KES 2025 October Newsletter 🎃

Our school year is off to a great start with expectations, routines, morning meetings, school spirit, sharing assemblies and lots of academic learning.

Thank you for attending this year's Curriculum Night. If you would like to read about each grade level's curriculum, you may access our Curriculum Guides HERE. The description of the programs will provide you with a general understanding of the content and skills taught during the year.

Each of the KES Newsletters includes a Curriculum and Instruction section with K-5 Curriculum Updates with information about what students are learning in the core content areas during the upcoming month.

As a reminder, please go onto Visitor Aware if your child is absent.

Additionally, if your child is changing their regular form of transportation, you need to log-in by 12pm. Emailing or calling after 12pm slows up our dismissal process and greatly impacts our community and disrupts instruction.

***When entering information into Visitor Aware for your child to be picked up at regular dismissal, the choice should be CARLINE.

Starting on Wednesday, October 1st, we will be accepting requests for play dates.

If you plan to have your child go on a different bus with a friend, the plan needs to be entered into Visitor Aware before 12 pm.

***Please send in a note to school for your child to give to the bus driver.

There will be an Early Dismissal Drill on Friday, October 10th. Schools will dismiss 15 minutes earlier on this day. The school will follow students' Friday dismissal plans.

PARENT PICK UP IS 3:15 PM.

WALKERS DISMISS AT 3:15 PM.

CCC STUDENTS WILL BE SENT HOME ON THEIR ASSIGNED BUS.

BUDDY BONUS ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE.

We hope you will all join us at the 45th Annual PTO KES Halloween Fair on Saturday, October 25th from 11:00am- 3:00pm. The PTO is still looking for volunteers. Click Here to volunteer!

On October 31st, in staying with our KES tradition, kindergarten students will have an opportunity to parade in their costumes for the rest of the school (student/staff only event) to cheer and admire them. Kindergarten classroom teachers will communicate more details soon. Please encourage your child in grades 1-5 to wear orange and black.

• 11/6 Early Dismissal, Conferences from 6-8pm
• 11/13 Early Dismissal, Conferences from 1-3:45pm
• 11/17 Early Dismissal, Conferences from 6-8pm

You will receive a communication during the month of October letting you know when PTC Fast is open to schedule these conferences online.

*** 11/5 Interim Reports Available on Parent Campus 4pm

School pictures are in and orders need to be placed by October 3rd to have them in hand before Thanksgiving.

Need a retake? Mark your calendar, Friday, November 7th. To request, email classpictures@kespto.com to get on the list.

Please make note of the meeting places and times below:

- Leaving Katonah Village Library at 8:40 AM

- Leaving Cherry/Lakeside at 8:55 AM

- Leaving St. Mary's School Parking Lot/Valley at 8:50 AM

All students arriving to school (walkers, bus, and drop offs) will enjoy being greeted by BUDDY and music on the Plaza. This event is certain to be a truly PAWSome experience!

As a district, we are committed to fostering a strong sense of belonging and well-being in alignment with Pillars 2 and 5, ensuring that every student feels seen, heard, and accepted. For the seventh consecutive year, the district is reaching out to invite all interested middle and high school students, colleagues, community members, and parents to join the district-wide Equity and Racial Justice Committee (ERJC).

Whether you’re someone who has attended ERJC meetings in the past, or someone who would like to join for the first time, please complete this linked form, RSVP for ERJC, so that they know you will be in attendance.

Meetings will take place in-person again this year from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm and in collaboration with Keturah Proctor from BOCES, in the JJHS Library on the following dates: October 16, December 11, February 5, April 7, and June 9.

The K.E.Y. Committee (KES Empowers You) is made up of staff/faculty, parents and administration with a focus on KLSD Vision 2030: Pillar 2: BELONGING. We strive to foster an inclusive and connected community where everyone belongs and thrives.

The aspirations and empowerment plan that we will focus on this year are:

• Student organizations that promote diversity and inclusion- We will run a pilot program in 4th grade this year called KEY Club and explore an afterschool club for students in grades K-5.

• Community events that celebrate diversity and foster unity- We will hold once again this year a MLK Day of Action. New this year will be a Family Culture Celebration.

