Kids First

I hope that this note finds you all rested and refreshed after a long holiday break!  This is the time of year when we all think about setting new goals.  I would like to encourage each of  you to think about setting a reading goal for the entire family.  Here are a few ideas:

Family Book Club- Everyone in the family reads the same book and discusses it at the dinner table.

Family Reading Night- Turn off the TV and video games for one night each week.  Everyone reads a book or magazine of their choice.

Family Game Night- Expand your vocabulary by choosing word games for your Family Game Night.  Examples are Boggle, Scrabble, and Last Word.

Bedtime Stories- Set aside at least 15 minutes each night to read before turning out the lights.

Snowdays- Snuggle up with a good book with a mug of hot chocolate.

Turning the calendar page to December is always exciting!  There are a ton of fun events planned at NEMS and around town.  Here are a few:

12/1- Rich Creek Christmas Parade 7:00

12/2- PTA Family Movie Night 6:00

12/5- Report cards go home

12/6- Schoolwide Reading Test— get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast!
Doughnut Sale begins

12/8- Narrows Christmas Parade- 7:00

12/14- Krispy Kreme Doughnut delivery

12/15- NEMS Chorus Concert 7:00

12/20- NEMS Chorus Concert 1:00

December 21st – January 2nd:  Christmas Holiday Break

Happy Holidays to you and your families!!

Here are a few family activities for you to complete in your spare time:  December Recipes for Success

   November is a fun month.  The Veteran’s Day breakfast on 11/11/11, was a huge success with over 60 Veterans in attendance.  Parent conferences were very productive.  Thanks parents for coming out to learn more about your child’e education!  Hopefully many of you will be able to attend the PTA meeting on the 15th.  Our 1st grade students will be performing!  Thanksgiving break starts a day earlier this year.  No school on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday next week!  As soon as we return from the break, the 2nd 6 weeks comes to an end.  Kids, be sure to get your Accelerated Reader points! 

 Check out our Fall Newsletter!  It is full of awesome stories written by our students!  Title 1 Newsletter 11-11

 Try these fun family activities:  November 2011 Recipes for Success

Hello out there!  We have been going through a lot of changes this year… all are positive and exciting!  Please check back soon to see what all of the excitement is about! For now, be sure to check out the helpful reading and math sites on the blog.

This week, the NEMS Title I Department integrated a new SMART Table. It works like a SMART board, but allows up to 10 students to work together on the activities. Check out the videos of the first time our students used the table. Notice how engage and excited they are! The students are also working as a team to complete each activity. This is what 21st Century Learning is all about!
SMART Table 4th Grade- Part 2

Pictures are worth a thousand words!

Hello out there! I’m posting a little early to remind everyone about the upcoming Title I Family Night. It will be held March 1st, at NEMS, in the cafeteria. The fun will begin at 6:00. The activities will be based on Dr. Suess books and characters. The night will feature fun, hands on activities, storytime, and parent information sessions. We are expecting a visit from a very special guest that I’m sure you will not want to miss. Snacks will be also be served. We hope so see you there!

It’s finally February, but winter is still in full force! After missing so many snow days, we have a lot of ground to cover before SOL testing. If you are looking for something to do while stuck inside, be sure to check out the Reading and Math Sites of the Month on this blog. Homemade valentines are another great way to fill your time. Who wouldn’t want to receive a card specially made by someone they love? I am also posting our February Reading and Math Connection Newsletters below.
We are planning a Family Night for Title I students and their families, to be held on Tuesday, March 1st. Since it’s the eve of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, you can expect to enjoy some really fun reading and math activities! Look for a note to come home soon. We hope to see you all there!

February Reading Connection – Primary

February Reading Connection – Intermediate

February Math Connection – Primary

February Math Connection – Intermediate

I apologize for being late with my post this month. Too many snow days, etc. Please be sure to check out the parent newsletters for January:
Elementary Reading
Intermediate Reading
Elementary Math Parent Newsletter
Intermediate Math
We all learned a lot about Dr. Martin Luther King on Monday, January 17. A lot of people had the day off from work and school, but we enjoyed being here to learn about why he is important. Tuesday January 25th is the last day of the six weeks and also the first semester of school. Wednesday the 26th is a Teacher Workday and holiday for our students. We will hand out report cards on February 1.
Hopefully, we won’t have anymore snow days! If we do, check out the math and reading Sites of the Month or stock up on some VMath and Ticket to Read points!
Here is our new county Activity Calendar! January Activities Calendar

I can almost hear the sound of the sleigh bells! December is such a fun month for kids and those who are kids at heart. With all of the hustle and bustle going on, we need to be sure to slow down and enjoy the happenings around town. The Rich Creek Parade is going to be Dec. 2, at 7:00. First graders are visiting Radford University to see a play. The Narrows Christmas Parade will be Dec. 9th at 7:00. For the first time, our 6th and 7th grade band members will be marching! On the 10th, you may want to plan a visit with Santa at NEMS. Of course, we also have a holiday break from school. The last day for students is December 17th. We return to school on January 3, 2011. If you are looking for some quality time with your child during this time, please check out the Reading and Math Sites of the Month. You may also find some fun and valuable activities in this month’s family connection newsletters. Click on the links below to open these newsletters:
December Beg Reading
December Int Reading
Beg Math December
December Int Math