Donnelly Elementary

Happy October, Donnelly Families!

The students have settled into their new classrooms, adjusted to new routines, and are well on their way to a wonderful year of learning and growth!

As always, we remain committed to providing a safe, caring, and supportive learning environment that nurtures the mind, heart, and spirit of every student at Donnelly. Please ask your child about our Saber CUBS Kick-Off Program! This was a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together and renew our commitment to being Saber CUBS: Caring, Understanding, Bully-Free, and Safe. These values guide how we treat one another and help create a school where every student feels welcome, respected, and connected.

If you have any questions or need support, please don't hesitate to reach out. We are always here to partner with and support our Donnelly families.

Thank you for being such an important part of our school community. Together, we are Growing Together!

With Saber Pride,

Dr. Rich 💙💛

Monday, Oct. 5th - 4:00 - PTA Meeting via Zoom

Wednesday, Oct. 7th - AIS Information Night/Curriculum Night

Thursday, Oct. 8th - Early Dismissal at 3:05

Friday, Oct. 9th – No School – Superintendent’s Conference Day

Monday, Oct. 12th – No School – Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day

Wednesday, Oct. 14th – 5:00 - Ice Cream Social/Book Fair

Thurs., Oct. 15 – School Picture Day

October 14th-15th – Scholastic Book Fair

Friday, Oct. 17th – 5:00-6:30 – Scholastic Book Fair & Ice Cream Social

Wednesday, Oct. 21st – 6:00 – BOE Meeting

Friday, Oct. 30th – 6:00-8:00 – Fall Fun Night and Trunk or Treat

Monday, Nov. 16th – School Picture Make-ups

Curriculum Night is just around the corner!

We look forward to seeing our families as we share information about classroom expectations, curriculum, and academic learning. This evening is intended to provide you with valuable insight into your child’s classroom experience and help you feel informed and connected as we begin the school year.

If your child will be receiving Academic Intervention Services (AIS) in math or reading, please join us for a special information session in the cafeteria before curriculum night begins. AIS providers will be sharing how students qualified for additional support and what that extra support looks like.

October 7th

AIS Parent Information: 5:30pm - 6:00pm

Curriculum Night/Classroom Information: 6:00pm - 7:00pm

Curriculum Night is intended for adults only as there will be classroom presentations at all grade levels.

Courage means feeling scared or nervous about something, but doing it anyway because it is important or the right thing to do.

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.”

– Mary Anne Radmacher

We are very excited to share that Donnelly will be participating in the United States of Kindness Campaign. The United States of Kindness challenges every person, organization, and community to participate in 250 acts of kindness, one for every year of our nation’s history. These acts can be large or small, but together, they form a movement that connects people and restores hope in what we share as Americans.

This is a call to act with intention, to notice the good around us, and to celebrate kindness in every form. Each story and every act contributes to a shared goal: making kindness the cornerstone of America’s 250th year.

The United States of Kindness has officially launched with a collective challenge: 250 Acts of Kindness. Join us in creating a legacy of compassion and unity that defines America’s next chapter.

Currently there are 653 schools participating Nationwide!

♥KINDNESS WEDNESDAY♥

This holiday season,

Mark your calendar for

the first Kindness Wednesday,

Students arriving by car in the morning between 8:50 - 9:05 need to use the South Entrance. For your child’s safety, please refrain from dropping off at the Main Entrance during bus arrival.

Students arriving after 9:05 a.m. are considered late. Please accompany your child to the main entrance and sign them in.

Thank you for helping to keep kids safe!!

REMINDER: Children may not wear costumes to school. Please save costumes for the PTA Fall Fun Night and Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 30.

Students are more likely to be successful in school when they attend consistently. Consistent attendance helps students build strong academic skills, develop relationships, and feel connected to their school community. Each day provides important opportunities for learning, practice, and connection with teachers and classmates. If you need assistance getting your child to school, please contact Mrs. Stilloe, our school social worker, for tips and strategies.

Please visit the school website for the October Breakfast and Lunch Menus. This year ice cream costs $1.00. It will be sold every day. Please let us know if you’d like to limit your child’s ice cream purchases.

