Week 33

Well, still no Kennedy. I'm so ready for her to be here at this point, but she's taking her time. (My due date is still 10 days away, so I guess she's not going slowly; I'm just wanting her to be early!) We are making progress, though, so I'm hoping it won't be too much longer. My next doctor appointment is Monday after school, so we'll find out then if we've progressed any further.

Even if she hasn't come, my last day for sure will be this Friday. I want to thank all of you for the unending support and love I have felt this year. Spending each day with these beautiful children has been such a privilege and an honor. I am sad to see the kids move on, but I know they will do great things next year and beyond. Thank you for all of the blessings you have provided for me and my expanding family. What a great year!

Mrs. Rose, my long-term sub, came Friday and spent the afternoon with the kids. It was great to watch the students interacting so well with her! I feel very confident that I am leaving them in good, capable hands. Before I leave, I will make sure you have her contact information.

This will most likely be my last posting, so I'll try to put as many dates on here as possible to help you out.

Here's what's going on this week:

1) The Homework Menu from last week is due this Friday. Students should be working hard to get their final drafts of their scripts typed up and posted on the wikispace. Many kids are making incredible progress with this goal. If your child needs extra computer access, please let me know a.s.a.p. so we can make arrangements for your child to work during recess, at lunch, and/or after school.

2) Vertical schedule begins this week and will continue on through next week. After that, we will be on Horizontal for the remainder of the year. (Actually, I think there is one day during the final week that goes back to Vertical, but the majority of the time will be Horizontal.)

3) Tomorrow is Career Day. During Specials, the students will learn about different occupations and will have the opportunity to dress up and take pictures as their chosen profession. To see the picture order form, click here.

4) Tuesday is the first annual Cultural Day at the Academy. The kids will go through different activities and rotations throughout the entire day. It should be fun!

5) Cookie dough will be delivered to the cafeteria Wednesday. If your child sold cookie dough, please make arrangements to pick up your child and help him/her get these items home and refrigerated/frozen as quickly as possible.

6) Our field trip to see African Cats and to visit the Botanical Gardens is this Thursday. Please remember, your child must bring a sack lunch on this day. Also, even if you are going on the trip, your child must ride the bus to and from the activities.

7) Moms and Muffins is this Friday. Please contact the office to find out about ticket sales.

8) Thank you to everyone who already sent in your Student-Led Conference time preferences. Remember, these conferences are a mandatory commitment for every family that attends the Academy. I will have the kids record their conference times in their agendas tomorrow to make sure you have the information you need. 4th grade conferences will be held May 11th.

9) Students should be posting their 30th book this week on the wikispace this week! The final cutoff for posting books (I believe) will be May 20th. (If this changes, Mrs. Rose will let your child know.) I am truly amazed at the progress they all have made this year!


Here's what else is coming: 

1) Again, our conferences will be held Wednesday, May 11th.

2) Field Day is May 20th. (Don't forget your sunscreen!)

3) We will begin practicing for the 4th grade Texas Play this week. Tryouts will be May 13th and 16th, and the performances will be held on June 1st.

4) Vertical parties will be held on June 2nd. 

5) The final awards assembly will be June 3rd at 1:00.

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...  : )

Week 31

THANK YOU!

You have once again blessed our family! Thank you to everyone who contributed to the baby shower and who helped us get the stroller and car seat combo, (especially Donna Downs and Amber Miller who organized everything)! The shower was so much fun, and we really feel that we now have our last essential big item for her arrival. (We'll actually get to bring her home from the hospital now!) Also, thank you to each family who provided all of the other adorable gifts (clothes, diapers, bows, books, etc.). Kris and I went straight home and put everything together and in its place. We are amazed at your generosity and so appreciative of your kindness!

Here are this week's events:

1) This week's Homework Menu is posted and was given to the students Friday. Students must choose 2 of the 4 options to complete by Friday. All of the options are out of the students' math books (which the students should have taken home over the weekend). By-the-way, if your child needs more practice before the TAKS, there are TAKS reviews like those on the Homework Menu at the end of every chapter in the book.

2) Students were given permission slips yesterday for our upcoming field trip to go see Disney's African Cats and the Botanical Gardens. Here are the main pieces of information you need to know:

• The trip is Thursday, May 5th.
• One parent and no siblings may attend this trip.
• Parents and students must bring a sack lunch.
• Parents must provide their own transportation for the trip.
• Students must ride the bus to and from school.
• Student tickets (with bus costs) are $11.00.
• Adult tickets are $6.50.
• The theater is offering concession combos (with a small drink and small popcorn) for $4.50. These must be pre-purchased, and students will have no other concession opportunities. The money for concession combos should be turned in with the permission slips.
• Permission slips are due this Friday.

