October 28, 2013 - NMIS

The Weekly Newsletter of the New Mexico International School

Volume III-11 Todd Knouse

October 28, 2013 School Director

Knouse Knews – News from the Director

NMIS Raffle Update

Thank you to all the participants in the NMIS Raffle The first week of our raffle ticket sales are $1,640! Way to go everyone and keep up the good work! Top sellers include...

Grace Knouse Pharris Salley Gabriella Abyeta Sophia Hurt River Lucero Alycia Gamboa Liam Klauser Matthew Tydeman Konstantin Fanari Claire Martinez Cali Sanchez Yonus Mostoller Maya Ortega Zachary Gurule Elizabeth Barlow Alexander Tydeman Emma Lane Juliet Knouse Ainsley Paas Alyssa Sanchez Vincent Talamantes

And (drum roll) the top seller of the week is... MYLES LAUNER!

Congratulations everyone and let's all work hard towards getting our new playground! All sales will need to be turned in by November 11 at 9 am. The raffle will be held in the afternoon of that day.

NMIS Parent Survey #1 Attached to this email is a link to take a NMIS Parent Survey #1. Remember, only one survey per NMIS family. Duplicate

responses from an NMIS child will be disregarded. You will have two weeks to complete the survey. It will close on November 8.

MAP Testing Schedule Kindergarten and first graders will complete their MAP testing this week. There will be no testing on Nov 1 (except for make-ups). Second and third grade will begin next week.

Change in NMIS Head Administrator Our new NMIS Head Administrator, Dolores Vigil, had to step aside from this role. Our Governing Council has appointed a new Head Administrator to fill this vacancy. The new Head Administrator is Justina Montoya. She will be writing a brief letter of introduction to the NMIS community shortly. Stamp Donation NMIS is still seeking donations of books of US postage stamps. As of today we have only received 7 books (from over 120 NMIS families). Please buy a book of “Forever” stamps and drop them

In This Issue:

From the Director 1

Kinder News 3

First Grade News 3

Second Grade News 4

Third Grade News 4

Fourth Grade News 5

Art Smart 6

En Garde! 6

Committee News 6

Upcoming Events 7

Help Wanted 7

NMIS Sponsors 8

off with our receptionist, Enedina Miller in the Challenger Building. Thank you! Help NMIS win $30,000 for

our new playground by

donating stamps to the

Danimals Rally for Recess

contest. See the

Fundraising section on the

last page for more

information on how you

can help.

Box Tops for Education Last chance for Box Tops! This Wednesday, October 30 is the deadline for turning in Box Tops for the Fall collection contest. Don't miss your chance at a no-uniform day for turning in at least 20 valid Box Tops, or try for the Toys r Us gift card prize for the student who turns in the most! Please check and make sure your child's first and last name and teacher's name is clearly listed on the collection sheet or baggie for proper credit.

Drop Off and Pick Up Reminders: Please remember to not leave your child on campus before 8:15 am. In the afternoon, please do not arrive before 3:15, and the drive through lane will not be open until 3:20. Students not picked up by 3:40 will be released to Roadrunner Afterschool Program, which charges parents a fee for such services.

Kindergarten News by Maestra Reyes and Maestro Uribe

This week we will continue working on acquiring

vocabulary around the family topic.

The presentations of the family tree/time lines

have been great. It is one of our favorite

projects for kindergarten because we get to

know our families well. Besides, the baby

pictures are so precious and children are very

proud of their projects. Please, remember this

project it is not optional, for this reason we are

expecting all the children to participate. We will

continue this week with the presentations.

In science we learned and make a human body

and learn its parts. This week we will learn

about our senses and other bodily functions and

how to keep our body healthy.

We are working with letter “i” for “iglú, imán,

iguana.” We also making alphabet books and all

kinds of crafts. We will be working with syllables

only with “A” letter.

In math, we are making patterns and also

graphing family members, pets, uniform shirts,

favorite foods, etc. We are working on

recognizing and one to one correspondence with

numbers 1 to 20. And we are working on

recognizing coins.

MAPS will start on Monday 28th .

Have a wonderful week!

First Grade News by Maestra Cooper de Uribe and Maestra Tapia

What do mathematicians eat on Halloween? Feel

free to venture a guess with us before finding

out the answer in next week's Correcaminos. In

the meantime, here's why the boy ate his math

homework: because the teacher told him it was

a piece of cake! Fortunately, we don't really run

the risk of homework consumption around here.

But we do deal with tests, and we'll be doing a

lot of that this week. Our kids will take MAP

tests the first four days of this week, and we

will also be doing Math and Language Arts

evaluations in the classroom. We're balancing

the assessment-heavy schedule with a number of

fun learning opportunities, though. In Social

Studies, we will continue to think about

customs, while comparing and contrasting

traditions and customs from Halloween and Dia

de los Muertos. In a link with Math, we will be

using estimation, measuring, counting, and

comparing during activities that involve

pumpkins and their seeds. Math this week will

also involve making a personal November

calendar and measuring different activities in

seconds. Our look at customs will also lead us

into a scientific look at the human skeleton as

we create one and decorate the skull. In

Language Arts, our students will continue to

work on understanding of what a sentence is,

and where it is appropriate to use capitalization

and punctuation. That focus will also tie into

fluency practice where question and

exclamation marks appear. Some of our reading

will serve as an entrée into our upcoming IB unit

that addresses Who We Are, so we will start

thinking about what we need to survive and how

we are both similar to and different from other

living beings. Next week we will be taking our

first field trip to the Roadrunner Food Bank to

deepen our thinking about the human need for

nourishment and our responsibility to care for

one another. Keep your eyes out for the

permission slips that will be coming your way

soon!

