Anderson Angle

Dear Anderson Families,

We have had an exciting and eventful few months at Anderson Elementary, and we are thrilled to share some highlights with you.

October Conferences

We were pleased to see 97% of our families attend conferences. Your involvement means the world to us. Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement in your child’s learning.

Scholastic Book Fair

Our recent book fair was a great success. Thanks to your generosity, every teacher was able to select new books for their classroom libraries. Your support helps foster a love of reading in our students, and we are truly grateful.

Read a Thon Success

A huge shout-out to our PTO and students for an incredible Read-a-Thon fundraiser. Together, we raised nearly $56,000, an amazing accomplishment. Way to go, students. Keep up those excellent reading habits.

Winter Break Reminder

Winter break is just around the corner. Students will have an early dismissal at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 22, and school will resume on Monday, January 5.

As we approach the new year, we wish you peace, joy, and memorable moments with your loved ones in 2026.

As always, my door is open, and our staff is here to support you. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns about your child’s education. We value your partnership and appreciate all you do to make Anderson Elementary a special place.

Respectfully,

Mel Hewitt

Principal, Anderson Elementary

Anderson Elementary on Social Media

Twitter: @AndersonBFCSD, #AndersonJays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andersonbfcsd

December

23-31 - Winter Break

January

1-2 - Winter Break

5 - Students Return to School

16 - Report Cards Available Online

19 - No School Professional Development Day for Teachers

30 - Student of the Month Assembly

February

13 - Spring Parties

27 - Student of the Month Assembly

March

9 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:00-7:00pm (2:00 dismissal)

12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:00-7:00pm (2:00 dismissal)

13 - No School

16 - Spring Break Begins!

23 - Students return to School

27 - Report Cards Available Online

27 - Student of the Month Assembly

A friendly reminder: If your child misses school due to a medical appointment, please provide the office with a doctor's note to medically excuse the absence. Thank you.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

On Friday, December 12th, the JH Student Council will host our tenth annual Bluejay Bash for all 3rd through 6th graders!

• Grades 3–4: 4:00–6:00 p.m.

• Grades 5–6: 6:30–8:30 p.m.
  
  

Students will enjoy a variety of fun activities, including dodgeball, cookie decorating, face painting, carnival games, a dance party, and more! This is a great opportunity for your child to have fun with friends while parents take some time for holiday shopping or a night out.

A concession stand will also be open for students who wish to eat at the event. For $5, they can purchase a slice of pizza, chips, and a drink. Other items will also be available for purchase. The concession stand will only take cash, so please plan accordingly.

The cost to attend is $20 per student through December 9th. After that date, the price will be $25 per student. Please be sure to enter your child’s name when purchasing tickets so we know who each ticket belongs to.

3rd/4th grade Bluejay Bash tickets

5th/6th grade Bluejay Bash tickets

We ask that you drop off and pick up your student(s) at the front of the junior high school on the night of the event, and that they check in with one of the adults at the door upon arrival. When the event ends, please pick them up at the same location.

All students attending Bluejay Bash should bring a copy of the confirmation received during registration or simply provide their name at check-in. A list of registered students will also be available at the check-in table at the front entrance.

To ensure all 3rd and 4th graders are picked up safely, we ask that 5th and 6th graders not be dropped off before 6:30 p.m.

We are partnering with one of our local Girl Scout Troops, the BFHS After Prom Committee, and one of our school nurses for this event, so there will be plenty of adults on hand to supervise. If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to email me at hurleyj@bfschools.org or call 957-7970.

We hope your child can join us for this fun event!

Jen Hurley and Kelly Murley, JH Student Council Advisors

3rd/4th- https://tickets.gobound.com/tickets/events/h2025111301301881646b13a0baff14c/checkout

5th/6th- https://tickets.gobound.com/tickets/events/h2025111301324254056a53281a1724f/checkout

We've had a fantastic few weeks in the classrooms, diving deep into a science unit where they became Erosion Engineers.

Our recent focus has been on erosion, and it has been incredible to witness the students' curiosity as they learned about the powerful effects of water on our planet. Through hands-on experiments and engaging discussions, they've discovered how wind, water, and ice can sculpt landscapes over time. We explored various types of erosion, from the slow, steady carving of river valleys to the more dramatic changes caused by flash floods.

A highlight of this unit was our investigation into ways to prevent erosion. Students worked in small groups to design and test different methods, such as constructing retaining walls. They used models and real-world examples to understand the effectiveness of each strategy. It was wonderful to see their problem-solving skills in action as they brainstormed and used their ideas to create their models.

This month, students at Anderson Elementary spent time honoring and learning about Veterans Day! In 3rd grade, students explored the history of Veterans Day and the five branches of the military through videos, reading passages, writing activities, and hands-on learning experiences. Our students gained a deeper understanding of the importance of our Veterans and how their service protects the freedoms we enjoy—past, present, and future. A heartfelt thank you to all of our Veterans from the students and staff at Anderson Elementary!

