Conferences are Coming Up!

Hello, parents!

I am looking forward to meeting with you next week to discuss your child’s progress.

  • Parent-teacher conferences will be held on Monday, Nov. 5 and Wednesday, Nov. 7.
  • Appointment slips indicating the day and time of your scheduled conference were sent home with students on Friday. For your reference, my conference schedule is also available here.
  • If you aren’t able to make your scheduled time, please contact me as soon as possible to reschedule.

What’s Coming Up – Week of October 29-November 2, 2018

Happy Weekend, Parents! I hope you’ve had a great week! Please find some important updates and reminders below, as well as some snapshots of what we’ve been up to in class.  I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend!

Miscellaneous:

  • Parent-Teacher conferences will be held on November 5th and November 7th. A conference time slip is being sent home today. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s progress. Please email your child’s teacher ASAP if your conference time needs to be rescheduled. 
  • Goodies Factory fundraiser orders and payment due on Tuesday, Oct. 30.
    • Please turn in one check payable to Georgetown Elementary for the entire order.
    • The 5th-grade activity fee of $100, minus any money earned by fundraising, is due on or before February 1, 2019. Once the fundraiser is complete, you will be informed of the remaining balance due.
  • We have our UNIT 2 MATH TEST on Tuesday! Look in the “Subject Areas” tab and in “Math” to find some online unit 2 review resources. Also, look for some review resources coming home this weekend and on Monday!
  • Fall parties will be on Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 2:15-3:15. Students are to bring their costume to school. Time will be given for the kids to change into them prior to the party.
  • Early release on Friday, November 2.

Look out for this slip of paper serving as your confirmation for conferences! This is coming home tonight-Friday, Oct 26!!!

We had fun working on a small project with Ms. Hutchison’s kindergarteners last week!

Students worked together to “disguise” a pumpkin so that it wouldn’t get turned into pumpkin pie!

They had to select materials to use for their disguise!

They had fun coming up with ideas, working together, and helping out!

We’ve been playing some games to help us review for our upcoming math test!

Students are practicing different decimal forms- Standard Form, Word Form, Expanded Form, and Expanded Form using Powers of Ten!

It’s always fun to move around to room to work!

 

Be NICE, Be SAFE, Be an UPSTANDER!

Throughout the year, we have many discussions and teachable moments around the topic of bullying. This week, we will be focusing on specific ways that students can respond if they see or experience bullying behavior. Click here to see the slideshow used as a guide for classroom discussions this week.

What’s Coming Up – Week of October 22-26, 2018

Hello parents! Wow! These weeks are flying by-AND what an exciting week we’ve had! We had a special visit from Mr. Cooley’s father, Michael Cooley, Sr. who shared some advice on writing! He published a book called, The Power of Forgiveness, and shared about the writing process.  As you know, we’ve been working on writing and finishing up our memoirs and his advice was perfect timing to help give us one last push of motivation to finish our writing to make it the best it can be! Thank you, Mr. Cooley (Sr.), for coming and speaking with us!

Miscellaneous:

  • Goodies Factory fundraiser orders and payment due on Tuesday, Oct. 30.
    • Please turn in one check payable to Georgetown Elementary for the entire order.
  • Fall parties will be on Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 2:15-3:15. Calling all Volunteers! Click HERE if you are willing or able to help on the day or send something in for our fall party! FALL PARTY SIGN UP!

Math: Unit 2: Adding and Subtracting Decimals.

  • Students should continue practicing their math facts using Moby Max.

ELA: In ELA, we are beginning a unit where students will be joining book clubs and looking deeper at characters and traits that they exhibit.  

  • Reminder….The students are expected to read 100 minutes a week. As a parent please initial the log when they read at home, showing you confirm your child has read for the minutes recorded.

Science: We are continuing to make claims based on evidence and reasoning and will apply these to our upcoming science investigations.

Mr. Cooley’s father, Michael Cooley, Sr, introducing his book.

He shared stories about the process of writing his book and told some stories from the book.

He took some time to listen to students’ memoirs.

Some asked for advice on how to improve their writing.

Telling a story included in the book.

It was great to be able to have some one-on-one time to share our writing.

We enjoyed some donuts and cider! Thanks, Mr. Michael Cooley, Sr. for sharing with us!

Goodies Factory Fundraiser!

