PRM School Rocker

Greetings PRM Families,

As we enter the season of giving thanks, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the PRM community for your continued encouragement, patience, and support. Each day, we are reminded of the strength and compassion that define our school. We understand that many families across Cincinnati, and within our PRM community, are facing challenges due to the recent loss of SNAP benefits, a crucial source of nutrition support. Please know that you are not alone.

For immediate assistance, please get in touch with Mrs. Monique Crosby, School Resource Coordinator (via the main office). Ms. Allie Quinter, School Social Worker, is also available to connect families with community resources, local food pantries, and wraparound supports through our Community Learning Center partnerships. We want to reassure you that we are committed to supporting our families during these challenging times. Together, we will continue to show what it means to be “Here for Kids.”

We are well into the second quarter, and students are engaged in meaningful learning across all grade levels. This week marks the start of our WIN (What I Need) Block, a dedicated time for targeted support and enrichment in reading and math based on individual student needs. We’re thrilled about the growth and confidence this structure fosters, and we hope you share in our excitement.

Midterm week will take place the week of November 17th, and midterm progress reports will be sent home in Wednesday folders on December 3rd. Please keep open communication with your child’s teacher to review progress, celebrate growth, and plan supports where needed.

We also need your help with attendance and punctuality. Even a few minutes late can impact learning. Please do your best to ensure arrival by 7:40 a.m. so students can start the day ready to learn. Ms. Quinter will continue to reach out and offer support, developing Attendance Improvement Plans as needed.

As we move further into November, we hope your family finds time to reflect on what you’re grateful for. Thank you for the many ways you support our students, our staff, and our school community.

We appreciate each of you and the role you play in making PRM such a special place for children to learn and grow. Your support is invaluable, and we are truly grateful for it. Stay safe, stay grateful, and cherish each other.

With love and gratitude,

Principal Simpson

Email: simpsoa@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

Event updates throughout the month will be available on www.prmrocks.org/calendar

*You can also subscribe to the calendar on your device - find the green “subscribe” button on the top right side of the calendar page.

Monday, November 3--ILT Meeting @ 2:45pm at PRM (Staff Wellness Room)

Tuesday, November 4--Election Day--Schools Closed

Monday, November 10--Restaurants Supporting PRM – Rusty Bucket

Tuesday, November 11--No School – Veterans Day

Wednesday, October 12--LSDMC Meeting @ 3:00pm at PRM (Library)

Wednesday, October 12--PTO Meeting @ 6:00pm at PRM (Library)

Wednesday, October 12--Foundation Meeting @ 7:15pm at PRM (Library)

Monday, November 17--ILT Meeting @ 2:45pm at PRM (Staff Wellness Room)

Friday, November 21--Grandparent ~ Special Friend Day 7:45-9:30am @ PRM

Monday, November 24--Friday, November 28 – No School – Fall Break/Thanksgiving

In November, we have several days off from school, including Election Day and Veterans Day. We also hope that you’ll enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and the time off from school that week. We also have a special event on the morning of Friday, November 21st, our Grandparents ~ Special Friends Day.

In ELA, Kindergarteners will continue to work on answering questions from a text, understanding and using question words, developing phonemic awareness and phonics skills, as well as mastering irregular words and handwriting. In math, Kindergartners will continue to review counting and cardinality, number comparison, and decomposing numbers up to 10. They will also begin to explore basic geometry, including two and three-dimensional shapes.

Kindergarteners will also begin their WIN block, where they will work with small groups of students and with various teachers. This will take place from Monday-Thursday each week, alternating weekly between ELA and math.

As we approach the holiday season, our 6-9 students are busy at work in the classroom. In cultural studies, all students will continue their studies of the U.S. and Ohio and will begin their unit on the history of Native Americans. Clouds, rainbows, and the compass rose will be introduced, as will vertebrates and stems in science. First-grade students will learn about adjectives and the question mark in language. In math, they will continue working on linear counting and begin studying fractions. Second-grade students will study the adjectives, exclamation marks, and question marks in language, and they will continue studying the process of addition using Montessori materials, as well as begin work with fractions. Third-grade students will continue to develop their skills in various types of writing, continue their studies in multiplication, and start their unit on fractions. All students will continue to study geometry every week. Also included in the 6-9 agenda are field trips to the Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve to study seasons and cycles, as well as to the Aronoff Center for the show "Stuntboy, In the Meantime." It will be quite an exciting month for our 6-9 students!

The 9-12 team had a fantastic time during our recent field experience with The Ohio River Explorers at Pioneer Park! This hands-on outing provided students with the opportunity to fish with nets and observe live specimens, enabling them to draw real-world conclusions about the health of our local creek. It was an excellent opportunity to connect classroom learning with the natural world.