Fourth grade had a very special visitor in writing, Hope, the therapy dog! Hope is a Crisis Response Therapy K9 for the Bondurant Fire Department. Students were thrilled to meet Hope and learn all about her important job helping others. As part of our opinion writing unit, each student helped write a persuasive paper to our principal, Mr. Hewitt, to convince him why Anderson Elementary should have its own therapy dog.

To make this project even more meaningful, we partnered with Fire Chief Kreuder, a community member who joined us for a Q&A session about how therapy and service dogs help in the community. Students practiced essential communication skills, including listening to understand and asking thoughtful questions.

After researching, writing, and revising, students reflected on their experiences as writers and learners, sharing what challenged them, what made them proud, and what they still wanted our principal to know about therapy dogs.

Building on what they learned from this collaborative project, students then wrote their own individual opinion papers independently. They completed every step of the writing process, including brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and finally publishing their finished pieces with the support of their teacher.

Our opinion projects were proudly displayed in the Anderson Display Case, The Anderson Angle, and on the PBIS Pod TVs. The creativity and enthusiasm the students showed during this project were incredible, and Hope certainly made many new friends along the way!

1. Mason Quarter 1 Report - Here is what the 2nd Graders at Anderson and Morris are doing with Mrs. Mason! Guidance, small groups, individual work and so much more!

2. Promes Quarter 1 Report - 3rd and 4th Graders are having a wonderful time getting to know Ms. Promes! Guidance, small groups and individuals are all going so well!

3. Empathy Poster - Students are entering the Empathy unit in Second Step, our curriculum for Guidance. Students can use face and body clues to figure out how someone is feeling and figure out how to help them if they need it!

4. Extra Coping Skills - With holidays around the corner, we often find ourselves out of routine. If your family needs some extra coping skills, here are a few to practice at home!

I can’t believe November is here and almost gone. Students are working really hard in PE and also having tons of fun. We are in the middle of our physical fitness testing. We have completed the speed/agility test and also the flex arm hang. Speed/agility champion was Nolan (4th) at 9.87 and Addyson (4th) at 10.43. Leaders of the arm hang were Sawyer (2nd ) at 1:27 and Graylynn (2nd ) at 1:25. The other three tests are for core strength, flexibility, and endurance, which we will do after winter break. Some of the units we have completed include basketball, volleyball, tag, and relay races.

It has been a quick and enjoyable start to the year in the library. As always, we are enjoying getting to know your students and finding out what they love to read. The month of November has been spent discussing the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday and exploring ways to spread kindness and friendliness to others. The stories we read in Fourth grade this month are Thank You, Sarah (the woman who saved Thanksgiving), The Thing Lou Couldn't Do, and Twenty-One Steps ( the tomb of the Unknown Soldier). Third grade listened to After the Fall (how Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again), Visit to Plimouth Plantation (an app called You Are the Historian), and "Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed (paying it forward). Second-grade students listened to "Being Frank" (about honesty and tactfulness), "Thank You, Omu" (generosity and kindness), and a series called "Galaxy Zack." I hope your students mentioned their learning at some point this month. There have been many excited readers checking out some great books! As always, keep reading!

🤧 Cold & Flu Season at School

Cold and flu germs spread easily among young children, especially during the winter months. Please help us keep our classrooms healthy by reviewing the reminders below.

When to Keep Your Child Home:

• A fever of 100.4°F or higher

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• A persistent cough or trouble participating comfortably

• Symptoms that significantly affect their energy or comfort at school

*Children may return once symptoms improve and they are fever-free for 24 hours without medication.

Healthy Habits for Young Students:

• Wash hands with soap often

• Cover coughs and sneezes

• Avoid sharing drinks, snacks, or utensils

• Get plenty of rest and fluids

• Consider the seasonal flu vaccine

*We encourage students to try simple self-care first (like tissues, water, or lip balm) and to visit the nurse for symptoms that are more concerning.

A Note About Head Lice

Head lice are common in elementary settings and can happen to anyone. While frustrating, they are not harmful, and they do not spread disease. Parents should assume that lice are present wherever children play together.

What Families Should Know

• Lice spreads through head-to-head contact, which is common in younger children.

• Cleanliness is not a factor.

• Following recommendations from health experts, we do not send class-wide or school-wide lice notifications. This helps reduce stigma and unnecessary absences.

• If lice are found, families are notified privately and provided treatment guidance.

How You Can Help at Home

• Check your child’s hair weekly (including behind the ears and at the nape of the neck). Early detection and treatment help prevent lice from spreading.

• Remind children not to share hats, brushes, hoodies, headphones, or hair accessories.

• You can let the nurse know if you are treating lice at home — she can provide guidance, resources

• and support.

💬 Questions? Please reach out anytime. Wishing all our students and families a healthy, happy December! - Nurse Rachel

Have a great week, and take good care of each other!

Julie Hall, Secretary

Anderson Elementary

hallj@bfschools.org

515-967-7494