1. education
2. school

OXFORD VALLEY NEWS
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2015
430 Trenton Road, Fairless Hills, PA 19030
215-949-6808
FAX: 215-949-6810
Fran B. Nitkin, Principal
www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us
DATES TO REMEMBER
Jan. 20
PTO Meeting – 7:00 pm
Jan. 23
Science Fair entries/
T-shirt order forms due
Jan. 19 NO SCHOOL
IMPORTANT
DATES – Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan. 23 End of Second Marking
Period
Jan. 26 NO SCHOOL – Teacher
Workshop Day
Jan. 27 CoGat testing begins
Jan. 27- Art Goes To School
Feb. 2
Jan. 27 – Student Council “Souper”
Jan 30 Bowl Challenge
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday
with family and friends. As we make our resolutions for the year ahead,
let’s go forward with the hope that all things can be possible.
Staff members were involved in the spirit of caring and giving. Many
children and their families were adopted for the holidays. It was
wonderful to be a part of these activities and to share in the true
meaning of the season.
The next several months will be very busy at Oxford Valley. We will
begin our district and statewide testing throughout January, February,
March and April. More specific information will follow. The purpose of
these tests is to provide information that will help us to improve the way
we teach your children. You will be receiving more details as we get
closer. As always, please do not schedule any appointments on those
days.
Our annual Science Fair is scheduled for February 19th from 7-8 pm.
We look forward to a great turnout and encourage everyone to come
and see the amazing projects created by Oxford Valley students.
Feb. 6 Report cards sent home
100 Step Challenge is heating up. Some students have reached 300
and even 400 steps!!! Remember 15 minutes equals 1 step. We are
aiming for 400 steps by everyone for the end of the year. That’s only
100 steps each marking period. That’s easy!!!!!
Feb. 11 “Good Character/Magic of
Reading” Magic Show
As we begin this year, let’s continue to build a strong community
partnership with the top priority always being your children.
Jan. 28 “Curtains Up On Reading”
begins
Feb. 13 Valentine’s Day
Parties – 2:45 pm.
Fran B. Nitkin, Principal
Feb. 16 NO SCHOOL –
Presidents’ Day
Feb. 17 NO SCHOOL –
Teacher Workshop Day
Feb. 19 Science Fair – 7-8:00 pm
Feb. 24 PTO Meeting – 9:30 am
“It’s not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we
watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are
watching us to see what we do with ours. I can’t tell my children
to reach for the stars. All I can do is reach for it, myself.”
Joyce Maynard
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
SCHOOL CLOSED
All schools in the Pennsbury School District
will be closed on Monday,
January 19th to celebrate Martin Luther
King, Jr.’s Birthday. School will also be
closed on Monday, January 26th for a
Teacher Workshop Day.
Schools will also be closed on Monday,
February 16th to celebrate Presidents’ Day
and on Tuesday, February 17th for a
Teacher Workshop Day.
REPORT CARDS
Report cards will be sent home on Friday,
February 6th. Parents are requested to sign
and return the envelope provided. Please
take time to discuss the report card with
your child. Should you have any questions,
please call the school.
MESSAGE FROM CROSSING GUARD
The crossing guard is at his post on Trenton
Road beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.
Please do not bring students earlier than
8:30 a.m.
VALENTINE’S DAY PARTIES
Valentine’s Day parties will be held on Friday,
February 13th. If you are helping, please sign
in at the office before going to your child’s
classroom.
PHONE NUMBER CHANGES
Please remember to notify the school office when
your home or cell phone number changes so we
may update our records. The ConnectEd
Emergency Notification system uses the current
phone numbers when placing calls.
SIGNING OUT STUDENTS
For the safety of all our students, parents
and/or guardians must present identification
when signing out students. Please be
prepared upon arrival at the office.
RECESS
The wind chill index is checked everyday to
see if it is weather appropriate for outdoor
recess. Please make sure your children are
dressed properly for the weather with coats,
gloves, hats and scarves.
OXFORD VALLEY’S ANNUAL
SCIENCE FAIR
will be held on
Thursday, February 19, 2015
All students in grades K through 5
are encouraged to participate.
Looking for ideas? How to do a
Science Fair project? Go to our
website and click on the Science Fair
Quick Link. Please return the
completed entry forms and T-shirt
order forms by January 23, 2015.
Project boards will also be provided
free of charge to each participant
courtesy of the PTO.
Entry forms and t-shirt orders forms
are attached to this newsletter.
Look for information to come home
with your child.
TOP 10 TIPS FOR PREVENTING THE
SPREAD OF FLU
Message From The Nurse
With the colder weather here and with hats and
coats being used, it is important to continue to
check your child’s head periodically for lice. Lice
can occur throughout the school and are found in
children of all socioeconomic classes.
The nits are very small white particles similar to
dandruff that are firmly attached to the hair shaft.
Head lice are tan to grayish white, they do not fly or
hop, but they crawl quickly through the hair. You
need to go through your child’s hair very slowly, a
small area at a time. If your child has nits/
head lice, please notify the school and consult your
doctor for recommended treatment.
Heads of any affected children will have to be
checked by the school nurse before they may return
to school and bring proof of the product used.
Please accompany your child on the day he/she
returns to school so this determination can be made.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
*****************************
Requirements are set by the state to complete your
child’s school records. These include timed dental
exams, time physical exams, required
immunizations, etc. It is important to complete
these requirements to avoid exclusion for your child.
