Tidbits:

1 – This week is Halloween, but MMA students should still be in dress code on that day. We are not dressing up in costumes.

2 – Tomorrow, Monday, there is an exception to dress code. In honor of Molly Cox (a longtime Girl Scout and MMA student) who died in a car accident last week, any girl scout may wear a girl scout shirt or sash or uniform tomorrow.

3 – Our next home project is coming soon! This project is part of our Cultural Festival that will be held on Friday, November 16th from 1 PM-3 PM. In years past, the Cultural Festival included projects about all areas of the world, but with our school-wide theme of the United States of America this year, we are asking that projects center around either the history or geography of the United States. Some ideas include but are not limited to: the 13 colonies, the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, the national bird or another national symbol, the meaning of the flag or its evolution over time, any of our nation’s presidents, states & capitals, the Declaration of Independence, Native Americans, Pilgrims, National Parks, the Founding Fathers and so much more! The students will need a visual aide to represent their project. They can use modeling clay, poster board, diorama, mobile display, power point, etc.. They will need written titles, explanations, or information. The projects will be displayed in our classroom during the festival for your child to present to parents, teachers, and students.

Recap

This week was our first week without an assistant in the class, and overall it went very well. We focused on how students can individually become more independent and the vast majority of the class stepped into their new roles and responsibilities beautifully. The third graders are now able to check off work for other children (if they feel comfortable ; it’s not a requirement) and the second and third graders are now in charge of writing their own work plans, which I approve once they are done. We also focused on behavior since as the only adult in the room, I cannot give lessons and redirect behavior at the same time. Again, the majority of our classroom responded beautifully to the higher expectations and we had a great week overall!