Raymond C. LaPerche Elementary School

Fifth Grade movie night at LaPerche last night was a time to build friendships that will last for a lifetime! Thank you to all the parents who helped put the event on.

Mrs. Hegarty’s second graders celebrated Dr Seuss’s birthday by reading his book Batholemew and the Oobleck and then investigating this mysterious substance called oobleck. Is it a solid? Is it a liquid? Ask your second grader?

During fitness week at LaPerche, students were challenged by the 5 levels of the box jump. Students had to jump with two feet and land fully on the box increasing from one level up to five. Students spotted each other while offering words of encouragement as classmates moved from level 1 to 5. Fitness is an important focus at LaPerche as we develop the whole child; mind and body!

Students lead the class everyday in Mrs. Friel's kindergarten class. When student lead, they demonstrate understanding of the routines and are role models for their classmates. Here students lead the fundations lesson, the weather song and write the daily math equation to match the question of the day. Students also become comfortable public speaking, an important life skill.

Students in kindergarten, first and second grade came together in the library to read The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. They showed the characters emotions as each reacted to the ladybug. Can tell which one is surprised, frightened, amazed, annoyed?

Lessons are based on Essential Questions that teachers want students to be able to answer. The essential question in Mr. Medeiros' math class last week was, How are fractions and decimals related? After the students read the question together, they had time to think and record notes onto white boards to explain their thinking. When hearing the Maitre D' Party of 2 Responsive Classroom signal, students moved into groups of two to share and then examine their partners ideas. Understanding is deepened when students learn from and explain to peers.

Ms. Feeley’s class learned about Dr. Seuss and enjoyed reading many of his books including Green Eggs and Ham. After reading Green Eggs and Ham they completed a fun math and art activity and made their own green eggs and ham.

Recess Rocks PD has brought new games to LaPerche! In PE last week, third and fourth graders came together to learn some new games including Band Aid tag. One problem with many tag games is that as students get excited the tagging can turn into pushing. In this game, our hands turn into butterflies that tag on the shoulder and back only and feel just as a butterfly would feel. Here students practice tagging each other in a safe and fun way. Interactive modeling, where students see it and then get a chance to try it, is the best way to explicitly teach.

Center time in Mrs. Hayward’s Class! Students work in centers on their individual goals. This is differentiation at its best!

At LaPerche, fifth grade students spend time outside of school strengthening friendships before they head off to middle school! Last night, our fifth graders went snow tubing! Lots of fun and endless exercise!

The youngest students at LaPerche, our kindergarten friends, take on leadership roles. In Mrs. Friel’s class, students take turns being the captain of their teams. The captains set the tables for writers workshop by getting writing folders and workshop tools organized. Then, they call the team from the rug and everyone gets writing!

During math in third grade today, students discussed the difference between area and perimeter, practiced finding both, compared their answers to their partners and completed an independent quick check to check for understanding! It was a great day!

LaPerche fifth graders were outstanding at the first annual 5th Grade Recital Night!

The 50th Anniversary Celebration of LaPerche Elementary School is coming up on Thursday, April 11 from 5:30-7:30 and all are invited! Each grade level is taking on a special project to celebrate the 50 years! Our current fourth grade students would like to interview former LaPerche students to learn all about life at LaPerche during the last 50 years. Are you a former LaPerche student? The fourth graders would like to invite you to an in person interview on Friday, March 8 at 2:00. If you are a former student and would love to be a part of this amazing project, please complete this form. https://goo.gl/forms/vPWITdvsej2YMong2 If you know other former students, please forward this post to them so they can sign up to be interviewed! Thank you! Thank you for your help spreading the word! Feel free to reach out to principal Julie Dorsey @ jdorsey@smithfield-ps.org with any questions. Thank you!

In Miss Martino's third grade classroom, students made Kindness Wreaths! On Valentine’s Day, they read Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch and figured out that the theme was if you are kind to someone else, they will be kind back to you! We discussed how our words are so powerful! Each student then created a “kindness wreath.” Students wrote a kind word about their classmates on a heart and passed them out. In the end, all students were left with a wreath that contained multiple compliments about them! Spread kindness by complimenting someone today!

On Saturday, former and current LaPerche students volunteered in the community at the Mat Ministry. They worked together to prepare plastic grocery bags to get them ready to be woven into water proof, lightweight mats that are given to homeless people. The mats provide insulation from the cold and the heat. They are water proof and lightweight in design which makes them portable. It takes 500 bags to make one mat! If you have extra clean, dry grocery bags please send them into school. Students may place the bags in the white trash can across from the office. LaPerche students care about others!

Mrs. Caswell's kindergarten students look at pictures of a variety of animals and then discuss with partners if they think they are domestic or wild animals. The class discussed the difference and the fact that sometimes animals can be both since they are found in the wild and the zoo.

Still as a ROCK-Mrs. Martel's first graders practice focus and self control while playing Still as a Rock, an energizer from Responsive Classroom. During this energizer, students dance around until Mrs. Martel calls out STILL AS A ROCK! She sets a timer for 30 seconds and the students try and remain completely still during those seconds. Practice with your child and see if she/he can remain still. Start with 5 seconds and build on that success!

Investigation 3.1 from here to there. Focus Question-What are some important features of a cart that will help you get from here to there? Mrs. Ferreira's students used prior knowledge of wheel and axle systems to become engineers. They were to create a cart that would travel down a ramp with little force. Students were given materials but no directions. They built their carts and questioned why their designs were not allowing the axle to turn the wheels. Ask your child what she/he discovered and how she/he was able to be successful.

Please join us at LaPerche on Monday, February 11 between 3:00 and 7:00 for our annual blood drive! Donate and save a life! If you join us after school hours, please arrive through door #3 on the Limerock Side of the building.