Busy Start to March

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." ~Dr. Seuss

March 2 marked the birthday of one of children's literature's greatest authors, Theodore Geisel--otherwise known as Dr. Seuss. In his honor, students made Cat in the Hat hats and some were even lucky enough to have been visited by the top cat himself!

100th Day of School

Kindergarten students marked their 100th day of school. They celebrated with small parties in each room where they did 100 exercises, dabbed 100 gumballs, stamped 100 stamps, and participated in activities all based around the number 100.

Family Game Night
Tonight, Thursday March 14, the PTA is hosting a special 1st and 2nd grade family game night. Based on the hit television game show, Stonehedge's "Minute to Win It" game night will consist of mini challenge stations using common household items to complete a task in 60 seconds or less. The event will take place in the Blue Gym from 6:30pm-7:30pm.

Merry Go Round Playhouse Entertains Students with The Fisherman And His Wife

Students were recently treated to a special assembly built around a fairy tale. From the tale of The Fisherman And His Wife we learned that getting everything we want is not nearly as important as appreciating everything we have. The play captivated the students as they saw their lessons come to life!

IMPORTANT!! Kindergarten Registration
We will begin very soon to organize our Kindergarten Readiness Sessions.  If you aren't registered you won't be on our mailing list to receive this information. Please spread the word.

Here is the registration information from the District Office:
Kindergarten Registration for the 2019-2020 school will go until March 29 at the Central Registrar Office located at 300 Sanderson Drive, Camillus, NY 13031.

For information about registering your student, go to the Registration Section of the website.

Prior to coming in to register, you will need to make an appointment by clicking the appropriate link on the Registration web page or by calling the Central Registrar at (315) 487-4683.

Important Dates
March 14 - 1st and 2nd grade Family game night 6:30pm-7:30pm, Blue Gym
March 20 - Half day for students, Professional Development Day for staff
March 20 - Board of Education Meeting - 7:00pm - HS Library
March 22 - Report Card Distribution

~Lori

Welcome back!

I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break. With our 2-hour delay today, we obviously are not experiencing a break in our winter weather. Let’s hope that we begin to experience the coming of Spring - it’s only 24 days away - officially!

There is a lot of fun to be had in the upcoming weeks as well as some hard work on behalf of our students. Our next report card will go home on March 22. All primary students are working to strengthen their reading and math skills.PLEASE make sure your child is reading and rereading any material sent home by your child’s classroom teacher. Rereading helps a child develop fluency and solidify the phonetic code that is being taught in the classroom.  It is so important that children read each night or have a balance of nights when someone reads to them.

Wednesday,  February 27, all  Gertrude Hawk Orders are due. The profits we make on the sale of chocolate is what the PTA counts on to fund the many assemblies, field trips, evening events, Educational Line Funding and so much more. Please make one last push to sell that chocolate and support our PTA

This Saturday, March 2nd is our PTA's Enrichment Day and the District's Culture Fair. We are offering many new activities and have a high number of students registered to participate. There are no signs of the Winter blues around here!

A Wonderful Wonderland
The sixth annual Winter "Wonder"land was every bit as exciting as in years past. Celebrating the conclusion of project work and research, the event highlighted everyone's hard work.

It was impressive to listen to children explain in detail what they had learned about their topic and how the projects were created. A huge “thank you” goes out to all staff and students for making this night a magical night for all Stonehedge families.  Please be on the lookout for a Winter Wonderland slideshow coming soon.

Important Reminders
March 2 -Stonehedge PTA Enrichment Day
March 2 - District Culture Fair @ West Genesee High School

It’s Winter “Wonder”land Week!

For this two week period of time, students have been engaged in a form of Project-Based Learning we call Winter “Wonder”land. This is a concentrated extended process of asking questions, exploring resources, and applying information about the topic at hand. Students are required to gain knowledge and skills in order to investigate their own “wonders” and engage in authentic and challenging learning. Students make decisions about the project, employ their creativity and work with others to represent their vision and knowledge.

Perfection is not the desired outcome for these young students, it’s the journey that makes it all worthwhile. Please be sure to ask your child what they are studying in school and some specifics of their project. Don’t ask too much, we want you to be surprised when you come to Stonehedge Wednesday Evening.

Because this event is so well attended, we have decided to stagger the starting time for each of the grade levels. It will be a nice opportunity for children in the same grade to share their projects with small groups who worked together. The times are as follows
Kindergarten - 6:30 - 6:50
Grade 1 - 6:50 - 7:10
Grade 2 -         7:10 - 7:30

Be sure to enjoy the pictures below of the learning opportunities students are experiencing. Thank you to our PTA for sponsoring the many field trips that enhance this time of wonder. Kindergarten children experienced the Burnet Park Zoo and first-grade students spent a fun-filled day at The MOST.