Due to allergy concerns here at school, please refrain from sending in homemade items. Snacks that are being shared with the class must be pre-packaged and labeled with ingredients. We appreciate your assistance with keeping our students safe and healthy.

Please remember students in grades PreK – 3 need to have sneakers every day for Physical Education class. Students in grades 4 and 5 need to have sneakers every other day for Physical Education class. Thank you.

October is here and Donnelly students and staff are getting back into classroom routines and settling in nicely. Thank you Donnelly parents, families, students, and staff for doing an amazing job helping returning students and new students transition back to school with a smile and a positive outlook. We are certainly off to a great year.

The Donnelly C.U.B.S. character education program is also off to a great start. We had our first assembly September 17th and it was a success. The monthly C.U.B.S. assemblies are a great way to encourage our students to be Caring and Understanding and to promote a Bully-Free school by making Safe choices. We will continue to recognize students for their positive behaviors and progress throughout the school year with our monthly Saber Star Awards. We will also recognize students who display positive and respectful behaviors in their special area classrooms, Art, Music, Library and PE with a monthly Golden Award. Continuing our assemblies is important to maintain a sense of community for our students and it also gives us some free time to laugh and play.

Transitioning back to school after a much needed summer vacation can take time. Please continue to be patient and positive and we will all find our balance this year. Enjoy the beautiful fall season and please don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions, suggestions or concerns.

Thank you,

Stacey Stilloe

Thank you for all the community support we received this school year with back to school supplies. We are so appreciative for the generosity and outpouring of love you have shared with our SV students.

Conklin Fire Department

St. Mary’s Church of Kirkwood

Conklin Presbyterian Church

Jane’s Diner

Mrs. Shirley DeLucia

Frito-Lay

Universal Instruments, Mrs. Mary Nolan and friends

CHOW

Food Bank of the Southern Tier

Donnelly PTA

Donnelly parents and families

When parents and families are involved in their children’s education, students do better and have better feelings about going to school. In fact, many studies show what the family does at home is crucial to a child’s success in school. There are many ways that parents can support their children’s learning at home. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Demonstrate a positive attitude about education to your children. What we say and do in our daily lives can help them develop positive attitudes towards school and learning. It can also help them to build confidence in themselves as learners.
• Show interest in your child’s education. Parents and families can spark enthusiasm that encourages a love for learning.
• Encourage your children to complete their homework. Let your child know that you think education is important and that homework needs to be done each day.

Let’s have a great school year!

Sincerely,

Donnelly Teachers

Hello PK Families! We’ve been working hard to build a positive and fun learning environment for your children, and your support at home plays a big role in helping them succeed! If you’re not receiving our updates through ParentSquare, please let the main office know so we can make sure you stay informed.

September has been a busy and exciting month! We've been learning classroom routines, rules, and making new friends. We're also practicing how to make kind and positive choices every day. In math, we’ve been sorting objects by color and starting to learn the numbers 1 through 5. During writing time, children are learning to recognize and practice writing the first letter of their names. In ELA, we’re enjoying stories and working on our listening skills with our theme, “All About Me.”

If you ever have any questions, please feel free to reach out. We’re always happy to connect!

We are making great progress in kindergarten! Our students are working hard each day as they continue to learn and practice our classroom rules, routines, and procedures.

In math, we are learning to describe an object’s position, height, and length. We will also be exploring sorting and practicing how to sort objects by different attributes.

In Magnetic Reading, students have been exploring letters and their sounds. Please continue to encourage your child to practice these sounds at home to help build confidence and strengthen their skills!

Writer’s Workshop is also taking off! Students are learning how to properly grasp a pencil, practice different writing strokes, and begin forming letters. We are also learning how to add details to our pictures to help tell our stories.

Thank you for your continued support at home! Together, we are helping our kindergarteners become confident, capable, and excited learners!

First graders have adjusted well to first grade and have worked hard learning the routine! We have learned about our classroom rules and how things work in our classroom.

In reading, we are building our stamina for reading to self and also have listened to many great stories. In math, we are working on partners to 10.

In first grade, we did an all about me project and we are learning about our school community and community helpers. We have enjoyed getting outside and exploring. First graders are eager to learn.

This month we will do some projects with pumpkins and fall. Keep up the great work first graders!