• Recognition and celebration of diversity, celebrating the diverse backgrounds, identities, and perspectives- We will continue to highlight and celebrate the Heritage Months through our “Good Morning, KES” program as well as host cultural performances such as the Redhawk Indigenous Art Council (thanks to the support of the PTO Enrichment Committee).

• Designing and integrating lessons that explore themes of belonging, equity, and inclusion- We will support the monthly Community Reads, lessons on diverse families, and communication with students and parents around the importance of using respectful language, including a focus on hate speech and symbols.

If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to reach out to any member of the KEY Committee.

Parents: Urmi Desai, Jocelyn Lichtin, Nicole Sciarrillo, Carrie Taylor-Olmstead, Maria Colaco

Faculty/Staff: Rebecca Corrigan, Francesca DiLapi, Sarah Faby, Sharon Paige, Geneve Patterson, Meredith Fontalvo, Jamie Nedwick, Brian Cuzzi and Laura Hansen

Administration: Cristy Harris

School Social Worker, Jessica Fulton, will be teaching the lesson 'bullying versus teasing' in classrooms this month.

There will be discussion as to the difference between good natured teasing and bulling using the acronym BOO- Being mean, On purpose, Over and Over.

Students will review different ways to be an UPSTANDER (confront the bully, get help and/or connect with the victim) and how being a BYSTANDER contributes to the bully's power.

Children will have an opportunity to share personal examples of being an UPSTANDER or BYSTANDER.

Under state regulations each school must conduct eight (8) evacuation drills and four (4) lockdown drills. These drills will ensure that students and staff are prepared in the event of an emergency. The lockdown protocol is utilized anytime there is a perceived or actual imminent threat inside the building.

This month, we will continue to practice evacuation and lockdown drills at KES. All lockdown drills are ANNOUNCED meaning a message (from administration) to all staff and students is made over the PA system prior to signaling the drill. There is police presence and support at our lockdown drills. Parents will be informed through a Thrillshare message after each lockdown drill is practiced.

On October 6th, the Katonah Fire Department will be at KES teaching our kindergarten and first grade students about fire prevention and safety, both at school and at home. The children will go outside to see the fire trucks and watch as the ladder is extended up on our roof, meet the local firefighters, and learn about some of the equipment used. Students are exposed to a firefighter with an oxygen mask on so that they know it’s nothing to be afraid of. We are thankful to our local fire department for their hard work and commitment to our school and the community.

The Office of Curriculum and Instruction (OCI) has made some updates based on the special education and literacy audits from last spring. OCI Assistant Superintendent Julia Drake is joined by Maggie Konrad, Director of Learning. Maggie now oversees programs that have moved from Special Education to OCI, including English as a New Language, Universal Pre-K, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS, formerly RTI). In addition, we are introducing two new assessment tools this year, DIBELS and NWEA Map.

For more information and future updates, please visit the KLSD OCI WEBSITE.

This school year, we will transition from Response to Intervention (RtI) to Multi-Tiered System of Supports- Integrated (MTSS-I)

Similar to RtI, our MTSS-I framework has a three tiered approach to providing students with academic support in the areas of reading and math.

Tier 1- core classroom instruction

Tier 2- targeted small-group interventions for students who qualify

Tier 3- intensive (increased frequency and/or duration) targeted instruction for students who qualify

Like RtI, the MTSS-I framework is data-driven and uses screeners, or brief standardized measures, to benchmark ALL students three times a year to a) identify students who need academic support, and b) monitor progress.

This year, we are implementing two new screening tools. Click on each link for more information.

· NWEA MAP literacy assessments

· DIBELS reading and math assessments

Interventionists will begin administering the Fall Benchmarks to all students on October 1st.

The results of the screenings, along with other relevant school data, will be reviewed by the KES RtI/MTSS-I Team (principal, school psychologist, interventionists, and classroom teachers).

If your child meets KLSD eligibility criteria and qualifies for services in reading and/or math, you will receive a communication from your child’s teacher and a formal entry letter in early November.

Each month, we will be providing curriculum highlights from each grade level. Please know that these are snapshots and do not reflect all the curriculum and learning in the classroom.

