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
(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!
Aikido of Albuquerque
Philip Vargas, Sensei
5600 McLeod Road NE, Suite P
(505)850-8460
www.aikidoofabq.com
Harmony Energy Way
9780 Coors Blvd. NW
(505)890-WINE
www.nickyvs.com