Christy's Elementary 2 Class

 

May 22, 2009

Dear Parents,

Much to my dismay I had to miss today. The stomach flu came on after the graduation party yesterday and I was up all night. I have the Great Lives papers and scores to return...Next week I will have them in the classroom T-Th for pickup. If you do not want to pick it up, I will mail them out on Friday of next week.

Summer homework is the Summer Bridge book for your child's grade level. It is available for purchase at Borders. It should be complete on the first day back to school (4th and 5th graders). This weekend I will post the reading response log requirements for the 2 books to be read this summer (along with some reading suggestions).

 

Christy

 

 

 

 

May 15, 2009
Dear Parents,
One more week left! We are approaching the end, but we are wrapping up our work before we celebrate.
Some students will have weekend work...Please support your child and check out the final progress
report that went out today. Sixth graders will finish one more newsletter, and we will finish our
Arizona Study next week (amongst MANY other fun activities).
5/ 20 Monday:
A.M Shadow Day for 3rds and 6ths
P.M Barter Day: Bring unwanted items to trade

5/19 Tuesday:
A.M Final Cultural Presentations/ Az History Work
P.M. Art Masterpiece

5/20 Wednesday:
AM. Az History/ art work
P.M Classroom cleanout (Please bring recycyled bags from home to clean crate) All library/ Saxon
books due

5/21 Thursday:
Pool Party
8:00 Sixth graders go straight to Glawe's for decorating
9:00 Fourth and fifth graders depart Cheryl for Pool Party (drivers needed- contact Tesa)
12:00 Graduation/ Awards Ceremony
2:15 Depart Glawe's house for Cheryl campus (drivers needed)

5/22 Friday: Last Day of School 1/2 day

Thanks!
Christy


Friday
May 8, 2009
Dear Parents,
THANK YOU for the wonderful teacher appreciation gifts and luncheon. It was great!
The Great Lives Fair was a HUGE success!! the students created beautiful meaningful
work. Final scores and feedback will be handed out the last week of school.
It was nice meeting with easch of you at parent-teacher conferences. I have a few
left. If you did not get into the schedule and you want to discuss your child's
progress this year, please let me know by Monday via email and we can set up a time.
These last few weeks are VERY busy. We wrap up our work and have a lot of fun. Our
last weekly progress report will come home next Friday (covering three weeks). With
sixth graders gone, the overnight, and all of the activities, we have not had a real
solid week for a while. Lessons have continued and work is still in progress, but we
have loose ends.
Sixth graders leave for CIMI on Sunday. any questions or concerns should be directed
straight to David McThrall. He is in charge of the trip. I do not attend this one. I
will be here with the fourth and fifth graders.
Please check upcoming dates on the website for all of the events yet to come. We have
a graduation party on MAY 21 at the Glawe's house. The graduation ceremony is at
12:00 p.m. It usually lasts 30-45 minutes. Please check the website for a sign-up for
some of the refreshments/ sides that can be brought to school. We also need drivers to
transport the children to the party at 9:00 a.m. and home at 2:30 p.m.
Busy, busy, busy!
Have a nice Mother's Day Weekend!
Christy


April 28, 2009
Dear Parents,
I'm sure you all have heard about the overnight change. Much to my dismay, the advice
state-wide is to avoid trips like the one we had planned (with the swine flu
outbreaks). We consulted with superintendent, Tom Horne, and decided it was too risky.
Things considered were: the chartered bus (where it had been/exposed to what), the
tight quarters in caves and tours, the remote locations, the short distance to the
border, etc...It was absolutely devastating for the children, and I made a swift
decision to plan an in-town trip so that they would still enjoy the special time away
from home. They will still have the community building experience, a little bit of
education, and a lot of fun. I know this is an experience they will always remember,
and I want it to be a fond memory. Please print out the itinerary (under Spring
Overnight)and permission slip and send it with your child tomorrow. I am still working
out the cost numbers... If there is any money left over, please know I will refund it
to each of you.
If your child has a severe cough or fever, please keep him/her home.
Thank you for your support! Email me with questions or if you would like to attend now
that it is in town (you must be fingerprinted, cost is currently the same, and space
is limited). If you would prefer your child not attend, please let me know.
Thank you,
Christy


Dear Parents,
The overnight is almost upon us. Please find the packing list below. I'm still short
on male
chaperones, which may require that some boys stay with moms. I will contact you by
phone to ask
special permission if I need your male child to stay with a mom.
I know everyone is breathing a sigh of relief with the Great Lives project behind us.
Remember, these are the experiences that help us learn to manage our time. I'm sure
there are things
we would all do differently on this project. They do look awesome! The students will
practice
presenting in class, but the Great Lives Fair is the presentation for parents.
We will not have homework on Thursday or Friday (weekend) with the overnight. I will
let students
know the Saxon requirements.
We have traditional lessons up until the overnight: blue week of the cycle.
Thanks,
Christy
To pack for the trip:
sweater/jacket
jeans/ pants
shorts
t-shirts
toiletries
sunscreen/hat
medicines labeled with written instructions
PJ's
Book (electronics ok for bus only)
hiking shoes
sack lunch for day 1
water bottle to refill
snacks
* camera
* money for souvenirs
The temperature is about the same as it is in Phoenix, but the caves will be chilly.
Thanks,
Christy



April 17, 2009
Dear Parents,
Today is the final day in our cycle, and I met with each child to look over his/her
work. I was
shocked to find some students did not complete the required cultural work for this
cycle. I'm
blaming the AIMS test for disrupting our routine, but with the reduced homework load
and 2 weeks of
cultural catchup it seemed to be a reasonable requirement. Regardless, some students
have weekend
work. The other work due today was the Weather Spelling words assigned Monday. If your
child did not
complete the practice work, he/she will not take the test until next week. Students
that completed
the work and got 100% will get a special ice cream treat Monday. All completed
progress reports will
come home on Monday and students with weekend work will bring it home TODAY and will
need to
complete left over work THIS WEEKEND. At this point weekend work is....frowned upon
and I would
appreciate your support in discussing time management and deadlines if your child has
work to do
this weekend.
We will start fresh with a new cycle on Monday. It will be our final cycle.
If you have not signed up for conference, please do so asap. I did change the format
of the website
and the directions for signing up are a little different. Please click on the "Last
Modified" phrase
in the lower left hand corner and add your name. Save it with the password "christy1".
I noticed a
couple of people signed up on times already taken. Please double check your time to
make sure it's
what you thought. Thanks!
Other than the Great Lives writing, there is no weekend writing. I'm about half way
through rough
draft conferences and will finish next week. I did, however, give several lessons on
common
mistakes, format, edit-work, etc...and I encouraged students to make some corrections
to their saved
drafts at home (before conference). We also planned and discussed tri-fold boards.
Have a nice weekend.
Christy
P.S. Thank you to Michele
Bermudes for the awesome Earth Day presentation! The kids learned so many new things
about taking
care of the Earth.


