Good morning! Before I say anything else, I want to take a moment and thank you all for the tremendous outpouring of support you have given during the first week of school. Thank you to each parent who sent supplies and gifts to make our classroom better. What a blessing! Thank you, Mrs. Gee, for volunteering time in the classroom, and thank you to those who have taken home projects to help out. I also want to thank the Fosters for the delicious lunch they brought me Friday! It is truly amazing how kind and giving Academy families always are, and the 22 families represented in our class this year are no exception.
There are several major events coming up in the near future that you will probably want to add to your calendar.
1. The $75 deposit for the 4th grade Austin/San Antonio field trip is due by September 9th. Your child should have brought home a blue reservation form Friday with information about the trip. (If you can't find it, it is posted on my website, too.) Please read the information, fill out the reservation form, and return it with your $75 deposit as soon as possible. We will have a parent information meeting September 9th at 6:30 P.M. in the cafeteria to 1) explain the details of the trip, 2) answer questions, and 3) take roommate requests. Our goal is for every single 4th grader to join us on this trip. If money is an issue for your family, we have several options to help you out. Please let me know as soon as possible if you will need assistance so we can get the ball rolling.
2. Picture Day is Thursday, September 2nd. Your child should have brought home a Picture Day packet yesterday. If you need a new one, please stop by the office Monday morning.
3. Your child will receive his/her first Homework Menu this week. The first activity on this week's menu is mandatory, and it is due on Wednesday. After that, your child has 2 options of activities that will be due on Friday. I will almost always post the Homework Menu on Saturday or Sunday on my website, so your child should be able to get a head start and have a less-stressful week. Remember, your child always has the opportunity to extend his/her learning by completing extra activities and/or by using the links on the Project Resources page of my website to present the information in a different format. Please note that not all technology resources will work for each assignment and some assignments (like Activity #1 and #2 from this week) specifically require paper and pencil types of work. Each menu is made as a checklist to make expectations clear. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to email me at any time.
4. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week we will be taking Writing, Math, and Reading Benchmark Tests. These are meant to give me an idea of where your child is currently so that I can know better how to adjust my teaching to meet his/her needs. Please help your child to know that these are low stress assessments and that he/she should simply do his/her best.
5. By now I'm sure you have heard from your child about the 30 Books requirement this year. When your child finishes a book, he/she needs to post information about it on the 30 Books Wikispace in order to receive credit. The site is self-explanatory and details exactly what the children should be recording about each book that they complete.
6. Each week the kids will be required to post on our Class Blog about what they have been reading. (Those that have already posted are LOVING it!) Some class time will be available for students to do this each week, but it is always helpful if kids can do it at home ahead of time.
7. We should be receiving the student agendas sometime this week. Once we do, your child will record upcoming events and information daily. Please remember to initial your child's agenda daily so I know you have seen it.
8. By the end of the first Nine Weeks, every 4th grader must be able to complete 100 addition problems in 5 minutes and 100 subtraction problems in 5 minutes. Please help your child practice flash cards on a daily basis. Also, there are printable math drills and a variety of math games on my school website to help your child reach these goals.
9. Book orders are due Friday. Please make all checks payable to Scholastic Book Clubs.
Have a fabulous weekend and an even better week! Thanks again for such a great start to the year! Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.
