November 2025 Newsletter

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November marks a special time of transition and reflection at our school. As autumn deepens and the air grows crisp, students and staff are busy preparing for end-of-term projects, performances, and the excitement of upcoming breaks. November is also a month to express gratitude—not only for our families, but for the friendships, learning, and support that make our school community so vibrant. As we look ahead, we encourage everyone to take pride in their accomplishments so far and set meaningful goals for the rest of the academic year.


Looking back at October, Spirit Week at Pinnacle Prep School was a resounding success, energizing the campus with creativity and community. Each themed day brought a unique sense of excitement and celebration. Real-life Superhero Day honored everyday heroes—teachers, parents, first responders, and more—inspiring thoughtful conversations about bravery and kindness. Sports Day saw students and staff showcasing their favorite team colors, jerseys, and athletic gear. Let’s Make a Rainbow Day illuminated the halls with vibrant outfits. On Animal Kingdom Day, the halls transformed into a lively safari, as students donned imaginative costumes representing creatures big and small. And Fun-Friday became Fictional Character Day, letting imaginations soar as beloved book characters came to life in classrooms and corridors.  Together, these events not only celebrated individuality and creativity but also strengthened the bonds within the Pinnacle Prep community, making Spirit Week an unforgettable highlight of the year.



News from Mrs. Hozie’s Science Lab:


Our Owl, Falcon, and Eagle students have begun an exciting journey into the world of experimentation! Each student will participate in a Science Fair Project, exploring a question that interests them and learning to think and work like real scientists. Robins will also be doing a group project to be detailed later.


This project is designed to encourage curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking while helping students understand how to ask questions, make predictions, test their ideas, and share what they’ve learned.

🧠 Purpose of the Science Fair

The Science Fair gives students the opportunity to:

  • Explore a scientific question that interests them.

  • Practice using the scientific method (ask, predict, test, observe, conclude)

  • Develop communication and organization skills.

  • Gain confidence in presenting their ideas to others.

Each project will include research, an experiment, data collection, and a display or report summarizing their findings.

⚙️ Student Responsibilities

Students will:

  • Choose a question or topic to investigate (with teacher guidance).

  • Create a simple experiment to test their idea.

  • Record observations and results in a lab notebook or data sheet.

  • Prepare a short written summary and display board for presentation day.

Projects will be completed mostly in class, with optional home research or materials collection.


🧤 Safety and Supervision

Safety is our top priority. If students work on any part of their project at home, please ensure they have adult supervision, especially when using chemicals, heat, or other potentially hazardous equipment.

🌟 How You Can Help

Parents can support their child by:

  • Helping gather simple materials (like cups, sand, or paper) if needed

  • Encouraging students to take notes, think through results, and stay organized

  • Celebrating the effort and learning—not just the final project!

Your interest and encouragement make a big difference in helping students feel motivated, proud, and excited about science.

📅 Important Dates

  • Experiment Testing & Data Collection: November 1-November 17

  • Analysis, Graphing, Conclusion, and Presentation Board: November 18-December 3

Please mark these dates on your calendar. A detailed schedule and checklist will be in your student’s Lab Manual.


We’re looking forward to seeing our young scientists explore, experiment, and discover! Thank you for your continued support of science education in our classroom.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Tricia Hozie

Science Teacher

Notes from Mrs. Hill’s ELA Classroom:

🎃👻🧟


Robins:


The younger Robins have been practicing writing their name using proper letter formation and learning the letters and sounds of the alphabet. They have begun working on CVC words and how to stretch each sound into the next one until the word matches each picture. My veteran Robins continue to fluently read passages and answer questions that boost their comprehension. We are enjoying exploring various literacy work stations, as well! Remember to practice your sight words and complete your Reading Log at home Mondays-Thursdays... I’m so proud of your excellent effort! 👍


Owls:

The Owls are thoroughly enjoying our novel study, "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo! Students have been hard at work completing daily grammar practice in their Abeka books, and their spelling scores are amazing! Next, we will be learning how to identify articles, nouns, and verbs in sentences using the Winston Grammar program. Please remember to complete your Reading Log at home Mondays-Thursdays…Keep up the great work! 📚


Falcons:

