition books for math, journals, glue sticks, markers, colored pencils, theme books for Liberal Arts.

Glattli (3rd grade): "Milk" crates for files (independent work), pencil boxes for each child to use, highlighters, notebook binders.

Haynie (4th grade): Glue sticks, markers, notebooks.
Rowntree (5th grade): Small treats for reward activity which is given out each week for students who complete their work.

Stirland (5th grade): Markers, glue, colored pencils, crayons, treat rewards for Young American Award.
The 6th Grade Team: A bowling pin set so during the winter they will have another fun PE game in the gym. Bowling also incorporates math skills.

8/10/2010

Note from the PTA

(This article also appeared in the August Newsletter)

Welcome back to school! Start off the new school year with a commitment to become involved. A great way to be involved with your child’s education is to sign up for PTA!

Send an email to foothills.pta@gmail.com to get started. There are benefits to being a part of the PTA (programs with HP Academy Store, Metlife, Sharp televisions, vacation packages with SouthWest Airlines, and T-Mobile!). Learn more by visiting the national PTA site.

Within the PTA there are many ways to become involved. One way is by signing up for PTA committees. See [the newsletter - or send a note to the email above] for contact information on available committees. The PTA board is also still looking for a “President Elect”. If you are interested, please contact Allison Strang.

Please volunteer in the classroom! Sign up to help out monthly, every other week, or weekly. Contact your room parent, and if there isn’t a room parent already, volunteer to do that! The teachers can always use our help and the kids love to see the parents involved. Those who are unsupervised with children (on the playground, testing in the hallways, etc) need to be fingerprinted. This can be done FREE of charge at the Jordan District offices at 7387 S. Campus View Drive (Jordan Landing). Contact the front office for more information.

Note: For more information about the Districts new volunteer fingerprinting policy see this article posted last fall.

We have made every effort to ensure that all links leaving this site are appropriate. Foothills PTA cannot be held responsible for information found on other web sites.

Campbell's Soup Labels for Education

This year our school is going to take advantage of free educational supplies we can earn with Campbell's labels. With enough labels our school can qualify for art, athletic and educational equipment.

Please cut out labels and turn them into the collection box by the front office in an envelope or zip-lock bag. It is not necessary to attach them to a collection sheet. However, if you choose to use a collection sheet please do not use excessive amounts of tape or staples.

1 pt Soup Label Collection Sheet (pdf from Campbell's site)

5 pt Soup Label Collection Sheet (pdf from Campbell's site)


Please be sure to cut out just the UPC symbol (not the entire label).


From the Campbell's Website:

Dear Parents:

The Labels for EducationSM program is a great way to get FREE merchandise for our school and it's even better this year. With your help, we can make this year the best ever! Participating in the program is easy — simply save proofs of purchase from participating Campbell products and send them to our school. Some of the products eligible for redemption during the 2009-2010 program year include:

  • Campbell's® soups
  • SpaghettiOs® Pasta
  • Campbell's® beans, gravies, and canned pasta
  • Prego® Italian sauces
  • Swanson® broths and canned poultry
  • Campbell's® tomato juice
  • Pepperidge Farm® breads, cookies, crackers, and frozen products
  • Campbell's Foodservice products

Campbell's has made it easier for f to reach our collection goals with products worth 5 points! The following products are worth 5 points for the 2009-2010 program year:

  • 26 varieties of condensed soup in specially marked cans
  • All Campbell’s® Microwavable Soups
  • All V8® Soups
  • All Campbell’s® Select Harvest™ Soups
  • SpaghettiOs® Pasta (Original and Meatball)

Visit labelsforeducation.com for a complete list of eligible products and point values.

Help multiply our efforts by asking your friends and family to collect proofs of purchase on behalf of our school.

Thanks so much for your support. Together with Campbell's Labels for Education — we can build a better school for our children.


This site makes every effort to make safe and appropriate links to other websites. Foothills PTA, however, can not be held responsible for information on other sites.

8/09/2010

Jordan School District New Volunteer Policy

(This article was posted Sep '09, but is a good reminder for the new school year)

If you've come into the school lately to volunteer, you've been asked to fill out a new volunteer form. You may have noticed some changes in what you are permitted to do as well. Here is some info on Jordan School District's new Volunteer Policy.