April 15, 2009
Dear Parents,
I met with several students about research papers....I'm seeing a common trend
(especially among
fourth graders) of not following the very specific format discussed in class. If your
child needs to
correct his/her format, I will send home the paper for correction. This is best done
at home with
computer. The format is as follows:

Intro paragraph:
Grabber sentence or 2
Introduce each topic (Roman Numeral from outline)
Thesis statement (opinion backed by facts in the paper)

Each body paragraph:
Topic sentence
Supporting sentences (3+)
A transition sentence (to the next paragraph)

Closing paragraph:
Transition sentence
Wrap up each topic
Restate thesis statement

I appreciate your support in encouraging your child to turn in a complete rough draft
that follows
this format. Individual rough draft conferences can focus on some of the more
technical details.



April 9, 2009
Happy Passover and Easter, everyone!
It was a very successful AIMS week! We have quite a few make-ups with strep throat in
the
classroom, but the students worked hard and did their best. This weekend we do not
have
additional weekend writing, but the rough draft is due Monday. I will give rough draft
conferences throughout next week. We have 3 field trips next week (only some students
attend all
3)--very busy. It's this time of year that FLIES by: conferences, overnights,
assessments,
graduation, etc. I've been encouraging students to pull the Great Lives projects (3D
and tri-
fold)together. I will have classtime allotted next week Thursday and Friday to
complete the tri-
fold board in class (if students gather materials and want to construct it with me).
It would be
a great idea to get the board this weekend and start discussing and drawing the
illustrations.
Our class has been designing our auction bench....It's awesome! We compiled student
ideas and
created a "worldly design". Each child has a "piece of the puzzle". I can't wait to
show it off
at the auction. I hope you all will be there.
Have a peaceful weekend,
Christy
P.S.
I altered the conference schedule a bit--Please double check your time, because I had
to change
a couple (Bartell and Forsythe). Thank you!

April 6, 2009
Dear Parents,
We're off and running on the AIMS test with a test in the morning and the afternoon
Monday-
Wednesday and the Science Test for 4th graders on Thursday (along with any needed make-
ups). The
students truly appreciate the snacks (and so do I). Thank you so much for all of your
help with
these.
We do NOT have Saxon, Study Island, or traditional classwork this week. Instead we
have a few
art activities, reading time, research time, and cultural work time (no lessons).
PLEASE be sure
your child has a novel to read. It's a great time for AR books and research writing
for the
Great Lives Project. If your child has completed his/her rough draft, I am available
to start
individual conferences. I will also discuss the tri-fold board this week and students
are
welcome to work on them in class.
The overnight is around the corner, and I would love to see everyone attend. I know
these trips
can be expensive, but the experience is priceless. We do have a couple of scholarship
oppportunities if you are having financial difficulties. Please let me know if I can
help.
Christy

April 3, 2009
Dear Parents,
It was a very successful week with AIMS practice and cultural work. We had
several "brush-up"
lessons relating to the AIMS and students worked hard. I sent home progress reports
with some of
the practice AIMS tests the students completed. This weekend and next week we will NOT
have
Saxon or Study Island homework. Weekend work should be done (for those few students
that did not
complete their contract work)by Monday. Progress reports should also be signed. AIMS
testing
will begin on Monday and last until Friday.
Thanks,
Christy

March 30, 2009
Dear Parents,
This week we have a 2 of the AIMS tests: Writing on Monday and the Math Field Test on
Wednesday.
Please try to have your child present on both of these days. Last week, students
completed
practice tests along with contract work. This week will be much of the same. We will
not have
spelling, but we will have Saxon. The next two weeks study island will be on hold.
Thursday fourth graders will go to the Botanical Gardens to support our plant
classification
studies. Hopefully, we will continue to have this beautiful weather.
Thank you to all of the parents that signed up for AIMS snacks. It makes the whole
test
environment a bit more fun and gives the students the energy to do their best.
I did not send out progress reports last week. With all of the hard work on AIMS
practice, I did
not want to take time for conferences. I will send out a progress report for both last
week and
this week on Friday. It's going to be a busy week!
Christy

March 23, 2009
Dear Parents,
We are in the second week of the cycle (blue week). This week we have most of the
regular
lessons and AIMS practice. We have a half day Friday, but we will have conferences and
a
progress report to come home on Friday. The AIMS writing test is on Monday the 30th.
It is very
important that your child is here to take the test on Monday. Also, I have posted a
sign up
sheet for healthy snacks during AIMS week (and 3/30). Students seem to enjoy having
fun snacks
and beverages during the test.
The Spring Overnight info is posted and will go home today. Notice there are two
permission
slips to sign (one for the trip and one for the mine tour). It's going to be an action
packed
adventure! Please send in the deposit or balance asap.
Also, I posted the conference dates and times for sign up on he website. I tried to
accomodate
all types of schedules. Please sign up for one of the slots listed.
Thanks!
Christy



March 18, 2009
Dear Parents,
Tomorrow is our Free-day: a well earned community day. Over the year, students have
collected
rocks in a jar for behavior: quiet work time, helpful students, homework on time,
etc...They
voted to spend their morning in a read-a-thon and the afternoon between outdoor fun
and "electronics day". Yes, they get to have electronics at school (at their own
risk). These
days make all of the difference with managing the students and are truly worth it.
Thanks for your support!
Christy

March 16, 2009
Dear Parents,
We're back! I hope everyone feels rested and ready for the final stretch! I know I do.
I had a
peceful break with my kids, Alex got knee surgery and is feeling better, and Zoila had
a lovely
trip to California.
It is the green week, the first week, of the cycle. We have traditional lessons and
spelling
this week. Students should study the spelling and definitions for Friday's test (like
always).
Definitions seem to be a struggle these last few tests. In cultural work fourth
graders are
starting to focus on ancient civilizations and plant classification, fifth graders are
continuing with Rome and the human body, and sixth graders are working on and vital
functions of
animals and finishing up Rome. The core curriculum is noted on the progress report
weekly.
Last cycle students wrote business letters to be mailed to businesses across the
nation. If you
have a few extra stamps around the house, I'm in need of 35 stamps to get their
letters and
packets out. Please send in a few stamps with your child if possible.
Tesa and I are finalizing the overnight and will send out an itinerary and permission
slip ASAP.
The dates of the overnight are April 30th and May 1, which forces me to change the
dates of the
parent-teacher conferences. Please look for a sign up on line for conferences on April
24 and 27
in the next week.
It's great time for a fresh start with the new cycle!
Thanks,
Christy



March 7, 2009
Dear Parents,
Happy Spring Break! For the break, students do not have Saxon lessons Monday-Sunday.
They should
wrap up 45 minutes of study island: 30 last week + 15 this week (some children elected
to
complete all 45 over the break). Also, students should read and work on their Great
Lives
project. The completed outline is due Monday along with the signed progress report,
but that's
all. I hope it's relaxing for everyone.
Tesa and I are working on the overnight itinerary...With all of the fundraising in, it
looks
like it will be about $150 per person to attend the class overnight to the Caverns
(with
chartered bus, hotel, activities, and most meals included). All the info will come out
after the
break, but this should give you an idea of the cost.
Thanks,
Christy

February 28, 2009
Dear Parents,
We ended the week with three days with no "no homeworks" and almost all contract work
turned in
on time in quality-fashion. We're on the right track for sure!
This weekend students were asked to develop 3-4 main topics for their outlines (Great
Lives).
Notecards are due on research day #2 on 3/5. We have a busy week ahead with field
trips, the end
of Romeo and Juliet, cultural catchup, cultural presentations, and creative writing.
Thank you
to Larry and Greg for another great art masterpiece last week!
Have a great weekend,
Christy


