Last Week of School!

It is hard to believe that this is the last week of school before summer vacation. I can tell how excited everyone is getting. Wishing you all a great last week of school.

Half Days:
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will be half days. Students will be dismissed at 12;05 p.m. and 12:25 p.m. depending upon whether or not they have a prep sibling. There will be no math tutoring this week.

Birthday Celebrations:
If your child has a summer birthday and would like to bring in a treat on the last day of school, feel free to do so. Just a reminder that treats should be free of nuts for our students allergic.

Classroom Parents:
We are so thankful for the help of Darla Driggs and Jennie Reynolds this year as they put together classroom celebrations and made all of our teachers feel valued and cared for. We realize that they did much of the planning, but it wouldn't have been possible without all of our parents pitching in to offer money and treats for our kids and teachers to enjoy. Thank you for all of your support this year!

Homework:
This week, we will have significantly less homework than previous weeks in the quarter. We will continue to have math assignments throughout the week and review previous lessons; however, there won't be any tests on the material. Students will continue to write in their planners each night. Most of our work this week will be for academic enjoyment and reflection on what a great year it has been.

Clubs:
There are no clubs this week.

Thank You Times A Million!

Dear 4A Family,

Thank you doesn't seem adequate for your wonderful generosity and kindness during Teacher Appreciation Week, but thank you all the same!

Your children are a delight and it has been our privilege to share this time with them.

Warmly,
Mrs. Otto and Mrs. Gerhart

Quarter 4, Week 8 News

Finish Strong

We have noticed over the past two weeks that effort in class and on homework has significantly declined. We have talked a lot with our class about how to finish the year strong. Please remind your child that they need to turn work in on-time and continue to put their best effort forth until the end of the school year. Thank you for all you do to support your child at home. 

A.T. Still Field Trip

The field trip this past week was a great opportunity for scholars to enhance their learning in science. We had the opportunity to ask one of the professors questions about the human body. The scholars did a phenomenal job of staying engaged and forming deep questions. 

Late or Missing Work 

This upcoming Friday, May 10th, will be the last day to turn in missing or late work for the quarter. The reason we have moved it up a week from our previous quarter is due to the amount of time it takes and stress it causes students to search for their make-up work that they have lost or misplaced. The end of the year should be a time of celebration and last moments with friends until next year. We are trying to reduce the amount of students that are frantically trying to turn in all of their missing work at the last minute by moving the deadline up by one week. 

If your child is missing work, you may want to check their backpack, folders, and anywhere else it could be. If you are unable to locate the missing assignments and would like to have your child take part of their recess time to make a new copy of the missing assignment and work on it, please send me an email. Please also inform your child that this is what you'd like them to do. We want to keep the responsibility in our scholars' hands so that they continually see how important it is to hand in work on-time. 

Test and Quiz Corrections

Over the last quarter, I have offered the students opportunities to correct their mistakes on quizzes and tests in all subjects to earn points back and further their learning. The deadline for turning in corrections is also this upcoming Friday, May 10th. 

Grade Reports

Grade reports were sent via email over the weekend. If you did not receive one. Please send me an email so I can try sending it again. 

Wishing you all a great week. Thank you for supporting your child at home. It has been such a joy to teach them this year. 

Quarter 4 - Week 7

Spring Concert - This Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. 
Our Spring Concert is this week! It will be at Higley Center for the Performing Arts on May 1st. Students' attire for our performance is NOT the school uniform. Gentlemen are expected to wear a plain white dress shirt, black pants, black socks, and black closed toed shoes. Solid dark colored vests and ties are optional for gentlemen. Ladies are expected to wear a white top, black skirt, black tights, and black closed toed shoes. Please have your 4th-graders at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts by 6:30 p.m.

Please visit http://aretek-2music.blogspot.com/ or email jweddle@archwayarete.org for questions regarding the concert.

Kindly,
Jocleyn Weddle | K-2,4 Music Teacher

PSO Volunteer Survey:
Please take a moment to fill our the PSO Volunteer Survey.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfs3gqBF0kc0rdyzpLP6sqTsnoi4iSRHAM_OEQUsdlPM0N5DA/viewform

Field Trip:
There are still a few students who have not turned in their permission slips and money for the field trip. Please get the form and money in as soon as possible. If it is your desire for your child to not participate in the field trip, please let me know by email. Students who have not turned in their form and payment will spend the morning in the fifth-grade classroom working quietly.

