Fassett Elementary Staff Updates

At Fassett School, where Falcons soar,

Little hands learn more each day than before.
From first hellos to words brand new,
Our youngest learners grow because of you.

You teach with patience, smiles, and heart,
Helping each child make their start.
Through songs and stories, numbers and play,
You guide their Falcon wings each day.

You dry the tears and cheer the tries,
You see the world through children’s eyes.
In Pre‑K, Kindergarten, First, and Second, too,
Every small success begins with you.

So, thank you, teachers, for all that you do—
For building strong Falcons, kind and true.
At Fassett School, we proudly say:
You make a difference—every single day.

🦅💙

It is that time of year, we will look to close out purchasing for this school year. If you need anything, please connect with Melissa ASAP.

If you haven't already, please begin completing the Student Asset Forms under User Defined in Schooltool. These will be used for transitions at the end of the school year. If you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out.

Please start to work with your teams to determine dates, times, locations. Deadline for Arts in Education Funding is April 24th--Please submit any Field Trip requests that use that as funding to Melissa by April 17th.

**Family Events in Classrooms:

Please provide the details of any event that you will be hosting in your classroom via the FORM link below. This will help us keep track of when families are invited into the building so that we are prepared in the main office. Please also provide a space to RSVP to your events, and turn in your list to the MO. This will help us be proactive in providing identification through Raptor as families enter the building to attend. Thank you for your attention to these details.

Here is the link to the FORM: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=KtLKIY3tDEGU4Az1zjSEeMswch-FK6BFs9PcBM3fSA1UMDE4SVA3UzlLMFNIREVFSllZWjhXWTlJSy4u

**Please remind families that ANY change to their students end of day dismissal plans NEED to be communicated to the MAIN OFFICE BY THE PARENT/GUARDIAN. This was also sent out to families in a reminder email on School Messenger.

Turn & Talk- Fassett Turn & Talk Grade Level Progression Chart

The Turn and Talk strategy is a simple but powerful technique for primary grade levels that promotes oral language development, active engagement, and comprehension. Here’s how it works and how to implement it effectively:

What is Turn and Talk?

Students briefly turn to a partner to discuss a question or prompt given by the teacher. It’s often used during read-alouds, mini-lessons, or after posing an open-ended question.

Benefits for Primary Students

• Encourages active participation and reduces passive listening.
• Builds speaking and listening skills aligned with early literacy standards.
• Provides a safe space for young learners to share ideas before speaking in front of the whole class.
• Supports language development for English learners and students with limited vocabulary.

• 
  

  How to Implement

  1. Model the Process

     • Show students what “turn and talk” looks like: facing a partner, listening, taking turns.
     • Use sentence starters like:
       • “I think…”
       • “I agree because…”
       • “One idea is…”

  2. Set Clear Expectations

     • Voice level: “Use a whisper voice.”
     • Time limit: 30–60 seconds for primary grades.
     • Listening: “Eyes on your partner, ears open.”

  3. Provide a Prompt
     Examples:

     • After a read-aloud: “What was your favorite part of the story?”
     • During math: “How did you solve that problem?”
     • Social-emotional learning: “How do you feel when someone shares with you?”

  4. Monitor and Support

     • Circulate and listen in.
     • Offer prompts or sentence frames for students who need help.

  5. Share Out

     • Invite a few pairs to share what they discussed with the whole group.

  
  

Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up-

What is Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up?

Students stand up, raise a hand, and walk around the room to find a partner. Once paired, they discuss a teacher-provided question or complete a quick task together.

Benefits for Primary Students

• Adds movement to learning, helping with attention and energy regulation.
• Builds social skills like greeting, sharing, and listening.
• Encourages peer interaction and collaboration.
• Can be used across subjects for quick formative checks or review.

How to Implement

1. Explain and Model the Steps

   • Stand Up: Everyone stands when the teacher says “Go.”
   • Hand Up: Raise one hand to signal you’re looking for a partner.
   • Pair Up: When you find someone with a hand up, give a friendly greeting and pair together.