Falcons are engrossed in our first class novel study, "Aliens on Vacation," by Clete Barrett Smith. They are doing a wonderful job finding text evidence to support thorough comprehension! Additionally, students have been hard at work on Spelling, Winston Grammar, and Sadlier Vocabulary. They have also been using IXL to supplement areas where they need additional practice to accomplish mastery of grammar skills. Parents, please remember to sign both planners and reading logs daily... I am loving the independence and responsibility that our Falcons are showing this year! 🤩


Eagles:

The Eagles are already halfway through their first novel study of the year, Gary Paulsen’s “Hatchet,” where they have been analyzing character actions and motivations, as well as interpreting feelings. They have mastered the Winston Grammar Basic Program, and we have moved on to the Advanced book, where we are currently studying noun functions. Sadlier Vocabulary lessons have been going smoothly, too! Students have been doing an impressive job of turning in their work on Google Classroom.  Parents, please remember to sign both planners and reading logs daily...Thank you, Eagles, for putting 100% effort into each assignment — you are a dream to teach! 😊




Notes from Mrs. Jaya’s Math Classroom:

Robins: The Robins have been strengthening their addition and subtraction skills. They began by adding and subtracting two-digit numbers without regrouping and are now learning to add three one-digit numbers. Next, they will move on to adding two-digit numbers with regrouping. Some Robins are practicing counting objects, matching numbers, and comparing and ordering them. They are also learning to add and subtract using pictures and will soon explore these concepts on a number line. Another group has started a unit on Fractions, where they are learning about halves, thirds, and fourths as equal parts of a whole using different shapes. They will also compare simple fractions and apply their understanding to sets of objects. The Robins continue to practice their math facts regularly to build fluency and confidence in their number skills.

Owls - The Owls have been hard at work mastering addition and subtraction with and without regrouping. They are also focusing on memorizing their multiplication facts, and many have already moved on to learning their division facts. Students practiced multiplying two-digit numbers and are now learning long division with and without remainders. The class has now begun an exciting unit on Fractions, where they are exploring fractions as numbers, building them from unit fractions, and representing them on a number line. They are learning to identify numerators and denominators, generate simple equivalent fractions (such as ½ = 2⁄4), and compare fractions by reasoning about their size. Students will also express whole numbers as fractions and use visual models to deepen their understanding.

Falcons - The Falcons have successfully completed their unit on Number Theory and Fractions, where they learned to find the greatest common factor (GCF) and the least common denominator (LCD), and practiced comparing and ordering fractions. They are now working on adding and subtracting fractions with like and unlike denominators. Next, the Falcons will move on to multiplying fractions, understanding reciprocals, and using them to divide fractions. They will also apply their knowledge of the Order of Operations to solve more complex fraction problems.

Eagles: The Eagles recently completed a unit on Integers, where they learned to compare and order integers, find absolute values, and perform all four operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They are now applying their knowledge of the Order of Operations to solve integer problems and real-life applications. Next, students will begin a new unit on Fractions, focusing on using the different operations to solve fraction problems. Some Eagles have also completed a unit on Polynomials, where they explored monomials, binomials, and performed operations with polynomials. They also studied quadratic equations and functions, and are now learning about exponential growth and decay and sequences. Soon, they will move on to an exciting new unit on Angle Relationships and Transformations.


Notes from Mrs. Hughlett’s Humanities Classroom:



November will be an exciting and exhausting month! We have projects to finish, and we will begin focusing on the plays. This year, our plays will be centered around Fairy Tales. The students are chomping at the bit to begin working on their lines. I love that they are looking forward to the plays as much as I am!!


Eagles and Falcons: The kids have done a great job with their novel studies, and we have had many great discussions about how the novels are tied to the Civil War. We have used Google Classroom to do most of our assignments. The students have answered comprehension questions, discovered new vocabulary, and practiced written expression as we have worked our way through the novels. Once they have finished their individual projects, we will begin concentrating solely on the play! Can’t wait to get started!



Owls and Robins:  The Owls have wrapped up their novel study and are working on their class projects about the Battle of Gettysburg. I know they will do a great job! The Robins continue to focus on the basic skills in reading, language, and social skills. We have been focusing on communicating with respect and communicating our needs clearly. We will begin working on the play as soon as projects wrap up! I know they are ready to start practicing!


  

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