Milton East Family Newsletter:11/20

As we move into this season of gratitude, I want to highlight some of the incredible things happening at Milton East. Our classrooms are full of curiosity and hard work, students are showing kindness and leadership, and our staff continues to create warm, engaging learning environments every day. Whether it’s academic growth, positive behavior, or moments of joy in the hallways, there is so much to celebrate and be thankful for.

A quick reminder that next week we will have school on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the remainder of the week off. I hope the long weekend gives everyone a chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy time with family and friends. This season always reminds us how much we have to be thankful for, and I am especially grateful for our incredible students, staff, and families who make Milton East such a wonderful place to be.

Wishing all of our family and friends a warm and happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Schieve

In 4K, we’ve been learning all about hibernation, nocturnal animals, and our five senses. We also focused on the letters Tt, Ii, and Uu this month. During our Second Step lessons, we have been practicing how to recognize and name different feelings. Our morning class also enjoyed participating in the Veterans Day celebration.

As the weather changes, please make sure your child has an extra pair of shoes to wear at school if they come in winter boots or rain boots.

We are looking forward to our Friendsgiving celebration on Tuesday, November 25th!

In kindergarten, we’ve been continuing to build our decoding skills during Wonders and applying them as we read books. This week, we started working with short i words and practiced identifying syllables in spoken words.

In writing, we’ve been learning how to draw a picture with a clear setting and characters, then label our drawings to give readers more information. Our focus is on writing the sounds we hear rather than spelling every word perfectly.

In math, we explored how to add two numbers to make a total within five. This week, we’ve begun learning about 2-dimensional shapes.

As the weather gets colder, please take some time to practice having your child put on and take off their winter gear independently. This extra practice makes a big difference at school. Please also label all winter items with your child’s name to help keep everything organized.

Literacy:
In Wonders this week, we are working on s-blends and r-blends such as spin, stop, grab, and drip. We will also be learning about possessives and how to use an apostrophe to show ownership. As we continue reading nonfiction texts, students are practicing how to identify the main idea and key details. We will also be writing about how our bodies—and animals’ bodies—move. In addition, first graders will review different types of sentences and the correct ending punctuation.

Math:
Students are composing and decomposing teen numbers using pictures, equations, and manipulatives. They will also practice adding three numbers by finding combinations that make ten.

Please make sure your child returns their library books on or before their checkout day:

• Fosmoen – Tuesday

• Natz – Wednesday

• Cagney – Thursday
  
  

As the weather gets colder, please send your child to school with appropriate winter gear each day. Occasionally, your child may bring home reading passages, small paper books, or games we used in class. These are wonderful tools to revisit at home for extra practice. Thank you for all of your support!

Math:
Students have started working on two-digit addition and subtraction. They are learning several strategies to show their thinking, including using proof drawings, expanded form, number lines, and making a ten to help solve problems.

Reading:
Students are continuing to read and discuss texts about animals. We’ve been practicing soft c and g spellings, along with digraphs and trigraphs.

Second graders loved our visit from David Stokes (the “Frog Guy”) on November 6! They learned about pond life, amphibians, and reptiles—and even had the chance to touch live animals.

As we move into colder weather, please label all winter gear, including hats, gloves, and boots. Even with our best efforts to stay organized, items can easily get mixed up in the hallways. Thank you for your help!

In math, we are working on multiplication using place value. Students are learning how to multiply a two-digit multiple of 10 by a one-digit number. For example, 3 × 40 can be thought of as three groups of 40, which equals 120. We are practicing how to break apart numbers using place value and how changing the grouping of factors can help us solve multiplication problems.

In literacy, we are wrapping up Unit 2 of Wonders. Our essential question is: How do people figure things out? This week, we are exploring poetry and inventors through our text set. Students will research an inventor and create a pennant to show the different ways people discover new ideas. We’ll also be writing our own winter-themed poems!

Students have been working incredibly hard in their WIN groups. Teachers are proud of the progress they’re making and love getting the chance to mix groups, share students, and get to know all of our East third graders even better.

Here is some news from our Specials Team!

We are incredibly grateful for our Milton East Parents Group (MEPG) and all they do for our students and staff. Their generosity and hard work make such a big difference in our school every single year.

Last year, they funded the new sidewalk on the far side of the playground to make pick-up easier and safer for families. This year, they purchased three new staff radios and helped install a new security camera to support student safety. They also provided food for our hard-working staff during the late nights of parent-teacher conferences, which was so appreciated.

On top of that, MEPG helps pay for field trips, provides extra supplies for classrooms, and supports countless other projects around our school—just to name a few. They truly go above and beyond.

If you have ideas or want to get involved, we’d love to have you join us! It’s a pretty amazing group of people!

Have questions or want to connect? Email miltoneastparents@gmail.com or join the Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/MiltonEast.

Thank you, MEPG, for always supporting our Milton East community!

• November 24: Emil's Pizza Pick-Up (4:00pm-6:00pm)
• November 25: 4K Friendsgiving
• November 26-28: No School
• December 1-12: East Eats Food Drive
• December 6: Santa Store (8:00am-10:00am)
• December 9: MEPG Meeting (6:00pm-7:00pm)
• December 22-January 2: No School
• January 5: School Resumes
• January 13: MEPG Meeting (6:00pm-7:00pm)
• January 19: No School

Our Veterans Day celebration was such a meaningful and memorable day at East! We were lucky to welcome 20 veterans into our building, and it was wonderful to see them celebrate with their student(s). Derek Henze shared some thoughtful words to start the morning, and our veterans did an awesome job answering questions from our students.

