Sad to say Goodbye, but change is good, right?

10/24/2013

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Ladies and Gentlemen,
   I am writing you this goodbye to help answer some questions.


   One thing students asked was would I keep Edmodo open or keep the website going? The answer is I will keep both active for a while longer. While the main school website has already cut off the links to my website I know that many of you can only get to the math book from the student page. I highly suggest you visit the math book link and the save, favorite, or bookmark that website in case the next teacher does not find one. 


   The next thing many of the students asked is who would be the new teacher? I am not a part of that conversation, so I am sorry I have no hints. I am highly confident that the administration will select someone who is highly qualified and is an excellent teacher.


   The last item I wish to address is the seemingly abruptness of my departure. It was not my intention to leave so quickly or to upset you when I did. Administration felt it best that I cut my notice short. I was not going to tell you all with a lot of time left because that would have given room for slacking or not doing our work, and I couldn't live with letting your learning be impacted by my decisions. Also, I am not a big good bye person. I do not like flashy parties or send offs and prefer to just say simple farewells and part ways. You did make me feel very special today and you will always be my first students. 


   If ever I may be of service to you, please send me an email and I will do what I can. Best of luck with the rest of the school year and in all of your futures. I know I will see you all again and I will be telling my friends in the old folks home that I knew you all way back when. 
   

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Spirit Week Changes

10/13/2013

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Spirit week days have a minor change to them for the upcoming week. According to the newsletter that came out Sunday afternoon the schedule is as follows:

Monday October 14:
  • Hat Day! Find your favorite crazy, funny, silly hat, and get it ready for Monday morning :)


Tuesday October 15:
  • Super Hero Day!  It's a bird, it's a plane...it's a GCCAS student charging the future!


Wednesday October 16:
  • Wacky Tacky Day!  Don your wackiest and tackiest clothing, accessories, and hairstyle!


Thursday October 17:  (End of 1st Quarter)
  • Class Color Day!
    • Kindergarten = Green
    • Grade 1 = Blue
    • Grade 2 = Orange
    • Grade 3 = Red
    • Grade 4 = Purple
    • Grade 5 = Pink
    • Grade 6 = Yellow



All other guidelines still apply (uniforms on Monday and any day you wish to not participate, etc...). 
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Week roundup 10/11/13

10/11/2013

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   What a week! We had a long week of baseline testing (fun stuff!) and full day visits in class. In social studies we learned about ancient Sumer and how to write in cuneiform. (I thought that was pretty cool!) In math we reviewed dividing decimals by decimals and learned about multiplying and dividing by the powers of 10. (Don't forget to do you homework, pages 66-67 1-42 odd problems only for Monday.) Students also did a wonderful job in predicting our class novel's, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM, direction through skits, songs, and poems. I was so impressed, so was Mrs. Lukomski. 
   Next week will be even better! We have only four days of school (yes, we are out Friday!) and it's spirit week. Monday is hat day, Tuesday is super hero day, Wednesday is class color day. We are yellow, so wear it proud! Thursday is pajama day. Don't forget your rules when choosing what to wear. Those who violate the guidelines will have parents called for a change of clothing. Don't test the rules or we may not have another week like this. 
   In class we will finish up Chapter 3 and learn about Gilgamesh. We will explore Hammurabi's code and write a paper. Thursday will be a Chapter 3 quiz. In math we will learn to divide by powers of 10, explore some word problems, and finish up Thursday with a test as well. What else finishes on Thursday? The grading period!!!! 
   If you are missing any assignments they must be to me by Wednesday. If you have been absent you need to make sure that you make arrangements with me to make up any tests that you may have missed. If you missed any in class assignments you can not make those up, sorry. 
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Don't forget to make up your work!

10/3/2013

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   As we click right along here in the sixth grade we get comfortable and start to branch into extra after school activities. We also find that we might be missing days due to colds. While we miss you dearly while you are gone, the class still must move forward. It is for that reason that it is important that students come to class. More importantly however, is that students make up what they missed within the number of days absent plus 1 (student handbook). If a student misses an in class quiz, a unit test, or any other type of assessment, it is important that they make arrangements to make that work up before or after school. Those can not be done from home. In class activities that are graded can not be made up. An absence accompanied by a doctors note will get and excused grade. Unexcused absences on the other hand will not. It is vital that students attend school unless they are sick.

   I am working on transferring grades from the original online grade book to the new, district approved one, and I am noticing a number of students missing major items from their grades. Please communicate and ask your student about any missing assignments they may have. 

   Next week we have postponed spirit week due to a number of mandatory benchmark assessments that we must administer. These are almost impossible to make up and the exact schedule has still not been shared. While these tests can not be studied for, students should get plenty of rest, have breakfast, and be at school on time.

  Let's get ready for Friday! Have a great weekend and be refreshed!
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Stop a potential problem

10/1/2013

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Dear Parents and Guardians (as well as students),
   I would like to talk about two things in particular that I would like to address as a team before they become a larger problem.
1. The making of the loop bracelets. while I like the bracelets and I applaud those that can make them, they can not be made during instructional time in the class. Nor can they be sold at school or orders collected for them. They are quickly becoming a distraction and I do not want to ban them from coming to school as a whole.


2. The drawing of comics. I love comics! I have read them for years and I enjoy seeing what the students can do, however, they too are becoming a distraction during the instructional day. Students are putting a tremendous amount of effort into them, but they are passing them around during class and working on them instead of paying attention. I know there will be a few times that students will be asked to draw comics to represent content area material, but the comics they are drawing are not school or class related and must not come out during class time. I really don't want to take them or tear them up. 




I would greatly appreciate your support on these matters with your student. 
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