October 23, 2024 | Volume 43, Issue 8

REGISTER NOW!

Learn About the Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Students

Tonight will be the 2nd session of the MAGC virtual Fall Conference. Last Tuesday, Oct. 22nd, Dr. Susan Corwith talked about the essential elements of an ideal educational environment for gifted students, and we were happy to note that her information described the Steppingstone educational model.

Register now at migiftedchild.org to attend this evening’s session with Kristin Cotts, a discussion of the "Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Students".

RSVP to ATTEND the 

STEPPINGSTONE SPARCler 

Follow-up Forum for the 

MAGC Fall Virtual Conference

As a follow-up to the MAGC Fall Virtual Conference, join us for our first SPARCler, a parent support forum at which Questions generated by the MAGC Virtual Conference will be addressed by panelists that include Kristin Cotts (tonight’s speaker), Kiyo Morse (Steppingstone founder), Donno Coffin (veteran Steppingstone teacher), and Michelle Belt (Steppingstone alum parent).

7 pm

TUES

Oct 29th

To attend, please RSVP and if you have any questions/concerns pertaining to Academic and/or Social & Emotional Needs, you can fill out this questionnaire.

SPREAD THE WORD!

Steppingstone Open House

Do you know anyone whose child has been feeling bored at school? Do you know anyone whose child might show signs of giftedness? If the following statements sound familiar, then consider suggesting that they RSVP to our Open House to learn more about gifted children as well as who we are and what we do!

• Early talker, early walker
• Keen sense of observation
• Wants to hang out with older children and adults
• Behavior, at times, can seem obsessive or compulsive
• Seems more emotional than other children or sensitive in other ways
• Insatiable curiosity - asks many questions, often more than a parent can answer

TEST YOUR LUCK!

Winterfest Pre-Auction Raffle

Drawing on Thu., Dec. 12th

Are you planning a family fun weekend but are not sure what to do? Are you an avid wine drinker or looking to find your favorite type of wine? Maybe you’ve been wanting to dress up as a cowboy/cowgirl and/or learn line dancing?! 

We have all these covered for this year’s Winterfest Pre-Auction Raffle drawing! The proceeds from this raffle will be used to fund educational and enriching field trips for students. Previous years included the Howell Nature Center for animal rehab and high ropes adventure, and the Bay Sail, Appledore Tall Ship, Scientific boat tour in Bay City. 

Guess what?! You don’t even need to be present to win!! To purchase raffle tickets, you can call the school at 248-957-8200 or purchase from current families, faculty, and trustees. 

To find out more information, you can:

• Access the Winterfest tri-fold
• Visit our Facebook Winterfest Event Page
• Visit our website

DRESS TO IMPRESS & SKATE!

LITERARY CHARACTER DAY

Thu., Oct. 31

The Power Reading genre for the month of October is

BIOGRAPHY or AUTO-BIOGRAPHY

Students will costume as the person about whom the book was written on Literary Character Day:

THURSDAY

Oct 31, 2024

The project for this month is to make a prop for their costumed character.

Parents, if your child is young, they may need a little assistance from you because it must be student-made. Someone dressing as Jim Henson might make a paper bag puppet of Kermit the Frog. Each student should decide on the prop and begin to plan how to construct it this week.

In the morning, students will play "20 Questions" to determine the identity of their costumed classmates. 

TREATS: Parents, if you send treats, they should be individually or commercially wrapped. Also, because this is a NUT-FREE school year, please avoid peanuts & tree nuts and carefully read the ingredients of commercially prepared items to avoid these ingredients.

Teachers would be grateful if you also limit sugar and food dyes since several students are sensitive to those ingredients as well.

At NOON, students will take a walk through the "Scarecrows in the Park" and have an early lunch in Kellogg Park if it is not raining. 

In the AFTERNOON, students will go ICE-SKATING at the Plymouth Cultural Center Ice Rink (right behind the running track) for their Open Skate session.

Parents, please send a bike helmet or hockey helmet with your child on this day. Also send outerwear because it is quite chilly on the ice -- snowpants & mittens/gloves are recommended!

BATTER UP!

Recess Fun!

With just a few more "summer weather" days left, we are taking these opportunities to try some batting practice! Can you spot some future softball/baseball players?! We always try to provide a variety of P.E. activities for the students to explore their interests in addition to developing their large motor and cognitive skills.

GREEK GREATNESS

This week, we started our social studies lesson unit on Greece, focusing on Greek culture, festivals, and art. Because our students are already familiar with the elements of family neighborhoods, and cities, we are able to expand the curriculum level of studies to provide "comparison studies" of all with different countries in different continental areas such as Ireland, Bolivia, Thailand, Tahiti, and Iceland.

We watched a video of the traditional Zorba Adana dance and learned about the Festival of Epidaurus, which celebrates theater and performing arts. This festival lasts all summer long. Plays are performed in theaters that are over 2500 years old!  

Finally, we learned how the ancient Greeks created their signature pottery pieces from red clay and how they achieved the black and white coloring. We practiced making some of the most common geometric patterns found on the pots. Then students designed their own "pottery" pieces. Everyone used geometric patterns, and some students included scenes of people harvesting olives or training for athletic contests.

L to R: Owen, Finnley, Aliya, Cassie, Finley.

Volunteers

Auction Chair

Chris Isberg

Auction Acquisitions

Michelle Belt, Chair

Anthony Bonanni

Dena Nehme

Brad Styke

SMART Center Chair

Robert Schiff

SPARC Chair

Michelle Tan

Marketing

Jorge Contreras

Yearbook & Keepsake Editor

Barbara Malnar-Styke