10/4 Update

Hello Families!

Here are your weekly updates:

Good news! We earned our first classroom reward!  The students chose a "Tech Day" - it will take place on Friday, 10/12.  The students are allowed to bring a tech device from home and use it during the one hour of "Tech Day" time.  I will lock the devices up until that time, but we can't be held responsible for any damage/loss of tech.  The students are more than welcome to use the tech devices we have here at school for the time.  The kids will be allowed to use apps on our ipads or any links from the classroom blog - any other apps will need to be approved by myself  before being used in class.  We already discussed that Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite won't be allowed.

Each child met with me this week to set a personal reading goal - feel free to ask them what they've chosen to work on!

Please make sure that your child is reading and filling out their Reading Log each night. Please make sure to total the minutes read, sign the log, and have students turn it in on Wednesday, October 31st!

Students are to be filling out their Student Planner, each day, with homework assignments. We have set aside time, right before pack up to fill them out and check with me. Please double check that your child is filling it out, so they will not have missing work.

Cursive books are coming home next week - we finished learning both the lowercase and uppercase letters. We will be starting Word Study (spelling and word patterns) in two weeks. 

Be sure to check Seesaw for our final Midwest posts.

CogAt Testing is scheduled for the week of October 15th. There are no study material related to this testing, as it gives information regarding how your student learns best.

There is NO SCHOOL, Friday, October 5th and Monday, October 8th! Tuesday is a “Monday Schedule”, so we will not have library on Tuesday, but PE and Music instead.

We are still looking for helpers during our lunch hour (recess and lunch). Please let me know if you would be interested!

Thank you for all of your support! 

Have a wonderful LONG weekend!!

9/28 Update

Thank you for the update Alex and Aaryan!

The students brought home a parent volunteer form from our PTA room reps a little over a week ago. Please look over the form and send it back with your child ASAP if you haven't already. Thanks! 

September reading logs were due Today. Those who forgot to add up their minutes and write it on the calendar did that at school today.  Those who forgot to get a parent signature are bringing it home to do that tonight. Those who forgot to bring it in received a Second Chance sheet. Please be sure to have your child add up their minutes each month and get it signed before bringing it in.  They receive 1 Camp Buck for every 100 minutes read! Next month we'll send home a Second Chance sheet for anyone missing a signature or total on the due date.

The online sign up for Fall Conferences (10/18 and 10/19) was sent out via School Messenger on Friday. Conferences are a bit different this year - progress reports will not be ready at conference time. I will have a portfolio with some work samples, and we will be able to discuss what's going well so far this year, as well as any areas which may need improvement during the remainder of the term or school year.  I hope you can make it!

Please note that there is no school on Friday, 10/5 and Monday, 10/8.

I hope you had a nice weekend!

9/21

Thanks Snigdha and Esha for the weekly update!

The Chapter 3 tests are coming home today. Please look through it with your child.  We start Chapter 4 on Monday.

Don't forget to have your child read at least 20 minutes each night and record it on their reading calendar.

A letter from the PTA is also in the students' folders.

The Parent/Teacher Conference sign-up will be sent out Friday am.

Have a great weekend!

9/14 Update

Thanks to Rishav and Sujoy for the weekly update!

Please make sure that your child is reading and filling out their Reading Log each night. 

The Chapter 1 Math Test was sent home with your child in his or her home folder yesterday. Although we review the test to clear up any misunderstandings and do a math test reflection here in class, please look through these tests with your child and discuss the problems together as well, as there will no longer be a total score on the front page.  

Please note that Picture Day is Wednesday, September 19th. Picture Day forms went home last week.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a reading benchmark test with each child. I will share that information with you at conferences in October. 

Make sure to check out Seesaw for our posts on Midwest Geography and Location next week and check out the blog for our Twitter posts!

Have a wonderful weekend!

9/7 Update

Thank you to Akshara and Niko for the weekly update!

We have a new student this week - Labhansh! Welcome!!