3) I am offering one more round of tutoring this Tuesday from 3:00-4:00. Please send me an email if your child will be attending.  Homework Hotline will also be held this week at the same time.

4) The Math and Reading TAKS are April 26th and 27th. We will be reviewing and reteaching this week for our final preparation. I am confident that every kid in our class who applies and uses the strategies we have learned this year is fully capable of passing both tests! I am excited to see the kids show what they know!

5) We DO have school this Friday. I believe it was originally off the calendar, but it has been added back in because of snow days.

6) Students should post their 28th book on the wikispace this week. This means that after this week kids should be just 2 books away from our 30-Book Goal!

Week 30

Good morning! There is so much going on right now at school, and things will only continue to get busier as the year rolls on. Fasten your seat belts, folks! April is in full swing!

Here's what you need to know for this week:

1) Our classroom baby shower is this Friday at 2:00. If you wish to contribute in any way, please contact Donna Downs at dldowns2u@sbcglobal.net or 817-913-3642. Please check the emails I forwarded from her last week for more information.

2) The Homework Menu is now available for this week. Once again students will be playing online games to prepare for the TAKS (which is now only 2 and a half weeks away). If you have limited Internet access, please let me know so I can get an alternative assignment for your child and/or make arrangements for your child to use the computers at school.

3) The students will have a Math Checkpoint this Thursday covering the types of information the students will be practicing for homework this week.

4) I will once again be available to provide extra tutoring and help for the TAKS this Tuesday after school until 4:00. If you wish for your child to stay, please shoot me an email so I know that your child will be there. (Homework Hotline will still happen if your child needs to stay and work.)

5) Students should post their 27th book on the wikispace this week. (Can you believe they will only have 3 books left to go after this week?) As a class, the students have read over 550 books so far this year!

6) Students need to post a response on the class blog this week. There are still a few students who have not answered the Week 28 question and need to do so a.s.a.p.

7) The fundraiser ends on Tuesday, April 12th. Please send your child's order forms and money in by this day.

8) Time is running out for parents to finish up their volunteer hours. At the Leadership Meeting Wednesday, Mrs. Simons was very clear that families who do not reach the 10 hour requirement will lose their place at the Academy for next year. There are several opportunities coming up where you can serve, and you can find out more information by contacting the main office.

9) The Math and Reading TAKS will be April 26th and 27th. Please encourage your child to use the links on my website for additional practice between now and then.

Week 29

Good morning! I'm about to head out to Oklahoma again for our first baby shower, but I wanted to get this out to you before I leave. I hope you have a terrific week!

Here's the news!

1) 5th grade will be doing their TAKS Monday and Tuesday this week. In an effort to keep the school quiet, we will be doing a lot of sitting on the floor so our chairs won't make so much noise sliding around. Your child may bring one pillow to sit on both days if he/she wishes. Please do not send blankets or oversized pillows, and remember that the pillows might get a little dirty since they will be on the floor all day.

2) This week's homework menu is ready. Let me know if you have limited Internet availability at home, and I will print off questions for your child.

3) Many students did not answer last week's blog question yet. This is completely my fault since I failed to remind them all week. If your child did not answer the Week 28 blog question, he/she needs to do so this week.


4)  Students need to post their 26th book on the wiki this week.

5) If you have not sent back your child's report card yet, please do so a.s.a.p.

Week 28

I feel like everything is flying by so quickly now. We only have one Nine Weeks remaining of school, and my little Kennedy is due in less than 7 weeks. I cannot believe that the finish line is already in sight for both of these events! I am encouraged by how well the kids are doing overall and how they are all working so hard to achieve the goals they have set for themselves for this year.

Please read below to see this week's major events:

1) Report cards go home Monday. As much work as these new report cards mean for the teachers, I must say that I really do love the specific feedback that they provide for the parents. My hope, especially now as the Math and Reading TAKS move closer, is that you will look over these objectives and help your child focus specifically on areas of weakness over the next few weeks.

Also, please remember that the overall scores you will see are cumulative grades. To get an M, students must have Ms in at least 90% of the objectives for the entire year without even one T for the subject.

