KES 2025 June Newsletter 🌼
Building a Community of Belonging
We can hardly believe it’s already the final month of the school year! Together, we’ve navigated a year filled with growth, discovery, and countless memorable moments. As we approach summer, we look forward to celebrating all that our students have accomplished.
This month will be a joyous one, as each grade level enjoys special events to mark the end of the year. Our fifth graders, in particular, have so much to anticipate, from exciting trips and festive parties to their long-awaited Moving-Up Ceremony. These moments are a testament to their hard work, resilience, and readiness to take the next step in their educational journey.
The 2024-2025 school year has been an extraordinary time of learning and growth for our students, and we are so grateful for the vital role you, our families, have played. Your support, whether through volunteering, encouragement, or simply being a partner in your child’s education, has been invaluable to our collective success.
Thank you for being a part of our school community. We hope you have a safe, relaxing, and joyful summer ahead. Let’s finish this school year strong!
Phones/Smart Watches
A reminder to families that devices (phones/smart watches) are not permitted to be accessed in school and should be turned off and stored in backpacks if brought to school.
Please reach out to the Main Office if you need to inform your child of any dismissal updates or changes. We respectfully ask that you do not reach out to your child directly. We will ensure that your requests are acknowledged and that your child is aware.
Progress Reports
On the morning of Thursday, June 26, Parent Campus may be accessed to review your child's Progress Report for the final period.
Half Days: 23, 24, 25, 26
Pick-up time is 12:05-12:15 PM
Buses will leave at 12:15 PM
No lunch is served on half days.
Last Day of School:
On the last day of school, Friday, June 27, we will have our School-Wide Moving-Up with the passing of the flags and parade for our JJHS Graduating Seniors and 5th Graders. These events are for STUDENTS ONLY.
Pick-up time is 10:35-10:45 AM
Buses will leave at 10:45 AM
The PTO is supporting the following enrichment this month!
Grade 3 Challenge Island
Grade 5 Stamford Nature Center
Lost and Found
If you are here for events in June, please come and check the Lost and Found. There are many, many items that will be donated by the last day of school if not claimed!
KLSD Elementary 2025 Summer Reading
Below you will find a link to information about the KLSD 2025 Summer Reading Challenge in collaboration with the Katonah Village Library program.
Community Read: Red, A Crayon's Story
"Red, A Crayon's Story" tells the tale of a blue crayon mistakenly labeled as red, who experiences an identity crisis as he struggles to live up to his red label. Despite the pressure from others to draw in red and conform to societal expectations, the crayon ultimately realizes he is blue and finds joy in his true self. The story explores themes of self-acceptance, individuality, and the importance of being true to oneself, even when faced with external pressure.
In more detail:
The Mislabeling:A blue crayon is given a red label, creating a sense of expectation and pressure from others to behave like a red crayon.
The Struggle to Conform:
The crayon tries to draw in red, but his attempts are always blue, highlighting the disconnect between his label and his true self.
The Search for Acceptance:
The crayon's friends and family try to "fix" him, either by trying to make him conform or by attempting to adjust his label.
The Revelation:
A new friend recognizes the crayon for who he truly is, and the crayon accepts his blue self, embracing his true colors and strengths.
The Message:
The story emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and the power of being true to oneself, regardless of societal expectations or labels.
Pride Month
All KLSD schools will honor Pride Month in June. Our COMPACT has given considerable thought to how to best recognize Pride Month to publicly remind ourselves and our community that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, no matter who they love and how they express their identity. All students will notice the Pride flag displayed near our main entrance and a bulletin board inside the building that highlights images of noteworthy individuals of the Pride community. And, just as we have with other Heritage/History month celebrations throughout the year, teachers may also introduce other age-appropriate related resources/materials with their students and facts about Pride Month will be shared during our daily episodes of "Good Morning, KES."
We will celebrate as a school-wide community our KES spirit by wearing the colors of the rainbow on June 18.
K- RED for LIFE
1st- ORANGE for HEALING
2nd- YELLOW for SUNLIGHT
3rd- GREEN for NATURE
4th- BLUE for HARMONY
5th- PURPLE for SPIRIT
Local Pride Celebrations
- Bedford's Pride Ceremony and LGBTQ Flag Raising on 6/7 at 10 AM at Bedford Town House.