No Math Tutoring:
There will be no tutoring on Wednesday or Thursday this week due to the spring concert being Wednesday evening and the field trip on Thursday. It will be a nice break for the students who have dedicated so much of their time toward math. Tutoring students will be sent to study hall and then to the MPR to be picked up by 2:40 p.m. (Wednesday) or 3:40 p.m. (Thursday). Please email me if you would like them to skip study hall and go directly to the MPR to be picked up.

Clubs:
May 6 - 10 will be the last week of after school clubs.

Shoe Policy:
Please note the most recent school newsletter in regard to the shoe policy for the 19-20 school year. Shoes are to be athletic (tennis, Keds) and solid black (including black soles and laces). The newsletter has helpful pictures if you are looking for examples of what is acceptable for next year.

Penny War:
This is the last week for those interested in participating in the Penny War. If you have spare change lying around, you can give your child coins to donate it in a competitive way. The proceeds go toward playground equipment for next year.

Week 6 News

Grade Reports:
Grade reports were sent via email Monday, 4/22. Please send us an email if you did not receive the report, so we can try sending it again.

Field Trip:
Permission slips went home for our upcoming field trip to A.T. Still University. Permission slips and $7 fee should be filled out and turned in this coming Tuesday, 4/23. Last year, one of our excellent fourth-grade teachers had been accepted to A.T. Still University fo medical school and had connections to the university because her brother had gone there. She reached out to them and they were able to put a wonderful learning experience together for the fourth-grade students.

This year, with the help of Ms. Allgood, whose husband is a teacher at ATSU, helped set up the trip for us this year. The trip is scheduled for May 2nd.

Details:
- We do not have chaperones attend this trip with us due to the length being a couple hours long and the nature of the trip being one where the group stays together as a whole.
- Due to already taking our class on a field trip, families have to cover the cost of this trip. ATSU graciously allows us to visit for free, we only have to pay for the bus. The cost is $7 per student (families with financial difficulties should inform the teacher).
- The students don't need to bring any money or special lunch. There is a store on campus, but I don't think they have anything the students need to purchase. They will be back before lunch so they can bring a normal lunch or hot lunch.
- Students in 4A will not be permitted to bring a phone or camera on this field trip. We want our class to give their undivided attention to the program A.T. Still has put together. On our previous field trip electronic devices seemed to be a distraction for the students and the staff at the capitol. Thank you for your understanding.

If your child cannot attend the trip, please do not return the permission slip or pay the fee.

If you have any other questions about the trip, feel free to let us know. The students seemed very excited about the virtual lab and large models. It is a great way to lean about the human body and really supports what they learned last year (muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems) and this year (circulatory and respiratory systems).

Week 5 News

Homework Tab:
Today (Monday) will be our last AZMerit test. The rest of the quarter to follow will be more similar to the first three quarters of school, with regular homework in most subjects. Please check the homework tab for weekly updates on homework.

Grade Reports:
We have not sent out grade reports this quarter due to not having as many assignments in the grade book. The first four weeks of the 4th quarter are dedicated primarily to AZMerit and Science AIMS prep. If you would like to know if your child has any missing assignments, please email Mrs. Otto.

Grade Reports Will Be Sent During:
Week 5
Week 7
Week 9

Book Fair Online:

Thank you to all who attended our Usborne Book Fair this week! It was a joy to see you and we are so thankful for your support. If you are interested in purchasing more Usborne books, please visit the link below.  This link will bring you to a unique page connected to our school and will be valid until April 19th. After your purchase, you will receive contact from our Usborne Representative, Mrs. Cleary, and she will refund you the shipping cost. 

Please email Ms. Modisett (bmodisett@archwayarete.org) with any questions!

https://j4938.myubam.com/1272858

Spring Concert

Our Spring Concert is quickly approaching! It will be at Higley Center for the Performing Arts on May 1st. Students' attire for our performances is NOT school uniform. Gentlemen are expected to wear a white dress shirt, black pants, black socks and black closed toed shoes. Solid dark colored vests and ties are optional for gentlemen. Ladies are expected to wear a white top, black skirt, and black closed toed shoes. Please have your 4th graders at Higley Center for the Performing Arts by 6:30 p.m.

