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HOUSE

Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School

MRs. Rich

• Born in Tampa
• Has a son and a daughter
• Enjoys being outside

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jerb@pasco.k12.fl.us

Mrs. Glass

• Born in New York
• Married with 2 sons
• Loves being a baseball mom

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maglass@pasco.k12.fl.us

Mrs. Pritchard

• Born in Dade City, FL
• Married with one son and one daughter.
• Enjoys traveling

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jbodi@pasco.k12.fl.us

Ms. Yaw

• Born in Indiana
• Loves traveling
• Enjoys reading and cooking

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ayaw@pasco.k12.fl.us

MRs. BROWN

• Married
• Enjoys baking and fishing

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astern@pasco.k12.fl.us

Mrs. Sadonis

• Born in Largo, FL
• Married with 2 sons
• Soccer mom who enjoys traveling

ksadonis@pasco.k12.fl.us

Collaboration

• Working together to achieve common goals.
• Sharing ideas and resources.
• Building teamwork and interpersonal skills.

Communication

• Expressing ideas clearly and effectively.
• Listening actively and engaging in meaningful dialogue.
• Utilizing various forms of media and technology.

5 C’S

PILLARS OF A STEAM MAGNET

Compassion

• Understanding and empathizing with others.
• Promoting kindness and social responsibility.
• Fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.

Critical Thinking

• Analyzing and evaluating information.
• Solving problems creatively and logically.
• Making informed decisions based on evidence.

5 C’S

PILLARS OF A STEAM MAGNET

Creativity

• Thinking outside the box.
• Encouraging innovation and original ideas.
• Embracing curiosity and experimentation.
• Utilizing various forms of media and technology.

5 C’S

PILLARS OF A STEAM MAGNET

In a Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classroom (LATIC), students take more control of their own learning, and technology plays a key role in making this happen. Two important concepts in this model are authentic learning units and activity lists.

LEARNER ACTIVE TECHNOLOGY INFUSED SCHOOL

Authentic Learning Units (ALU):

• These are units of study designed to feel like "real-world" experiences.
• Students work on tasks that connect to situations they might face in everyday life. For example, students might design a garden, plan a trip, or solve a community problem.
• The goal is to make learning meaningful, so students can see how what they’re learning is useful outside of school while ensuring students do build content knowledge across reading, writing, science, and social studies.

LEARNER ACTIVE TECHNOLOGY INFUSED SCHOOL

LEARNER ACTIVE TECHNOLOGY INFUSED SCHOOL

Activity Lists:

• A roadmap that helps each student plan what they need to do to complete their tasks in order to learn/practice important content or skills in their authentic learning unit.
• It includes a variety of activities, some required and some optional, so that students can choose the ones that work best for them.
• This allows students to work at their own pace, take responsibility for their learning, and even make choices about how they learn.
• It’s not about every child doing the same thing at the same time but about each child following a path that works for them.

Science and Engineering Showcase:

• District wide competition
• Grades 3, 4, and 5 participate
• Students practice scientific research where they explore issues and real world problems using creativity to design and create solutions to problems.
• Three Categories: Scientific Experiment, Design, and Computer
• Opportunity for students to compete at the school, district, state and national levels.

STALLIONS IN STEAM

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING SHOWCASE

Computer Science at this level is about sparking curiosity and building foundational skills in a fun, interactive way.

• Introduction to Coding – Simple programming activities like creating games or animations.
• Learning Through Play – Using fun tools like robots and apps to explore technology.
• Building Logical Thinking – Helping students think step-by-step, similar to how computers process information.
• Hands-On Learning – Engaging in activities that make technology fun and accessible.

STALLIONS IN STEAM

COMPUTER SCIENCE

UFLI Foundations

• We use this program in our K-2 classrooms.
• Explicit, systematic phonics instruction every single day.
• Students are given high impact instruction and responding in writing every single day.
• We were the first elementary school to implement this program and we’ve seen our students highly engaged, ready to read!

HMH Into Reading Series

• For comprehension and vocabulary benchmark lessons, we use HMH Into Reading.
• Our students are interacting with rigorous text within their authentic learning units that build content knowledge and build comprehension and critical thinking.
• Our students are engaging in a variety of text structures, genres, and content throughout the day.

GROWING READERS

GROWING READERS

What can you do at home to support your reader?

• READ READ READ
• Read as a family (i.e. set a reading time, have conversations about reading, model reading to your child, listen to reading on Spotify or even Youtube)
• Visit your local library/bookstore
• Log your reading minutes in the Beanstack App that is on their myPascoConnect dashboard
• Utilize the weekly newsletters that your child’s teacher sends home for specific skills you can work.
• If your teacher allows, use Lexia at home if needed

(myPascoConnect app).

GROWING READERS

Houses:

• 🔴House of Friendship – Red Wolf
• 🔵House of Dreamers – Bobcat
• 🟢House of Courage – Alligator
• ⚫House of Givers – Rattlesnake

This Houses system will encourage “House” building and bonding between students in all grade levels. It will continue SMES’s path of positive culture and relationships with students and staff.

4 HOUSES 1 FAMILY

House Points:

Throughout the year the houses will compete against each other in competitions and events to accumulate House points. Individual students can also continue to accumulate points for their House by demonstrating Stallion expectations and beyond.

Spin Tickets:

Students can earn spin tickets from house leaders, and other random staff members. If a student earns a spin ticket, they will get to spin the wheel on Spinning Days.

House Champion:

At the end of the year, the House with the most points wins the House Championship and all of the honor and glory that comes with it!

