Principal Schachner's Notes
Some thoughts for the starting school year
Dear Forest Park Families,
As we approach the end of our first quarter, thank you for partnering with us to support your children’s learning and school experiences. Sharing celebrations, asking questions, and keeping teachers informed about what your child needs all help us work together.
Please review the upcoming dates below, especially next Wednesday’s early release and the two days without school at the end of October.
Warmly,
Principal Schachner
Looking Ahead to November
November 2–6: Coat Drive
November 11: No school - Veterans Day
November 13: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
November 19: Evening family conferences.
November 23–24: No school - family conferences
November 25–27: No school - Fall Break
Earthquake Drill: Practicing for Safety
Today, students and staff practiced Drop, Cover, and Hold On, followed by evacuating the building. The full drill took less than five minutes.
Staff also practiced taking classroom emergency supplies with them. After each drill, we review what worked well and identify improvements to strengthen our emergency procedures, including checking evacuation routes for potential hazards.
Thank you to our students and staff for their participation. These opportunities to practice help us prepare for an emergency.
Our kindergarten through third-grade students build reading and writing skills with Fundations. Through step-by-step lessons, students connect sounds to letters, blend sounds to read words, and apply spelling patterns in writing. Speaking, listening, movement, reading, and handwriting reinforce their learning.
What are students learning now?
Kindergarten: Working in Unit 1 and continuing through winter break.
First Grade: Currently in Unit 3; expected to begin Unit 7 by winter break.
Second Grade: Currently in Unit 4; expected to begin Unit 8 by winter break.
Third Grade: Currently in Unit 4; expected to finish Unit 6 by winter break.
Units vary in length by grade, so students move through them at different rates.
Support learning at home: Visit the PPS Language Arts Family Letters page. Scroll to Fundations and select your child’s grade and unit to learn more about classroom instruction and ways to practice at home.
Vocabulary in Motion
A student acts out the word animal, using movement to build understanding and help the word’s meaning stick.
Hear It, Spell It, Write It
Students listen to words and write them, connecting sounds to letters and applying the spelling patterns they are learning in Fundations.
Putting Phonics into Practice
During dictation, students use what they know about sounds and spelling patterns to turn spoken words into written words.