February 24, 2009
Dear Parents,
Today we had 100% of the homework turned in on time :)Also, students seem to be
grasping the
notecards/ research project. Friday I will discuss and practice outlining. We will
have our
second research day next Thursday 3/5, but sixth graders will be out in the morning.
This week is the final week in our cycle (before cultural catchup week) with
traditional lessons
and the addition of art masterpiece.
I would like to show the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet on Friday (after seeing the
ballet)
and reading the story. It is rated PG, but I will eliminate the romantic scene between
Romeo and
Juliet. Other than that, there is a bit of sword fighting. Please sign the permission
slip
(going out today) if it is alright for your child to view the movie. I will offer an
alternative
activity if you would prefer your child not watch the movie.
Thanks,
Christy



February 20, 2009
Dear Parents,
Overall it was a very successful week with many students completing the contract on
time and
getting a great start on research. This weekend students must complete the 25
noteacrds plus the
bibliography cards and bring them on Monday along with Saxon, and signed progress
report (and
any weekend work. Students should have at least one biography to read along with the
great lives
project, also. We have discussed this at great length in class.
Please check out your child's awesome work on the progress report! Hope to see you at
the picnic
on Sunday!
Christy
P.S. There was a typo on the Great Lives--All students need at least 50 notecards (not
75 or 100)

February 19, 2009
Dear Parents,
Tomorrow is our first research day. PLEASE support your child in being prepared with
resources
and notecards. This is a crucial day in our research process. Students should have 3+
books and
2 or 3 websites.
Also, the girls won geometric battleship and elected to walk over to McDonalds for
lunch for a
treat. I will escort them tomorrow at 11:30 (permission slips come home today). If
your female
child would like to participate, please send her with lunch money rather than a lunch.
Thanks,
Christy

February 16, 2009
Dear Parents,
Thank you for all of the Valentines and well wishes. I feel a bit better, but now I
know why I
should get a flu shot--holy moley.
I did not send the progress reports today, but everyone is up to date. The reports are
done, and
I will send them tomorrow for your signature. Some students that were out today are
short on
Study Island, but I'm hoping they took care of it today.
It is the second week of the cycle (blue week), and this week we have our first
research day.
Just a reminder: Students must have research materials in class on Thursday in order
to get
started on research. Today we had our first lesson on taking notecards, and I expect
everyone to
be prepared on Thursday.
At this point, I have met with each child (and some parents) to discuss the overall
work load
and made personalized adjustments. Students should NOT have weekend work or excessive
homework.
Please encourage your child to finish expected work in class before the weekend. The
second half
of the year is about big learning and work...I would love to charge forward with
lessons and fun
projects. If your child has regular "no homeworks" and/ or weekend work, he/she needs
to make
change. I only expect students to do their personal best work, and I feel I know what
that looks
like at this point. I plan the work to be done in class (accept for long term projects
and
traditional homework). I'm excited about the final stretch and want it to be fun and
productive
for all. Thanks for your support.
Christy

February 14, 2009
Dear Parents,
I was hit like a freight train with the WORST stomach flu at 3:00 yesterday. I
apologize for
exiting the Valentine Party early. Thank you to those parents that came to help. It
came over me
quickly and kept me up all night.
Happy Valentine's Day. Students do not have weekend writing, but they should complete
the Study
Island from last week (30 min) and start gathering info on their great life.
More later this weekend,


Christy



February 12, 2009
Dear Parents,
Happy Valentine's Day! I sent home a little "gift" with the students today allowing
them to cut
back on Saxon/ Homework over the next few days to allow them to do Valentine
boxes/bags and
cards. They can choose odds or evens for the next three lessons and do not have to
turn in any
homework until Monday.
Christy

February 10, 2009
Dear Parents,
Yeah!! I have Internet. I have been without Internet for 1 full day and I have so much
to tell
you. The students elected to make boxes or bags for the Valentine Party. They decided
on several
categories for award certificates (to be voted on by the children). We will have a
box/bag craft
time on Thursday afternoon ,but they may want to work on them at home. It is
completely student
driven; so, please don't help out too much. Also, please do not go out and spend a
bunch of
money--it is suppose to be creative and fun. Again, cards are optional. Please sign up
if you
can bring a little something on the website.
Thank you!
Christy

February 9, 2009
Dear Parents,
In an effort to improve accountability, I am enforcing the "no homework" policy by
having
students call home in addition to study hall. I will re-start the no-homeworks each
cycle;
therefore, students are getting a fresh start. Until now I have alerted parents
to "several"
missed homeworks, but I need to more closely follow the procedure to improve student
success and
follow-through on this school policy.
The policy is as follows:
1st 3 "No Homeworks": Call parents and student completes work in study hall
4th "No Homework": Problem-solving conference with parent and student
5th- 7th "No Homework": After-school detention. Parent to supply transportation.
8th "No Homework": In-school Suspension to complete work
Continued "No Homeworks": Behavior plan and possible out of school suspension
Thank you for your support,
Christy


February 9, 2009
Dear Parents,
Valentine's Day snuck up on me a bit, and I posted a small sign up page for party
snacks and
beverages. We will have a few crafts on Thursday and Friday with the party
sponsorship. As
always, cards are optional but must be given to all 29 students if your child brings
them. The
party will be Friday afternoon from 1:00-2:15. Students should bring a small gift bag
or a box
to collect valentines. We will have time on Thursday afternoon for decorating boxes
and bags
(optional).
Thursday we have a field trip to Romeo and Juliet in the late morning. Students will
need to eat
a good breakfast and snack, because we will be back a bit late.
This week starts a new cycle with a few new strategies in place for reducing stress
and
homework. Please remember homework should take about 60 minutes per night.
We also have the Great Lives Project deadlines underway. Please post the timeline in a
visible
place and help your child meet the due dates. On research days it is ESSENTIAL that
your child
comes with books, notecards, and website info printed. If he/she is not prepared, I
will call
you for a library trip. Those days make the difference, so please support your child.
Thank you,
Christy


February 6, 2009
Dear Parents,
Today was a very busy day with much accomplished. Students brought home a big packet
of
completed work and scores for your viewing and signature. They also brought home the
Great Lives
Project packet, but we ran out of time to discuss all of the details in class. Please
look over
it with your child--- we still have plenty of time before the signature page is due
(2/13). I
will discuss it thoroughly next week. There is no weekend writing.
Thanks,
Christy


February 2, 2009
Dear Parents,
Today was our first day of cultural catchup week. We will not have core work or
spelling test
this week and I feel the cultural contract is quite do-able. All students have Saxon
Math
homework, as usual, but will NOT have Study Island. I will send out the big Great
Lives History
Fair requirements this Friday. The only weekend assignment (other than Saxon) will be
to view it
with your child and send in your signature and your child's choice.
Please continue to sign the contract on the weekend after discussing your child's
weekly work
and the nightly homework log. We gave the students a lesson on how to keep their
binders and we
also have binders if your child needs one. Please support your child in bringing the
homework
binder to and from school.
I feel like it's going to be a wonderful week of cultural enjoyment and projects.
Please look
for a packet of your child's scored work on Friday (writng, math, spelling, etc...)
along with
the History Fair Packet and cultural contract. Thanks for your support!
Christy


January 30, 2009
Dear Parents,
I was not in the classroom today, but it sounds like a very productive and fun red-
spirit day!
The only weekend writing is to find a business address to send a letter to next week.
Students
may write a rough draft if they choose. Have a great weekend!
Christy
Go Cards!!!