This month, we’re excited to begin our 4th-grade field trips to the Art Museum. These field trips will occur through March 2026. Please be on the lookout for communication from your child’s homeroom teacher with details about when your child’s class will attend.

We’re also thrilled to kick off our Outdoor Education program this year. Students have already enjoyed their first class outside and are eager for more of these engaging, hands-on learning experiences in the months ahead.

Looking ahead, we’ll be starting our annual Thanksgiving Service-Learning Project. Your child’s homeroom teacher will be sending home information on how your family can help contribute to your class’s Thanksgiving Box.

As the weather begins to change, please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor recess—warm layers and coats help make playtime more enjoyable for everyone. And thank you for your continued support in helping our students learn, grow, and explore.

Students in grades 9-12 are working on tempera enameling projects inspired by champlevé enameling techniques. These techniques involve creating raised and recessed areas of aluminum that are then filled with tempera paint to add color. Fourth-grade students will get the opportunity to visit the Cincinnati Art Museum this year to explore the Cincinnati wing.

6-9 students are working on creating figurative stencils to create a work of art inspired by street art and repetition. Students worked on drawing figures, making different motions by modeling for one another, and creating sketches in their sketchbooks.

Kindergarten students have been working on understanding the role that color plays in a work of art. Students interpreted how different colors can correlate with feelings. As they work on the color wheel, students will learn to identify warm, cool, primary, and secondary colors.

This month, all of our students are getting into the Halloween spirit! Every grade level is playing Halloween-themed games that build teamwork, movement skills, and sportsmanship while keeping things festive. From Kindergarten through 6th grade, we’re making Physical Education a place to celebrate the season with energy and excitement.

As we finish out the month, we’ll begin our volleyball unit, where students will learn the basics of passing, setting, and working together on the court.

And shoutout to our 1st Quarter Pacer Test Winners! Announcements and awards will be given out on Friday.

9-12 students have completed booking their flights to their chosen destinations and have deducted the flight costs from their $5,000 travel budgets. We are now exploring ground transportation — focusing on how travelers get from the airport to their hotel in different parts of the world. Questions like “How do you get from the airport to a hotel in Mongolia?” and “What exactly is a tuk-tuk?” have sparked great curiosity. Students are also considering travel challenges such as navigating snowy regions. They were especially intrigued to discover that a jeepney, a common form of public transportation in many countries, actually inspires the “battle bus” from Fortnite.

6-9 students are witnessing flexibility firsthand as Mr. David is doing a complete 360 on his original lesson plan—yes, his ADHD keeps him just as flexible and creative as his students! With the reintroduction of the WIN program and a renewed focus on ELA and Math skills, students in 1st–3rd grade will now dedicate their library time to strengthening reading and comprehension. Each week, we’ll explore a new book, expand our vocabulary, and answer both comprehension and critical thinking questions. From time to time, we’ll also incorporate art projects inspired by the stories we read to deepen understanding and keep learning fun.

Kindergarten students continue to strengthen their phonics skills as they learn new sounds and words each week. Following the UFLI system, we have fun exploring original stories created by Mr. David that highlight the week’s focus sounds and vocabulary. Students especially enjoy guessing the weekly theme—and, of course, the Danny Go dance parties remain a favorite part of our routine!

9-12: We are finishing up our virtual field trip project & transitioning into STEM lessons that directly support science curriculum & standards. This cross-curricular opportunity will foster scientific inquiry and deepen students' understanding of the engineering design process.

6-9: We are continuing to split our time between technology skills (coding this month), and engineering projects. We will start November with a Pumpkin Stand Engineering Lab. We saw so much growth (especially in first grade!) in logging onto our computers independently and effectively using a computer mouse.

Kindergarten: We are splitting time between keyboard practice and engineering challenges. In November, kindergarten will start practicing typing their names.

November 8th is International STEM Day! You can use the link below to learn more about the history of International STEM Day!

https://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/promo/STEM#:~:text=On%20November%208th%2C%20we%20unite,technology%2C%20engineering%2C%20and%20mathematics.

I’ve curated a list of ways that you can celebrate International STEM Day at home or around Cincinnati! We are always celebrating STEM at PRM and would love for you to join in on the fun and learning at home. Below are lists of places to visit, websites, and DIY experiments that you can do on November 8th.

