Baltimore Highlands Elementary

7th - PTA Meeting 4-5 pm

8th - Kindergarten Registration 10-2 pm

12th - APTT Meeting (K-3) 9-10 am or 4:30-6:00 pm

19th - APTT Meeting (4-5) 4:30-6:00 pm

22nd - PBIS Kickball

25th - Schools Closed for Memorial Day

26th - Field Day - 9 am -12 pm for PK-2nd grade and 12:40-3:10 pm for 3-5 Grades

28th - Schools Closed for Professional Day

29th - PK Registration 9 am - 2 pm

Hello BHES Families,

As we enter the final weeks of the school year, I want to thank you for your continued partnership and support. May is an exciting time filled with learning celebrations, end of year activities, and important classroom instruction.

Even as the school year winds down, daily attendance remains extremely important. Every school day provides valuable opportunities for students to strengthen academic skills, complete important learning experiences, and stay connected with their teachers and classmates. Consistent attendance helps students finish the year strong and fully prepared for the next grade level. MCAP testing continues throughout the month of May and it is critical that students are present and on time every day.

A few reminders:

• Please help your child have consistent bedtime and morning routines.
• Be sure students come to school prepared each day with necessary materials.
• Check folders and school communication regularly for updates and upcoming events.

We have many exciting activities planned in the coming weeks, and we look forward to sharing those experiences with your children.

We are excited to continue rewarding our students with excellent attendance of 94% or higher! For students who achieved 94% or higher attendance for the month of May, there will be a fun Bingo for Grades KG, 1st & 2nd and a fun Scavenger Hunt for Grades 3rd, 4th, & 5th on June 1st. We hope all of our students will continue to come to school every day so that they may enjoy these fun attendance incentives!

We encourage families to continue making school attendance a priority by arriving on time each day and scheduling appointments outside of school hours whenever possible. Together, we can help our students maintain positive routines and achieve continued success through the last day of school.

Mrs. Goldbloom

Pre-K

We are working on the last two letters and sounds for Y and Z. In the area of phonemic awareness, we are substituting beginning sounds, identifying ending sounds in words, segmenting individual sounds in words and discriminating rhyming words. In math, we are skip counting by tens, solving simple addition and subtraction problems and identifying one more and one less than a number.

Kindergarten

Hello Kinder Families! We cannot believe it is already May! This month, we have a lot of fun things planned for students including our annual ABC Countdown! The letter for this has already been sent home and we cannot wait to celebrate the end of the year with students. In Reading, we will begin our new module called "From Plant to Plate", where we will work to answer the essential questions, "How do plants become food?" In Math, we will begin working on subtraction and measurement! We are looking forward to all the fun things coming up for the end of the school year. Please continue to work on high frequency words and number identification at home with your student.

1st Grade

Hi First Grade Families! The school year is almost over and we are excited to finish strong! Here's what we will be learning about as we wrap up the year:

Math- During Unit 8, students will explore the concept of change from several different angles. This unit is a fun and engaging way to end the school year, blending math and science together.

Phonics- In phonics, we will continue learning different diphthongs and diagraphs while reviewing previously taught sounds.

Reading- In reading, we will be learning about plants and exploring informational texts.

Writing- In writing, students will complete a process writing piece based on an experiment.

Science - In science, we will be learning about waves and how they work.

Health - In health, we will focus on dental hygiene and the importance of taking care of our teeth.

Thank you for your continued support throughout the school year. We are so proud of all the growth the students have made!

2nd Grade

ELA- In this module, children will learn about the different habitats where animals live. Hot deserts, warm rainforests, and cool, underwater habitats all provide food and shelter for the animals that live there. Through reading a variety of texts and collaborative work, children will explore how the conditions in different habitats help different animals to survive.

Math- This unit begins with a review of place value and three digit addition and subtraction to strengthen students' math skills. Next, students focus on collecting and understanding data. They practice measuring, recording results, and organizing information using tools like line plots. Students learn how to compare data and see how changes can affect results. At the end of the unit, students create their own surveys on topics they choose. They collect, organize, and analyze their data, then share their findings with others.

Friendly reminder, children should read for 15 minutes daily at home!

3rd Grade

Reading- Our class will build their knowledge about food sources, with a focus on the informational text genre. We will read texts and view videos about how foods reach our tables. Children will also write an informative article about how to plant and grow something.

Math- In May, students will continue strengthening their math skills as we build on concepts learned throughout the year. In math class, students will be working on multiplying by multiples of 10 and continuing to develop their understanding of fractions through hands-on activities and problem solving. Our advanced math group will be exploring mixed numbers, improper fractions, and decimals, making connections between these concepts and applying their knowledge in more advanced ways.

