Just prior to the Winter Break, second grade students learned about Hanukkah, a holiday celebrated by Jewish people, usually during the month of December. The celebration starts on the 25th day of the month of Kislev according to the Jewish calendar. Ms. Sue Levy, Midvale's IB Coordinator, shared some menorahs and dreidels from her personal collection and told the students about the history of Hanukkah and how it is celebrated around the world.
In October and November, our second, fourth and fifth graders learned about staying safe online. Nearly all of our students in these grades indicated that they play online games, post pictures on Instagram or Snapchat, text, or use e-mail. Some said they have accounts on Facebook-- slightly worrisome because the Facebook agreement stipulates that account holders should be 13!
The emphasis of the instruction was on personal safety. Just as you would not walk up to strangers on the street and divulge personal information, nor should you do so online. Any online interactions should be approved by a parent or responsible adult; anything you write, text, or post online should be something you could share with a parent or grandparent; any words or images encountered that make you uncomfortable should be brought to the attention of an adult immediately. On its netsmartz.org website, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has some useful tools to help parents engage in meaningful conversations with their children. The Common Sense website evaluates all types of media and provides some great resources for parents under the Parent Concerns tab. Both of these websites are linked on the Media Center's Research Symbaloo, located at the bottom of the Media Center webpage. WOW! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Miss Courtney, Norah & Harper's mom, for heading up this year's Scholastic Book Fair. She and some dedicated PTA volunteers did an amazing job running the Book Fair! Wednesday was an incredibly busy day as parents and students were able to shop before and after lunch.
The good news is that the Online Book Fair runs for another week, until November 29th, and Midvale PTA benefits from all online sales! To take advantage of the online book fair, visit the link by clicking here. PTA volunteers are hard at work setting up the Scholastic Book Fair in the Media Center! The Book Fair will be open every day next week, and your student will have the opportunity to preview the offerings and may come home with a "Wish List" of books. You can also satisfy a teacher's "Wish List" by purchasing a book for your child's classroom. Support your PTA and increase your child's chance for success by building your home library. To volunteer, visit the Midvale PTA Facebook page and find the link to SignUp Genius. Dr. Lukashok spoke to the fifth graders about bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that cause infectious diseases. She discussed the sources of infection, how infections are spread, and the ways in which different infections affect the many systems of the body. As a specialist in infectious diseases, she has to recognize the symptoms of infection, be able to identify the illness and know how to treat the parts of the body affected.Some examples of infectious diseases are: chicken pox, Hepatitis C, pneumonias, sinusitis, yellow fever and intestinal infections caused by parasites. Dr. Lukashok reminded us of ways to avoid spreading infection, such as frequent hand-washing, and limiting skin-to-skin contact (like handshakes.) Check this space to see what's happening in the Midvale Media Center.
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Mrs. KonouckRose Konouck is a Teacher-Librarian at Midvale Elementary School in DeKalb County, Georgia. Archives
May 2015
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