The Tiger Times

Dear PAWWW-Tastic Tiger Families and Community,

Woohooo! Look out Week 5, here we come... Leveling up and ALL! I'm incredibly proud of our Tiger community's continued growth and the amazing progress your children are making every single day. Your partnership and support make all the difference in creating our positive school culture.

As we build our respectful Tiger community, I'm inspired by civil rights leader Dolores Huerta's words: "Respect is one of the greatest expressions of love." When we treat each other with respect in our car line, classrooms, and community; we're not just following rules; we're showing love for our Tiger family.

🎉 ¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana! - Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

From September 15th through October 15th, we celebrate the rich cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Our diverse Tiger community is stronger because of the beautiful traditions and experiences each family brings. This month, students will explore Hispanic heritage through literature, science, and cultural learning.

¡Estamos orgullosos de nuestra comunidad diversa! - We are proud of our diverse community!

🔄 Important Schedule Update

School Closed: Tuesday, September 23rd - No classes for students due to essential Professional Development for our dedicated staff. Our teachers will be engaged in valuable training that directly benefits your children's educational experience. Please mark your calendars and make appropriate childcare arrangements.

📊 Ongoing Assessment Information - Updated Schedule

Our students continue participating in several key assessments that provide valuable insights into their learning progress and help us tailor instruction to meet their individual needs. Due to technical difficulties, the NWEA MAP Growth Reading and Math assessments will continue into this week, and we appreciate your patience as we ensure every student has the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge.

Current Assessment Schedule:

• Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA): September 8th - October 10th

• MAP Growth Assessments (1st-5th Grade):

• Reading: September 19th (continuing this week)

• Math: September 22nd (continuing this week)

• Science (2nd-5th Grade): September 25th

• DIBELS Assessment (K-3rd Grade): September 22nd - October 16th

• iReady Reading Fall Assessment (1st-3rd Grade): September 24th - 25th

📋 Action Required: Essential Digital Forms - Final Reminder

We're still missing some important forms for several students. Please take just a few minutes to complete these essential documents immediately for each of your children:

• ✅ Emergency Contact and Pick-Up List

• ✅ Student Publicity Release Form

• ✅ Parent Compact Form

• ✅ Free and Reduced Lunch Application

These forms ensure your child's safety, enable us to share their STEMTastic achievements, and provide crucial support services. Your prompt completion of these forms helps us serve your family more effectively and keeps important information current.

⚠️ Safety Reminders

Show love for our Tiger community through respectful safety practices:

• Drive slowly on school grounds

• Follow car line procedures and staff instructions

• Never drop students in the roundabout

• Treat all community members with kindness

Thank you for your continued partnership in making our school a place where every Tiger thrives. Remember: We are Leveling Up the STEMTastic Way! Let's make this year extraordinary, transformational, and filled with achievements that exceed every expectation while always treating one another with the respect and love that makes our Tiger community truly special.

¡Adelante, Tigres! - Forward, Tigers!

With Tiger Pride and Endless Gratitude,

Tauheedah N. Simmons-Lewis
Your PAWW-rific Principal
CMIT South Elementary School
Home of the STEMTastic Tigers 🐅

This week, our first grade students are learning about the importance of following rules at school. Through interactive lessons and discussions, students are exploring:

• Why rules help keep everyone safe and respectful
  
  

• How rules create a positive classroom and school environment
  
  

• Ways they can be responsible for following rules every day
  
  

We encourage you to continue the conversation at home by talking with your child about rules your family follows and why they are important.

Thank you for partnering with us to help our students grow into responsible and respectful learners!

From the Reading Specialist’s Desk 📚✨

Dear Families,
One of the most common questions I hear is, “How do I know if this book is just right for my child?” A simple way to check is by using the Five Finger Rule—a quick, kid-friendly strategy to help students choose books that match their reading level.

Here’s how it works:

1. Have your child open a book to any page.
   

2. As they read, put up one finger for each word they don’t know or can’t figure out.
   

3. Count how many fingers are up by the end of the page:
   

• 0–1 fingers: Too easy
  

• 2–3 fingers: Just right!
  

