Week 32

It's TAKS week! The kids are ready to show what they know, and I am excited to see the results of all of their hard work. It has been extremely rewarding over the last few weeks of review to see everything come together. They are such a great group of kids who have really learned the value of effort this year!

There are a TON of activities and events coming up over the next few weeks. I'm not sure how much longer I will make it with the kids before little Kennedy arrives, so I'm working extremely hard to have everything set and ready to go before I leave. My goal is to make it to Friday, May 6th, so we'll see how close to that date we can get. While I am out, Colette Rose, a wonderfully qualified friend and classmate of Mrs. Murtagh's, will be subbing for me. When the time gets closer, I will make sure you have all of her contact information so that you can contact her with any questions or concerns.

Here are the events for this week:

1) Like we did for the Writing TAKS, I would love for you to send an encouraging letter with your child in a sealed envelope on Tuesday morning. We will take time to read these right before the test starts to help remind the kids how proud you are of them. Please write "Wait to open!" on the front so we can all open them together. Also, if you have time, I would love to have one or two extra generic letters for students whose parents forget to do this. Last time we had just enough because of the parents who helped out in this way!

2) On Tuesday and Wednesday, the students are invited to join us in the science lab at 7:10 for a protein-filled breakfast before the TAKS. Thank you so much to the Cazier, Doss, Downs, Godwin, Turner, Foster, Johnson, and Bagley families who have already volunteered to send items! If you have not contacted me yet and wish to help out, please email me a.s.a.p. and let me know what you would like to bring and/or the day(s) you would like to help serve the kids. Remember, you can get volunteer hours for helping out in any way! We are still in need of fruit, eating utensils, plates, cups, and breakfast casseroles, especially for Wednesday. Parents will be required to leave the building at 7:35 both days and should be reminded that visitors will not be allowed on campus after that.

3) Student-Led Conferences will be held Wednesday, May 11th. I will be taking requests for conference times via email beginning this Thursday at 8:00. (Please do not email requests before then so that everyone has a fair chance of getting the times they want.) Your child will bring home a letter Monday with a list of available times and more information about this process. Please remember that these conferences are mandatory and extremely important to your child.

4) The Homework Menu for this week and next is already posted on my website. The students have two weeks to type up their scripts that they have been working on in class onto their own pages of the wiki. The students are so excited about this project and are loving having an opportunity to publish their work in this way. We have discussed in class how students should be typing their own work, not getting help from a parent or friend. This week students will have extra computer lab time to work on this to help them complete this activity on time. If your child needs additional computer access, please let me know so we can make arrangements.

5) Thursday is the 5th grade Science TAKS, so students will be allowed to bring pillows to sit on again on that day. No parents will be allowed on campus on Thursday.

6) Students need to post their 29th book this week. (Only one more to go!) There are now 9 students who have already met or surpassed the 30-Books Goal! Truly remarkable!

7) There is no blog question for this week.

Other upcoming events (in case my leave begins earlier than expected):

1) Vertical Schedule will be in effect the first two weeks of May.

2) Tuesday, May 3rd, is our School Cultural Day. Students will rotate through exciting cultural activities all day long.

3) Cookie dough will be delivered May 4th.

4) Our African Cats and Botanical Gardens field trip is May 5th. Thank you for getting your money and permission slips in on time!

5) Moms and Muffins is Friday, May 6th. I believe tickets will be sold this week, but I'm not positive. (Sorry!)

6) Our Student-Led Conferences will by Wednesday, May 11th. Remember to sign up this Thursday via email.

7) Our field day is May 20th at the BHS stadium.

8) The 4th grade Texas Play will be June 1st. There will be a morning and afternoon performance during the school day.

9) Vertical parties will be June 2nd.

10) There is an Awards Assembly June 3rd at 1:00.

Anyone else's brain overloaded?  I'm exhausted, and I don't think it's just because of this baby...  : )