Ms. Laura's Class

How wonderful to see everyone’s bright and shiny faces this morning!

Make Up Parent Teacher Conferences

Thank you for you for your understanding as for canceling conferences before break.  I am healthy again and ready to meet with you and your child!  I have two days open for conferences this week.  Find the signups here:

Wednesday: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/520210

Thursday: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/520211

Snack Hosts needed

The signups are looking a little sparse as we head into the new year.  Snacks are an essential part of our success for the school day as these growing bodies have tummies that start grumbling mid-morning.  Providing snack is an excellent way to volunteer at the school and counts towards your required 40 hours a year!

Find the sign ups here: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/462490

Nightly Reading

Please remember that your child should be reading a minimum of 20 minutes per night. The book should be at or above their reading level.  This will help support our in-class reading.

Dress Code Reminder

There have been more instances of students not coming in dress code lately. so I thought I would shoot out a quick reminder. A few repeated instances: leggings can not be worn as pants, those pants should be free of holes, and students should have a pair of slippers to wear inside.  If you have any questions about the dress code, you can find the policy here: https://mariamontessoriacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dress-Code-Guidelines-17-18.pdf

STEM Week

Reminder that STEM week was moved from next week to the week of February 3rd.  5th and 6th grade students should continue working on their projects at home.  The 4th grades students will be doing a supported STEM project in class.

Spelling Words

• anticoagulant
• antifungal
• antinomy
• antitoxic
• antisolar
• antipode
• antibody
• antimatter
• antihero
• antiseptic
• antidote
• antibiotic
• antithesis
• Bonus Word: February

Greetings everyone!

Welcome to the last week before break!  We are ready to power through and work hard for our two weeks off.  Just as a reminder, today is the only full day of class all week!  We have half days Tuesday through Thursday (early out at 1 pm) and no school on Friday.

MAPA just got their blog up and running!  If you would like to keep pace on what is going on in the parent association, please subscribe: http://blogs.mariamontessoriacademy.org/mapa/2019/12/15/last-thoughts-for-2019/

I look forward to seeing all of you at Parent Teacher Conferences this week!  Double check Track it Forward for your time.

Please make sure you create an account on Aspire before the 20th.  If you do not have an account you will not be able to re-register for school next year.  The instructions to do so are in the post below.

If you are feeling in the giving spirit and are looking to donate things to our classroom, this is a list of things we seem to be perpetually out of:

• Wide ruled composition notebooks
• Graph paper composition notebooks
• Dish soap
• Hand sanitizer
• Sponges
• Post it notes
• Scotch tape
• Poster board
• Colored paper
• Colored and white cardstock
• White board markers
• Paper towel

Your donations are always hugely appreciated.  Thank you!

January Dates:

1-3 Winter Break; No School

9 End of Quarter/ MAPA Meeting 3:45pm

10 Professional Development; No School

14 MMA Board Meeting, 5:30pm

17 Northern Utah Charter and Home Schools Storytelling Concert, 6:30-8pm

20 Martin Luther King Jr. Day; No School

23 Redwoods Chaperone Mtg, 5:30-7pm

30 Chili Cook-off, 5:30-7:00pm

I apologize for how many posts have been happening this week!

One more thing:

Greetings all,

I am reaching out mid-way through the week to update some things:

Change of Dates:

Previously STEM Week, Science Fair and Science Expo were slated for the week of January 13, these have changed to:

• MMA STEM Week -February 3-7 (details to come)
• Science Fair for 6th/8th graders Thursday, February 6
•  Parent Education Science Expo- Thursday, February 6 5:30-7:00

Benefit for Ms. Amy

A teacher who used to be with the MMA family, Ms. Amy, is having a fundraiser to benefit herself and her family to offset the medical expenses of her stage 4 breast cancer.  Ms. Amy was, and still is, a valuable part of the Montessori community, and has touched so many lives that I thought you might be interested to know about this fundraiser.

• “Guns and Hoses Charity Basketball Game”
  • When: Saturday, December 14
    • Silent Auction -4:00 pm
    • Game starts – 5:00 pm
  • Where: Weber High School – main gym
  • Tickets at the door
    • $3.00 individual
    • $10.00 family (max 4)
  • All funds raised go to support Amy Otto and her family.  Outside donations accepted.
  • An account has been set up at America First Credit Union for Amy Otto
  • Contact Heather at (801) 791-5754 for more information

Thank you all for dealing with the craziness of pickup as we dealt with the fire alarm system today.  A quick week update and a glance at what is coming on the horizon this month.

• Tonight’s concert: There will be an email going out by 4 as to what the plan is with that.  IF no email occurs, please plan on your child arriving at 6:45.  Students should wear black bottoms and can wear any color top.
• Friday the 13: Redwood’s money is due for the 6th graders
• Tuesday 17: PTCs and Early Release. All Tuesday slots are FULL.
• Wednesday 18: PTCs and early release. https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511725
• Thursday 19: PTCs and early release. https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511726
• Friday 20: NO SCHOOL (Professional Development)
• Monday 23 – Friday 3: NO SCHOOL (Winter break)

Please email me at lhughes@mariamontessoriacademy.org if you have any questions.  Thank you!

Greetings!  I hope everyone had a restful break and was able to spend some time with people you are thankful for!  We are hitting the ground running, so this post has a lot of information.  If you have questions about any of it, please feel free to contact me at lhughes@mariamontessoriacademy.org.  Keep in mind that I will not email back if you just respond to the blog post as it goes to an unused email.

