KBYU Program to Focus on Teaching Children

The Region 6 PTA Director wanted us to share the following with parents at our school:


KBYU Eleven, as part of our commitment to children, will focus on children and their development Friday nights in January on Ask Eleven. Parents, grandparents, and caregivers will be presented with resources and ideas about child development and how to effectively teach children. Each night will include a live call-in show for viewers to call in and ask the experts their questions as well as shows and specials addressing each topic.

On Friday, January 14, KBYU Eleven will focus on quality child care with Ask Eleven: How Do I Find Quality Child Care in Utah?, a live call-in program. Experts will answer questions about how to find and keep the right child care for your child as well as the training opportunities and licensing requirements for Utah child care providers.

On Friday, January 21, KBYU Eleven will focus on early child development with Ask Eleven: Is My Child on Target?, a live call-in program with experts discussing local resources that will help parents and caregivers asses a child's development.

On Friday, January 28, Ask Eleven: Is Media a Good Teaching Tool? will explore media as positive tools to help young children learn and prepare for school. We will also take this opportunity to introduce Ready To Learn, online workshops that present to parents, grandparents, and caregivers key steps in a child's development and demonstrate how to combine media with reading and hands-on activities to greatly enhance a child's learning.

These workshops will be available on our web site, kbyueleven.org , starting in the end of January.

Notes from a Librarian: Picture Book Biographies

I love picture book biographies. They are a great way to get a short, interesting introduction to someone’s life, without having to wade through nitty gritty details found in longer biographies. I will often check out one or two, bring them home, and without saying anything, leave them lying around the house. They are so inviting that it is hard to resist picking one up and reading it. Over the next few days just about everyone in the house reads through them. Then we have something interesting to talk about over the dinner table. Here are some of my favorite picture book biographies.

A Boy Called Slow by Joseph Bruchac , illustrated by Rocco Baviera
This is a story about the childhood of Sitting Bull. Children of the Lakota people were not named at birth. They were given a name based on something they did or some characteristic they had. Sitting Bull was first called, “Slow” because he tended to be a thinker, rather than an athlete. This story tells how he earned his adult name and came to lead his nation. Joseph Bruchac is a wonderful Native American author who has written many fiction and nonfiction books with Native American themes.

Louisa: The Life of Louisa May Alcott, by Yena Zeldis McDonough, illustrated by Bethanne Anderson
Louisa May Alcott led a life just as interesting as any of her books. Indeed, Little Women was largely based on her childhood experiences. As she grew older her family was part of the Existentialist community that included Emerson and Thoreau, and she would often baby sit Emerson’s children. This biography is richly illustrated by a local BYU professor/illustrator. This is a book that will be published this month, but I was lucky enough to see an advance copy of it.
Josephine’s Dream, by Joan Betty Struchner, illustrated by Chantelle Walther
Josephine Baker was an African American singer who became famous in Europe during the 1920’s. After her success in show business, she used her wealth to adopt and raise 12 children from many countries. This is also illustrated by a local artist. Chantelle is a children’s librarian at the Provo City Library.

Muhammad by Demi
I am a huge Demi fan. I love the richness and detail of her very stylized illustrations. Almost all her books have an Asian or Mid-Eastern theme. In this book she gives a basic introduction to both Muhammad’s life and the founding of Islam. She also respects the Moslem belief that there should be no likeness ever made of Muhammad by representing Muhammad as a gold silhouette in each illustration.

Handel, Who Knew What He Liked by M.T. Anderson and Kevin Hawkes
This book tells about the life of the famous composer with some measure of humor, focusing on his independent streak. For example, when Handel was a boy his parents didn’t want him studying music, so he and his brother sneaked a clavichord into the attic so he could go up at night to practice. The book ends with the story of the writing of The Messiah.


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. She's just started a blog of all the children's books she is reading. You can visit her blog HERE

Foothills Students Advance to Regional Reflections

Eight Foothills students were recognized at a Council Reflections Ceremony and will be advancing to the Regional level.

Garrett P-Theater
Ruth B-Theater
Brianna D- Dance
Reina P- Dance
Alex B- Film
Kennedy C- Film
Ellie P- Music
Katlyn M- Music

Congrats to these students! And thank you to all the students that entered Reflections! The Region Awards Night will be held February 3 at 7:00. These students moving on to Regions will receive an invitation in the mail with the details.

School in Session Feb. 21st *updated*

The District has chosen February 21st, President's Day, as a make up school day for the the emergency closure on September 20th because of the fire. A, C and D track classes will be in session. B track will have a holiday that day. C track will have a day of classes even though they are off track.

Foothills will be sending a letter to all parents explaining the makeup day. Look for this letter for further information.

Classes will be in session that day at Foothills Elementary as well as Herriman, Butterfield, Silver Crest, Ft Herriman Middle and Herriman High School.

What's Happening in your Grade in January?

KINDERGARTEN We will be doing mid year PALS testing. This is the same testing that we have done in the beginning of the year. We are required to do the testing during school hours. This testing can’t be scheduled by appointment. This month will be focused on reviewing concepts in order to prepare the students for testing.

In January, the FIRST GRADERS will be learning about winter. Do animals hibernate, migrate, or adapt? We will also learn that people adapt. We will practice reading a thermometer and learn all about snow and snow flakes. In January the students will find that it's so nice, "while slipping on the sliding ice, to sip hot chicken soup with rice." We will be proceeding through the seasons with a rhyme for every month of the year. Also, students will continue to realize what good authors they are by working on their writing skills in Writer's Workshop.

Happy New Year from SECOND GRADE! This is the time of year when your children will be introduced to new math concepts. Your children will be working on adding and subtracting with regrouping. To some of you it used to be called carrying and borrowing. Your children will also be tested for mid-year assessments in reading and language arts. An up-coming event will be our 2nd grade program. We hope you will be coming to watch your children in our "Going Buggy" musical program. Most of the children will be having small talking parts, be looking for these to come home with your children. They have been practicing very hard.

THIRD GRADE no report

Do you hear what I hear? Recorder music fills the air in the FOURTH GRADE hallway! During the month of January the students will be learning the basics of playing the Recorder. Remember to bring your Recorder and music book each week for Music Instruction. On January 5th we will have a special presentation by the Church History Museum about Utah Native Americans. On January 19th we will learn about the water cycle when the Water Van comes for a visit. Remember to keep reading 20 minutes each night, and practicing your Rocket Math facts.

FIFTH GRADE Our math adventure is filled with double digit division, multiplication and geometry, and, not to be left out... story problems! Parents, one of the very simplest and easiest ways to improve these skills are basic math facts flashcards at home. Also, our weeks are filled with science and social studies. We're studying matter, molecules and movement... that's Westward Movement as we explorer the expansion of America. We continue to visit the computer lab and have enjoyed games while in there. Remember to wear winter type clothing because, unless we see icicles hanging we like going outside for recess.

Changes are coming to SIXTH GRADE! Beginning next year, a new core curriculum will be adopted by Jordan School District, under the direction of the State Board of Education. The biggest changes will occur in mathematics. 6th Grade will experience the most change! The curriculum will become much more rigorous. A regular daily home study program will become a must! Teachers, Parents, and Students must work together for successful understanding of each concept as it is presented. For more information visit the Web Site http://departments.jordandistrict.org/curriculum/commoncore

Box Tops Contest: Boys Rule/Girls Rule

Start sending in your Box Tops!

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!” 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!