If you have already been notified that your child is
missing any of these items, please complete ASAP.
In the near future I will schedule school dental and
physical exams. If you prefer, you will be given the
option of using this service. Please complete any/
all outstanding requests or future notifications.
Please call with any questions.
Ms. Martell
School Nurse
215-949-6808 (Ext. 16820)
from The Pennsylvania Department of Health
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Keep your child home from school or day care
when he or she is sick.
Allow your child to return to school only when
fever-free for at least 24 hours (no longer having a
fever without use of fever-reducing medicines.)
Cover your cough. Cough into your upper sleeve or
into a tissue and discard properly.
Properly dispose of used tissues and other soiled
items, and wash your hands after doing so.
Wash hands frequently and regularly, or use hand
sanitizers when water is not readily available.
Regularly clean and disinfect areas and items likely
to have frequent hand contact.
Contact your health provider when your child or
other family member is sick with the flu
(symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat,
runny nose, headache and body aches.)
If you are not able to stay home with your child,
plan ahead for how he or she will be taken care of
when sick at home or if school is closed.
Have your child vaccinated against the flu every
year.
Stay informed through www.health.state.pa.us, www.cdc.gov,
or www.flu.gov
For questions, call 1-877-PA-HEALTH
SCHOOL STORE NEWS
Come in from the cold this winter and check out what’s new
at the school store. We have many new exciting items such
as Link Watches, Buddies Erasers, Cute Heart Purses and
more. We also sell many basic school supplies like crayons,
folders, glue sticks and notebooks.
Join in on the fun of the Hershey Kiss Surprise Game to win
fun prizes and snacks. You can even win money to use at the
school store. Kisses will be sold for 25 cents each or 5 for
$1.00 from January 27th through February 10th at the school
store. Several prizes will be awarded each day during school
store hours.
We also sell lanyards, Pennsbury backpacks, etc. to benefit
our PTO. So visit the school store every Tuesday morning
from 8:30-900am. Bring your spare change and help raise
money for our school!
STUDENT COUNCIL HAPPENINGS
Happy 2015! We are so pleased with the amount of Oxford Valley student pride and participation in
our Student Council Events! Thank you to everyone for supporting our school.
In January, we will once again be hosting the “Souper Bowl Challenge!” We will be collection soup in the
lobby from January 26 – January 30. Students are urged to bring in cans of soup to cast their vote in the
Super Bowl. Simply place the cans of soup in the trashcan decorated with the team you think will win the
Superbowl. We will tally up the cans of soup and will announce who Oxford Valley thinks will win the
Superbowl. The team winner will be announced on Friday, January 30th. Then, we will just have to wait and
see who wins in the big game on Sunday, February 1st. All of the soup will be donated to the Bucks County
Homeless Shelter. They greatly appreciate our donation each year.
Shannon Little
Jennifer Stephens
Student Council Advisors
GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONTEST WINNERS
The Wright Family, first place
The Luchansky Family, second place
OV Olympians in Training!
by Mrs. Fay
Once again Oxford Valley will be sending two teams to compete in the Bucks County
Reading Olympics in March. These students have been working together to read and study
forty-five books from the list. During the competition, they will be quizzed on these titles
and earn points by correctly answering questions. Our team members have been training
hard by reading during recess and at home, taking notes, and taking tests on Accelerated
Reader or Book Adventure. We are excited about reading!
Good luck to our very diligent teams, the Cosmic Reading Ninjas coached by Mrs.
Stumbaugh, and the Book Bobbers, coached by Mrs. Fay.
Cosmic Ninja Readers
Ahtesham Alvi
Lillian Ginaldi
Alex Hludzinski
Madison Kern
Steven Manhede
Tanaka Manhede
Emma Martir
Aliyana McCrary
Angelique McGettigan
Gianna Parrillo-Shennard
Ryan Smith
Olivia Spofford
Morgan Williams
Book Bobbers
Rachel Allen
Paige Burton
Katie Clampffer
Kayleigh Crozier
Kaity Luchansky
Keya Patel
Varun Patel
Angelina Singh
Katie Trunfio
Kylie Vinson
Kylie Wright
CLASSROOM HAPPENINGS
KINGERGARTEN HAPPENINGS
Happy new year to everyone from
kindergarten!
The New Year is a great time for lots of fun and
exciting learning in our classrooms. First, the
children will learn about famous Americans such
as Martin Luther King, Jr., presidents
Washington, Lincoln and Obama.
In February we will be learning about
important figures in black history. We will also
learn about our postal system as Valentine’s Day
approaches. The students will be learning about
mail delivery and writing notes and letters to
friends. Homeroom parents will be in contact
with information about our Valentine’s Day
parties on Friday, February 14th.
The 100th Day of school is scheduled for
February 9th. Be on the lookout for information
about our 100th day celebration and project.
FIRST GRADE HAPPENINGS
First grade had a
spectacular Thanksgiving Feast.
Thank you to all who contributed
healthy food items! We all realized the
many people and things for which we are
thankful.
We would like to thank the moms and
dads that helped with the Oxford Valley Holiday
Shop. The kids really enjoyed shopping for
friends and family.
First graders are working hard on their
Narrative Writing Pieces! Ask them what a
Narrative story is and even what theirs is about!
They are very excited to see their published
piece and for you to see it towards the end of the
year at our Celebration of the Arts!