If you are coming into school to work with children in the classroom, you will be asked to fill out the "Volunteer Information" form. Copies of this form are available at the office, or you can view a copy online at the Jordan School District site. This form is filed with Foothills. After completing this form you can work with children in the presence of a teacher (not in the hallway or another room).

If you work with children outside the supervision of a teacher, like in the hallway or another room, you must also complete a "Volunteer Eligibility" form, submit to a background check, and have your fingerprints taken at the district offices (there is no charge to you for the fingerprinting). This form is filed with Jordan School District.

Office workers will ask for ID from any volunteer they do not recognize. Both forms must be renewed annually.

A teacher may request that you get the fingerprinting and background check done to make the most of your volunteer time, but they can not require it; it is voluntary. Volunteers that would be hosting holiday parties or other activities where the teacher is NOT present must file the 'Volunteer Eligibility' form with the District.

As always, volunteers must check in and out at the front office and wear an ID sticker.

For more information visit the Jordan School District site.

Thanks to Carolyn at the front office for providing clarification about this new policy for this article.

Notes from a Librarian: Books for Beginning Readers

As a new school year begins there is a new crop of children who will be learning to read for the first time. For some, learning to read is relatively simple. They learn amazingly quickly and enjoy the process. For others it is not so simple. Here are some ideas you can do as a parent, grandparent or caregiver to help a child who is learning to read.

It is important for children to learn the sounds associated with each letter. To teach this to my children I used inexpensive plastic letters with magnets in them. One game we would play is that I would get a simple sock puppet and then scatter the plastic letters on the carpet. I would have the puppet say, “I’m hungry, I want to eat a letter that says Buh.” If the child chooses a B then the puppet says, “Yum yum, that was delicious,” and puts the letter in the letter box. But if the child gives the puppet a different letter the puppet spits it out “Oh, yuck, that letter says, SSSS, not Buh.” Of course, the kids loved giving the puppet the wrong letter, but they were still learning the letter sounds.

Another magnet letter game I used to do while making dinner. I had all the letters in a container by the fridge. The child could arrange the letters on the fridge in any order that they wanted. Then I would have to try to sound out the “word” the child had made. Of course, the kids try to make long “words” that will stump mom. I run my finger under each letter as I sound it out. This teaches letter sounds, and also how to sound out a word.

Another fun way to teach letter sounds is to choose a special letter of the day. Try to find the chosen letter on street signs or on cereal boxes that day. Choose foods for lunch that start with that letter. Pick out toys from the toy box that start with that sound, and wear clothes that are a color that starts with the special letter. The next day, choose a different letter of the day.

It is important for children to learn how to sound out words, but in the end they need to memorize the most common words in order for their reading to become fluent. The more of the high frequency words that they are able to memorize, the easier it will be for them to read. One way to memorize high frequency words is to choose one of the child’s favorite picture books. Then choose one or two common words and invite the child to “read” that word whenever you get to it in the story. Run your finger under the words as you read, but when you get to the special word, pause, and let the child say the word. The next time you read that book, choose one or two other words that the child can “read.”

The library has a section of beginning readers. Many of the books are, frankly, not that exciting. There are some, however, that are fun to read. Here are a couple of my favorite beginning readers.

Minnie and Moo (series) by Cazat
These are not for a really new reader, but a reader who already knows many of the high frequency words. They have funny and very intelligent storylines for an easy reader. The pictures are funny too.

The Elephant and Piggie (series) by Mo Willems.
This is a new series. My favorite is “There’s a Bird on Your Head!” It has very few words, and the words are all easy, but the story is hilarious. I have used this as a read aloud for older school children and they love it.

Don’t Cut My Hair (and other Hello Reader books by Hans Wilhelm)
These books feature a very cute white dog. In this book the dog gets a haircut and is all embarrassed about it. In another one, the dog looses a tooth. The text is very simple, with lots of visual clues from the pictures.

We Can Read (series) by Jacqueline Sweeney
This series has really cute pictures. The illustrations are photographs of animals that have been altered and arranged to make the animals the main characters of the stories. They are books that feature the high frequency words.


Donna Cardon is a children's librarian at Provo City Library and a well known children's book critic. We'd like to thank her for allowing us to republish her articles for our readers.