4th Grade

ELA - Module 9 & 8 "Global Guardians" and "Food for Thought"

In May, we will cover two modules. Our 4th graders will continue to listen, read, and view a variety of texts that will provide them with the skills and knowledge about conservation. The genre focus will be on persuasive text which will provide our students with the opportunity to identify ideas and support, text, and graphic features, and author's purpose. These strategies will develop our ability to understand unfamiliar texts. Students will also encounter graphic novels, realistic fiction, and a biography to build knowledge of both genres. We will continue to build their vocabulary and build on their prior knowledge that it is up to us to work together to preserve our planet's natural resources. The students will conclude this module with a performance task. They will write an opinion essay. The prompt is "What can people do to care for our planet?". We transition to Module 8; we will learn about making healthful food choices. Students will listen to, read, and view a variety of texts and media that will present information about nutrition. The genres of focus will include informational and argumentative text. We will identify text and graphic features, ideas and support, and author's purpose to understand unfamiliar text. Students will encounter realistic fiction and recipes to build knowledge across genres. We will build our knowledge by learning new vocabulary about healthy eating, sustainable foods that are good for our bodies and our world. Students will conclude this module with a module assessment.

Math - Unit 7 "Reviewing & Extending Fractions, Decimals & Multi-Digit"

This month in Math, our 4th graders will review and extend skills and concepts in several foundational skills. These standards are major standards for our students. Students will refine their skills at recognizing and generating equivalent fractions. They will compare fractions that have unlike denominators. The focus will be benchmarking fractions such as halves. We will continue to module and transition into reviewing some strategies they have developed for multi-digit multiplication. We will also explore standard multiplication algorithms.

Advanced Math- Unit 7 "Division of Fractions and Whole Numbers"

In Unit 7, in this unit, students continue their study of division, including its relationship to multiplication. In Module 1, students work with problem strings to find partial quotients as they divide 3 and 4-digit dividends by 2-digit divisors. They also investigate scenarios involving rates--cups of fruit per pizza, and minutes it takes to run a mile--which leads to the strategy of finding equivalent ratios to solve division problems, even when the numbers are fractions. Module 2 centers around the sharing and grouping interpretations of division, providing opportunities to review the skills and concepts associated with dividing unit fractions by whole numbers and vice versa. During this module, students also solve and discuss a wide variety of division story problems, including contexts that require decisions about how to handle remainders. In the last two modules, students review and extend their thinking about the effects of multiplying and dividing by powers of 10, as well as multiplying and dividing decimal numbers.

5th Grade

Reading- Mysteries in Learning!

This month, our class will begin an exciting module focused on mysteries. Students will listen to, read, and view a variety of texts and media that present information about intriguing mysteries and the ways people work to solve them. Through our study of the mystery genre, students will develop important reading comprehension and critical thinking skills by making inferences, making and confirming predictions, and identifying literary elements and figurative language to better understand unfamiliar texts. Students will also read informational texts to build knowledge across genres and deepen their understanding of real-world mysteries. As they expand their vocabulary and synthesize what they learn, students will explore different types of mysteries and discover the methods detectives, scientists, historians, and other experts use to investigate clues and solve problems. We are excited for a month filled with curiosity, discussion, and meaningful learning experiences.

Writing- Bringing Characters to Life!

This month in writing, students will focus on creating imaginative stories with strong, believable characters. Students will think about books they have enjoyed and examine how character's personalities, choices, and actions help drive the plot of a story. Using this understanding, students will develop their own original characters and write narratives that show how those characters influence events and solve problems throughout the story. As they write, students will practice adding descriptive details, developing clear story structure, and creating engaging conflicts and resolutions. This unit will encourage creativity while helping students strengthen their storytelling, organization, and writing skills. We are excited to see the imaginative ideas students bring to life this month!

GT Math - Building Mathematical Thinking

This month in math, students will continue building a strong foundation in mathematical concepts and problem-solving skills. Our studies begin with area and surface area concepts, which help prepare students for future work using area models with rational numbers. Students will then explore ratios, rates, and percentages using visual representations such as number line diagrams, tape diagrams, and tables to deepen their understanding. As the unit progresses, students will work with fractions and decimals while exploring sums, differences, products, and quotients using both intuitive strategies and efficient algorithms. Students will also be introduced to expressions and equations, including solving linear equations in one variable and working with basic exponent concepts. In addition, students will investigate proportional relationships using circumference and area of circles as examples to strengthen their understanding. Real world applications of percentages, such as sales tax, tips, and markups, will help students connect math to everyday life. Later in the unit, students will expand their understanding of rational numbers by working with negative numbers and conclude with a brief study of data and statistics. Throughout the month, students will continue developing confidence, reasoning skills, and mathematical fluency through engaging activities and discussions.

General Math- Solar Energy Model Homes

In this final unit of the year, students design and build scaled model houses that incorporate solar energy features. They begin by investigating different aspects of solar energy--reflection, absorption, concentration--and ways to collect and store the sun's rays. They analyze their data to inform their own designs, using both spreadsheet software and paper and pencil methods. While students investigate these science principles, they apply many math skills they've learned throughout the year, including work with fractions, decimals, volume, surface area, conversions within measurement systems, and coordinate graphing. Student teams build model houses that incorporate passive and active solar features and then test the models to see which designs allow the most collection and storage of solar energy. They create scaled side-view drawings and floor plans and use the plans to build the rooms in their model houses. Finally, students reflect on their learning and prepare for a showcase of their work to share with friends and family.

