By: Jennifer Smith
Hello to everyone! Spring is in the air at East Chester. The second and third grade students are busy preparing for testing in April. Testing dates will be
April 21 – TCAP – Third Grade – English Language Arts
April 22 – TCAP – Third Grade – Science and Math
April 27 – TCAP – Third Grade – ELA and Math; Second Grade – ELA
April 28 – TCAP – Third Grade – ELA and Math; Second Grade – Math
April 29 – TCAP – Third Grade – ELA and Social Studies; Second Grade – ELA
Please make sure your child gets PLENTY of sleep and eats a healthy breakfast. Good luck to the second and third graders! Our first graders and kindergarteners are supporting students by making special messages and giving them treats to do their best. Also to show support the students will have color dress days. April 21 is red day because they are ‘red’y for the test! April 22 is yellow day because they will glow when they show what they know! April 27 is green day because they are mean, green test takin’ machines! April 28 is orange day because “orange” you glad testing is almost over! Finally, blue day is April 29 because students “blue” the test away! Please have your child dress up in these colors on these days to show support for our second and third grade test takers!
There are many wonderful things happening in kindergarten! Last week, they studied life cycles. Students watched a butterfly’s life cycle happen in real life in the classroom! As of the writing of this article, the butterflies were at the end of the caterpillar stage. Butterflies will be emerging within the next few weeks at East Chester. Students also learned about other insect life cycles, frog life cycles and habitats. In math students worked on adding and subtracting fluently, word problems, learning coins and their value and the remainder of the teen numbers. Kindergarten Awards will be May 13. Parents received letters and tickets to this event. Mrs. Jennifer Smith’s class will have their awards at 8:30 a.m., Mrs. Erica Parten’s awards will be at 9:30 a.m., Mrs. Misti Elliot’s awards will be at 10:30 a.m., Mrs. Brandy Bickings’ class will be at 11:30 a.m. and Mrs. Lauren’s class will be at 12:30 p.m. You must present your ticket for the program.
Registration for the upcoming kindergarten year of East Chester students will be April 15 from 3:30-6 p.m. in the gym of East Chester and April 16 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the gym. You may pick up your paperwork at the board office earlier and turn it in on these dates. Please make sure you have all necessary documentation on these days. Bring your child and have their “I’m coming to kindergarten” picture made! You will also be asked to sign your child up for a Brigance screening. These times are as follows: April 19 from 3:30-6 p.m., April 20 from 3:30-6 p.m. and April 21 from 3:30-6 p.m. This will take place behind East Chester in the South court. Parents will turn between East Chester and the tennis courts and drive to the back. Testing will be outside and parents are asked to remain in their cars while testing is taking place. Open house for the new kindergarteners for the 2021-22 school year will be on April 29. One session will be at 5:30 p.m., and the next session will be at 6:45 p.m. Parents are asked to sign up for a time at registration.
In Ms. Leah Beaver’s class, they learned about measurement using centimeters and inches. Also they learned about bats and sea turtles along with life cycles. Miss Emily Snow taught a lesson on the parts of speech. She did an outstanding job. Even though students did not get to go to Makin’ Music this year, she brought her costume to share with the students and showed some of the groovy moves in her club’s performance. They have something exciting coming this week to visit their room. It is cute and furry.
Third grade teachers worked on writing narratives, studying capacity, mass and telling time. In science students studied habitats and change. Students worked to get ready for the TNReady test.
Ms. Diane’s third graders wrote and illustrated a book as a class to be published. They learned about the thirteen colonies and adaptations of animals. They also worked hard to locate all 50 states!
In other news, thanks to parents and friends of East Chester who purchased “caringfortheclassroom” gift certificates. Teachers at East are surely blessed by great parents and friends!
Also, the Scholastic book fair will be at East Chester on May 3-8. May 8 is the only day outside visitors can come. During the week students, may bring money to spend at the book fair.
The Fun Run will be May 14. Please help support our school by becoming a sponsor and helping out with end of year expenses to make the end of the 2020-21 school year the best!
Field Day will be May 21! Coach Chad and Coach Matt are planning some wonderful activities for this day!
Third grade awards will be May 26, and report card pick-up will be May 28. Students will not come to school on May 27.
It has been an unusual year of learning, but students at East have been working hard and doing their best!
