The Penguin Post
Classroom Cruisers
Phelps is excited to have two Classroom Cruisers!
The new Self-regulation Classroom Cruiser is designed to provide opportunities for students to self-regulate through movement without having to leave or disrupt the class. It is ideal for inclusive environments and helps kinesthetic learners and any student who needs to get the wiggles out so they can refocus and engage in learning. In just a ten-minute ride, students can become more engaged and ready to learn.
- "Studies show that after a 5-minute movement break, second-grade students exhibited greater concentration and demonstrated higher math fluency." (Education I. P., 2010, p. 22)
- "Eight of nine studies found that offering physical activity breaks during standard classroom instruction have favorable associations with concentration, appropriate behaviors, and academic achievement." (Education I. P., 2010, p. 29)
Our Student Government has been very busy! They recently facilitated a school wide survey to get feedback from all students on:
1. What is your favorite part about Phelps School?
2. What would you change about Phelps School?
3. How can Student Government make Phelps a better place to learn?
4. What events or activities should we consider this year?
Representatives took turns sharing the results at our January all-school meeting. In our next meeting, we will be looking through the results to make a ballot for every student at Phelps to vote on.
Girls on the Run is coming back this spring to Phelps! Be on the lookout for more information. This is an amazing program for girls in grades 3 & 4.
GOTR is a youth development initiative focused on empowering girls through physical activity, where participants in grades 3-8 will engage in a curriculum designed to build social, emotional, and physical skills while culminating in a celebratory 5K race, with the aim of inspiring confidence and healthy habits in young girls. The program goes beyond just running, incorporating lessons on self-esteem, body positivity, conflict resolution, and healthy decision-making through interactive activities and discussions alongside physical exercise.
For nearly 50 years, the American Heart Association has been partnering with educators in elementary, middle and high schools across the nation to help educate students about healthy living.
The Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge are service-learning based fundraising programs that give students the opportunity to feel good, while doing good. It’s a way for students to better their life — all while changing someone else’s.
Phelps is kicking off our Kids Heart Challenge! Our event is the week of February 10-14 during PE
Classes.
This week we welcomed Ms. Conklin, our STEAM teacher, back to Phelps. Students will see Ms. Conklin twice each week. You can see what your child will be doing in STEAM class on Ms. C.'s website:
https://sites.google.com/agawamed.org/sciencewithmissc/home.
Don't forget that you can also purchase your child's artwork from Mrs. Robinson's class by heading to the Phelps Artsonia shop at https://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=15756
Phelps is looking for both a long-term substitute Special Education Teacher for the remainder of the school year as well as paraprofessionals. Please share these opportunities with anyone you know that may be looking for a position in our amazing school.
If you have any questions, please reach out to:
Andy Villamaino
Principal
413-821-0587
Flu Season is Here!
We know that showing up matters, and that when students show up to learn, they are more likely to be able to stay on-track, stay engaged and meet major educational milestones.
We are at 95.5% average daily attendance as a school.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance. children catch up.
- Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves.
Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in high school and college.
We’re excited to announce new grade-level and content-specific websites designed to enhance the connection between school and home! These online resources will provide students and families with helpful tools, activities, and important updates to support learning both in and outside of the classroom. Be sure to check out your child’s grade-level page to explore all the great resources we’ve made available to help foster a fun and engaging learning experience at home. Stay tuned for more updates!
To find your website - head over to https://www.agawamed.org/o/bjp and click on MENU. All of our new sites are published here!
Our new sites are a work in progress and will continue to be updated throughout the year.
Benjamin Phelps Elementary School
Email: avillamaino@agawamed.org
Website: https://www.agawamed.org/o/bjp
Location: 689 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001 USA
Phone: (413) 821-0586