2) This week's Homework Menu is now ready. There are 2 options to help your child practice for the upcoming Math TAKS. The first option walks your child step-by-step through the different math skills and objectives he/she needs to know for the TAKS test. This is a great review of the concepts we have covered so far and it includes interactive practice questions with immediate feedback. The second option is simply on online practice Math TAKS. It is a great option to help your child review what has been learned and to see the types of questions and wording that he/she should expect on the real test at the end of April. I have attached this option as a pdf on my website for students who don't have regular Internet access and want to print it out. Both options require your child to spend 45 minutes total practicing, but this time can be split up over several days.

3) Your child needs to answer the Week 28 blog question this week. 


4) This week students should post their 25th book on the wikispace. As a class, the students have almost read 500 books this year! At our faculty meeting this week we talked about the successes we are seeing with this initiative, and it really is mind-blowing to see how the reading skills the kids are developing are overflowing into every other corner of their education. Again, thank you for all you are doing to help your child meet these goals.

5) The 3rd Nine Weeks Awards Assembly will be Friday at 8:00. If your child will receive an award, I will email you today to let you know so you can make arrangements to be there if possible.

Have a great week!

Week 27

Happy Spring Break! I am leaving tomorrow to visit my family in Oklahoma, so I wanted to get this out to you now. I hope you are resting and enjoying your time with your family!

Thank you to all of the families who helped out with World Party! The room looked amazing, and the kids did a tremendous job with their projects and murals.

Here are this week's events:

1) Your child should have 23 books posted on the wiki by now. If your child is behind, please encourage him/her to use this Break to catch up. Next week all students should post their 24th book.

2) Monday is Spring Picture Day. Remember, this is an out of uniform day!

3) The Week 27 Homework Menu is posted and ready if your child wants to work ahead. The activity is due Friday, March 25th.

4) As the TAKS approaches, the more practice and familiarity with these types of questions, the better the chances of success for the students. Please remember that there are several links and practice tests on my website for your child to use.

5) Report Cards will go home during Week 28.

Week 26

The kids worked so hard on their Writing TAKS this week! I couldn't be prouder of them for taking their time and using all of the strategies they have learned this year. It will be a long couple of months waiting for the results, but I am satisfied that above all else the students did their best. They have grown tremendously since the beginning of 4th grade, and I am excited to include their beginning-of-the-year essays with their end-of-the-year essays in the next portfolio so that you can see their progress.

Thank you to all of the parents who helped make breakfast for the students and to those who wrote letters of encouragement this week. The students were thrilled by both gestures. Your actions have blessed our class, and you are truly appreciated.

Here's what you need to know about this week:

1) This week in class we will be creating several decorations for World Party. Please send an old, large T-shirt on Monday your child can use this week to protect his/her clothing from paint.

2) There is no new Homework Menu for this week. Students should continue working on their World Party projects that they began last week. The kids used their computer lab time this week to gather their facts for their projects, so all that should be left is putting the project together. Don't forget, these projects are due Tuesday, not Friday. If your child finishes this weekend, feel free to send it early on Monday.

3) Wednesday we will have a district Reading Checkpoint.

4) World Party will be Thursday evening from 6:00-7:30. This is a tremendously fun and interesting time where you and your child can go from class to class to find out information about cultures from around the world. The kids love this event, and they always learn a lot.

5) Speaking of World Party, please let me know if you would like to volunteer to bring a Kenyan food dish to be served Thursday evening. Below are several sites with recipes you can try. (Feel free to look around other sites, too!) Also, we could just use several bananas cut into thirds or fourths to offer that evening. You can receive volunteer hours for your cooking/preparation time, (or if you just go buy something, you can receive half an hour of volunteer time).

• http://www.kenyatravelideas.com/kenya-dessert-recipes.html
• http://nutford.kijabe.org/recipes.html
• http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/kenya-recipes.html

6) Friday will be a Vertical Schedule day. We will use this time to rotate through our vertical classes to learn about the countries represented in each room.

7) Students may wear jeans Friday if they bring a donation for Relay for Life. (This is all the information I have right now about this, but I will let the kids know more when I get further info.)

8) Spring Break is next week! Enjoy your time with your family!

9) Students should post their 23rd book this week on the wiki. If you child is behind, Spring Break should be a great opportunity to catch up!

Week 25

Good morning! Well, it's finally Writing TAKS time, and I must say that I am really encouraged by the writing I have seen the kids do this week. The students are doing a great job of putting all of the techniques together that they have learned this year to make interesting, fun-to-read compositions. It's rewarding to see their confidence growing. On Monday, I plan to show the students their original pieces of writing from the beginning of the year so they can see just how far they have come. The change really is remarkable! I am so proud of the hard work they have put in this year.