• 4–5 fingers: Might be too hard for independent reading (better as a read-aloud or buddy read)
  
  

This simple tool helps children feel confident when selecting books that are a good fit—not too easy, not too hard, but “just right.”

Encourage your child to use the Five Finger Rule during library visits, at the bookstore, or even when browsing books at home. It empowers them to take ownership of their reading and builds independence.

Grade Level Updates:

Hello Tiger Families!

This week, Kindergarten will be continuing KRA testing this week, check with your scholar’s teacher for the specific date. Students will need to bring in their computer for the KRA testing. Also please practice tying shoes and turning sleeves of jackets from inside out to the correct way with your scholars. Next week the testing window for Dibels opens, not all classes will be tested on the same day. Be on the look out for your scholar’s teacher to announce the date of testing for their class. Last week saw the start of Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month, so the Kindergarten team would like to share some options for reading together. The following link gives 15 picture books that families could read together; https://www.readbrightly.com/picture-books-celebrate-hispanic-heritage/.

This week we would like to highlight some at-home math activities!

• Bake together- Let your child become familiar with the purpose of measuring, the various measurements and an understanding of quantity. A

• Count everything- Count the number of steps to the car, the number of toys in a box, or the number of candies in a jar.

• Create a family math night- Designate a night as Family Night. Play board games and other games that use number cubes (dice), card games, dominoes, or puzzles

When your child has been absent please communicate to the teacher and complete the online document submission form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lp2fJsfDLjWNINllvX10OKjiGDn443yAB8Hq8BMBa-E/viewform

Reading Updates:

UNIT 1 WEEK 3- At the Library

Essential Question- What makes us want to visit a special place?

• Phonological awareness: Middle Sounds; Recognize Alliteration; Blend and Segment, Onset and Rime

• Phonics: Consonants Pp and Cc

• High-Frequency Words: he, is, have

• Spelling words found in weekly readings: library, movie, librarian, computers

• Unit Vocabulary: map, move, land, special

Learning Goals:

• Use text evidence to identify the main idea in informational text.

• Develop understanding of types of books

• Explore parts of an informational text

• Demonstrate phonological awareness.

• Identify and match the common sounds that letters represent.

• Identify and read common high-frequency words by sight.

• Identify real-life connections between words and their use

• I can write about my opinion

Math Updates:

TOPIC 1 - Numbers 0 to 5

Essential Understanding: How can you can objects regardless of orientation/grouping?

• Count 0-5 objects and write the numerals for 0-5

• Counting tells how many are in a group, regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.

• Understand that counting is cumulative.

• There is a unique symbol that goes with each number word.

• Understand the order of numbers

Vocabulary: count, one, two, three, four, five, number, zero, none, order, numeral

Science Updates:

TOPIC 3: Needs of Living Things

Experience 1 Question: What do plants need?

• Discover the needs of plants

• Explore planting seeds

• Learn plants survive and grow when needs are met

• Observe what happens to plants in different environments

Vocabulary: need, survive, grow, space, describe

Social Studies Updates:

CHAPTER 1 LESSON 2- Where we learn

• Identify different problems that students encounter

• Produce possible solutions to problems that people encounter

• Recognize ways that people cooperate in both class and in the community

• Analyze how to get along with others

Vocabulary: cooperate, problem, solution

Health Updates:

SEPTEMBER TOPIC: How to Stay Safe

• Understanding safety rules at home and school

• Acknowledging safety helpers at home, school, and community

• Tell how to avoid certain unintentional injuries at play

• Explain how to show respect for the safety of oneself and others when playing

• Demonstrate safety routines and how you would respond to danger

• Predict what happens when one plays in safe and unsafe ways

Vocabulary: stay, safe, helpers, danger, emergency

Grade Level Updates:

Hey Tiger Family,

Thank you for another great week of partnership! This week, our scholars began their MAP Testing, which will continue into next week. Please ensure your child comes to school well-rested and ready to do their best! It is important to continue checking your scholar’s purple folder each day to stay informed about their daily progress and classroom updates.Initialing the folder helps teachers maintain a running record and supports open, ongoing communication between home and school.

