Bancroft Community Newsletter

In the busy month of February our First Graders learned about some famous Americans for Black History month. They learned about Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, George Crum and Jackie Robinson. We celebrated the 100th Day of School with a fun twirl where each teacher visited all the classes to do a special 100th day activity. They made 100 dollar bills, played Race to 100, built things with 100 items and drew a picture of themselves as 100 years old. First Grade also had fun celebrating Valentine’s Day in class, with our Kindness Spirit Week and our whole school morning meeting. In Science, we learned about landforms and bodies of water. The first graders enjoyed using their observation skills to observe rocks with our new magnifiers and describe them with property words.

As March comes closer, we are looking forward to the season of Spring and playing on our beautiful playground that has been covered in snow. As our seasons start to change, first graders will be learning about weather with our new Science unit. Spring is right around the corner!

Love of reading is blooming in 2nd grade! The students have been learning about inventions and nonfiction writing. We read about George Washington Carver and Thomas Edison. The students are beginning to understand how inventors try and fail at things many times before they succeed. This idea has helped us take more risks, knowing that it’s ok to get something wrong the first or second time. What matters is that we keep trying our very best and KEEP TRYING!

In Math, students have learned about money, time, skip counting and different ways to build, write, and make numbers. We learned about expanded form, word form, standard form and built numbers with base ten blocks. We are about to learn triple digit addition and subtraction in the next month.

Moreover in science, kids have been excited to learn about the different forces that impact daily life. We have discussed pushes, pulls, friction, and gravity! Students have enjoyed trying different experiments and talking about the various forces they observe happening in the experiment. We are looking forward to finishing up the month discussing magnets!

This month we also celebrated our 100th day of school! Kids are officially 100 days smarter in 2nd grade! We have enjoyed celebrating Valentine’s Day together too. There are so many wonderful things happening here! We look forward to March and the thoughts of warmer weather too. As March approaches be sure to be on the lookout for spring conference sign-ups. We look forward to talking with you and sharing the wonderful things your child is learning in Bancroft!

The month of February was full of meaningful learning and experiences for our third graders!

We kicked off the month by completing our Black History Month research projects. Students worked hard to learn about influential historical figures, and we were so proud to have one student from each classroom share their research during the morning announcements.

Our winter field trip to the Delaware Children’s Museum was another February highlight. Students explored hands-on activity rooms, collaborated with classmates, and engaged in creative problem-solving throughout the museum.

February was also our Month of Kindness. Third graders spread kindness by writing thoughtful notes to themselves and to others. Many students also celebrated with their Bancroft Buddies.

We marked the 100th Day of School with some imaginative writing! Students wrote about what life might be like at 100 years old. Many envision living at the beach with their pets, while others plan to still be working and staying active!

One of the most anticipated events of the year—Law Day—was a huge success. Our students did an outstanding job performing their mock trial scripts and took their roles very seriously. Serving on a jury and working toward a fair verdict required teamwork, critical thinking, and careful listening.

As we move into March, we will be finishing our math unit on multi-step word problems involving all four operations and beginning our study of fractions. In reading, we are wrapping up our poetry unit and shifting our focus to writing in-depth responses using the R.A.C.E. strategy, along with practicing PSSA-style test-taking strategies.

We are looking forward to warmer weather, longer days, and celebrating the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Thank you for your continued support in making this a successful and joyful school year!

In Reading, we completed explicit instruction and modeling of Text-Dependent Analysis (TDA). Students strengthened their ability to carefully analyze passages and to support their answers with clear textual evidence.

In Writing, students completed their National Park Service research project and drafted multi-paragraph informational essays. They practiced organizing notes, developing strong paragraphs, and revising their work for clarity. This research experience transitioned beautifully into our current Social Studies focus on landforms, as students continue building their understanding of how geography shapes regions, habitats, and communities.

In Science, students completed their “Feature Creature” animal adaptation projects. Each student selected an animal and researched the physical and behavioral adaptations that help it survive in its environment. Their presentations showcased both scientific understanding and creativity.

