Week 10 News

Hello Families!

Can you believe the second quarter ends in just a few days? Mrs. Arnold and I are amazed by how quickly this year is flying by. Thank you to all volunteers who have helped make Khan Academy happen, the parents who have stepped in to file papers and do some quick correcting, and all of the communication you have kept with Mrs. Arnold and I throughout the weeks of busy schedules. We are so thankful to have your children in our class this year.

Before we step away from the blog for a couple weeks during the holidays, we want to share a couple notes about this week and beyond with you.

Half-Days:
Just a reminder that school ends at 12:05 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Math Tutoring:
There will be no math tutoring this week due to half days on Tuesday and Wednesday. Math tutoring will resume after Christmas break. If your child is receiving math tutoring and has shown improvement over the past quarter, there is a chance we may be graduating them during the third quarter. Stay tuned for more information.

R&R: 
There will be homework on Monday night; however, there will be no homework Tuesday or Wednesday night. I will provide an optional winter break packet for students interested in completing it. Students who complete any of it will receive extra credit for what they complete. Students who complete the whole packet will be invited to a lunch with their teacher (pizza provided).

Needs: 
Over the break, the cleaning crew will be cleaning the inside of the students' desks. Therefore, every student needs to bring in four plastic shopping bags or two heavy duty reusable bags. Students will bring their reusable bags home after break. The bags are used to hold the contents of their desks until they return after break.

Winter Celebration:
Students will be enjoying the winter celebration this Wednesday. Mrs. Driggs and Mrs. Reynolds have been working hard to prepare for the celebration and have sent out a number of emails about it. You're more than welcome to come to the celebration. The more the merrier! Our celebration will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday and go until 11:55 a.m.

Homework/Lessons:
Head over to the homework tab for information regarding lessons this week.

Week 9 News

Hoping you all had a wonderful week last week. Thank you to all the parents that helped out in our classroom last week with correcting and filing papers. I cannot thank you enough! Mrs. Arnold will be back with us, this week.

Tuesday, December 11th

I will be out of the classroom Tuesday to work on quarter two evaluations. Please copy my assistant, Mrs. Arnold on urgent emails so that we are sure not to miss them. 

Week 10

During week ten (next week), there are no quizzes or tests schedules. There will still be a good deal of learning happening on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday morning will be spent doing some classroom deep cleaning. Students will clean out their desks in preparation for the new year. The rest of the morning will be spent partaking in a winter celebration prepared by our classroom parents. 

There will be no math tutoring on Wednesday, December 19th. 

Homemade Gift Exchange:

Last Friday, students drew names for our class gift exchange. If your child left before the end of the day or was sick on Friday, they will draw a name on Monday. Students are to make/create a homemade gift for the person they draw. Gifts can be as little as a card, cookie, or as elaborate as an ornament to hang on their tree. It's the thought that counts. If a family wants to purchase something to make the gift, they are more than welcome to. However, it isn't a requirement. A good gift comes from the heart. 

All gifts should be brought in on Monday, December 17th. Please make sure to write who the gift is for on the outside of the package. In the past, students have enjoyed hiding their name inside the package to reveal the gift giver after it is opened. Gifts will be opened as part of our winter celebration on Wednesday. 

Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Our Archway Arete library has officially launched, and we are looking for volunteers to help students check out books. Sign up here to serve!
Our class will visit the library on the following dates:
(12/6, 1/18, 2/22, 3/22, 4/12, 5/10)

Week 8 News

Thank you for all of your thoughts, well wishes, and gifts over the past week! Mr. Otto and I had a beautiful wedding day in Queen Creek, surrounded by close friends and family. Both of us really needed a couple days to recharge after a massive Thanksgiving celebration, wedding, and birthday.

This week things are back to normal, well almost normal. Over the weekend, Mrs. Arnold was informed that a family member has fallen ill in Kentucky. She has flown back to be with them and will be away for most of the week. Mrs. Arnold plays a huge role in our kiddos lives. Each day, she takes them to specials, recess, and lunch. She monitors the classroom during lessons, grades papers, and keeps our classroom functioning as a well-oiled machine. This being said, if you have any desire to volunteer in our classroom, this would be a great week to do it! Please shoot me an email if you'd like to help with math groups, writing workshop, making copies, or filing papers.

Grade Reports:
If you're interested in viewing your child's most recent grade report, please send me an email. I am happy to send it over. With such a wild past two weeks, there aren't many more grades in the online grade book.

Late Work:
There are a number of students who still have a number of missing assignments. Students who are missing work must have it turned in by Friday, December 14, 2018. If students have missing assignments that require a worksheet, they should request these before school or during their morning recess. Parents may also request them via email.