Speaking of being proud, I want to give you the opportunity to let your child know how proud you are of him/her, too. I am asking you to write your child a letter of encouragement to send with him/her on Tuesday morning. You should seal the envelope and write "Don't open until Mrs. Bennett says!" on the front. We will take time Tuesday morning before we begin the test to let the kids read them together. I did this last year, and it was extremely powerful for the kids to hear once again that their parents believe in them and are proud of their efforts. I will send a reminder email about this today and Monday.

Here are this week's major events:

1) We will have a TAKS breakfast for the kids Tuesday morning in my classroom beginning at 7:15. This is just one more way to make sure the kids are relaxed and ready to go for the test. If you signed up to bring something, please try to get it there sometime between 7:00 and 7:15 Tuesday morning. Feel free to stick around for the breakfast and to help serve if you are able!

2) Remember, there are several sites with practice TAKS tests and questions your child can use this weekend to ensure he/she is ready to go.  Here are a few you can use:

• Practice 1
• Practice 2
• Practice 3
• Practice 4
• Practice 5
• Practice 6

3) This week's homework menu involves making Kenya projects for World Party and will be due next Tuesday. Monday in class I will draw names and let the kids choose a topic about Kenya that they want to research. The homework menu has several possibilities for your child to choose, so you might look it over with your child this weekend to help him/her find a few options that would work (in case the first choice is taken before his/her turn). I have created an additional page on my website with a ton of good informational links. We will use our computer lab time this week to do additional research.

4) There are still a few portfolios that need to be returned. Please take care of this as quickly as possible.

5) Students should be posting their 22nd book on the wikispace this week. Let me take this opportunity to brag on the successes we are seeing. First, we now have 3 students who have completed their 30 Books Goal and are already working to set new records. (Kate, Noah, and Ryan R., you are definitely setting the bar high!) Second, as a class the students have read over 440 books this year, which is almost 70,000 pages! Wow! (I wonder how many words that would be...) Third, every student who is caught up with his/her reading has tested above grade level on the recent QRI tests. This is strong evidence that the best way to improve reading ability is simply to read, read, read.

6) Your child does not need to blog this week. We will pick this up again after Spring Break.

7) We are making great progress on the 4-minute math charts. Each week more and more students add their names to the list. It's awesome to see the kids continue to push themselves to improve.

8) Finally, please remember that brain studies show that a good night's sleep Monday is crucial to your child's success on the Writing TAKS Tuesday morning. Last year one of the major concerns kids voiced in my class before the test was a fear that they would oversleep or not get adequate rest. Thank you for all that you can do to help reduce such fears.

Week 24

Happy Friday! I hope you are having a fantastic day! Thank you to all of the parents who helped out with our Valentine's Day party and to the parents who helped cut out things for me this week. Your involvement always makes such a difference. If you helped out with either of these things, will you please send me an email reminding me of the time spent so I can make sure you get your volunteer hours?

Here are this week's headlines:

1) There is no school Monday! Enjoy the time off!

2) Today your child is bringing home benchmark tests and scores from the beginning of the year as well as the ones we took last week. These tests do not need to be returned to me. My hope is that you will look over them with your child to help your child understand questions that were missed. There are several links on my webpage to additional TAKS practice that would definitely benefit your child.

3) Please send back your child's portfolio by Tuesday if possible. The children have selected some pieces they really liked and are excited to show them off to you!

4) Your child should have 20 books posted on the wikispace now and should be working on his/her 21st book this week. (Can you believe they have read so much this year?) I am so proud of the kids for their hard work and for pushing themselves to achieve this goal. After doing QRI reading level tests this week, I can see such a difference in the kids who are making this goal a priority. (By the way, the QRI levels will be sent home today for you.)

5) The kids do not need to blog again this week.

6) This week's Homework Menu is due Friday. It involves another essay to help the students continue to prepare for the TAKS test (which is now a week and a half away). I emailed links to online practice tests this week for your child to use as needed. (Please let me know if you didn't get them.) I will be at a doctor appointment Tuesday afternoon, so Homework Hotline will be held in Mrs. Smalley's class that day. If your child is going, he/she should bring the pass directly to Mrs. Smalley at dismissal.

7) Our Science Checkpoint test will now be Tuesday.

8) Dads and Doughnuts will be held this Friday from 6:50 - 7:30.

