1. Welcome to
Central Elementary
School
Go Eagles!!!
2013-2014

2. Notes From Mrs. Mizell
On behalf of the teachers and staff of the Central Elementary School (CES), I would like
to welcome you to school. The 2013-14 academic year’s beginning has proven to be an exciting
and productive year. To those who are new to Central, we hope that you will quickly feel at
home and become involved in the activities of our school through the PTA and your child’s
classroom.
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: Reading &
Writing Celebrations, Family Nights, quarterly Friday Fitness, and weekly Rise & Shine
assemblies. Research states that parents being involved in your child’s school, students reading
at home and at school are the three actions that help your child succeed the most.
Central is in partnership with UAFS as a Professional Development School. Pre-service
teachers’ classes are held on Central’s campus providing various teaching and learning
experiences for the future teachers. I am blessed to work with the Central staff, families, and
community. If you have any concerns, questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Reaching New Heights-Soaring to Excellence
Sincerely,
Cindy Mizell

4. Central Elementary 2013-2014 Goals
Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan
Priority 1: Literacy
Goal: All students will improve their performance in writing abilities in the area of
content and style and in answering open-response questions in literary and content
reading passages.
Priority 2: Mathematics
Goal: all students will improve their mathematics performance in answering multiple
choice question and open response questions in numbers and operations and
measurement.
Priority 3: Wellness
Goal: Students participating in the BMI screening show a need to improve their
physical activity and nutrition in order to develop lifelong health habits and to live a
healthy lifestyle.
Priority 4: English Language Learners
Goal: By developing high-quality language instruction programs the school will
enable English Language Learner students to speak, read, write, and comprehend in
the English language, develop high levels of academic attainment in English, meet
the same challenging AR State academic content and student academic achievement
standards as all students are expected to meet, and to enter all-English instruction
settings.
Within the Priorities we add Parental Involvement

5. Announcements
• January 6th: Return to School
• January 10th: Report Cards
th: No School
• January 20
th: 5th Grade Career
• January 24
Day

6. Non-Nutritional Days
• September 27th
• October 31st
• November 22nd
• December 20th
• January 29th
• February 13th
• March 21st
• April 17th
• May 23rd

7. PTA Dates
November
• 5th—PTA Santa Pictures @ 8:00am
• 7th—PTA Duck Dynasty Night
• 14th—Skate Night
• 25th-29th – Thanksgiving Break
December
• 12th – Winter Carnival

8. Kindergarten News
Dates to Remember:
January 9- Report Cards and Skate Night
January 20- NO SCHOOL- PD
January 29- Non-Nutritional Day and 100th Day of School!
Reading- Becoming a Class of Reading Teachers
Writing- How- To Books, Writing to Teach Others
Math- Measuring & Counting
Science/S.S.- Magnets, MLK day, AR History, Fairy Tales, The
Mitten

9. What are we studying??
Reading:. Getting to know characters
Math: Math games and puzzles
Writing: Writing Reviews
1st grade had a
visit from Ar
Game & Fish
Commission
Make sure your child is reading 3-4 times a week at home! Make
sure to sign the log!! Read 100 Minutes!
Make sure you
study your Sight
Word Lists!!

10. What’s Happening in
nd Grade???
2
Reading
For January we are paying attention to the
strategies we use while reading books.
Writing
This month we are writing Poetry.
Math
Our focus in math this month is
Data Analysis.
Science/Social Studies
We will be learning about
Animal Habitats.
Dates to Remember:
January 20th - No School

11. Reading:
We are starting a new and EXCITING reading unit that
EVERYONE will love!!! We will be reading all types of mystery
books and learning about how detectives look for clues and
solve mysteries.
Writing:
We are still working on our Persuasive Speeches!
After we finish that unit, we will be teaching the
art of essay writing!
Math:
It’s all about multiplication and division and
finding equal groups!
Million Minute Reading:
Make sure your child reads every night for 20
minutes and logs it on their sheet!! We want our
beards to GROW!!!
No School!!
There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 20th!

12. th
4
Grade Happenings
Reading- We are beginning a unit of study on
Interpretation Book Clubs. Students should be
reading at home for at least 30 minutes a night.
Writing-
We have finished our literary
essays. We are going to be starting a unit on
writing fiction.
Science- We have finished studying the unit
on matter. We are beginning a unit on
weather/water cycle.
Math-
Students will begin a new unit on
fractions. Please keep working with your child
on multiplication facts.

13. 5th Grade
Math – “Prisms & Pyramids”
In this unit we will be learning how to find the volume of boxes using cubic
units.
Science- We are studying light and color and learning how we see light
(color). We will also be studying force and motion this month, concentrating
on simple machines.
Reader’s Workshop – “Learning Through Reading”
We will be using all we know about nonfiction reading and research to learn
about the American Revolution.
Writer’s Workshop – “Bringing History to Life”
We will be learning the foundations of research report writing. Students will
learn to use research skills to deepen their knowledge of the American
Revolution.
Social Studies – American Revolution

14. Reading Recovery
at Central Elementary, Van Buren School District
Reading is important because…
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!
Contact your local
Reading Recovery
professional
Reading Recovery Teacher
Bonnie Duff
Central Elementary
Van Buren, AR 72921
479-474-7059
bonnie.duff@vbsd.us
Scientific evidence reviewed by the U.S. Department of
Education's What Works Clearinghouse confirms that
Reading Recovery is effective.
University Training Center
University of Arkansas
Little Rock, AR
Center For Literacy

15. 25 Years of Excellence in North America
•Nearly 2 million American first graders have had Reading Recovery
lessons.
•75% reached grade-level standard at the end of their lessons.
•All children make progress, but a few do not reach grade-level
standard.
• Information from Reading Recovery lessons helps schools and parents
plan future evaluation and services.
Reading Recovery works because…
•highly trained teachers
work intensively, with
individual children each
school day.
•lessons are planned to
build on the knowledge
and strengths of
each child.
To find out more about
Reading Recovery visit our website at
Families can help by…
•being sure your child's school
attendance is as regular as
possible.
•listening to your child read books
sent home by the Reading
Recovery teacher.
•returning the books each day so
the teacher can send home
new books.
•making reading time positive,
short, and enjoyable.
www.readingrecovery.org

16. 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.