A Few Things

We have had a great first week back, but it is hard to believe we are heading into a long weekend.  Remember, students do not have class on Friday, this is a teacher professional development day.  Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. day.  Students have been learning about Martin Luther King Jr. all week.  I would encourage you to have a conversation with your child about Martin Luther King Jr. and his fight for civil rights.

We have completed our middle of year reading assessments.  I would like to personally thank you for extra support in reading with your children at home.  I can really see the difference it is making.  If you have “fallen off the wagon” or lost your folder, please let me know, I will be happy to start sending them in zip lock bags.  All students are encouraged to read, at home, 20 minutes a day.  Remember, each student has a myon log in, which is full of many fantastic books.  Also, IXL is another great resource for practicing math skills at home.  Most of the students really enjoy the work and it is a great way to reinforce what they are learning in the classroom.

I also wanted to let you know, Ms.Chelsea will be gone for the next couple of weeks.  Ms. Dixie will be subbing in her place.  Ms. Chelsea will be visiting Japan and we are excited to learn about her adventures upon her return.  It will fit perfectly into our Asia studies this semester.  As I have mentioned before, if you have visited or lived on the continent we are studying, we love guess speakers.  It really allows for the countries to come alive for the students. We will be studying Asia between now and the end of the year.

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or celebrations, please send me an email.

Roaring Readers

Hi,

As many of you may have noticed, this week I included sight word cards inside your children’s reading folders.  We printed these on cardstock in hopes that you will cut these and practice them with your child.  In years past, I was able to create individualized sight word rings for each child.  Each year has its own dynamic and I have not been able to keep the sight word rings updated like needed. Each night you read with your child,  I am asking that you take an extra 2 minutes and practice these words.  Sight words are leveled all the way through 3rd grade.  Knowing these words greatly improves their reading fluency.  When practicing the words, please make certain that your child is not struggling with more than 5 at time.  You can build your “stack” over time.  Once your child is ready for a new set, please send me a note and we can send the next set.  Also, on the classroom blog, you can find a link for sight word games that can be played online.  Creating your own games with the words is another great way to help build their fluency.  One thing to keep in mind, it is okay to also practice using input, rather than output.  If the words are new and your child is struggling, you can give them the word.  Thank you for your continued support with this wonderful program.  Please be certain to keep reading during our upcoming winter break.

 

Busy Month

I have a few important key reminders regarding the next couple of weeks.  In the past, I have invited parents during the month of December for a holiday class program.  As many of you may have remembered, we did the fun readers theaters last year.  Since we have the school Winter Choir Concert on Thursday, December 8th, Treehouse Museum field trip on December 13th (permission slips are coming home Monday), and the International Festival on December 19th and 20th (our class presents the 20th, starting at 12:30 p.m.), we have decided to have a class program at a later date.

Please remember that International Festival home projects are due the 15th.  We have already had several students present and their hard work is amazing!  Thank you for supporting your children with this important event.

During the next several weeks our cultural focus will be on the area of history.  Level 1 students are learning to tell time.  Level 2 students are studying our Solar System and creating a booklet. Level 3 students are creating a booklet of research based on the time line of life.  They are really enjoying seeing the evidence of living things that no longer exist on our planet.

Your continued support with reading at home is greatly encouraged.  Don’t forgot to use Myon at home, especially for home project research.  Also, although students do not have formal assignments on IXL for homework, I strongly encourage the use, especially over our long breaks.

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or celebrations, please send me an email at my school email bherrera@mariamontessoriacademy.org

 

MyOn Info

Hi Families,

It was brought to my attention that if you start your child immediately on the MyOn app, before visiting the sight on the desk top, it will skip assessing your child.  It is important to make certain they complete the assessment in order to accurately level your child’s reading level.  The assessment is adaptive, so it is difficult to give you a clear idea of how long the assessment takes, but on average I am hearing it takes about 20 minutes. Thanks again for your support with this great resource.

 

MyOn

During conferences we spoke about a new reading program we have the opportunity to use.  This is a fantastic program and I would like to use this in the classroom with your children.  In order for me to be able to do this, I need your help.  Please, make certain you help your child complete their initial log in and assessment.  Remember, this assessment needs to be what they can read, please don’t answer the questions for them.  I cannot offer class time to help all the students complete this initial log in.  My expectation is that students are using this regularly at home, especially if your child is receiving a reading intervention with one of our reading specialists.  It is so important to remember that your child’s education is a team effort between all of us.  The students who are already using it seem to really enjoy it.  Reading is so important.  This is another great resource that once your child is log in and set up, they can use the program independently.  Please make it a priority to have this initial set up completed asap.  Thank you.