7/29/2010

Box Top Contest and Update


Hey, cut that out!
Get your scissors out and get clipping Box Tops and Campbell's Labels! We are having a contest for 7 weeks, starting August 23rd, to see which class can collect the most! Glue the Box Tops to a collection sheet or simply put them in a ziploc bag and turn them in to your teacher! Cut the Campbell's Labels UPC code off of participating products, such as: Campbell's soup, Spaghettio's, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers, Prego Sauce, V8 & V8 Splash caps and Swanson broth/stock/canned chicken. (Links to Box Top collection sheets and Campbell's Labels product lists can be found at the Foothills PTA website.) Turn in Box Tops and Campbell's Labels UPC codes to your teacher. Contest ends at the start of school on October 8th. The winning class will receive mini-pumpkins and a story from Mrs. Yost. (Feel free to ask your grandparents and other relatives to help your class win!)

FYI: Watch the PTA website and future newsletters to see what last year's money was spent on. During the 2009-10 school year we raised $3,012 (cash!) from Box Tops. Last year Foothills Elementary was ranked #19 of #969 in the state of Utah for most Box Tops collected. The teachers at Foothills Elementary were recently told they each get to spend $2 per student (in their class this year) on whatever they choose. Your children get the reward from all your hard work cutting and collecting Box Tops! We will be reporting to you what each teacher/grade purchased with the money and how it will benefit the students. We earned 8850 points with Campbell's Labels which is used towards their merchandise. We "banked" those points and will adding to our total this year. We hope to earn enough points so when we redeem them it allows every classroom to get something they can use, such as PE equipment, art supplies, etc.

7/26/2010

Smith's Earn and Learn


Our school is participating in the Smith's Earn and Learn program again this year. Even if you enrolled last year you MUST ENROLL AGAIN for the 2010-2011 school year. An information sheet and bar code was included in the Back to School packets. Take the bar code with you next time you shop and have the cashier scan it. It's as simple as that! Or you can sign up online at the Smith's site.

7/20/2010

First Day Openhouse

This letter was sent to parents:

"The new school year is almost here and we are excite to invite you to our "First Day Open House". This 'Open House' will take the place of the traditional 'Back to School Night'. The format however will remain basically the same. We will invite students and parents to visit student's classrooms for a short presentation. We will schedule 3 presentations from 8:30 to 9:30. At 9:30 students will line up outside by their grade doors or portable classroom and their school day will begin. Parents will be invited to go to the gym for a short PTA meeting."

The letter also encourages parents and students to walk that day to avoid traffic, and invites students to play on the playground after they have visited their teachers (supervision WILL be provided). Kindergarten students will meet their teachers at the one on one interviews and 1st grade students will also be meeting their teachers at the individually scheduled interview.

The letter is signed: Mrs. Yost, Mr. Hansen

7/19/2010

Notes from a Librarian: Reluctant Readers

Helping Reluctant Readers
It is a fact that some kids really don’t like to read. Sometimes it is because they are not good readers and reading is a struggle. Other kids would just rather do something else. Being a good reader takes practice, and if a child doesn’t read well it makes every aspect of school harder. Assignments take longer and it is harder to finish reading based tests. Even after schooling is complete reading opens the door to lifelong learning. If parents can help a child become a reader, it blesses the child for the rest of their life. Here are some suggestions for helping reluctant readers discover the joy of reading.

Let the child read what they want to read.
One day at the library a woman came to the desk and said that her son hated to read (her son was standing next to her). One of the librarians smiled and said, “Let me see if I can find something that will interest him.” She went into the stacks and came back with a nonfiction book about mummies. The boy’s eyes lit up, he snatched the book out of the librarian’s hands and said, “Wow, Cool!” The mother rolled her eyes and said, “I don’t want him to read that kind of garbage,” gave the book back to the librarian and stormed off.

Some kids prefer to read nonfiction.
Some kids, especially boys, cannot be bothered with stories that “are not real.” Reading fiction seems like a waste of time to them. The best book for this kind of child might be a nonfiction book about a topic of particular interest to them. In the last 20 years nonfiction books have become very appealing. They have great color illustrations and interesting interactive formats. Also, they are often shorter than a novel, so they are less intimidating for a slower reader.

The best book might not be a book.
Provo library has an outreach program at the juvenile detention center. Some of the tough kids there wouldn’t be caught dead reading a book, so each time the librarian visits she brings a big stack of magazines. Even the coolest kid is OK about being seen with a Sports Illustrated or Popular Mechanics. The library has a wide range of magazines for kids like American Girl or National Geographic Kids.