Please remember to dress the children
correctly for weather, as we will go to the
playground almost every day!
We wish everyone a happy and healthy
New Year! Keep an eye out for the new report
card coming home soon!
SECOND GRADE HAPPENINGS
Happy New Year! We are looking forward
to a lot of really exciting things in 2015 in second
grade. We are continuing to read excellent
stories in our Journey’s reading series and
working on improving our writing skills with our
new writing curriculum. The students have been
doing an excellent job generating ideas for their
personal narratives. We’ve also been doing a lot
of experiments with balancing and weighing
different objects in science.
In math, we will soon be moving on to
money and time. These can be very tricky for
students, so please continue to reinforce these
concepts at home. Get out real coins and discuss
their value. Have your child look at a clock and
discuss what the different hands stand for.
As always, keep looking for your child’s
100 Step Challenge log book to come home each
night. The school-wide expectation is at least 15
minutes of reading each night.
Thank you for all of your continued help,
The Second Grade Teachers
THIRD GRADE HAPPENINGS
Happy 2015!! We hope that everyone
enjoyed the long holiday break. If you got some
new technology for the holidays, now would be a
great time to use them to start practicing for the
PSSA. You can go to study island, x-tra math,
think central, and Raz-kids. The end of the
second marking period is approaching quickly;
every third grader should be at 200 steps by
then. Students, please remember to complete
your reading log every night. Parents, please
continue checking your child’s homework book
nightly. In math, we are continuing to work on
telling time and mastering our multiplication
tables. In reading and writing we are going to be
focusing on informational pieces. We are all
looking forward to a very productive next few
months.
FOURTH GRADE HAPPENINGS
In January fourth grade will be working
on multiplication and algebra. Being fluent in
simple multiplication is a prerequisite for much
of the remaining math this year. As we head into
division and geometry, fourth graders need the
ease of multiplication to be successful. Keep
practicing facts for Mad Minutes!
In Language Arts our 100 Step Reading
Challenge keeps children motivated to read! By
now, they should be approaching 200 steps.
Make sure your child keeps track of their
progress by writing in their log every time they
read. We have been busy with the genres of nonfiction, historical fiction and realistic fiction.
Poetry writing and organization have helped us
express ourselves in a way our audience will
appreciate. Keep on reading and writing!
Looking ahead to spring, please
encourage your child to participate regularly on
Study Island. This is an excellent online resource
to help prepare for the upcoming state testing
that will take place in April.
Fourth grade wishes everyone a Happy
New Year!
Now is a good time to replenish school
supplies as we move into the second half of the
year. Pencils and glue sticks are always needed.
FIFTH GRADE HAPPENINGS
Happy New Year to all! As the New Year
begins, so do our math units in fractions. In the
next few weeks your children will learn to
compare, add, subtract, multiply and divide
fractions with unlike denominators! Phew!!
Mastering their multiplication basic facts is a
must to meet with success.
We will be concluding our social studies
curriculum soon and students will begin working
on their science units. There are three units of
study, so your child will have a taste of the
middle school experience by traveling to each
fifth grade classroom.
As we approach the midpoint of the
school year, we ask parents to reassess their
child’s school supplies. Please consider
purchasing new pencils, crayons, colored pencils
and new folders (if needed).
All students should be reading for 100
Step Challenge and be on step 200 no later than
January 23rd.
COUNSELING CORNER
January 2015
Support/Self-Help Groups
 Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), confidential counseling, free counseling services to
families…………………………………………….………………….215-343-6543
 January is National Stalking Awareness Month, a crime that affects 3.4 million
Americans each year. To learn more about stalking prevention and general safety tips,
go online to the National Center for Victims of Crime Stalking Resource Center at
www.ncvc.org/src. If you are a victim of stalking, please call NOVA at 1-800-675-6900
and ask to speak to our Stalking Advocate.
 Community Connections for ALL Children……………………...800-770-4822 x2940
 Sharing and Caring: Lifetime Support for ASD, MR, Neurological
Disorders………………………………………………………………..215-321-3202
 Compassionate Friends………………………………………………….215-822-2589
Counseling
 Catholic Social Services
 Bensalem……………………………………………………….………..215-245-8563
 Levittown………………………………………………………….…….215-945-2550
 Family Services Association……………Bristol………………………..215-781-6602
 Family Services Association……………Langhorne……………………215-757-6916
Grief and Bereavement
 Safe Harbor, at Abington Memorial Hospital: For grieving children and
teens……………………………………………………………………...215-481-5983
 Camp Erin, The Moyer Foundation and Penn Medicine. A FREE weekend camp for
grieving children and teens ages 6-17 who have lost a significant person in their lives.
When: May 15-17, 2015. There will be arts and crafts, camp fires, music, sports, games.
To obtain an application visit, www.pennmedicine.org/camperin or email them at
CampErinPhila@uphs.upenn.edu or call 1-800-700-8807.
Evaluations
 Penndel Mental Health…………………Penndel, PA………………..….215-752-1541
 Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia………………………….…………..267-426-9357
 Children’s Specialized Hospital at
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Hamilton, NJ……………800-Children (244-3736)
 Northwestern Behavioral Health………………………………………...215-442-1570
Parenting Tips
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Television can be educational and expand a child’s world; it can also give messages that parents
don’t want them to have.
