Post on 07-Oct-2020
Volume 1, Issue 7
SY 16-17
March 1, 2017
Diamond Elementary SchoolDiamond Elementary School
Dr. Laura LaChance
Principal
Laura.LaChance@am.dodea.edu
March 2017
Dates to Remember
1-3 Read Across America
3 No School - Teacher PD
8 5th Grade Program - 5:00p,
Cafeteria
9 1st Grade Program - 4:30p
10 Field Day - see inside of Gator
Gram for more details!
16 Popcorn Thursday
17 No School - Teacher Report
Card Prep Day
20-24 Spring Book Fair
23 Literacy Night - 4:30p
24 Report Cards Go Home
31 Star Student Assembly - 9:00a
Dear Diamond Families,
Every year in January, we hear about the State of the Union from our President and
the State of the State from our Governor. What a great practice to keep everyone in-
formed about our current status. I would like to take this section to share the State of
Diamond. We administer several assessments that we use to monitor our progress—
for grades 3-6 we use the Terra Nova. For grades K-3 we use the Benchmark Assess-
ment System (BAS). DoDEA’s strategic goal is for 80% of all students in DoDEA
schools to demonstrate proficiency on these measures each year. While we have not
yet achieved the DoDEA goal, we aspire to get there with your children. The data be-
low reflects how Diamond has done over the last 5 years. We will not have the results
for the 2016-2017 school year until the end of this year, when I will send another up-
date on our status. We would be delighted to answer any questions about this.
Laura LaChance
Dr. Deborah Williams
Assistant Principal
Deborah.Williams@am.dodea.edu
“Career Explorers”
Principal’s Message
Diamond Elementary is a 100% ID Check
School
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
% P
rofi
cie
nt
Year Test Administered
Diamond Terra Nova Scores
TN Reading
TN Math
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Flu Vaccine Update: Parents, please continue to provide the required documentation for the flu vaccine (or medical/
religious waiver) for your student. The vaccine is available through March 31st, and we need to reach our goal of
100% compliance! We are ALMOST there!!!! If your student has received his/her vaccine, but you have not
provided a copy to the nurse, please get it in ASAP! For your convenience, you may take a CLEAR photo or
scan showing the date of the flu vaccine and your student's name and email the information (with
’flu’ in the subject box) to sherri.jones@am.dodea.edu.
WHAT??!! Daylight Saving Time is almost here again! We know what that means....We are losing an hour of sleep when we set our clocks forward on March 12!! This is a great time to discuss good sleep habits. Sleep is important for people of all ages to stay in good health; sufficient sleep is increasingly being recognized as an essential aspect of disease prevention and health promotion. So…. Just how much sleep is enough? Sleep needs vary from person to person and change as people age. Consider these sleep guidelines for different age groups:
Newborns = 16-18 hours Preschool-aged Children = 11-12 hours
School-aged Children = At least 10 hours Teens = 9-10 hours
Adults (including older adults) = 7-8 hours Here are some healthy sleep habits to help you be your best each and every day: Go to bed at the same time each night, establish a bedtime routine (especially for children), and rise at the
same time each morning. Sleep in a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, which is neither too hot nor too cold. Make your bed comfortable and use it only for sleeping and not for other activities, such as reading, watching
TV, or listening to music. Remove all TVs, computers, and other "gadgets" from the bedroom- Many sources recommend cutting off
electronics 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Avoid large meals before bedtime. Other benefits of getting a good night’s sleep include improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health. A lack of sleep can have serious side effects. According to Dr. Brooks, attending pulmonologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, “You might see poor school performance, you might see kids labeled as troublemakers when in reality, they just don’t get enough sleep.” Additionally, not getting enough sleep each night can also be associated with an increase in injuries, obesity and depression, especially for teens who may experience increased risk of self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Take an inventory of your student’s sleep habits and help them come to school well-rested and prepared to do their best! Sources: https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Supports-Childhood-Sleep-Guidelines.aspx http://www.aappublications.org/news/2016/06/13/Sleep061316 https://www.cdc.gov/Features/Sleep/
91%
Congratulations to our 3rd - 6th graders on completing TerraNova! All of our DES students through-
out the school did a great job during the testing week as we adapted to different schedules and keeping our
hallways quiet.
