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6-17-08
Last Day of School!
PLEASE READ IT ALL- LOTS OF IMPORTANT STUFF TONIGHT!!!!!
WOW- what a year! This has by FAR been the very best group of kids I have ever had and every
single day I felt honored to be working with them. You're all so lucky to have such special
children. I bet it seems like they grow up fast to you, but I also hope you have time this
summer to slow down for a bit and tell your growing child how wonderful he or she is.
It's SUCH a treat for me to have the kids for two years. You all know that I feel that the
academic benefits for the kids are HUGE, but for me, looping with the kids allows me to
cultivate a unique and quite close group. At the end of the year it's amazing to me how hard it
is to see them go. We form quite a bond over time!
I want to thank all of you for the wildly generous gift to CEF in honor of this class. There is
no greater gift to me than one the will directly benefit Camas kids with innovative extra
activities for schools. You may know that I also serve on the CEF board and spend a lot of time
finding more ways to make education in Camas the VERY BEST that it is so thank you from the
bottom of my heart for that kind and generous gift. Thank you also for the beautiful framed and
signed picture of this special groups of kids that I know Theresa and Jamie worked hard to
organize. I can't even imagine how you rounded up the whole class at recess! :) I really
appreciate all of your kind actions and words in emails, cards, on the parent survey, and so
on. I love my job and when great families like all of you open your lives and hearts to me it
just makes my job dreamy! I consider all of you friends and hope you'll keep in touch as your
family goes through all of the fun stages of growing up together.
I can't WAIT to work with the 4th graders again! I have SO MANY great new ideas and I'm taking
some classes this summer to learn even more. We'll also have an amazing student teacher who
volunteered many days in our class this year. The kids adore Dan Macaya and I think he'll be an
absolutely fabulous addition to the class. Plus, it will lower the teacher student ratio and
the kids will have SO much more access to learning. I'll be working LOTS with Dan over the
summer to brainstorm ideas and create some fun new units of study for the kids. I've also
requested that we have lots and lots of GIRLS put into our class as 4th graders next year to
even out the TWO that we have moving up! (And I hear that we have another fabulous group on the
way).
I'll be leaving this website up all summer. The summer activities page is there to stay and
sounds like it's a hit! (Thanks for looking at it!)
Also, on the left you'll notice a new page called "Parent Survey Results". Click on it to see a
summary of your comments on the survey I asked you to
complete. I want you to know that completing that survey is one of the most valuable things for
me that you could ever do. I truly and greatly appreciate your comments, suggestions, and most
of all your overwhelming support. I bawled the whole time I was reading what you wrote! I plan
to use the information to inform my personal goals and growth for next year. First and foremost
I'll be developing improvements in the way I use (and encourage families) to use the online
gradebook. I'll also be making some changes in the reading log club format. Because of your
input I will definitely comtinue to use the class website- I'm SO happy that you were able to
use it to TALK with your child about school. That will get you through thick and thin as a
family.
Please look for the link to the summary of that survey on the main page of this website. I made
sure to eliminate anything that would identify you (although I hoped it would be anonymous I
loved how some of you slipped your name in! You're just like the kids!!!) I'm sharing the
information because I think you would like to see that other parents had some of the same
thoughts.
Here is the library book group information again---
Book Discussion Groups at the Library:
Page Turners - for 4th/5th graders and a parent
This group is about half-full right now, so we have room for about 6 bookworm families to join.
The book we are reading right now: The Lightning Thief
Xtreme Readers - for 6th/7th/8th graders
This group is almost full, but there is still one copy of the June book for someone to take!
Next book: American Born Chinese
Teen Read Cafe - for 9th/10th/11th/12th graders
Plenty of room in this fun-loving group! Next book we are reading: Dune
How do the book discussion groups work? You borrow a special copy of the book from the library.
You read it, you come to the discussion, and then you get to keep the book for free! All
discussion groups also eat snacks and drink pop!
*****There is a new PAGE on the main page of this site called Summer Activities. I've compiled
some really neat ideas for famililes this summer that I think you'll enjoy. Please take a
look****
I work all summer, so if you have anything you need or just want to keep in touch please go
right ahead and email me. (and I hope you DO keep in touch!)
Have a great summer everyone!
Amy
Disclaimer: Teacherweb does not provide a spell checker. I type fast and recess ends in 20
minutes! Please excuse any errors :)
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