Please make sure that your child is reading and filling out their Reading Log each night. The goal for the month is 500 minutes!

Next week is MAP testing for new students and students we are monitoring ONLY.  They will be taken on Monday and Tuesday.  The day will be the same as usual for the rest of our students.  No special preparations are necessary.

Please note that Picture Day is Wednesday, September 19th! Picture Day forms are coming home, today.

If you are interested in learning more/ have questions about the Standards Based Grading and Report Cards, please attend the Parent Informational Night, next Thursday (7:00-8:00 pm) at South Middle School.

Our Chapter 1 Math Test is next Wednesday! A review sheet will be going home on Monday to help with studying!

Have a wonderful weekend!

9/4 Update

Thanks to Katie and Iliya for their weekly update!

Monday was Labor Day so we had no school - I hope you all had a great holiday!

The September reading calendars will come home today.  Please remember to read at least 20 minutes each school night and record it on your calendar.  Please keep them in the return side of your home folder.

Have a great week! We'll be sending home another update this Friday.

First Day of Third Grade!

6/1 Update

Thanks to Niti and Arun for the update!

Thanks to the chaperones for the Wendella field trip - we had a steamy but fun day with your help!

Next week is our last week of school.  The math workbook will come home on Monday and can stay home.  You're welcome to recycle it or use it as a summer activity book.

Wednesday am will be our 3rd Grade Activity Day.  We have fun activities planned for the kids outdoors in the am, and a G-rated movie (yet to be chosen) in the pm.  Please send a water bottle and apply sunscreen before school that morning.  Lunch will be the same as always.

We will be cleaning out desks Thursday pm.  Please send an extra bag for the kids to take home all their used folders, notebooks, etc.

Friday is the last day of school and progress reports go home that day.  It's almost summer! Enjoy the warm weather!

Summer Typing Challenge

Parents,

We will again be promoting keyboarding skills with the district Summer Keyboarding Challenge.

This is the link with information on the challenge:

https://spark.adobe.com/page/OfldJmudWFwrl/

The challenge begins June 11 and runs through Aug 10. The school with the most minutes typed wins the coveted Golden Keyboard and bragging rights and the student with the most minutes wins district recognition and a Tech lunch/recess for themselves and a friend.

Here is the link to the intro slideshow if you'd like to show it to your son/daughter. 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LA7N5eTQ3fpasxlNuswcCZ1YrjioW9f4nVj6vqQ1zjM/edit?usp=sharing

There is also a link on the right hand side of this blog to the challenge.

Have fun typing!

Chicago River Tour

5/22

Thanks Julia and Lily for the great video!

We had the Senior Walk today - got to see the Ivy Eagle and high-five graduating former Ivy Hill students! Such fun!!

Thanks for sending in the field trip and field day slips and money - we're just about all set!

We plan to take the Chapter 14 math test next week, but it will not count towards our trimester 3 math grade, so the review and test will take place here and not come home.

Next week, we'll be helping to plant the Ivy Hill garden on Tuesday pm and taking the Wendella field trip on Thursday.  Wear sunscreen and bring a sack lunch in a disposable bag, please.

Field Day will take place Friday, 6/1. More info to come on that soon, but we'd like the kids to bring in a board game to play during our down time in the classroom.

There is NO SCHOOL Friday OR Monday.  Have a lovely Memorial Day Weekend!!

5/18

Nishita and Elizabeth did a great job with the news video - thanks!

If you haven't sent in the orange lunch choice form for field day, please do that by Monday.

Chaperone emails were sent out today - please let us know by Monday if you won't be able to attend after all and an alternate needs to be chosen.  Thanks so much for all who volunteered!!

We have a Junior Achievement rep coming in next Tuesday afternoon for a lesson with the kids.

The senior walk is next Wednesday at the end of the day - can't wait to see those former Ivy students!

Next Friday is a SIP day - No School!

The Wendella field trip is 5/31 - more info to come about that day soon.