Parents,
Today your child has received a Goodies Factory Fundraiser packet.  The dates, times, and information are on the cover page of the packet.  Attached here is a copy of the presentation that was shown to students at an assembly this morning.  Email if you have any questions or concerns!
Have a great weekend and happy selling!
Matt

What’s Coming Up – Week of October 15-19, 2018

Happy end-of-the-week, parents!  I hope this message finds well and ready to head into the weekend for some R & R! Check out some updates below!

Miscellaneous:

  • Early release on Friday, Oct. 12.
  • The information came home this week about the 5th-grade activity fee. You can view the information here as well.
  • Look for Goodies Factory Fundraiser materials coming home soon to help cover the 5th-grade activity fee.
  • Reminder….The students are expected to read 100 minutes a week. As a parent please initial the log when they read at home, showing you confirm your child has read for the minutes recorded.

FALL PARTY

  • Fall party will be on Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 2:15-3:15. Parents are welcome to come and HELP only! Sorry, otherwise there is not enough space in the classrooms!
  • Look for a survey coming soon to your email about a sign up to help or volunteer for our class party via SignUp Genius!

I had a question about masks as students prepare for Halloween. See below for guidelines outlined by Mrs. Reagan:

  • NO MASKS during the school day, only for the party.  This means no masks in the hallway or on the bus loop or on the playground.
  • Party time masks: Only if they are NOT SCARY.  Who determines if they are scary – I do!  If there is a mask I believe might be too scary for others to see, it should NOT be brought to school.  Masks that are nice/friendly can only be worn during the class party!

Students share with a partner and practice reading their memoir out loud in order to listen for areas that may need some attention. They use feedback to make changes to their writing.

We discussed making sure that we were effective partners during our peer reviews, treating each person’s writing with care and respect for each other’s abilities and vulnerabilities.

What’s Coming Up – Week of October 8-12, 2018

Happy end-of-the-week, parents!  Please note the upcoming dates below and check out some happenings in our room through some photos at the bottom!

Miscellaneous:

  • Walk-a-thon is tomorrow on Friday, Oct. 5. Information was sent home with students this week.
  • Early release on Friday, Oct. 12.

Math: We have completed our first math test of the year and will be beginning Unit 2: Adding and Subtracting Decimals.

  • Students should continue practicing their math facts using Moby Max.

ELA: We are working on the first unit of building agency and independence as readers. In writing, we’re making progress on writing a memoir.

  • Students are expected to complete 100 minutes of reading outside of school and log those minutes.

Social Studies: We are preparing to assess the foundations of our government in Unit 1 which explores the structure of the federal, state and local governments.

Students stood in groups of 3 and pretended each to be a branch of government. They simulated checks and balances by connecting arms and felt the other branch’s checks that limit power.

It was a fun exercise that turned a little into a strong man competition for these guys! Fortunately, the other two could limit his power!

We explored Federalism through examining the individual and shared powers of the federal and state governments.

Cards were to be categorized under “Federal Only,” “State Only,” or “Shared Between Federal and State.” Cards consisted of different powers and situational actions that exercised the powers.

Students had to converse with one another, use notes, and ask questions to get things placed properly. Lots of thinking involved!

 

LASTLY, HUGE Thanks to Alexa and the Tolsma family supplying cupcakes and making my birthday SUPER SWEET!  They were delicious! 🙂

Students enjoying some Birthday love from the Tolsma family!

Turkey Trot 2018- REGISTRATION ENDS TODAY, Oct 3rd!

Hello parents!  This is a reminder that the 2018 Turkey Trot is happening soon and registration ends today, Oct 3rd!  If you’d like to register online, there is still time!  Check out the information below!

We are now offering online registration for the Turkey Trot through the community education website! This method of registration streamlines the process for you.  You will receive immediate confirmation that your payment was received and your child is ready for the race!  It also helps us out immensely by cutting down on having to collect checks and cash.

Turkey Trot details:
When:  Tuesday, October 23
Where:  Baldwin Street Middle School – Eagle Stadium
Time:  Races begin at 5:00 PM, Gates open at 4:30 PM
Entry fee:  $6.00 (includes a Turkey Trot shirt)
Deadline for entry:  October 3, 2018

If you have ever signed your child up for a community ed. activity, you already have an account.  If not, one can easily be created.

REGISTER FOR THE TURKEY TROT HERE

A copy of the registration form has also been attached to this email for your convenience.

Turkey Trot Registration Form