We need parents willing to form an Odyssey of the Mind team!  Check out their website and see if you would like to start one!  Contact me if you are interested. www.odysseyofthemind.com Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of...

Continue reading...

On Friday, December 2, 2011 we will end the first term at Freeman-Centennial School. Students will bring home their report cards backpack express. This is always an exciting or anxious time for students and parents. The purpose of report cards is to inform parents and students of how their child is performing in and outside of the classroom. Students are assessed through academics, work habits, and social development. I encourage parents to sit down with their child(ren) to review report cards....

Continue reading...

I cannot believe that it is already the month of December.  The school year seems to be flying by! Recently, there have been many bus issues brought to my attention.  It appears that there are children who are unable to sit in their seats while the bus is moving.  In addition, there have been several incidences of swearing, kicking, hitting, and grabbing backpacks.  Depending on the severity, consequences have ranged from calls home, apology letters, and Think About It forms...

Continue reading...

The students at Freeman-Centennial school worked together to increase their awareness about bullying during Bully Prevention Week November 14th-18th. Mrs. Altham-Hickey, Mrs. Whitmore and Ms. Lassey went into all of the classrooms and read a book with the students and had some great discussions with them about the different types of bullying that can occur and what they should do if a bullying situation arises. The books that were read to the students are: My Secret Bully, Sorry!, Just Kidding,...

Continue reading...

Classes in the library will be learning how to use the new SAILS e-catalog. The SAILS iBistro online search tool has been updated with a whole new look and feel; have you noticed at home? The Freeman Centennial SAILS Kids e-catalog, a trimmed-down version can be found on the school library website. What’s new? Lots of fun, new features and an easier to read layout to help you explore and find all the great resources the SAILS library network has to offer! Grade 3 classes will begin learning...

Continue reading...

During the upcoming month, students in the art room will be creating various projects to support the classroom curriculum. The third grade will continue to make Native American projects by building and painting ceramic coil pots. A musical instrument based on Native American animal rattles will follow this. Just before winter break third and fourth graders will create a winter scene of snowing birch trees. In December, fourth grade will begin learning about symmetry. They will use mirror symmetry...

Continue reading...

Grade 3 students will continue learning newnotes and songs on the recorder. Additionally,they will be singing patriotic songs to coincidewith their classroom study of patriotism in ourcountry. As Grade 4 students learn about thestates and capitals of our country, music classwill help to reinforce the names of the statesand their capitals through song! Grade 5students will be learning/reviewing notes andrest values. They will see how math is animportant part of reading and writing musicnotation....

Continue reading...

In the month of December, Physical Education classes will continue to work on the areas of health related fitness; cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance and flexibility. We will also be learning about fitness skills. Fitness skills are actions that help you do physical activities. We will incorporate; agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time and speed into some fun games and activities.

Continue reading...

A very special guest recently visited the sixth grade students. On Tuesday, Nov 8, Dr. David Lu, cardiologist with the Beth Israel Hospital, visited Mrs. McNeillie’s science classes to deliver a presentation on the circulatory system. Dr. Lu used the smart board to project a video of an actual beating heart. The classes were very interested to see the beating heart in motion. Dr. Lu also brought some tools of his trade including a balloon catheter, some stents, and some pace makers. The...

Continue reading...

This year we are excited to have 228students involved in the Instrumental MusicProgram.The beginning students have been playingfor two months. We are currently working onproducing a good sound, following a conductor inboth large and small ensembles, and expanding uponnote reading skills. The following rhythms and themathematical concepts in understanding them havebeen introduced: whole, half, quarter notes andrests. All wind players are able to perform concertBb, C, D, Eb, and F. All percussion...

Continue reading...

Parents and teachers know that children who read (and read often) are much more likely to do well inschool. Most Norfolk children know they’re supposed to read at home at least 20 minutes each night.With the Internet, video games, or television competing for attention, we don’t want children to seereading as a chore. Try some of the following ways for making reading more enjoyable. Take turns reading with your child, anywhere from a paragraph to a page. Using the “popcorn”...

Continue reading...

Why is automaticity in math facts important? Because the whole point of learning math facts is to use them in the service of higher order processing and problem solving. The importance of automaticity becomes apparent when it is absent. We want students to be thinking about the complex process, the problem-solving or the multi-step algorithm they are learning – not having to stop and ponder the answer to simple math facts. Computational errors stem from not knowing math facts to automaticity...

Continue reading...