Turn the television on for certain programs and off when they are over. Don’t leave the TV on for
‘company’ or background noise; have your kids ask permission before turning the TV on.
Watch TV with your kids and explain what ideas you agree with and why. Pick educational
programs appropriate for the age of your child.
Offer lots of alternatives – games, books, sports, cooking, and bike rides – to get kids away from the
TV. Praise kids when they choose alternatives.
Limit TV and video game time, an hour a day for weekdays is enough. Don’t allow TV until
homework is done or allow a TV in your child’s bedroom. Keep the TV off at bedtime and mealtime
so you can talk and listen to each other.
Book Resources by Author
Books on Death and Grief
Judith Viorst
1. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen
1. Lifetimes: The beautiful way to explain death to children
Marge Eaton Heegaard
1. Coping with Death & Grief
Judith Vigna
1. Saying Goodbye To Daddy
Doris Sanford
1. It Must Hurt A Lot: A book about death and learning and growing
Books on Divorce
Edward Teyber
1. Helping Kids Cope with Divorce, Revised and Updated Edition
M. Gary Neuman
1. Helping your Kids Cope with Divorce the Sandcastles Way
Jill Jones-Soderman
1. How to Talk to Your Children About Divorce
Nicholas Long and Rex L. Forehand
1. Making Divorce Easier on Your Child: 50 Effective Ways to Help Children Adjust
Rosemary Wells
1. Helping Children Cope with Divorce (Overcoming Common Problems)
Pat Thompson
1. My Family is Changing (A First Look at Series)
Books about Girls
Sara Shandler
1. Ophelia Speaks: Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self
2. Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Self of Girls
Rachel Simmons
1. Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls
Cheryl Dellaseqa
1. Surviving Ophelia: Mothers Share Their Wisdom in Navigating the Tumultuous Teenage Years
Lynn Johnson
1. All About April: Our Little Girl Grows Up.
Julaine E. Field, Jered B. Kolbert, Laura M. Crothers, and Tammy L. Hughes
1. Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It: Strategies to Help Heal the Divide
by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley
1. It’s Not the Stork: A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families
Books about Boys
Steve Bilddulph
1. Raising Boys
James Dobson
1. Bringing Up Boys
Michael Gurian
1. The Minds of Boys: Saving our Sons from Falling Behind in School and in Life
2. The Wonder of Boys
3. The Purpose of Boys: Helping our Sons Find Meaning, Significance and Direction in Their Lives
4. The Good Son: Shaping the Moral Development of our Boys and Young Men
Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer
1. Raising Confident Boys: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
Rick Johnson
1. That’s My Son: How Moms Can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character
2. Better Dads, Stronger Sons: How Fathers Can Guide Boys To Be Men of Character
Don Kindlon
1. Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys
William Pollack
1. Real Sons: Rescuing our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood
Look for new “Parenting Tips” in each month’s Newsletter
NOVEMBER /DECEMBER 2014
Oxford Valley Elementary School is pleased to announce that the following students have
completed 25 hours (100 steps) of reading. One step = 15 minutes of reading.
KINDERGARTEN
Madeleine Pevear
Kitty Raymond
Ronnie Pasciullo
**
Olivia Dittman
Maggie Kopec
Josue Engleton
Peter Manisero
**
Matthew Wright
Madilyn Bidlingmaier
Matt Carslake
Alaina Nagata
**
Dafina Kabashi
Angelina Chan
**
Brennan Herbert
Rishi Patel
***
Adrianna Rossetti
Luke Buxton
Tyler Sparks
Aidan Kenney
***
Anthony Thompson
Nathan McIntyre
Christian Huth
Christopher Bennett **
Hannah Rapciewicz
Jeselle Simon
**
Aidan Kenney
**
Anthony Aponte
**
Evan Prosperi
Gianna Reiner
Rishi Patel
**
Shane Quinlan
**
Kayden Gessner
Kaelee Sodano
Orlando Hernandez
Madison Kulp
Danny Kormuth
Josie Desjardins
GRADE THREE
Justin Stewart
Evangeline Grotz
Darius Keating
J.D. Harvey
Gavin Arch
Wyatt Feeley
**
Fiona Bunnell
**
Logan Clark
Molly Davis
Lola Kelley
**
Christian Boyd-Riddle
Natalee Stadanlick
Isabella Ceriani
Angelina Pandolfi
Armaghan Alvi
**
Kyilee Berg
Aidan Bunnell
**
Ali Figueroa
Maddy Trunfio
**
Aaron Kaltzman
Jerry O’Neill
Reese Sodano
Alaina Bird
**
Megan Guindon
Dale Tomlinson
Zarkaya Ellzy
Nick Maillard
Kahlan Yaskowski
Lilah Gallace
Spencer Grim
**
Kylie Dressel
**
Anthony Klyuchnyk
Emily Ogrodnik
Aiden Connor
Eddie Wright
