Gearity PDS

Greetings Gearity Families:

Thank you for your patience this week as we have had to deal with less than ideal weather and a water main break that has been repaired. We were able to celebrate students who are meeting our PAWS expectations at today's monthly PAWS assembly. We also celebrated students who exemplified our Character Strong Attribute for November which was gratitude. I am including information below about how you can reinforce the concept of empathy at home as it is the December attribute.

K-2 Winter Concert: we will host our annual winter concert on Tuesday, December 9th. Students will perform for the whole school at 10:00 am. Families are able to attend the morning concert but seating is limited. Students should report to the school at 5:45 pm for the evening concert which will start at 6:00. Mr. Rogers is requesting that the performers wear black and gold for the evening performance.

Spirit Week: Please see below for the daily Spirit Week themes. Our focus is on kindness heading into the holiday season. We will have our annual STEM carnival on the 16th and 17th. On the 19th students will dance into Winter Break with grade level dances after the lunch periods end.

Chronic Absenteeism: We want to thank everyone for supporting our efforts to improve attendance as our Chronic rate has decreased by 2% in the past week. Student achievement has a strong correlation with attendance so the more your students are here the more they will learn. The building is warm, safe and dry and we do not have students go outside for recess if the temperature drops below 28 degrees - cold weather should not keep your students from coming to school.

Peek at the week!

Kindergarten

Reading – Students are identifying characters, settings, and major events in stories using Wonders

Writing – Students are practicing writing simple answers to questions using shared research and discussions.

Math – Students are working on number sentences, addition/subtraction within 10, and fluency through repeated practice.

At-Home Tips

Ask your child to retell a story with beginning, middle, and end.
Practice simple addition using snacks or toys.
Encourage drawing and labeling pictures to answer simple “who/what/where” questions.

Grade 1

Reading – Students are asking/answering questions about key details, identifying main topics, and describing characters/events.

Writing – (Fantasy) Students are writing imaginative stories with characters, settings, and sequenced events.

Math – Focus on addition/subtraction strategies, fact families, and solving true/false equations.

At-Home Tips

Ask your child to describe characters and settings from books you read together.
Encourage them to tell “make-believe” stories aloud before writing.
Practice math facts using flashcards or short mental-math challenges.

Grade 2

Reading – Students are identifying text structure, understanding points of view, using text features, and determining author purposes.

Writing – (Personal Narrative) Students are writing stories that include sequence words and clear details about real experiences.

Math – Work includes adding/subtracting within 100, explaining strategies, and identifying shapes and attributes.

At-Home Tips

Ask your child to compare two texts (fiction or nonfiction) by structure or point of view.
Have them write about a recent event (trip, meal, family activity).
Practice adding/subtracting two-digit numbers using real objects or drawings.

Grade 3

Reading – Students are determining main ideas, using context clues for vocabulary, and understanding text structures.

Writing – (Expository) Students are writing organized explanatory pieces with facts, definitions, and examples.

Math – Focus on multiplication/division strategies and identifying patterns.

At-Home Tips

Have your child explain the main idea of a nonfiction article and list two details.
Encourage writing “how-to” explanations (e.g., how to make a sandwich).
Practice multiplication facts through quick daily review or real-world tasks.

Grade 4

Reading – Students are citing evidence, determining themes, analyzing structure, and connecting text with visuals.

Writing – (Expository) Students are drafting informative writing that includes clear organization and supporting details.

Math – Work centers on place value, multi-digit multiplication, fraction equivalence, and multiplying fractions by whole numbers.

At-Home Tips

Ask your child to explain a story’s theme and identify evidence supporting it.
Read diagrams, charts, or maps together and discuss what they show.
Practice multiplying multi-digit numbers and using visual fraction models at home.

Grade 5

Reading – Students are determining the meaning of words/phrases in context and analyzing how narrators’ viewpoints affect a text.

Writing – (Expository) Students are writing detailed, well-structured explanatory texts supported by facts, examples, and transitions.

Math – Students are multiplying/dividing fractions and solving multi-step word problems involving fractions and mixed numbers.

At-Home Tips

Encourage your child to explain how a narrator’s viewpoint changes the tone of a story.
Review vocabulary by finding context clues in nightly reading.
Use cooking or measuring tasks to discuss multiplying fractions (e.g., doubling recipes).

PTA Needs You: Our next PTA meeting will be December 10th @ 6:30. Use this link to join the meeting. (meet.google.com/hht-ajmk-oeo)

Mr. Mc Nichols

Principal, Gearity Professional Development School

Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District

Important Links!

School Supply Lists: Gearity Elementary

Food Service: You can see the monthly menus by clicking on this link.

Registration Information: New student registration can be completed online or in person. Find instructions, required documents, and contact information here. Please share the registration link with new neighbors or friends who may need help getting their children registered for the start of the school year.

Student Code of Conduct: Link to the Student Code of Conduct and Anti-Bully forms.

District Plan for Communications with Persons with Disabilities

The District has adopted a plan for communications with persons with disabilities, which is available at the following link: Communication Plan. The plan establishes procedures to ensure that the District's communications with persons with disabilities, including applicants, participants, members of the public, and companions with disabilities, are as effective as its communications with others.