Dear parents,

If you have any photos that you have taken with the children either on field trips or in school could you please email me them. This is the last week for yearbook photo submissions (as well as being the last week for purchasing a yearbook), so any photos that you may have would be great!

Also, the Math SAGE test will be on Tuesday May 8th from 9-12 am.

Many thanks – John

Dear parents,

There are still some open slots for snack till the end of the school year: April 23-27 and all of May is still open. If you can offer snack for any of those dates please follow the link and then remember to record the date on your phone.

Many thanks – John

https://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/atpix

Dear parents,

Ms. Megan, the computer lab teacher, has compiled some information for parents about testing. Here is a copy from her blog:

Please help your child succeed by getting them to bed on time, having them eat a healthy breakfast, and talking to them about how important it is to have a positive attitude/mindset. Also if your child has anxiety regarding testing please talk with them and provide them with skills to ease their anxiety during, before and after  testing.

Here are a few websites with ideas to help your child feel more confident while testing…

https://www.familyeducation.com/school/anxiety-disorders/9-anxiety-busters-kids-taking-standardized-tests

https://www.sadlier.com/school/core-literacy/3-test-taking-strategies-for-elementary-students

http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/Test-Prep-Review-Strategies-Grades-K-5.html

https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/test-taking-tips/

Have a great week!

Ms. Megan

Dear parents,

I hope you have had an enjoyable Spring Break. Here are some important dates leading up to the end of the year.

Thursday and Friday April 12th and 13th – 4th grade History Fair. 4th grade students will display their history projects on Thursday in the school hallways and give an in-class presentation on Friday afternoon.

Friday April 13th from 9-12 am – English Language Arts (ELA) SAGE testing. SAGE testing can be hard and is sometimes stressful for students. Having a good night’s sleep before the test and a good breakfast can be important for the children. Children can bring snacks (which are not noisy/crunchy) into the test room and water. They can also bring gum, but only for use during the test. This ELA test is typically based on reading comprehension.

Thursday April 19th from 12-3 pm – SAGE Writing test. Students will be given either an opinion, or an informational essay to write about. They are encouraged to plan their writing and take their time.

Friday April 20th – early release for teachers’ professional development. Students will finish school at 1 pm.

Tuesday April 24th – 6th grade field trip to the Planetarium. Permission slips and more details regarding Frontrunner transportation will be given in the near future.

Friday April 27th from 12-3 – Science SAGE test.

Monday April 30th through Friday May 4th – 6th grade field trip to the Redwoods.

To be determined, either Tuesday May 8th or Thursday May 10th – Math SAGE test.

Monday May 14th through Friday May 18th – Continent and Country report presentations.

Tuesday 22nd May through Thursday 24th May – Parent Teacher Conferences from 1.30 – 6.30 pm.

Tuesday 22nd May through Friday 25th May – last week of school. Early outs at 1 pm for all students.

Thanks everyone. As usual, any questions please email me.

John

Dear parents,

Today I gave the students their final home project which is due the week beginning Monday May 14th. It is almost identical to the continent and country report before Christmas, except that as there is no school-wide fair, the presentations do not have to have a poster board. Of course, if your child wants to present with a poster board then that would be absolutely fine as well.

The students were sent home with a rubric, a package with some basic ideas about their continent and a letter of explanation for parents. Here is a list of students, their continents and countries:

4th grade

Anna – Europe and France

Beatriz – Europe and Italy

Boen – Australasia and Tuvalu

Brylie – South America and Peru

Grayson – Africa and Uganda

Kaylee – Africa and Congo

Mia – South America and Colombia

Nate – Australasia and Vanuatu

Taylor – Europe and Germany

5th grade

Alexis – Asia and China

Amelia – South America and Brazil

Bennett – Africa and Egypt

Grace – Asia and Vietnam

Jonah – South America and Chile

Jordan – Australasia and New Zealand

Kennedy – Africa and Mozambique

Skyler – Australasia and Fiji

6th grade

Charlie – South America and Argentina

Conner – Australasia and Australia

Jasmine – Asia and Japan

Joseph – Asia and Philippines

Maelee – Africa and Morocco

Matthew – Asia and Israel

Trey – Asia and Russia

Ximena – North America and Mexico

As usual, if you have any questions then please email me.

Thanks – John

Dear parents,

It looks as though we will have enough drivers to take us tomorrow on our field trip. Thank you! Students should be in Friday dress code and bring a sack lunch. The weather is going to be warm, just make sure that they have decent shoes to walk around. Please be at North Shore Parking lot at 8.30, we aim to leave by 8.45. Students will be back at school for 3 pm pick up.

Students who order pizza for Friday, I’ve asked them to leave the pizza in our classroom and the students can get their pizza when they return.

With thanks – John

Dear parents,

The field trip to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) is next Friday March 30th. We’re still looking for drivers/chaperones, so if you can please contact either me or Ms. Alisha (eventhair@yahoo.com) ASAP. If you drive down, you don’t have to chaperone the children in the museum, as long as you can return us to MMA before 3 pm. I went to the museum before the makeover last year, so I don’t how it is now, but I was really impressed the times I had been down before. This is a great opportunity for the students to learn about and appreciate art from around the world and Utah – both ancient and modern.

We’re leaving the North Shore Parking Lot at 8.45 am and the tour begins at 10 am. The first installment is docent led, then we have an activity, followed by self-guiding around the museum. Lunch is a sack lunch between 11.30 and 12 pm. Children should come in Friday dress code and wear comfortable shoes/sneakers for walking. We aim to leave at about 1.45 pm, so we can be back at school for 3 pm pick up.

Thanks everyone!

John

Dear parents,

The Gala is coming up this weekend. If you still haven’t got any fixed plans on Saturday, why not go along! The proceeds from the Gala help the school with buying things like the crosswalk flashing lights, new PE equipment, and computers. This year we want to donate the money towards new playground equipment once the Junior High build is completed. Members of MAPA will be at the Northeast Corner of North Shore parking lot taking donations and selling Gala tickets this Wednesday and Thursday from 3-4 (drive thru style)!

This Friday is an early out, school finishes at 1 pm. Also, there is no school next Monday March 19th. Friday afternoon and Monday are being devoted to professional development for the teachers.

Spring Break is for the week of Monday April 2nd through Friday April 6th and our last field trip before this will be to the Utah Museum of Fine Art. This is a no cost field trip, but we would be reliant again on parent volunteer drivers. Please contact Alisha Coakley at eventhair@yahoo.com if you are interested in volunteering. The date has been moved to Friday March 30th.

Today we had an assembly with the Utah Opera, which was super fun and really engaged the students! Tomorrow we have the Biztown field trip for 5th graders and on Friday morning we will be making some Celtic Knots – an art project to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week and have a great weekend!

With thanks – John