Coming This Week: March 3rd

COMING THIS WEEK: March 3, 2014 **Updated**

SWEBS FOCUS:  Rule #4-I will solve my problems peacefully.

Dobson is conducting a mid-year Library review this week. Parent volunteers will be working with Ms. Paldino and Ms. Tierney to reorganize our Library, Tuesday, March 4th-7th.

 

Monday, March 3rd

•  Read Across America: Dr. Seuss Day
• Has been moved to Wednesday, March 5th due to potential inclement weather.

Tuesday, March 4th

• Dobson celebrates the 100th Day of School.
  If we are canceled due to snow, our 100th Day of school celebrations will take place on Friday, March 7th.

Wednesday, March 5th

• Read Across America: Dr. Seuss Day
  

  • All students will participate in our Annual, Read Across America, Dr. Seuss day with some cake and a visit from some very special guests.  Each class will read "Horton Hears A Who" with a guest.

  .

Thursday, March 6th

•  Dobson's Annual African American History Assembly will take place at 2:00pm in the auditorium.  The assembly will feature presentations about famous African Americans from Philadelphia and how they have contributed to our city and our country, the Dance Team and Choir will perform, and class performances.Has been moved to Wednesday, March 14th and will be combined with our Student of the Month Celebrations.
• Home and School Meeting at 6:00pm in the Auditorium

Friday, March 7

• Fun Friday and 4th Grade Bake Sale
• If we are canceled due to snow, our 100th Day of school celebrations will take place on Friday, March 7th.

Mark your calendar

• Wednesday, March 12th:
• Half Day for Students (12:10 dismissal)
• Student of the Month and Annual African American History Assembly 
• Friday, March 14th: Annual Doors of Dobson Contest
• Sunday, March 23rd: The 8^th Grade will be hosting a Flap Jack Fundraiser from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. at Applebee’s located at 8601 Henry Avenue.

 

   PSSA PREP TIP:  

Before Reading Strategies 

The test is on your desk. What do you do now?

•  Open the Proper Mental “Files” 
• When you are told to start, scan the test section you are working on. 
• Think of the test as several small jobs - not one big one. 
• Identify the type of reading, writing, science, or math you will be answering questions about. 
• Get your head into the right mindset.
• Scavenger Hunt 
• Read the questions before reading the passage. Save time and do not read the answer choices.
• Highlight key words in each question such as: “main idea,” “compare,” or “in the beginning of the passage…”. 
• Also highlight any unusual words or words you are unsure of. You can try to use context clues from the reading passage or the answer choices to determine the meaning later.

Coming This Week: March 18th-22nd

Last week for Music Trivia!!  

Questions will be on the announcements each morning!!

 

Monday, March 18th

• Franklin Institute Field Trip (Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade)

• Philly Ad Group Trip to PHL17 Studios (Returning at 11:30am)
•  Music In Our Schools Month Poster Contest Entries will be taken today as well due to a typo on the rule sheet!
• Visit the 3rd Floor Hallway this week to see the entries!
• 2-$25 iTunes Gift cards are up for grabs for both the Upper School and the Lower School!!

Tuesday, March 19th

• Franklin Institute Field Trip (Upper School)

Wednesday, March 20th

• First Day of Spring!
• Drop Everything And Read
• Cherrydale Party

Friday, March 22nd

• District Technology Fair
• Good Luck to Julia O, Emma B., Ashton R., Isabela S., Emma S., and Destiny J!
• Fun Friday (35 tickets to attend with 10 additional needed to dress down)
• Kindergarten Bake Sale

 

Mark Your Calendars:

• School will be closed the week of March 25^th for Spring Break.
• Outward Bound Fundraiser will be held on Sunday, March 24 at Applebee’s (8601 Henry Avenue ~ Andorra Shopping Center).
  
  • Outward Bound is a five day excursion along the Appalachian Trail. This program is an outdoor experience that challenges each student to be a leader, an individual, and an innovator.  It will enhance each student's endurance as an individual and enrich their ability to work as a member of a team.  Students from grades 7 and 8 submit  essays on what they would get out of the program along with teacher recommendations. Ten students will be chosen to attend.  In order for these ten students to attend they must fundraise $1,500. We’ve set up an Applebee's Fundraiser on March 24th from 8am-10am. Tickets are $7 each. 
   
  Fundraising Opportunities:
  
  
  Sign up your "shopper card" at Campbell’s labels. Here's how to do it:  Go to:  http://www.elabelsforeducation.com/Sites/Campbells_eLabels/Page/HomePage
  
  
  Create your profile, choose your participating retailer (they are listed), enter your shopper card number and then select JAMES DOBSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL to support.  It only takes one minute to register your card. After you register, you do nothing but shop for participating products. Points will be added electronically to Dobson's account. As an added bonus, continue to clip the labels and send them into school. We will earn more points.
  
