Dear Students and Families,

Congratulations on your high school acceptances.  Stay focused and end the year with a flourish.  We are moving along through third quarter. The year is flying! Please be sure to check rvs for missing work, and A.R. for progress toward goal, at least twice a week.

ATTENTION PARENTS: Permission slips have gone home for this upcoming field trip.  Thank you in advance for offering to drive.

Following the study of The Diary of Anne Frank, we will be taking a field trip to the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, on Thursday, March 1st. Because of the serious nature of the museum, and because we will have the privilege of hearing a Holocaust survivor speak, we travel to the museum in two smaller groups. As you are planning your work schedules, please consider scheduling time to drive for this wonderful field trip. Many students say that this day really changes their lives.

I will need drviers for a trip departing school around 8:45, and returning around 12:15. The second shift will leave around 10:30, and return to Holy Infant around 1:45. The first group will eat at school upon its return, but the second group will have to snack in the cars (they will bring food) to and from the museum. There are no facilities or time at the museum for lunch.

Your "Express the Music" stories have been mailed. Be sure to let me know if you receive a semifinalist letter.

Reading test grades, as well as test extra credit, are posted. Remember that on essay tests, what you say is equally important to how you say it. Divide your answers by paragraphs when you change topics; support your answers with facts and details from the literature; write well; plan your writing on the available time; and pay attention to the point value of the questions.

Your short story group projects are fun to evaluate. Grades will be posted when all presentations have been completed.

The due dates for A.R. for 8th graders for third quarter, along with the early incentive date, have been posted on the board and recorded in your assignment notesbooks, along with your new STAR test results and A.R. goals. Remember that you must meet goal, have an 85% or higher on accuracy on tests, and average within your STAR designated reading range. Think of AR as practice for all of the reading that you will have to complete in high school and college. As soon as I receive your STAR testing scores, we will set goals and due dates for third quarter.

Read, read, read!

Mrs. Gillian

P.S. You can earn up to 10 extra credit points by reading an A.R. science fiction book, bringing the book to class, taking the test, and chatting with me about the book. Do not let this opportunity pass you by. You have to read AR anyway; why not try a science fiction book? 

You can also earn up to 10 bonus points for reading one of the books in the traveling trunk sent by the Holocaust Museum.  These books have to be finished before 3/1, as we will take the trunk back to the museum on our field trip day.