IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Winter 2018 | Page 64

With the excitement of winter break soon upon the students and staff, Moore Elementary has several exciting events coming in
the month of December. Please be sure to check the building’s webpage for the most up-to-date information regarding the winter
events.
NEW WINTER CLOTHING AND TOY DRIVE
This year, Mrs. Schubert’s annual collection for the local food pantry will focus on gathering new toys and new hats, gloves, and
gear for the falling temperatures. These items will be given to the food pantry and will benefit our community.
WINTER CONCERT
The winter concert will take place on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. Once again there will be two shows. The morning show is
suggested for families whose children have last names that begin with the letters A through M. The afternoon show is suggested for
families who children have last names that begin with the letters N through Z. Students are asked to remain in school until dismissal
so that they can fully participate in both performances.
MIDDLE OF THE YEAR TESTING
During the first two weeks of December all students in kindergarten through fifth grade will take mid-year benchmark tests. Tests
will be administered in both reading and mathematics. After all students have tested, teachers will meet to review testing results and
adjust instructional groups. Group adjusts may affect kindergarten and first grade reading rooms as well as flexible groups in second
through fifth grade. Finally, test results will be sent home with students in the New Year.
PUMPKIN CARVING
Pumpkin carving is a longstanding tradition in most homes in the United States. Kids
watch their parents create spooky orange faces until they are old enough to wield the knife
themselves. Social media platforms are filled with pictures of proud children displaying their
gap-toothed creations. It is natural that a great way to get kids to write a sequenced paragraph
is by asking them to write the steps of carving a Jack-o-Lantern. At Moore Elementary School,
the third grade students did just that.
For students whose families are new to the United States, this simplistic writing task is a
gargantuan feat. Most of the English Language Learners (ELLs) at Moore had never seen a
pumpkin in person let alone carved one. When asked about carving pumpkins, many of them
were confused as to why we light-up gouged gourds in the first place. There were many ways
to answer their questions- picture books, YouTube videos, pictures. But, this seemed like the
perfect time for a hands-on lesson.
Dr. Betler, Moore School Principal, agreed to be the guest pumpkin carver for the third and
fourth grade ELL students. They had many questions and Dr. Betler patiently answered them
as she walked them through the messy steps of pumpkin carving. The students took notes and
took turns reaching into the cavity to remove the “pumpkin guts.” Once the classroom Jack-o-
Lantern was finished, the seeds were roasted and shared. With a newfound understanding of an American tradition, the students sat
down to write excellent how-to paragraphs that were hung with pride in the hallway. Thanks, Dr. Betler, for kicking off our Halloween
season!
Moore Elementary’s Student Assistance Program
The goal of the Student Assistance Program (SAP) is to help students overcome barriers to their learning. For the purposes of the
SAP program those barriers are defined as being non-academic in nature. Some examples of learning barriers that are addressed
in the SAP program are death of a pet or loved one, parental or family separations, social problems or mental health concerns. The
first step in the SAP process is for a referral to a SAP team member. At Moore the members of the SAP team include Mrs. Girone, Ms.
Rodriguez, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Steigerwald, Ms. Rebholz, Mrs. Ziegler, Dr. Betler, and Dr. Winiarski. After students have been referred to
the SAP program the team gathers information and may recommend a screening by a SAP liaison. After obtaining permission from a
parent or guardian the SAP liaison will meet with a student and follow-up with the parent or guardian with their recommendations.
Recommendations may include school-based or outside of school services. Parents and guardians are key members of the SAP
process. Students will not receive in-school services without parental permission. Students can enter and exit the SAP program at any
time. If your child is experiencing a difficulty and you think they may benefit from participation in the SAP program, please contact
the school to speak with one of the SAP team members!

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