The principal, Cindy Mizell, welcomes parents to Central Elementary School for the 2015-2016 school year. She notes that PTA members are organizing membership drives and t-shirt sales while teachers are administering reading, writing, math and other assessments. Mizell emphasizes the importance of reading each night and communicating through social media. She states the school's mission is to foster learning, high expectations, and helping students reach their potential by working as a team with parents and the community.
2. Notes From Mrs. Mizell
Dear Parents,
On behalf of the teachers and staff of the Central Elementary
School (CES), I would like to welcome you. We have lots of happenings
going on at Central. Our PTA ladies are busy with our membership drive
and t-shirt sales. Reading & Writing Assessments are being given as well
as math screeners. Children are settling into routines both at home and
at school. Reading each night makes a difference in school performance.
Stay informed of Central’s events by following us on Twitter and/or like
us on Facebook. As I continue as principal at Central Elementary, I will
work diligently with parents and faculty to foster an atmosphere that
promotes a learning community that is child centered. Working as a team
we will move forward in our mission to create a warm, caring, disciplined,
and challenging environment in which all students can learn and reach
their highest potential becoming responsible members of society.
Although we strongly believe in academic excellence, we also feel that
learning must be fun and rewarding for each child. By working together,
students, parents/guardians, and staff can make Central Elementary
School an exciting and enjoyable place to learn. I am blessed to work
with the Central staff, families, and community.
Reaching New Heights-Soaring to Excellence
Sincerely,
Cindy Mizell
3. School Motto
Reaching New Heights-Soaring to Excellence
School Vision
Our vision is for Central Elementary School to be a safe and
loving environment full of positive, caring teachers and staff
meeting the academic, physical, and emotional needs of each
child – whatever it takes.
School Mission
Our mission is to provide a learning environment which:
•Places the child first in all decisions made.
•Uses best practices and the latest technology.
•Sets high expectations for all staff, parents and students.
•Supports all students and helps them reach their individual
potential.
•Communicates and works as a team with parents and the
community to ensure each child’s success.
4. Announcements
• October 1st – 2nd thru 5th
Grandparents Breakfast
• October 8th – Sonic Night 5:00-8:00
• October 21st – Fall Pictures K-2
• October 22nd – Fall Pictures 3-5
• October 22nd –
Parent Teacher Conferences
• October 23rd – No School
5. Non-Nutritional Days
• September 25
• October 30
• November 20
• December 18
• January 30
• February 12
• March 17
• April 22
• May 24
8. PTA Dates
•October 22nd
Candy Bar Kickoff
•October 22nd – Nov 13th
Candy Bar Sales
•October 28th
Glow stick sales end
9. October Kindergarten News
• Reading- Emergent Reading Looking Closely At Familiar
Texts; Super Powers Reading With Print Strategies and
Sight Word Power
• Writing- Looking Closely; Observing, Labeling, and Listing
Like a Scientist; Writing for Readers
• Math- Counting and Comparing; What Comes Next?
• Science/Social Studies- Pumpkins, Columbus Day, and
holidays.
Dates to remember:
October 2: Book Fair Ends
October 21: Fall Pictures K-2
October 22: Parent/Teacher Conferences (See you there!)
October 23: Professional Development- No school
October 26: Field Trip to Pumpkin Patch @ Alma Middle School
October 31: Non-Nutritional Day/Fall Party
10. What are we studying??
Reading:. Word Detectives
Math: Shapes
Writing: How To Writing
Read 100 Minutes per week. Study reading sight words.
Study your
spelling sight
words too!
11. Reading- Becoming Experts:
Reading Nonfiction
Writing-Informational
Math- Shapes, Blocks &
Symmetry and Stickers,
Number Strings & Story
Problems
Science- Weather Changes,
Components of Weather, and
Weather’s Effect on Earth
Scarecrow Pete
by Mark
Moulton
*Not available at
Crawford County or
Fort Smith Libraries
*The book of the month
is a suggested book
that Second Grade
teachers think your
family would enjoy
reading. This book may
or may not have been
read in the classroom.
12. Third Grade Happenings
WeareLearning:
Reading: We will continue to work on our
Nonfiction Reading and then move to Character
Studies
Writing: We will be finishing up Information Writing
and move on to “Baby” Literary Essays.
Math: We will be finishing our unit over collecting
and solving story problems. We will then move to
Perimeter, Angles, and Area.
Social Studies: We will continue to study about
“Countries Around the World.” We will finish
learning about the USA and move to Brazil.
13. Social Studies:
We are learning about the Iroquois and Algonquin
Indians in our content centers!
Reading:
We have started a new and EXCITING nonfiction unit on
Weather!! We will be conducting whole class research projects
and then individual research projects! We are reading LOTS of
nonfiction books and learning how to take notes about what we
have learned!
Writing:
We just started learning about essays! In this opinion
writing unit, we will be writing persuasive and
personal essays!!
Math:
We are finishing up our unit on multiplication and
division. Our next unit will focus on geometrical
shapes!!! This will be an exciting unit in math!!
14. 5th Grade
• Science
This month we are learning about ecosystems!
We will build ecosystems in lab this
month. The students will learn how an
ecosystem works, all about pollution in an
ecosystem, and plants, animals, water,
insects, food chains and more!
• Math
This month we are finishing up our unit
over volume! Then we will be getting
into our unit over adding and subtracting
with large numbers. (Thousands)
• ReadingWorkshop
This month we are learning about reading
complex nonfiction books. They will learn how to
find the main idea, take notes, and study the
format of a nonfiction book.
• WritingWorkshop
This month the students are learning how to
write a nonfiction text all about something
that interests them. They will be learning the
important things that go into a nonfiction
writing,.
• SocialStudies
This month we are learning about Exploration in
the Western Hemisphere and the effects of
colonization. We will be focusing on Marco Polo,
Christopher Columbus, and Henry Hudson.
Students will get to work in a variety of centers
and participate in interactive read alouds.
15. K-2 Enrichment is provided for all students in the
district by Mrs. Wilcox. Students focus on
creative problem solving.
Students that are placed in the 3rd-5th grade
GT program attend a 2.5 hour pull-out
session with Mrs. McDaniel once a week.
Students focus on problem solving,
leadership, communication , and research
skills.
Gifted students in 6th-12th grade meet with Mrs. Taylor and focus
on motivation, values and positive attitudes.
16. Reading is important because…
Scientific evidence reviewed by the U.S. Department of
Education's What Works Clearinghouse confirms that
Reading Recovery is effective.
Bonnie Duff
Central Elementary
Van Buren, AR 72921
479-474-7059
bonnie.duff@vbsd.us
University Training Center
University of Arkansas
Little Rock, AR
Center For Literacy
Contact your local
Reading Recovery
professional
Reading Recovery Teacher
Reading Recovery
at Central Elementary, Van Buren School District
Strong reading and writing
skills are essential for
success in school and later
life. Although most children
learn to read in their
classroom programs, a few
children have great difficulty
learning to read and write.
Reading Recovery can help!
18. Drop off and
Pick up
• Bus drop off and
pick up will be
located behind the
building on North
22nd Street.
• Car drop off and
pick up will now be
located in the front
of Central
Elementary School
on North 24th
Street.
