Newsletter: Enjoy Winter Break!

Important

Please be reminded that Secret Santa gifts are due this Tuesday for our gift exchange. Gifts should be under $10 and homemade gifts are encouraged.

During break, reading is not required but it is encouraged.

We will reconnect January 4, 2016! Have a great break.

Upcoming Dates

§  December 18th is a minimum day.

§  Winter Break begins December 19th and extends through January 3rd.

New

8th graders will be practicing flash cards to prepare for their Constitution Test next week.

6th and 7th graders will continue work on narrative writing.

We will finish The Phantom Tollbooth.

Updates and Info

Students performed wonderfully at the Winter Program, and I'm thankful to all of you for your support!

We will be celebrating our winter program, all the hard work we've done this first half of the year, and each other on Friday! Feel free to send your student with goodies to share.

Newsletter: Winter Program Week and Secret Santa Planning

Important

I look forward to seeing you and yours at the Winter Program this Wednesday. Students should be here at 5:45.

Secret Santa gifts are due at school next Tuesday. If your student is unable to participate in the gift exchange (keep it under $10 and homemade gifts encouraged), please let me know.

If there are any doubts that your student will be able to attend the Winter Program performance, please let me know as soon as possible.

Upcoming Dates

§  December 9th, 10th, and 18th are all minimum days.

§  December 10th, we perform our Winter Program at 6:00 pm.

§  Winter Break begins December 19th and extends through January 3rd.

New

8th graders will be practicing flash cards to prepare for their Constitution Test next week.

6th and 7th graders will continue work on narrative writing and grammar.

Updates and Info

Students watched, took notes, and discussed the History Channel's The Story of Us All looking at the fall of Rome and subsequent rise of Arab and Viking cultures.  We've also been enjoying The Phantom Tollbooth in ELA, practicing our play, and exploring first and third person narrative styles.

Students were offered two different service learning opportunities last week. This is a good time of year to reflect with your student how they will meet their requirements for service learning hours as we are now halfway through the year. Winter break is a great time to get some hours in!

Newsletter: A Regular Schedule

Important

This week we are focusing on polishing our Winter Program performance. Costumes need to be brought to school by Wednesday.

If there are any doubts that your student will be able to attend the Winter Program performance, please let me know as soon as possible.

As usual check those student planners and encourage nightly reading.

Upcoming Dates

§  December 9th, 10th, and 18th are all minimum days.

§  December 10th, we perform our Winter Program at 6:00 pm.

§  Winter Break begins December 19th and extends through January 3rd.

New

8th graders will continue on the Judicial branch and then focus on the Amendments.

6th and 7th graders will continue work on grammar. There will be a quiz this week.

6th and 7th graders will also be working on narrative writing.

Update and Info

I hope everyone enjoyed a few extra days away from school.  We are back to a regular week schedule.

We will be drawing names for our Secret Santa gift exchange this week. Gifts should be under $10 and homemade presents are encouraged. Our annual tradition is to have a little holiday season party on December 18th to share kind thoughts and treats.

Students who were sick are still responsible for making up missed work. There is no penalty for being tardy, obviously, but it is their responsibility to turn in missing assignments.

Newsletter: 2nd Trimester, Elective Update, and More!

Important

It’s a brand new trimester!

Report cards will be distributed at Parent Conferences next week. I have scheduled 25 minute conferences for all parents, and we have a lot to discuss. I look forward to seeing you!

Please continue to sign for your student’s homework and reading minutes.

Upcoming Dates

§  November 18-20 are minimum days for parent conferences.

§  November 25-27, we are off for the holidays.

§  December 9^th and 10^th are minimumd days.

§  December 10^th we perform Winter Programat 6 pm.

New

In ELA, we are getting serious about knowing our grammar rules and practicing for the Winter Program.

8^th graders will be consumed in Constitution until winter break. They will need to study at home.

6^th and 7^th graders will begin the history of China, India and Japan.

In science we are focusing on soil.

Updates and Info

Students honored veterans, finished final exams, reviewed work, and practiced blocking for our Winter Program play. 6^th and 7^th graders practiced perfect dialogue punctuation and 8^th graders began the famous Constitution unit! We all celebrated another 1600 dojo points earned for good behavior and strong thinking!

Second trimester we will not be offering electives because we weren’t able to find enough adults who could facilitate. A big thank you goes out to all the folks who showed up for the kids first trimester. We had a lot of offerings. Our elective program truly is a labor of love!

We will be using our extra chunk of time on Thursdays to prepare for Winter Program and squeeze in more science and social studies.

Electives will resume (hopefully!) third trimester. Please consider reaching out to me if you or someone you know is willing to teach!

Newsletter: Last Week of Trimester

I'm tardy on posting this on the blog though, of course, it was sent home with all students last week. There's still some useful information!

Important

We are on the last week of the trimester!

Report card will be distributed at Parent Conferences next week.

There is a history test scheduled for this Thursday.

Upcoming Dates

§  November 11th is Veteran's Day - no school.

§  November 13th is the end of the trimester

§  November 18-20 are minimum days for parent conferences.

§  November 25-27, we are off for the holidays.

§  December 10^th 6:00 we perform Winter Program.

New

In ELA, we are playing with some creative writing techniques and practicing for the Winter Program.

In social studies, we have a test on Thursday. 8^th graders will begin Constitution studies which will require some homework – good preparation for highschool!

My math group has a cumulative test on ratios, rates and percents on Thursday.

In science we are still focusing on weathering and erosion.

Updates and Info

Students finished final drafts of literary arguments, discussed and debated on the class blog, summarized current news stories, presented their Keynote presentations for social studies and practiced their Veteran’s Day performance.  

It’s time to begin thinking about costumes for your student’s performance in the play. Discuss with your student what type of outfit they will need, and begin looking through closets and thrift stores. The sooner costumes can be brought to school, the better. Thanks in advance!