Congratulations to Ms. Warrick-Smith's class for having PERFECT ATTENDANCE the entire week of TerraNo-
va!
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Nicole Haws
Guidance Counselor
Diamond Elementary
Ph 912-876-6094
David Dobson
Guidance Counselor
Diamond Elementary
Ph 912-876-6094
School Counselors’School Counselors’
SpotlightSpotlight
March’s Gator Trait: Career Exploration
Students will begin to explore the World of Work! They will use computer software programs and web-sites to find jobs that match their skills and interests. Students as young as Kindergarten will begin to learn about these jobs by visiting Paws in Jobland, while other students will be learning about jobs through other career websites and lessons. On March 31, 2017 we will celebrate with a Career Dress Up day. Students can come to school dressed as the career they have been researching or a career they are interested in. Students could also design or wear a hat required for this job, for example, mine worker, chef, policeman/woman, fire fighter, etc.
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FROM THE DESK OF
THE LIBRARIAN
~ Ms. Mercord ~
Gator Family Spotlight
MUSIC
~ Ms. Foster ~ During the month of March, students will begin study-
ing the elements of music. They will be practicing and
developing the knowledge of Timbre, Dynamics, Form,
and Meter on instruments within the classroom. Stu-
dents will also work on songs that will be accompanied
by classroom instruments and found sounds. This is an
exciting time in music because every student will get to
express themselves by movement, singing, and playing
instruments!
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
~ Coach Marcus ~
March Activities: Basic Basketball Skills (continuation from February
through the first week of March)
Lay-ups and jump shots
Track & Field Skills
How to start and finish a relay
Students will finish up their Basic Basketball skills,
which includes lay-ups and jump shots. During the re-
maining month of March, students will enjoy develop-
ing their Track & Field skills, focusing on how to start
and finish a relay. Please remember to have your child
wear gym shoes on their gym day.
Upcoming Activities:
March 10, 2017 - Field Day (see pg. 11 in the Ga-
tor Gram)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact
me.
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ART
~ Ms. Mock ~
Spring is upon us!
During the month of March, students will be exploring and making connections between Art, Math, and Biology as we
learn the lifecycles, habitats, and lifestyles of Georgia's beautiful, indigenous butterflies and wild birds. In case our mil-
itary families are not aware, our Georgia is home to 347 species of wild birds and 160 spe-
cies of butterflies! Of these species of birds, 12 of them are categorized as “water birds,”
such as the majestic, gorgeous herons, ibises, and egrets. Oftentimes, we are fortunate
enough to spot the large water birds, standing and foraging in the puddles alongside the
local roads. Students will be using symmetry in animal/insect anatomy while making
sketches, diagrams, and creative works of Art. As always, I am honored to be able
to share my love of Art with your children!
EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
~ Ms. Myers ~
Dear Parents,
March is a very exciting month, and we are continuing to build our skills and knowledge using a variety of
technology tools! We are even choosing different ways to complete projects that channel
our inner digital self. Read Across America, Career Exploration, and Field Day this month
will allow us to research our favorite authors, careers, and athletes. We can show our en-
thusiasm and respect through different projects utilizing technology to teach others. There
is no limit to the creative ways technology can be used in the classroom, and we are all pre-
paring for the 21st Century!
Please check out the new National Educational Technology Standards for Students at :
http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016
Gator Family Spotlight
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FLES
~ Ms. Stewart ~
For the month of March, students
will be working on the following:
Kinder: Body parts
1st grade: Opposites
2nd grade: Verbs and Tell-
ing time
3rd - 6th grades: Directions
and Family members
FLES
~ Mr. Cruz/Ms. Jara ~
During the month of March, stu-
dents will be learning to sing the
ABC’s in Spanish, learning about
La Familia (The Family), and the
parts of the house. The students
will be using a variety of re-
sources to reach their goal which
includes computer software,
books, puppets, and a friendly
teacher.
ESL
~ Mr. Cruz ~
For the month of March, I will be
working in collaboration with the
teachers. I will be visiting each of
the ESL students in their class-
rooms, providing one-on-one as-
sistance to those who are in need.
