Principal’s Message
Hello Families!
 
 As we launch into Week 5 of our Journey to an A, I am so proud of the progress our Rockets are making each day. Students are setting goals, showing leadership, and growing stronger in reading, math, and all areas of learning. Thank you for your continued partnership at home—your encouragement makes all the difference. Together, we are proving that it’s Mission Possible!

🎓 College & Career Week 2025


This week is College and Career Week across Osceola School District! Each day has a fun theme to help our students dream big, think about their future, and celebrate learning. We encourage all families to help students participate by dressing for theme days and talking at home about education, careers, and goal‑setting.

Highlights this week:

College Spirit Day(s): wear your favorite college or military/service gear
Career conversations and classroom spotlights
Hallway pennants and goal walls to inspire future pathways

🛡️ Leading the Way: Behavior & Learning
At Neptune, we believe every student deserves a safe, calm, and focused learning environment. Please talk with your student about what it means to be a leader—showing respect, following directions the first time, keeping hands and feet to self, and using kind words. When we all do our part, classrooms stay safe and every Rocket can learn.

🔒 Safety Reminder: Student IDs Required
For the safety of all students and staff, every Neptune Rocket must have their student ID with them at all times. Please help your child remember to wear it daily.

🌟 Attendance Update
During the month of August, our Rockets reached an amazing 93% attendance rate! 🎉 While this is something to celebrate, our goal is to reach 95% or higher each month.
 
 Every school day matters, and when students are present, they are learning, growing, and soaring to success. Let’s work together to ensure our Rockets are in school, on time, every day.

How Families Can Help:
• Set a consistent bedtime/wake‑up routine and prep backpacks the night before.
• Schedule appointments after school when possible.
• Use our full arrival window to avoid traffic crunch—aim to be early.
• Report absences the same day (note or call).

🌱 Leader in Me: Week 2 –Help your child  "Begin with the End in Mind" by setting a small goal together and celebrating when it's achieved.

• Be a Builder: Just like you need a picture on the puzzle box, it helps to know what you want before you begin.
• Pack Your Backpack: Think ahead—what will you need for tomorrow?
• Set a Goal: Pick one thing to finish today (building, reading, cleaning) and plan how to do it.
• Take Small Steps: Big dreams happen one step at a time.
• Imagine Success: Picture how great it will feel to accomplish your goal!

💙 School Counseling Corner — September Mission: Helping Students With Emotional Regulation

Big feelings are normal, and children can learn healthy ways to handle them. Here are some simple tools families can practice together:

• Belly Breathing: Practice slow "balloon breaths" by placing hands on the belly and imagining it filling up like a balloon when they breathe in, then shrinking as they breathe out.
• Name It to Tame It: Encourage children to label their feelings (I feel mad, I feel worried). Naming emotions makes them easier to handle.
• Movement Breaks: Walk, dance, or stretch when emotions feel big.
• Calm Corner: Create a cozy space with books or coloring pages where kids can go to settle down.
• Model Calm: Show your child how you manage your own feelings by talking through your strategies (Like taking deep breaths or counting to ten). 

Practicing these small steps at home helps children feel more in control of their emotions and ready to learn and play.

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• For our K-2 students: We will be using our imaginations and making predictions as we read.
  • Ask your child to tell you their favorite part of a story and what they think might happen next.
• For our 3-5 students: We are exploring different genres and learning to read for specific purposes. This includes using text features like headings, charts, and captions to find information in non-fiction books and articles.
  • Ask your child what a non-fiction/informational text taught them this week.

• Students and staff are encouraged to show spirit by wearing college or university apparel during College Spirit Days (See schedule above),
• Each class will discuss college and career options. College pennants will be displayed in our school hallways.

• Share college experiences with children, such as field of study and interests.
• Discuss different careers and their requirements.

➗ Math Focus This Week
• Kindergarten: Numbers 0–5, 2D shapes, counting to 100
• 1st: Counting to 120, skip counting, writing numbers
• 2nd: Equal groups, arrays, addition/subtraction within 20, even/odd numbers
• 3rd: Add and subtract whole numbers
• 4th: Multiplication facts, place value relationships
• 5th: Multiplication (3‑digit × 2‑digit), division with larger numbers

🔬 Science Focus This Week
• Kindergarten: Properties of matter/objects, sound
• 1st: Classifying objects
• 2nd: Magnets
• 3rd: Changes in matter (heating and cooling)
• 4th: Describing matter; changes in materials
• 5th: Mixtures and solutions

💡 Study Tools
• Discovery Education (via ClassLink) → Unit Vocabulary tab
• Digital Math Manipulatives:
    - www.mathlearningcenter.org/apps
    - www.didax.com/math/virtual-manipulatives.html

📝 Testing Update
We are wrapping up Progress Monitoring 1 testing this week with make‑ups for all grade levels. Results will be posted in the Parent Portal (Florida Statewide Assessments icon). Now is a great time to sit with your child, review results, and set goals for the year.

🚀 MTSS Interventions — Rocket Time
• Grades 2–5: Flexible groups for reading instruction and enrichment
• Grades K–1: Small‑group instruction for foundational skills
• Ongoing progress monitoring to ensure every Rocket stays on track
🌟 Closing Message

It’s going to be a wonderful week of learning, leadership, and growth here at Neptune Elementary! Together, we are building strong foundations in academics, habits, and character. Thank you for partnering with us on our Mission Possible journey.