A few important reminders:

• There will be no school on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
  

• DIBELS testing will take place during the week of September 29, 2025. Please check with your scholars homeroom teacher for your scholars day.
  

• Please make sure Chromebooks are brought to school fully charged each day.

We appreciate your continued support in helping our scholars succeed!

Reading Updates:

This week in Reading, your scholars will be exploring poetry and learning about its key elements, such as rhyme, rhythm, and imagery.

In Phonics, we will be focusing on consonant digraphs—letter combinations like ch, sh, th, and wh—to help strengthen their decoding and reading skills.

Math Updates:

Our current math topic is coming to an end, and scholars have been working hard to master the material. Your child should have received a study guide in their take-home folder to help them prepare.

The Math test is scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, 2025.

Please encourage your scholar to review the study guide, get a good night’s rest, and come to school ready to do their best!

Social Studies Updates:

By the end of this week in Social Studies, scholars will be able to explain why immigrant families come to the United States and why many choose to become citizens. They will explore the hopes, challenges, and opportunities that shape the immigrant experience.

Science Updates:

This week in Science, students will develop and use models to represent different types of areas on Earth’s surface. They will work on recognizing patterns across various landforms and explore how these patterns are represented in models.This hands-on learning will help deepen their understanding of Earth's features and how we study them

Grade Level Updates:

This week was full of creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning!

Reading Updates:

We practiced spelling by looking at word endings like -s, -es, and -ies and learned how to break words into syllables to read them more easily. We also read the folktale Why the Sky is Far Away. Students worked on retelling the story in their own words, asking and answering questions, and talking about what the story teaches us about different cultures.

Social Studies Updates:

We began learning about maps — how to use them and why they are important. Students are discovering the parts of a map, like the title, compass rose, key/legend, and scale, and how each part helps us better understand the world around us.

Math Updates:

In math, we explored addition tables and discovered exciting patterns that occur in an addition chart. Students noticed how numbers grow and repeat in predictable ways, which helped them build confidence and number sense.

In room 135, we rounded tens and ones. The students learned how to use a number line to round. This skill needs practice. Please make sure you review with your third grader.

Science Updates:

We conducted our very first science lab this week! Students experienced how force and motion work by participating in a fun tug-of-war experiment and then tracked their observations. To deepen their understanding, students also wrote a short story and created a drawing showing how force is used in everyday life — their creativity really shined through!

Students in room 135 explored motion. We deepened our study by adding in discussion and practice on friction and gravity. We hope to wrap this unit up in the near future.

Health Updates:

In health, we continued our unit on Safety at Home with a special focus on fire safety. Students learned strategies to stay safe during a fire and worked together in groups to design informative and creative fire safety posters. We are so proud of their teamwork and the thoughtful messages they created — we’ve included pictures of their hard work for you to enjoy.

Some students discussed the need to have a family meeting place in case of emergencies especially in the event of a fire. They created a plan and illustration for their safe meeting spot at their homes.

Reminders:

Testing will continue this coming week. Please make sure your student comes to school on time, rested, and nourished. We want to set our third graders up for success! Thank you for your continued support at home. Your partnership makes a big difference in your child’s learning journey!

Grade Level Updates:

Greetings Team 4Ward,

We have made it through the fourth week of Fourth Grade and have gotten into the curriculum. This week our scholars began the MAP Reading Diagnostic. Next week we will continue with our MAP Diagnostics and will complete Math and Science. Please support your scholar by getting at least eight hours of sleep a night and eating breakfast in the morning. Team 4Ward lunch isn’t until 12:20 most days.

This year we are working to “Level Up” our data this school year with a big focus being in writing across all subject areas. It is imperative that your scholar has a computer to use in class. The SAVVAS platform offers many digital assignments, activities, and tools that cannot be printed for students.

Please speak with your scholar each night about what went well today and something that they can improve. Ensure that your scholar’s computer is charged and brought to school daily. Also please be sure to monitor your scholar's YouTube and cellphones. As our students grow older and gain more independence it is imperative that our expectations match the changing world.

