DECEMBER

2014
VOLUME 4

Principals
Corner

I deeply thank the Columbus Community for their never ending kindness and wish each and every member a joyous, healthy, & relaxing
holiday season. Happy 2015!

It is so hard
to believe that
~
it is already December. What a busy
year it has been. Thanks to the many
Columbus Families who supported the
ssistant
school in so many ways, such as the
fund raisers of Citrus Fruit, Yankee Canrincipals
dle, and Scrips Gift Cards. I hope each
orner
made your holiday gift giving a smoother
experience. Thank you also for helping
During this
bake and sell at the Election Day Bake
vacation I hope
Sale, volunteering in classrooms, and
there will be
offering your valuable time to our stumany opportunities for you to create spedents and teachers in numerous ways.
cial times with your child. Maybe you will
Please know each and every effort is
be able to do things you might not have
greatly appreciated.
been able to do while school is in session.
I would like to take this opportunity to
The Medford Public Library holds many
let you know that we will not hold a fammuseum passes that are free for Medford
ily holiday celebration at this time. The
families to borrow. The holidays are also a
Columbus Elementary School will be
great times to watch movies, play family
gathering to celebrate the holiday season
games, and tell stories. This will not only
in a sing along. It will be orchestrated
help to a build special bond with your
during our December All School Share. I
child, but also help in supporting their
hope you will embrace this change to the
academic growth and success.
schedule. We plan to video tape this program and offer them for sale in January But remember while you are having all
as requested for a $2.00 fee.
this great fun please keep in mind that
children do better with regular routines. I
Starting the week of December 8th, you
encourage you to help your student stay
should have been invited to meet with
well rested for their return to school on
your childs teacher(s) to learn about
January 5th so they will be ready to learn.
his/her progress thus far in school.
Please note that we are distributing our I wish all of the Columbus Families a restStandards Based Report Card at this con- ful winter break and a very healthy and
ference meeting. Report cards will not
Happy New Year.
come home with the children. Please be
sure to accept your teachers invitation
or let him/her know if youd prefer a dif- P.S. PLEASE ENJOY THE NEWEST NEWSferent meeting day/time. If there is a
LETTER ADDITION, AUTHOR OF THE
special teacher you would like to visit,
MONTH. OUR FEATURE IS FRANCESCA
please be sure to reach out and request VIRUSSO. LOOK FOR HER STORY IN THE
an appointment with that specific person. MEDFORD TRANSCIPT TOO.
All teachers can be reached via email by
using the teachers first initial, last name
@medford.k12.ma.us. Prepare for this
important time by thinking of questions
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
you would like addressed ahead of time.
Please be on time as teachers appoint* TELEPHONE : 781.393.2177
ments are very tightly scheduled. We
* FAX : 781.393.2187
look forward to seeing you at conferences. Please be sure to check the Lost
* NURSE : 781.393.2175
& Found items in the cafeteria too
while you are at the school.
* ABSENCE LINE: 781.393.3503

Ms. Kathleen Kay

W E D N E S D A Y
E V E R Y
1 : 3 0
A T
I S
D I S M I S S A L

WWW.MEDFORD.K12.MA.US

T H A T
N O T E
P L E A S E

Columbus News

COLUMBUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

37 HICKS AVENUE, MEDFORD, MA 02155

A
P
C

~Mrs. Sherman-Hudson

December 3

Columbus PTO Meeting, 7:00pm, Columbus Cafeteria

December 4

Hockmeyer School Photo Re-takes

December 3

Early Release Day, 1:30pm Dismissal.

December 10

Early Release Day, 1:30pm Dismissal.

Parent/Teacher Conference Evening, 5:30pm-7:30, by appointment.
SEPAC, Executive Functioning, 7:00pm, Andrews Middle School

December 11

Roots Music Collective Program, PreK-2, 9:00am, 3-5, 10:15am

December 16

Hanukkah Begins at Sundown. Happy Hanukkah!

December 17

DARE Graduation, 9:45am. Grade 5

Early Release Day, 1:30pm Dismissal.

December 21

First Day of Winter

December 22 S

pirit Day, NO HOMEWORK DAY.

December 23

Early Release Day, NOON DISMISSAL.

Dec. 24- Jan. 2

Holiday Vacation! ENJOY!

January 5

School Resumes
Roots Music Collective

December 11th is a special day for the students at the Columbus Elementary
School. Through the kindness and generous funding of the Columbus
PTO and the Medford Arts Council all the children will participate in a music pro
gram. The program will be offered twice, once for grades PreK - grade two and
the other for grades 3-5.
The students will be led on an adventure to explore global influences and social forces that have
shaped American popular music. This interactive performance illustrates how the music of early African-Americans evolved from work songs and spirituals, and led to blues, jazz, country, and eventually
rock. Our children will learn how the musicians draw upon distinct musical backgrounds to compose
and play music together. The program culminates from the student audience to create an original
work. Please be sure to ask your child about his/her experience when they come home on December
11th. Thank you PTO and Medford Arts Council .

