KESTREL HEIGHTS NEWS

Have a neighbor, family or friends Interested in applying for the 2022-23 school year? We have seats available! To start the enrollment process, please have them complete our easy, online application on our website at: https://kestrelheights.org/apply-now/

Protect your family!
Protect your community!
Protect yourself!

VaxON will be at Kestrel Heights on Friday, 10/7 to conduct a vaccine clinic.

The Flu Vaccine will be available for all Kestrel Heights Scholars, staff, and interested families.

Pediatric COVID vaccines and boosters will be available for Scholars under 12.

All Kestrel Heights community members over 12 can receive the recently approved enhanced COVID booster.

Please use this link to register by Thursday, October 6th: http://tinyurl.com/VaxOnKH

Want to find out more about the Kestrel Heights Expansion Project? Want to ask a question? Want to check out the live feed camera to see the progress or the construction crew hard at work? Make sure you visit our expansion project page below!

https://kestrelheights.org/expansion-project-information/

Kindergarten:

This week we are working on Text and Graphic Features and learning the letter Rr & Ss. In science we’re experimenting with how we can we change the way things move.

First Grade

Ms. Smallwood’s students work together and have fun in ELA.

Third Grade:

Third grade continues to SOAR as we go deeper into learning.

Math: We have completed math Chapter 1 addition and subtraction within 1000. We have begun Chapter 2 represent and and interpret data. Throughout this chapter we will work on tally tables, picture graphs, and bar graphs.

Please continue to have students work on:

-Adding and Subtracting up to three digit numbers with regrouping.

-Identify place values to the one-thousands place.

-Skip count by 2s, 5s, 10s.

Reading: Scholars learned a great deal about fiction texts as there was a focus on traits, theme, mood, literal and non literal language. Our next unit we will cover Nonfiction. We will be looking at features in nonfiction books. We will compare and contrast and look at the sequence of events as we focus on the organization in nonfiction texts. We will also be digging deeper into vocabulary and using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. Please continue to have your scholars read for at least 30 mins.

Fourth Grade:

Math: Please continue to work on memorization of multiplication facts with your 4th grader. Memorizing their facts will make math much easier all year long. We are working on multiplying 2-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers now and working toward 2-digit by 2-digit.

Social Studies: Scholars are continuing to identify and describe the physical and human characteristics of the 3 regions of North Carolina. Also, please make sure scholars have a book to read during their Independent reading block.

Science: Scholars are continuing to learn about Sun, Constellations, and our planet Earth.

Fifth Grade:

Math: Please continue to work on memorization of multiplication facts with your 4th grader. Memorizing their facts will make math much easier all year long. We are working on dividing 4-digit numbers by 2-digit numbers. The scholars are making great progress so far this year!

Social Studies: Scholars are continuing to learn about American Indian traditions and customs. Also, please make sure scholars have a book to read during their Independent reading block.

Science: Scholars are continuing to learn about human digestive systems and the human circulatory system.

6th Grade

ELA ~ Bowie - Scholars mastered identifying 5 types of reference books last week, and are finishing up learning about dictionary skills. We are also discovering the usage of editing marks, script markings, and annotations for reading literature.

Social Studies ~ Griffin - This week we have been learning more about early humans by comparing and contrasting the eras of hominins and their migration patterns throughout history beginning at around 2600 BCE.

SCIENCE: This week we’re reviewing all things matter, meaning sixth grade science is wrapping up their first unit of the year! A little over a month into the school year, we’ll be wrapping the week up with review games and prizes for both participation and high achievement.

7th grade

Compacted Math: We will finish Module 3: Rational Number Operations and take our Quiz 3, Wednesday October 5th.

Math 7: We have wrapped up our Module 2: Multiplying & Dividing Integers and will begin: Rational Number Operations.

ELA: We have started our first novel The Giver and we completed our first Utopia Mind Map graphic organizer.

SCIENCE: This week in Science we are continuing our work with Forces and Motions. We are using our distance-time graph to display and tell the story of motion.

Eighth Grade:

SCIENCE: We’re starting to get into the deep end of the Law of Conservation of Mass/Matter for 8th grade science, balancing chemical equations, understanding the difference between subscripts, and coefficients, as well as identifying elements based on their symbol.

MATH: We are starting to work on solving equations and simplifying mathematical expressions for Math 8. For Math 1, we are working on Functions and we will be starting sequences in two days.

Music

Our Band Instruments are here... Yay!!!

4th and 5th grade band students have started playing in the Traditions of Excellence band book and are not able to play the first four exercises in the book.

6th - 8th grade band students have made it through exercise 17 in the Traditions of Excellence Book.

Both classes will start playing real band sheet music in 2 weeks.

Dance

In the dance department all elementary scholars are putting laser focus on “locomotor and “nonlocomotor” movement. Scholars are also combining loco and nonlocomotor movement to everyday functioning and operations as a human being. In middle school dance department scholars are still diving into the world of Jazz Dance history and origins. They are also applying it to their technical dance vocabulary in the movement portion of Jazz Dance.

Visual Art

All grades this week have been learning about and exploring “Landscape” as a subject and theme in visual art this week!

Greeting Parents,

We have a couple of reminders to help ensure your scholar has a successful day at school!

1. Please remember to send your scholar to school with a refillable water bottle. Ms. Holmes does not provide cups or water bottles.

2. Pre-order your scholar breakfast and lunch. Use this link to get started: https://schoolpaymentportal.com/ConsumerLogin.aspx?Logout=true You must pre-order even if you get free lunch from school.

