Carver Coyote Newsletter
Family Engagement Newsletter December 2025
LITERACY CORNER
Tips from Your CES Literacy Coach
Kate Moore, moorek@carver.org
Did you know that playing games at home with your child promotes the following literacy skills? Here’s how:
Talking and conversation during game playing promotes vocabulary, language development, and comprehension:
* Games that involve words—like Scrabble, Bananagrams, or “I Spy”—expose children to new words and meanings.
*Hearing and using words in different contexts helps children understand and remember them better.
*Interactive games require children to listen carefully to others and explain their ideas clearly—key parts of literacy development.
Reading directions or cards when playing games, helps to build decoding and comprehension skills:
*Games with instructions, storylines, or cards to read encourage children to practice decoding and fluency naturally.
*Strategy games and storytelling play help children think about cause and effect, sequencing, and predicting outcomes, which are also reading comprehension skills.
Games can help develop writing and spelling:
*Games that involve keeping score, labeling, or writing clues let children practice spelling and writing in low-pressure ways.
Just in time for holiday shopping: Fun Games that Promote Literacy
Headbanz
Boggle Jr.
Bananagrams
Clue Jr.
Guess Who
Matching/Memory
Scrabble Jr.
Scattergories Jr.
Trivial Pursuit Family
Guess in 10 (Jr Edition, Disney Edition, Marvel Edition, etc)
Apples to Apples Jr.
Literacy Coach’s Joke of the Month:
What did the elf learn in school?
A: The elf-abet!
Preschool student in Mr. Lauzon’s class working on letter formation using the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum.
3rd graders in Miss Hannon’s room reading their mysteries, updating their case files, reading with their co-detectives, flashlights, AND reading to their stuffed animals
Students from Miss Drosopoulos’ 2nd grade classroom adding lots of details to their writing!
Handicap Parking: Important Reminder
We need your help! We have noticed that some folks have been parking in the handicap spots at CES without proper documentation. Please collaborate with us by ensuring that you are only parking in these spaces if you have a state issued handicap placard. We value your partnership and are grateful for your cooperation with this important matter.
Please review and follow these procedures to ensure a safe, orderly, and efficient drop off.
Any variations from below, parents/guardians should park in the lot and walk their child to the door.
We greatly appreciate your support and cooperation with this important part of the start to our school day.
● First, drive slowly and use caution; there are many staff and children walking in from the parking lot.
● Drop off will begin at 8:00 and continue until 8:15 at the main entrance. Do NOT line up before
7:50 AM. If you arrive early, you will be instructed to park, and you MUST park in a space
designated for parking.
● Students dropped off after 8:20 must be signed in and are considered tardy.
● We are trying to safely unload five cars in the yellow drop-off zone. All who are first in line, please
pull up to the yellow cone. All others should follow closely behind.
● Always yield to buses and refrain from cutting in line. Follow the diagram below.
● If you choose to park and walk, always walk your child across the driveway between 8:00 and 8:15. Important: Do not drop your child off in the parking lot; children should not walk across the crosswalk without a parent/guardian.
● Parents/Guardians must be prepared to have their student exit their vehicle from the rear driver’s
side; students should have all their belongings ready in hand as they exit. Refrain from handing out
items to their children from the window.
● Parents/Guardians must remain in their vehicle at all times. Once in the yellow drop-off zone, a
staff member unloads students from the vehicle.
● Once in the Coyote Car Rider drop-off line, you may NOT pass any other vehicles.
● If you choose to park and walk, always walk your child across the driveway between 8:00 and 8:15. Important: Do not drop your child off in the parking lot; children should not walk across the crosswalk without a parent/guardian.
● Please keep the front row parking lot available for Preschool parents who pull up at 8:15. We need
these spots vacant for them.
● Parents/Guardians with preschool children will be asked to drop off at 8:15 at the Preschool
Entrance: if you have older children, you will proceed to the Main Entrance.
● For unusual drop-offs such as exiting from the trunk or dropping off supplies, instruments, or bulk
items, please park in the lot and walk your student to the front door.
● Preschool families dropping off at 8:15 are noted with a school-issued YELLOW Car tag. This will help us all know that preschool families will drive to the front of the parking lot to walk their children into school.
