Open House night
finally arrived and our new school year was a GO! It was so much fun to see our families once again – lots of happy faces and students who were obviously eager to come back to school. 
The first three half days of school were filled with exciting activities. Second graders practiced walking to the house, 2-3 and 4-5 students enjoyed team building games at Statesville’s brand new 
Fitness Center, K-1 students learned to “follow the yellow arrows” to find their way to the dismissal area, and so much more. This year we spent the first full week of school focusing on building classroom communities with special activities in each grade level. Our 2-3 teachers introduced “Morning Meetings” which will be integrated with AR time each morning. Children will share special celebrations, express
concerns, and practice social skills during this ten minute community time. Our 4-5 graders will participate in “Class Meetings” once a week with the same emphasis. Our school focus this year is, obviously, building positive relationships. With a strong foundation of skills that enhance collaboration and cooperation, as well as raise awareness and practice of empathy, integrity, and support, increased excellence in academics will naturally follow. We want all our students at American Renaissance Elementary to be thoughtful and compassionate classmates and, at the same time, reach their highest academic potential.