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GATOR NEWSGATOR NEWS
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GATOR NEWSGATOR NEWS
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Fridays are Gator Spirit Days. . .Wear your Gator apparel to show your Gator PRIDE!!
1st GRADE PERFORMANCE
Diamond’s 1st Grade Classes will have a performance
on Thursday, March 9, 2017, at 4:30p in the school’s
Multi-purpose Room. 1st Grade parents, please be on
the lookout for detailed information from your child’s
teacher. Everyone is invited to attend!
Congratulations to our Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Team!
The Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl is a Georgia competition that encourages students to read from a list of 18 books (20
books on the Middle and High School level) as they prepare to answer questions in a Quiz Bowl-style competition. Our
students began reading these books at the beginning of the school year, and some were reading right up until the compe-
tition itself! We were successful in our match-up with Brittin, Kessler, and Murray, thereby qualifying for the Regional
Competition on February 11th in Valdosta. Our students lived up to the “Be Kind. Be Gracious.” motto, and came in
5th out of 10 schools from across Southern Georgia...not bad at all for our first foray into the Helen Ruffin arena! We
were encouraged by goodie bags from our teachers, and honored that Dr. LaChance, our principal, made the trip to
cheer our Gators along!
Gator Family, please help us congratulate our Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl
team for a job WELL DONE!
PTO & OTHER PTO & OTHER
GATOR NEWSGATOR NEWS
5th GRADE PROGRAM
Diamond’s 5th Grade classes will have a program on
Wednesday, March 8, 2017, from 5:00 - 6:00p in the
school’s Cafeteria. The students will be showcasing
technological, static, and living exhibits from various
time periods in history for your viewing enjoyment!
5th Grade parents, please be on
the lookout for invitations and
detailed information from your
child’s teacher. Everyone is
invited to attend!
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Fridays are Gator Spirit Days. . .Wear your Gator apparel to show your Gator PRIDE!!
Congratulations to Diamond’s National Geographic Geography Bee Finalists!
On January 19, the National Geographic Geography Bee joined the slate of options available to 4th-6th
graders. Our semifinals were on January 18, where 19 contestants, representing Diamond, competed to
earn a space in the log of 10 finalists. Who were those outstanding finalists?
Marcie Asuncion, Sebastian Barrera-Leon, Vanessa Bodunde, Jackson Daniel, Naomi Hamilton, Joel
Helwig, Imani Lockridge, Lyric Roddenberry, Brett Wolter, and Scott Wolter
Congratulations to Joel Helwig, our school champion! He has already taken the State Qualify-
ing Online Quiz, and we should know the results sometime during the first two weeks of March.
“A Night in Paris”
On February 9, our Gator Students had a magical evening of fashion, food, and fun at the PTO-
sponsored event - “A Night in Paris” - a dance-filled evening with a live DJ, a professional photog-
raphy booth, delicious refreshments, and lots of smiling faces! President Blanchard and the entire
PTO team would like to thank everyone who came out to help decorate, serve refreshments, chap-
erone, and assist with clean-up….but most importantly….to ensure that our students had an
AMAZING time!
PTO & OTHER GATOR PTO & OTHER GATOR
NEWS (Cont’d.)NEWS (Cont’d.)
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PTO & OTHER GATOR PTO & OTHER GATOR
NEWS (Cont’d.)NEWS (Cont’d.)
Kudos to our DES Gator Staff for producing, directing, and acting-out several skits to help encourage our 3rd, 4th,
5th, and 6th graders before taking the TerraNova test! In case you missed it, here are a few pictures!
“Can’t Hide Gator Pride” Pencils
are HERE!
Diamond’s “Can’t Hide Gator Pride” Pencils
are HERE and are available for purchase!! The
cost is only $0.25. The pencil dispenser is lo-
cated on the wall by the Registrar’s Office.
TerraNova Pep Rally
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Cafeteria’s Monthly Menu
Important Reminders for Parents and Students:
School starts at 8:20. Students are considered tardy at 8:21 and must receive a tardy slip from the front office.
It is a DoDEA requirement that we do a 100% ID check when coming into the school and checking out children.