STEM Leaders:

• https://www.engineeringforkids.com/about/news/2025/february/10-black-innovators-who-have-made-an-impact-in-s/

• https://www.ducksters.com/biography/scientists/scientists_and_inventors.php

STEM Careers:

• https://www.invent.org/blog/trends-stem/stem-careers

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxzFoSi0_zI

• https://app.us.lifeology.io/viewer/lifeology/default/a-to-z-stem-careers#3f9c957157bc

DIY STEM Labs at home:

• https://www.bigbangacademyhk.com/blog-en/stem-experiment

• https://www.invent.org/at-home-learning-resources

• Building with blocks, legos, magnatiles, cups, etc.

Places to Visit ($):

• The STEM Lab

• Cincinnati Museum Center

• Cincinnati Observatory

• Krohn Conservatory

• Cincinnati Zoo

• Newport Aquarium

• Cincinnati Nature Center

Places to Visit (Free!):

• Trammel Fossil Park

• Sharon Woods (Exhibits in Visitor Center)

• Contemporary Arts Center (Creativity Center)

• All Cincinnati Parks

I am so excited to hear about how you celebrate STEM day! Have fun! - Mrs. Smith (STEM Specialist)

Moana Jr. rehearsals are underway on Thursdays until 4PM. We have many students participating, so sign-ups are currently closed. Students in 5th and 6th grade who have registered for stage crew will begin set construction in February.

Ms. Ariel's class will present a special song for Grandparents' Day on November 21. We are confident you will love it.

Winter Choir has two concerts coming up: Friday, December 5, at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center's Winterfest, and Tuesday, December 9, at PRM's Winterfest! We also have an extra practice scheduled on Wednesday, December 3, until 3:30 PM.

We are excited to announce that Imago has begun an Outdoor Education Special for the 9-12 classes! We've been having a blast with them, making observations in the garden, doing garden chores, and having fun at the exploration stations. Our 3-6 and 6-9 classes have been exploring STEM topics through the Water Unit and Gardening Skills Unit.

Imago invites you to our inaugural Green Tie Gala event on November 13th, benefiting our Branching Out program. Please join us in supporting efforts to increase access to consistent, enriching outdoor education for CPS students. Hope to see you there!

There is a lot of important enrichment information in my monthly newsletter. To read more about WIN Block Enrichment Work, the PRM Spelling Bee, PRM Brain Bowl Tryouts, the CPS School Selection Process, Auditions for School for Creative & Performing Arts (SCPA), Gifted Testing Results, an update on 7AA Accelerated Math, Mission Updates for 6-9 Enrichment, and for 9-12 Enrichment, please click the link: https://secure.smore.com/n/ypcds

We loved hosting this year’s Trunk or Treat and seeing so many families come together to celebrate! A huge thank you to Barbara Wallins for organizing and bringing such creativity and fun to the event—it was a fantastic evening for our PRM community.

We also enjoyed treating our fantastic staff to some well-deserved goodies for Staff Appreciation, and look forward to another appreciation event in December. In addition, we’re excited to partner with Ms. Monique for the upcoming Thanksgiving Food Drive and are grateful to be part of such a caring and connected school community.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Restaurant of the Month fundraiser! It was a huge success, raising over $500 for PRM, which is enough to fund two teacher grants this year. What a win for both our school and Café Alma! Our next Restaurant of the Month is set for Monday, November 10, at The Rusty Bucket (flyer attached). After all, who wants to cook on a Monday?

Upcoming fundraisers include the Winter Flower Sale and our new, reimagined Silent Auction of Experiences. If your family might be interested in offering an “experience,” please reach out to Beth at prsfpres@gmail.com.

And don’t forget to save the date for PRM Prom—an adults-only night of fun on Saturday, February 7!

The Foundation meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:15 PM in the PRM Library. All are welcome! Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12; we look forward to seeing you there.

The WIN Block plan has been finalized. Your child's teachers will have more details regarding how that will function for each community. Please contact Principal Simpson via this link.

(https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48AEA629AAF8CF8-59905567-volunteer) If you can assist teachers with the WIN block as a volunteer.

End-of-the-year celebrations (including 6th-grade recognition day, transition day, field day, and the 9-12 leadership transfer) are in the planning stages; more details to follow when finalized.

ILT meetings take place on most first and third Mondays of the month at 2:45pm at PRM.

LSDMC meetings are open to anyone interested in attending. The next meeting is on Tuesday, November 12, at 3:00pm in the PRM library.

That's a wrap on fall sports! Thanks to all our volunteer coordinators and dedicated coaches who made all our teams a success this fall – our student athletes and their families thank you!

Basketball season is right around the corner. Teams are formed, and all players should hear from coaches by mid-November. Games start the first weekend of December. Stay tuned for a list of home games to come out to cheer on all our teams!

New this year, PRM is partnering with the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation to offer Little Roadrunners Tennis for our Pre-K and Kindergarten students. Kids will learn the basics of tennis on four consecutive Saturdays, starting November 1st.