Dear Parents,
Progress reports with spelling tests will come home today for last week. Please sign
and return
tomorrow. Students completed last weeks's work and are on to this week's
lessons...busy, busy,
busy. This is the last traditional week of the cycle before cultural catchup.
Christy

Dear Parents,
We had a very busy week, but the students needed more time to complete the contract.
The
progress reports/ conferences will take place on Monday afternoon along with the
spelling and
vocab test. The weekend writing is posted and final MLK drafts will be collected on
Monday. I
gave feedback to each student.
Our Valentine Fundraiser is in need of Hershey Kiss donations...If you are a sixth
grade parent,
please send in a bag. We will (of course) accept donations from anyone that can bring
in a bag
(as this fundraiser can use all the help we can get).
Thanks,
Christy

January 21, 2009
Dear Parents,
The spelling words are as follows:
civil rights
inauguration
prejudice
racist
segregation
equality
boycott
desegregation
discrimination
non- violent protest
Sincerely,
Sammi, 6th grader


January 20, 2009
Dear Parents,
I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and MLK Day. Today we will be watching the
inauguration
as a community with discussions and journaling. This week will have traditional
contract work,
but we will not do a Wordly Wise list. Instead, we will have a collection of cultural
words
which students will bring home today.
Sixth grade parents: We are looking for bags of Hershey Kisses for the Valentine Grams
(since
it
is a CIMI overnight fundraiser). Please send what you can this week.
Thanks,
Christy

January 16, 2009
Dear Parents,
What a great week! This weekend students should complete the next two Saxon lessons
and the
weekend writing task. Have a nice three-day weekend!
Christy

January 12, 2009
Dear Parents,
We have a traditional contract this week with the addition of Saxon math for homework.
It is the second out of 5 weeks in the cycle (blue week).
Saxon Instructions:
Each child should complete one Problem Set per night Sunday (due Monday)-Thursday. A
short
lesson will be given for each lesson prior to its completion. Students should bring
the
homework
in daily in a binder. If needed, we do have binders in the classroom that can be used
for
homework binders, but often students like to use a heavy duty zippered binder. Answers
should
be
checked with the answer key and parents should sign each assignment after it is
checked and
corrected at home. A "no homework" and study hall will be given for missed
assignments.
Students
with extra-curricular activities must work/ plan ahead to avoid study hall. This
nightly
assignment should take no more than 60 minutes to complete and questions and concerns
can be
noted on assignments, as these are checked in daily. It is very important that
students read
the
lesson.
In addition to Saxon, students will continue to work on Study Island for 30 minutes
per week
in/out of the classroom.
In a nut shell:
Saxon is Sun-Thursday
Each lesson should be done on the paper provided
Problem Sets should be checked and signed by parent
Please let me know if you have any questions. After lessons today students started at
various
places in the books:
54: Lessons 10 and 11 even problems
65: Lesson 20
76: Lessons 3 and 4 odds
87: 91-96
Alg 1/2: 91-96
We will continue to work at our own pace throughout the year.
This will be a routine before you know it. Thanks for your support.
Christy

January 9, 2009
Dear Parents,
This week all of the students completed the contract and had some great lessons!
Liberty
Wildlife was a highlight with several birds of prey (thank you, Tesa). We will begin
Saxon
homework on Monday with Lesson 20 for books 54, 65, and 76. Students will complete
Study Island
work for practice for 30 minutes per week. I will send home text books, answer books,
and paper
on Monday along with some instructions. We will have 2-3 lessons per week to make sure
homework
is review. We do not have weekend writing this weekend.
I am feeling a bit better--Just have a severe cough. I'll get back to you on Sunday
with the
newsletter. Students should red their Newberry this weekend. A new book report will
come out
next week: biography. It must be from the great lives list to gear up for the end of
the year
project....All to come next week, but you can start talking about great lives in
history.
Thanks,
Christy

January 5, 2009
Dear Parents,
Happy New Year! Please see Tesa's notes below...On behalf of Alex, Zoila and myself,
thank you
very much for all of the holiday gifts and cards. I love the bell (it's hanging out
back) and
the bonus money went to good use :).
This week we have quite a bit of activity (as you can see below). The book assigned
over the
break will end with an in-class project this time and a new book report will be
assigned in the
coming weeks. We will have spelling this week with Wordly Wise and a new monster list
will come
out (optional as always). Saxon will resume for 87 and Alg 1/2, but new Saxon will not
start
until next week with a few assessments to do this week.
We will be discussing goal-setting and executing this week with a time capsule writing
task.
Please feel free to ask your child about it.
It's going to be a great 2009!
Christy


January 4, 2009
Dear Christy’s families,

Happy New Year!!! I hope that your two week winter break was restful and memorable.

I want to give you a heads up in addition to what Christy has planned for us on our
first week
back.

Monday
• Ceramics in the morning. Many thanks to Christina Lonero and Jimi Fiedler for
assisting!
• 2009-10 school enrollment packages go home. Sign your child’s packet out in
the
classroom and return by Monday 1/12.

Tuesday
• Liberty Wildlife will visit the class at 1 pm bringing in birds and reptiles
indigenous
to Arizona. Hopefully 'Lady Liberty'(bald eagle) will make an appearance, if not, they
will
bring a golden eagle! It will be an awesome presentation and the eagles will be fed
(mice). That
will be an experience in its self!!!

Friday
• Pizza Friday-it is time to sign up for the 2nd ½ of the year. Please go to the
Pizza
Friday tab and sign up. In addition to bringing a side(s) for the pizza & drink,
plates and
napkins are needed. There are several families who paid 1/2($50) and the balance is
due Monday
am. Please make checks out to Kelly Glawe. If you are unsure, feel free to contact
Kelly at
mkglawe@cox.net. Thanks!!
* 6th Graders Will Visit & Learn About the Middle School

Thanks!
Tesa
ps feel free to contact me anytime tbartell@cox.net or my cell 602-418-5433



December 21, 2008
Dear Parents,
Phew! It was a crazy-fun week! Thank you to everyone that helped make it happen
(pretty much
all
of you). The kids had so much fun, and we were able to get quite a load of items to
the
Sojourner Center. Thank you for thinking of all of the teachers with the bells and the
fun
money. It's really nice bonus this time of year and the bell will always remind me of
this
class.
Over the break, students should complete the grade level before them in study island
and choose
a Newberry Winning book to read. I will post some response options (under projects),
but we
still need to get caught up on presentations from the last book and will not present
this one.
We will start the Saxon text book when we return (1 week after) for math homework.
I hope everyone has a relaxing break. As for me, I will be spending time with my
family here in
town and perhaps up north. If you need me, I will be on and off the email.
Thanks again for all of your great support. See you next year!
Christy
P.S. I will post the Newberry winners on "links" ---Reading and a little math over the
break!
Relax and enjoy!


