Good Afternoon! 

Attached are some pictures of our group science projects: we made models of plant and animal cells. The students really enjoyed the research, the planning, the assembly - everything! I was impressed with these final products! 

5th Grade students are invited to write a letter of interest if they would like to apply to be on our newly-forming Student Council. I've created an assignment in the ILA Google Classroom where interested parties may submit a letter of interest. Students will also need to secure a teacher recommendation. SJS is hunting for good role models to lead the school in a variety of ways. These will need to be completed by next Friday 2/3.

Our in-school drafting start to our book report components went very well. Many of the students have ~75% or more done of their written work. I checked student's work if he/she asked me to and I marked corrections to be made. I believe I used a blue pen so if you see that on their work, that was me. The fully completed project is due Tuesday. It is fine if your child only completes the inside of the box and finishes attaching the outside pieces here at school. There will be time allowed for that if he/she completed those pieces yesterday or today in class.

Our POM test (Parts of the Mass) was originally scheduled for next Thursday. I'll be postponing that at least a week so we don't have to cram in too quickly the end of this unit. It'll be more likely, closer to 2/10.

Sunday - Opening of CSW Mass 10:00 at St. Joseph Church. Wear your uniform! 
Monday - 1950's dress & Jump Rope for Heart! 
                3 "1,000" journal entries due
Tuesday - 1960's vintage t-shirts
                 Jan Bk Rep & Rgd log due
Wednesday - 1970's tie-dye
                    SS CE Due
Thursday - 1980's neon colors
Friday - 2023 - SJS Spiritwear
             Rel Ch 10 Test

Other things for next week: 

We'll be completing our "Superbowl Party Planning" math project. We started it this week and only have 1 more piece to complete next week. I've HIGHLY encouraged students to take their drafting home each night and ask for a parent to be an extra set of eyes on it, reviewing their work. So far, the following should be completed: adding the total of the 4 items, rounding each to the nearest dime and nearest dollar, adding those rounded totals, multiplying to calculate tax, and adding the tax back to the original total. ALL WORK must be shown. Next week, we'll add the last part of this project and make good copies.

We'll participate in our school Spelling Bee. First, we'll have ours in the classroom, then the finalists will go to Mrs. Mehring for our school finals. The winner will move on to the diocesean level. 

The nurse will be pulling students for vision testing. She will follow up with notes home if needed.

Whew, that's enough for now. We are bracing for a busy week with more planned fun activities and service projects! We'll be pretty light on the HW as well. 

Have a great weekend! God Bless You! 

Hi There! 

Check out the photos I've attached for the (more work than I expected) Great American Mail Race that we've been working on and are finally ready to mail out! Sadie, a girl who was in this class from K-3rd grade, reached out to me via her teacher in Oregon and invited us to participate. We have worked to research a St. Joseph School in each of the 50 states and send each of them a student written letter, an informational sheet about PA, a directions letter from me should they also choose to continue the "race", and a blank survey form that we hope they complete and return to us. If all goes well, we should receive completed surveys from all 48 (we've got PA & Oregon taken care of) states. The class is very excited about this. Everyone also wrote a letter for Sadie personally. It was a lot of work, but a fun project and we'll see what comes of it by the end of the school year. Thanks to Sadie for this invitation!!! :) 

We are also hard at work on cell projects, upcoming in-house book reports, and planning a math decimals project. We are starting the Communion Rites in Religion and are still on track for our big Religion POM test on 2/3. We are in our Verbs unit in English and are enjoying the overlap of Religion into SS class as we learn about the Ancient Hebrews. As I previously stated, Middle School prep is in full force now. So far, so good. We've been quite productive.

In test packets today, students who opted for the extra credit assignment last weekend for Religion have their work returned. Everyone was encouraged to take one and of course, return it. I do NOT advertise these opportunities to parents, but feel free to remind them as I say in class - any opportunity to earn extra points should be taken advantage of! 

94 days of school completed! More than halfway! Can we start counting to summer yet? :) 

Next week: 
Monday - WKD HW Due
Tuesday - 
Wednesday - Math X Decimals Quiz
Thursday - RDG - WLT
                  SS Ancient Hebrews Less 1-2 Quiz
Friday - Spelling Lesson 13 

Have a great weekend! God Bless You! 

​Hi Parents, 


What a fun Friday! See attached photos below to see our "Honorary 5th Grader" for the day. We had a great time teaching our little friend about multiplying decimals, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, St. Kolbe, our Spelling words, our Jump Rope for Heart assembly, and so much about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! As a matter of fact, we have our first weekend HW assignment. Students are to write a 1/2 page journal entry about their own version of the "I Have a Dream" speech. Something they are passionate about, something they want to speak to others about. Something they feel strongly about. We've discussed ideas of improving our environment, how people treat one another, improving our faith lives, improving our health, curing cancers, etc. We've also talked about how maybe Monday isn't a "day off," but a day ON. A day to show kindness, service, selflessness. Maybe an extra chore or 2 at home for you wouldn't hurt either! 

I'm hoping to start our decimal project next week so any additional grocery store ads/fliers that you can send in would be helpful. Thanks! 

Next Week:
Monday - NO SCHOOL 
Tuesday - 
Wednesday - SS CE Due
                      Religion Ch 9 Test 
Thursday - 
Friday - Spelling Lesson 12 Test 

Have a FABULOUS weekend! GO RAVENS! God Bless You! 

Hi Parents

Happy New Year! We are off to a productive start in the classroom. I've told the class we are just about (today was #85) to the halfway point of the school year. We are picking up the pace in order to get into Middle-School-will-be-here-faster-than-you-know-it training. 

Based on our overall progress with research in December and writing in January, our animal reports should be about 75% complete. They are due on Tuesday. We'll spend Monday finishing up our work and having a peer edit. 

We are into the Ancient Hebrews in Social Studies and the kids LOVE how they already know so much background in this area due to their Religion lessons and listening to the readings at mass over the years. 

Speaking of the mass, we are halfway through our studies for the Parts of the Mass. Up next: Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Decimal subtraction is up next, with multiplication and division coming up quickly behind. We'll soon be working on a decimals project. If you could save/send in any grocery store fliers, we'll be needing those shortly. Please remove advertising for beer/wine.

Next week: 

Tuesday - English Research Report Due
 (This is ALL in the Google Classroom, no need to print unless your child prefers color)
Wednesday - Math Decimal Addition and Subtraction Test
Thursday - Rdg WLT #8
Friday - Spelling Less 11 Test

Have a fabulous weekend! God Bless You!