BOOK

REVIEWS

Any Questions? By Marie-Louise Gay. Where do books come from? How do authors get their ideas? How are stories made? If you ever find you have any
of those questions, youll definitely want to check out Marie-Louise Gays
new picture book Any Questions? Its the story of a real author and some fictional children as they work together to make a brand new story. The illustrations are fantastic so if youre looking for pterodactyls or penguins or
snarky snails, youll find them in this book. Plus, its a great way to give a
young author some new inspiration or, if youd rather, it can answer a whole
heap of questions for that child that always seems to have just one more.
Published October 2014. 60 pages. Grade Level K-4. Submitted by Samantha
Sednek, Medford Public School, Childrens Librarian.
Ophelia and the Marvelous
Boy. By Karen Foxlee. Before the Snow Queen got
her reputation reworked
by Disney, she wasnt always so lovely. If your
young reader likes fantastical novels with just a
touch of menace, be sure
to check out Karen Foxlees Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy.

rather look at dinosaur bones than doll houses,

and shes still grieving over the recent death of
her mother.
However, when she finds a boy locked away in a
forgotten room at the museum her father
works in, shes going to have to decide if she can
believe his story about being the prisoner of the
dangerous Snow Queen. Can Ophelia overcome
all the odds and save her family and, yes, the
entire world? Or will she and the Marvelous Boy
be lost in an eternal winter forever?

Published January 2014. 240 pages. Grade Level 3Ophelia Jane WorthingtonWittard is about as unlike- 7. Submitted by Samantha Sednek, Medford
ly hero as you could have. Shes clumsy, would Public School, Childrens Librarian.

READ BETWEEN THE LINES

Learning to infer, or read between the lines, is one key to good reading comprehension. Consider these tips
for helping your youngster make inferences when he/she reads.
Describe the setting. Pick a book and read a few sentences to your child. Leave out words that name the
setting. Example: Sand stretched in all directions...cacti dotted the landscape. Can your child infer where
the story is set? If not sure, give a hint. (Where do you see lots of sand and cacti?)
Look for lessons. Fables are great for reading between the lines. Read one by Aesop, and help your child
figure out the lesson. For instance, The Tortoise and the Hare teaches that even if you are slow, you can
win if you just keep going. Have your child point out the parts that were used to make the inference. (The
tortoise never stopped and he took one good step after another.)
Use prompts. Questions that start with Why do you think? or How do you know? can encourage your
child to infer. You might ask why he/she thinks a character behaved the way he did or how he knows its going
to snow. Together, look for clues in the book that may help answer the questions.

Medford Public Library -

December Programs

Reading with Pearl, the Story Dog Tuesdays 3:00- 3rd/4th Grade Book Club Monday, Dec. 15 6:30PM
4:15PM
This month: Robert Pecks novel Soup on Ice. CopREGISTRATION REQUIRED. Pearl loves to help
ies available at the library.
young readers gain confidence in their reading.
5th/6th Grade Book Club Thursday, Dec. 18
There are five 15 minute reading times each Tues6:00PM
day for children in grades 1 and up. Bring your favorite book and read to Pearl. Please sign up in ad- This month: Margaret Peterson Haddixs novel
Among the Hidden. Copies available at the library.
vance by calling 781-395-7950.
Gingerbread House Making Wednesday, Dec. 10 Robotics Club Monday, Dec. 15 3:00-5:00PM
4-5PM
REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Come make your
very own gingerbread house!
Christmas Caroling Wednesday, Dec. 10 6:30PM
Join us and Immaculate Conception Churchs Childrens choir for some good ol fashion caroling.
(Dress for the weather!)

REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Come work and play

with our LEGO Mindstorm Robots. Ages 9+.
Science Explorers Monday, Dec. 8 3:30-4:30PM
Experiment and learn about different types of science in this hands-on workshop. Ages 6-12.
Art Smart Thursday, Dec. 11 3:30-4:30PM

Explore, create, and design in this arts and crafts

Hot Chocolate Party Wednesday, Dec. 17 4:00PM program. Ages 6-12.
Learn how to make hot chocolate from scratch and
be sure to make some extra to take home as a present for family/friends.
Hanukkah Storytime and Craft Friday, Dec. 19
4:30-5:30PM
Learn about the Festival of the Lights with this Hanukkah storytime and craft.
Yule Time Scavenger Hunt - Monday, Dec. 22
3:30PM
Yuletide is an ancient celebration of the winter solstice that harkens back to the early Germanic people. Join us on a Quest for the Yule Log for this indoor/outdoor scavenger hunt. (Dress for the weather!)

LEGO Club Thursday, Dec. 4 and 18 3:304:30PM

We have LEGOs. You have building skills. Come
play! Ages 6+.
Story Hour Wednesdays 3:00-4:00PM
Story time and craft for ages 4-6.
Family Board Game Day Wednesday, Dec. 3 4:00
-5:00PM
Bring your favorite board games or come play ours!
This is an all-ages family fun event.

Kwanzaa Arts and Crafts Monday, Dec. 29

4:00PM-5:00PM
Celebrate your kuumba (Creativity) by making these
awesome Kwanzaa crafts!
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