Gearity PDS

For the past couple of weeks, I have been providing a summary of the math and reading concepts your students are learning each week. I have also given ideas for activities you can have your child perform at home to strengthen their skill development. It is really important for your students to see the connection of school learning to the things they do in every day life. Each year, we host a Family Math and Literacy Night. At the event, we teach parents and their students fun activities to do at home similar to what I am sharing in the Peek at a Week. Please consider attending so you can get some ideas for supporting at home learning - we always feed everyone who attends!

Family Math and Literacy Night is approaching quickly on Wednesday, November 19, 2025 from 5:30-7:00 pm. Please be sure to let us know that you are coming so we can have enough supplies and food for everyone. The Scholastic Book Fair will also be open that evening for your shopping pleasure. https://forms.gle/VvumqnR3FN5bn5dS6

Chronic absenteeism! I keep coming back to chronic absenteeism since missing school has a significant impact on student achievement. As of today, any student who has missed more than 5 days is currently chronically absent which means they have missed more than 10% of the school year. Please take a look at Infinite Campus to see how many days your student has missed as they can add up quicker than you realize. All absences outside of field trips count towards a student being chronically absent. Please limit family trips on school days, visit doctors after school hours, and make every effort to get your student to school even if they are late. We do not want sick children in school but students can still attend if their symptoms are mild (see below for more details). Currently we have 46 students who have missed more than 10% of the school year but many can move out of the chronic absenteeism designation with improved attendance. Attendance Matters - thanks for helping get your children to school!

Peek at the week!

Kindergarten:

Reading - Students listened closely to non-fiction stories and practiced identifying who or what the text is about.

Math - Students identified “how many” in groups up to 10 and compared numbers to see which is greater, less, or equal.

Parent tips for at home support: Read short non-fiction books (about animals, weather, or community helpers). Ask, “Who or what is this story about?” or “What did you learn?” Practice counting everyday objects (buttons, crayons, snacks) and ask, “Which group has more?” or “How many altogether?”

Grade 1

Reading - Students identified who the story was about, where it takes place, and what happens.

Math - Students solved addition and subtraction problems, worked to understand fact families, and found missing numbers.

Parent tips for at home support: Ask your child about the story—“Who are the characters?” “Where does it happen?” “What was your favorite part?” Practice quick addition and subtraction using small items (snacks, toys). Ask, “What happens if we take away two?” or “How many if we add one more?”

Grade 2

Reading - Students worked on recounting stories, describing characters and events, understanding story structure, and recognizing different points of view.

Math - Students worked to build fluency with place value, addition, and subtraction strategies using two- and three-digit numbers.

Parent tips for at home support: Ask your child to retell a story in their own words—beginning, middle, and end. Practice adding and subtracting numbers up to 100 with real-life examples—like adding grocery items or counting coins.

Grade 3

Reading - Students worked to identify story structures, describe characters’ traits and motivations, and explain how stories teach lessons.

Math - Students worked to strengthen multiplication and division skills and recognize numerical patterns in equations.

Parent tips for at home support: Ask your child to tell you the main lesson or moral of a story and how the main character changed. Practice multiplication facts daily using flashcards, songs, or apps—focus on 6s, 7s, and 8s to build fluency.

Grade 4

Reading - Students practiced how to identify main ideas, use text evidence, and explain how information is organized in nonfiction texts.

Math - Students are mastering multiplication and division of larger numbers and applying these skills to solve real-world word problems.

Parent tips for at home support: When reading informational texts, ask your child, “What’s the main idea?” and “Which details support it?” Practice multi-digit multiplication and long division problems using everyday examples (e.g., dividing snacks equally or multiplying prices at the store).

Grade 5

Reading - Students practiced identifying main ideas and supporting details, summarizing texts, and analyzing text structure.

Math - Students strengthen understanding of fraction operations and apply skills to solve real-world problems.

Parent tips for at home support: Ask your child to explain the main ideas of a book or article and describe how the details support them. Compare the way two texts present similar topics. Practice adding and subtracting fractions with different denominators using visual aids (fraction strips or drawings) or real-life examples like cooking or sharing snacks.

PTA Needs You: The Book Fair runs 11/17 - 11/21 including Math & Literacy Night (11/19)! Families- we need your help to staff the book fair. Please sign up at the link.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B044FABAB2CA3F85-59726895-book The book fair is a great opportunity to build your home library! I hope to share information in the next week or two on how to set up a digital wallet so your student does not need to bring money to school. Also, congratulations to Mrs. Grabowski's homeroom for having the most parents join the PTA - students will receive their ice cream incentive on Monday.

School Supply Lists: Gearity Elementary

Food Service: You can see the monthly menus by clicking on this link.

Registration Information: New student registration can be completed online or in person. Find instructions, required documents, and contact information here. Please share the registration link with new neighbors or friends who may need help getting their children registered for the start of the school year.

Student Code of Conduct: Link to the Student Code of Conduct and Anti-Bully forms.

The District has adopted a plan for communications with persons with disabilities, which is available at the following link: Communication Plan. The plan establishes procedures to ensure that the District's communications with persons with disabilities, including applicants, participants, members of the public, and companions with disabilities, are as effective as its communications with others.

November 11th - Mobile Dentist

November 13th - School Market

November 17th - 21st PTA Sponsored Book Fair (Volunteers Needed)

November 19th - Family Math and Literacy Night

November 26th - 28th: No school for Thanksgiving

December Middle of the Year MAP Testing

December 11th - School Market

December 17th - STEM Carnival

December 19th - School Dance for Students

Email: p_mcnichols@chuh.org
Website: https://www.chuh.org/gearityprofessionaldevelopmentschool_home.aspx
Location: 2323 Wrenford Road, University Heights, OH, USA
Phone: 216-371-6515