**
Sarah O’Neill
Kara Pristas
Lucas Simicic
**
Corey Osterhout
Nick Kudla
Nate Kepcsynski
Ava Slavin
**
Dylan Falk
Alex Evanick
Kylee Rose
James Ashmore **
Jason Alvarez
Shawn Secrest
Benjamin Gates **
Kayla Davis
**
Camryn Luchansky
**
Steven Cassell
Julian Nicol
Danielle Johnson
Shaquille Chapman
Jeselle Simon
***
Camryn Luchansky
**
Ben Howell
Dakota Rose Thomson
Alexandria Thompson
GRADE ONE
Ashlyn Sharon
Xavier
Moyer
Patrick Hartzell
GRADE
TWO
Julie Gianola
Matthew Golden
Savannah Pham
Ronnie
Pasciullo
Ryan
Regan Kelso
** Hill
Keira Hoffman
Cole Jacobson
Ahnika Hernandez
Cody Dowling
Crystal Stargell
Robbie
Montgomery
Aqual Chapman
Yug Patel
Caleb Crompton
Shane
Quinlan
Mia Feeley
**
Larry Makemson
**
Madison Foley
Nate Titsch
Gianni
Serenelli
**
Trina Kabashi
**
Ava Robbins
Christopher
Bennett
John
Luchansky
**
Michael
Kerner-Johnson
**
Abigail McCole
Chris
Stargell
Morgan Kern
**
Emily Wright
**
Rylie Mitchell
Chase Byrne
Austin Flinn
**
Barry Bogarde
Adreeyonna Kearns
Ryan Clark
Sadie Carlisi
Krista Colozza
Holly Gianola
Natalie
Miller
Gavin Rose
Evan Eisler
Ryan Berg
Elizabeth Pelkey **
Alyssa Cancel
**
Aylanna Ibric
Conner Locke
Benjamin
Williams
Hannah
McGettigan
**
Valeria Labianco-Arana
Brielle Berry
Jeffrey
Spofford
Julia Geffrard
Haley Eliason
**
Narin Yildiz
Maddie Kormuth
A.J. Hammer
Keri Thompkins
Paul Weiman
Anastasia Kurtz
Izzy Manzo
Eric David
Austin Kelso
Natalie Stadanlick
Zane McGarvy
Nicole Rago
Jacob Cruz
Michael Foley
Aleeah Kuestner
Gianna Price
Niaya Doheny
Jordan Davis
Conor Fallon
Morgan McCullon
Addy Lacarubba
Jenna Ogrodnik
Aaron Kaltzman
Gianni Selenelli
Vernon Stead
Stephen Tryon
Madeline Skinner
Tyler Stercula
GRADE FOUR
Mason Zalit
Amanda Johson
Makel Martinez
Zach Clark
Shyanne Wright
Brennan Hensor
Troy Haynes
Emily Fessey
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
***
**
***
**
Madison Slemmer
Madilyn Matiko
Samantha Dunkerley
Morgan Williams
Dylan Cardone
Lillian Werner
Brennan Tufo
Jessica Binkowski
Caitlyn Treacy
Jenniell Spencer
Mitchell Hasty
**
Angelique McGettigan
Jacob Mullery
Riley Bidlingmaier
Sara Vanreymersdal **
Ahtesham Alvi
**
Ralphena Brapoh
**
Steven Manhede
**
Brendan Macainsh
Madison Kern
**
Ralphene Brapoh
**
Kayla Labianco-Arana **
Angelique McGettigan **
Steven Manhede
***
Varun Patel
***
Ryan Fox
Mia Thach
**
GRADE FIVE
Nick Bidlingmaier
C.J. Sheva
Tanaka Manhede
Anthony Quinlan
Sammi Shultz
Angelina Litten
Shaylin Brewer
Gianna Parrillo-Shennard
Grace Kelley
Ryan Smith
Kayla Wachter
Eli Howell
Alexis Rago
Colin Hoffmaster
Keya Patel
**
Johnny Maule
Victoria Roba
**
Mackenzie Gaughan **
Shane Ray
Kylie Wright
**
Quincy Tolbert
Aaron Osterhout
Colin Treacy
**
Connor Gallagher
**
Isaiah Rice
Tyler Tomlinson
**
Paige Fallon
***
Alex Phipps
Sophia Doheny
Julian Wasiek
Aliyana McCrary
**
Nyc Longo
Felicia Weiss
Azijon Paxton
Brandon Doyle
Grace Kelley
***
Kaity Luchansky
**
Paige Fallon
****
Kati Trunfio
**
Joseph Sysol
Angelina Singh
**
Ryan Smith
***
Natasha Smeltzer
**
Camryn Wiedeman **
Tanaka Manhede
**
Anthony Chan
**
Keya Patel
***
Kayleigh Crozier
Kayla Wachter
** 200 STEPS
***300 STEPS
****400 STEPS
**
**
Oxford Valley PTO News
Welcome Back! We hope everyone enjoyed the holiday!
Our next PTO event will be our Annual Basket Auction! This is a huge fundraiser for
our school. Please be on the lookout for detailed information about this event. Please consider
volunteering to help with this event. We are in need of volunteers to help seek donations from
retailers and businesses in the area. It is very helpful if you know someone with a business who
would be willing to donate a basket, an item or a gift card. We can use the gift card and donated
items to put baskets together.
The Basket Auction will be held in March at Westaby Hall. (Date to be announced at the
January 20th PTO meeting.) The ticket price includes a buffet dinner, drinks, dessert, a card of 25
tickets and door prizes. We have had over 250 people attend this event from all over our area!
We are reaching out to our Oxford Valley Family:
 To those who own a business and would you be willing to donate
to our basket auction? A great way to get your business known
throughout the community.
 Or those who work for a company and would be willing to see if
the company would be willing to donate to our basket auction.
If anyone is willing to help please contact Kristen Williams @ kbdex@aol.com
More information will be coming home about this event. There will be several meetings
scheduled if anyone is interested in helping!!