Have a great weekend!

5/11

Nicolas and Katya did a great job with this week's blog video!

A big thank you for all of the flowers and cards during Teacher Appreciation Week! 

Please send in your signed permission slip for the Wendella Field Trip if you have not already done so, along with the $7.50.  If you are ordering a lunch for that day, please pay for that separately in a second envelope. The trip is May 31st. We will pull five names from the list of those who volunteered to chaperone and will inform those chosen on May 18th.

The May Reading calendar is due May 31st.

5/3

Thanks Asmi and Jackson for the update video!

Mrs. Sobanski is out tomorrow and Monday, so our update is a day early :).

Remember that the reward this time is The Lorax movie on Monday.  Kids may bring a special snack (this one doesn't have to be healthy, but they may NOT share with anyone) during the movie.

Please send in your signed permission slip for the Wendella Field Trip by 5/11, along with the $7.50.  If you are ordering a lunch for that day, please pay for that separately in a second envelope.

Chapter 13 in math is also a short one.  We're planning on reviewing on Tuesday next week and Testing on Wednesday.

The reading calendar is also due on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

4/27

Thanks to Rehaan and Yash for the weekly update!

2nd step homework will be due next Friday.

We start Chapter 13 on Monday (pretest).  This may be the last test included on progress reports this year, though we do plan to move on to Chapter 14 and get as far as possible.  The Chapter 13 test is currently planned for 5/9.  The graded Chapter 11 test is coming home today in the home folders.  Please take a peek in case your son/daughter needs to study this weekend for a re-take (it would say so at the top).

Reading calendars are due on MONDAY!  Please add up your minutes and get it signed.

Officer Veenstra will be here next Wednesday for his safety talk with the kids.  We look forward to his visit!

Finally, the kids have earned yet another reward for good behavior! Yay!!  They chose to watch The Lorax (due to its Earth-friendly theme around Earth Day :).  They will watch it on Monday, 5/7.  They may bring a special snack to enjoy that day during the movie (no pjs or blankets this time).

Have a great weekend!

4/20 Update

Thanks Tony and Natalie for the great weekly update!

April Reading/Math Logs are due April 30th! Please make sure it is signed by a parent.

Information about the Wendella trip, cost, chaperones, etc. will be coming home the first week of May! The trip is scheduled for May 31st! If you ordered cookies, they will be coming home next week!

The Just Move It Challenge is on April 21st at South, beginning at 8AM.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the weather!!!

4/13

Thanks Chris and Arun for the weekly update!

Hopefully you saw our tweets about Aaron Blabey - he visited Ivy Hill yesterday and read from his book, The Bad Guys, which Dreamworks will be making into a movie!  He was fun to watch - it was a great presentation!

We will have some time on Monday afternoon to finish the Chapter 9 math test and check over our work.  We skip to Chapter 11 next in math.  There are only two lessons - 11.3 and 11.4! Because this Chapter is so short, we won't be pretesting or forming math groups.  We should be ready to test by Wed. 4/25, but watch the assignment notebooks for confirmation as that date gets nearer.

The April reading calendar is due 4/30. Don't forget to add up your minutes and get it signed!

Next week we have MAP testing on Tuesday pm (math) and Wednesday am (reading).  Please try not to pull your student out for appts, etc, during this time if possible.

On Wed. pm, we will attend a STEM Museum at school.  Sounds interesting!

Have a great weekend!

4/6

Aahaan and Sudheeshna did a great job presenting this week's class news! 

Open House and the Book Fair are next Wednesday, April 11th from 6-8pm! Our classroom will be open from 6:30-7:30pm, so please feel free to stop by! I hope to see you there!

Spring MAP testing will take place the week of April 16th. Our tentative schedule is: Math MAP 4/17 1:15-2:45pm and Reading MAP 4/18 9:10-10:40am.

The Just Move It Challenge is on 4/21 at South at 8am!

Have a great weekend!!

3/21 Update

Thanks Hemanth and Tanvi for the weekly update!

