ELMORE School News
September 19, 2026
Week 4
Dear Elmore School Families,
We completed our first full week of the school year this week, and what a great week we had! We have completed many of our beginning of the school year assessments including Dibbles, STAR, and other informal reading and writing assessments. Students have completed their first sections in their math units, and we learned about the United States Constitution on Thursday, September 17 (Constitution Day). We also made Applesauce muffins on Thursday. On Friday we Celebrated International Peace Day, and the highlight of our week, was making Apple Cider!
On Tuesday, Students completed a pre-assessment for our first writing unit which will focus on writing narratives. After the unit is taught students will be taking a post assessment to measure growth and achievement. New this year (or back again), 3rd -12 graders will be taking an on demand writing assessment (ODWP) twice this year. The first administration of the ODWP will be later in October.
We completed our first week of spelling practice this week. Each week, groups will have a targeted spelling rule they will be learning. Throughout the week they will have daily practice with words that have a apacific rule. At the end of the week they will have an informal spelling quiz with words that have their targeted rule. This approach is different from the more commonly known approach of memorizing specific words each week. Instead we learn a rule that can be widely applied to many words rather memorizing a few specific words.
During math, first and second graders have been reviewing addition and subtraction of numbers within 50 with focus on using strategies that make sense to them. 3rd graders have been solving problems about data shown on scaled graphs. This section ended with solving 2 part problems which proved to be pretty challenging for some of the students, but they worked hard and persevered through these challenging problems. Students also completed their first Math Menus this week. Math menu are differentiated and have a mix of must do practice and Can do centers and provide independent and partner work.
Students have been doing a great job reading at home and filling out their reading logs. Collectively, they have already read over 1,800 minutes over the past two weeks! Our reading challenge this year is Called Read a Rainbow. for every 500 minutes they read we will add a link to a paperchain which will grow a rainbow as they read at home throughout the year. Students will earn a class reward for every 4,000 minutes read.
On Thursday morning, students worked together to make homemade applesauce muffins using the applesauce we made previously. They read the recipe, and measured and mixed the ingredients to make 2 dozen muffins. The rest of the applesuse was frozen for later use. As the muffins baked in the oven the school filled with a delicious warm and spicy scent of apples and cinnamon, the perfect scent for the coming upcoming season. Students enjoyed eating a fresh muffins after their lunch.
September 17th marks the anniversary of the Signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. This is known as Constitution Day. On Thursday we took time to learn about the importance of the U.S. Constitution. Students watched an informative (and somewhat entertaining) video about Constitution day which gave them background information about the Constitution, and its importance. We listened a read aloud, called We the Kids written by David Catrow, which presents the Preamble of the Constitution in a relatable, kids friendly way. Then students read information about the Constitution and answered questions about the reading. We ended the morning by looking at a replica of the Constitution and US paper currency from the time period and students tried their hand at writing with a quill and ink.
On Friday, Seth Hayden (Birdie's dad) brought their ciderpress to the Elmore School. It was a beautiful, late summer day with sunny skies, comfortable temperatures and a light breeze, making it the ideal day to be outside learning how apple cider is made. We started with four big bowls of apples, freshly picked from our school apple tree. Students helped grind the apples into a pulp and then they took turns working the cider press to press out the fresh juice into cider! Then came the best part, drinking the delicious fresh apple cider which we enjoyed with more applesauce muffins! Yum!!! Sending Thanks to Seth for taking time to come teach us the process of making apple cider! We ended this morning with students writing and explanatory journal entry explaining the process of making apple cider.
We also celebrated International World Peace day on Friday morning. During Art on Monday, students made Pinwheels for Peace depicting things that represent peace to them. Then, Friday morning during morning meeting we greeted each other by saying "peace", we shared what peace means to us, we read The Peace Book by Todd Parr, and we sang songs about peace. Then we went outdoors and inserted our Pinwheels for Peace in our school fence at the front of the playground for the community to see. Pinwheels for Peace, a global art project and public awareness project which began in 2005 by two art teacher in Florida as as way to allow students and communities to express feelings about war, peace, tolerance, and ending bullying through visual art. On September 21st millions of people around the world participate by planting pinwheels outside their schools. (We don't have school on September 21st this year, so we celebrated Peace Day on Friday).
Lunch: School Hot Lunch next week will be available on Tuesday and Thursday (no school Monday). See the Menu below for options. Meat sandwiches or PB&J are available Tuesday-Friday. Please send me an email at mailto:diane.nicholls@lamoillesouth.org with your orders for the week by 6:00 pm on Monday.
Announcements:
- PE - Wednesday - students need sneakers!
- Library is Thursday - please return books!
- No School - Monday, Sept. 21 (Yom Kippur)
- Elmore School Open House - Thursday Oct. 1st @ 6-7 pm
- School Photos - October 7th
- October 9th - ECO begins
- No School - Monday - Oct. 12 (Indigenous People's Day)
Have a wonderful long weekend!
In Gratitude,
Diane Nicholls