We will be collecting any baskets that you might have and do not use. You can send them
in with your student or drop off in the office.
Each grade level will donate a basket to the auction. Each level will chose a theme and
ask for donations that pertain to the theme. Please consider helping out with these baskets. Your
child will bring home detailed information in a few weeks.
******************************************************************************
- On Monday, January 12th and Wednesday, January 14th Odyssey of the Mind will be offering
Lollipops for sale: Dum Dums 10c each, Tootsie and Blow pops 25c each, or Bundles $1.00 each.
- Pretzel sales are every Friday morning in the lobby. All proceeds benefit the Fifth grade. Help is
needed!!! Please use this link to sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4daea62c7-pretzel
- Our next PTO meeting is in the evening of Tuesday January 20th, at 7pm in the library. Come
see what we are planning for the rest of the school year.
Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
2
3
Happy New Year!
1
No School
New Year’s
Day
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
22
23
24
“Odyssey of
the Mind”
Lollipop Sale
18
19
No School
Martin Luther
King Jr. Day
“Odyssey of
the Mind”
Lollipop sale
20
21
End of 2nd
Marking
Period
PTO
Meeting
7:00 pm
Science Fair
Entries due
25
26
27
28
No School
Teacher
Workshop Day
CoGat testing
begins
Curtains Up
On Reading
3:45-5:15 pm
29
30
31
Art Goes to
School
“Souper” Bowl
Challenge
January 2015
Sun
1
Mon
Tue
2
3
9
Thu
4
5
Curtains Up On
Reading
3-45 – 5:15 pm
Art Goes to
School continues
8
Wed
10
11
Fri
Sat
6
7
Report cards
sent home
12
“Good
Character/Magic
of Reading”
Magic Show
9:30 am
13
14
Happy
Valentine’s
Day
Parties – 2:45
pm
Curtains Up On
Reading
3:45 – 5:15 pm
15
22
16
17
NO SCHOOL
NO SCHOOL
Presidents’ Day
Teacher
Workshop Day
23
24
PTO Meeting
9:30 am
18
Curtains Up On
Reading
3:45 – 5:15 pm
25
19
20
21
27
28
SCIENCE
FAIR
7:00 – 8:00 pm
26
Curtains Up On
Reading
3:45 – 5:15 pm
February 2015
2015 SCIENCE FAIR
FEBRUARY 19, 2015
Entry form due date: Friday, January 23rd
ENTRY FORM
Student’s Name: _____________________________________________
Teacher: ___________________________
Grade: ____________
Only fill out if entering with a partner:
Partner’s Name: ______________________________________________
Teacher: ___________________________
Grade: _____________
Science Fair Project Topic
(Circle appropriate topic)
Observation
Demonstration
Experiment
Science Fair Project Title: ____________________________________________
Brief Description: _______________________________________________________________
Special Provisions required for display:
Electrical Outlet: _________________
My child _________________________________ has permission to participate in the Oxford Valley Science
Fair.
Parent’s Signature: ______________________________________
Date: ________________
Committee’s Approval: ___________________________________
Date: ________________
Note: If you change to a new project or change the plans that you have written, you must
re-enter this form and wait for approval before beginning your new project.
NO LIVE ANIMAL or VOLCANO Projects Permitted!
Entry Form must be returned by January 23, 2015
Science
Fair
Order
T-shirt
form
Participants may purchase a T-shirt for $5.00
each. Please return the bottom portion and
payment no later than January 23, 2015 (we
will not be accepting any order forms after
this date). Cash only, please!
*********************************************
*******************************************
Student name_____________________________
Homeroom teacher_________________________
Please indicate the number of shirts you
would like under the size.
Youth
Small
Medium
Large
Adult
Small
Medium
Large
X Large
Total
Total
Number of
Enclosed:
shirts:____ $_____
January 2015
Read-aloud favorites
■ Blue-Ribbon Dad
(Beth Raisner Glass)
A little squirrel loves
his dad so much that he
makes him an award.
After all, his dad packs
his favorite lunch, taught him to tie
his shoes, and reads with him. The son
can hardly wait for his dad to get home
from work and receive his ribbon.
The Pennsbury School District
Comprehension checkup
Good readers know when
things make sense, and they
know when they’re confused.
To boost your child’s reading
comprehension, encourage him to ask himself
questions like these as he
reads or listens to stories.
“Did I read that right?”
■ Exclamation Mark!
(Amy Krouse Rosenthal)
An exclamation point feels
self-conscious because
he stands out everywhere
he appears. Eventually, he
discovers his (important!)
purpose. Your child will
enjoy this fun grammar
lesson that’s also about celebrating
differences.
Get your youngster
thinking about whether
the words he reads make
sense. Read aloud, and
tell him you’re going to
change a word to make it
funny. Example: “Clouds gathered, and reindeer fell from the sky”
(instead of rain). Ask, “Did that make
sense?” After he shakes his head “no,”
he can suggest a better word. Then,
show him the actual word.
■ The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
(Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein)
No one’s perfect, right? In this story,
nine-year-old Beatrice Bottomwell is
always super careful to get the right
answers and to never lose at anything. What will happen when she
makes her first mistake? A story
about overcoming perfectionism.
“Do I understand what I just read?”