Boosters is currently seeking a new Baseball coordinator. We won't be able to offer baseball in the spring without a coordinator to help run this program. Please email prmathletics@gmail.com with interest or questions. Co-coordinators are always welcome. We would like to have a new coordinator in place by the end of winter break.

Lastly, spring sports registration is currently slated to open on Friday, January 23rd, 2026, at noon. More information will be available in the new year.

• Freestore Foodbank Holiday Distribution is November 1-24, 2025, from 8 am-4 pm. They are providing food boxes for the holiday season for you and your family to enjoy. The Freestore Foodbank is located at 112 E. Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

• Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church- Rummage Sale: Friday, November 14th-Saturday, November 15th, 2025. All are welcome to come out and shop with them.

• The Caring Place- Is located at the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church, and they provide food and clothing every Tuesday and Thursday.

• Pleasant Ridge Montessori Library- There are many programs and events taking place at the local library. Check out all the programs and activities that are happening by clicking on the link. Cincinnati Public Library Link: https://cincinnatilibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?_gl=1*1g09vbr*_ga*MjE2NzQ1MzAzLjE2OTA5OTE4NTU.*_ga_G99DMMNG39*MTY5NDAyNTc1NC4yLjAuMTY5NDAyNTc1NC4wLjAuMA..*_ga_QQ6PLFKMN0*MTY5NDAyNTc1NC4yLjAuMTY5NDAyNTc1NC4wLjAuMA..&locations=PL

• Pleasant Ridge Community Council Meetings- This takes place every 1st Tuesday of the month at 7pm at the CRC Building on Ridge Ave.

• The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati's Downtown Dazzle- Downtown Dazzle is back to put a holiday twinkle in your eye! Join us in the heart of Downtown Cincinnati for one of the biggest highlights of the holiday season. See Santa rappel from a Cincinnati skyrise and wait with anticipation for the sky to fill with a fabulous fireworks display! This will happen every Saturday starting November 30th through December 21st. 🔗Downtown Dazzle

• PNC Festival of Lights- The Cincinnati Zoo is shining bright for the 43rd annual PNC Festival of Lights! Come early to see more animals and stay for the lights! November 20, 2025, to January 4, 2026. Just remember that the Zoo is closed on the following days: Thanksgiving (November 27), Christmas Eve (December 24), and Christmas Day (December 25). For more information, click on the link: https://cincinnatizoo.org/events/festival-of-lights/

• Light Up the Square at Fountain Square- The season officially begins downtown with live music, Santa, ice skating, and fireworks lighting up the heart of Cincinnati. This is the moment the city flips the switch, and the holidays begin on November 24th.

🔗 https://myfountainsquare.com/

• Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland at Newport Aquarium- Dive into holiday magic as Scuba Santa swims with sea creatures, penguins waddle by, and underwater lights shimmer all around. This is a holiday memory maker for all ages. This will run from November 24th to December 14th. 🔗https://www.newportaquarium.com/

• Free Laundry Services- Laundry Love is offering free laundry services at select locations on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month and every 3rd Saturday of the month. Check out the flyer below for more information.

• Looking for something to do- These locations have in-store and online free classes for the entire family. Click on the links below and see what you can get into.

• Michaels- https://www.michaels.com/classes

• Lowes- https://www.lowes.com/diy-projects-and-ideas/workshops

• Home Depot- https://www.homedepot.com/workshops/#change_store

Please keep the electronic link to the Code of Conduct handy for your records. There will not be paper copies printed this school year.

All parents/guardians are asked to submit this form to acknowledge receipt and review of the Code of Conduct.

We must be consistent in acknowledging and enforcing our school uniform policy. Our uniform policy is liberal enough to include several options for families. All PRM Spirit Wear is considered part of the school uniform.

While we don't like to take time away from instruction to deal with uniforms. We must all be consistent to ensure this doesn't become a major issue during the school year.

Please see the policy below and in the PRM Student Handbook.

Cincinnati Public Schools:

513-363-0123

Cincinnati Children's Hospital PIRC intake line:

513-636-4124

Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect:

513-241-KIDS

Suicide Prevention Hotline:

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Textline:

Text 4HOPE to 741741

Disaster Distress Helpline:

1-800-985-5990

Domestic Violence Hotline via Women Helping Women:

513-381-5610

Our Character Program centers around:

Respect, Ownership, Compassion, Kindness and Safety, Safety, Safety!

Below are the three school-wide expectations that we expect students to follow throughout all parts of our learning community. Please support us by reinforcing these at home.

• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• Be a Problem Solver

Email: simpsoa@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Website: www.prmrocks.org
Location: 5945 Montgomery Road
Phone: 513-363-4400