Our kids added so many special touches to the day. They created beautiful decorations, wrote heartfelt notes, and many classes joined the program through a Google Meet so they could be part of the experience. Each veteran also received a hand-written letter from Milton High School students, which made the day feel even more personal. We wrapped up the celebration with a parade through the halls, where students lined the way and cheered—it was a truly touching moment.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this such a wonderful celebration. We are so grateful for our veterans and our East community!

It’s time for our second annual East Eats! This year’s East Eats will begin with a school-wide food drive to support Milton East families over winter break. We’re excited to bring this tradition back and would love your help in making it a success.

Our East Eats Food Drive will run from Monday, December 1st through Friday, December 12th. Each grade level has been assigned specific items to collect (see the list below). If your family would like to participate, simply send your donation to school with your child.

If you prefer to contribute financially instead of shopping, you may send cash or a check made out to Milton East Parents Group. Please place your donation in an envelope labeled “East Eats Food Drive.” We will happily take care of the shopping for you. If your family would benefit from receiving a food box, a sign-up form will be sent out soon.

Food Drive Items:

• 3rd Grade: Macaroni and cheese, spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce

• 2nd Grade: Large bags of dry snacks (16+ oz.) such as pretzels, Goldfish, popcorn, etc.; canned fruits

• 1st Grade: Pancake mix (just add water), syrup, jarred applesauce

• Kindergarten: Cereal, canned vegetables

• 4K: Peanut butter (16 oz.), jelly

Thank you, Milton East families, for your generosity and continued support!

On November 17, World Diabetes Day, the entire School District of Milton wore blue to show support for students and families who live with Type 1 diabetes every day. Our day at East felt especially meaningful as we were able to celebrate one of our own Red Hawks. We even took a Milton East family photo in our blue! I am so proud of our East community and the way we show up to support one another.

This is a reminder that morning supervision for students begins at 8:20 AM. While you may see staff or students on the playground before that time, they are there for Y-Care and are not able to supervise other students. Please make sure your child is not dropped off before 8:20 AM.

With colder temperatures and snow in the forecast, we want to remind families about our expectations for student dress during recess. Keeping students safe and comfortable outdoors is a top priority, and we appreciate your help in making sure they’re dressed appropriately for Wisconsin weather!

Recess Guidelines:

• When the temperature or wind chill is 50°F or below, students should wear a coat or jacket.

• When the temperature or wind chill is 32°F or below, students are expected to wear a winter coat, hat, and gloves.

• When the temperature or wind chill is 0°F or below, or it’s raining, recess will be indoors.

• To play in the snow, students must wear a winter coat, snow pants, hat, gloves, and boots. Without these items, they’ll remain on the blacktop area.

Please remember to label all winter gear, as hats, gloves, and coats often find their way to our Lost and Found.

In general, it’s a great idea for students to keep a coat in their cubby/locker during fall and spring since weather can change quickly throughout the day!

This month, we will continue our social-emotional learning (SEL) focus is on keeping hands to ourselves and playing safely with others. We’ve been reminding students that safe choices apply in all areas at Milton East—in line, in the classroom and lunchroom, and out on the playground.

At recess, we’ve noticed that some games—like football, soccer, kickball, and even tag—can become more physical. We’re working with students to make sure they are playing fairly, following rules, and keeping everyone safe. Students are also reminded to use all playground equipment and toys as they are intended to prevent accidents or injuries.

We’re continuing to practice how to solve small problems independently. If a disagreement happens during a game, students are encouraged to try solving it calmly on their own first, and if that doesn’t work, to find an adult for help.

Thank you for partnering with us to reinforce these expectations at home as we help our students grow into kind, respectful, and safe Red Hawks! ❤️

While we understand that many families like to bring their pets along during arrival and dismissal times, we want to remind everyone of the District’s policy regarding animals on school grounds.

According to School Board Policy 8390, animals on District property are limited to:

• Those that support curriculum-related projects or activities

• Assistance animals that support a student or staff member with a disability

• Service animals as defined by Federal and State law

For the safety and comfort of all students and staff, pets should not be brought onto school grounds during drop-off or pick-up times unless they meet one of the conditions above.

Thank you for helping us keep our school environment safe and welcoming for everyone! 🐶🐱

We know many students have smart watches and other personal devices, and we appreciate families wanting their children to feel safe and connected. At school, our goal is to make sure students are focused on learning and know exactly what to do if they need help.

Many smart watches have features like games, alarms, or communication tools that can beep or buzz during class and cause distractions. For this reason, smart watches and personal devices should be powered off and kept in lockers or backpacks during the school day.

If a student feels sick, gets hurt, or needs to reach a parent, they should let their teacher know so we can take care of them right away and contact families as needed. This helps us ensure students are safe, supported, and that we have accurate records of any visits or concerns.

Thank you for helping us keep students focused on learning and supported throughout the school day.