News From Our Classroom

     Hello.  It's Saturday evening, and I just got home from a long day at school.  It started fairly early this morning when I arrived at the school ready to help at the May Fair.  I'm sorry that I didn't see many of you--I hope you did have a chance to get faces painted and bikes tuned for the summer.  It was still pretty cloudy when I left the fair at 10:00 to work in my room "for a while".  The next few weekends are pretty hectic for me (graduation next Saturday, moving my daughter on Sunday, and leaving for London the following weekend), so I spent the majority of the day getting lesson plans ready for the next four weeks so things can run as "normally" as possible.
      For those of you who have been asking, my daughter Emily HAS got an internship for the summer (though not a paying one).  Still, it will allow her to stay in the Boston ("bunking" on her old roommate's couch) while she looks for a paying job.  The internship will give her unsupervised experience, and will require her to learn marketing skills.  It's good for her, and sad for me.  I knew it was coming. . . but just didn't want to deal with it.  Oh, well. . . our babies leave us eventually. I'm glad she'll be busy, but not so busy that she can't job and apartment hunt.
       Okay, let's see where we stand with our May list of things to do--Thank you all for coming to our parent conference night either last Tuesday or Thursday.  I hope the update I gave you of your child's social, academic, and behavioral progress came as no surprise.  Several of you asked for copies of the "notes" I referenced while we were talking, and since it is my belief that you as parents have the right to such info, I will gladly share them with you.  I ask your patience in receiving them until the week I return from London, though.  I will get them to you as soon as I return.
       Dr. Dan (the cardiologist) did make it to school, but on Thursday morning rather than Tuesday morning.  He was absolutely terrific!!!!  I hope that your child told you about the heart "train" Dr. Dan told him or her about, and what that "train" carries to the lungs, the body, and the heart.  He did a great job of making complicated material accessible to six-year-olds.  Thank you so much for coming to talk to us, Dr. Dan.
        The PTA meeting did happen on Wednesday evening, and Mrs. Charette and Callie Pecunies were elected co-presidents.  They would like to invite you all to consider joining the PTA next year.  This year's scheduled meeting was for the first Wednesday evening of every month at 6 pm.  I do not know yet if that time and scheduled date will remain the same.
        On Friday morning, we went up to second grade to check out the US Monuments project those students have been working on for a while now.  I personally LOVE the opportunity to visit with "old friends" and to see the progress they have made since leaving me.  Your child loved having the opportunity to "see" second grade and to meet the second grade teachers.  The projects were impressive, as usual.
        Our final round of NWEA computerized testing starts tomorrow afternoon right after lunch recess, and is Math.  Our final computerized NWEA this year will be next Thursday morning, May 21st, and is on Reading.  As I told you at our conference, we have been working hard to be ready for these exams, but it is as important that, on the days of the tests, your child have a good breakfast and be well-rested, take the exams seriously, and to try very hard to just do their best to do the items on the test thoughtfully and carefully.  PLEASE, IMPRESS UPON YOUR CHILD THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING HIS OR HER TIME AND REALLY THINKING BEFORE ANSWERING EACH TEST ITEM.  Thank you for talking to your child about the importance of his or her best effort on these tests.
        On May 19th, the first grade classes will be taking a bus to the Lewiston Public Theatre to see Slim Goodbody in his amazing "Bodyology" show.  Many of the permission slips and money for this field trip have arrived back at school, but several still have not.  I need to hear from you as soon as possible, so I can make arrangements, if necessary, for your child to stay with another class while we are gone.  Also, please be aware that we leave Crescent Park at 8:00 that morning, and return before the close of the normal school day.  Students who arrive after 8:00 will have to stay with another classroom until we return.  Since we will not be at school for lunch time, each child is being asked to bring a "bag" lunch, at least one drink, and a snack with them for that morning.  
        On that same evening, May 19th, the annual Parent Night for incoming Kindergarteners will take place.  Kindergarten screening will take place at CPS on May 20th and 21st.
         The "Night of the Arts" will take place on Thursday, May 20th from 6 - 7:30 p.m.  Please join us for the sounds and sights of this year's hard work in the various ARTS  here at CPS.  Your child's art work will be hanging in our "wing", and there will be band and vocal performances by our upper grade students.
          I will not be at CPS during the week of May 23rd through May 30th.  My family will be taking what could be our last "family trip" to London from the 23rd to the 30th.  My daughter starts her new job on June 1st.  Sandy Cole will be my "sub" for the week.  The "Minion Party" that the children have earned from Mrs. G (for cooperation and "good behavior" in Phys. Ed class) will take place on that Thursday, May 28th from 10:20 - 1:30.  Mrs. G has put an amazing amount of time, money and effort into rewarding these children for their efforts in her class.  She is still looking for assistance to "pull this event off", if any of you can spare some of your time on the 28th.  
          On the afternoon of the 29th, the children will attend a presentation for the first grade by Bethel Rescue.  They will learn about some of the equipment a rescue worker might use in their job, and will also get to "check out" the ambulances.
          The Title 1 night  for parents of children receiving Title 1 services will take place on May 26th. at 6 pm.  It does not look as though there will be any "summer school" for Title 1 kids this year, as part of MKA.  Julie Hart is trying to arrange "something", but we have yet to hear any details.

          We now have some of our "dates" for June, as well.
          Tuesday,  June 9th, is a "Teacher Workshop" day.  As such, there will be no school for students on that day.  It also happens to be Voting Day.
           "Step Up" Day is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 17th from 8:30 - 10:30.  Your child will come to my classroom in the morning, and I will dismiss them to their future second grade class at 8:30.  They will return to my classroom at 10:30, and will be there the rest of the day.  Typically, a document comes home from school on that Monday letting you know the classroom into which your child will "step up".
           There has been talk of a "field day" event taking place either the day before or the day after "Step Up" Day.  Plans for this event are still "sketchy" right now.
            Finally, the last day of school is Friday, June 19th, and is a half day of school.  Children will have lunch at 10:30, and will be dismissed at 11:30 on that day.  The half day at least gives us a chance to have "closure", though, so please encourage your child to come.
            As far as I know now, that is it!  It's hard to believe the year is wrapping up so quickly.  Thank you again for attending parent-teacher conferences, and I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day.