Week of November 18

Hi Families!

Monday 11/11 (A Day):
-S.E.L with Mrs. Van Hekken
-P.E.

Tuesday 11/12 (B Day):
-Media Center (don't forget your library books)

Wednesday 11/13 (C Day):
-Art
-Late Start! School begins at 9:25am (Supervision is provided beginning at the usual time of 7:45am, but bus routes will run one hour later)

Thursday 11/14 (D Day):
-Art and P.E.

Friday 11/15 (E Day):
-Music

Upcoming important dates:
11/20 - Late Start
11/27 - 1/2 Day - Dismiss at 12:06pm
11/28 - No School
11/29 - No School

Reminders:

Welcome to the 2nd trimester!  

I am finishing report cards this weekend and they will be printed and sent home at the end of the week.  A few words about upper-elementary grades/scores:  It is not uncommon for students to have 1's or 2's at this point of the year.  The Michigan Common Core Standards are year-long standards, with the goal of meeting proficiency by the end of the year.   Keep in mind that, at times, some of the concepts that are included in a particular standard have not even been taught yet.  Standards have depth, and levels, of proficiency.  Also, you can expect to see blank spots on the report card due to particular standards not being scored until the end of the 2nd, or even 3rd, marking period.  In fact, the subject of science is not being scored at all this trimester due to the fact that SJPS is  continuing the testing of the new curriculum.  While 1's and 2's are not uncommon, they ARE also areas that need to be focused upon and practiced with your student.  

In the report card envelope, I will include some additional information to help your child find success in 4th grade and to share with you the level of knowledge we are learning this year. You will find an overview of the skills and concepts your child will encounter. There are examples and definitions so that you are able to assist with these concepts at home.  I am also including a packet of ways you can help your child become a successful reader.  You will find useful information to help your child with comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary.  Even if your student is a fluent reader, these are important things to do at home to help them become even stronger readers.

***PLEASE RETURN the empty report card envelope (with your signature on the outside) to mark that you received it.

Upcoming Field Trip!  Our fourth graders will be heading to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N. Rose Street, in Kalamazoo, MI for a day of science exploration!  Both classes will travel together via bus on December 3rd.  Students will need to bring a sack lunch for the day.  We will leave around 9:00 a.m. and return around 2:30.  Parent chaperones are welcome to join us, and we'd love the helping hands!  If you'd like to join us, please SIGN UP HERE at any time before December 3rd!  Parents will need to provide their own transportation and bring a sack lunch, too! 

More details will be coming soon....A small admittance fee may be needed for chaperones, and drivers should plan on parking costs in the nearby parking garages.

Check out the Museum website here:  https://www.kalamazoomuseum.org/info/

Lexia/Core 5:  Our district adopted an online literacy practice site called Lexia/Core 5 last year.  Students are expected to get their individual practice minutes completed each week.  We do much of this at school, during our English/Language arts learning block.  Students pass levels as they move throughout the program and are awarded a Lexia certificate of completion!  Look at all of these students who recently earned a certificate!  Great job, everyone!

Winter Clothing:

The cold air is upon us! Please talk to your students about their responsibility in wearing what you send/expect them to wear during recesses. Brown School is focused on teaching personal responsibility/natural consequences for student choices. For instance, if their pants get wet going down the slide when they chose not to wear their snow pants, they will be sitting in wet pants for the day. We will not call home for dry clothing. It is not unusual to be colder on our playground due to our proximity to the lake.  It can be VERY breezy! We go out three times a day unless it's raining or temperatures are in the single digits.

What we are learning about this week:

Reading/ELA:
We are currently learning about non-fiction text structures. Last week, we learned about cause and effect. This week we will be learning about description and compare and contrast. We will also be starting our first reader's theatre to practice our speaking skills along with reading with accuracy and expression.

Math:
Due to the snow day last week, we are finishing up our second math unit this week. A study guide will come home this week and our test will be at the end of the week. You will also see a new home link packet come home for unit 3. Unit 3 will focus on fractions.

The kids have been rocking on their multiplication fact fluency during multiplication station! Please be sure to practice the flash cards at home and send the cards back.

SEL (Social Emotional Learning) with Mrs. Van Hekken:
I can identify my own responsibilities and the benefits of being responsible.

Please don't forget to view the weekly Brown School Blog for additional information: https://brownschoolnewssaintjoseph.blogspot.com/

Mrs. Hassenger