December 13, 2008
Dear Parents,
Phew! Last week was quite a whirlwind with 31 parent teacher conferences! Thank you
for 100%
participation. The week ahead is VERY busy. Thank you for signing up for all of the
events
ahead. Please continue to bring items in for the Sojourner Center until Friday. We
will deliver
them then.
As far as academics... We have a lot of holiday fun, but also a few loose ends to wrap
up. Book
reports should come in tomorrow. We put quite a bit of effort into the rough drafts
with
conferences and lessons. I hope students put plenty of effort into their final drafts
and
projects. We will have a math vocabulary test on Thursday--with words that students
studied
this
last week also. Book report presentations will take place daily. We will not have a
weekly work
plan or Wordly Wise. We will study the holidays and traditions around the world, work
on a
daily
plan, and have a little fun.
Thank you all for meeting with me at conferences--Your participation makes a world of
difference.
Christy



December 12, 2008
Dear families,
This next week is full of great activities. We have Art Masterpiece, the Sojourner's
Delivery,
a
Latkes Party, Gingerbread House and Holiday Party.
Please take a look at the different sign up pages. There is lots to prepare for and
together we
can make this Holiday Season memorable for ALL :)
I will have our Fundraising items Monday or Tuesday to distribute.
Thanks for everything!!!
-Tesa


December 1, 2008
Dear Parents,
The book fair is upon us and I'm short on helpers...If I do not get additional parents
to help
tomorrow and Wednesday, the book fair will not be open to students. If you have a few
hours
tomorrow or Wednesday afternoon, please sign up to help. I hope to see everyone here
Tuesday
evening to celebrate reading.
It is cultural catchup week. Students will have time to complete cultural work
throughout the
week.
Thanks,
Christy

November 28, 2008
Dear Parents,
Happy Thanksgiving! This weekend students do not have a writing assignment. Study
Islanders
should finish at least 80 minutes for the week and Saxon has 2 "B" Tests to do before
Monday.
Have a relaxing weekend. I appreciate my wonderful classroom community so much!
Thank you,
Christy


November 23, 2008
Dear Parents,
We have a short busy week ahead...Wednesday is our "No Turkey Thanksgiving
Celebration". Food
will be donated by the Armadillo Grille and served luncheon style for $5 per child. It
is not a
half-day, but if you are leaving to go out of town in the afternoon it is light and
academic-
free. We will have a daily work plan with reduced work each day, but we are hitting
math hard
with new lessons and practice work. Spelling will not be Wordly Wise this week.
Instead we will
have other vocabulary to practice. the list will be posted and come home tomorrow.
I have jinxed myself by telling people that my children are "Never Sick" because our
household
is again bombed with strep throat and I will have to miss a portion of tomorrow (much
to my
dismay), but I will be there Tuesday and Wednesday (toothbrushes have been trashed and
the
Clorox was hard at work all day).
I received a few messages from parents from last week this weekend on my cell phone
(about
various things). It's really not the best way to reach me, as I rarely carry it or
answer it.
The best way to contact me is always email, because I check it multiple times
throughout the
day.
Thanks,
Christy

November 21, 2008
Dear Parents,
Great work is happening in the classroom this week! Fourth graders had a great field
trip to
the
zoo to reinforce their animal kingdoms study. I also presented the first in a series
of early
man lessons to them, which will continue into next cycle. Fifth and sixth graders are
continuing
ancient civilizations with work on ancient Egypt. The fifth graders are studying "The
Great
River", which refers to the river of blood in the human body, while sixth years are
studying
vital functions of animals. All students are writing, reading, and making projects to
show
their
learning on these topics.
This week (and last) in writing students are learning the foramt of a compare and
contrast
essay. This is a bit tricky for most students and I gave a big chunk of time to it
today. They
will need to finish writing the rough draft for this essay over the weekend and it
should be
their BEST work.
I started a homework log this week, which has greatly improved accountability. Thank
you for
your support. I added a link to the wordly wise website under "Links", which contains
all of
the
word lists and definitions. Please feel free to use it as a reference for nightly
study.
Students elected to bring home work weekly attached to their weekly work plan to help
keep
parents in the loop--rather than once per cycle. Please spend time with your child
this
weekend going over their work and discussing their successes this week. Remember the
cultural
work is checked in the cultural catchup week, but students should be in good standing
each week
(rather than fair or poor) if they are keeping up on the work. Please sign the form
and return
it on Monday with the weekend writing.
Thank you,
Christy
P.S. Thank you to all the parents and students that attended the open house. They
should feel
so
proud of their wonderful work. Also, thank you for signing up for the book fair and
sending in
items for the Sojourner Center.



November 17, 2008
Dear Parents,
I spent some time updating the website with all of the sign ups, the book report, and
the
holiday service project. Please spend time checking it out and signing up where you
can.
Today I sent out a homework log (after much thought). I think it will set students up
for
success and get parents more "in the know" about "no homeworks". They tend to sneak up
if
parents are not looking at homework nightly. The guidelines for study island are the
same with
some flexibility to make up a day here and there, but this must be noted in the
comments and
made up. Students with weekend work came home with a parent signature form this past
week--also
to help student accountability. We are all very busy with great work this week- Please
ask your
child to share the concepts for language/grammar, cultural, math, geometry, etc...It's
getting
so individualized, it's difficult to share with you our general concepts. All I can
say is I
couldn't be more amazed with the work-- more details to come.
Christy
P.S. Please support your child with the book report and nightly homework log by
posting the
timeline for the book report and signing the log nightly.

November 14, 2008
Dear Parents,
This week was productive, but short. A little work list went home with students that
did not
complete the contract this week. Highlighted work must be done this weekend along with
weekend
writing, which includes two tasks: 2 Venn Diagrams and viewing the compare and
contrast link on
this website (under "links"). I will post the latest free choice book report, a sign
up sheet
for the Sojourner Center, a sign up sheet for parent-teacher conferences, a sign up
for the
book fair, and anything else I can think of :)throughout the weekend.
Thanks,
Christy


November 7, 2008
Dear Parents,
Today was somewhat of a marathon-day...Students worked hard to get cultural work and
writing
finished, and Zoila and I worked hard to get progress reports and feedback done. It
was a
painful success. Overall, I feel many students need to raise the bar on their work and
I can do
a few things to make it easier for quality work to get complete. I do have high
expectations
and
want everyone to do their personal best, and I'm not sure some students met the mark.
It is
evident in their progress reports that some scores are below average (some on homework
time and
some on spelling tests). Please sign the progress report after discussing it with your
child.
Remember it is for the few weeks in this cycle only and can be improved upon for the
bi-yearly
scores (given at the parent-teacher conference).
I did meet with EVERY student about his/her rough draft on WWII. Some students handed
in a
final
draft today, but many took it home to finish on the weekend. I do expect it to be in
the proper
essay format with an intro, a body, and a close. That is the only weekend writing for
this
week.
I did say that those essays that did not reflect the child's best effort would need
additional
revision and lesson-time. Monday starts a new cycle and I think this cycle was one of
growth
for
everyone. It's going to be the best one yet.
Thanks for your support,
Christy
P.S. All progress reports went home, but 5 students did not finish collecting cycle
work. If
your child does not have work to show you, he/she will bring it home on Monday.