Try a recorded book.
A lady came into the library who was concerned about her son’s reading. He was dyslexic and reading for him was slow and difficult. I suggested that she try recorded books, so she chose some books on CD and also checked out the paper version of the same books. As the boy listened to the books he followed the text on the page. It turned out that he really liked listening to the stories, and as he followed along his reading skills improved. After about a year, he began to read paper books independently. This is a good trick, especially when a child is required to read a book for school that may be too difficult for him/her.

Resist the temptation to recommend a book you loved as a child.
There may be books you loved as a child and you feel eager to share them with your own children. That is fine for a child that is a confident reader, but a bad idea for a reluctant reader. The pace of writing in children’s books has really increased since we were children. Books like Anne of Green Gables or Treasure Island will seem painfully slow to a modern child. The best way to find faster paced books for modern kids is to ask a librarian. Another great resource for boys is Jon Sciescka’s web site, www.guysread.com, and for teens, the YALSA website (just google the term, YALSA).

Donna Cardon is a children's librarian at Provo City Library and a well known children's book critic. We'd like to thank her for allowing us to republish her articles for our readers.

Foothills PTA makes every effort to ensure that links to other websites are appropriate. However, Foothills P'TA can not be held responsible for the content on other websites.

6/30/2010

Last Day of School: Friday, July 2nd

The last day of school for 1st - 6th grade is Friday, July 2.

On Friday, July 2nd, School will be 8:25am - 12:30pm (earlier out than usual).

Lunch will NOT be served.


Kindergarten's last day is Thursday, July 1, 2010 (Regular Hours)

School starts again on July 26th A,B,C tracks and Aug 16th for D.

6/28/2010

Field Day is this Wednesday, June 30th

A fun Foothills field day will be held the morning of June 30th for B,C, and D tracks. Make sure your children have plenty of sun screen and wear clothes that can get wet.

6/09/2010

Notes from a Librarian: Summer Reading

Research has shown that kids that don’t read over the summer can lose as much as three months of reading progress they had gained during the school year. When that loss is compounded year after year, it can put kids who don’t read over the summer at a marked disadvantage. How do you get kids to read over the summer? When children like to read, simply going to library often and getting them a fresh supply of new titles is enough to keep them reading. Reluctant readers may need more encouragement. You can get involved with summer reading incentive programs at the library, or create your own program. Another strategy may be to require that a certain amount of reading be accomplished before computer or TV time. The most important thing is to match children up with books (or magazines) that really spark their interest. Here are some hot new titles to try this summer.

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley.
Jack is one of the most popular kids at school, until he gets orthodontia. Then suddenly he finds himself outcast and part of the social group he had always persecuted. He soon realizes that there is more to the school nerds than he ever imagined. They are really international spies with James Bond like skills and gadgets who are on a mission to save the world from an evil mastermind. (Grades 3-6)

Thirteenth Child by Patricia Wrede
Here is a new book from one of my favorite children’s fantasy authors. The fantasy world in this book is based on 1850’s America but it is an alternate reality where magic is a normal part of life. Eff lives on the frontier with her very large family. Her twin in a seventh son of a seventh son, and so has amazing magical powers. Eff, as the 13th child, fears that she will someday go bad and bring ruin on her family. (Grades 5-8)


When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
This is the Newbery award winner from this year. It is a tightly woven mystery that delves into the realm of science fiction. It is also about the complicated relationships between the 12 year old Miranda, her friends, her mother, and a homeless man who hangs out in front of her New York apartment. (Grades 6-8)

The Roar by Emma Clayton
Mika lives in a dark and damp slum of London. Most of the world has been destroyed by a terrible animal plague 30 years previously so now all the earth’s population has to crowd into a few densely populated cities. Mika’s twin disappeared more than a year before the story starts, but Mika believes she is still alive and will do anything to find her. This is an intense science fiction mystery with an environmental message for teens. (Grades 7-10)


Forbidden Sea by Sheila Nielson
This one was written by my dear friend, and fellow Provo City librarian. It will be published by Scholastic in July, but I have already read it and I think it will do very well. It is about a girl who lives in 18th century England on a small island. Her family is having difficult times, and Adrianne works hard to hold everything together. When her sister is almost stolen by a mermaid, Adrianne knows that it is up to her to keep her sister safe. We will be having a release party for Sheila at the Provo Library on July 12th. It is open to the public and it is your chance to hear how the story came about and to get a signed copy. (Grades 7-10)



Webmaster Note: This site has received permission to reprint a series of articles written by Donna Cardon, a Children's Librarian at Provo City Library, and a well known Children's Book Reviewer. Check back to this site for future articles.