Students in kindergarten will continue to move through our initial reading unit in which they will develop a sense of how books work and what independent and partner reading looks like, while familiarizing themselves with both fiction and nonfiction texts. In writing, students will continue to carefully illustrate their ideas while also drawing upon their growing knowledge of letter-sound correspondence to add letters and words to their writing pieces. In math, students will compare numbers to 5 and begin to explore numbers to 10 using manipulatives, games, and pencil and paper. In science, we will continue our unit on the needs of living things and work in the KES garden.

Students in first grade will dive into some fun and exciting learning! During our reading time, students will practice being flexible readers by making sure their reading makes sense and fixing mistakes when needed. In writing, students will create stories from their own lives, focusing on special moments. Lessons will focus on how to stretch stories across pages by planning each part before students write. Students will explore the concept of place value, focusing on tens and ones during our math time. They will practice counting and creating models using tens and ones to better understand how numbers are composed. We will go on our first field trip to Ward Pound Ridge later this month. The trip will connect to what we are learning in social studies about families now and long ago. In science, students will take on the role of aquarium scientists and learn what Spruce the sea turtle needs to survive.

Students in second grade will build their reading muscles by learning strategies to help them decode new syllable types. Learning new vocabulary and deepening comprehension is also a focus as we work toward becoming “Big Kid” readers. In writing, the 2nd graders will be teaching us about themselves through their narrative stories. Handwriting and sentence structure will continue to be a focus. Strengthening number sense will be keeping our mathematicians very busy. Students will learn to break apart numbers to add fluently, explore strategies for double-digit addition, and solve word problems that connect math to real-life situations. In social studies, we will have fun exploring rural, urban and suburban communities with an emphasis on what makes Katonah a special and unique place to live. In science, students will take on the role of glue engineers!

Students in third grade are busy diving deeper into exciting new learning! In reading, we are continuing with the second half of our Mystery Unit. Students will notice patterns in how mysteries typically unfold, explore the role of “red herrings,” and practice finding hidden clues to strengthen their detective skills. In writing, we are launching our first unit, Series Fiction. Students will create their own “made-up trouble” stories, practicing how to develop characters, build tension, and write with strong narrative structure while crafting multiple connected pieces. In math, we are applying properties of multiplication and learning how multiplication can be used to solve division problems. Hands-on practice and problem-solving strategies are helping students build both fluency and confidence. In science, we are beginning our first unit, Balancing Forces. Through engaging experiments and activities, students will investigate how pushes, pulls, and balance affect the world around us. It’s wonderful to see their curiosity and creativity shine as they connect ideas across subjects!

Students in fourth grade are wrapping up our class read aloud, Crenshaw, by Katherine Applegate. We have worked with readers to ask themselves, “What does the author want me to understand about the issues coming up in this book?” In writing, we are beginning the unit "Spinning Stories into Gold," which will introduce students to the art of keeping writers’ notebooks, and to reinforce and extend students’ understanding of the essentials of narrative writing. In math, we are working on strategies for multiplying multi-digit numbers. In Social Studies, 4th graders will be learning about New York State and some of the indigenous inhabitants. In Science, we are studying Earth's features, acting as geologists to investigate how a series of fossils got into rocky outcrops in the fictional Desert Rock Canyon.

Students in fifth grade will continue to read books independently and work on developing their interpretation and writing about reading skills. Students will be reading books in partnerships/book clubs. Estimating and calculating decimals—adding and subtracting— using models and the standard algorithm, will be a focus in math. The fifth graders will be starting a mini-research project supported by Jamie Nedwick, our library media specialist, on a topic from American History, in preparation for our Day Before Thanksgiving Day Parade. In social studies, fifth graders will be studying early peoples of the Western Hemisphere, while in science students will continue their study of the stars and constellations.

As part of the implementation of the new Computer Science Digital Fluency Standards, please see below the first (of several) lessons that our Technology Teaching Assistant, Tenesha Mezzo, will be teaching to the children in each classroom, K-5. You can find the complete CSDF Standards HERE.

The KES library is buzzing with fall fun and new learning! Along with reading seasonal favorites (like some not-too-spooky Halloween books!), students are exploring how the library is organized and building skills to become confident, independent readers.

This month in the library, students across K–5 will be strengthening their understanding of information literacy, collection organization, and media balance. Kindergarten students will be using “unplugged coding,” giving step-by-step directions to help partners find favorite books. Our 1st graders will be learning how our fiction and picture books are systematically organized so they can locate books of interest. 2nd graders will begin to explore both fiction and nonfiction sections and understand their differences. In 3rd grade, we will be identifying major library areas (Dewey topics & genres) and getting introduced to Destiny Discover, our online catalog. Our 4th and 5th graders will continue digital citizenship lessons with a focus on media balance and appropriate online use.

