Dear Parents,

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! It is my pleasure teaching your children, and I look forward to an exciting year full of learning and fun. I am thrilled to welcome the fifth graders back to the classroom for their "Strong Start" conferences on September 4th and 5th, and the opening day on Friday, September 6th! Look for information forthcoming on scheduling your conference in Skyward.

I value our partnership in your child’s education, and seek to establish ongoing, mutual communications regarding your child’s progress in a manner that meets the needs of your family. As parents, you are my strongest ally in the education of your children, and I rely on your continuing and critical influence in their development and attitudes toward school and learning.

I can't wait to meet you and your child and find out about them. During the Strong Start conference, I will be giving them some materials for their first assignment to complete: a creative poster highlighting a word that could be used to describe them. 

Yours in learning,

Cindy Tobeck

Cindy.tobeck@tumwater.k12.wa.us

All about your new teacher:

My family and I live on a farm in Littlerock; this community has been my home for 32 years. My daughter, 21, will be starting her senior year in college at Pacific Lutheran University, and is living on campus. I have been a third grade teacher at East Olympia Elementary for 27 wonderful years, and am looking forward to now teaching my 28th class in the 5th grade at Littlerock. 

When I'm not in the classroom, you will find me outside. In the spring and summer, I grow some of the biggest pumpkins and squash in the world, and was the first person to grow a 2000+ pounder in Washington! Most recently, I set a Guinness World Record as the Champion Master Gardener: www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/690543-highest-scoring-master-gardener-gpc. I have set a bunch of state records for my giants including: giant squash, long gourd, giant zucchini (marrow), and bushel gourd. I also love to fish, clam dig, ski, travel, kayak and hike. I am a bit of a National Park junkie, and love to visit and learn about our country's beautiful natural areas. My favorite is right in our own backyard: Mount Rainier National Park. In fact, I hiked the 93 mile Wonderland Trail that goes all the way around the mountain last year. 

This past summer, I hiked the Portuguese Camino de Santiago, nearly 200 miles up the coast of Portugal through Spain. Horse showing takes up a big chunk of my summer, and I have won many regional and national championships in hunter/jumper and dressage competitions. In the fall, I enjoy fox hunting with my horses and attending giant pumpkin weigh offs in Washington, Oregon, and California. In the winter, I love to ski at White Pass, with the occasional trip to Crystal Mountain or Canada.

My Core Teaching Values:

I am committed to your child and his/her learning. I believe all students can learn, and consider the “art” of teaching the ability to make knowledge accessible to a to a wide variety of learners while considering individual differences. I take into account students’ interests, abilities, skills, previous knowledge, family circumstances and peer relationships when adjusting curriculum to meet their individual needs.

I wish to create a caring, inclusive, stimulating and safe learning environment, where students have a sense of community and feel secure enough to take intellectual risks, work collaboratively as well as independently, and respect and appreciate one another’s differences.

Because of my own education and experiences, I have a broad understanding of the subjects I teach and am able to integrate these subjects together through themes and through art. Integration contributes to enriching and enhancing the relevance of schoolwork, and helps children gain a more in-depth understanding of important concepts. My goal is to create multiple paths to learning while being mindful of the need of all 10 and 11year-olds to be actively engaged in a fun, stimulating environment with an abundance of hands-on opportunities.

Throughout the year, I will manage and monitor your child’s learning, and will work collaboratively with you as well as the other 5th grade teacher. My fellow teachers, as well as the special education teachers are an important resource, and their skills and talents complement my own. Likewise, I encourage you to share your expertise and interests, and want to welcome you to participate in the classroom learning if you are willing to share your knowledge with the students for the various units of study throughout the year. Additionally, I see our local community as an extension of the classroom and value community resources to enrich the curriculum and enhance student learning through presentations, community service projects and field trips.

Finally, I believe it is imperative to model a love of learning, and a commitment to lifelong learning. I actively advance my own knowledge through my associations with the National Science Teachers Association as well as the National Council for the Teaching of Mathematics. I am a certified as a Middle Childhood Generalist through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Additionally, I regularly engage in relevant trainings and college courses that will enrich my classroom practice. I also have worked actively within the school’s governing body, the Site Leadership Team, to improve the school.