Gator Gazette

💚 A Message from the Principal

This week, we’re celebrating good character and healthy choices during Red Ribbon Week!
At Arnett Hills, we know that character counts—kindness, honesty, and respect help our Gators grow into leaders who make good choices in and out of school. When we show empathy, solve problems peacefully, and treat others the way we want to be treated, we create a school where everyone belongs. 💚

Families, thank you for continuing to talk about these lessons at home. Your example means everything.

🧡 We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Ruby B. Archie Public Library for providing an amazing experience for our Kindergarteners. Your welcoming atmosphere, engaging staff, and fun literacy programs helped spark curiosity and joy in our youngest Gators! 📚

Wednesday, November 20th

We are excited to invite our Gator families to join us for a special Thanksgiving Lunch! 🧡
This is a wonderful opportunity to share a meal, make memories, and celebrate gratitude together as a school community.

🍽️ Details:

• Date: Wednesday, November 20th

• Cost: $10 per adult meal

• Students will eat at their regular lunch time.

If you would like to join us, please fill out the RSVP form below so we can plan accordingly.

🌈 Helping Children Solve Problems Peacefully

Families can help by:

1. Modeling calm behavior. Show how to breathe, listen, and use kind words.

2. Encouraging “I feel” statements. (“I feel upset when…” instead of “You always…”)

3. Practicing empathy. “How do you think your friend felt?”

4. Celebrating good choices. Praise small acts of respect, honesty, and teamwork,

After-School Program Is in Session!

🎉 This program is designed to provide additional learning support for students in grades 3–5. Students can also make up days by attending after school!

• Days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

• Time: 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM

• Transportation: NOW AVAILABLE!!!!!

If your child in grades 3–5 did not receive one and you are interested in having them attend, please email our program coordinator, Ms. Mariah Walker, at mwalker1@mail.dps.k12.va.us.

We look forward to supporting our Gators with this extra time for learning and growth!

We are excited to announce that Arnett Hills will be opening two new Kindergarten classes to help reduce class sizes and ensure every child gets the attention they deserve! 💚

To share more information and answer any questions, we will host two virtual Town Hall meetings for Kindergarten parents on Wednesday, October 29th:

• 🕛 12:00 PM Town Hall: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78864919657?pwd=2kNjGwlBKElk7KNyvFCQpbVmiabpQs.1

• 🌆 6:00 PM Town Hall: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79060386905?pwd=dO8HXSXzZffMRhstLNEHWkq2Uz9aiJ.1

Please join us at whichever time works best for your family.
Your partnership helps us make Arnett Hills an even better place for our youngest Gators to learn and grow! 🐊💫

Practice Reading and Math the Gator Way!

Learning doesn’t stop when the bell rings! Here are fun, easy ways families can help children strengthen Virginia SOL skills at home.

📖 Reading Fun for Grades K–2

🎯 Letter & Sound Hunt
Look for things around the house that start with the same letter sound.

SOL K.4–K.5: letter recognition and beginning sounds

👀 Sight Word Detective
Practice common sight words from the Dolch Sight Word List.
Try these ideas:

• Write words on sticky notes and hide them for your child to find and read aloud.

• Trace words in sand, salt, or shaving cream.

• Play “Word Swat!” — say a word and have your child swat it with a flyswatter or pointer.

• Make flash cards and play “Memory Match.”

SOL 1.5 & 2.6: word recognition and fluency

📚 Retell It!
After reading, ask what happened first, next, and last.

SOL 2.9: sequencing and comprehension

💬 Family Story Talk
Ask: “Who are the characters?” “Where does it happen?” “What’s the lesson?”

SOL 2.10: understanding plot and theme

📖 Reading Fun for Grades 3–5

💡 Main Idea Mania
Read a short article or story and ask, “What is this mostly about?”

SOL 3.6–5.6: main idea & details

🕵️ Word Detective
Guess the meaning of new words using context clues before checking the dictionary.

SOL 3.4–4.4: vocabulary development

🔍 Compare & Contrast Corner
Read two books by the same author and discuss how they’re alike and different.

SOL 4.5–5.5: analyzing texts

📝 3-Sentence Summary
After reading, challenge your child to sum up the story in just three sentences!

SOL 5.6: summarizing and comprehension

🔢 Math Fun for Grades K–2

🔢 Count Everything!
Count toys, snacks, or steps—then add or take away one.

SOL K.2–1.2: number sense & addition/subtraction

🔺 Shape Search
Find circles, triangles, and rectangles around your home or outside.

SOL K.12: identifying shapes

🎯 Number Line Jumps
Make a tape number line on the floor and hop forward to add, backward to subtract.

SOL 1.6–2.3: addition/subtraction fluency

🍎 Snack Math
“If you have 5 grapes and eat 2, how many are left?”

SOL 1.6: problem solving with real objects

🔢 Math Fun for Grades 3–5

🍕 Fraction Fun
Cut fruit or pizza to show halves, thirds, and fourths. Ask, “If we eat one piece, what fraction remains?”

SOL 3.2–4.2: understanding fractions

⚡ Fact Flash Challenge
Create multiplication flash cards or use an app—see how many your child can answer in one minute!

SOL 3.5: multiplication fluency

🛒 Grocery Math
Give your child $10 and a grocery ad—plan a snack list that stays under budget.

SOL 4.6–5.7: money, decimals, addition/subtraction

🥣 Recipe Remix
Double or halve a favorite recipe to practice fractions and measurement.

SOL 5.8: fractions, multiplying/dividing

• Morning drop off is at 7:40, please do not let students out before staff has arrived to greet them and see them safely inside.

To ensure a smooth dismissal process, students may not be checked out after 2:15pm.

To ensure the safety of all students, parents or guardians MUST present an ID at the time of checkout. We thank you for your cooperation.

Arnett Hills Elementary School

Associate Principal: Mr. Withers Jackson

Assistant Priincipal: Mr. Gary Lawson

Website: https://arnetthills.danvillepublicschools.org/
Location: 811 Northmont Blvd, Danville, Va. 24540

Phone: 434-354-0112