Friday, April 28, 2017

Newsletter, April 28

A Peek At What We are Doing in Fifth Grade
 
You may have noticed this week’s email is quite long.  That’s because there is quite a bit of important information that I need to share with you.

Thank you to all the parents who were able to make the meeting yesterday and everyone who volunteered to help with our end of the year activities. An email will be coming out soon with opportunities to volunteer for the Amazing Race.  

What is the Amazing Race?  Have you seen the Amazing Race show? Well our Amazing Race is kind of like the show.  We have different stations outside and in the classrooms for students to complete as a team and earn points.  It is a fun way to spend time with each other as the year is coming to an end.  Volunteers are needed to run each of the different stations.

If this is your first child at Zach, let me explain how Graduation works.  On Thursday, May 25th at 10:30, we have a graduation ceremony in the gym.  The doors open for seating at 10:00.  The gym is usually quite full so I recommend you get here by 10:00 to get a seat.  Although it is a special occasion, we don’t require students to dress up, just dress nice.  After graduation, we all go out to the front of the school for a picnic.  We’ll provide cake and lemonade, you just need to provide the picnic lunch.  After the picnic, the kids go inside and change into shorts, t-shirts, and tennis shoes for Field Day which starts at 1:15.

The 15th Annual Zach Elementary Field Day will be on Thursday, May 25th from 1:15-3:15pm for kids in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.  Parents are welcome to come and watch, but Mr. U is looking for some volunteers. Volunteering would include helping set up, take down, and running an event. Set up will begin at 12:30pm for both days. If you are interested in helping out, please give Mr. U a call at 488-5141 or email him at brentu@psdschools.org. There was also a sign up genius that you can sign up on that was emailed out. The more volunteers we get, the more smoothly field day will run.

In your child’s Friday folder there are two forms for you to read and sign.  The first is a permission slip for our Middle school visit on May 5th.  The other is regarding our Human Growth and Development unit.  I’d like this back by Monday, please.

What do you think of the fidgets that the students are bringing to school?  I’d like to share with you how I am deciding if something is a fidget or a toy.  A fidget is a device that helps you stay focused and sustain your attention.  If using your fidget helps you be attentive in class and you are able to participate in the class discussion and answer questions about what we are learning then your fidget is truly helping you sustain your attention.  If your fidget draws your or your classmate’s attention away from learning by the sound it makes or what it is doing, it is a toy.  If a student brings a toy to school, I will ask that it stay in the backpack during instruction time.  I appreciate your support with this.

Would you like to see pictures of the things we do in our classroom?  You can find all the newsletters for the year and other fun pictures including a video of Amy’s “Who Knew” at our classroom blog http://khalesclass.blogspot.com/ and at our classroom twitter account @HalesHomeroom.  

Dates to Remember

Middle School Visit - May 5th in the morning
Reading Maps - Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th during Reading block.
Train OC Obstacle Course - May 10th at Lunch Recess
Amazing Race - Wednesday, May 24th
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” - Performance is either May 17th or May 18th during Reading block - a pink note was sent home with students this week with times of the performance.
Graduation - Thursday, May 25th at 10:30
Field Days - Thursday, May 25th at 1:15

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Amy!




Saturday, April 8, 2017

Newsletter, April 6th

A Peek At What We are Doing in Fifth Grade
 
Two weeks down, one more to go.  We are almost done with CMAS.  Our Science test is on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week and then we are done with CMAS.
On Wednesday, April 12th, we’ll be taking class pictures.  Along with a homeroom picture and individual pictures, the fifth graders take a whole fifth grade picture.  The forms for ordering pictures went home in Friday folders this week.
On Thursday, April 27th at 3:45, there will be a parent meeting to plan Graduation and the Amazing Race.  We would appreciate it if you could volunteer and attend the meeting.  
Would you like to see pictures of the things we do in our classroom?  You can find all the newsletters for the year and other fun pictures including a video of Amelia’s and Gavin’s “Who Knew” at our classroom blog http://khalesclass.blogspot.com/ and at our classroom twitter account @HalesHomeroom.  

Dates to Remember
School Pictures - Wednesday, April 12th
Arbor Day Presentation - Monday, April 20th at 2:00
Math MAPS - Thursday, April 27th and Friday, April 28th during Math block.
End of Year Planning Parent meeting - Thursday, April 27th at 3:45 in Mrs. Oster’s room.
Middle School Visit - May 5th in the morning
Reading Maps - Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th during Reading block.
Train OC Obstacle Course - May 10th at Lunch Recess
Amazing Race - Wednesday, May 24th (I had previously indicated morning, but this is an all-day activity which usually starts around 10:30.)
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” - Performance is either May 17th or May 18th during Reading block - more information coming soon.
Graduation - Thursday, May 25th in the morning

Field Days - Thursday, May 25th in the afternoon

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Fiona, Ryan, Amelia and Gavin!