6/07/2010

What's Happening in Your Grade in June?

Classroom Capers


Kindergarten -

In Kindergarten we are excited to learn about animals. Each child has presented a report on their favorite animal and we are anticipating our Zoo Field Trip. (May 25 for Tracks A and B, and June 9 for Tracks C and D)

Every kindergarten child is having the opportunity to meet individually with his/her teacher for a half an hour to show what they have learned during the year. It's amazing how much they grow academically, socially and physically during their kindergarten year.

We are continuing to encourage reading and writing. These are "companion skills" and when writing improves, so does reading! Helping you children in very positive ways to improve writing skills is a real benefit to them.

Each class will have an "End of Year Program" where each child is spotlighted on the walk across the stage. You will be receiving more information from your child's teacher.

We want to thank all the volunteer parents which help with the many needs of the students and helps each child receive more attention in learning.


First Grade -

We can’t believe it is time for the end of the year already! We have had a fantastic year and are pleased with all the growth we have seen. We appreciate all the support from our parents and getting to work with a great group of children.
We have recently watched our butterflies go through metamorphosis and enjoyed our field trips to Thanksgiving Point.
We will continue with our study on plants, finish our end of year testing and culminate with activities to prepare for second grade. Thank you for sharing your children with us! We wish them success and all the best in the future!


Second Grade - Second Graders Are Soaring to the End of the Year.

We as a second grade team want to thank you for all your efforts and generosity as parents during Teacher Appreciation Week. We have had a great year with your children. Tracks A and B tracks have finished their CRT testing and Tracks C and D will finish by the second week in June. "A" Track will be having some of their end of the activities in June. The last day of school is on June 11. The rest of the tracks; B, C, and D will have most of these activities June 28-July 2. The last day of school for these tracks is July 2. Even though school will be ending soon, please remind your children that they still need to be reading every night and completing their daily assignments. We hope you and your child feel that second grade was successful and enjoyable.

Third Grade -

Third grade students are looking forward to the end of the year with great anticipation. There are many interesting units planned for the "wrap up". Third graders have made Artist Trading Cards throughout the year and will meet to trade them with friends. Some of the illustrations on the trading cards are tied to the curriculum: other art is chosen by the student. Students may choose to keep their cards or trade them with friends.

Two of our tracks, A and B, took the Utah Core Criterion-Referenced Test the week of May 17th -May 21st. Tracks C and D will take the test the week of June 7th - June 11th.
The third grade C.R.T. measures student achievement in Math and Language Arts.


Fourth Grade -

The time has flown by and now it's June,
Through the fourth grade hallways you'll hear a happy tune!
Recorder songs and program music is being reviewed,
And County Oral Reports will be continued.
The County Fair on June 28th is sure to please,
And end of level testing will be completed with ease.
We appreciate all the parents who have been able to volunteer!
Thanks for another great fourth grade year!


Fifth Grade -

Fifth Grade is finishing off another fabulous year by practicing fantastic songs for our Young American Award Assembly. We are also having fun getting ready for our state reports and float parade, as well as finagling with the weather to play softball. We will all be glad to finally have our CRT testing done for the year!"


Sixth Grade –

Our 6th grade Hoedown on May 20th was a super fun event! We had a great turnout of students and parents, western dancing, and delicious refreshments! Thanks to all those who helped make this night activity possible!

Our students have so much talent! We held our end of year talent show and it was such a surprise! Students performed music, instruments, dancing, poetry, and comedy. We didn't know about many of the talents our students were hiding from us! Next year we plan to do a beginning of the year show, so talents can be a part of what we do all year through!

Country fairs, rockets, field day, etc. plus testing and reports keep us busy every second of every day. Your sixth grade children are wonderful and it has been our pleasure to work with them! The 6th Grade Team.

