Ithaca South Elementary

South Elementary is proud to announce our September Students of the Month! This month, students were nominated for displaying great teamwork skills. Congratulations, Junior Jackets!

HOMECOMING SPIRIT WEEK IS NEXT WEEK!
Get ready to show off your superpowers and school pride! Next week is Homecoming Dress-Up Week, and we are keeping it simple, fun, and 100% budget-friendly.

No need to buy fancy costumes! Everything your child needs can be found right in their drawers, closets, or around the house. Check out the lineup below and dive into the spirit:

THE DAILY LINEUP

Monday: Superhero Color Squad

The Look: Dress in your grade level’s assigned superhero color!

Around-the-house tip: Any basic t-shirt, sweater, or socks in your grade color works perfectly.

Tuesday: Hero Graphic Tee & Comic Brights

The Look: Wear your favorite superhero shirt OR wear bright comic book colors (red, blue, yellow, purple, or green)!

Around-the-house tip: Have a shirt with a positive word like "Kind" or "Brave"? That counts as a superpower shirt too!

Wednesday: Everyday Real-Life Heroes

The Look: Dress like a real-world community hero—doctors, nurses, firefighters, teachers, military members, or postal workers.

Around-the-house tip: Scrubs, a high-vis vest, a sports jersey, or a simple paper badge taped to a shirt instantly does the trick.

Thursday: Superhero Accessories & Sock Day

The Look: Rock your favorite superhero socks, hats, wristbands, or capes!

Around-the-house tip: Tuck a small towel or pillowcase into a shirt collar for an instant DIY cape, or wear fun, mismatched colorful socks!

Friday: Homecoming Hero Spirit Day!

The Look: Show your ultimate school pride! Wear your BLUE & GOLD school colors or spirit shirts to cheer the YELLOWJACKETS on for Homecoming!

Quick Friendly Rules for a Safe Week:

No weapons or play props (keep swords, shields, and blasters at home).

No full-face masks or scary face paint (we need to see those smiling faces!).

Let’s make this the highest-participation Homecoming week ever!

There is nothing preschoolers love more than the freedom to be creative! 🎨🖌️🖍️✂️

Second graders read Going Places in STEAM lab and were challenged to create frog inspired vehicles like the children were planning to build in the story. Teams were encouraged to keep revising until they designed a vehicle they were truly proud of!

You know it's a good day when your stuffie gets to spend the day with you! These Kindergartners in Miss Hayes's room worked hard to earn their stuffed animal party. The stuffed animals got to learn with them and enjoy a day at school 😊🧸

First graders in Mrs. Schaeding's room showed fantastic teamwork as they worked together to complete 120 counting chart puzzles. It was a time full of learning and fun! 🧩🙌

South Elementary preschoolers are hard at work learning the routines of their classroom. They recently learned how to appropriately use glue sticks and then practiced using them to glue paper shapes. Preschoolers have also learned how to use stamps and ink pads and played daily in the Sensory Table Area.

🌟 Celebrate Showing Up 🌟
Attendance improves when kids feel noticed. Try a simple routine: “High five for being here today” or a weekly family shout-out for effort.

Need support or want to learn more? Visit fewerthan5.com for family resources. Funding for Strive for Fewer than Five is supported by the Region 5 MiFamily Engagement Center.

Our Donuts for Grown-Ups Event is planned for October 20th at South Elementary!

"Library Day" is always an awesome day for our Junior Jackets. Each week, students hear a read-aloud from our wonderful librarian, Mrs. Longanbach, choose a book to take home, and play with the toys that can only be found in the South Elementary Library! 📚 🐝💙💛

We celebrated '9 to 5' or Dolly Parton Day at South! Some of our staff dressed the part with Ms. Stec and Mrs. Schaeding winning best dressed! Students also listened to a book written by Dolly called "Coat of Many Colors" and colored their own coat in the classroom.

"If you see someone without a smile today, give 'em yours". -Dolly Parton

Join us for our school/community connection STEAM story hour at Thompson Home Public Library Monday, Sept 28 at 5:30!

Awesome job, Junior Jackets and South Elementary Families!!!

Last week, Ms. Hayes's classroom had an Apple Day!! They had an apple tasting where they tried red, yellow, and green apples. Then they voted on which one was their favorite… Green won the vote! 🍏🍎

It was a beautiful day for a trip to the orchard on Tuesday! First graders had a wonderful time tasting cider and donuts, picking an apple, feeding goats and playing with their friends. Thank you to the chaperones that joined them and the wonderful PTO for funding the trip. 💛💙🐝🍎🍏🐐

Mrs. Whitford's students read Ten Apples Up On Top in STEAM lab this week and were challenged to create hats that could hold "ten apples up on top"! The working designs made all of us chuckle!

In STEAM lab this week, first graders made models to demonstrate how some animals experience day when others experience night. These super scientists were able to use their models to explain how facing the sun creates daylight and facing away causes darkness.

Teaching about expectations and how to navigate the classroom are very important concepts that help make Kindergarten rooms run smoothly! Mr. Whitford's Kindergarteners explored puzzle resources using teamwork and then independently rotated to alternate stations after completions!

🛠️ Attendance Support Starts Early 🛠️
Transportation issues? Morning stress? Family schedule changes? Reach out early—schools can connect you to supports before absences add up.

Need support or want to learn more? Visit fewerthan5.com for family resources. Funding for Strive for Fewer than Five is supported by the Region 5 MiFamily Engagement Center.