Ms. Smith's kindergarten class visits the penguins at the zoo!

First graders using multiple avenues to learn about the solar system. 

First graders enjoyed a field trip to the MOST!

Second graders work on making eagle nests.

Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Registration for the 2019-2020 school year has begun and will go until March 29 at the Central Registrar Office located at 300 Sanderson Drive, Camillus, NY 13031.

For information about registering your student, go to the Registration Section of the website.

Prior to coming in to register, you will need to make an appointment by clicking the appropriate link on the Registration web page or by calling the Central Registrar at (315) 487-4683.

When registering, parents should bring: proof of residency (ie. mortgage or property statement or signed lease agreement); proof of immunizations; and proof of age.

A physical examination is also required and a dental certificate is requested for entry into kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter kindergarten this fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2019.

For more information visit our website or email the Central Registrar at centralregistrar@westgenesee.org.

Important Dates

February 13 - Winter Wonderland

February 18-22 - Winter Recess - No school

~Lori

January Happenings

Authentic Application of the Positivity Strength Perseverance
At our P2 assembly last week we discussed how different famous people had to show perseverance in order to meet the goals they had set for themselves.

The staff and I have challenged all children with the following goal: Between now and the end of February, all students will strive to learn to tie their shoes! We talked about how proud we will be as a school community if all children accept and work toward mastering the art of shoe tying. We stressed responsibility, safety and a sense of accomplish.  Many children can already tie their shoes so they have been recruited to teach a friend.  Once successful, each child will put their signature on the bulletin board located in the gym.  Please support your child in this endeavour - our hope is to have every name on the poster.  Happy tying!

Winter Wonderland
Save the Date! The sixth annual Winter "Wonder"land Open House will take place on Wednesday, February 13, with kindergarten from 6:30-6:50pm, first grade from 6:50-7:10pm, and second grade from 7:10-7:30pm. We have staggered the times to encourage children to experience the fun with their grade level friends.  This will also help eliminate any congestion and ensure parking.  If you have more than one student, pick a time that suits your family. Be on the lookout for more information to come home in your student's folder.

Teachers will soon begin the researching process for Project-Based Learning (PBL). For this two week period of time, students engage in a rigorous, extended process of asking questions, exploring resources, and applying information. Students are required to gain knowledge and skills in order to investigate their own “wonders” and engage in authentic and challenging learning. Students will then create projects for an authentic audience –their peers and families! Students make decisions about the project, employ their creativity and work with others to represent their vision and knowledge.

Merry-Go-Round Theatre Performs for First Grade
The Merry-Go-Round Theatre made a visit to Stonehedge and performed The Boy Who Cried Wolf for first graders. Prior to the performance they were introduced to the language, characters, setting, and cultural context for the play which helped the students make their own predictions about the show, and allowed for critical thinking to continue throughout the performance. 

Important Dates
January 21 - No school - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 28 - No school for students - Professional Development Day
February 4, 6:30 pm - PTA Meeting - Stonehedge Library

Stay warm!
~Lori

Happy New Year!

I hope you and your family had an enjoyable break. It was certainly nice for me to spend time with family and friends within a whirlwind of holiday activities. Fast, furious, and good to be back.

Students were ready to return. Smiling faces tell the story as students arrived for our first day back.

Positivity Project
This week’s character strength is perseverance. Perseverance means you complete what you start despite obstacles. You never give up. The concept of perseverance can most often be found in one’s active pursuit in overcoming obstacles. Perseverance is a uniquely human characteristic that identifies an individual’s ability to spend long periods of time devoted to a single goal or set of goals. Those who persevere are able to set goals for themselves and then take active, calculated steps toward those goals. People demonstrating high levels of perseverance are able to handle significant, sometimes repeated, setbacks in pursuit of goals.

A Toast to the New Year

Grade 2 is setting New Year’s Resolutions! Students read the book Squirrel's New Year's Resolution, by Pat Miller. Then they wrote down some things they would like to improve on in 2019 in school and also at home. Our second grade students have set goals for themselves and will build on their strength to persevere in order to accomplish these goals.

Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Registration for the 2019-2020 school year has begun and will go until March 29 at the Central Registrar Office located at 300 Sanderson Drive, Camillus, NY 13031.

For information about registering your student, go to the Registration Section of the website.

Prior to coming in to register, you will need to make an appointment by clicking the appropriate link on the Registration web page or by calling the Central Registrar at (315) 487-4683.

When registering, parents should bring: proof of residency (ie. mortgage or property statement or signed lease agreement); proof of immunizations; and proof of age.

A physical examination is also required and a dental certificate is requested for entry into kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter kindergarten this fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2019.

For more information visit our website or email the Central Registrar at centralregistrar@westgenesee.org.