2. Give a Clear Prompt Examples:

   • Literacy: “Tell your partner your favorite character and why.”
   • Math: “Share one way to make 10.”
   • SEL: “What is something kind you can do for a friend?”

3. Set Expectations

   • Voice level: “Use a quiet talking voice.”
   • Time limit: 30–60 seconds per question.
   • Movement: “Walk safely, keep hands to yourself.”

4. Monitor and Support

   • Circulate to ensure everyone has a partner.
   • Offer sentence starters for students who need help:
     • “I think…”
     • “My favorite is…”
     • “One way is…”

⭐ Quiz, Quiz, Trade

A Fun Way to Learn With Friends!

1. Ask & Answer

Each student gets a flash card.

One side = question.

Other side = answer.

2. Pair Up

Stand up → Hand up → Pair up

Partner A shows the question.

Partner B answers.

Praise or coach, then switch roles.

3. Trade Cards

Say “Thank you!”

Trade flash cards.

4. Find a New Partner

Hands up again!

Move around the room and repeat.

Keep going until the teacher stops the activity.

⭐ When We Use It

To review what we’ve learned

To practice new skills

Before starting a new lesson

To get ideas for writing, math, science, or class routines

👍 Our Goals

Learn with friends

Try our best

Practice kindness and good coaching

Have fun learning!

Please check out the presentation below with important information from Ms. Frisbie.

Movies on Swank Streaming!

Dear Team,

Attached you will find the District Walk-Through Criteria document. Cheryl and I will begin walk-throughs this month, and we will only be focusing on the indicators listed in the first “R” column (Relationships), as well as our own building look fors connected to our SCEP plan that were handed out and presented to staff at the October staff meeting. (also attached for reference)

Additionally, you will find the link outlining: ​25-26 Walk-Through Schedule and Look Fors.docx​

• The indicators we will focus on in the upcoming months

• The grade levels and departments assigned to admin monthly for walk-throughs

Our goal is to identify effective practices, share successes, and discuss areas for growth—this is not an evaluation of individual teachers but a collaborative effort to support student achievement and continuous learning.

Please review the attachments and we will go over any questions during second specials next week.

Thank you for your continued commitment to our students!

Best regards,
Alicia

TEAM DAVIS-Announcements this week

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

Monday-May 4

• Monday: Rise and Shine It's Breakfast time! All staff please enjoy some coffee in the faculty lounge. TEACHERS we will be around with some breakfast goodies to enjoy!
• PK Little Lounge Visit

Tuesday-May 5

• SCEP Team Meeting @3:15
• 1st Grade Chemung Valley Museum Presentation-Museum Objects

8:45 - 9:30 Liquori

10:35 - 11:20 Jones

Wednesday-May 6

• 2nd Grade Swim
• 1st Grade Chemung Valley Museum Presentation-Museum Objects

8:45 - 9:30 Noonan

10:35 - 11:20 Kerwan

12:35 - 1:20 Farr

• School Nurse Day

Thursday-May 7

• 2nd Grade Swim

• Grade 1 Great Circle Artist in Residency Museum Prep Visit
• 2nd Grade Tanglewood

Please be sure you are conducting your Second Step Lessons as they are a Tier 1 Behavioral Expectation.

For the MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION click the CALENDAR IMAGE

Please click the button below to take a look at the family events that we are planning for throughout the year. We would LOVE to see staff volunteer for at least one event.

Please print for your handbook records---this is the most updated list.

Check out the Fassett Staff Information Schoology course to find lots of important and updated information for this school year!

To join please use the access code below:

Access Code

4RMG-VDMC-H6MMH

❄️ Winter Weather: Be Prepared

As winter weather begins to affect our region, please be aware of how the Elmira City School District communicates closings and delays:

• Text Alerts: Opt in by texting Y to 67587 (make sure your mobile number is listed in SchoolTool).
• Email & Social Media: Updates will be posted on the District website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
• Local News: Watch WENY, WETM, and other local stations for announcements.