Students
Beyond the Basics
Academic Opportunities for High Ability Students
Advanced Language Arts Pull Out Program with Reading Specialist
Gifted Student IAP (Individual Action Plan)
Accelerated Language Arts Lesson(s)
Accelerated Mathematics Lesson(s)
Accelerated Science Lesson(s)
Accelerated Social Studies Lesson(s)
Johns Hopkins Center For Talented Youth Talent Search
Multiple Intelligences Program
Academic Opportunities for all Students
Culture Day
D.A.R.E. (Grade 5)
Environmental Camp (Grade 5)
Field Trips
Geography Bee
Individual Student Learning Profile
Read Across Warner
Safety Fair
Spelling Bee
Other Opportunities during School
Book Fair
Davis Awards
Fifth Grade Celebration
School Assemblies
Winter Carnival
After School Opportunities
Fall Foliage Festival Float Club
Homework Club
Learn to Ski/Snowboard at Pats Peak
Story Time at Main Street Book Ends
Parent/Community Opportunities
Community Drop In Day
Curriculum Fair
Family Lunch
First Day of School Family Celebration
Last Day of School Family Celebration
Open House
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
Beyond the Basics-Directory
Advanced Language Arts Pull Out Program with Reading Specialist
The purpose of this program is to provide an opportunity for students gifted in language arts to work directly with the Reading Specialist. Students are identified by the classroom teacher for this group pull out program. This program meets once per week for 30 minutes. The group focuses on literature-based activities designed to enrich young readers and support the development of critical thinking skills, problem-solving strategies, reading fluency and comprehension
Book Fair
Each year the PTO in conjunction with Warner’s Main Street Book Ends sponsors a book fair. All students browse through the selected books and create a personal wish list. The wish lists are made available to parents so that books may be purchased for general reading enjoyment.
Community Drop in Day
Each year on Election Day, Simonds School opens its doors to the community for a drop in day. Interested community members and parents are able to drop in any classroom to observe a school lesson in progress.
Culture Day
Culture Day is made available because of money from the Bartlett Fund. The whole school attends a play one year and then with a play brought to the school the following year.
Curriculum Fair
Each year Simonds School holds a curriculum fair. Families are welcomed into the school to view samples of student work at each grade level.
D.A.R.E. (Grade 5)
D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is a drug abuse prevention education program designed to equip elementary, middle and high school children with knowledge about drug abuse, the consequences of abuse, and skills for resisting peer pressure to experiment with drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Based on the premise that prevention is the only long-term answer to drug abuse, the program includes all 50 states and 53 countries. The D.A.R.E. program is taught in over 75% of the nation’s school districts, creating a positive atmosphere for students to interact with uniformed law enforcement officers. This unique program uses uniformed law enforcement officers to teach a formal curriculum to students in a classroom setting.
Davis Awards
Each year because of money set aside by Mr. William Davis, students are selected by the classroom teacher to receive a book as an award for academic achievement, academic improvement, leadership, fine arts or citizenship.
Environmental Camp (Grade 5)
This is an overnight program done at Camp Coniston where fifth grade students study pond life, bog life and orienteering. Students also take a nature hike and participate in small group team building activities.
Fall Foliage Festival Float Committee
Each year Simonds School students enter a float in Warner’s Fall Foliage Festival Parade on Columbus Day Weekend. Students remain after school for three to four sessions and with adult supervision and assistance, they create a float to be entered in the parade. The Warner Fall Foliage Festival has a long history as a unique component of Warner’s Community Spirit and the students thoroughly enjoy walking with their float during the parade.
Family Lunch
On the first Wednesday of each month, families may join Simonds students for lunch. This is a great opportunity for families and students to interact in the school setting.
Field Trips
Each Simonds School student participates in field trips that enhance a curricular piece for a particular grade level. All students walk over to the local library. The grade 1 students will visit the Polar Caves to enhance their study of rocks and minerals. Grade 2 students visit a pond for their science unit and walk throughout the community in Warner visiting the bank and post office as part of their social studies lesson. Grade 3 students visit Odiorne State Park to study the Rocky Shore. The grade 4 students go to The Fells and the State House in Concord. Fifth graders travel to the Boot Cotton Mill in Lowell, MA to enhance their study on immigration.