- Pound Ridge Color Run (for Pride) on 6/1 @ 9:00am https://poundridgecolorrun.com/
- Lewisboro Pride in the Park: Saturday 6/21 from 2-5PM
Juneteenth
Teachers will be highlighting Juneteeth with their students, sharing the significance and importance of the holiday. Books that we have in our classrooms that tell the story of Juneteenth include: All Different Now, Juneteenth for Mazie, Opal Lee and What it Means to Be Free, and The History of Juneteenth. Students will learn about this federal holiday which celebrates when the last enslaved people, in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free. Students in grades K-2 focus on the Meaning of Freedom and students in grades 3-5 focus on Freedom from Slavery.
The week of June 9 we plan to conduct our final evacuation (fire drill) drill. The drill will be weather permitting. Please let us know in advance if your child has any worries or concerns about this type of safety exercise so that we can support them accordingly.
You should examine your child’s head, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck, for crawling lice and nits if your child exhibits symptoms of a head lice infestation. If crawling lice or nits are found, all household members should be examined for crawling lice and nits every 2–3 days. Persons with live (crawling) lice or nits within ¼ inch or less of the scalp should be treated.
To eliminate head lice successfully, it is very important that all treatment instructions and steps be carefully followed and completed.
CDC does not make recommendations as to what specific product or products should be used to treat individuals. Both over-the-counter and prescription products are available. You may wish to contact your doctor, pharmacist, or health department for additional information about which product they recommend.
Children diagnosed with live head lice do not need to be sent home early from school; they can go home at the end of the day, be treated, and return to class after appropriate treatment has begun. Nits may persist after treatment, but successful treatment should kill crawling lice.
Head lice can be a nuisance but they have not been shown to spread disease. Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.
Head Lice Management in Schools
Spring Benchmarking
As part of our Response to Intervention Plan (RtI), we are administering our Spring Benchmarking in reading and mathematics. This data is useful as it informs us about student growth and identifies students’ needs.
If your child is receiving services, exits services, or qualifies for services, you will receive a communication from one of our Interventionists in late June.
K-5 Curriculum Updates
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 think more actively as they read so that they balance the work of decoding texts and comprehending. Children will use what they have learned about letters and sounds to make their reading sound like they are talking rather than reading one word at a time; using phrasing and emotion to make their books come to life. Kindergarten writers continue to use their words to make change in our school and community. During this unit, sentence structure will be reinforced encouraging children to check for capitalization, punctuation, and spacing. In math, students will study measurable attributes, as well as review all of the math concepts we have learned this year! In social studies, we will wrap up our study of community wants and needs after visiting Muscoot Farm. In science, we will finish up our Sunlight and Weather unit. Also, all year long we have been planting, harvesting and learning with Margi Corsello our gardening expert! Many thanks to the PTO for supporting these programs!
Students in first grade are continuing their exciting journey into the world of characters in the books they are reading. Students are learning to notice what characters say, as well as their likes and dislikes. As we wrap up the year, students will be comparing characters across different books in a series to discover similarities and patterns. In writing workshop, students are enjoying writing realistic fiction stories. Each student began writing a series featuring a favorite character they have developed. In math, we will focus on two- and three-dimensional shapes, exploring their features and how they appear in the world around us. In science, our curious “Sky Scientists” will continue to investigate why the sky looks different at various times of the day. We are looking forward to celebrating all the wonderful learning this year at our Portfolio Celebration on June 9th. As we continue to countdown the days left in the year, we are enjoying the time we have left together before students “Zip Bags and Zoom Off!” to summer vacation and second grade!
Students in second grade will be busy in June! In writing workshop, the children will continue becoming AUTHORS of Realistic Fiction Chapter Books! Using all of their amazing writing skills, the 2nd graders will continue to bring characters to life with realistic problems and resolutions. They will write many different stories using their character to create a book series. As readers, we will continue to strengthen our comprehension skills while also examining characters and how they change over time. In math, students will be learning about graphing data on bar graphs, line plots, and pictographs. We will continue with triple digit addition and subtraction. As mathematicians, we have learned to see math all around us and we're excited to continue using our strong math skills to solve real life problems every day! In social studies, the students are learning about USA symbols. It is fun to learn about the history and meaning behind symbols like the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Bell. And, of course, it would not be the end of the year in second grade without observing the life cycle of butterflies. Our caterpillars will be going through metamorphosis and then we will be releasing them into the KES Butterfly Garden. Just like our butterflies, the 2nd graders are ready to spread their wings and FLY!