The first month in art, we focused on procedures and expectations and introduced our littlest artists and our newest friends to their art studio environment. We began to explore different art media -ranging from markers to oil pastels and watercolors- and discussed two elements of art: color and line.

KES artists in all grades used Peter H. Reynolds' wonderful book The Dot as inspiration to create a variety of colorful artwork, much of which is cheerfully adorning our halls. Some grade levels also learned about Wassily Kandinsky's Abstract Art and created theirs using his famous painting "Concentric Circles in Squares" as inspiration.

Kindergarten practiced brush care and usage to create colorful "dots".

Third grade reviewed radial symmetry and used dot markers and traditional markers for these vibrant pieces that show balance.

Fifth grade artists “deconstructed” Kandinsky’s concentric circles. The result was an impressive variety of vibrant pieces, mostly three-dimensional.

Kindergarten students will explore long and short rhythm patterns using body percussion and unpitched instruments such as rhythm sticks, hand drums, and egg shakers. They will demonstrate a steady pulse through various locomotor movements while singing. Dramatic play will be incorporated through songs, encouraging imaginative expression. Students will continue to build a repertoire of songs that support high and low singing, and tone production.

First graders will continue to develop their ability to maintain a steady beat through movement and unpitched instruments. They will further distinguish between speaking and singing voices while refining their vocal development. Students will experiment with rhythm sticks, hand drums, and egg shakers, and continue to practice proper mallet technique. They will demonstrate pulse and rhythm individually and in groups. Cultural exploration will be integrated through songs from Hispanic traditions and Diwali, fostering connections between music, language, and culture.

Second graders will strengthen their singing voices by exploring head voice technique and singing partner songs to build part independence. Rhythmic understanding will deepen through engaging activities focused on quarter and eighth notes. Cultural appreciation will be emphasized as students perform songs from Hispanic traditions and Diwali, enriching their musical and cultural experiences.

Third grades will continue to build foundational music skills by demonstrating rhythmic pulses using quarter notes, half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes. They will reinforce proper mallet and vocal technique through singing and playing activities. Students will develop part independence through rounds and partner songs and begin learning various line dances. Additionally, they will be introduced to the recorder. Cultural diversity will be explored through performances of songs from Hispanic traditions and Diwali.

Fourth graders will further develop their singing voices and expand their repertoire to include folk, seasonal, and multicultural songs. They will deepen their rhythmic understanding by identifying and performing syncopation, and reviewing eighth notes, half notes, and dotted rhythms. Music literacy will be enhanced through treble clef note reading and the exploration of Rondo form. Rounds and partner songs will support part independence. Students will also engage with songs that celebrate Hispanic traditions and Diwali.

Fifth graders will continue refining their vocal technique while exploring more complex rhythms, including dotted quarter notes and broken eighth notes. They will develop their understanding of musical phrasing and Rondo form. Through hands-on experiences with Orff instruments, students will practice ostinato patterns and strengthen part independence through two-part singing. They will also engage in world drumming, reinforce treble clef note reading, and explore cultural diversity by performing songs from Hispanic traditions and Diwali.

During the month of October, all students will participate in The PACER Test. PACER stands for Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run. It is a fun and simple fitness activity we use in PE to help measure your child’s cardiovascular endurance. Students run back and forth across the gym to a series of beeps that gradually get faster. The goal is to keep up with the beeps for as long as they can! It’s not about students winning or being the fastest—it’s about doing their best, staying active, and learning how to set personal goals. We encourage students to try hard, support each other, and celebrate their own progress. We will repeat the PACER test during the spring for students to see their progress. After the completion of the PACER test, students will be participating in Halloween themed fitness activities and games for the remainder of October!🎃

Cristy Harris, Principal and KES Dignity Act Coordinator 763-7700 or charris@klschools.org

Kweon Stambaugh, Assistant Principal (designee) 763-7705 or kstambaugh@klschools.org

Jessica Fulton, Social Worker (designee) 763-7669 or jfulton@klschools.org.