Meet the 2010-2011 PTA Board

Announcing your 2010-2011 PTA Board


President – Allison Strang
President Elect – Mindy Holt
Financial VP/Treasurer – Kristin Castleton
Secretary – Jennifer McKee
Membership VP – Diana Neff
Health Commissioner – Mirinda Losee



A Note from the New PTA President

Hi my name is Allison Strang and I am really excited to be the PTA president for the 2010 2011 school year. I think Foothills Elementary is an amazing school. I have 3 kids, Bella will be in 2nd grade, Ethan will be in Kindergarten and Kaleb just turned 3. I am a stay at home mom and I love it. One of my favorite hobbies is running. I run half marathons and I also do the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay every year. I love living in this area and I love the people who live here as well. I am so excited to work with all of you parents to make the 2010 2011 school year the best yet. We would love for each of you to become part of the PTA and really get involved in helping your child's school be the best it can be. Thanks!

4/26/2010

What's Happening in Your Grade in April & May?


Kindergarten


Kindergarten is learning about SPRING with reading, writing, math, discussions, discovery and songs! We are also studying maps and learning about the United States. In May most classes will be doing their Animal Reports and learning about animals. We will also all be going to the zoo in either May or June A and B tracks will be going on May 25th. We appreciate all of the parents who work with their children reading every night and turning in the weekly homework sheets! Thank you!


First Grade

Spring is here! First graders are excited for the warm weather. We will be discussing spring and the kind of weather we need for May flowers. We will also study plants, seeds and baby animals. We will enrich our studies with a field trip to Thanksgiving Point. We will soon receive our caterpillars and watch as they get fat. We will then study butterflies by watching them go through their stages of metamorphosis. May is the month of our end of year test. We ask that you help your child by getting them to bed early so that they get enough sleep, making sure they eat a good breakfast and ensuring that they are at school on time so that they can do their best on the test. We also ask that parents help their child learn the safety rules while on school grounds. One way to help is by using the crosswalks when coming and going to school and not going out into traffic to get to the parking lot. First graders are continuing to be readers and writers and active learners. They are challenged to solve everyday problems and explore how they reach a solution. April and May will help them fine tune their skills.


Second Grade - Second Graders are racing to the end

The second grade classes are gearing up for a number of activities in April and May. CRT testing will be on the following dates: May 17-18 Tracks A and B and June 7-18 Tracks C & D. Please make sure your student has plenty of rest and enough breakfast so they are ready to do their best. Field Trips We will also be going on to the Clark Planetarium Exhibits and the ESA tour. Track A – May 6th; Track B – April 29; Track C – April 22nd and Track D May 13th. Your child’s teacher will be sending notes home for volunteers and other information as well. Wax Museum Your children will be choosing a famous person they would like to learn about, read a biography on them, make a poster about them and then dress up like the person and present this project in the gym. Tentative dates and times are as follows: Tracks B&C – May 7 at 9-9:30 am; Tracks A&D – May 26 at 9-9:30 am.

Third Grade


This month third grade students will take a field trip to the Megaplex theater at the District and Kennecott Copper Mine.

At the theater, students will learn about the careers of theater employees, film making and the day to day operations of the theater. The tour includes a look at the concessions area, the technical film department and the catering facilities that are available at the largest theater in Utah!

At the Kennecott Copper Mine, students will have the opportunity to view the open pit with the huge equipment at work below. Classes and students can have their photo taken beside the retired tire of one of the ore haulers! Smile! Inside of the visitors' center, students view a film about the mine and study artifacts in the mine museum.

On April 22nd, B&C tracks will participate in The Kids' Marketplace, a money management program for third graders. This program is sponsored by Work-Based Learning and is made possible with the help of parents who volunteer their time and talents. Thank you, parents!


Fourth Grade


During the months of April and May, fourth graders will be reviewing a lot of what we have learned this year in order to prepare for end-of-year testing. Please make sure your child comes to school on time to make sure they don't miss out on this important reviewing time. We also will be working hard on County Reports. Don't forget to be working on your projects at home. Tracks B and D will be celebrating Pioneer Day on May 14. We will have a lot of fun activities including making and playing games, making homemade butter, dipping candles. Tracks A and C will have their Pioneer Day on June 4. We are also looking forward to our field trip to the John Hutchings Museum in Lehi. Students, make sure you keep practicing your recorder and bring it on the day you have music. Spring is an exciting time but school, classroom, and recess rules still apply.


Fifth Grade: A Haiku for 5th Grade in April

Finishing fractions.
Singing American songs.
Learn animal traits.


Sixth Grade
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