Second Grade News by Maestra Prego Prego and Maestra Gallegos Our learning goals for this week are as follow:

Every Day Math: we are going to start a new

unit. Yeah! We will review skills from the other

2 units and start Unit 3. Our goal is that they

count by 1s, 5s, 10s, 25s and 100s. Also we are

going to start reading and writing 2 and 3 digit

numbers. We will continue practicing addition

and subtraction, clocks, graphs and coins. Let

your kids teach you how to say the numbers in

Spanish. They love it and you will enjoy it! :)

Tesoros: we will continue reading for fluency &

reading comprehension. We will continue

learning more vocabulary related to the

Scientific Method and learning how to express

the principal ideas of a book. Also, we will learn

how to give details and summarize.

Science: this week we will continue with our

experiments. Students are really excited about

learning more of the Scientific Method. They

love it so much that we are spending more time

on the experiments. They are learning how to

express the experiments in English and in

Spanish. And they have a lot of questions. So

we will continue our Mixing can change things

experiments. We will continue experimenting

with sugar, flour and cocoa. We are taking our

time to explain the experiments and understand

them in a good way.

As a reminder, MAPs is coming soon (Measure of

Academic Progress in English). During this test,

the students have to read the questions on the

computer so is very important that your child

practice a little bit reading. Thanks!

Have a great week!

Third Grade News by Maestra Martini and Maestra Salley

Maps testing is underway at NMIS! Our third

graders will be testing, beginning on Monday,

November 4th. They will be tested in Reading on

Monday, Math on Tuesday, and Language Usage

on Wednesday.

The children worked very hard on their

Migration games last week. This week, they will

have the opportunity to play and assess their

own games, as well as those of their classmates!

Last week, the students did some very

interesting joint- class exercises involving very

large numbers in regards to population growth

over the last 500 years! This week we are

shifting gears a bit and although we will

continue working with large numbers and place-

value, we will begin exploring polygons,

decimals and fractions to wrap up unit 5. The

children will be assessed on this unit next week.

We have reached the final set of reading

selections of Tesoros, unit 2. Once we finish

these, we will conduct a comprehensive unit

review. We have scheduled our Tesoros Unit 2

assessment for the end of the week. We will

also continue with our weekly writing exercises

in preparation for the SBA.

The children really seem to be enjoying the

science unit on structure and function. So far

we have studied different animal teeth and bird

beaks, and have learned that one can tell a lot

about an animal based on how its teeth or beak

is shaped! This science unit will continue for a

few more weeks.

Have a great week everyone!

Fourth Grade News by Maestra López-Gastón

MAPS testing is over for fourth grade, hip-hip

hooray! Overall it went very well; students took

their time to read questions thoroughly. They

worked very hard last week, so it’s time for

some fun hands-on learning. Everyone should

have received an email regarding this week’s

schedule of events. Let me know if you did not

receive the email and/or have any questions.

Language Arts this week will focus on the Gold

Rush our readings are; “In Search of Gold” and

“The Gold Rush Game.” Students will

investigate how the rush for gold affected the

Spanish and Native Americans living there. We

will also learn the definition of a prospector and

what their role was during this era. Students will

analyze the dangers and problems that people

and explorers encountered while traveling west.

Unfortunately we were unable to take our unit 2

test in math. We did review the unit, but with

MAPS testing we simply ran out of time.

Therefore, early this week students will take the

unit 2 assessment and begin unit 3. The first

few lessons in unit 3 deal with computations,

finding factors and multiples of numbers, and

fraction equivalencies.

Currently we are working on a science project

that deals with various types of plants, their

adaptations and how they survive. Students are

exploring some of the ways plants get what they

need to live and grow. In social studies students

will be learning the history of “Día de los

Muertos.” Hopefully students have collected

pictures for their memory boxes. Please

remember to send in a shoe box as soon as you

can if you haven’t already done so. An email was

sent out by a parent volunteer regarding the

schedule for the week so keep an eye out for

that email. There are many opportunities for

parents to volunteer this week. We have a lot of

learning activities happening and I’m sure your

child would love for you to join us. As always let

me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Have a great week.

Art Smart by Maestra Thompson

The next couple of weeks are going to

be busy ones. The students will be

involved with MAPS testing in the

art/library/computer lab. In order to

create the optimum quiet space for

testing on the computers, I will be

teaching art in the students classrooms.

First and second grade students are

finishing up a "Frankinsilly" college.

They used their imaginations to cut and

glue these colorful creations. Be looking

for these to come home on Wednesday.