Fifth Grade Celebration
To honor the 5th grade students as they leave Simonds School, students participate in a celebration of their friendships. Prior to the ceremony students are asked to complete the following statement: “I think __________ (name of student) is special because _______. Fifth grade teachers tabulate these responses and read them to the students. The celebration ends with a slide show that captures student life at Simonds School over the course of the school year.
First Day of School Family Celebration
On the first day of school, parents are invited to come to school with their child for a pancake breakfast. Parents receive a school calendar magnet and the school handbook. School board representatives and staff are on hand to meet and greet the parents and the students.
Geography Bee
Each year students in grade 4 and 5 are encouraged to participate in our school geography bee. The winner represents Simonds School in the state competition which is usually held at Keene State College.
Gifted Student IAP (Individual Action Plan)
The purpose of this program is to provide a written plan of action for gifted students. The IAP includes programs that the student will participate in while at Simonds School an/or outlines accelerated course work that a student may complete in the subject areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.
Health & Safety Fair
Simonds School offers a safety fair to its students on a biannual basis. This fair is done in conjunction with the local police, firefighters, town officials and community members. It includes topics such as bicycle safety, fire safety and 911 procedures.
Homework Club
On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:50 PM to 4:00 PM, students may remain at school and complete their homework in a supervised environment. Snacks are provided and assistance is given with homework as needed.
Individual Student Learning Profile
Each Simonds School student will have this profile whereby teachers will document on a yearly (and ongoing) basis strategies that the student uses for academic success. This information will help with student testing techniques and strategies. This information will be made available to each successive teacher.
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Talent Search
Students who score in the 97th percentile or higher on grade-level standardized tests taken in school are qualified to take the Johns Hopkins PLUS test. This purpose of this test is to identify, assess and recognize students with exceptional academic abilities. It gives students the opportunity to take an above-grade-level test that yields valuable information about their academic abilities and allows them to compare their results with those of other highly able students.
The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) conducts annual talent searches that enroll students in grades two through eight from over 10,000 schools. The talent search provides qualifying students with challenging educational programs whereby these gifted students meet others like themselves, stretch their creative and intellectual wings, and discover where their special talents may take them. There is a registration process with registration fees and test fees. Parents are responsible for these fees as well as transportation to the testing center.
Last Day of School Family Celebration
On the last day of school parents are invited to come to school for the Davis Awards ceremony, an all school picnic lunch and finally the fifth grade celebration.
Learn to Ski/Snowboard Program at Pats Peak
Students who would like to participate in the after school “Learn to Ski/Snowboard Program” at Pats Peak are dismissed from Simonds School at 2:50 PM to the WYSA.
Last Day of School Family Celebration
On the last day of school parents are invited to come to school for the Davis Awards ceremony, an all school picnic lunch and finally the fifth grade celebration.
Multiple Intelligences Program
The purpose of this program is to identify students who are gifted in the arts and provide unique experiences for these students. This year students who excel in art will be involved in painting a mural in the school cafeteria. The focus of this program will rotate on a yearly basis.
Open House
In the fall Simonds School opens its doors to school families so that they may visit the school, meet the classroom teachers and specialists as well as tour the facility.
Parent Teacher Organization
This organization meets every month and includes parents, teachers and the principal. The focus of this organization is to streamline fundraising in support of programs for Simonds School student. The PTO also sponsors guest speakers and other educational opportunities for parents.
Principal’s Advisory Council (PAC)
This council is made up of 12 members who serve for a three-year period. The council has six school staff members consisting of the principal and five other staff members representing classroom teachers, specialists and paraprofessionals. The council also has six community and/or parent members. The function of the PAC is to provide advice to the principal on issues and topics that the principal brings to the table.
Read Across Warner
Authors from Warner come to Simonds School. Students work with authors in small groups to write and/or illustrate a student-generated story. This is followed by a whole school presentation of these works. The session ends with a whole school question and answer session with the authors.
School Assemblies
Throughout the year each grade level will host a school-wide assembly celebrating holidays such as Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day as well as Upstanders.
Spelling Bee
Each year in February the 4th and 5th grade students may choose to participate in a spelling bee. This requires five weeks of practice during recess time. The spelling bee is done in a school assembly format. It is the first step in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee. The winner of the spelling bee will represent Simonds Elementary School at the area spelling bee.
Winter Carnival
The purpose of the Winter Carnival is to celebrate winter in New Hampshire. The school body is separated into teams with a distribution of grade levels on each team. Study of a country or a state is done in work sessions so that students learn about other countries and other states. The teams then participate in outdoor activities as representatives of their state or country.