Week 23

Good evening! I don't know about you, but I'm LOVING the warmer weather today! I think I've had just about enough of the freezing temps and the ice. It looks like we might even get up to the 70s next week. Yippee!

On a personal note, I am now 99 days away from my due date! I think the kids are enjoying my outie bellybutton a little more than I am. (They keep asking if it will ever go back in, and I'm starting to wonder the same thing.)  If you haven't seen me lately, there's much more of me to love now.  My husband, Kris, and I are getting extremely excited about her arrival and are getting nervous about how fast time seems to be flying.

This week is filled with events, so let's get right to it.

1) Horizontal schedule resumes Monday.

2) The Book Fair is this week! Our class is scheduled to visit Tuesday to make wish lists and again Thursday to make purchases. Also, don't forget that the Book Fair will be open from 5:00-6:30 Tuesday evening if you want to shop with your kid.

3) Our Valentine's Day party is Monday at 2:00.  Thank you to all of the parents who have already sent $2.00 to Donna Downs for the craft. Also, thank you to everyone who volunteered to bring snacks and drinks for the party. If you have any questions or want to know how you can help, please contact Mrs. Downs at dldowns2u@sbcglobal.net.  Kids do not need to decorate boxes or bags at home this weekend. We will spend time in class on Monday decorating bags to hold their goodies and Valentines.

4) There are no clubs on Monday.

5) Portfolios go home Thursday. Your child's recent benchmark test scores will be included to give you a better idea of your child's progress. We are finishing QRI reading level testing this week, so that data will also be in the portfolio.

6) Recommitment letters are due this Friday. If you need another copy, please let me know a.s.a.p. so you have time to meet the deadline.

7) This week's Homework Menu has 2 options for the children. Both choices are writing activities to help the kids better prepare for the quickly approaching Writing TAKS. The Homework Menu is due Friday.

8) Your child should post his/her 20th book this week on the wiki. Many kids are catching up and are even getting ahead! Thanks for all of your support at home in the endeavor.

9) This week we have a Science and a Math Checkpoint. These are district tests to determine student progress. Once we have these results, I will communicate them to you.

10) If you haven't explored the TAKS links on my website lately, please do so when you get a chance over the next couple of weeks. There are full practice tests (with answer keys) you can print off to help your child at home as well as interactive study guides kids can use to practice their skills.

11) Your child does not need to blog this week.

12) We are still working on beating the 4-minute timers for our math drills.

Week 22

What a week! I hope your kids enjoyed their second Winter Break as much as I did.  It was so nice to have some downtime. The plan for this week is to pick up where we left off last week. Just scroll down to last week's post to update yourself on the news, homework menu, etc.


Here are the only new items to add:

1) Wednesday is an early release day. You need to make arrangements to get your child at 11:45.

2) Wednesday we will be taking a Reading Benchmark Test, and Friday we will be taking a Math Benchmark Test.

3) Recommitment letters go home this week. These letters help us know who will be returning and what open spaces might be available. Thanks ahead of time for making sure you get these back quickly.

4) Spring Pictures are this Thursday.

5) Our Valentine's Party will be Monday, February 14th, at 2:00. As soon as I have more information about this event, I will send it your way.

6) The Book Fair begins next week!

Week 21

Good morning! I just wanted to take a moment to thank a few people who have helped out lately. Thank you to Mrs. Foster for the wonderful baby towels and washcloths. We will definitely make use of them! Thank you also to Mrs. Bagley and Mrs. Miller who stopped by yesterday to help out with the pizza party. Things like that are so much easier with another set of hands on deck. I appreciate each of these women tremendously!

Here is the news:

1) Like last week, the kids will be writing an essay for their Homework Menu item. The Writing TAKS is now 5 weeks away, and we want the kids to be as prepared as possible. Because these assignments understandably take longer, the kids will not have a second assignment or a blog question for the week.

2) Dads and Doughnuts is this Friday from 6:50-7:30. This is a fun time for the kids to bond with their dads while eating some delicious, fat-filled snacks! If you did not buy tickets last week, contact the office to see what you need to do.

3) Kids should now have 18 books posted on the wiki. Congrats to Kate who is the first child to successfully complete all 30 books from the required genres! What an accomplishment!

4) The kids have decided that they want to be the first class to beat the 4-minute timers in all math operations. The kids are pumped about this goal and want to accomplish it before any other class can beat the 5-minute timers. (A little pizza can sure make a group of kids aim high!) I am excited to see that they are all continuing to improve and are putting for their best effort even after reaching their original goal. Remember, there are printable drills and games on my website your child can access at any time.