Team Name: 4ward We are moving minds forward and leveling up the STEMTasTic Way!

Introducing the team:

Section 4.1- Ms. Crusoe’s Curators- “Collecting Knowledge, Shaping the Future”

Section 4.2- Ms. Felton’s Force- “Strength in Learning”

Section 4.3- Mrs. Weldon’s Wildflowers- “Bloom Where You’re Planted”

Section 4.4- Mrs. Pearson’s Pathfinders- “Blazing New Trails”

Educationally Yours,

4th Grade Team

Important Upcoming Dates:

• MAP Math Diagnostic Monday September 22, 2025

• Professional Development Schools Closed to Students Tuesday September 23, 2025

• Map Science Diagnostic Thursday September 25, 2025

Fourth Grade Information:

i-Ready:

i-Ready is a computer based math and reading program that is available for all of our scholars. Scholars have completed their diagnostics and are working on programs based on their areas of need. This program will be available all summer for students to continue to utilize in both reading and math. Please help your child complete at least 45 minutes of math and reading to grow their abilities.

iXL:

iXL is a computer based math and reading program that is available for all of our scholars. This program helps students to practice various math and reading skills on their instructional level. Grade level letter is F but if students are struggling with a skill they are able to practice that same skill but on another letter level.

Absences:

This is a friendly reminder that late work is only accepted if a student has an excused absence! If a scholar is absent and does not bring a note they will earn a 0 on the assignment that was missed. Please read the reminders to ensure that you are partnering with your scholars to make them successful for school. If a scholar leaves early or arrives late to school and it is not excused they will earn a 0 for all work that is not completed.

If your scholar is absent, please share a note with the homeroom teacher and attendance managers within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. In order for students to receive make-up work you must provide a note stating; the student’s name, the date of absence, and reason for absence. Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an absence note.

Communications:

Students must bring their agenda book each day. Teachers will note the agenda book and it should be signed nightly by the adult at home.

Please allow up to 48 business hours for all responses to emails and Classdojo messages. Teachers are not actively monitoring their emails during the day because we are engaged in instruction. Emails are not monitored over the weekend or in the evening hours when teachers have gone home. If the message sent relates to dismissal changes please call the school directly to leave a message with the front office.

Grading:

Please check Synergy weekly to see scholar’s updated grades. Canvas is a Learning Management System in which scholars utilize to complete assignments and get access to materials.The grades provided in Synergy are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.

Parent Teacher Conferences:

Conferences with teachers are available with families as needed. Please reach out to the homeroom teacher about scheduling a parent teacher conference.

Reading Updates:

At the conclusion of last year, students were given the textbook for this year to take home. Please allow your scholar to reread the text of the week at home to support their understanding and discover things that were missed in previous readings.

This Week:

This week our scholars began our second story in Unit 1 “Rare Treasure” In this biography we read the true story of Mary Anning who is know as “the mother of paleontology.” This week students monitored their inner conversations to understand the information in the text. Students also determined the main idea of this text, explored figurative language the author used, and began drafting their personal narratives.

Next Week:

We will bring a close to our second story by completing a writing that explores the traits shown by Mary Anning. Students will also continue drafting their personal narratives by adding concrete and relevant details to their writing. Students will also complete a spelling assessment that focuses on their understanding of this week’s suffixes.

Math Updates:

Our first topic, Topic 1 Generalize Place Value will focus on basic place value conceptual understanding. We will be posting a parent at home support guide in all students Canvas next week after we go over how to use Canvas with the scholars. We will also continue with our math fluency timed test routines.

Looking forward to a fantastic year of learning and growth!

Science Updates:

Next week we will be moving further into Topic 1: Energy and Motion with a focus on motion, speed, and collisions. Through hands-on investigations, literacy stations, and group discussions, scholars are uncovering how the faster an object moves, the more energy it has and what happens when objects collide.

Students are practicing important vocabulary: position, motion, speed, and collision while also making connections to real-world examples like bumper cars and racing. They are also learning to construct explanations using evidence and observations, strengthening both their science knowledge and their critical thinking skills.

