Crumb Chronicles, Issue 12

Crumb Chronicles

***A Family Newsletter***

April 29, 2013 – Issue 12

 

Dear Families:

 

Students will begin taking the M.S.P. this Wednesday, April 1.  Tomorrow, to help kick things
off and get the them fired up, the school will host an M.S.P. breakfast for all 4th graders as
soon as school starts (students are welcome to "double dip" . . . breakfast at home and at
school).  Thank you to those who have sent in healthy snacks to share with our 27 students. 
We could use some more -- ideas include trail mix, granola bars, crackers, pretzels, fruit
(dried or fresh), veggies, fruit juice boxes, cheese sticks, bagels & cream cheese, sugar-free
chewing gum, etc.  Please remember that we have one member of the class with a nut
allergy.

 

With four days of testing spread across four weeks, this will have an impact on our regular
schedule and routines.  In addition, on nights before a testing date, I will NOT assign
homework.  I will also NOT collect reading log entries for the next two weeks; I will resume collecting one entry per week on May 13.  Finally, I will expect all students to get plenty of
rest on nights before testing.

 

There are many special events this month in our class.  This Thursday, we have some guest
teachers presenting all afternoon about nutrition and eating healthy (sponsored by
Beecher's Cheese, so no cost to us).  A volunteer from our community, Robert Wotten, will
come in for five periods throughout the month to teach the students about basic economics.  Finally, as you know, we have two field trips.  On May 23, we're attending a play ("Crash") at
the Seattle Children's Theatre.  I currently have 3 parents chaperones, but we have room for
a couple more.  On May 28, we travel to the campus of the U.W. to visit the Burke Museum.  Permission slips for both will be coming soon.

 

Today, a progress report will come home with your child.  They can talk to me before school
or at recess about how to make up any missing assignments.

 

                                                                                               Sincerely,

                                                                                               Michael Crumb

 



Crumb Chronicles, Issue 11

Crumb Chronicles

***A Family Newsletter***

April 4, 2013 – Issue 11

Dear Families:

The class has earned a "read-in" for tomorrow's early release day.  We will still have our final spelling opportunity and specialist, but the rest of our class time will be an extended D.E.A.R. time.

Although there is no official homework over spring break next week, the rough draft of the March/April reading project ("A Tale of Two Lives") is due the week we get back.

In about a month, 4th graders will be taking the M.S.P. ("Measurement of Student Progress").  Testing will take place for our class on the first four Wednesdays in May (May 1: all-day Writing 1, May 8: all-day Writing 2, May 15: Reading, and May 22: Math).  For both the reading and math sections, students will be taking the test online in the computer lab.  The writing sections are strictly paper and pencil.  Please note that all of the school's 4th graders will take the writing portion on the same days, but the reading and math will occur on different days for different classrooms (we only have one computer lab, after all).  Finally, the school will be sponsoring an M.S.P. kick-off breakfast for all of our 4th grade classrooms tentatively scheduled for April 30 (confirmation will be coming soon).

We would like to provide some healthy snacks for our class during these four days of testing.  If you can, please donate items to share for at least 27 students and send them in anytime after Spring Break.  Ideas include: trail mix, granola bars, crackers, pretzels, fruit (dried or fresh), veggies, fruit juice boxes, cheese sticks, bagels & cream cheese, sugar-free chewing gum, etc.  Please remember that we have one member of the class with a nut allergy.

Testing can be a stressful and intimidating time for many students.  For this reason, we will spend some time reviewing basic test-taking skills and completing practice tests similar to what your child will be seeing on the actual test.  The purpose of this time is to learn successful test-taking strategies and to reduce the anxiety associated with these types of tests (a.k.a. "opportunities").

We are well into our final trimester, so expect to see a progress report in the near future. (and please turn in 2nd trimester portfolios if you haven't already done so).  Thanks . . . I hope some spring weather returns next week.

                                                                                                   Sincerely,
                                                                                                   Michael Crumb