Joel Weekly News Blast

Posted Date: 10/02/26 (06:00 PM)

October 2, 2026

Message From Teresa Gingrave

Dear Families,

Thank you for participating in our open house last week. Our related arts teachers and specialists were appreciative of the time you took to connect with them and learn about their programs. Your child’s homeroom teacher prepared presentations that engaged you in understanding the classroom social-emotional expectations and the academic demands that you will be supporting this year.

Lifetouch Pictures: Our picture day is all done. Retakes will take place on October 27th. The class picture will be a composite. This will allow any students who were sick or absent on picture day to be included. Also, newly registered students can be included. You should expect the composite (Class Picture) after October 27th.

Fire Prevention: Next week, on Thursday and Friday, students will engage in lessons on fire prevention. They will learn about fire safety and will visit an ambulance and a fire truck.

Upcoming Seasonal Events: Spirit Days are here! Check the schedule of spirit events.

The Math At Home Website is an excellent resource for families. There is a different page for each grade level and many different activities based on what your child is currently learning. Right now, you would pick your child's grade level and set 1 or set 2 to match the unit they are currently studying in math. Here is a short video explaining the website: Math at Home Video Directions. You can find the website at Math at Home Website. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Hayes or Mrs. Maly-Bingham at hhayes@clintonpublic.net or AMaly-Bingham@clintonpublic.net. Have fun!

Student Shout Outs: Every morning, we will do student shout-outs from school. Feel free to send us home shout-outs as well, and we will read them in the morning.

Have a wonderful weekend!

WORD OF THE WEEK
K - 2 - DASH
3 & 4 - CONSTRUCT

IDIOM OF THE WEEK
DROP THE BALL

REPORT FROM OUR CLASSROOM

Grade 1 Update: In the current literacy unit, students build on their understanding of tools and work by considering how habits of character also help us do work. This unit introduces three habits of character that help students be effective learners: initiative, collaboration, and perseverance. Students study these habits through literature and experience. They engage in a series of active close read-alouds of The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires, studying the main character’s behavior and actions as she initiates a project, collaborates with her pet, and perseveres through multiple iterations of her magnificent thing until she gets it just right. Each day as they read this text, students take on their own “challenges” as a way to apply and practice the habits of character. In the culminating task for the close read-aloud series of lessons, students respond in writing to the question, “How was the girl able to make such a magnificent thing?” This allows them to demonstrate their understanding of habits of character and how these habits contribute to effective work.