Interim Assessments Take Place This Week

Our awesome 3rd grade Tigers will be taking their first Interim Assessments for Math (Tuesday) and Reading (Thursday). Please be sure they get a good night's sleep and a good breakfast before school, as we will be starting the assessments first thing in the morning. They will have 4 hours to complete the assessment, just like they will when they take the STAAR test. We will have a snack mid morning, and their regular second snack in the afternoon. They will need to have the following items on these 2 days.

1. A fully charged chromebook

2. Headphones/earbuds that work

3. 2 healthy snacks

Please know we will have restroom breaks throughout the testing. We have been working on stamina all year long to help prepare them. They are going to do a great job. Just encourage them to do their best and show their work. Thank you for your support! :)

Please remember to do this:

Please be sure to check your child's GREAT Tiger folder nightly. We send notes, graded papers, and homework via this folder. You can take the papers out of it nightly. Also, please initial in the day's box that you have seen their GREAT Tiger folder each night.

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Parents.....

We encourage you to try some of the released practice tests that are available online. This is the first year our students will take the STAAR test, and it is online this year, not on paper. Third graders will have opportunities at school as well to practice. Look for the link in Mrs. Bailey's section of Tiger Den.

Collect Recyclable Goods from Home for Project at School

Hello parents,

I wanted to send home a note to make a request to please start collecting recyclables materials at home for an upcoming Science project. The items will be used to show mastery of our physical sciences unit and will highly rely on knowledge of gravity, force, and motion. This project will begin around 2/28 and it will be presented 3/10 at Open House. I will send out more details and information after I introduce the project 2/28.

**Things to collect: Cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls, plastic containers cereal boxes, plastic bags, etc.

Thank you for helping us prepare for the project. I promise more will be revealed soon!

-Mrs. Wierz

3rd Grade Volunteers Needed - Carnival Project

Hello parents,

If you have some free time and some crafty supplies please consider this volunteer opportunity. The kids will be starting their carnival game project 2/28 and I will need some extra hands with helping them build their creations.

I will have many different supplies already (cardboard, packing tape etc). But, if you have an extra box cutter, a glue gun, packing tape, etc. I would love to have you! With last year being my first year to do this project, I feel like having an adult with a glue-gun station set up will make things much faster and easier!

I will be using a Sign-Up Genius to keep track of who is coming to help. The days available are 3/8 and 3/9. I will be opening up 3/10 if it seems necessary that week. I am hoping all of the kids will be done by 3/9 so we can practice our games before Open house on 3/10.

***To access the Sign-Up Links:

• Click here for Wierz HR Sign-Up Link (8:00 - 8:50am)

• Click here for Pease HR Sign-Up Link (11:40 - 12:30pm)

• Click here for Lee HR Sign-Up Link (12:40 - 1:30pm)

Feel free to reach out to me at: mandy.wierzbicki@gcisd.net if you have any questions. Thank you for considering this volunteer opportunity!

As always, I appreciate your partnership.

- Mrs. Wierz

****** Ask your child....******

.....if they have a working pair of headphones or earbuds. They need them for:

• Tests and activities on line that they need to "hear" what is being read or said to them or asked of them.

• Music Class

• Art Class

• Reading and Math assignments

• Practice for STAAR requires headphones.

• Interim Assessments & STAAR Tests

There are a lot of 3rd graders without a pair of headphones or without a pair of headphones that work. We thank you SO much for sending them with a pair of headphones on Monday. :)

Don't Miss Out!

Buy your Yearbook! Yearbooks are on sale! You can order a yearbook and create an Ad online here. The order number for O. C. Taylor is 17833.

Are there any parents out there that could make a video for our February Future Explorations?

For the month of February our Career Pathway is : Production. There are 2 links below that explain what is under that career umbrella. Please send Mrs. Lee a video that tells about one of these jobs, the type of skills that are needed, etc.. She will share it with all of the other 3rd grade teachers. It only needs to be 5, 10, or 15 minutes long. Thank you! :)

February - PRODUCTION

• Arts, Audio/Video Technology, and Communications

• Information Technology

GCISD Contest using Reflex Math

When?: February 1st through February 28

Who?: All 2nd -5th grade students in GCISD

How?: Just login to Reflex and enjoy solving math facts until your child gets the "green light". However, they can work pass the green light status.

What? 3 ways to win:

1.Average Green Light %

2. Average Daily Usage Average

3. Total Facts Solved