■ Marisol McDonald and the
Clash Bash/Marisol McDonald y
la fiesta sin igual (Monica Brown)
From pirates to princesses, Marisol
manages to combine all of her interests
for an awesome, mismatched party in
this bilingual picture
book. And thanks to
a computer, she gets
a surprise “visit”
from her grandmother in Peru.
© 2014 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Your child may know every word and
still not comprehend the story. As he
reads (or listens), stop occasionally so he
can describe the action. If he’s reading a
picture book, he might pause after every
few pages to say what’s happening. For a
chapter book, he could summarize after
each chapter.
“How can I figure this out?”
What can your youngster do when
he’s stuck on a word? Suggest the clapping strategy: Read the sentence out
loud, but clap instead of saying the hard
word. By the end of the sentence, the
word might pop into his head. Or if he’s
confused about the plot, rereading the
last few paragraphs or pages can help—
if it doesn’t, he might ask you or his
teacher for clues.♥
Create a family mural
w Use this family mural project to increase
the number of words your youngster can
write— and read.
First, cut paper grocery bags into flat
panels, and hang them side by side on a
hallway wall (blank sides out). Next, agree
on a theme. Will your mural be a colorful rain
forest or maybe an amusement park?
Your child could use crayons to draw a roller coaster, while you color a Ferris
wheel. Encourage her to add words or sentences (“Cotton candy” for a new
writer or “Get your cotton candy right here!” for a more experienced one).
Tip: Leave the mural up so your youngster can practice reading as she passes it.♥
January 2015 • Page 2
Reading and writing
field trips
2. Talk about it. How is
the real-life setting
similar to or different
from the place in
the book? On your
hike, your youngster might see treecovered peaks
while the book
had snowcapped
mountaintops.
When you and your youngster go on outings,
take reading and writing along! She’ll make connections between books and real life, and she’ll find
interesting topics to write about. Try these steps.
1. Visit a setting. After reading a story set in the
mountains, hike a mountain trail at a national or
state park. If your child reads a book on the history
of railroads, go to a railroad museum or a train station.
Or read a story about cupcakes, and ask a local bakery for
a behind-the-scenes tour.
A sweet
spelling
challenge
A bag full of sugar can help your
child’s spelling skills. How? Do this
activity to find out.
Materials: small freezer bags,
sugar, magnetic letters
Secretly think of
a short word (pet,
mug). Fill a bag
halfway with
sugar, add the magnetic
letters that spell the word, and shake.
Then, let your youngster squish the
bag gently to move the letters around
and unscramble the word. Feeling their
shapes can make the word “stick” in his
brain so he’ll remember it later. Can he
create more than one word from the
same letters? (Example: mug, gum.) Have
him say each word he spells.
Remove the letters, and ask your
child to create a spelling bag for you.
Picking out the letters that make up a
word is another great way for him to
practice spelling.♥
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways
to promote their children’s reading, writing,
and language skills.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5648
© 2014 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
3. Write about it.
Have your child
carry a notebook.
Take a break, and help her write about what she sees. She can
jot down facts from signs (“There are 30,000 miles of railroad
track in our state”) or write her impressions (“The frosting
comes in pretty colors”).♥
Math stories
Q My son loves reading, but he isn’t as excited
●
about math. How can I use reading to help him
enjoy math more?
A You could start with a trip to the library.
●
Authors like Stuart Murphy, Marilyn Burns,
and Loreen Leedy have written many fun picture books on numbers, measurement, graphs,
money, and other math topics. Read the books
aloud, and try math activities from the story. Your
members’
child might count cereal pieces, measure household items, or graph family
favorite colors, for instance.
Also, encourage him to read other materials that include both words and numprobbers, such as recipes, coupons, and sports articles. Use them to make up word
2.
lems together. Example: “Our team scored 3 goals, and the other team scored
brings
How many goals were scored in the game?” (Answer: 5.) Or when your son
in
them
story problems home from school, let him read them to you and then retell
his own words before solving them.♥
Wiggle while you read
Our daughter
Leyna is a wiggler.
She’s happiest and concentrates
best when her body is moving. Sitting still at a desk or table is hard
for her, so my wife and I made a
few changes to her homework
space at home.
Instead of a chair, we gave
her a big rubber ball to sit on,
which lets her rock, bounce,
jiggle, and roll while she reads.
If she gets tired of sitting or just wants
to stand, she uses the secondhand drafting table we found at a garage
sale. The table adjusts in
height and also tilts, so we
can set it to just the right
angle for reading.
Leyna is happy with
the new furniture because
it helps her concentrate—
while working the wiggles out!♥
January 2015
Pennsbury School District
Book
Picks
■ The Map Trap
(Andrew Clements)
Middle schooler Alton
Barnes loves maps. He even makes
“maps” showing his
opinions of everyone
he knows. But now his
maps are missing, and it
will take all of his navigational skills to get out
of the mess he has made.
■ Empire State Building
(Elizabeth Mann)
In 1929, a race to build New
York City’s tallest skyscraper
pitted the Empire State
Building against the
Chrysler Building. That tale unfolds in
this book, along with pictures showing
how constructing the 86-floor Empire
State Building changed the way architects design tall buildings.
■ Paint the Wind (Pam Muñoz Ryan)
When 11-year-old Maya’s overprotective grandmother dies, Maya goes to
Wyoming to live with relatives she’s
never met. There she enjoys new freedom and the
friendship of a
wild mustang.
