Hi Parents! 

You are all very efficient! It seems our P/T Conference Day is all scheduled and ready to go. Remember, the elementary students are otherwise off school that day. The Middle School students are in session. Please remember to be mindful of the 15 minute meetings. This will keep me on schedule and perhaps you too if you have other teachers to visit. 

I have several grades for each academic area so I have input the first chunk of grades for the year. Please check the portal for an update on your child's averages. Test packets will be coming home every Friday and I tell students the expectation is that they are signed and returned to school within 2 school days. Most weeks, this means Tuesday. However, if we are off school on a Monday, the due date is then Wednesday.

Next week: 
Tuesday: Religion Baptism photo due
                Religion  Morning Offering Prayer Test
               Science 100 things - The directions were explained in class today.
Wednesday - NO SCHOOL
(No Spelling this week!)

Have a great weekend! God Bless You! 

Hi Parents! 

This week, we've been really starting to encourage more and more independence with classwork. Students are doing well coming in each morning and being self-starters with directions in the front of the room. We are able to prep for the day quickly and get started with our lessons shortly after prayers. Students are getting new headings set up for lessons in their copybooks well. The expectation is a neatly written, cursive title, a date next to it, and underlined with red pen and ruler. Then, we skip the first line and start with our notes and practice. 1x/trimester, each subject will receive a copybook check. This is a CW grade based on primarily, neatness, completeness, and organization. These are unannounced, but won't begin until at least halfway through each trimester. 

As a heads up, your child will soon be asked for a Baptism photo. This can be of themselves, a family member, or friend. It can be printed and brought in or emailed to me. If you send me a photo from an album, it will be returned in the same condition - not glued/cut/used for a project. We are hoping to make a display in the classroom. Other family members/priest/deacon in photos are fine. Once I officially assign the photo HW, they will have several days to bring one in.

Tuesday - Math Ch 1 Test
                 Rdg - WLT (Weekly Lesson Test)
Wednesday - SS - CE (Current Event) Due
                      SS - Ch 3 Less 1-2 Quiz
                      Rel - Ch 2 Test
Friday - Spelling Lesson 4
             Eng Nouns Test

Have a great weekend! God Bless You! 

Hi Parents! 

We had a busy, hectic 4-day week, but we made it. It was an extra challenge as I am limited on my prep time due to missing Art, Computer, and a regular class with a guidance counselor. I hear good things are coming back next week. We made due with a few little art "projects" I did with the class, but I have no artistic talent, so anything they came up on their projects are of their own doing. 

We spent time this PM with a lesson on 9/11. I showed a short, informational clip about the basics of 9/11, nothing graphic or scary, but hearing about the events of the day did bring out a few tears. I really wanted to emphasize to the class that even though it was a horrible day in our country's history, we should look to the helpers that spent time running in when everyone else was running out. Mrs. Miller was able to join us for a while to speak of the day, her memories of it, and a recent trip to Ground Zero itself. We even fielded some questions together. I read a book about Father Mychal Judge who not only dedicated his life to serving others, but continued to do so on 9/11. 

I encouraged the class to ask you about your own memories/feelings of that day. If you are able, please drive past and/or visit the beautiful flag display at West Manheim this weekend. There aren't words to describe what it is like to see all those flags and truly realize what they represent. I can't believe it has been 20 years...

I'm still finalizing plans for this coming week, but it will be test-light with maybe a graded CW or 2 only.  

Have a great weekend! God Bless You! 

Class picture disclaimer - this was taken 8/31, before masks were required again on 9/2.

Dear Parents, 

We had a humid start to the week, an unexpected rain-day-off on Wednesday, and a perfect, cool end of the week. Lucky for us, our class has been great with rolling right along with the new changes we've encountered even only in the 2nd week of school. I've started with a heavy focus on responsibility, expectations, and listening to directions the first time. So far, off to a great start! After a bit more review on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, we are looking at several first assessments in each subject. Today we had our first Spelling and Religion Tests. And I made sure the kids practiced the SS vocab word "surplus" by teasing them with a big bag of M&Ms on my stool all day. I shared the sweet treat with them this afternoon as we had art class. 

Next week: 
Monday - NO SCHOOL! 
Tuesday - 
Wednesday - Social Studies - Current Event (CE) due
                      Reading WLT (Weekly Lesson Test) 
Thursday - Spanish HW Due
                  English 1.1-1.5 Quiz
                  Ch 1 Religion Test
Friday - Spelling Less 2 Test
             Math Ch 1 Quiz

* A Rdg WLT will ask 20 questions total - 10 about story comprehension and 10 about vocabulary.
* SS CE - Students will need to locate and provide their own newspaper article. The top of the CE assignment page has suggestions about where to find a suitable article. There are various links for good CE choices in the green bar to the right as well.  
* Religion - See the link to our Religion book on the right of this page. It includes detailed study guides, review games, and practice quizzes for each chapter. 

I've spoken to the class about the tips above and have shown them the links I referenced, but will review these on Tuesday with the class. 

Have a fabulous weekend! God Bless You!