Content- Social Studies: Three Branches of Government

This month in Social Studies, students will be learning about the three branches of the United States government and the important role each branch plays in our country. Students will explore the responsibilities of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches while learning how these branches work together to create, carry out, and interpret laws. Through class discussions, activities, and informational texts, students will also learn about the system of checks and balances and why it is important in maintaining fairness and balance within the government. This unit will help students better understand how our government functions and the role citizens play in democracy. We look forward to engaging students in meaningful conversations about leadershi, responsibility, and civic participation.

We are excited to be entering into our last full month of the school year and for all of the spring fun ahead!

May Lesson Topics

This May, all classes will participate in classroom counseling lessons focused on Mindfulness Skills. Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment, purposely paying attention to thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Students will read stories and practice new mindfulness strategies that will support them and their ability to manage their emotions and stress when faced with certain situations or challenges. Fifth graders will be discussing and preparing for their transition to middle school! Please see the letters sent home to learn more about what strategies and topics your student's individual grade level is learning about.

May Character Traits

Each week, we'll be celebrating important character traits together during our morning meetings. In May, our focus will be on supportive--helping and encouraging others, and patience - staying calm when things take time. We encourage you to talk with your children at home about this trait and notice when they show support and patience in everyday life. We can't wait to see how our community shows each other grace and patience as we work to support one another.

If you have any questions, please reach out to you student's grade level counselor by email:

Ms. Jones: gjones13@bcps.org (Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 2nd & 4th Grades)

Ms. Eby: keby@bcps.org (1st, 3rd, & 5th Grades)

May 4th-8th This week is Teacher Appreciation Week!

Every day our teachers enthusiastically greet our students and work hard to ensure that each child has a great day of learning. There are many hours of planning and preparation that go into each day - much of which happens before and after school and at home in the evenings. They regularly review progress data to see how their students are doing and adjust lessons and support to make sure that all children are getting what they need to grow in their skills.

Once a year, there is a week set aside to acknowledge and celebrate the work of our "Teacher Heroes" and it's a perfect opportunity to let our teachers know how much we appreciate the work they do every day to provide a quality educational experience for all our students. A simple note, text or email goes a long way to let teachers know you are grateful for their efforts. Please join me in making sure our teachers know how grateful we are for all their hard work to help our students succeed!

ALSO....COMING UP...

Wednesday, May 13th is our next FREE Fresh Produce Distribution after school beginning at 3:45 pm in the side parking lot. Families may drive or walk up to pick up their box of fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs and bread.

Be on the lookout this month for a Family Survey link to share your opinions about the resources offered to students and families this year. We need to know what you believe was the most impactful so we can make decisions about next year.

As always, if you have questions, other concerns, or would like to know more, call or text Jill Savage at 443-885-0792, email at jsavage@bcps.org or message me on Talking Points!

As the school year winds down and summer begins, it's the perfect time to focus on your child's health and well-being. With fewer academic demands and more flexible schedules, summer offers a great opportunity to catch up on important preventative care. Health care providers usually schedule appointments a month or two in advance, so call today to schedule summer appointments.

Here are some simple, impactful ways to keep your elementary schooler healthy this summer:

Schedule Annual Checkups

Book your child's yearly physical exam. These visits track growth, development, and overall health--and give you a chance to ask questions about nutrition, sleep, or behavior.

Stay Up to Date on Vaccines

Check with your pediatrician to make sure your child is current on recommended immunizations. Summer is a great time to catch up before the next school year begins.

Vision & Hearing Screenings

Undiagnosed vision or hearing issues can affect learning. Consider scheduling screenings, especially if your child has complained about headaches, trouble seeing the board, or difficulty following directions.

Dental Checkups

Aim for at least one dental visit over the summer. Cleanings and early cavity detection can prevent bigger issues later.

Reset Sleep Routines

Summer schedules can get loose, but maintaining a consistent sleep routine helps kids stay energized and supports healthy development.

Focus on Nutrition

Take advantage of summer produce! Involve your kids in choosing fruits and vegetables, and encourage balanced meals to support growth and immunity.

Encourage Physical Activity

Whether it's swimming, biking, or playing at the park, aim for at least 60 minutes of activity a day. It's great for both physical and mental health.

Practice Sun Safety

Use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher), wear hats, and take breaks in the shade--especially during peak sun hours.

Check in on Mental Health

Summer can bring big changes in routine. Keep communication open, watch for mood swings, and create time for relaxation and connection.

Teach Healthy Habits

Reinforce handwashing, hydration, and other hygiene habits--especially during travel or summer camps.

Pro TIp:

Create a simple summer health checklist and mark off each item as you go. It's a great way to stay organized and involve your child in their own well-being.

Wishing your family a safe, healthy, and happy summer!

Lacie Grisley, School Nurse

lgrisley@bcps.org

443-809-6063