4 HOUSES 1 FAMILY

• Our Sanders Expectations are:
• Be Safe
• Be Responsible
• Be Respectful
• Be Kind
• School Mall:
• Students can earn points throughout the day from any staff member that they can trade in for prizes in our school mall. Some prizes are available in their classroom markets, others are only available at the school mall.
• The mall will be open on a schedule so students can shop when they accumulate enough points.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS

• Teacher Concerns: If you have any concerns about your child’s teacher or teaching style, please contact the teacher directly before involving administration or seeking advice on social media. If there is no resolution, please contact administration.
• Contacting Teachers: Use notes, emails, or MyStudent Communication messages to contact your child’s teacher. The teacher will respond within 24 hours. Please avoid arriving at the classroom door or office unannounced for any unscheduled conferences.
• Attendance: Ensure your child attends school regularly, only missing for illness or family emergencies. Avoid early pickups for non-essential reasons like shopping, haircuts, head start on vacations, etc.
• Collaborative Education: Remember that educating your child is a partnership between home and school. While our teachers are highly skilled, your involvement is crucial in the development of your child. Help us make your relationship with your child’s teacher a partnership!
• Trust Our Staff: Our team is highly experienced and dedicated. TRUST in their expertise and knowledge that your child is in the best hands with a caring staff on the greatest campus in the world.

5 THINGS TO REMEMBER...

• 9:00 AM - Breakfast begins to be served.
• 9:10 AM - Doors open for students to enter the classroom. Staff members are positioned around the campus to ensure students are safe before entering their classroom.
• 9:20 AM - Instruction begins - Students should be in classroom before 9:20 AM.
• 3:20 PM - School ends, dismissal begins for car riders, parkers, and bus riders.

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Any student arriving after the 9:20 bell will need to be escorted by their parent to the front office for their tardy pass.

ERD’s will begin in January.

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Make a reservation at the SMES Café! This year at the SMES Cafeteria, parents may come to lunch with their child/children by reservation only.

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4th Grade Lunch Times: 1:50-2:20 Daily

Specials: 10:50-11:35

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**Please see sheet sent home with class specific specials schedule.

• ALL PARENTS must check in at the front office, with their driver’s license, in order to receive a visitor's badge that must be worn at all times while on campus. All parents must be placed through the Raptor System before they can attend any special events at school or come on campus for any reason. You can avoid the lines on the day of the event by having your license scanned in the Raptor System well before the event takes place and RSVP that you will be attending the event.
• We will also have our School Security Guard, Mr. Robert Bilkey, here will us daily. All SSG’s in the district will be ARMED while on campus.
• If there is a custody issue, please bring the original paperwork and we would be happy to make a copy for your child’s record.

• The fourth-grade team uses a variety of models to enrich and support students to meet their needs and identified services.

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• Students will receive support through: team-teaching, small groups, individualized and push-in.

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• Different models will be provided throughout the day and given based on the needs of the students in each subject area and topic.

Students will receive weekly homework. Homework will be assigned on Monday and due the following Monday. All 4th grade students will have the following homework (not necessarily each week): �

All students have access to all academic links through MyPascoConnect. Students will need to know their login information and password.  We will be adding buttons/active links as we see the need. This means that from any computer they can access their accounts for Zearn, Florida Studies Weekly, Prodigy, etc. 

�The homework link can be found on the SMES website and it will be updated weekly.

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**Please let us know if your child is struggling on something.

• Sanders Website- The foundation for all communication at SMES. This will allow you to see upcoming events, special flyers, school policies, grade level specific information, Twitter and Facebook feed, etc. One stop shop!
• 4th Grade will do ALL communication through EMAIL and My Student.
• A weekly letter will be sent home (posted on smes website) about our task, standards, and happenings in the pod.
• Please email specials teachers if you have any questions about their specific class. Their email can be found on the Sanders Website.

Please also refer to the sheet sent home at meet the teacher. It is also on the SMES website.

• Our students will be using their Dells on a daily basis at school. However, there may be times where they can bring an additional device from home that can offer something different than the computers (i.e. apps, easier way to take pictures, etc). In these cases, students will be allowed to bring and use their devices ONLY if we receive the signed “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Device) form (found at http://smes.pasco.k12.fl.us/parents-2/)

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• Please note students WILL NOT be allowed to use cell phones or watch phones during the day. If you need to reach your child, please do so by calling the office (813-794-1500). Likewise, if a student needs to reach you, for illness, we will send them to the office. If a cell phone needs to be at school because the student needs it for after school, the phone MUST be OFF while in class.

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events.

As of now, we intend to have the following “in house” (we will not leave school) field trips:

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• Gem Mining - January 9th, 2026

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Other field trips include:

• Energy Marine Center - September 24, 25, 26, 2025
• Tampa History Museum- October 16th or 17th, 2025
• St. Augustine - 3/26/2026
• cost of roughly $100 per student and $50 per chaperone.

• Please be sure that if you have transportation changes that they are made before 2:45 pm. You can do this by calling the office at 794-1500 or going to the SMES website and clicking on transportation changes on the home page.

• Birthdays are special days for all students. All birthdays will be recognized by:
• a crown
• a coupon for a treat in the cafeteria
• a song in the class
• Summer birthdays are included in celebrating!
• Parents may not send a treat, cupcakes, balloons, or party favors as this impedes on instructional time for all students.
• If you intend to pass out birthday invitations at school, you must include the entire class. If you don’t want to invite the whole class, you must pass out invitations on your own, outside of school.

• SMES has an active PTA and SAC
• PTA is available for sign up
• Please apply today if you have not already, you must register every year. (www.pasco.k12.fl.us)
• Volunteers cannot go into the classroom or on field trips without being an approved volunteer through district.