Parent teacher conferences are Thursday and Friday this week - No School until 4/3.

Reading calendars are due 4/3 - remember to read and practice your facts over spring break.

Have a great spring break!!

2nd Step Emotions Dance

Take a look at Mrs. Knutson and Mrs. Como/Sobanski's students practicing self-regulation with a fun dance.  We're working on recognizing strong emotions and learning how to deal with them during our 2nd Step classes. They did an amazing job learning the dance so quickly!

3/16 Update

Thanks Sanvi and Aditi for the great update!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the Wendella Cookie Fundraiser! Information about the trip, cost, chaperones, etc. will be coming home after Spring Break! The trip is scheduled for May 31st! 

Grade Reports and CogAt Scores are coming home today! Please be sure to empty the folder, as the contents are for your records. Please sign the outside of the folder and have your child bring it back to school, on Monday!

Have a great weekend and remember there is NO SCHOOL next Thursday and Friday due to Spring Conferences!

3/9 Update

Thanks Maya and Allison for the weekly update!

Some reminders:

Java Joe's Fundraiser Forms are due March 13 (Monday). Please let me know if you have any questions. Additional information about our Wendella Field Trip will be sent home closer to the field trip date.

On April 21st, the ABC/25 Foundation will be hosting the 7th Annual Just Movie It! Challenge. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Video from 3/2

3/2 Update

We had technical difficulties with the video update - we'll try to post that on Monday.

Next week is PARCC testing.  We will have language arts tests in the mornings T-Th and Math tests in the afternoon T-Th and in the morning on Friday.

Friday afternoon we will celebrate the end of PARCC testing and receive our behavior reward by watching Charlotte's Web in the classroom (a note came home today with more information).  Kids can bring a sweet treat (no nuts, please) and wear pajamas.  We look forward to celebrating our hard work!

We took the Chapter 8 test math test today.  We will not start Chapter 9 until after PARCC testing.  Please continue to have the kids practice math facts using xtramath until then. 

We have a new student - Arun! Welcome to him and his family!!

2/23 Update

Thanks to Julia and Niti for the weekly update!

The cereal box projects look great! Such creative work!!

A description of the 3rd grade fundraiser came home today, along with the order sheet.  Due dates are on the orange sheet. Participation is optional, but funds raised help lower the costs of the spring trip to Chicago for everyone.

The math Chapter 8 test will be Friday, 3/2.

We will continue to do some PARCC practice tests in the classroom next week.  PARCC testing is 3/6-3/9.  Please avoid pulling students out for dr. appts, etc. during that time if at all possible.  If your student is ill, there will be make-up days, however.

The kids have earned another behavior reward! Yay!! It will be combined with an end-of-PARCC celebration on 3/9.  (We'll be watching a movie about a very special pig ;-).

Have a great weekend!

2/16 Update

Thanks to Nishita and Chris, who stood in for Elizabeth for today's update.

The fiction reading project is due Feb. 23rd.

Our Valentine’s Day Party was a HUGE success! Thank you so much to our amazing Room Reps for another great party :)

Our State Standardized Testing (PARCC) will be taking place the week of March 6th. We will be going over how to log in and taking some practice tests in the classroom over the next few weeks.

We're hoping to take the Chapter 8 math test Friday, March 2nd.

There is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 19th!

Have a great weekend!

2/9 Update

Thanks Nick and Katya for the update from last week! Hope you enjoyed your snow day!

2/2 Update

Thanks for the informative video Jackson and Asmi!

Today is the Fun Fair from 5:30-8:00.  We look forward to seeing many of you there!

A letter is coming home today about Global School Play Day, which will take place next week on Wednesday, 2/7.  Please take note of the suggested items kids may bring to school to play with, and that electronic devices should NOT be brought to school that day.  Should be fun!

A letter asking you to decorate a heart for your child to hang here at school by Valentine's Day is also coming home today, along with the colored heart to decorate.

