Monday Message 

The students all received new agendas last week.  They take them home every Friday.   The agenda is an important tool for parent / teacher communication.

In the agenda we like to write comments, both positive and corrective.  We, as adults, can shape a child's behavior by the comments we make.  You can define your child.  Tell children how polite they are, and they become polite!  Tell them that they are hard workers, and they become hard workers! They live up to our expectations.   Our goal is to write more positive things than corrective.  In some cases all comments are positive.  If there is a serious issue in class we would contact you by phone or email.

Please go over agenda comments with your child.  What we as adults say to children determines how they view themselves and who they become.  We have a big influence!

Hey Parents,

Throughout the year the children will miss some school.  Some will get sick, some will go on vacation, and some will need to be gone for family reasons.  

If your child is ever absent, it is important that he or she not fall behind in math.  Once a gap develops, it is hard to catch up.  

Keep practicing the Friday Quiz.  That is the target for the week.  Watch the videos  embedded on the quiz and practice the problems.  We will send an answer key each week and you can check your child as you go.  

Also, keep your child reading.  Seeing good writing helps in all areas  from vocabulary, to sentence structure to grammar.  

 Let's keep the kids on track. 

Rain or shine, we go outside daily for recess.   It rains a lot in Germany.    Let's dress correctly.   Ponchos work best on rainy days as they can go over winter jackets. 

Every student should have a rain jacket at school.   Again, ponchos work best.   Umbrellas do not work well on the playground.  When dry, these ponchos will be stored on the hooks inside the student lockers.  

In heavy rain we will stay inside, but in mist or drizzle, we are heading out.   Get ready.   Dress correctly.  

Fresh air and exercise are needed daily.  It helps with learning and with student attitudes.   These kids need to get out of their chairs every hour or so.   

Please dress your child for the weather of the day!   Really!

Hi Everyone,

Starting on Tuesday the 18th, we will have homework.  Good news:  It is simple, and we show the kids exactly what to do.   There is no homework on the weekends. 

Each week we have a Friday Quiz.  During the week we go over every problem on the quiz .  This Friday we will do the quiz together as a class, and everyone will get 100%. 
See below. 

Each week we also have a vocabulary quiz.  Student just have to match pictures to words.  You can find the lists here. 

Also, make sure your child is reading 20 minutes nightly.  

See?  This is simple... but not always easy. 

Hi Parents, 

Every Friday we take a "Friday Quiz" covering the information we taught in school that week.  We cover the exact same problems that are on the quiz.  We show the kids everything, and explain it all. 

The front is always math, and the back is usually English / Language Arts, Science & Social Studies.

On Mondays we email home a copy of the quiz to you, along with a parent answer key.  We also give your child a yellow copy.  Your child may look at the quiz ahead of time, but not the parent key.  He or she should practice the quiz.  Print more copies if you wish. You may help your child practice.

The first week we will do the quiz together.  Everyone will get 100%.  No pressure. 

The Friday Quiz is the target for the week.   We want all kids to hit the target.  Tell your child to watch the videos and practice.  

Corrected Friday Quizzes are always sent home on Tuesdays.  Please watch for them to come home.

See below for more information. 

Hey kids!

Bring a chapter book to school from home for the first few weeks. 

It takes a while for our library to get up and running, so there won't be any check-outs for a bit. 

Do you have any books to donate to our class library?  If you do, bring them all in.  Your classmates will appreciate that. 

The main thing is to keep reading.  That is how you become a better reader, right? 

Hey Kids,

Do you like to eat?  Yeah, me too.  

Everyday around 10:00 we will stop work, go for a quick run, and then have snack.  

Snacks must be dry, quick and healthy.   No dessert items.  No junk food.  Keep it clean. 

I usually have a hard boiled egg or a piece of cheese, or a banana. 

You may not share your snack with anyone.  Your parents packed your snack for you.  Also, no mooching!

About an hour after snack, at 11:15,  you have lunch.  Can you make it until then? 

Students can bring water bottles.

Students may also use the water fountains.

We have a filling station attached to the fountain.

At the end of the day all students will take home their bottles.

Clean and fill them nightly!

Please label your bottle!

1) Students arrive on the bus and go to breakfast. 

2) Students no longer have assigned bus seats.  We will address appropriate bus behavior during the first week of school. 

3) Students will line up by class and enter through specific doors. 

4) Students will have individual lockers (no locks allowed)

5)  Keep valuable items at home, not in your locker. . 

Lunch!  Everyone's favorite!!

1) First we go out for lunch.  Then we have recess.  

2) Students who bring their own lunch will be sent in first. 

3) Students will purchase their lunch and go to their seats.   No seating chart!   You choose where to sit. 

4)  Eat and then clean your spot. 

5) We all walk back to class together.