• The final payment of $250.00 for the 6th grade Redwoods trip is due December 13
• We are looking for judges for the science fair and presenters for STEM week.  If you or any one you know is interested, please shoot me an email.
• Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up!  This is a student led conference and students have been preparing to present their work to you.  Please make sure you sign up for a slot!
  • Tuesday (12/17) conference sign up: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511724
  • Wednesday (12/18) conference sign up: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511725
  • Thursday (12/19) conference sign up: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511726
• The next take home projects are being assigned this week.  We are gearing up for STEM week which is the second week back in January.  Please find your students grade level below for more information.
  • 6th grade: its SCIENCE FAIR TIME!  Students came home with a thick packet of information on this.  I walked them quickly through the packet today, but this project is a big overwhelming thing for a lot of students.  They will need some support as they go through this.
    • 12/17 – the front page of this packet, signed by both the student and you, is due back to me.  This is so I know what students have thought about their project and are ready to get started.
    • 1/16 – the science fair is happening.  This is an all day affair and you are welcome to come and see the projects!
    • We are looking for judges for the science fair! If you or someone you know might be interested in that, please contact me.
    • Lost the packet? No problem.  Go to the top of the blog where it says “documents,” all of the forms I sent home you can find digitally there.
  • 5th grade: its INVENTION CONVENTION TIME! Students went home with a thick packet of information! Please make sure that you work through the packet with your student.  This project can be overwhelming, but the packet breaks it down step by step and should make it more easy to complete.
    • 1/13 – the project is due! please make sure the invention and display board come in on the 13th, and that your student is ready to present.
    • Lost the packet? No problem.  Go to the top of the blog where it says “documents,” the entire packet is digitally there.
  • 4th grade: It’s STEM project time.  Ms. Sarah and I are finalizing this, I will have due dates etc. updating here in the next couple days.
    • The due date will update here
    • Lost the packet? No problem. It will be at the top of the blog where it says “documents”
• This weeks spelling words:
  • quadrilateral, quadric, quadrant, quadrate, quad, quadplex, quadraphonics, quadriceps, quadrille, quadriga, quadrans, quaddin, quadruped

Thanks!

Some quick reminders/notifications before we head into the last week before Thanksgiving Break!

• International Festival is this Friday from 1-3.  Please come!  Our students worked hard on their projects and are looking forward to showing them off.  If you would like to walk the festival with your child,
  • 4th will be on break from 2-2:15
  • 5th will be on break from 2:15-2:30
  • 6th will be on break from 2:30-2:45
• From the office:
  • Have you created your parent Aspire account yet? This is an easy way to change your contact information, add emergency contacts and email your student’s teacher. You must have this account in the next few months in order to re- register your students for next year (2020-2021). To sign up for an account, please click on the following link.
    https://www.mariamontessoriacademy.org/?page_id=164
    If you do not know your student’s ASPIRE number or have any questions, please call the office.
• Parent Teacher Conference signups are up! Please remember these are STUDENT led, so make sure your child is in attendance!
  • To sign up for a TUESDAY time: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511724
  • To sign up for a WEDNESDAY time: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511725
  • To sign up for a THURSDAY time: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/511726
• This weeks spelling words revolve around the affix “tri-”  If you would like to practice them with your child, they are:
  • Triad
  • Triage
  • Triangle
  • Triceratops
  • Triplex
  • Triceps
  • Tripod
  • Triathlon
  • Trinity
  • Trio
  • Trilateral
  • Triplets
  • Trilobite
• no school next week due to Thanksgiving Break!

As always, any questions, shoot me an email at lhughes@mariamontessoriacademy.org

Some quick notes before the weekend.

• Tomorrow is the last day to order original works before the deadline.  An email went out today about how to do that if you no longer have the packet.  Please check that for more details
• It is about this time in the year that slippers need to be replaced because left shoes have been lost and soles are coming off of uppers (not to even mention the growth spurts…)  Check in with your child to make sure they still have slippers that are in good shape.
• On Monday we will be a week away from the deadline for the cultural project.  Please encourage your child to get some work done on that this weekend.
• Our Fun Run is Wednesday.  Emails have been going out about pledging.  So far our class has raised an average of $30 per student and they have earned perks such as 20 minutes of extra recess, board games, and an hour of free time. They are working towards the $80 prize of throwing pies in my face!  Families are welcome to come watch the run on Wednesday, email me for details
• Benchmarking starts next week in preparation of end of the year standardized testing.  Benchmarking gives us the opportunity to get students used to the system and the way questions are asked.  These are low-key and should not add any more stress to your students!

Thank you for all you do to help support our class! Please let me know if there is any questions or concerns by emailing lhughes@mariamontessoriacademy.org

Thank you to everyone who made it out to the feast today!  It was a great success and the students did such a wonderful job!  For those who don’t know, today’s feast was entirely planned by the students with minimal help from myself and Ms. Sarah.  They pulled the entire thing off without a hitch and learned a lot from the experience.  They are looking forward to planning the next one, so stay tuned!

November is here! I can’t even believe it.  Here is what is on the docket for us:

• 11/4: Pep Rally for the fun run (at school), fundraising begins.
• 11/6: This was going to be a field trip to the Natural History Museum, it has been rescheduled.  Stand by for the new date of this field trip.
• 11/12: Fun Run (at school)
• 11/18: Parent Teacher Conference signups open
• 11/18: Take home project due.
• 11/19: Dan the Weather Man here (fourth grade assembly)
• 11/21: gratitude feast (for the community, during the school day)
• 11/22: cultural festival (all welcome to attend, please put this on your calendar)
• 11/25-11/29: NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving Break