We are off to a great start in second grade! We are learning so many new things.

In Social Studies, we are learning about communities and how we are a part of many different communities. In ELA, we are enjoying listening to and discussing various stories and we continue our phonics work to help us become better readers and writers. In Math, we are working with the place value system and practicing our basic facts to build a strong foundation for when we work on more difficult concepts. We are also working on making a ten to add within twenty.

Just a reminder to send a water bottle with your child every day, if possible, especially when we have warm Fall days like we have been. Also, please work with your child on tying their shoelaces if they are wearing shoes that tie. Shoes without ties may be another option.

We look forward to seeing you at Curriculum Night on October 7th. Curriculum Night is designed to provide an overview of classroom learning and expectations. Because of the group format, individual student progress will not be discussed that evening. If you would like to discuss your child's progress, we would be happy to schedule a separate time to connect.

We look forward to working with you this year!

We have had a fantastic start to our new school year!

Students are becoming more familiar with third grade routines and procedures. Multiplication is a primary grade level math focus. Students are expected to learn multiplication facts through 12’s. We will be working on multiplication strategies, all four number operations and word problems as well. In reading, we are using our new iReady Reading program called, Magnetic Literacy.

The students are very excited over their colorful and engaging reading workbooks. There are many great stories to read this year! Continue to have your student read daily and practice math facts.

The third graders have been a terrific group, and we are looking forward to an amazing year!

We have been very busy in 4th grade ELA and Social Studies! We have been reviewing fiction sign posts. This is a reading strategy that allows students to “stop and think” about what they are reading to get a better understanding of the text. We read a story called Because of Winn Dixie and used our sign posts to help us. We started using graphic organizers to help us brainstorm ideas and organize our paragraphs in writing. We will continue writing a Halloween narrative.

We have started our intervention block where students may get pulled out for extra reading and math skills. This will allow students to get more one-on-one or small group instruction.

In Social Studies, students have been exploring the geography of New York State! They have been learning about New York’s diverse regions, including its mountains, lakes, rivers, cities, and surrounding bodies of water. Students are developing their map skills by identifying important geographic features such as map keys, symbols, and directions. They are understanding how geography has influenced where people live and how communities have developed.

In Math, we have been working on building our number sense through place value, rounding & estimation, and comparing numbers. We continue to review procedures of problem solving and practice multiplication and division fact fluency (speed and accuracy). Please keep practicing facts at home as they are vital in 4th grade!

In Science, we reviewed the scientific method and learned that scientists are always curious, which leads them to observe, notice, and ask questions. We have also started our unit on Earth Systems and will continue to learn about weathering, rocks & fossils, and the water cycle

We have had an exciting start to our school year in 5th grade!

In ELA, we started off learning about Notice and Note Strategies for Close Reading using Sign Posts. Our class has begun reading the novel Poppy by Avi. Students are diving into the story, discussing characters, setting, and important themes. Alongside our reading, we will also start writing our personal narratives. Students are working hard to brainstorm, draft, and revise their own stories, focusing on strong details and voice in their writing.

In Social Studies, we are exploring the ancient civilizations of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec. Students are learning about their cultures, traditions, and accomplishments, and making connections to how these civilizations have influenced the world today.

In Math, we began the school year with our first iReady Math Inform Test. We have been reviewing place value. We are currently working on our Volume unit. We will be multiplying and dividing with multi digit numbers. We will then begin working with powers of 10. We have an ongoing challenge in math class this year called the IXL 500 challenge. For every 500 questions each student answers on IXL, that student will receive a prize and be recognized on the IXL wall, outside of our classroom, for their hard work. Any questions answered in class, or at home, will count towards the challenge.

In Science, we will be working on our unit on Matter.

Happy October from Mrs. Kerrick & Mr. Ligeikis at Donnelly P.E.! We hope your family has had a good start to the school year. We would like to remind all Donnelly families to please send their kiddos to school with appropriate P.E. clothing (sneakers, fitted pants → loose clothing has been a safety hazard). Crocs, unfortunately, do not count as sneakers.

Also, a reminder that grades 3-5 have P.E. every other day so it’s important to keep track of the days your kids have P.E.!