Parent Reading Volunteers

Hi,

We need your help with reading and such this year in our classroom.  I have create a link here for you to sign up and help.  Multiple volunteers can sign up in one time slot. ( I have enough need to keep you busy). This help is primarily working with students.  We greatly appreciate your time.  Remember all families are asked to donate 40 hours of volunteer time each year.  You are welcome to sign up for both hours back to back.  We are flexible if these exact times do not work for you.  Please just make a note next your sign up or send me an email.  I know a few of you mentioned your willingness to help during conference and I already had one wonderful mother start last week.  If you would please go ahead and sign up on this link, I would greatly appreciate having one document for all volunteers who come during our morning work cycle.  Thank you for your willingness to help.

Homework Folders

First, thank you so much for helping your child learn accountability and making certain they are completing their nightly reading and returning their folders each week.

Today, in your child’s take home folder, they brought home a small slip of paper explaining our school literary magazine.  This is an opportunity to create original work to be submitted to The MMA Review.  The deadline for submissions is November 5th.  If interested, students will be given class time to work on projects.  Please feel free to talk with your child about some possible submissions pieces they would be interested in creating.

Also, we as a school are working hard to be mindful of our paper usage.  I did not send home reading logs this week.  My hope is that the habits are being established and that the reading is taking place for 20 minutes each night.  If you feel that having an actual log helps your child be accountable for their reading, please let me know and I will place one in their folder, otherwise, I will not be sending them.  Starting next week, we will be sending home a brief reading assignment to complete in relationship to their reading.

Home projects will start in October.  Our first topic will be Zoology.  Level 1: vertebrates, Level 2: the human body, and Level 3: invertebrates.  I will first explain the criteria to the students tomorrow and then I will send out a blog post explaining the criteria and the topics through the end of the school year.   So please be on the lookout.

Also, there was no flier sent out, but MMA cafe is starting tomorrow.  Students may purchase items from the cafe for lunch.  The menu will initially start small and will grow over the coming weeks.  The following are items are available at this time:

Chocolate Milk  ($1.00)  Capri Sun ($.75)  Microwave Mac n Cheese ($1.50)  Pancakes (chocolate chip or blueberry 3 for $.75)  Fruit Snacks (.$50)  and Fruit/Nut bites ($.25 cents)

My understanding is that Jr. high will run the cafe on Tuesdays and 6th grade will run the cafe on Thursdays.  The cafe is a fundraiser for their travel field trips in the spring.

As always, please feel free to share celebrations, concerns, or questions via email at bherrera@mariamontessoriacademy.org

Oh!  Just a small side note, Ms. Susan will be out until Thursday due to training.

 

Reminders

Don’t forget Box Top store is tomorrow.

Thank you for sending home projects and homework folders.  I still have a few students who still need to bring theirs to class.  Homework folders included handwriting packets for several students to complete over the break.  Please help your child do their best work.  I included reading logs for the next few weeks.

Families are welcome to attend the International Festival on both Wednesday and Thursday.  Our class will be visiting the upper el on Wednesday morning from 9-11 a.m. and you are welcome to do this with your child.  Then, Thursday afternoon from 1-2:30 p.m. the lower el with be presenting to their projects, everyone is welcome to come and see our classes projects.

Don’t forget, our classroom Holiday program this Friday from 8:45-9:15 a.m.  We will be performing in the library.  We hope to see you there!

Monday

Families, please remember to send your child’s homework folder and home project Monday.  We have a long winter break and I want to emphasize the importance of keeping reading momentum going.  I will be including additional reading logs to cover the time away from school.   Please, create time for reading over the break.  I have a few things for various students to work on over the break.  I will be including these in your child’s folder to work on over the break.

Take Home Folders

Today your student should have returned home with a take home folder.  Included is a letter, reading log, and information to access IXL.  IXL is an online math program that covers skills students learn in each grade level.  I will be creating a blog page which will list weekly IXL homework assignments based on ability/grade level.  If you have time tonight, help your child log on and practice lesson A.1 according to their grade level.  I do realize that all children are at different ability levels in multiple areas and I will be working a system to insure that time is not wasted and that progress is in place.  At times, I may have students working on multiple grade levels in order to fill in any holes.  This applies especially to younger students who are progressing quickly.  I first want to make certain everyone is able to log on and understand how to get started.  Please let me know via email if you have any troubles.

Also, please work to complete the reading log with your child.  November home projects are now in full swing.  I will create an easy access page to follow the monthly topics.  I was optimistic that I would have this all in place today.

Don’t forget next Wednesday the 12th we have Get down and dirty with Montessori Materials night.