Important Dates  

December 16 - CET Winter Concert Parent Performance, 8:45 am.

December 26-Jan 2 - Holiday Recess -  School is closed.

January 3  - School resumes.

January 27 - CET report cards sent home.

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CET Newsletter December 9, 2016

http://www.chufsd.org/schools/carrie_e_tompkins_es

Message from the Principal, Mrs. Kelly Maloney

Dear CET Families,

Our most recent PTA Principal’s Coffee was on the topic of technology and how technology is integrated into the teaching and learning at CET.  The use of technology supports our district mission to “develop skills that enable students to become effective communicators, problem solvers, and researchers who are independent learners responsible for their own learning”.   

We are using a program called Learning.com to give students the critical skills that they will need to use technology safely and effectively.  Through the use of interactive lessons at their own pace, Learning.com equips students with skills including keyboarding, word processing, online safety, and coding.  These lessons are usually assigned during a class’ weekly visit to the computer lab. Keyboarding skills are also addressed through the use of programs like Type to Learn and Dance Mat Typing.   

Members of the CHHS Programming Club visited 4th grade classes on November 30 (Computer Security Day) and shared tips about how to stay safe online.  

This week was the Hour of Code . The Hour of Code is a global movement to encourage a one-hour introduction to computer science and computer programming.  All students have been participating in coding activities during their library time and computer time. Vocabulary associated with coding has been introduced as well. Terms such as loops, commands, and repeat blocks are part of the coding language.  Coding supports other skills such as problem solving, left to right reading, counting, and cause and effect.  I can confidently say that CET students have had way more than an hour of code! You can learn more about coding by visiting code.org/learn.  

Our librarian, Mrs. McManus, has incorporated not only coding, but also engineering and design activities into the library curriculum.  This week she held a parent evening event, Gizmos and Gadgets Galore ,  to showcase what students have been doing in library.  Parents who attended had the opportunity to program an Ozobot, drive a Sphero, play games using OSMO, and build a marble run.  If you would like a summary of these toys and gadgets, please go to her webpage which can be accessed on our CET homepage under Staff Directory.  Thank you to our PTA who has generously purchased many of these gadgets for our library as well as for classrooms.  You can refer to the CET PTA newsletter which was recently distributed to see exactly what was purchased.

We have a variety of devices for students to use. Each classroom has 5 desktops.   Third and  fourth grade students have access to laptops and Chromebooks, and every second grade class has a cart that contains 5 iPads. There are additional iPads that can be borrowed.  This year, there has been more of an emphasis on the use of Chromebooks in fourth grade along with the use of Google Classroom.  It is our intent to expose students to both platforms-Microsoft and Google, and for students  to determine which to use depending on the purpose or product. 

I encourage you to ask your child about how they use technology at school and to visit our teachers' web pages. You can access their web pages from the CET homepage under Staff Directory. 

Warmly,

Kelly 

News from the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kerri Bianchi  

This week during PE classes all of our CET students participated in bus safety lessons.  We were lucky to have Angie and Mike visit each day from the Croton Harmon Schools Transportation Department.  During these important lessons the students went out to the bus and reviewed the danger zones around the bus where the driver would not be able to see them.  They also watched a video that helped to reinforce the importance of making sure that all belongings are safely secured in their book bags before boarding and departing from the bus.  The students were reminded how to look at the driver for important signals before crossing the road.  Our Bus Drivers would also like to ask parents if they could please label all book bags, instruments, water bottles, lunch boxes and jackets so that any item left on the bus can easily be returned to the proper student. Please ask your children about their Bus Safety lessons and have an additional discussion about proper bus behavior.  Additionally, please be sure that your children know what to do if you are not at the bus stop or at home when you arrive. 

The students should be reminded that the Drivers number one priority is safe driving and that students can help ensure a safe trip to school by following our REACH expectations on the bus.  What does REACH look like on the bus?  Appropriate behavior and high expectations on the bus help to ensure our student’s safety while traveling.  Students show RESPECT on the bus by listening to and following directions from the bus drivers.  Students use kind words and a quiet voice while they are on the bus.  It is also important that they are expected to keep their hands, feet, backpacks, and other objects to themselves and remain seated for the whole trip.  Our students must make an EFFORT to do their best and to follow the bus rules.  ACCEPTANCE is shown when students take responsibility for themselves and their actions.  Students display COOPERATION on the bus by sitting according to their grade level, using a seatbelt, if available and working with others to follow the bus rules.  Finally, and as always, students show HONESTY by always being truthful.  Our dedicated and knowledgeable transportation department makes every effort to ensure that our students are safe while traveling on the bus.  

Message from Vilma Torres-Pagan, School Counselor  

Throughout the months of November and December, the theme of Kindness seems to be more prevalent than in other times of year. Kindness, as I have defined to children, is simply “giving of yourselves to others and not expecting anything in return”. We have discussed how performing acts of kindness will not make us rich nor famous; rather, we provide others with happiness and witness how one act of kindness provided by a person full of love spreads throughout the world.

Acts of kindness do not necessarily result in someone spending money. There are a myriad of ways that children can participate in acts of kindness on a daily basis. The following is a comprehensive list of acts of kindness that anyone can perform: 

1. Hold the door open for someone.
2. Do a chore without being asked to.
3. Tell a joke.
4. Return someone’s cart at the store.
5. Check in on an elderly neighbor.
6. Donate outgrown clothes.
7. Make a new friend at school.
8. Sing songs at a nursing home.
9. Send letters of encouragement and gratitude to soldiers overseas.
10. Mow your neighbor’s lawn.
11. Thank your bus driver for getting you to your destination safely.
12. Bake cookies and deliver them to your local police department station house, firehouse, or ambulance bay.
13. Volunteer at an animal shelter.
14. Say “hello”, “good morning”, or “good afternoon” to everyone you see.
15. Tell someone how much you love them/how special they are to you.
16. Use your manners: “please”, “thank you”, “excuse me”, and “you’re welcome”.
17. Donate food to your local food pantry.
18. Volunteer at your local food pantry.
19. Shovel the snow off of your neighbor’s driveway/sidewalk.
20. Share your special toy with a friend. 

Happy holidays CET family!

Message from Kaylynn Hayes, School Nurse

CLOTHING DONATIONS NEEDED

During the school year, students go to the nurse's office for many reasons.  Many times needing a change of clothes is one of the biggest reasons.  The children can get dirty from playing outside, from being sick, or many different reasons requiring a change of clothing.  

Therefore, it would be helpful to all of the students of CET, if parents could donate clothing, specifically as follows:

• Unisex sweatpants (gray, blue, black, brown, white) sizes: 4-12
• Unisex sweatshirts and t-shirts (gray, blue, black, brown, white) sizes: 4-12
• Old coat or jackets

There is no time limit for making donations for clothing and it can be any time during the school year.  The sweatpants are the first to go and needed the most. 

All donations are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

CET PTA

LOST & FOUND

Please check the "Lost and Found" for your child's belongings. They miss you and their home. We will be donating items at the end of the month if they are not claimed.

Thank you for your support!

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  REMEMBER TO FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  -  #CETelementary 

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WE COLLECT BOX TOPS AND LABELS FOR EDUCATION

• Earn cash for CET by collecting and submitting Box Tops and Labels for Education to our school
• The Labels for Education is winding down and can be found on Campbell products 
• The Box Tops can be found on General Mills products