Week 20

Good morning!

Our Writing Camp this week went extremely well! The kids are learning to fine-tune their skills as the TAKS test looms closer, and I must say I am feeling good overall about the progress we are seeing. Expect to see more writing assignments for homework in the near future as we continue practicing the writing process.

Our 5 Spelling Bee participants did an amazing job this week! We are proud of them for doing their best, being good sports, and representing us well! Way to go Carter, Lauren, Braden, Kate, and Reed!

I am proud to announce that our class is the first class in the school to have all 4 math drills conquered! Every student is now about to beat the 5-minute timer for all operations! Mrs. Simons almost cried when we told her and promised the kids a pizza party. As soon as I have a date and time set (probably a Friday around 2:00), I will let you know. If you are interested in coming and helping out in any way, please let me know!

Here are the things you need to know:

1) Vertical Schedule resumes Monday.

2) The 11 kids who completed 5 Bluebonnet books by last Friday will get to go to a banana split party in the library at 2:00 on Monday! If you have questions, please contact the librarian, Cathy Patterson.


3) This week's Homework Menu has just one activity for the kids to complete. The students will practice writing an essay based on a TAKS-type of prompt. The menu gives clear step-by-step directions of the processes we regularly use in class to develop our ideas and organize our writing. The Writing TAKS is now just 6 weeks away, so we are working hard to help these processes stick.

4) The kids do not need to post on the class blog again this week.

5) Your child should have 17 books posted on the wikispace. If your child needs a recommendation for a good book, he/she should go to the wiki and read the reviews from his/her peers!

6) The kids are all now working on 4-minute timers (or 3- or 2-minute timers) for their math drills! (I'm so proud of their hard work!) Our goal is for kids to have every fact entirely memorized and to move entirely away from finger-counting or skip-counting. Remember, there are games on my website kids can use to practice these skills as well as printable drills to use at home.

7) Kids overall are getting better at getting to class on time, but we are still having a few kids who regularly show up to class after the 7:45 bell. Please try to get your child to school as close to the 7:35 bell as possible so that he/she can take care of morning duties and prepare for the day.

I hope you have a wonderful week! Stay warm!

Week 19

Happy Sunday! I hope you are enjoying your long weekend with your children.


Here are this week's main events:


1) There is no school Monday in celebration of MLK Day!


2) This week's Homework Menu is posted now. As always, please encourage your child to begin his/her assignment early to avoid stress later in the week. Remember that your child can stay after school Tuesday for help if you fill out the Homework Hotline pass.


3) Your child does not need to post on the class blog this week unless he/she did not post last week.


4) Your child should have 16 books posted on the class wikispace. We have several kids close to finishing their 30-Books Goal! It's simply amazing! Thanks for all you are doing to help support your child's reading at home!


5) Thursday and Friday we will have a Writing Camp to help our students further prepare for the Writing TAKS Test. (Can you believe their test is only a month and a half away?) Students will rotate through classes to help them improve their introductions, conclusions, word choice, and focus. This week the kids will also receive their scores for the Writing Benchmarks from last week and will work to improve the essays that they wrote.


6) The Spelling Bee is this Wednesday. We have 5 students from our class who have qualified to compete! If your child is one of the kids participating in the Spelling Bee, please don't forget that there is a very important meeting immediately after school Tuesday. Please contact Amy Moore (amoore@burelsonisd.net) if you have other questions.


7) Almost all students are now working on a 4-minute timer for our math drills! The kids are all improving and working to beat their best times. If your child has not yet conquered this task, please continue to have him/her practice daily. Remember, there are printable drills on my website for you to use at home.

Week 18

Good evening! Can you believe it's already 2011? We have had a great week back, and the kids are learning new things already. I love how they have jumped straight back into the groove of things. We really do have such a sweet group of kids, and they make my job so much fun.

I want to take a moment to thank all of the parents who helped with the great party we had before the break! Thanks for spending your time with us and for providing such yummy snacks and great gifts. You continue to bless me and my family tremendously!

Also, I want to thank Mrs. Gee who has volunteered her time in the classroom and Mrs. Johnson who has once again spoiled me by bringing me lunch this week. You guys are the best!

