Special Areas Update

Spanish

¡Feliz año nuevo! This fall, students did such a great job telling others about themselves in Spanish. Students shared their work with classmates. Primary and Elementary students will be posting their work in the halls. 

We are starting the new year off with a focus on Health and Body. Being able to communicate in real-life situations is important. I tell students a story about when my brother came to visit me in Costa Rica. He was exploring in the Rain Forest and ended up with a tropical form of poison ivy. I was not with him, and by the time he returned back to my place, he was suffering! I asked him why he did not stop at the clinic in the town where he was staying. “I didn’t know what to say.” was his reply. Just a few phrases can describe a health situation or help others in need. 

In Kindergarten we start learning body parts with lots of music and movement. Primary students learn to tell others when something hurts. Elementary students can ask others if they are hurting. Intermediate students will test their listening skills by answering questions based on what they hear in Spanish. All students will work on building vocabulary. We look at what we know at the beginning of the planner and what we learn by the end. 

It is essential to understand that we are all on a path of language learning. No one is in the same place on that path. We are each on our own journey and emphasis is placed on personal improvement not final percentages. This is a life-long philosophy that encourages students to take ownership of their learning. I don’t encourage students to be the best, but their best. Thank you for supporting your awesome kids! To hear some wacky songs to help build Spanish vocabulary, check out my YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@questforspanish2821/playlists

 

PE

Winter is here! The physical education department is doing a planner for all students at QUEST that focuses on Sledding/Outdoor Fitness. Our goal is to reinforce and/or introduce outdoor activities that are available in our community and also promote physical activity in the colder months. The students will learn the safety aspects of being outdoors, how fitness contributes to a healthy lifestyle, and the resources available in our community to participate in winter fitness activities.

Please send your child with appropriate clothing to go outside. This would include ski pants (or extra pair of pants), jacket, scarf, hat, gloves, and boots. We are planning on going outside for the next few weeks as long as the snow keeps coming, with the unit beginning on the week of Monday, January 30 and ending on Thursday, February 16. Thank you for your help and cooperation with our sledding/outdoor fitness unit. As always, any questions or concerns feel free to contact us at 585-392-1000 ext. 6181