THANK YOU to Mrs. Nicole Burns for putting on a concert clothing exchange. She has collected concert attire from students that have outgrown their concert clothes. If you would like to participate in the exchange by either donating concert uniforms or receiving articles of clothing, please contact Nicole at: nikki.burns@hotmail.com.

Please visit aretek-2music.blogspot.com or email jweddle@archwayarete.org for questions regarding the concert.

Quarter 4 Week 4

Greetings families,

This week is the last week of AZMerit Prep. Students will take part one of Math and ELA on Friday and will take the remaining portion on Monday. The schedule and homework will then go back to normal after AZMerit is over.

Dates to Note:

Wednesday:
Greek and Latin Roots Review Check (82-84)

Thursday: 
Math Quiz

Friday:
Pizza Party for students who completed the Spring Break Packet.
Part One of ELA and Math AZMerit


Have a great week!

Quarter 4 Week 3 News

This Week
Monday: Science AIMS Test
Students will start the week taking the AIMS Science test. This is an online test to gauge their scientific knowledge and thinking. Please make sure to send your child to school well-rested and with a good breakfast so they can perform their best. Students will spend time looking at the U.S. Constitution in history and then review math and English.

Tuesday: Recitation of the Declaration of Independence
Students will continue to look at the U.S. Constitution in the morning and then will spend time reviewing math and English in the afternoon.

Wednesday: Math Quiz
Students will review their previous essays and make edits in preparation for the AZMerit writing test on Thursday.

Thursday: AZMerit Writing Test
Students will start the day by taking the AZMerit Writing test. This test presents some challenges because some students will speak through it while others will take their time. It is likely that some students will spend a good deal of time sitting in their desk quietly waiting for their peers to finish. For AZMerit days, students are allowed to bring pop-culture books and magazines. Students will also be allowed to work on Khan Academy once they are finished.

Friday: History Test - Open Notes
Once students are finished with writing, most of their attention will be directed toward mastering the few math concepts they need to learn, like time and units of measurement. They will also take an open-note test on Chapters 1-5 The Unit on The U.S. Constitution.



Next Week
Pizza Party: 
If you received an email this morning about the pizza party, that means your child completed the spring break packet in its entirety. The party will take place during lunch on Friday, April 12th. Please make sure to send a snack for your child in the morning, as that will not be provided that day.

Fine Arts and French Night:
"Hello Archway Arete Family! Fine Arts and French Night is Wednesday, April 10th from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Please bring your friends and family for a night of celebrating our student's achievements in Art and French! Art will be displayed on the walls by classrooms, French videos and performances will take place in the MPR, and there will be mini art lessons in the art room. Light refreshments will be served in the playground courtyard by our lovely PSO. Excited to see you there!"

- Ms. Arce - Lindsay

Arete Usborne Book Fair!

Volunteers are needed: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4EA5A72DA7F58-book

Quarter 4 Weeks One and Two

We are back in the swing of things after our first week of the fourth quarter. It was clear that the kids had a fantastic spring break. They came back rested and excited for the final quarter of the school year. We hope that you had time for family and fun over spring break. Mr. Otto and I went to a spring training game and had a restful stay-cation.

Blog Posts/Homework Load:
Due to much of our work being review for AZMerit and Science AIMS, the homework tab will stay the same for the first four weeks of the quarter. You should also be seeing a change in homework during this time, compared to the previous three quarters of the year. The type of homework your child should be bringing home is a math packet, ELA packet, and their math and science workbook when something is assigned. We are reviewing much of the content in class. However, it is also very important that your child gets practice at home. If your child comes across a problem they don't know how to solve, feel free to help them with it. If you help them, circle it so we can see where their gaps might be. If you don't know how to solve the problem, encourage your child to ask for help when they get to school in the morning.

That being said, please do not let homework time go over 75 minutes (25 minutes of reading included). The homework guideline for fourth grade is 60 - 75 minutes total per night. We have encouraged our students to set a timer when they start their homework and pause it if they take breaks. When the timer is up, they stop where they are, even if they aren't finished with the assigned pages. They will not be penalized for not completing all of the assigned pages. Every student has a different pace. The goal is for them to get adequate practice at particular skills, not add stress at home or contract test anxiety. Please let me know if you have any questions about this expectation.