  
  Also, continue to send in Box Tops. We collect these all year round. Visit Boxtops4education.comfor more ways to earn for Dobson.
  
   
    
  

Coming This Week: February 18th- February 22nd

Coming This Week:  February 18th- February 22nd

 

This is the last week of our Box Top Drive. Let's make it count! Remember, the classroom that turns in the most Box Tops wins a superbuck, tickets or dress down passes! Check your fridge and cupboards for the following brands: General Mills, Pillsbury, Yoplait, Hamburger Helper, Betty Crocker, Old El Paso, Nature Valley, Ziploc, Scott, Kleenex, Cottonelle, and Hefty.

Don't forget to log on to KidBiz3000 and First In Math everyday!!

 If you need your child's log in information, please contact your child's teacher!

Monday, February 18th

• No School- President's Day

Tuesday, February 19th

• 100th Day of School

Wednesday, February 20th

• Drop Everything And Read

Friday, February 22nd

• Fun Friday
• 35 Tickets with 10 additional needed to dress down
• Bake Sale to benefit the 3rd Grade Classroom

Mark Your Calendars:

•  African American History Assembly will be held on Tuesday, February 26th at 2:15pm
• Little Caesar Pizza Orders will be delivered on Feb. 28th
• A new Achieve3000 contest is coming!!! Details have been posted on the blog already!! Check out the Achieve3000 posts for details!

Coming This Week: January 7th

Coming This Week:  January 7th- January 11th

Congratulations to the December Students of the Month!

Nora F., Tahir B., Durand D., Kadence B., Mia B., Ava A., Nyssa P., Sammie D., Tiger M., John S., Evan W., and Zack W.!!

Don't forget to log on to KidBiz3000 and First In Math everyday!! If you need your child's log in information, please contact your child's teacher!

Monday, January 7th

• Achieve3000 Achievements will be announced! Stay tuned for more information.

Tuesday, January 8th

• Winter Music Showcase!!  This Showcase will feature many of our students in the large band and a group of songs from our recent production of Cinderella!
• Roxborough High School
• 6:00pm

Wednesday, January 9th

• Drop Everything And Read
• 3:15 Boys Basketball game vs. Linglebach at Hillside 

Friday, January 11th

• Fun Friday
• 30 Tickets with 10 additional needed to dress down
• Bake Sale to benefit the 5th Grade Classroom

Mark Your Calendars:

• Picture Retake Day will be on Monday, January 7, 2013. Students who were absent or unable to have their picture taken in November may do so on the 7th. A note will be sent home with students this week.
• Home and School Meeting at 6:00pm.  This meeting will be held at the Roxborough Free Library
•  January 21st- School will be closed for Martin Luther King Day

Coming This Week: November 5th

Coming This Week: November 5th-November 9th

S.W.E.B.S. Focus: Rule #1

 Monday, November 5th

• Dobson Decides!
• Dobson students will participate in a mini-election process to chose which candidate they feel would be the best President!

Tuesday, November 6th

• Election Day
• School will be closed for students.

Wednesday, November 7th

• D.E.A.R.- Drop Everything and Read

Friday, November 9th

• Fun Friday
• Student Council Elections

Cinderella Tickets are now on Sale! Ticket order forms will be sent home to all students again on Monday, November 5th. 

Note from the Principal!

The 2012-2013 school year is truly off and running.  Many of our after school programs have begun! From Cinderella and Students Run to Soccer and Volleyball, our students are already busy preparing for tournaments and events coming later this year.

Thanks again to all of the families that attended Back to School Night and, once more, welcome all of our new and returning families to Dobson. It is my hope that we provided a small snapshot of the learning environment and activities that your children thrive in each day.

This year, Dobson is going hi-tech.  With an unprecedented level of access to student computers, many of our programs have gone online!

This week marks the beginning of our First In Math Program.  Students will be given their log-on information and can begin earning stickers!  Our First In Math competition at Dobson is very steep!

Another program that your students may have been talking about with you is Achieve3000, also known as KidBiz3000 or TeenBiz3000.   Similar to First In Math, students can log-in and earn points as they read non-fiction articles. 

“Achieve3000 is a web-based differentiated K-12 reading program that uses email, technology, and current events to strengthen students’ literacy skills. Based on scientific research on how children learn to read effectively, Achieve3000 helps students reach and exceed the appropriate reading and writing levels through individualized teaching.”