Here's what you need to know this week:

1) Report cards go home Monday. Remember as you look at them that the overall grades cover all First and Second Nine Weeks objectives. In order to receive an M as an overall grade in a subject, your child must have had Ms in 90% of the objectives covered thus far. I love how comprehensive and specific this report card is. I hope that the specific feedback you will see will help you know exactly where your child needs to focus his/her attention to improve. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

2) This week's Homework Menu is now posted. Your child only has a Spelling assignment, so hopefully this won't take too long to complete. Don't forget that the Homework Hotline is available on Tuesday for your child if he/she needs extra help or time.

3) Your child should be completing and posting his/her 15th book this week. Our class as a whole has now read over 350 books this year! It is simply amazing to see how much they have done and how well they are doing in all subjects as a result of focusing on these skills.

4) This week your child needs to post a response on the class blog.  Several kids have not completed the last 2 responses and should work on that as well.

5) Your child will be taking a Writing Benchmark test on Thursday this week. This is a practice TAKS test to help us know better how to help your child prepare for the upcoming TAKS test. The real Writing TAKS Test will happen during the first week of March, so we are definitely down to crunch time.

6) Almost all students are now working on a 4-minute timer for our math drills! The kids are all improving and working to beat their best times. If your child has not yet conquered this task, please continue to have him/her practice daily. Remember, there are printable drills on my website for you to use at home.

7) Our Nine Weeks Awards Assembly is Friday at 8:00.  I will send you an email today if your child will be receiving an award.

Week 16

Only one week left! (Can you believe it?) This week will be filled with assemblies, assessments, and parties. It's going to be fun! Also, this Wednesday I have my sonogram to (hopefully) find out if I'm having a boy or girl!  I'm going out of my mind with anticipation!

Here are the big events:

1)  This week's homework menu is due this Friday. The kids just need to finish creating their dioramas. I can't wait to see what they produce!

2)  Our Christmas party is Thursday at 2:00. Please remember that each child needs to bring a book for the book exchange we will be doing that day. Here are the directions again that Mrs. Downs sent you: For the gifts, the students will have a random book exchange.  The teachers have asked that the students choose a new, grade-appropriate, book that costs no more than $5.00.  Please wrap the book and label it “from a boy, to a boy” or “from a girl, to a girl”.  Send the wrapped book the week of the Party.  The gifts will then be exchanged through a game that will be played at the party.

3)  Friday is an early release day! Please make arrangements to pick up your child at 11:45 that day.

4)  We are still having some problems with tardies, but the numbers are decreasing. Thank you for getting your child to school as close to 7:35 as possible.

5)  Students should post their 14th book on the wikispace this week. The students will not be assigned additional reading over the Break, so the two weeks off should be a great time for your child to get caught up and/or ahead.

6)  Every week more children are mastering their timed math drills!  I am so proud of their hard work. If your child still has not mastered all 4 areas, please help him/her practice daily. Remember, there are printable drills on my website to help out.

7)  We will not have a blog question for the kids this week.

8)  We are finishing up assessments for report cards this week. It is extremely important that your child is here each day this week.

9)  Our OUTDOOR Christmas Assembly is Friday at 10:00. Kids can wear jeans and a red shirt that day.

Week 15

Thank you to all of the parents who made time this week to come in and meet with me and your child. I am excited about the goals that have been set and the progress the kids are making!

Also, I wanted to take time to thank Mrs. Foster and Mrs. Downs for bringing me drinks and lunches this week. I'm not sure if it's because I'm pregnant, but these two women completely made my day with their acts of kindness. Thanks for going out of your way to do this for me, ladies!

Here are this week's happenings:

1)  This week's homework menu has 2 activities. The first activity is due Friday and requires the students to finish the bare books they have been working on already. The second activity is due the following Friday and requires the students to create a diorama of the Alamo. Please encourage your child to use supplies around the house for this activity. (Your child's goal should be to spend no money to complete this.) Last year kids were extremely creative with this project, and I can't wait to see what this group will do!

2)  Our field trip to the Rangers Ballpark is this Friday. Please remember that:

• children and parents need to bring a (peanut-free) sack lunch,
• parents must pay $8.00 at the door,
• students must ride the bus to the ballpark and back to the school,
• if parents are going, I need to know now, and 
• if parents are going, they will be responsible for chaperoning small groups of children.

3)  We will be doing several different assessments over the next 2 weeks for report cards. It is very important that your child is at school everyday ready to learn and work hard.

4)  We are beginning to have a problem with tardies. Friday six different students came into the classroom after the 7:45 tardy bell. Please make sure your child has enough time to get from your vehicle to the classroom before this bell rings. Thank you for your help with this.

5)  Students should post their 13th book this week on the wikispace.

6)  Students need to post a response on the class blog by next weekend.

