AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2008

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL
I'm really looking forward to meeting you in class next week. This Thursday, August 21 we have
"Back To School Night" at Upland Terrace and I am excited to start a new year! Fifth grade IS the BEST and you will LOVE it!

I will visit and introduce myself at BTSN and then we will be off and running soon. I will explain many things on Thursday and give you an idea of what to expect. I certainly hope you can come.

Please bring with you $5.00 to help pay for the special "election" scholastic newspapers we will use for current events this year.

A few reminders about bonus points for spelling hometests. Giving spelling practice tests at home really will add up and contribute points toward your grade. 20-20-20 is very important too! Each night students should review spelling words, science flash cards, Gettysburg Address and/or Preamble, states & capitals. We will also be learning the "Presidents of the United States" and their fun nicknames. Hopefully later in the year we will learn a little about some of the Presidents "first ladies" too. We will decide as a class which area to spend 20-20-20 on Monday through Thursday. Since this is an election year, many homework points will be given for getting involved with watching the progress of the elections and listening to the upcoming debates. Meanwhile, start practicing states/ abbreviations and the capitals.

Hope you are enjoying the OLYMPICS like I am!

Please bring a teriffic, enjoyable reading book to class on the first day of school.

See you soon!


SEPTEMBER

We are off and running...What a great class I have!
I hope some activities and schedules are becoming familiar and students are feeling more relaxed. I can tell in the classroom that students are MUCH more comfortable. I would like to clarify that we usually will highlight with our highlighters the subjects I would like for students to spend their 20-20-20 on each night. Students should come home with three things to do for 20-20-20. Included in that could be an assignment that was incomplete or needing more attention from classwork.

SEP Conferences have been scheduled for Upland Terrace on September 17 & 18. I have already scheduled these appointments. Students will write the appointment time and date in their planner. I will also send home a confirmation slip this week and then again a few days before conferences. I purposely scheduled early so you could schedule other appointments around your fifth grader. I usually run exactly on schedule, so keep in mind what time your appoinment is confirmed for.

We have completed states and capitals for the Rocky Mountain States Region. Retakes will be given Friday, September 5th. We will also quiz ourselves on the abbreviations too.

September 17-18 Parent Teacher Conferences
September 26 No school
October 16 & 17 No school
October 24 Independent Reading Calendar Due
October 31 Halloween Party and Parade

NOVEMBER
4TH Vision Screening
19th Skyline Play- Beauty and the Beast
Author Assembly 1:30
20th End of Trimester- Report Cards
24th SEP Conferences
25th SEP Conferences
Picture Re-takes
26-28 No School

WOW, have we ever had a busy beginning to November!
It started with "election day"! We decorated our refrigerator boxes into voting booths. We registered to vote and then had the opportunity to vote ourselves!
We invited the whole school to vote and kept tally of the votes and announced who had been elected for Governor and President.

Veteran's Day was a huge success! We learned about the 11th month, 11th day, 11th hour! We had Mr. Brown, Mrs. Monson and Mrs. Johnson all come to the classroom and help in different ways. We wrote about "heroes" and what they really mean and who some of them might be! We ended our day singing the military songs and patriotic songs. Thanks for all that have contributed and helped!

End of the term is quickly coming and report cards too!
Please check grades and missing assignments on line.

Keep track of your reading on your calendar and write the minutes and hours along with the name of your books you read.

Don't forget to have a parent signature on your spelling hometest each week for grade points.

Everyone should have an appointment scheduled for parent-teacher conferences by Friday the 14th! Please call me at the school if you have not received the time of your appointment in you child's planner by then!

This is definitely the most FANTASTIC class! Keep up the spectacular job!
26th-28th No School