Dear Students and Families,
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of the first week of school and what a week it has been! I can’t wait to share all the things we have been doing! We have over 105 students this year and have added another grade level. Next year we will add our final grade level, 6th grade, to make our school complete and we are so very excited!
Truxton Academy is a special place, with a strong community and unique identity. I can confidently say that the success of the school is due to the people who fill the building every day-parents, teachers, staff, board members, community members, and students. It is with great joy that I have the privilege to be a part of this family and serve as Head of School. Experience has taught me that only by working together can meaningful change and growth ever occur. Working together, I know that we will be able to build upon the success and in the process, foster academic excellence, personal growth, and build socially responsible students. I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to be here and work with such an amazing group of students, parents, and education professionals. I look forward to the wonderful things that we will be able to accomplish together.
Communication for parents and students
All teacher's emails are listed below so that you may reach out to them via email, however, we are also using Class DOJO as a secondary way to communicate. Please use either tool. Communication is key to creating a climate of success! If we don’t have your email on file, please consider providing it for us so we can share all of the wonderful things happening here at Truxton Academy.
Kindergarten: Kayla Elliott kayla.elliott@truxtonacademy.org
First Grade: Brianna Smith Brianna.smith@truxtonacademy.org
Second Grade: Jess Fallon Jessica.fallon@truxtonacademy.org
Third Grade: Marci Francis Marci.francis@truxtonacademy.org
Fourth Grade: Judy Sands Judith.sands@truxtonacademy.org
Fifth Grade: Chelsea Lembo Chelsea.lembo@truxtonacademy.org
Art: Crystal Lyon Crystal.lyon@truxtonacademy.org
Agriculture: Jamie Smart Jamie.smart@truxtonacademy.org
PE/Stem: Heather Boyden Heather.boyden@truxtonacademy.org
Spanish: Sheri Herlihy Sheri.herlihy@truxtonacademy.org
Social Worker: Kate Shaw Katherine.Shaw@truxtonacademy.org
Nurse: Tracy DeHart tdehart@homercentral.org
Nutrition Program Director:
Ashley Riehlman Ashley.rielman@truxtonacademy.org
Student Achievement Coordinator:
Jenny Hull Jennifer.hull@truxtonacademy.org
Head of Operations/Office Manager:
Leaf Carmer Leaf.Carmer@truxtonacademy.org
Head of School:
Kerryanne Schenck Kerryanne.Schenck@truxtonacademy.org
Upcoming Dates
9/12 Board of Trustees Meeting -7pm Open to the Public
9/16 Family fun night/fundraiser-6pm
9/27 Back to School Night 6pm (More information to come later)
Updates for the Classrooms:
Kindergarten
The first week of school flew by! We’ve been very busy learning each other’s names, making rules for our classroom, and learning our daily routines. If there is one thing that is very important to the Kindergarten classroom it’s routine. The kids are doing a great job learning this and we will continue to work on it as time goes on. We read several stories this week including The Kissing Hand, Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come, Mason's New Friends, The Bunny Kindergarten, Big Al, Peanut Butter and Cupcake, and Should I Share My Ice Cream. We discussed the many ways we each get ready to come to Kindergarten and we can't wait to get started on an awesome school year!
First Grade
This week in 1st grade we:
· Learned our morning routine
· Learned about our different classroom jobs
· Read Pout Pout goes to School and completed a writing piece to explain how Pout Pout felt before and after
· Learned about Quiet Corner Expectations
· Learned about the difference between what is fair and what is equal
· Learned good habits when partner reading with our Kindergarten friends!
· Learned what a scientist is and what a scientist does!
· Had our first All School Meeting!
· Played on Education.com!
· Had our first fire drill!
Second Grade
Ask your Second Grader about...
-reading the book "First Day Jitters" and how they are feeling about their first week of Second Grade,
-how they can take care of themselves and be the best learners in Second Grade,
-the marble jar and the reward party ideas they came up with,
-reading the book "Interrupting Chicken" and what they learned from this story,
-listening to the book "My Father's Dragon" and the tangerine math stories they solved from this book,
-playing the games Kosiki and Counting Pop,
-their science time outside,
-and what their first classroom job is!
Third Grade
This week in 3rd grade we:
*had a snowball fight in September which helped us learn more about each other
*learned the routines and procedures which will guide our school day
*learned about our classroom jobs which we will start next week
*started our first read aloud, "How to Be Cool in the Third Grade"
*read "Thank You, Mr. Falker" and talked about having a growth mindset, the power of yet, and having the courage to keep trying
*completed several quick writing pieces
*practiced solving math word problems, played Pico, Ferme, Nada, & played Count to 20
*discussed about what science is
*Picked "Good Fit" independent reading books and showed AMAZING stamina during independent reading time for week one
***Please remember to pack water bottles and snacks every day!
Fifth Grade
This week in 5th Grade we...
- Talked about why we come to school!
- We talked about how every day, we need to stretch and grow!
- Began deciding upon/unpacking our classroom expectations for the year. So far, our class agreement includes these expectations: 1) Follow directions the first time given, 2) Show what you know, 3) Be gentle with yourself and others, and 4) Create a supportive, positive learning environment. Students are working to specifically explain what each expectation looks like, feels like, and sounds like. Students are also working on adding one or two more.
- Had our first whole school Morning Meeting.
- Discussed how to choose a "Just Right Book" for independent reading and explored the classroom library. Each child picked three that were of interest, and chose one to continue reading on their own.
- Began a quilt project that the whole class is working on :)
- Organized class materials (Please make sure your child has folders with holes in them if the ones they brought in did not fit into the three ring binder :) )
- Read two books together, "Ricky the Rock that Couldn't Roll" and "Henri's Scissors".
- Catching up by playing a game called Fishbowl, acting out and guessing what one another did this summer.
So glad to have them back! :)
Rural Life Lab
This week in Ag, some of our students learned about the source of items we use every day. Other students worked to build habitat and shelter for our incoming pheasants, which will arrive next week!
Notes from the Kitchen
The salad bar has gone over great! It has been so fun to see what sort of lunch the kids build for themselves.
If you have not already please fill out and return the free & reduced lunch application.
Please go to myschoolbucks.com to check on your student’s account.
Notes from the Office
Please be sure ALL the requested paperwork is in to the main office ASAP. This includes proof of physicals paperwork occurring within 1 calendar year.
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"The "secret of success" isn't a secret. It's doing about a thousand things consistently with excellence and humility. That's the secret. " - Jon Acuff Kerryanne Schenck Head of School Truxton Academy Charter School