Author
and illustrator Bruce Van Patter will be visiting Brooke on Tuesday, October 2.
Mr. Van Patter will present two assemblies and several grade level workshops
designed to get students excited about writing. He will also present a one hour
evening program for parents at 6:30PM on October 2nd. Mr. Van Patter's evening
presentation is designed to help parents excited about telling and reading
stories to their children.
The
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of
standardized, individually administered measures of early literacy development.
They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly
monitor the development of pre-reading and early reading skills. Teacher in
kindergarten and first grade are currently administering the first measures in
order to identify students who need additional instructional support.
Fundations,
a phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, and spelling program, will be used
with kindergarten, first and second graders receiving remedial reading
services. This program provides systematic, sequential, and multi-sensory
reading instruction. Fundations lessons focus on carefully sequenced skills
that include print knowledge, alphabet awareness, phonological awareness,
phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and spelling. Critical
thinking, speaking and listening skills are practiced during Storytime
activities. Parents are provided with an activity packet for each unit in order
to provide additional practice at home.
Learning Support teacher, Mrs. Yost and Reading Specialist,
Dr. Nepps are currently engaged in a year-long training to become certified in
the Wilson Reading Program. The Wilson Reading Program provides
scientifically-based instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension. The certification program will require Mrs. Yost
and Dr. Nepps to work one-on-one with a student throughout the year as they
continue their training through computer-based programs and observation by a
Wilson certified trainer.
From
the Guidance Office by Sue
Pronchik
The
2007-2008 school year has had a smooth opening. Kindergarten students and
parents were welcomed back, toured the classrooms and students rode the bus
before the first day. Grades 1-4 and our office were open for classroom visits,
teacher meetings and counselor meetings which helped with first day jitters.
The counseling staff has a new member –Mr. Rick Neff is a community mental
health worker who is receiving his masters in Elem. School Counseling, from
Immaculata University. Mr. Neff is at Brooke on Wed. and Thursdays
throughout the year.
Guidance
lessons in grades 1-4 began last week. The theme throughout the grade levels
this year highlights personal responsibility, respect for others and the power
of bystanders to help those in need.
We have our Pro-Social Kick
off this Friday, 9/ 21/07. Staff will act out the story of “Rainbow Fish To The
Rescue”, followed by skits involving children at Brooke. We are focused on the
“Power of One”.
Each and every individual is
important and can be part of the solution or part of the problem. We are also
incorporating the FISH Philosophy: Be There, Play, Make Their Day and Choose
your attitude.
We look forward to a
wonderful year.
Physical Fitness Month by Nancy
Kodish
In physical education, students in grades Kindergarten through two
are working on basic locomotor skills. Running, galloping, jumping,
hopping, and skipping will be the focus of their lessons. Games
which use these skills will be played with an emphasis on safety and
sportsmanship. In grade three, the students are working on kicking
skills and teamwork. They are currently involved in soccer lead-up
games. Students in grade four are working on eye-hand
coordination. They are learning hockey skills.
The
Media Center received and distributed to the shelves the majority of its annual
acquisitions. This consists of
approximately 280 new books and 16 new DVDs and related audio-visual materials. These are current materials that help to keep
the collection up-to-date as they supplement and enhance the building’s
educational and reading programs such as the reading series and the Reading
Olympics programs.
The Media Center organized the yearly WBRK TV Station for
broadcasting Brooke’s morning announcements.
It also prepares the material for the daily announcements.
All students were given a general orientation to the
Media Center’s rules, book arrangement, as well as circulation and checkout
procedures. All students were also
presented with a book reading and follow-up discussion as a preparation for the
building’s pro-social kick-off
assembly. As a preparation for Brooke’s
annual Author Day, all students were also presented with booktalks and books
written by Bruce Van Patter as well as a brief visit to his website.
Nurse’s Office by Betsy
Smith