In Math, we wrapped up Unit 3, focusing on multi-digit multiplication, long division, and applying those skills to solve problems involving area and perimeter. We will soon begin our next unit on fractions, where students will deepen their understanding of fraction concepts, equivalence, and operations.

During Black History Month, students have participated in meaningful learning experiences. We created a hallway display honoring influential Black musicians, singers, and songwriters who have made lasting contributions to music and culture. In Writing, students began researching historical African American figures who overcame obstacles and made remarkable contributions to society. Students are highly engaged in their independent research and will continue developing a multi-paragraph essay, creating a slide presentation, and preparing an oral presentation to share with their classmates by the end of the month.

We are proud of the growth, curiosity, and effort our students continue to demonstrate each day!

In fifth grade we have been learning all about Technology’s Impact on Society in reading class. After reading about many of the inventions of the Industrial Revolution, including many from the textile industry, we were visited by Ms. Lynn Sinclair, the founder of the Kennett Heritage Center. She showed us the evolution of yarn spinning from the original hand spindle to a spinning jenny powered by foot. Students then got to try their own hand at creating a textile, using paper strips to weave their own placemats.

We were also visited by Mrs. Intelicato, who dissected a shark and shared information about its adaptations.

In honor of Black History month many of our students are drawing inspiration from African American artists. We are enjoying painting, drawing, and creating collages with inspiring themes and imagination.

The Fifth grade students are working on an exciting sculpture! Our goal is to make a Bancroft Bear taller than Mr. Weinhardt, which is a tall order, but so far so good!

I hope to see many of you at STEM night! I will be throwing pots on the pottery wheel, come check it out and say “hi!!! - Mrs. Bergman

In Music, we have been working hard on rhythms, recorders, xylophones, and more! 1st grade has been reviewing sol- mi patterns, rhythms, and learning how to compose our own patterns. 2nd grade has been learning about different black musicians for Black History Month, as well as singing Sol La Mi patterns. 3rd Grade just finished their instrument unit, and is now working on a song for the Lunar New Year! 4th grade has been rocking recorder- and we have successfully learned an old classic Hot Cross Buns! 5th grade is learning about Hip hop music and digital music making and beat patterns. We even worked on Beatboxing this week!

Don’t forget! The Music on Parade Concert for 4th and 5th grade chorus is on March 10th, 2026 at KHS at 7:00pm. Students need to arrive by 5:30.

Social media usage among elementary students is increasing. Students at this age are not developmentally ready for social media applications and should not have access to these applications, such as Snapchat, TikTok, or Instagram.

• Elementary-age children should not have social media (Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, etc). These applications require students to be at least thirteen years old. Find activities that can replace the time spent using social media (e.g., going for a walk/getting outside, doing a puzzle, playing with friends, reading a book, playing a game, talking to someone, coloring, listening to music, calling a friend on the phone).

• Elementary-age students are not developmentally ready to navigate social media in a way that ensures their health and safety.

• Using social media increases student’s risk of being exposed to inappropriate content and cyberbullying.

• If you are going to allow your student to have a phone, we highly recommend a flip phone that does not have access to the Internet. If you allow your child to have a phone with Internet access, then you must monitor all communication. The phone belongs to the guardian, not the student!

• Set clear boundaries and expectations around screen time. Some examples of boundaries may be:

• No social media applications.

• Set device-free times (Example: No technology at the dinner table or before bed).

• Technology use is only allowed after all other responsibilities are completed.

• Set a time limit for technology (Example: An hour of iPAD time each night, or iPAD use is only allowed on the weekend).

• All devices must be stored outside of the bedroom. Students should not have access to electronic devices in their room, as this can disrupt sleep.

• Ensure that you are looking at the messages your child sends and receives. Your child should know that you will be reading their messages. This is not an age where a device should be private. The device belongs to the guardian, not the student.

This is a challenging topic to navigate, so please reach out with any questions or concerns. I am here to support you and your child on this journey.

Kindly,

Emma Termini, NCC

School Counselor

Suggested Resources:

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

• Grade 4 and Older: The Anxious Generation - Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World

• 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World by Dr. Jean Twenge

• Commonsensemedia.org