Her love is
tested when
she must decide whether to keep the
horse or set her free. (Also available
in Spanish.)
■ Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic
Design (Chip Kidd)
Here’s an eye-opening look at the history
of graphic design and the enormous role
it plays in everyday life. Readers will
explore typography, color, form, and
scale with hundreds of posters, photos,
and book covers as examples. Includes
projects for readers to do, too.
© 2014 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Creative writing: Plan ahead
Before your budding
author tackles his next creative writing assignment,
encourage him to try these
planning strategies. They’ll
make writing go more
smoothly and help him
write a better story.
“Interview” characters
The more your youngster
knows about his characters,
the more interesting they
will seem in his story. Suggest
that he conduct an imaginary interview with each one. He could list
questions (“Do you own a pet?” “What
are your hobbies?”) and write answers
from the character’s point of view. Example: “My pet is a snake.” “I collect
stamps and do karate.” He’ll imagine
details to use in his story.
Plot the action
Making a game board is a fun way to
outline what will happen in the beginning, middle, and end of his tale. Have
him draw an S-shaped path with 10
boxes. In each box, he could write one
event. (“The characters go hiking.” “They
get lost.” “They meet a wolf.”) He can
cross off each box as he writes.
Add a realistic touch
Authors make stories feel real by weaving in facts. Encourage your youngster to
find ways to do this, too. For instance, if
his character owns a boa constrictor, he
could read a nonfiction book to learn how
the character would take care of the snake.
Or if someone in his story builds a raft,
your child can read instructions online to
learn how to explain it realistically.
Who reads? Everyone!
Is it possible to get through a day without reading? Ask
your youngster to look around — she’ll be surprised by
how much reading she sees and does each day:
● When you’re out together, try to spot as many people
reading as you can. For example, your child might
notice the dental hygienist reading a chart. You could
point out the mechanic reading the service order for
your car.
● Have your youngster keep a list of everything she reads in a day. Remind her to
include things outside of school, too, like directions on the oatmeal packet or a
sign advertising a winter carnival. At bedtime, let her count the items.
Reading Connection
January 2015 • Page 2
INTERMEDIATE EDITION
Other places,
other lives
Celebrations. Have your child
celebrate a holiday from her country. For China, she might read
instructions for making a traditional Chinese New Year paper
lantern. Or for Haiti’s Independence Day, she may find a recipe
for Soup Joumou, a pumpkin
soup eaten to celebrate.
Learning about other countries is
an interesting way for your child to
practice reading for information. Let
her pick a country and explore topics like these.
Language. Suggest that your youngster fill a notebook with phrases she would
use while visiting the country. Examples: “Good morning.”
“See you soon.” “Thank you.” She can look up translations
in a bilingual dictionary at the library and practice saying
the phrases.
Fun Fill in the part
with
Words of speech
Dive into the newspaper
and race to find parts of speech in this
fast-paced game. Your child will learn
about grammar, and you’ll all have fun!
Materials: pencils,
paper, newspaper,
timer
Have each
player draw a
3 x 5 grid on paper
and write a part of
speech (noun, verb,
adjective) above each column. Then, let
your youngster pick five random letters
(say, S, T, A, V, G), and write one to the
left of each row. Give each person a section of the newspaper, and set a timer for
three minutes.
Players race to fill their grids with
words from the newspaper. For example,
your youngster might fill his S row with
sunshine (noun), sell (verb), and superior
(adjective).
When time is up, check the grids, and
cross out any incorrect words (use a dictionary if you’re not sure). The player
with the most correct words wins.
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways
to promote their children’s reading, writing,
and language skills.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5583
© 2014 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Music. Ask your youngster to
make a musical instrument from
the country. She could read a book like Let’s Make Music! An
Interactive Musical Trip Around the World (Jessica Baron Turner)
and make a Chilean rain stick or a wood scraper from India.
Then, let her play it for you.
Q &A Online reading counts
●
Q My son reads novels and textbooks for
school, but when he doesn’t have an assignment, he only wants to read blogs and online magazines. Is that okay?
●
A Encouraging your child to read for pleasure is
one of the most important things you can do. And
even when he’s reading his favorite websites, he may learn new words or discover
facts he didn’t know.
Online reading offers other benefits, too. Your youngster can easily look up a new
word’s definition, search for facts, or click on a link to read more about a topic. Plus,
videos and graphics can help him understand complex information. For instance, an
article explaining how glaciers move will make more sense if it is paired with a video
showing their movement.
Try offering him books to read, but don’t worry if he reads for pleasure online.
He’s reading — and that’s what matters. Note: Have him use the computer in a common area so you can make sure he’s visiting only safe and appropriate sites.
Parent Year in review 2
Last year, our family
Parent started
a new tradition:
On New Year’s Day, we each write a
summary of our favorite memories from
the past year. Then, we put our papers
into a binder that my daughter
Victoria decorated.
As 2014 ended, we reread our 2013 memories.
Everyone smiled as we remembered the school play Victoria
acted in, the new job I got, and
the birth of my sister’s baby. Next, we wrote about
special moments from 2014.
Victoria picked learning to knit and
repainting her bedroom. My best memories were of our beach vacation and
making friends with our new neighbors.
One thing that surprised
me was how much Victoria’s
writing has improved. She
summed up her memories
nicely, probably because
she’s been writing summaries in school. Now we
look forward to adding to
our binder each year—and
to seeing Victoria’s writing
get even better.