November 1, 2008
Dear Parents,
I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween. My little Spiderman and princess handed
out candy
and ran around the house until it was time to crash out at 10:00. The open house today
for new
Villa parents was a success. Thank you to those families that were able to bring your
child to
participate. They were excellent presenters.
This weekend students have a 10 minute break on study island if needed and Saxon users
can
choose odds or evens on one lesson. We do not formally have weekend writing, but many
students
planned to work on their WWII paper (1-3 pages) or cultural work for the upcoming
catchup week.
Book report project presentations start next week and carry over into the following
week.
Students signed up for their own deadline.
Students elected to have a read-a-thon on Tuesday November 4th. That means they are
welcome to
wear comfy clothes or PJs and bring pillows and blankets for a day of reading. We also
have "Kids Vote" day on Tuesday. After the student presidential debate, the students
are ready
to choose a candidate. At the end of the week, I will send out the progress reports
and cycle
work for viewing. We do not have core contract this week; therefore, no spelling
words. It's
going to be a wonderful week to get all our ducks in a row.
Thanks,
Christy

October 27, 2008
Dear Parents,
I hope everyone had fun at the carnival. My family had a blast and it was fun to see
everyone
dressed up and ready for WWII trivia. We are in the pink week of our cycle, which
means that
next week is cultural catchup week. This week we are going to Schnepps Farm on
Thursday all day
and on Friday afternoon we have a little Halloween Celebration. I will post a little
sign up
today for a few items, but the West family sponsored the event. I will purchase
decorations and
some treats with the money.
Please check out the sixth grade newsletter if you have not already.
FYI...I will be checking study island daily. Please send a note or email if your child
plans to
double up the following night for and after school activity.
Thank you!
Christy

October 24, 2008
Dear Parents,
I forgot to mention the Sixth Grade Newsletter...It was entirely student created,
edited, and
posted. They should feel proud of this feat, as well as, the writing. Next time it
will be even
better...Perhaps a winter newsletter will be next.
Thanks,
Christy

October 24, 2008
Dear Parents,
Already the study island minutes are improving...Thank you for your support. Please
think of
the study island as nightly homework with an exception maybe once a week if absolutley
needed
that should be made up the very next day...It is not optional or to be put off for
several days
due to outside activities. If your child is waiting all week to practice, he or she is
not
being accountable and will not be successful with classroom concepts or future
homework
requirements. I cannot stress enough that this is nightly homework to be priority over
extracurricular activity.
The weekend writing is posted and only entails gathering information for WWII
research.
Students should print out info at home, get books, use information from classroom
books,
etc...to start pre-writing. This is much like a longer version of an expository essay
(which we
have practiced at length), but if your child feels unsure of how to proceed, he/she
can just
come prepared on Monday with info on his/her topic and an area of focus. All students
have
chosen a topic. If the topic is forgotten, please help your child choose a topic that
can be
explained in 1-3 pages of typed text.
Thanks for your help! Have a nice weekend. I hope to see all of you at the Halloween
Carnival.
Christy

October 23,
Dear Parents,
YIKES!! Study Island minutes are incredibly low! I will need to start checking daily
for 20-30
minutes per night rather than weekly if students are taking advantage of the option to
get
minutes as they can. Most students have quite a bit of work to do this weekend. Saxon
students
have 20-30 minutes per week to earn. Please support your child in getting this work
done--
without practice, mastery will not happen.
Thanks,
Christy


October 20, 2008
Dear Parents,
Phew! The break was a whirlwind of activities for my family. We had a fabulous time at
Disneyland: experiencing the rides, parades, shows, and shopping. We spent a few days
at the
beach gathering shells and sand crabs.
I hope everyone had a chance to read and relax over the break. I posted the book
report
requirements under "projects/ reports" and a guide for the literary elements for
parents.
Please
support your child in reading 20-30 minutes nightly, meeting the due dates, creating a
3-D
project, and practicing a polished presentation. Classroom work will be business as
usual this
week: the second week of our cycle. Spelling is back on wordly wise with an
optional "Spelling
Bee" list for the November Spelling Bee (the week before Thanksgiving).
I'm making some changes to Study Island with the addition of other grade levels. All
students
should master the previous grade level work along with grade level assignments. The
directions
will be posted with each assignment. All of the students are "reset" for a brand new
start, but
the assignment is still 100 minutes per week minimum. I'm looking at adding some
additional
types of math homework (for study island users) at the first of the year to keep
students
moving
forward with the challenging work in the classroom and offer variety.
This week we have our first art masterpiece with Larry Forsythe. It sounds like a
wonderful
painting experience.
Best wishes for a productive week!
Christy

October 10, 2008
Dear Parents,
I'm sure many of you are off on vaction for fall break. I am too! We are going to
Disneyland
for
most of the week. Faith was diagnosed with Strep throat today, but we are still
planning to
depart tomorrow now that she is on antibiotics.
I'm asking students to read, read, read over the break. I will post a book report
timeline next
weekend which requires a historical fiction book. I would suggest U.S. historical
fiction in
relation to WWII with all of the discussions we have been having. Feel free to pick up
a book
this week or next weekend. It should be around your child's reading level (on the
score sheet).
Throughout this week, I'm just asking students to read AR books. Students should also
finish
this week's study island minutes- NOT a new 100 minutes. They should just complete the
100
minutes from this last week's work load. Saxon may also take a break. I hope you have
some nice
family time and enjoy the break. So...
* Students should read, read, read over the break (AR Books)
* Pick up a historical fiction book for the first book report (I suggest WWII timing)
* Finish up the 100 minutes of study island from this week
Thank you...
Have a relaxing break,
Christy


October 6, 2008
Dear Parents,
Today the first cycle reports and a bit of your child's work came home...The amount of
work was
dependent on your child's current organizational skills and the assignments for
his/her grade
level or group. There is much more that cannot go home (because it's a layout, group
project,
graph book,workbook, etc...). The scores were just for this month. I will share the
bigger
picture at the parent-teacher conference. Spelling scores were on the low end (there
were only
3
to average), but that shows that many students need to study the words more
consistently (and
definitions). I plan to make some alterations to the work-plans to make them a bit
more "parent-
friendly", but your child will be able to answer questions. Please know that classwork
does not
go "unfinished". It always get made up as weekend work or at study hall.
I made a change to Study Island...I raised the passing percentage, which will change
the blue-
ribbon status. Try not to get hung up on blue ribbons, rather the actual percentage to
pass
(some are as low as 60% to pass without the bar raised). Next week we will actually be
starting
a new set of concepts on Study Island that will be more of a review, which is what the
homework
should be (along with new concepts). As this is a pilot-program, please feel free to
let me
know
how it's going for you.
Please let me know if you have questions.
Thank you,
Christy