Students in third grade will finish out the year working in research clubs. They will compare and contrast different animals they've learned about then they will write about how those animals are alike and different and use what they learned to solve real-world problems, like designing a better zoo or protecting animals in danger. In our last writing unit "Changing the World", third graders will learn to write persuasively about causes they care about. They will use their writing voice to inspire others and create positive changes. They will practice writing powerful speeches, editorials, petitions, and letters to rally people around important issues. In math, third graders will have officially finished third grade math concepts and will explore topics that will help them to “Step Up to 4th Grade”. In science, third graders will study how and why weather is something that affects all living things on Earth, including you and me in our daily lives. They will learn how weather has a big impact on where certain animals like orangutans can live comfortably. By studying weather data, they will get to be like a meteorologist and pick the best place to create a reserve for protecting orangutans.
Students in fourth grade will apply all they have learned in our Power and Perspective reading unit to historical fiction book clubs. They will jot ideas about their book in their reading notebooks to be prepared to participate in their book club discussions. In writing, students are excited to start working on graphic novels. They are creating their graphic novels into a book form including multiple scenes with lots of action and dialogue. In math, we will be wrapping up our last topics on US customary and metric measurement conversions, and analyzing patterns with numbers and geometric shapes. We are wrapping up our science unit in Waves, Energy, and Information, in which students take on the role of marine scientists, considering the question "How does a mother dolphin communicate with her calf across a distance?"
Students in fifth grade will be continuing to engage in meaningful academic learning experiences in addition to all the social activities. In ELA/social studies, students will be continuing their interdisciplinary study of Civil Rights with a focus on student selected topics of interest. Science will entail students exploring our last unit of study--Ecosystem Restoration. In math, fifth graders will be finishing up projects and activities that require the application of skills learned throughout the year.
This Month in Art
It's that time of year again... Self-Portrait time!
Our art program has a cherished tradition of guiding K-5 students through the creation of one self-portrait per year. Students do not take home their portraits at the end of each year. Instead, they are kept safe in the KES archives, and the collection grows along with the students. On Moving-Up Day, KES fifth grade artists finally take home their long-anticipated Self Portraits Portfolios. This collection not only shows growth in skill and personal interests but also serves as a personal reflection representing each child’s years spent at KES and the many wonderful memories they accumulated.
This Month in General Music
Students in kindergarten will continue to demonstrate proper technique while learning to play various non-pitched percussion instruments. Students will continue to differentiate and explore vocal qualities (speak/sing/whisper/shout) through song and dramatic play. Additionally, students will learn and prepare several songs for our Flag Day celebration.
Students in first grade will continue to learn how music can tell stories and express feelings by studying Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. They will explore how instruments can sound like animals, characters, or different emotions. They will move, draw, and make expressive gestures to show what they hear. They also practice listening for changes in loudness, speed, and high or low notes. Through singing songs from around the world and keeping a steady beat with clapping, rhythm sticks, or tambourines, students will continue to build their music skills while having fun and learning about different cultures.
Students In second grade will demonstrate their knowledge of proper mallet technique by playing various songs on Orff instruments. Students will explore the scale tones “So, La, Mi and Do” through singing various multi-cultural songs and instrument playing. Finally, students will learn several songs for our USA Expo.
In third grade music, students will embark on a global journey through song, exploring music from various cultures. They will identify cultural instruments and musical styles from around the world and analyze elements like tempo, rhythm, and instrumentation across traditions. In addition to performing, students will become budding composers using GarageBand. They will create original music with loops, beats, and virtual instruments, layer multiple tracks, and experiment with musical form to produce their own digital masterpieces.
Students in fourth grade will finish presenting on their Composer research project to the class, teaching their peers about their specific Composer. Additionally, students will reinforce singing in harmony.
Students in fifth grade will continue to explore music tech and recording using GarageBand, working to create pieces that tell a story through the instrumentation and sound. Students will continue to learn repertoire for the 5th grade moving up ceremony.
This Month in Physical Education
Our PE classes will be filled with excitement and energy as students begin practicing some of the events for our upcoming field day! We'll be working on a variety of fun and engaging games that promote both teamwork and friendly competition along with physical fitness. These activities not only prepare students for field day but also help build sportsmanship and school spirit.
FIELD DAY DATES:
Grades K-2 Friday, June 20
Grades 3-5: Monday, June 23
This Month in Library
As we wrap up the school year, the KES Library is winding down as well. All classes will enjoy a visit from the Katonah Public Library librarian, who will share details about the summer reading program and read a favorite story or two.
We’re also finishing up our author studies, research projects, and multimedia work. A reminder that book check-out has ended for the year—all library books are due back by June 13.
Please be sure to check your email for any overdue notices.