Our goal at Dobson, for each student using the Achieve 3000 program in grades 3-8,  is to complete a minimum of 2 activities a week.  This means that your child will log on during the school day and read assigned articles and complete PSSA structured questions and aligned activities. These activities allow students to practice reading and decoding questions and informational texts similar to what they will see on the PSSA all year long.   Each activity completed at a 75% score or higher allows students to earn points.   

OCTOBER is busy! In addition to our bi-weekly Fun Friday activities and the Student of the Month Assembly, we are looking forward to a Lower School (k-4) Costume Parade on Halloween, hosted by the Home and School, and an Upper School (5-8) Fall Dance in the gym, both occurring in the afternoon of October 31^st.

…. Coming soon: November will bring awareness of the national election, with a Dobson Election event courtesy of our students in rooms 106, 104, and 203.  This assembly will help students become more familiar with, not only the election process, but also the candidates and the political parties they represent. Soon after this event, our own election process for Student Council in the Upper School is scheduled. 

Here’s to a great start of our new year and the fabulous fall is has been thus far!

Ms. Cruice, Proud Principal of the Dobson Dolphins

Coming This Week: October 22nd

Coming This Week: October 22nd-26th

S.W.E.B.S. Focus: Rule #5

I will show respect with a positive attitude, kind words and actions,

 and careful use of school property.

Monday, October22nd

• For those who ordered uniforms, they will be distributed today by the Home and School.

Wednesday, October 24th

• D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read)
• Relocation Drill at 9:30am
• Cinderella T-Shirt and Hoodie Orders are due to Ms. Tierney.
• Cinderella Tickets Go On Sale Today! See Ms. Tierney if you need an order form.

Thursday, October 25th

• Book Fair
• Dance Team Practice 3:10-4:30pm

Friday, October 26th

• Fun Friday
• 30 Tickets to Attend
• 10 Tickets to Dress Down
• Extra Tickets will go in the classroom raffle

 

Coming This Week: May 6th through May 11th

Coming Up This Week: 5/6

S.W.E.B.S. Focus is Rule #4   I will solve my problems peacefully!

Happy National Teacher's Week!

• Sunday, May 6th-  Students Run Philly Style.



• Several of our students have been  been training hard to prepare for the Broad Street Run.  This run is 10 miles down Broad Street in Center City Philadelphia.
  
  These students are all apart of Students Run Philly Style, which is moderated by Ms. J.  Students run after school to build their endurance, strength and mental stamina. 
  
  Ms. J, Isaiah, Nick and Evan will be running this race for the 2nd time.  Jalen will be completing this run for the first time.  Pictures to follow!
• Tuesday, May 8th
• National Teacher Appreciation Day
• Wednesday, May 9th
• Home and School Meeting at 3:15pm
• Thursday, May 10th

• This year's All-Philadelphia Middle School Music Festival will be held on Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 7:00 PM in the theater of the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP).  One of our sixth grade students, will be participating! We wish him all the best!  Break a leg, Chris!
• The program will feature the All-City Middle School String Orchestra under the direction of Tracy Parente and Marjorie Keefe; the All-City Middle School Concert Band is under the direction of Michael Davino and Mac Holcomb.  A highlight of program will be the full orchestra of 200 student musicians performing Rossini's  "The William Tell Overture" conducted by Jason Ikeem Rodgers.
• The concert is free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact Virginia Lam  at 215-400-5902/vlam@philasd.org.
   
• Friday, May 11th:  Fun Friday
• 20 Tickets to attend, an additional 10 to dress down

Coming up this week: 3/19

What's Going on at Dobson This Week?

• Monday, March 19th-  Last Day of PSSA testing
• Tuesday, March 20th-  PSSA Testing Make-Ups
• Wednesday, March 21st-  SPRING FLING DANCE  
• 2:00om-3:10pm
• Upper School
• $3 to attend
• Friday, March 23rd-  Fun Friday!!
• 20 tickets to attend
• 10 additional tickets to dress down

Reminders:

• Interim/Progress Reports have been sent home, please sign and return those to your student's teacher.
• Log-in to FamilyNet to monitor your child's progress throughout the marking period.
• The second issue of the Umbria Street Journal will be posted this week.  Keep on the look out for Dobson's First Annual Poetry Contest!! Information and rules will be published in the new issue.
•  The TeenBiz/KidBiz3000 contest is on!  For more info follow the link:  www.achieve3000.com/contest/spring Here are the current standings! Don't forget the winning class wins a party! The contest ends March 30th. 

• 5th Grade is currently in the lead with 25.8 points and 24 students who have completed at least 8 activities.
• 7th Grade is currently in second place with 20.8  points and 21 students who have completed at least 8 activities.
• 4th Grade is currently in third place with 19.4 points and 5 students who have completed at least 8 activities.
• 8th Grade is currently in fourth place with 12.4 points with 7 students who have completed at least 8 activities.