October 5, 2008
Dear Parents,
The Arcosanti trip was a blast! The children seemed to thouroughly enjoy themselves.
Thank you
to all of the parents that were able to chaperone. Special thanks to Tesa for
organizing the
trip. I'm sure your children told you we saw bells poured, hiked to petroglyphs, and
learned
about native people and animals. It was great.
This week in the classroom... A progress report and work will come home tomorrow for
your
signature. Please send back the cycle work for your child's portfolio. With our
absence from
the
classroom last Friday, the students needed more time to complete work (Monday).
Unfinished work
will come home for homework tomorrow (if your child does not complete it by the end of
the
day).
We will also have the Spelling Bee on the monster list tomorrow and again on Friday.
We will
not
complete the tradtional spelling this week. Thursday fifth graders have a grade level
trip to
the Pueblo Grande Museum. If you are a fifth grade parent and you can attend, please
let Tesa
know. We need two parents.
This is the first week in the new cycle and a fresh start for all of the students: one
of the
best things about cycles. Have a positive week!
Christy
October 2, 2008
Dear Parents,
Tomorrow is our Arcosanti day trip! We would like to depart shortly after 8:00 a.m.
Please
arrive at the Cheryl campus by 8:00. If you are a chaperone, please come at 7:45 for a
prep/
pep
talk with me to and to check in with Bernita with your insurance card, driver's
license, and
fingerprint card. Students should come dressed for hiking (sunscreen applied) with a
snack and
water bottle within a pack. Optional items are: a camera, binoculars, a journal or
sketch pad,
souvenir money, car entertainment (electronics at your own risk). Cell phone use is
allowed
with
chaperone approval only (no texting or calling friends).
We will return at 7:00 p.m. (unless posted on this website in the evening). Please be
at the
Cheryl campus to pick up your child at 7:00. It's going to be a wonderful trip!
Thank you,
Christy

September 29, 2008
Dear Parents,
This week is catch-up week with a focus on Cultural work. Students will be bringing
home the
Monster Spelling list to practice and and they will practice daily in class with a
partner for
the Spelling Bee Thursday afternoon. It will be on spelling with definitions as a
bonus.
Students will conference with me on Thursday and bring home this cycle's work and work
plans to
share with you.
Math homework will continue this week as usual, but Study Island will have special
instructions
for review. Saxon Tests will start this week and be sent home for correction in the
homework
folder (if your child is in Saxon).
Sixth graders will work to compose their newsletter, while the rest of the class
practices
descriptive writing. It's going to be a busy week but a rewarding one with great
closure in the
end.
Friday will be our day trip to Arcosanti. Thank you to everyone that volunteered.
Thanks,
Christy

September 26, 2008
Dear Parents,
The weekend writing is posted. A few students went home with weekend work...Next week
is
cultural catch-up week. I will give you all the details and instructions in Sunday's
Newsletter.

Christy

September 21, 2008
Dear Parents,
This will be the third week in our cycle (pink week), which means the last week of
traditional
work before cultural catchup week. This week students will start a two week spelling
project
that gets back to the monster list and ends with a spelling bee. Sixth graders will
work on
their first newsletter, which will be posted on the website and handed out. If any
sixth grade
parents would like to help out with it, please let Tesa know. We will work on our
descriptive
and narrative writing and experiment with watercolors to create a final art/writing
project.
Math and geometry lessons will be combined and presented on Tuesday and Wednesday (as
usual).
It's going to be a busy, fun, eventful week! I hope everyone had a restful weekend!
Christy
P.S. Picture day is Friday!

September 18, 2008
Dear Parents,
This week was a true test of the workload, and a few students felt overwhelmed with
all
subjects "in play". Please know I will work with parents and children to adjust each
child's
amount of work (as needed). Your child should not spend more than 60 minutes per night
on
homework; so, please let me know if it exceeding that amount or if your child is
feeling
abnormally stressed.
A few students have weekend work. Please check the communication folder for the
homework notice
and work to be done. The weekend writing is minor, and all of the children worked on
it in
class. Please support your child in finishing the assignment this weekend.
Thank you!
Christy

September 15, 2008
Dear Parents,
Today I spent the morning (while the students were in specials) checking in on Study
Island
times... Many students are completing 100 minutes (or close to it) weekly, but some
are not
quite making the grade. Please support your child in completing 20-30 minutes nightly
on the
computer. I added Assignment III for students to work through this week.
If your child is falling short on study island time I will contact you to let you
know, but
please support your child in developing a good study habit.
Christy

September 12, 2008
Dear Parents,
This weekend the students have a bit of a break on weekend writing...Those students
that need
more time to "catch up" on the two expository essays are taking home their loose ends.
Please
ask your child if he/she is up to date on writing. Most students do not have any
weekend
writing. I will check in on everyone on Monday. I have to say that the writing the
students are
doing is outstanding. Fourth graders are new to multi-paragraph essays and seem to be
stepping
up to the challenge.
All students completed their core contract this week; therefore, NO ONE has weekend
work. All
areas of the curriculum (math groups, geometry, grammar and language books added this
week)
are "in play"---What an amazing class and a successful week.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Christy
P.S. Extended day trip info went out today along with permission slip.

September 11, 2008

Dear Parents,
Today we briefly discussed 9/11/01 and the events that happened. We had a moment of
silence and
the students plan to write thank you letters tomorrow to their local community service
men and
women (fire fighters, police, armed forces, etc...).
Also, we have been listening to The Diary of Anne Frank and watched a portion of Gerda
Weissman's interview about the Holocaust (to help understand the historical events
that
occurred
when she was writing the diary).
Both of these things can be hard for students to understand and I encouraged them to
talk to
their parents about their feelings. Please let me know if you have any questions, and
thank you
for your support in educating these global citizens.

Christy


September 8, 2008
Dear Parents,
This week we have a traditional work plan. We have Az Science Center coming tomorrow
to do a
fun
science project in the morning.
This is the green/ first week in the cycle, which is new to some of you. Cycles simply
help us
break down the work into manageable chunks. The last week of the month we will have
more time
for projects and presentations and a bit less core work (math and language). We call
it "cultural catchup week". Students will bring home work plans and work at the end of
the
cycle
(Oct 1).
We're off to a postive start.
Christy
September 5, 2008
Dear Parents,
Weekend writing is posted and students with weekend work (4 students) went home with
their
items and the homework notice. So far, students are doing a nice job with weekly work
and study
island. After the cycle is complete (Oct. 1), students will bring home work plans to
show their
assignments. They are completing beautiful work! Study Island should continue
throughout the
weekend if students have not worked for 20 minutes (20-30 problems) x 5 nights = 100
minutes.
Have a nice weekend!
Christy


September 1, 2008
Dear Parents,
I hope you had a nice extended weekend. This week in class we will have a student
created/
teacher guided work plan and all areas introduced. We will start the work plan
tomorrow and
study island for homework. Tomorrow I will give students a lesson on study island use
and how
to
obtain a password. I will send home additional info. Please be patient with the new
program, as
it is also new to me and may be quirky. I will be giving lessons in the classroom by
group, and
in the coming weeks the homework will also be assigned that way. For this week
students will
have assignments by grade level. Students in the Saxon books (87 and 1/2) will have
some time
in
class to practice on study island (based on the pretest). All other students will be
required
to
spend about 100 minutes (at home) per week practicing. Students should also read a
novel for 20
minutes. Right now it is free choice until I assign a book report. Please let me know
what I
can
do to help with study island. Thank you for your patience.
Christy

August 29, 2008
Dear Parents,
Please find the weekend writing posted, as well as, the permission slip/ info for
field trips. I
sent several things home today in the communication folder, also. Please check with
your child
about
weekend work. A couple of children have an item or two in addition to weekend work.
Please find
it
in the communication folder. The students worked on weekend writing in class, and many
of them
got a
very healthy start. All students must bring it home for polishing into a final rough
draft.
Have a peaceful weekend,
Christy



August 28, 2008
Dear Parents,
Thank you for hanging in there with me on the homework. The traditional homework will
start on
Tuesday (slowly) with a few concepts and the learning of the routine (study island or
Saxon for
some sixth graders). Tonight most students brought home a piece of class work to stay
on track.
Thursdays is often a day for "catch up" if a child needs it to avoid weekend work. I
conferenced
with each child today and will check in with them tomorrow to assign anything left for
weekend
work.
Thank you for supporting your child in bringing the parent-communication folder daily
with
homework. I will send home some graded homework tomorrow along with spelling tests (1
or 2) and
a permission slip for all of the field trips.
The students will have weekend writing to be turned in on Tuesday. I will post the
assignment
on
line and students have a lesson tomorrow.
Thank you,
Christy

August 24, 2008
Dear Parents,
This week most of the regular lessons will start with assessments almost behind us.
The
students
are working well within the new routine, but it is still new and can cause some
stress.

