8/29-9/2

Thank you to all the parents who have started off the year great! We have had a great response in returned envelopes, library contract, letters, communication, and additional resources to make this year a success. If you have not yet turned those in, please make sure they are in so that your child does not miss out on great opportunities in their learning.
Spelling- Each Monday the students are given a pre-test. They are only required to do the words they missed on the pre-test for 3x, abc, and sentences. On Friday, they will be tested only on the words that they missed. There's no reason to test on words they already know right?
Math-Your child will bring home math practice or re-teach each night depending on his/her abilities. It is required to be completed and returned the following day. Please check the re-teaching side to review the days lesson. This is a great tool for parents who are just learning the math for the first time.
Reading-Please have your child read 20 minutes per day. I strongly believe in reading and that it helps build vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

Review of the Week

Your child has started math and will be working on place value this week. Please practice with your child using numbers and finding the correct value of each digit. We will be starting a new story called Frindle by Andrew Clements that deals with the beginning of the year and various challenges we may face. We will be working on the plot and character skills within the story. We also have started decorating our writers notebooks and look forward to begin writing and sharing our ideas with authentic audiences! Stay tuned! :)

Homework 8/29-9/2

Spelling- Tues-ABC, Wed-3x each, Thurs.-Sentences

Math- Mon.-1-1, Tues. 1-2, Wed. 1-3, Thurs. 1-4

Reading- Read every night for twenty minutes

Fundraising-Please encourage your child to sell cookie dough/magazines to continue to enhance the resources of the school. All money with orders are due 9/6. The delivery will be on 10/12.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 297-4520 ext. 7115

Miss McGuire

Bus Behavior

                                                                          

Please remind your child that they are to demonstrate great bus behavior on the bus. The following rules apply:

1. Sit seat to seat; back to back
2. No eating food on the bus
3. No yelling or screaming
4. No standing on the bus

It is important that they are followed in order to keep your child safe to and from school. Thank you for your cooperation.

Miss McGuire

First Two Days!

We are off to a great start this year! I am so excited to be working with your child! We truly have an amazing class this year. We have been working hard to get to know one another through various activities these past few days. We did a lot of team building both yesterday and today! Yesterday we had to get our entire class across the gymnasium using only  two jump ropes and three frisbees. The kids worked diligently to create strategies, problem solve, communicate, and encouragement to help one another. Today, we created ramps. The supplies were 25 pieces of paper, tape, and a ball. Students were placed together to create a ramp that had their ball move the slowest within a thirty minute time frame. Each group used the materials and created a  ramp through various trial-and-error until the learning target was met. It was interesting to see how each group created different models. Every group was able to meet the target! :) We have also been working on our classroom norms: respect, cooperation, responsibility, positivity, honesty, and trustworthy. Ask your child about them! Also, please encourage them to be using these norms not only in school, but also at home and around the neighborhood.
Your child is off to a great start this year! I will be posting pictures soon of our learning. We have taken plenty the past few days to share. However, I have to wait until all consent forms for pictures are received. Please remember that WE are a team. Parents+Teachers=Success
I look forward to an amazing year. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Reminders:

• Please return parent letter and reading survey 
• Bring in class supplies
• White envelope with all items filled out
• Any changes in bus pickup/drop off need to be in writing the morning of

Looking Ahead:

• Enrichment begins Monday 8/22
• Bullying implementation with students next week
• Classroom Economy begins (Ask your child all about it)

Thank you for reading our classroom blog! 

Miss McGuire

A Start to a Great Year!

Welcome to Fifth Grade! I am so excited to be with your child this year. My name is Kristine McGuire, and I will be your child’s teacher this year. This will be my fourth academic year at Niagara Charter School.  I have worked intensely to know our EL curriculum and am certain that your child will learn so much this year. I am looking forward to a great learning year and having a lot of fun!

In order for the school year to proceed smoothly, I would like to inform you of the policies that exist in our classroom. Every night your child will be bringing home the communicator.  This is a great communication tool between home and school.  It will tell you the schedule of special classes and field work. Homework and upcoming tests and assessments will also be noted on the communicator. The communicator will also note your child’s behavior while in school. I will mark the folder each day with a blue (great day-follows rules independently), green (fair day-follows rules with reminders), yellow (rough day-unable to follow classroom rules; repeated offenses) or a red (needs improvement-serious violation of school rules; had a write up).  It is your child’s responsibility to bring their communicator to school each day and then take the communicator home for you to sign. Please look over the communicator each night for important notices or papers to be signed. After looking over the communicator and checking the behavior stamp, please sign it every night. If you have anything you would like to communicate to me, you may write a note and place it in the folder. If a child loses their folder, he/she needs to bring $1.00 for a new one.

Homework:

I believe that homework should provide practice, reinforcement, review and enrichment. Homework should encourage the growth of responsibility, involve families in a child’s education, set a pattern of study, and to teach a child to focus and to use school time wisely. Your child will have math and ELA homework every night and perhaps an additional assignment on occasion. The assignments are to be returned the next day. No assignments will be accepted more than one day late except for excused absences (3 days to complete). Each assignment is graded out of 100%.

Food and Snacks:

Because our afternoons are so lengthy, we will have a short period of time set aside each day for a snack. Our school has partnered with Wegmans for a "Healthy Snack" program. Each afternoon, your child is provided with a healthy fruit or vegetable. Please do not send in cake, soda, candy, or other high sugar foods.

 Field Work:

We hope to partake in many field work opportunities that coincide with our Expeditionary Learning. Your child needs to have appropriate behavior and/or be caught up on class work in order to accompany us. If either of these criteria are not met, your child will be asked to remain at school while the rest of the class partakes in field work.  The three expeditions we will be focusing on this year are:

• Are We Missing the Boat?

• Anato-Me

• Coming to America

Birthdays:

You may send in treats to celebrate your child’s birthday. However, please make sure that there are enough for the entire class. Please send in treats in the morning. Do not send in invitations to be passed out in class. Many children who do not receive invitations often become upset. An exception will be made if your child has invitations for the entire class.

Supplies:

Most of you have already received a supply list for the school year. If you did not, I have listed the supplies below. They need to be brought to school by the end of this week. Otherwise your child may fall behind in his/her work.

Communication:

There are several ways that you can contact me and keep updated. If you have any questions or concerns at any time throughout the year, do not hesitate to contact me at school (297-4520 –Ext. 7115), e-mail: kristinemcguire@niagaracharter.org, or write a note to set up an appointment.  I will be happy to meet with you when my schedule permits. We also have a classroom blog www.missmcguirencs.blogspot.com where you can find what we're learning about, news and announcements, and  other fun and exciting things!  Working together, we will have an exciting school year. 

Please sign and return to school so I know that you have received this letter. 

Sincerely,

Kristine McGuire