7)  We are getting closer and closer to meeting all of our 5-minute timed math goals. Please remember that there are printable drills posted on my website you can use at home. If your child has not yet met these goals, he/she needs to be practicing every single day.

Week 14

I hope everyone had a great week off and a terrific time with your families!  I spent some much needed time in Oklahoma and feel refreshed and ready to tackle this week.

Thank you to all of the parents who went on the field trip with us.  You were absolutely amazing!  I have never had such a smooth trip, and that is due primarily to your hard work and cooperation.  Thanks for your involvement and for your wonderful example to your children.

Here are this week's happenings:

1)  Your child needs to bring his/her trip pictures and trip journal to school tomorrow.  We will be using these throughout the week.


2)  Vertical Schedule begins again tomorrow.


3)  Conferences are this Thursday.  I will remind your child of you assigned time slot tomorrow.  Please don't be late since these conferences are planned one right after another.

4)  This week's Homework Menu is now available for you to print off.  The spelling assignment is due Friday, but the bare book assignment is due next week.

5)  Our kids are doing great overall on their timed math drills!  Our goal is for all kids to meet the 5-minute math goals before Winter Break.  This means that if your child has not yet mastered these skills yet, your child needs to spend the next 3 weeks really focusing on practicing and memorizing these facts.  I have place some printable drills on my website for easy access.

6)  Your child should be working on his/her 12th book this week.  As a class, we have now read 244 books so far this year!  Incredible!!

7)  Your child needs to post a response on the class blog by Sunday.

Week 13

Good morning!  I don't know if this week could possibly be any busier, so let's just jump right into it.  

Here's what you need to know:

1) It’s time for Student Led Conferences! I am eager to sit down with you and your child so we can all celebrate your child’s progress and set goals for the rest of fourth grade. On December 2nd, someone will be covering my class, and I will be scheduling conferences to meet throughout this day. Monday I will be sending home the list of times available, or you can click here to view it now. Rather than sending this letter back to me with marked times, I am going to accept “conference requests” via email. As of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 16th, you may send me an email requesting your top 3 times. I will schedule conferences on a first-come, first-serve basis. After I receive your email requests, I will send a reply email a.s.a.p. letting you know if I was able to schedule one of your requested times or if I need you to choose another available time. Please note that emails received before 8:30 will be considered after all other requests have come in. 

2) This week's homework menu simply requires your child to pack for our trip. These kids are definitely old enough to actively participate in the packing process, so please allow them to use the checklist provided to get their bags ready. 

3) Tuesday is our Math Checkpoint test for the district. We will take care of this first thing Tuesday morning and will spend the rest of the day preparing for the trip. I will communicate the results of all 3 Checkpoint tests (reading, science, and math) at your child's conference on Dec. 2nd.

4) We will load buses Wednesday at 5:15 in front of the Academy. Please do not get on the bus until all of the teachers arrive. Your child should be wearing his/her pink Run for the Rings shirt and Academy bottoms, jeans, or finger-tip length jean shorts. We will be pulling out of the school by 5:45, so please don't be late. Click here to review the Trip Information form again and to see the latest Itinerary. 

5) One thing I want to remind all of the parents before we leave is that this trip is a learning experience for the kids. The students will be required to work on their journals throughout the trip. It is important to remember that the kids, not the adults, should be writing in the journals. Also, the Itinerary clearly explains which pages of the journal the kids should be working on at each point of the trip. Please help make sure your child has completed these requirements before finding recreational activities to fill his/her time.

6) Your child must bring some type of camera to use on the trip (regular or disposable). The pictures he/she takes will go into the final journals the students will be completing in class. Over the Thanksgiving Break, you need to develop or print off the pictures your child wants to include in his/her journal. We will be using these as soon as we return from the Break, so it is important to find time during the week off to take care of this task.

7) Friday is Turkey Bowl! The festivities should kick off at 1:30 in the back of the school on the Circle. This ridiculous event should be a blast! Thank you to each of the families who have sent canned goods for this.


8) Thanksgiving Break is next week! Enjoy the well-deserved week off! If your child is behind with his/her reading, this week is a great opportunity to catch up!


9) Your child should have posted his/her 11th book on the wikispace this week.


10) Your child should have posted a response to the Week 12 question on the blog this week. We will not have a blog question for this week.

Finally, I want to thank Mrs. Miller who helped sort the new t-shirts for the trip. She spent an afternoon dividing the shirts up among the classes, and her time and efforts are so appreciated!