We will have daily homework this week and (hopefully) Study Island will be ready for
next
Monday
night's homework. We will dive into measurement this week in math, along with
estimation and
rounding (where needed). Please support your child by talking about measurement/
estimation and
the different systems throughout the week.
The field trip/ guest speaker schedule looks awesome. I will post the permission slip
and send
it home when it's ready. It will include a request for chaperones where needed. Be
sure to see
Bernita if you need a fingerprint card. It's best to get that underway right away,
because it
takes time to get the card processed.
I appreciate all of the volunteers signed up. Please visit the web page to sign up to
help out
and/ or bring the pizza snack. Send in your checks for pizza asap made out to Kelly
Glawe
($100).
Please continue to check your child's homework folder for returned tests, homework,
and parent
info. At the end of the month (cycle), several pieces of work will come home in a
packet. I'll
let you know when we clean out the crates.
Have a great week!
Christy

August 22, 2008
Dear Parents,

For the next few weeks, we will be inputting information into the MRX (Montessori
Record
Keeping System) in order to communicate with parents and record-keep via the
internet. Once
all of the lessons and data is inputted, I will be able to provide parents with an up
to date
work list/ progress report per child. Until that time, I will send home a weekly work
list on
Friday with a “Homework Notice” attached if your child has weekend work. Please check
in your
child’s take home folder for weekend work. The goal each week is that your child
completes
his/her work in class and completes weekend writing at home on the weekend.

As I’m sure you can imagine, it is very time-consuming to learn this new program and
input the
information. I appreciate your patience and support. Please know if your child is
falling
behind or in need of support I will contact you.

Weekend Writing is posted and I will send a newsletter on Sunday. Have a delightful
weekend.
Christy
P.S. I apologize for the homework "stress" last night. My mini-lesson was not enough
for some
students to gain the conversion concept and I appreciate the feedback. We will have
some hands-
on practice next week.


August 18, 2008
Dear Students,
After speaking with Alex, it sounds like there was a mix up on the homework. It is as
follows:

Assignment: Students should complete the worksheets on the "homework page for Roman
Numerals"
by
printing them out AND explore the two Roman Numeral Links. Students that do not
explore the
links will most likely have trouble with the assignment.
Sixth graders should also post a blog.


Spelling: The list went home...
Are you ready for a challenge? This is our first Monster Spelling List. Usually, you
will have
your Wordly Wise and the Monster List will be an optional challenge. Your job is to
work at
your
own pace to master the spelling and the definitions of these words by the end of the
month. I
will give a Monster spelling test at the end of the month (September) and at the end
of the
months in the future. These are some of the most often misspelled words and it will
serve you
well to learn them. This will be optional work after this week. If you complete all of
the
monster lists this year, you will have practiced and perhaps mastered 1000 challenging
words.
Go
for it!
For this week please choose the following to get a start (after that you are on your
own to work through the list):
4th Graders: choose at least 10 words
5th Graders: choose at least 15 words
6th Graders: choose at least 20 words
Study the words at home and complete one activity per day in class

I apologize for the mix up. Faith is on the up and up and I will return to class
tomorrow.
Please come in with your assignments!
Christy


Aug, 18th
Parents,
Coming home today amoung your handouts will be a note from me, your Homeroom
Corrdinator :)
One thing I forgot to mention is Finger Printing. I found out that Bernita has the
information
that you need from E.H.S. If you need to get your Finger Printing done, please contact
her
directly. If you have it, please make sure that she has a copy of your card.

If you have any questions/comments anytime this year, feel free to contact me :) My
info is
coming home today in an handout.
Thanks, Tesa
ps if this Newsflash came to you and you would like to edit your email please let me
know. If
you want to add an additional address, please see the tab at the bottom of this page.

August 17, 2008
Dear Parents,
Phew! I caught up on rest this weekend and feel charged for week two. This week we
start
specials (PE, Odyssey of the Mind, Theater, and ODE). Students will have math homework
and
spelling practice nightly along with reading for 20 minutes. Please support your child
in
turning homework in daily and getting off on the right foot. Study hall and reflection
room
will
also start this week for students that need it.
Much to my dismay, I forgot to discuss the weekly workload change and the new
computerized
record keeping system for Elementary II at the parent orientation night. With all of
the
individual contracts and monthly cultural work, we will no longer send home a weekly
progress
report. Instead, when the program is up and running (around September 1)we will email
any
weekend work on Friday and students will bring home the corresponding assignments.
This new
record keeping system keeps track of student progress on concepts and specific lessons
taught.
It's truly amazing and detailed. Please be patient and trust I will contact you if
your child
is
falling behind.
Thank you for all of the helping hands and volunteer sign ups! The Pizza Friday sign-
up,
helping
hands, volunteer sign-up, and important calendar dates are posted (thanks to my parent
helpers).
Please send in your $100 pizza check (or pro rated amount) to Kelly Glawe by the 22nd
to start
pizza this Friday, and sign up to bring the vegi/fruit and beverage.
It's going to be a great week!
Christy

August 15, 2008
Dear Parents,
Please find the weekend writing posted on this website. It has been a fabulous week
with your
children. They worked hard all week on the new routine and deserve a nice relaxing
weekend.
Some
students completed the rough draft, but most students have a bit of work to do for
Monday.
Thank
you all for attending the orientation. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Please
look
for my "Newsletter" on Sunday.
Thank you,
Christy

August 11, 2008
Dear Parents,
The first day was a great success! I hope your students agree that we are off to a
positive
start. We had some introductions, community building projects, as well as, an
assessment
today.
I did assign a few tasks for homework to get the students warmed up: a book review,
preparation
for a book talk (a short description/review of a book) and finding a rock. We will
start the
traditional homework in two weeks when assesments are complete. I met with many of the
students
about summer homework today. If your child had an assignment he/she agreed to complete
over the
summer and did not finish it, he/she must develop a plan with you to complete it by a
decided
deadline (accountability is important).
Please be sure to come on Thursday night at 7:00 for the orientation. We do have a few
changes
to the routine; so, I encourage everyone to attend. If you have not sent in your
supply check
($100), please send it in with your child tomorrow (made out to Christy Cantu). Thank
you!
Thank you,
Christy

May 28, 2008
Dear Parents and Students,
The summer homework is posted! As discussed, students are to do the following:

* Read at least two novels within their AR range (or 4-6 grade) and create at least 2
journals
that follow the posted instructions (on the website under "summer homework").
arbookfind.com
can help with finding books.

* Complete Summer Bridge or Saxon Lessons as discussed at the parent-teacher conference

Email me with questions. Please do not wait until the last minute!
Have a delightful summer,
Christy