Fourth Grade Variety Show
RES students are very talented and the fourth graders have the opportunity to show their stuff. Organized by the music department and classroom teachers, students audition to participate in the variety show.
Rehearsals are all done outside of school. The "Really Big Show" is a big hit for the entire school. |
Halloween Parade
This is truly a favorite event for teachers, students and parents. The students gather in front of the school and parade their costumes for the entire community. A must see event! |
Park and Recreation
The Redding Park and Recreation Office is located at Redding Elementary School. In addition to a variety of recreational programs and summer camp, extended-day childcare is available on the premises. You may contact the Park and Rec office for further information - 938-2551.
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Visiting Artist Program
The goal of this program is to expose children to working artists. Talented local artists are invited to RES to speak with students about their work and the requirements of being a professional artist. This program is organized by the Practical and Fine Arts Department.
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Cross-country Skiing
An optional part of our physical education program for third and fourth graders is cross-country skiing. Students learn how to cross country ski right on the grounds of Redding Elementary School, weather permitting. Additional information will be sent home in the late fall. |
Year-round Reading Program
The Year Round Program is sponsored by the PTA to encourage independent reading by RES students. Parents partner up with every class in the school to implement the monthly all-school read times. They also celebrate the joy of reading by recognizing the students' reading effort at four school-wide special events. These events are great fun for the kids. They get to enjoy ice cream, a story read to them by a special guest, and then some entertainment. These are wonderful family events! |
Tuesday Zone
Tuesday Zone is an after school program facilitated by Mr. Tom Feroleto (2nd grade teacher) and Miss Julie Rosenshine (Special education) from Redding Elementary School and they are joined with two equally enthusiastic teachers from Shelter Rock School in Danbury. Tuesday Zone is a social skills program that integrates fourth graders from the communities of Danbury and Redding. There are a total of 43 students this year. This group meets twice a month (on Tuesdays) after school from 3:00-5:00pm at one of the two elementary schools, rotating each session. The activities are usually the same that you would find at a summer camp or physical education program, including team building skills and cooperative play. The student’s latest project was making stepping stones for the RES garden. Feedback from the parents at both schools has been full of high praise for the program, its facilitators, and its ability to “open their children’s eyes” to different communities.
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Mini classes in Art & P.E.:
P.E. Classes:
The P.E. Department makes fitness fun. This year the 4th graders had the opportunity to learn a new jump roping technique as well as a new method to enhance cardiovascular endurance. They learned the Chinese Jump Roping method. As fourth graders they also learned to use a compass and topographical map in hopes to spark more of an interest for outdoor physical activities such as hiking. This was their introduction to Orienteering. Some students learned a new activity involving bean bags; they actually cut, sewed and filled their own bean bags in an activity we like to call Bag your Beans. Last but not least the 4th graders worked together to complete a mosaic sign that will become a part of our Exercise Room…renaming it the “Fun and Fitness Room”. |
Mini classes in Art & P.E.:
Art:
This year Mrs. Feld and Mrs. Holden teamed up with the fourth graders and designed the art used for the fourth grade CD. They decided to make a tile mural by dividing the art into small spaces. About 25 children participated in this class and the mural will hang in the 4th grade wing upon completion. This activity was named CD Art.
Then of course there was the ever popular Jewelry class. This year many students turned out to make magnetic jewelry and bracelets, earrings and necklaces made with beads and wire.
Mrs. Holden also held the Anna Hyatt Huntington Ceramic Animals Mini-class. This class was so popular that Mrs. Holden had two sessions with 20 students in each session. Students first spend time learning about Anna Hyatt Huntington and then learn how to make clay animal sculptures. |
Gardening Club:
“Gardening Friday” continues with Mrs. Mary Johnson assisted by Mrs. Andrea Rink our school nurse, Mr. Tom Feroleto, Grade 2 teacher and many children from the various grades, who watch over the ever growing RES Garden. This year Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Rink had a special “planning & plotting meeting” to get ideas as to what the children would like to see grow in the garden and how to map out where to put the plants. At least once a week you will see a classroom of students planting, weeding or harvesting in the garden.
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Third & Fourth Grade Chorus:
Third and Fourth Grade Choruses are extracurricular groups that meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays before school. This year, Third Grade Chorus had 31 members and Fourth Grade Chorus had 45. We performed a Winter Concert in February and our Spring Concert will be in June. Chorus provides students an opportunity to work on their singing technique more intensively, and explores repertoire more challenging than songs found in the general classroom curriculum, such as ‘singing in part’ songs. The Fourth Grade Chorus collaborates with Mrs. Weiss’ Orff Ensemble in at least one song per concert. This year, our Spring Concert will include a guest artist leading some of the songs (he is the father of a chorus member and is a trained singer). They also travel to Meadow Ridge twice a year to perform for the residents.
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Keyboarding Classes:
Computer keyboarding classes are run before school and after school throughout the year for 3rd and 4th graders. There are a total of six classes each year and they run for eight weeks each. There is a maximum of twenty students per class and they are generally oversubscribed. Students are accepted on a first come first serve basis. The class is based on the ‘Type to Learn’ program which takes the students sequentially through the keys. Lessons provide an integrated presentation of demonstration, review, practice and testing. |
Kindness Klub:
Kindness Klub (another off-shoot of our RESpect program) is an after-school club that meets on Thursday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:00 in Miss DeBonis’ classroom. Under the leadership of Miss DeBonis (a second grade teacher) and Mrs. Johnson( our assistant principal) this club creates empathy and awareness in students (grades 2 through 4) by reaching out to others in need.. The activities have been designed to reach out to those near and far; from local community to world community. Because the club only recently started, we planned an activity for May and one for June. Throughout the month of May, we have been making fleece blankets for the Linus Project. Our next project involves the collection of school supplies for students in New Orleans (those affected by Hurricane Katrina). Next year, the plan is to complete a different act of kindness every month from October – June. The students will each select one to two different activities for participation throughout the year. |
Instrumental Music:
The Instrumental Music program under the direction of Mrs. MaryJane Rodgers continues to flourish. The string students continue to use the “Strictly Strings” series and the students in the 4th Grade Band continue to use “The Standard of Excellence” for their weekly lessons.
All groups share their musical talents in performances for both the school and public. We also give concerts at Meadow Ridge and are participating in Instrumental Music Day at Quassy Park and Militia Day in Redding.
Our repertoire for the year has included The William Tell Overture, selections from Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, Khachaturian’s Saber Dance, patriotic tunes combined in Armed Forces March, Offenbach’s Can Can and Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.” The concert selections lend themselves to a varied and rich cultural education. |
Odyssey of the Mind :
Children work together on teams to solve a complex problem. Using drama, music and art, the children present their creative solution to the problem at a statewide competition. Parents are involved as coaches during the process as the children create their solution. In 2005-06, RES had three teams represented at state finals. Look for information about Odyssey of the Mind in the Tuesday is Newsday this fall. |
Staff Professional Development