Kindergarten students will continue

their process oriented centers when I go

to their classrooms for the next two

weeks.

Third and fourth grade will be taught a

lesson I call "path ways". They will learn

how to draw and color intersecting path

ways with a dramatic flair. The lesson

requires problem solving skills and

patience. The students will learn how to

use crayons to make various color values

and black sharpie to give the work a

three dimensional look. The results can

be quite dramatic.

En Garde! by Coach Villyard

In the next few weeks in fencing, your

younger student (K-2) is being

introduced to the equipment of fencing.

They are learning the requirements set

forward by the United States Fencing

Association for safe sport.

Buckles and zippers and masks. Oh my!

Your older student is beginning to

demonstrate understanding of the

tactics of fencing. In a fencing bout,

their knowledge is constantly being

tested. They make their choice of action

and interpret the results of those

choices (did they succeed in hitting

their opponent, or did they get hit?).

As always, it is a pleasure to work with

your child.

Committee News

Fundraising Committee – Susan Martinez [email protected]

Danimals Rally for Recess:

Please help us win $30,000 toward our new playground! The school in our category of under 200 students with

the MOST codes entered by the deadline of January 31, 2014 will win. Here are 3 ways you can help:

- We mostly need donations of stamps so we can keep sending off for more codes. We have sent off for over

900 codes so far, but we need many more to be the winner. You can turn them in to the school office. Thank

you to the families who have turned in stamps so far!

- OR save the codes from Danimals or Danonino products and either turn them into the office for the

fundraising committee to enter, or enter them yourself online at rallyforrecess.com.

- OR to send off for codes by mail: hand print your name, date of birth and valid email address on a 3X5” card

and mail in an envelope with proper postage to DANNON Danimals and Danonino Rally for Recess Code

Request, P.O. Box 760010, Dept. 856-703, El Paso, TX 88576-0010. Limit one request per envelope.

The school in our category (schools under 200 students) with the MOST codes entered by the deadline will get

the $30,000 - money that we really need for our new playground. Thanks for your help!

Together Counts sweepstakes:

Please enter every day to help NMIS in a sweepstakes competition for a $30,000 award to build a playground.

Anyone can enter on behalf of the school. The more entries, the more likely we will win this incredible prize.

Entering is extremely simple. Just click on the below link and follow the directions. It takes 5

minutes the first time, then every day after, simply go back and enter your email address on the site. Here is

the link: http://www.togethercounts.com/at-school/win-for-your-school/sweepstakes

Special Events Committee – Brenda Vigil [email protected]

Enrichment Committee – Kathryn Johnson [email protected]

Uniform Committee – vacant [email protected] Yearbook Committee – Brian Barlow [email protected]

School Advisory Committee – Shana Runck [email protected] Next SAC meeting is November 20 at 6:30 here at the NMIS campus Grade level representatives:

Kindergarten Anney Snyder First Grade Shana Runck Second Grade Kerri Mich Third Grade Joy Wasson & Julie Lutz Fourth Grade Parisa Wright

New Mexico International

School

1776 Montaño Blvd. NW Los Ranchos, NM 87107

www.nmis.org

For general information and

questions; contact our receptionist Enedina Miller

at: [email protected]

(505)938-7693

To report an absence, inquire about lottery or registration; contact our registrar Anna

Thompson at: [email protected]

(505)938-7694

Help Wanted

Please help NMIS by donating a book of US postage stamps. Drop them off with Enedina Miller in the Challenger Building.

Upcoming NMIS Events

Monday, October 28 – Wednesday, November 6 – K-3rd MAP Fall Window Kindergarteners, first, second, and third graders take MAP assessment in English to assess learning and set growth targets for Spring. (Note: No testing on Friday, November 1)

Friday, November 8 – End of 1st Quarter

Tuesday, November 12 – Kindergarten Parent/Teacher Conferences Both kinder teachers will hold parent/teacher conferences on this day. Classes held as normal.

Wednesday, November 13 – First Grade Parent/Teacher Conferences Both first grade teachers will hold parent/teacher conferences on

this day. Classes held as normal.

Thursday, November 14 – Second Grade Parent/Teacher Conferences Both second grade teachers will hold parent/teacher conferences on this day. Classes held as normal.

Friday, November 15 – International Day of Tolerance

Monday, November 18 – Third Grade Parent/Teacher Conferences Both third grade teachers will hold parent/teacher conferences on this day. Classes held as normal.

Tuesday, November 19 – Fourth Grade Parent/Teacher Conferences Fourth grade teacher will hold parent/teacher conferences on this day. Classes held as normal.

Wednesday, November 20 – SAC Meeting 6:30

Friday, November 22 – Fall Session of Enrichment Program Ends

Wednesday, November 27-Friday, November 29 – No School School closed for Thanksgiving Break

Wednesday, December 18 – SAC Meeting 6:30

Monday, December 23-January 3 – No School School closed for Winter Break

Wednesday, January 15 – SAC Meeting 6:30

Monday, January 20 – No School School closed for MLK Jr. Day

Thursday, January 23 – Governing Council Meeting 5:00

NMIS thanks these sponsors for their support!

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