The Canyon View Coyote: September 2014

Friday, September 26, 2014

Principal's Message

Dear Canyon View Families,

As we continue to inform our community about the new District Strategic Plan-Envision21: Deep Learning, the component of the plan highlighted in this newsletter is CFSD Strategic Plan-Goal 2, which focuses on developing positive academic mindsets.
Hearing a child say, “I’m just not smart enough” can tell us a lot about how they view themselves, and how they view intelligence. The research evidence suggests that one of the best levers for increasing deep learning is for students to develop positive mindsets about themselves in relation to the academic work. Academic mindsets are the motivational components that influence students’ engagement in learning. In turn, engagement in deep learning reinforces positive academic mindsets.

As we work to develop strong academic mindsets, we will focus on strengthening the following core beliefs within our students:

1. I belong in this academic community.
•Feel a strong sense of belonging within a community of learners and value intellectual engagement with others.
•Understand learning as a social process and actively learn from one another and support each other in the pursuit of learning goals.
•Readily engage in the construction of meaning and understanding through interaction with peers.
2. I can succeed at this.
•Trust in own capacity and competence and feel a strong sense of efficacy at a variety of academic tasks.
•See themselves as academic achievers and expect to succeed in their learning pursuits.
3. My ability and competence grow with my effort.
•Believe that hard work will pay off in increased knowledge and skills.
•Are motivated to put in the time and effort needed to build a solid knowledge base and to accomplish important goals.
4. The work has value for me.
•Perceive the inherent value of content knowledge and of learning and developing skills.
•See the relevance of school work to their lives and interests.
•Understand how work they do now will benefit them in the future.
•Know that future learning will build upon what they know and learn today.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Rob Henikman
Principal

Happenings in 4th grade

Happenings in 4th Grade

We started the year with Systems Thinking in 4th grade in Mrs. Ghori’s and Mr. Suter’s science/social studies classes. The students set goals for the year and learned about Chevreul’s Pendulum and the power of suggestion. Kyle said, “It’s cool that if you think hard enough, anything is possible.” Garrett said, “It was fun that we could actually make the pendulum move!”

Garrett and Kyle

We also did an exercise on perspective called “Pencils in the Air”. This exercise is a great activity on perspective. Ask your 4th grader about it. This Systems Thinking activity was also done in China in the summer when Mrs. Ghori was one of eight teachers selected for a study abroad opportunity to visit schools in Nanjing, China. Other teachers from Canyon View were Kathy Newton and Tracy Mong. They taught lessons in sign language to a group of 6th graders.

Myles and Kalia 6th grade students in Nanjing, China Yanfei with master teacher

Kalia said, When you spin the pencil, you see it in a different way. In real life, it means when someone else is thinking something different, you can communicate to see what the other person is saying and you can learn from the other person.” Myles noticed when you look at the pencil up or down, it was going a different way. He said, “It doesn’t matter if you have a different point of view, you just think differently. Everybody doesn’t think the same.”

We challenge other grades to write about what you are learning in the classroom!

Parent Teacher Conference

Parent Teacher Conferences

October 13, 14 & 15

Half days - School is dismissed at 11:30 am

Morning Kindergarten is out at 9:30 am

No School:

October 16 & 17

Fall Break

CANYON BOO

SAVE THE DATE

CANYON BOO

FRIDAY OCTOBER 24TH

From the Health Office

The Health Office is in need of :

Children's Tylenol

Gently used Girls & Boys shorts/ pants

Illness/Flu Season:

Please keep your student home if they have a fever over 100 degrees, are coughing persistently, are vomiting or have diarrhea. It is better for students to stay home one day and get better than come to school and prolong the illness. We also remind students to use hand sanitizer and/or wash their hands frequently. We encourage families to get the flu shot as flu season is just around the corner.

Picture Day

SMILE

PICTURE DAY

Tuesday October 7th

Canyon View Book Club

Book Fair (1)

Book Fair (2)

Science Night(1)

Science Night(2)

Science Night(3)

Support Canyon View

Box Tops

BOX TOP CHALLENGE IS ALMOST COMPLETE

Our September back-to-school box top challenge is almost finished! Each box top clipped means 10 cents for Canyon View! At no additional cost to you! Last year we raised over $1000 dollars with these little box tops! The class with the most box tops will win a snow cone party! Please send in boxtops with your students between now and next Tuesday, September 30! They can be given to the teacher, or put in the box in the office. Thanks for helping us get FREE money for Canyon View!

Family Day

Community Schools

Walk for Avielle

Arizona Opera

Friday, September 12, 2014

Principal's Message

Dear Canyon View Families,

The slight chill in the air each morning indicates that the fall season is upon us. For the students, staff, and families at Canyon View this time of the year signifies the beginning of many of our academic clubs and intervention offerings. We are pleased to announce that we’ll be offering the following academic enrichment opportunities this year for our students: Geography Bee, Spelling Bee, Book Club, STEAM Club, Miler’s Club, Choir, Steel Drum, Robotics, and Khan Academy. At Canyon View, we firmly believe in developing the well-rounded child, and we are committed to providing opportunities and programs that support this philosophy and promote deep learning.

Canyon View is also deeply committed to providing researched-based interventions for those students who need additional support. In addition to the individualized instruction provided by the classroom teachers, Imagine Learning will once again be a Tier 2 intervention that is used at Canyon View. Imagine Learning is a language and reading software that includes instruction in the five essential reading components: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. It also has the ability to differentiate students' instruction by conducting an initial placement test to delineate a starting point for each student, regulate and sequence student instruction based on student responses, and provide informative feedback tailored to student responses. Finally, language support is provided for students who need it and the support is gradually withdrawn as students progress toward language proficiency. Imagine Learning invitations will be sent out to specific students next week. If your child receives an invitation and you would like additional information regarding the program, please do not hesitate to contact the front office at 209-7700.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Rob Henikman
Principal