Reading Time:
If your child would like to forgo reading time to work on their ELA packet instead, they may do so. The ELA packet has pages and pages of reading, and counts toward their reading minutes. Simply, sign their reading log and write ELA packet in the box.

P.E. Outside:
Due to various scheduling conflicts, all P.E. classes will take place outside for the next several weeks. As the temperatures heat up, please send a water bottle to school with your child. We will be sure to give students water breaks during P.E. If your child requires sunscreen, please apply it before school starts. Students may also wear a hat (free of pop-culture) during P.E. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions. Have a great day and Go Chargers!

Best Regards,

Coach Gethings and Coach Warren


Let's have a great week!

Week Nine News

Classroom Celebration - Friday:
This upcoming Friday afternoon will be our quarter three classroom celebration. We will be watching Prince Caspian and enjoying some healthy snacks. Students are permitted to bring one fluffy thing to watch the movie with. This could be a blanket, pillow, or stuffed animal. A sign-up will be going out from the class parents to provide snacks. Thank you in advance to those of you who are planning to sign-up. I can't think of a better way to kick-off spring break!

Spring Break Packet:
Students that are interested will receive an extra credit spring break review packet. This is similar to the winter review packet. If you would like one for your child, please shoot me an email by Wednesday. There will be no assigned homework over spring break. This will give the kids a time to relax, decompress, and prepare for the rest of the school year.

Week 8 News

There are only two weeks left in the quarter! It is hard to believe how quickly the third quarter has gone. Thank you for all of your support throughout the year. Your children are truly a joy to work with.

Grade Reports and Missing Work:
The last day to turn in missing or late work is this Friday, March 1st. This gives us enough time to correct and record the grades before the end of the quarter.

Grade reports will go out today, Sunday February 24th. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Please remember that these grades are not final, and that participation grades have not yet been inputted. If your child has a missing assignment in history or science. Check the designated workbook page. If they completed it, it is possible they were gone when we corrected it in class. If this is the case, put a sticky note to mark the page and have your child show us in the morning this week before school. If they were in fact absent, they will receive full credit.

If your child is missing an assignment and you can't find it at home. Check the Helpful Links tab on the blog. There may be a copy of just what you're looking for.

Ticonderoga Pencils:
We are in need of a couple of boxes of Ticonderoga #2 pencils. If you would like to donate some, please send them in with your child. We only have a couple boxes left. It would be much appreciated.

Corrected Papers: 
There has been a back-up of corrected papers recently. One of our classroom jobs that students take care of is passing back corrected papers. Due to a number of students absent and using their extra time in class to get late or missing homework done, there has seemed to be a back-up of papers over the last week. Please keep an eye out this week for that red folder, it will be very full!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Week 7 News

Next Book:
There are only two books left for the year. Thus far, our students have enjoyed diving into The Princess and the Goblin, Robin Hood, and Prince Caspian. Please send along your copies of, Carry on Mr. Bowditch. We will begin reading this book this week. If your child does not bring a copy this week, they will be able to share with a buddy as they read. I understand that some families order the books online and it may take a couple days for the book to come in.

Field Trip & Great Heart's Day: 
Last week was a very exciting week in fourth grade. On Monday, we went to the Arizona State Capitol Museum. One of my favorite parts was getting to enter both the senate and house of representatives buildings. Thank you to those of you who chaperoned. On Thursday, we spent the morning reading with our 1st grade buddy class and enjoying a seminar on leadership. In the afternoon, we had our classroom friendship celebration. The students loved the team work activities and showed their friendship through handwritten notes. Thank you to everyone who supplied their time, snack, and energy!

Tutoring:
Math tutoring will resume as normal this week on both Wednesday and Thursday, after school.

Library:
Our class will be visiting the library on Friday from 9:40 - 9:55. Please remember that your child is unable to check-out a new book until their previous book has been turned in. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please send us an email.

Great Heart's Day - A Day for Friendship

Thursday, February 14th is Great Hearts Day! We have reserved this special day to focus on the virtue of friendship and celebrate the traits that make a great-hearted student. Class parents and teachers are planning interactive and fun activities centered around these topics, and time will be set aside for students to create hand-made Great Hearts Day cards for their classmates.  Archway Arete strives to cultivate a rich, academic environment rooted in the classical tradition. This many times requires popular culture to be left at the door. On that note, students will not be permitted to bring store-bought valentines, candy, or gifts to school. Thank you for partnering with us.

