9/29/15

September 29, 2015

Dear Parents,

A few reminders-Full steam ahead, I can’t believe it’s almost October!

Science Camp

This Friday, October 2^nd- the Science Camp Participation form and Financial Aid form is due.  (Final payment of $273 is not due until Dec. 14^th.) We really appreciate you meeting these deadlines as it makes planning and organizing a whole lot easier. Please let me know if you have any fundraising ideas or would be willing to help in any way. You will get the big packets from the Camp at the meeting at Main St. on Oct. 19^th at 6:00.  In preparation-Your child will need a physical from their doctor before going to camp.  So- if they have any appointments coming up- you can get that done early.  (Thanks Catherine for the tip!)

Walk-a-Thon

Next Friday, October 9^th is our Walk-a-Thon.  We have enough volunteers for the day- but come out and cheer us on. Please help remind your child to be collecting as many pledges as possible for this is one of our school’s biggest fundraisers.

Please send in a white shirt to decorate ASAP. (Doesn’t have to be new) I went to buy the hats this weekend in San Jose and the store only had 2!  So, back to hunting for hats and socks…stay tuned!  There was possible talk of tie-dyeJ  I know Kim has offered to help make this happen- let me know if you’d like to help or have any ideas.

PE

On Mondays and Tuesdays, we will be doing running/track work-outs.  Although we ask kids to wear shoes they can do PE in daily- it is especially important on these days.  We will definitely be ready for the Walk-a-Thon!  They can always just have athletic type shoes in their backpacks and change for PE.

Drive for Schools

Please turn in those raffle tickets- due October 16^th- There are more in the office too!

Math

We will be wrapping up our multiplication unit this week.  We will have a quiz on Friday.  I attached a sheet that’s shows the different strategies we have been working on.  The 5^th grade team doesn’t expect mastery of them all.  The goal is to have a few that they can rely on to solve multiplication problems.  Never hesitate to ask about math HW or send your child in with questions.  I am more than happy to find time to help.  It would be great if you could take time and talk to your child about which way makes the most sense to them and see if they can teach you new ways to multiply! 

Dreambox- please have your child do Dreambox at home.  We will be using it on the chrome books in class as well- but it’s a great resource- so let’s use it!

Student Council

I’ll be starting up Student Council soon- starting with planning Spirit Days.  I am meeting with any interested 4^th and 5^th graders at lunch this Thursday.

THANK YOU,

It’s going to be a great year.  Thanks again for volunteering to be a part of it!

Jaime

9/23/15

September 23, 2015

Hi Families-

It was so great to be back in the classroom today after being out for an amazing training on Tuesday.  I composed all of the Classroom Helper forms that I received from Back to School Night.  I was so happy to see so many volunteers.  Thank you in advance for all the support you give our class this year.  Please see the attachment to see if I left you off- or put you on the wrong duty:)

I am really looking forward to a great Walk-a-Thon.  Last year, Catherine was generous enough to buy us white t-shirts and I decorated them to each student.  I would be more than happy to do the same.  If you send your child with a plain white shirt- I’ll paint them with the design we choose and let each kid pick a name and number to write on the back. (It doesn’t have to be new- just all white.)  If we start the process sooner it’ll make my life much easier:)  There’s also talk of getting matching trucker hats and funky socks.  This creative group wants to take it up a notch and I am all for it.  So, please let me know if you’d like to help make the full ensemble work.:)  I know there are hats for $1.50ish at a store in San Jose I can try and get.  I haven’t looked into cheap sock ideas yet.  I just want to make their last year at Soquel awesome- and sometimes it’s the little things that they remember.

Thanks again for getting all of the following items in this week.

-Scholastic News donation ($5.44- thanks for those who donated an extra one- very generous.)

-Book Orders (optional)

-Science Camp Participation form (please let me know if you still need a packet.

-Drive for School Raffle Tickets

Think that’s if for now!  Hope you’re all having a great week so far.

Jaime

DREAM BOX!

Here is our school's dreambox page.  Your child should have brought their login info home.  It's their student id and everyone has the same password: soquel123
https://play.dreambox.com/login/ymdg/soquelue

Sept. 15, 2015

Hi Families!
I hope you got my letter about testing this week.  Tomorrow and Friday our class will be taking our new district benchmark test.   It’s called MAPS and is replacing the Ren Learning tests we’ve done in the past.  Julie Livingstone and Kim Kidd have offered to bring in snacks for the kids on our testing days.  (Thanks so much!)  It’d be great if students came well rested these days- a lofty yet good goal:)  We don’t want the kids to be stressed- but at the same time we want them to be well prepared to give it their best so it is a true diagnostic test to help us see where each child is academically so we can provide the best support.  
Just another reminder- Thursday is Back to School Night.  5:00 for 5th grade parents to meet in the MU to talk about Science Camp- then our classroom will be open from 5:30-6:00.  Then Mrs. Fippin will do a whole school gathering before the k-2nd classroom visits.  I hope to see you all there!
Thanks so much,
Jaime