Hi All,
Let me start by saying I was overwhelmed with the love and attention the class gave me on my birthday! In all of my years teaching, I've never had a class celebrate my birthday like this class did! Thank you to all the planners and organizers, and to those of you who sent in snacks, drinks, and gifts. I feel very lucky!

The class has done a great job getting back into the swing of academics after vacation. We are in full SBAC mode, practicing, discussing, reviewing, and generally talking about the need for balance -- doing your best and persevering while also recognizing that it's just one measure of your academics. I hope our conversations have put all the kids at ease but also motivated them to try their hardest.  Since we will have SBAC testing next week and the week after, I will not be sending home any homework. It's important for them to sleep well, eat well, and get a lot of exercise! 

I have told the students that they can chew gum during SBAC testing. If you'd like to send in a pack of gum for your child, feel free to do that. I will not allow them to share gum with friends, but I will have a few packs of sugar-free gum available for those who forget. If you DON'T want your child having gum, please let me know. If your child has braces or can't have gum for some other reason, I'll also allow Werther's or some other sort of healthier hard candy.  Let me know if you have questions.

This week we have started two new units -- one in math and another in science. In science, we are learning about geology and how rocks are formed. Today we made geology sandwiches, with different layers representing different kinds of rock. Check out the photos on Instagram!

In math, we are back to a unit on double digit multiplication and division. This is a review for us, but we will be using larger numbers so we can feel comfortable with them. We will learn some strategies for long division too!

Finally, we started working on our Vermont history play/musical this week. We have done a brief read-though and assigned parts. There are no stars -- and everyone seems pleased with the part they've gotten. Please check the JES calendar of events to make sure you have all the dates (play, field trip, breakfast, etc.) on you minds. This is a BUSY time of year!

I have heard from only a few people about chaperoning our rafting trip. If you haven't been in touch yet, please let me know when you can if you are planning to join us. If it ever stops raining, that should be a super fun day!

That's all for now. As always, let me know if you have any questions about your child or anything that is happening in our classroom

Happy Weekend!