This past month we started with cooperative games, throwing and catching, and fitness stations. In October we will be finishing our throwing/catching unit and starting our soccer unit. We hope everyone continues to be well and have a healthy month!

In addition, we would also like to welcome my student teacher, Mr. Miller. Below is a letter from Mr. Miller.

Dear Parents and Guardians:

My name is Joseph Miller, and I am excited to introduce myself to you as a senior Physical Education student teacher at SUNY Cortland. I am originally from Johnson City and am completing my teaching experience under the guidance of Mr. Evan Ligeikis, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with your children during my placement here at Susquehanna Valley. I will also be assisting with coaching for the SV Golf Team.

As a future physical education teacher, I feel that activity plays an important role for all students and I hope to help all of them to develop lifelong healthy habits of activity and a positive experience with physical education. It is my goal to include all students and to help them to develop their skills in multiple areas of physical activity.

I am the youngest of four children and have enjoyed many physical activities during my life including baseball, tennis, basketball, golf, and swimming. I worked this past summer as a lifeguard at Highland Park. Safety is of utmost importance to me and I will work with Mr. Ligeikis to promote a safe and enjoyable environment for all students. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to reach out to me through Mr. Ligeikis at the school.

I look forward to getting to know all of the students and to have a lot of fun this semester while also learning a lot of new motor activities. Thank you for welcoming me to your Susquehanna Valley community.

Sincerely,

Joseph Miller

SUNY Cortland Class of 2026

We are off to a great musical start at Donnelly Elementary School. It has been wonderful getting to know the new students and reuniting with the returning students. This month, the PreK students are learning to move and play instruments to a steady beat. Kindergarten students are learning to sing in tune while keeping a steady beat. First grade students are diving into playing four beat rhythm patterns and second grade students are learning about rounds. Third graders are beginning to learn about music notation by writing musical symbols on the treble clef staff. The fourth and fifth grade students will be learning how to play the ukulele in addition to learning how to read music notation.

Our musical ensembles are off to a great start as well. Mr. Johnson is leading the Donnelly Fifth Grade Band on Day 4 and the Fourth Grade Band on Day 6. The 4th and 5th grade Chorus have already started rehearsing on Day 2. Mrs. Stafford rehearses the Fifth Grade Orchestra on Day 4 and the Fourth Grade Orchestra on Day 6. It is so wonderful to hear beautiful music being made at Donnelly!

If you have any questions regarding the music program, please reach out to us. We are looking forward to a wonderful year full of great music.

Mrs. Stafford wstaffor@svsabers.org

Mr. Johnson rjohnson@svsabers.org

Parents often wonder what they can do at home to help their child(ren) with math. Our one word answer: FLUENCY! It takes time and repeated practice to become fast and accurate with math facts. Extra practice at home can really speed things up for your child.

Practice does not need to be long or boring. Asking math facts while waiting in line or in the car can help pass the time. A little flash card review can be a game. Skip counting (by 2’s, 5’s…) or by fractions (1/3, 2/3, 1, 1 1/3, 1 2/3, 2…) is excellent practice. Games with dice, dominoes, or cards can be fun for all.

Parents of kindergarteners should help students practice recognizing and writing numbers.

First graders need to internalize combinations that make ten (10 + 0, 9 + 1…).

Second graders need to know the addition and subtraction facts up to 9 + 9 = 18.

Grades three through five must know their multiplication and division facts up to 12x12= 144.

Keep it short, keep it fun, but keep it a part of your home routine and soon your kids will be able to whiz through math facts with speed and confidence.

Family time is so important and is a great time to include reading! Create a comfy place in your home for reading fun. Here are some ways to include reading every day.

• Read bedtime stories
• Play a board game
• Listen to stories on tape
• Make a book together
• Read favorite stories over and over
• Visit your local library
• Read a recipe and cook something yummy together!
• Read comics, magazines, short stories, poems and rhymes
• Read directions and signs when driving and shopping
• Play I spy: “I spy something beginning with a d.”
• Let your child see you enjoy reading
• Make words with magnetic letters
• Treasure hunt for words
• Write in a journal to each other
• Story telling – Talk about family history.

Join us for the October PTA Zoom Meeting~

October 5th @ 4:00