Important Dates

January 9, 6:30 pm - PTA Meeting - Stonehedge Library - 2nd grade and 5th grade teams are invited to talk about what is happening in their grades
January 11 - Kindergarten Spirit Day
January 21 - No school - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 28 - No school for students - Professional Development Day

'Tis the season for Positivity Project Character Traits

Friday’s Positivity Project assembly was a wonderful opportunity for students to learn more about the character traits we are all studying this month, Kindness, Humility, and Self-Control.

We were very fortunate to have a special guest speaker for our Positivity Project Assembly,  Alamin Muhammad.  Four years ago, our guest established a group called, We Rise Above the Streets.  It was a dream of his to give back to the community.  His goal is to make sure the homeless, poor and anyone who needs help in our community experiences genuine care. His mission encompasses what we talk about every day with our positivity project and #otherpeoplematter. Ask your child why accomplishing this dream was so crucial to Alamin.

Classroom teachers donated bread, granola bars, and other supplies in support of his organization. A special thank you goes out to Miss Emily Carlson for coordinating this experience for our children. Miss Carlson is a Social Worker intern working with Mrs. Sheehan here at Stonehedge.

CODE Presentations

Last week Officer Brand, of the Camillus Police Department, provided our second CODE assembly of the year. She spoke on different topics at each grade level.

Kindergarten – Students had a presentation with the staff at The McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center co-presenting with Officer Brand. The children learned a safety plan called “No, Go, Tell” to help them deal with situations that make them feel unsafe or uncomfortable.  They learned the importance of reporting certain situations to trusted adults. The children were read the book “Your Body Belongs To You.”

First Grade – The theme of this assembly was esteem building and the importance of positive self-esteem.  Accepting ourselves, and others, the way we are was discussed.  Being a good friend, and making good decisions, tie into self-esteem.  Officer Brand read the book “I’m Gonna Like Me” and "It's Okay To Be Different" and showed a Sesame Street video titled “I Am Special.”

Second Grade – The theme of the presentation was on bullying and bullying behavior, and being a bystander and being an “upstander.”  The students watched a video titled “Haines Elementary School” which showed how the children can properly handle bully situations.  The students also learned about the importance of reporting certain situations to trusted adults.

PTA's Giving Tree

I am very grateful for the generous outpouring of support for our Giving Tree project. With the donations provided we are going to be able to help make the holidays a little brighter for many Stonehedge families as well as supporting the Samaritan House. The Giving Tree project is a great way to teach the students kindness and that #otherpeoplematter.

Spirit Week

This week is Spirit Week.

• Monday 12/17 - Tye Dye Day - Wear colorful tye dye or bright colors
• Tuesday 12/18 - Twin/Triplet Day - Dress like your friends
• Wednesday 12/19 - West Genesee Day - Wear blue and gold
• Thursday 12/20 - Team Day - Support your favorite team or a team you are on
• Friday 12/21 - Ugly Sweater Day - Wear a silly sweater or create your own silly shirt

Important Dates to Remember

Classroom Celebrations - 12/21 (morning)

Holiday Recess, 12/24 - 1/4

School Resumes, 1/7/19

Warmest wishes to you and your family this holiday season.

~Lori

Building Character at Stonehedge

This week the Positivity Project's character trait that we studied was kindness. Aristotle defined kindness as, ”helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself, but for that of the person helped.”

I spoke with children about the PTA's Giving Tree collection, encouraging students to be kind and reminding them that Other People Matter. Our two community projects include supporting Stonehedge families and supporting the Samaritan House.  I am very grateful for the generous outpouring of support already for our Giving Tree project. Please keep the donations coming as many ST children benefit from the kindness we generate as a community.

Mrs. Prosser's 2nd Graders created a kindness reindeer

A Special Night for our Kindergarten Children and their Families

A snowy winter night was the perfect scene for our Kindergarten December Get-together. Children had the opportunity to mingle with their classmates and introduce their families to their new friends.  Our PTA created a station approach in which they played board games (favorites included Pop the Pig and Shark Bite!), listened to a sweet story entitled "I Need My Monster" by Amanda Noll, made a popsicle stick snowman, and topped it off by frosting and decorating a cookie. Enjoy the pictures below.

Fun in the Kindergarten classroom:

Students in Kindergarten classes are learning about shapes. Ask your child about using Geoboards! They've also been able to get outside at recess and enjoy the fresh air and the snow!

Mrs. Erwin's class has fun with Geoboards

Please come by the school to check for your child's lost clothing, backpack, or lunch boxes. Clothing and other items will be on display until the Holiday Recess. All remaining items will be donated after that. 

As a reminder, report cards go home today.

Important Dates to Remember:

Report Cards Go Home - 12/7

Giving Tree Drive - through 12/10

Classroom Celebrations - 12/21 (morning)

Holiday Recess, 12/24 - 1/4

School Resumes, 1/7/19

~Lori