We are headed to the home stretch!   We have a busy few weeks left with lots a learning to still take place!   Below are some important dates: 

May 8 (tonight) – PTA meeting at 7:00 in the Armstrong Teacher’s Lounge
May 9 – Nachos for sale at lunch – $2.00
May 16 – Early Childhood Family Night (5-6:30)
May 17 – No Early Childhood Classes
May 23 – PTA selling Hot Dogs for lunch
May 28 – No School
May 31 – Field Day
June 1 – No School
June 4 – 6th Grade Celebration at 1:15
June 5 – Last day of School

We are still looking for parent volunteers for Field Day. If you are interested in helping out, please contact the school or our PTA Field Day Committee Chairperson, Debra Orstrom.

Mrs. Erbach<!– Posted in News | Edit | Comments Off

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“LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!”

Thursday, April 26th  6:00-8:00 p.m.

 Please join us as Armstrong School students share their creativity in this all school event.  The evening’s schedule is below:

6:00-7:45
1^st Floor Student ART Gallery
2^nd Floor Student BOOK Display

6:00  6^th Grade Chorus (gym)
6:15  Favorite Stories (Rooms 204, 207, 213 & 216)
6:30  *Blue Dance Session:  Paul Collins (gym)
6:30  Author: Kim Hurley  (library)
6:45  Favorite Stories (Rooms 204, 207, 213 & 216)
7:00  1st Grade Seussical Songs (library)
7:10  *Yellow Dance Session:  Paul Collins (gym)
7:15  Favorite Stories (Rooms 204, 207, 213 & 216)
7:30  Author: Lisa Killebrew (library)
7:45  **Storyteller: Donna Mihovilovich (gym)

*You must have a ticket (free) to attend the dance session. 
Tickets will be available at the School Store that evening.

**All participants in the evening activities are asked to attend
this final event of the evening.

Friday, April 6^th – No School
Tuesday, April 10^th – PTA Meeting at 7:00PM
Thursday, April 19^th – Kindergarten Round UP (6:30PM) AND PTA Book Fair
Friday, April 20^th – Spring Fling Sponsored by the PTA
Monday, April 23^rd – Map testing starts
Thursday, April 26^th – Festival of the Arts  6 – 8 p.m.  You won’t want to miss this one–details coming soon!
Wed., May 2^nd – ½ Day of School grades 1 – 6 (No school for EC and Kinder)

 Also, don’t forget to mark May 31^st on your calendars.  We are looking for many parents to run events on Field Day.  Please RSVP to our PTA if you are interested in helping.

Mrs. Erbach

The students have been preparing all year long in order to be ready for ISAT testing!  ISAT’s are finally here.  Today we had an assembly to celebrate with our students (third through sixth) how prepared they are to take these tests.  We want them to understand that the staff has prepared them well to take this important test and they just need to  trust and believe in themselves.  Our school theme this year is “Ignite your Light and Let it Shine”.  This theme has been taken from the Katy Perry song Firework.  During the assembly, “unveiled” our song and talked with the children about this theme and how it pertains to them doing their best!

 For the next two weeks, students will get different treats to give them extra encouragement.  Every day they will receive a different item.

• Every testing day the students will receive a peppermint.  There is research to show that peppermint helps with “brain power”.
• Today, Monday, March 5 – Pencils (They are engraved “Ignite your Light and Let it Shine!”) – You are a sharp group of students!
• Tuesday, March 6 – Smarties (candy) – Be a smartie, show what you know!
• Thursday, March 8 – Bubble Gum – You are a Super Student – Blow the Top off the Test!
• Tuesday, March 13 – Starburst – You can be an ISAT Star!
• Wednesday, March 14 – Tootsie Roll – You are on a roll, Keep up the good work!

 Today at the assembly, every student who is taking the ISAT test received a shirt with this year’s theme written on it…..Ignite you Light and Let it Shine!  These shirts are compliments of the Armstrong Staff.  Please have your child wear the shirt tomorrow (Tuesday) to school (and any other time as well)!

 Kindergarten, first grade and second grade students did not participate in any of the ISAT activities.  They will have something to look forward to when they are old enough to take the ISAT tests.  We will continue to do something motivational every year for all the students who take these tests.

 ISAT testing will begin at Armstrong tomorrow on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 and will conclude on Wednesday, March 14^th.  We continue to work very hard with our students to support their learning across all content areas.  All students will test with their classroom teachers unless they receive special accommodations.  Make-up testing will occur through the testing window which ends March 16^th.

 Parents can help their child to do his/her best on the tests by doing the following:

1.      Avoid absences that are not related to illness on testing days

2.      Make sure your child arrives at school on time; if they are late they will sit in the office until the testing period is over and have to make up the test (WE BEGIN TESTING RIGHT AT 8:45)

3.      Make sure your child gets a good night sleep

4.      Encourage your child to eat a good breakfast

5.      Remind your child to ask questions if he/she does not understand test directions

6.      Let your child know that you have confidence in his/her ability to do his/her best

7.      Advise your child not to worry about the testing – just do the best he/she can

 Please be aware that during testing times, we will not interrupt classes.  We know our students will do GREAT!  Thanks for all your help and support at home.  We look forward to seeing the results!!

 Sincerely,
Mrs. Erbach and Ms. Kanoon

Dancing of one kind or another is present in every culture around the world.  As one of the four Fine Arts, it is valued by the State of Illinois and included in the current state standards.  The Fine Arts (Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Art) are considered a core curricular subject equal in importance to Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and Math.  These dance lessons are based on our school district’s dance curriculum and will focus on dance performance vocabulary, movement skills and make historical and multicultural connections. 

Each lesson will have a different dance concept focus:
Lesson 1:  Personal and Group Space
Lesson 2:  Locomotor and Nonlocomotor Movement
Lesson 3:  Body Awareness and Level
Lesson 4:  Shape
Lesson 5:  Direction and Body Facing
Lesson 6:  Quality of Movement
Lesson 7:  Choreography and Improvisation
Lesson 8:  Review

Rooms 107, 108 & 109 will perform at 6:15
Rooms 104, 105 & 106 will perform at 7:30

Performers should arrive 15 minutes before their show begins.