Social Studies Updates:

This week, students will begin learning about the five regions of the United States. We will explore the unique landforms in each region and discuss how geography shapes the way people live.

Next week, students will begin Lesson 2: Climate and Weather. In this lesson, they will explore the difference between climate and weather and learn how weather patterns vary across the different regions of the United States. Students will examine examples such as snowy winters in the Northeast, hot and dry conditions in the Southwest, and frequent rain in the Pacific Northwest. They will also discuss how geography affects weather and begin connecting these ideas to how people adapt to their environments.

Grade Level Updates

Dear Families,

We are off to another exciting week in fifth grade! Students are diving deeper into reading, math, science, social studies, and health as we continue building strong skills and making connections across subjects. Thank you for your ongoing support at home—it makes a big difference in your child’s success!

Reading Updates:

We are focusing on subjects and predicates to strengthen sentence structure. In addition, students are practicing how to identify and use text features to better understand informational texts.

Social Studies Updates:

Our focus is on American Indian government, economics, and trade. Students are learning how these systems helped communities thrive and how they influenced daily life.

Math Updates:

We have started Topic 3: Multiplying by 1-digit and 2-digit numbers. Students are practicing strategies and will continue building toward fluency with larger multiplication problems.

📌 Please continue practicing multiplication fluency at home—quick recall of facts will help greatly as we move into multi-digit multiplication.

In Ms. Jenkins’ class, we also have a Math Project where students will apply multiplication skills in a hands-on way. More details will be sent home with your child.

Science Updates:

In science, we are studying matter and describing its properties. Students are working on observing, classifying, and using precise vocabulary to explain how matter can be identified.

Health Updates:

Our health unit covers first aid—what to do if certain situations happen. Students are practicing making safe and smart decisions in real-life scenarios.

✨ Thank you for continuing to encourage your child to read daily, practice multiplication facts, and come to school ready to learn. Together, we are building motivated, valued, and prepared fifth graders!

General CARTS Message:

Please remember to check your student's Canvas assignments and Synergy grades regularly!

Art:

This week in art, everyone started learning about different lines or color families! Stay tuned to see the artwork that comes out of it.

Media:

Upper elementary students are doing a virtual cookbook! We will be working on it for a couple of months so encourage your 3-5 students to work on it at home. Recipes should be written on a half sheet of paper.

P.E.:

This week in class we continued working on locomotor skills, and applied them to activities in class. The primary locomotor skills include walking, running, hopping, skipping, jumping, leaping, sliding, and galloping. These movements improve muscle strength, coordination, flexibility, and overall fitness. During physical education class, these activities help children improve their ability to move efficiently, safely, and in a fun environment.

Music:

Week 5 - 9/22 - 9/26/25

Announcements-

Parents, please be advised that ALL students need a music journal and music folder. This was in the summer supply list and was posted at the end of last school year. Please let me know if you have any questions. Journals and folders are necessary as students are writing down their objectives each day.

Also, please remember that school is closed on Tuesday for Rosh Hashanah.

Students will have a quiz on beat next week. They should know that beat is the strongest, driving pulse of the music. IT DOES NOT CHANGE!

Kindergarten will begin learning tempo with a focus on fast and slow. They will finish beat with strong and weak beats.

1st Grade will read, write, create, and perform simple rhythms using instruments and/or instruments.

2nd Grade will learn meter/time signatures 2, 3, and 4. They will begin reading, writing and performing simple rhythms.

3rd Grade will learn and perform rhythms in standard notation. This includes the dotted half note.

4th and 5th grades will learn standard notation which includes triplets and 16th notes.

Finally, we are prepping for county chorus auditions. I will send the dates and additional information as soon as I have it. Thank you.

2025-2026 School Calendar

School Meals

School Violence Resources and Support

PGCPS TV

CMIT South ES Enrichment Program

Vendor Managed Child Care

Parent Handbook

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

Synergy ParentVUE Support for Parents and Guardians

Student Absence Form