3. Scholars will not be allowed to check out early after 2:30pm. This is a critical point in the school day for teachers and staff. Help us avoid confusion by calling the front office and checking out prior to 2:30pm.

Breakfast/Lunch Pre-order Reminder

Please contact Ms. Holmes if you are in need of Free/Reduced Meal Benefits. Parents who receive free or reduced meals must pre-order meals via the LunchTime Software to ensure your scholar gets breakfast and lunch.

This year we will serve breakfast at $2.00 per meal per scholar. Lunch cost $4.00 per student per meal for all students at KHCS.

KHS will order meals from our catering company according to the meals ordered by parents. We will order the exact number for breakfast and lunch; therefore, there is no way to ensure a meal for a student to eat if a parent did not pre-order online.

All parents of students who choose to eat from school’s lunch regardless of their status (Free, Reduced or Paid) have to use this system to pre-order the meals. Pre-order meals must be in by 7pm the day before the meal is being pre-ordered.

Please see the links below for guidance on pre-ordering meals:

School Payment Portal

How to pre-order

Parents Guide to the Payment Portal

Meal Charge Policy

If you need assistance please contact Maureen Gordon at gordon@kestrelheights.org or Courtney Holmes courtneyholmes@kestrelheights.org (919)484-1300 ext. 200

Kestrel Pridewear!

Anyone interested in buying can use this link to purchase whatever items they would like. The campaign will end on September 30th and the items will be shipped to the address listed on the order. Here is the link for the Kestrel Gear to support Volleyball: https://fancloth.shop/DTEHA

If you have any questions please reach out to Coach Dale Edmonds at edmonds@kestrelheights.org.

Fall Athletics Game/ Meet Schedules:

Boys Soccer

https://kestrelhawks.bigteams.com/main/teamschedule/id/3748440/seasonid/4725285

Cross Country

https://kestrelhawks.bigteams.com/main/teamschedule/id/3748448/seasonid/4725307

Volleyball

https://kestrelhawks.bigteams.com/main/teamschedule/id/3748445/seasonid/4725306

Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Kestrel!

Get ready! It’s almost time for our fall book fair!

Our book fair will take place Friday, October 7th through Friday, October 14th in the gym. Shopping hours are 7:30am-3:30pm each school day.

Visit our homepage to set up your e-wallet or for more information: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/kestrelheightsschool

Volunteers needed!!

Did you know that our book fair at Kestrel Heights is run entirely by parent volunteers? We can’t do it without your help! If you’re able to assist, please sign up to volunteer at: https://forms.gle/cPGt4ECx77fx5a4e7

Fall Spirit Event Fundraiser at Naylor Family Farm:
Friday, October 7th, 4-7:30pm

Are you ready for some fun fall festivities? We've partnered with Naylor Family Farm to offer an exciting spirit event for Kestrel families! Join us on Friday, October 7th from 4-7:30pm, when Kestrel families will receive discounted admission ($16/person, free for ages 2 & under) to enjoy all that the farm has to offer including: giant corn maze, petting zoo, jump barn, obstacle course, hayrides, and more! Each ticket purchased will generate a $4 donation back to our school. We hope to see you there!

Please RSVP to this event at: https://www.tiny.cc/naylorfarm2022

Tickets must be purchased in-person on the day of the event. Naylor Family Farm is located 33 miles from our school in Fuquay Varina. For more information about Naylor Family Farm, please visit their website: https://www.naylorfamilyfarm.com

Grand Breakfast at the Book Fair:
Monday, October 10th, 8-10am

Reading is Grand!! We’re hosting a special breakfast event for Grandparents and Grandfriends. Join us at the book fair in the gym for free coffee/tea and pastries, provided by the PTA. Please RSVP to this event using this link so that we can ensure that your scholars are available when their grandparents arrive: www.tiny.cc/GrandBreakfast22

Family Movie Night at the Book Fair:

Friday, October 14th, 5:30-8pm
Join us for a FREE family movie night in the gym on Friday, October 14th. We’ll be screening the new movie The Bad Guys, based on the popular book series by Aaron Blabey. Free popcorn and drinks will be available, courtesy of the PTA. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket to spread out on. Doors open at 5:30pm and the movie will begin at 6pm. The book fair will also be open during this event for one final night of shopping!

Keeping up with the PTA:

Our next meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, October 20th at 6pm. You do not need to be a member to attend PTA meetings, so drop in to see what we're working on. We hope to see you there! https://meet.google.com/ogi-jwan-gdg

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KestrelHeightsSchool/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KestrelHeights

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/kestrelheights/

NextDoor: https://nextdoor.com/pages//pages/kestrel-heights-charter-school-durham-nc/recommend/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/school/kestrel-heights-school

Friday, October 7

VaxON clinic (flu shots / COVID boosters)

Fall Book Fair

Monday, October 10 - 14

Fall Book Fair

KHS Board Meeting - 6:30 pm

Wednesday October 12

Monday, October 17

Teacher Workday - No School

Thursday October 20

PTA Meeting, 6:00 PM

Friday, October 28

End of Quarter 1

Monday, October 31 - November 4

Fall Break

We are a small, diverse, and inclusive learning community in Durham that empowers our Scholars to sharpen academic knowledge, demonstrate creative expression and expand leadership abilities to prepare for success in high school, college, and beyond.

Email: Vargas@kestrelheights.org
Website: www.kestrelheights.org
Location: 4700 South Alston Avenue, Durham, NC, USA
Phone: 919-484-1300
Facebook: facebook.com/KestrelHeightsSchool
Twitter: @kestrelheights