Field Trip Tomorrow!

Hello Families,

Thank you all for returning the permission slips in a timely fashion. We could tell last Thursday that the kids are very excited for the field trip tomorrow. We hope you had a restful weekend. Below are some details in regards to our trip tomorrow.

Dress Code:
Students should still wear their school uniforms to school tomorrow. The same dress code applies.

Cellphones/Cameras:
Students can bring a small handheld device for picture taking. Please remind your child that their device is their responsibility. If they choose to bring one, they will be in charge of carrying it and keeping it safe. Devices that are not used appropriately (for picture taking), will be held by a teacher until the end of the day.

Sack Lunch:
Students should bring a sack lunch and a water bottle. Lunches should be completely disposable, as we do not have the means to carry reusable containers or icepacks with us. If you are worried about your child losing their Hydroflask or other water bottle, it may be a good idea to send them along with a disposable water bottle.

The field trip will last all day (8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
If your child requires any emergency medications, please be sure to send it with them.

As always, don't hesitate to email me with any questions you may have.

Mrs. Otto

Week 5 Homework

The homework tab has been updated for the week. More news to come about our field trip, Great Heart's Day, and classroom news. Stay tuned to the blog throughout the week!

Wishing you all a wonderful week. 

Mrs. Otto

Week Four News

Volcano Experiment:
Thank you to everyone who signed up to supply materials for our volcano experiment. The scholars are going to have a blast!

Field Day:
Athletic Field Day is Friday, February 1st from 12:00 - 2:30 for grades 3-5. Each year, classes are assigned a Greek City State for their team. This year, our team is Thebes, and our team color is red. Your child may wear a plain red shirt (no pop-culture) with the Thebes logo and athletic pants or shorts. Shirts and shorts should be loose fitting to allow for kids to run and jump with ease. If you don't have a red shirt for your child, avoid yellow and blue. There will be no school lunch offered on Field Day. Please send your child to school with a packed lunch.



In order to have Athletic Field Day run smoothly, we need your help! Coach Gethings and Coach Warren need volunteers to set up and run parts of the event. Please sign up here. 

Our class needs a few volunteers to help with:
Please email Mrs. Otto if you are able to help!
- Bringing a cooler for snacks (we will return the cooler to you).
- Snacks for snack time during Field Day (orange slices, mini gatorades).
- A couple volunteers to remain with our class throughout the Field Day festivities.

Grade Reports:
Grade reports will be sent out on a bi-weekly basis during the third quarter. This is due to writing projects occurring over a length of time, irregular days (Great Heart's Day, Field Day, Field Trip), and students responding to missing work phone calls home so well. If you have any concerns or questions about this, feel free to email me.

Volcano Experiment!

Next Monday, we will be taking part in a volcano experiment. Students will be working in teams of three to craft their volcano and then explode their volcano outside. If you would like to help by bringing in some supplies, we would be much appreciative. I have created a sign-up genius with what we need. Supplies can arrive as early as Friday morning. Please note that we will be performing the experiment on Monday and supplies must be at school by that morning. Click here to sign up. 

Quarter Three - Week Three News

Grade Reports:
Grade reports have been sent out this weekend via email. There were numerous students who did not complete their unit reviews in science and history on time. If you notice a large drop in their grade in the unit review category, it would be due to the reason listed above. Please don't hesitate to email with questions regarding any missing assignments or clarification on grades.

Mechanical Pencils:
Students are permitted to bring mechanical pencils to school in 4A! They seem to be very excited about this. Please encourage your children not to collect lead, as it can lead to messy handspring class and blotchy desks at the end of the year. Students who collect lead, will help clean out the desks during break time.

Helpful Links Tab:
I was unable to create a new tab for resources; therefore, I have added the resources for homework in the Helpful Links page. There you will find a copy of the Greek and Latin Roots, nightly math reviews, extra reading logs, and blank copies of the history and science notebooks. If there is something you're looking for, feel free to shoot me an email and I will try to add it to the resource page.


Have a great week, everybody!