Another letter also came home to let you know we are having our Valentine's Day party in school on 2/14.  Please note the kids should bring in a box to collect Valentines in, and they should bring one Valentine for each child if they choose to do so (a class list was included).  They are not allowed to attach food/candy of any kind to the Valentines. Thanks room moms for organizing this!

A fiction book for the book project (due 2/28) should be chosen by 2/6 - please tell Mrs. Como once you've decided kids.

The Chapter 7 test is next Friday - the review will come home Tuesday.  

We take the CoGat test in class next Tuesday through Thursday, and the results from the winter MAP tests we already took will come home at the end of next week.

Have a great weekend!

1/26 Update

Thanks Rehaan and Yash for presenting this week's class news! 

A few reminders...

-Your child's Chapter 6 math test was sent home today. If a re-take was necessary, those will be clearly marked and will be taken on Monday.  Only questions missed will be retaken and are worth 1/2 point value if done correctly.

-The Fun Fair is next Friday!

-Our Valentine's Day party will take place February 14th from 2:00-3:00! More information will be sent home next week.

Have a wonderful weekend!

1/19 Update

Thanks Tony and Niti for the weekly summary!

Please remember that Monday is a teacher meeting day and there is NO SCHOOL.

If anyone has a large bottle of hand sanitizer they would like to donate, we would happily accept a few bottles.  We are all out!

Also, please remember to send a pair of shoes for the kids to change into after lunch and recess.  The boots are too wet to wear all day in the classroom and need to stay in the hall.

Math Unit 6 Review will come home on Tuesday and the Unit 6 Test will take place on Wed., 1/24.

The reading calendar is due 1/31.

The kids did have 2nd Step class today - the homework will come home Tuesday and be due next Friday.  Please be sure to sign it before returning it.

It's flu and cold season - please remember the school rule of keeping your child home for a full 24hrs after a fever, throwing up, or having diarrhea.  We encourage sharing, but let's be selfish with those germs ;). We can catch students up when they return.

Have a great weekend!

1/12 Update

Thank you Natalie and Aditi for the video summarizing our week!

Fun Fair is Friday, February 2nd. Students are bringing home information today about ordering wrist bands. All forms and money are due no later that January 26th! Hope to see you there :)

Students received their recorders for Music this week. They are permitted to take them home, but need to make sure they have it at school for Music days (Monday and Wednesday).

Please note that there is NO SCHOOL on Monday (1/15) and (1/22).

Since we have no school next Monday, please have your child turn in their Six Flags Read to Succeed Log by Tuesday, January 16th. Please note that this was optional, and your student did not have to participate. They are welcome to turn it in before, if they have already met their minutes.

We will be testing for Math-Unit 6 on Wednesday, January 24th. 

January Reading/Math Logs are due January 31st. Please make sure it is signed by a parent.

Winter MAP Testing begins next week. We will be testing in both Reading and Math. The scheduled is 1/17 (Reading) at 9:10am  and 1/18 (Math) 1:10pm. Studying for these tests is not necessary, as they are to help measure student growth from year to year. Please make sure that your student is present for testing if at all possible.

Ivy Fundraiser at Portillos..Monday from 5pm-8pm

and...

The Students Involved with Technology Conference at Westgate Elementary School

February 10th, 8:30-2:00

If creating movies, coding, working with robots, website design, video production, or constructing your own computer is a passion for one of your students, The Students Involved with Technology Conference is a perfect opportunity for them to come learn with like-minded students. The S.I.T. Conference is a student-focused conference run by students for students. Students present to their 3rd through 12th grade peers on their passions, hear from a student keynote speaker, participate in hands-on design challenges, experiment with STEM. 

This all-day event is being hosted at Westgate Elementary School on February 10th, 2018.  Snacks, lunch and prizes are included with the $30.00 registration fee. Check out past conference highlights here.

Registration closes on January 20th and space is limited. 

www.sitconference.org for further details.

Have a great weekend!