Ithaca South Elementary

Mrs. Yelsik's 2nd graders have been playing games to strengthen their understanding of place value. Here, they are rolling the dice and using strategies to create the greatest 3-digit number they can to compare with their partner’s number.

🤒 Not Sure if They Should Stay Home? 🤒
If your child can participate in school activities, attending may be the best choice. When in doubt, contact your school—your attendance team can help.

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.

This week in STEAM lab first graders learned that the Earth is always spinning. They then designed and tested their own tops to extend the idea of objects spinning!

Ms. Hayes and her Kindergartners read the book, “My Mouth is A Volcano” and discussed what to do if they feel like they are going to explode! 😊🌋 They also got to create a “volcano” and watched it explode (that might have been a favorite 😆

Thank you, Project Full, for your snack donations for the first trimester! We are so appreciative of your generosity! Thank you to all these 2nd grade Junior Jackets, too. They helped us carry and deliver all the snacks to classrooms!

After reading a book called Dreaming Up in STEAM lab and seeing how young builders can use all sorts of items to make models of real structures, kindergarteners used building cards to create their own models.

Mrs. Schaeding's 1st graders had their first day of partner reading on Tuesday and they did a fantastic job! 📚👫 Partner reading is an important part of learning in our early elementary classrooms! Reading with a partner helps students build confidence, practice fluency, strengthen comprehension, and learn from one another. Best of all, it makes reading engaging and fun! ❤️📖

Mrs. Schaeding's 1st graders had their first day of partner reading and they did a fantastic job! 📚👫 Partner reading is an important part of learning in our early elementary classrooms! Reading with a partner helps students build confidence, practice fluency, strengthen comprehension, and learn from one another. Best of all, it makes reading engaging and fun! ❤️📖

🍎 Everyday Attendance Starts Now 🍎
Showing up every day early in the year helps kids build confidence, connect with classmates, and stay on track with learning.

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.

🍎 Everyday Attendance Starts Now 🍎
Showing up every day early in the year helps kids build confidence, connect with classmates, and stay on track with learning.

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.

Second graders read Violet the Pilot in STEAM lab and were challenged to design flying machines that could rescue a "person", just like Violet did in the story. Collaboration was key for these successful designs!

These 2nd graders were excited to celebrate the '2nd day of 2nd Grade!"

📅 First Week = Routine Week 📅
Try to avoid “just one extra day” of vacation once school begins. The first week sets habits that last all year.

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 South Elementary gym got a facelift this summer! The gym and kitchen were painted and new speakers were installed along with these graphics. Our custodial team has been working hard to prepare our building for our staff and students!

🎒 Create a “Night-Before” Routine 🎒
Lay out clothes, pack backpacks, charge devices, and pick breakfast options the night before. Fewer morning surprises help kids get to school on time.

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.

"Who will your teacher be? Log into PowerSchool to see!" Wondering who your child's teacher will be this year? Skip the guesswork and log into PowerSchool to find your classroom match! We can't wait to see you soon! Keep in mind our Ithaca Public Schools open house will be on Thursday, August 20th: South Elementary begins at 5:30 PM, North Elementary begins at 6 PM and Junior/Senior High School begins at 6:30 PM.

😴 Start the Sleep Reset 😴
A week or two before school starts, shift bedtime earlier by 10–15 minutes every few nights. Better sleep = easier mornings = fewer missed days.

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.

📬 Check Back-to-School Updates 📬
Watch for school emails, texts, and posts about start dates, transportation, supply lists, and open houses. Having the details ready helps families avoid first-week absences.

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.

🎒 Create a “Night-Before” Routine 🎒
Lay out clothes, pack backpacks, charge devices, and pick breakfast options the night before. Fewer morning surprises help kids get to school on time.

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.