Our Kindergarten students took a trip to Ms. Heather's Pumpkin Patch and learned about how a pumpkin grows. They also picked their own pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, and learned how a pumpkin is carved. Students enjoyed some face painting, too!  Thank you to all our families who joined us on this fun field trip!

It's  Mallet Madness week in music class for third and fifth graders!  We are learning how to create a nice tone with correct posture and mallet position.  We are also learning how to play high sounds, low sounds, and glissandos.  Students have learned a rhythmic chant to help them know when it's time to move to the next instrument.  Students noticed that their instruments were different sizes and made of wood and metal.  One class had the chance to try out six different instruments!

We'll be using soprano, alto, and bass xylophones, soprano, alto and bass metallophones, as well as soprano and alto glockenspiels and the big bass bars.

This letter will go home tomorrow on orange paper. 

I wanted to send a little reminder about the Vote for the Favorite Teacher Promotion by TJ Ribs. Our school has 12 teachers nominated to win the $1000.I have included the link to the page. You can also find it on TJ Rib's Facebook page. 

Thank you for supporting our teachers! Good Luck!!

https://frg.wishpond.com/tj'sacadian-teacher-awards/ 

Dear Parent,
 
Did you know that the majority of kids in Louisiana are not engaging in the recommended amount of physical activity, which puts them at risk for a variety of chronic diseases?  As the parent of a child between the ages of 10-12 years at BRCVPA, we want to let you know about a fun, new opportunity for your child to get active!  Pennington Biomedical Research Center is offering GameSquad – an in-home physical activity program using active video games.
 
GameSquad is a 24-week research study that promotes physical activity through video games in the comfort of your own home.  Participating children and a parent/guardian will only come to Pennington 3 times, for a screening visit and clinical assessments.  Your child will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: 

1. Exergaming group, where your child will be asked to follow a prescribed exergaming routine at home for 6 months, including 3 hours/week of exergaming and periodic video chat check-ins with a fitness coach.
2. Control group, where your child will be asked to continue his/her usual physical activity habits for 6 months.

If enrolled in the Exergaming group, your child will receive an Xbox 360+, Kinect, and various exergames to play throughout the program – and your child will get to keep all of this equipment after the program ends!  If enrolled in the control group, your child will receive an Xbox 360+, Kinect, and various exergames to play once the study is complete.
 
If you and your child are looking for a fun, exciting way to get active and “gate way” into a healthier lifestyle, join the GameSquad program!  Children must be 10-12 years old and meet certain qualifications to participate.  To sign up for GameSquad, please visit www.pbrc.edu/gamesquad  or call 225-763-3000 to complete the screening process.  For more information, feel free to call or email the project manager:  Chelsea Hendrick at 225-763-2918 or Chelsea.Hendrick@pbrc.edu . 
 
Thank you so much for your time and we hope you will join us in striving for a healthier and more active Louisiana!
 
Sincerely,

​Amanda E. Staiano, Ph.D.
Department of Preventive Medicine & Healthy Aging
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana State University

Monday, October 26th 

• Vision and Hearing Screening 
• 3rd Grade Artist Presentation 
• Red Ribbon Week "Red-y to Say "NO" to Drugs" 
  • Red Shirt Day - students may wear any red shirt with their uniform bottoms. 

Tuesday, October 27th 

• 4th Grade Field Trip to Ocean Commotion at LSU 
• Red Ribbon Week "I CAN be Drug Free" 
  • Donate a canned good for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
• Talented Theater Performance at the Carver Library at 5:30 p.m. 

Wednesday, October 28th 

• 3rd Grade Field Trip to the Old/New State Capitol 
• Red Ribbon Week "Sock it to Drugs" 
  • Students may wear crazy socks! 

Thursday, October 29th 

• Kindergarten Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch 
• Red Ribbon Week "Turn your Back on Drugs" 
  • Students may wear their uniform shirt or BRCVPA spirit shirt backwards 
• PBIS Spooky Science Day - "25 Starbucks" 
  • LSU Chemistry department is coming to do science experiments with our students

Friday, October 30th 

• Vocabulary Parade 9:00 
• Red Ribbon Week " Poster Winners will be Announced!" 
• Pre-Kindergarten Harvest Fest 1:30

Saturday, October 31st 

• Talented Twelve students will perform at the 66th annual Pancake Festival at LSU's PMAC. Please come out and eat all the pancakes you can eat, view the art contest display, see our students perform during the talent contest, and get your face painted for free! 

• Halloween! Send pictures of your costumes to chartley@ebrschools.org to see your pictures on the school's Halloween blogpost! 

​Have a great week Baton Rouge Center Families! 

Learning to read can be fun at home, too! Ms. Mercil's writing clubs take BRCVPA Book Bags home to read and enjoy with their families. Here are some tips for improving both reading fluency and comprehension: 

• Making Connections-Good readers connect what they know with what they are reading.
• Predicting-Good readers think about what's going to happen and make predictions based on what they know and what they have read.
• Questing-Good readers ask themselves questions when they read.
• Monitoring-Good readers stop to think about their reading and know what to do when they don't understand.
• Summarizing-Good readers identify the most important ideas and restate them in their own words
• Visualizing-Good readers picture what is happening while they read.

Students in Mrs. Young's class held a funeral for Christopher Columbus, complete with a touching eulogy, kleenex, and tears.