Sunday, December 16, 2012

Hi All,
Happy Holidays!  Soon we will be enjoying a long winter break!

For this week, the kids were given a Homework Packet on Friday.  Instead of spelling words, they are to practice a poem to recite on Thursday, our last day of school. Please make sure that your child works on this throughout the week, as it is too much to learn on Wednesday night!  In addition, they have a multiplication practice page and a reading log.  At this point in the year, they should be practicing their multiplication facts on a daily basis.  Every family will have their preferred methods: web-based drills, youtube videos, flash cards, oral quizzes, workbooks. The important thing is that your child learns these facts so that he/she doesn't have to count on her/his fingers when applying multiplication to more complex problems.  The class will have math homework on Monday and Tuesday of this week as well.

On Thursday, the 3rd grade Room Parents have organized a grand class party, taking place in all three rooms.  Thank you, Ruth DeLuca, for planning this super activity.  I think the kids will really appreciate the opportunity to mix with their friends in other classes.  They will also enjoy the chance to move around and get a peek at other classrooms.  What a great idea!

Finally, have a beautiful, restful holiday.  In these stressful times, and with current events being what they are, we all need to remind ourselves to take a breath, and share our love with those we hold dearest. Enjoy the break.

Yours,
Carroll Mayer


Sunday, December 2, 2012

Hi All,

Hopefully not too much rain in the week to come! The kids haven't developed their "rain stamina" yet this year, nor have I.

Kids are already excited about Christmas break, but please remind them that there are 3 more weeks of school.  Many kids have Santa hats, but I am not allowing them to be worn in class until the last week before vacation, as they tend to stimulate the kids even more.

On Friday I sent home a packet of Scholastic book order flyers.  I am hoping to do an order this Wednesday afternoon, so please send in any orders --with checks --before then.  However, the easiest way to order from the book club is on line.  Our class code is H6KT4.  You can order from the flyers I sent home, or the November ones,  and pay for them with a credit card.  The deadline is short because I'd like to get the books before the break.

Otherwise, have a great week.
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Hello All,
I hope you had a family-filled-- and refreshing --Thanksgiving.  This week the class returns to "business as usual", with a regular homework packet and nightly math homework.  We have a longer than usual gap between Thanksgiving and Winter Break, and it's going to be a challenge to sustain the focus and energy through this busy month.  Please make sure your child maintains his/her work quality.

In math, we are moving on to a unit entitled "Measurement and Geometry".  We will revisit multiplication later this year, and I will continue sending home practice sheets in the packet, and giving timed tests every 2-3 weeks.  Please make multiplication practice a regular part of your child's study routine, using whatever format seems most productive for your kid and family.

Remember to send in report card envelopes this week; we reuse them for the entire year.

Take care, and have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Hi All,
Happy Thanksgiving!  We will have just two days of school this week.  As your child should know, the homework packet sent home last Tuesday is due this Tuesday, with all days filled in the Reading Log.  We will have the spelling test on Tuesday.

We wrapped up Unit 3 in math (multiplication) and will be moving on to a new unit on measurement. Before we begin this new unit, I will be working with the kids on some special math problems called MARS tasks. These involve applying the mathematical concepts in bigger, more real-life situations.  Because of this, there will be no math homework on Monday.

Finally, report cards will be sent home on Tuesday. The kids will be instructed to save the report cards for home, and told that they are personal family business. There is no benefit to kids comparing them. When viewing the report card, please work with your child at setting realistic goals for the next term, based on the strengths and weaknesses reported.

Have a wonderful holiday,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, November 4, 2012


Hi All,

Thanks to all that helped with the Halloween party, most especially Ruth DeLuca, our extraordinary Room Parent!  The kids had a great time!

This week the students will have a challenging spelling list that focuses on 3 letter clusters and unexpected spelling patterns( like -tch, spr-, wr- and gn-.)  Please be sure your child gives him or herself enough time to practice these words.  The weekly math practice will now shift from subtraction practice to multiplication practice, which we will continue throughout the year. We will have a test on Ch. 6 in math on Tuesday, addressing the concept of multiplication, and the application of multiplication facts from 0-5, and 9. This test is not timed, and facts need not be memorized for students to perform well.

However, it's the goal for third graders to memorize their multiplication facts, so this week we will begin timed tests on the facts from 0-4.  The kids will be given a lot of time, and students will raise their hands to indicate when they have completed the test.  Your child will then note how long it took to complete the test. The goal is to get faster and faster (with accuracy!)  If your child is struggling with multiplication facts, please support them with additional practice using flash cards, web-based drills, videos, or oral practice (in the car, while waiting in line, etc.)

Finally, please remember that RTI (Reading Groups) start promptly at 7:55.  Tardy students miss out on reading instruction that is targeted to their specific reading needs.  Please get kids to school on time -- or early!

Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Hi All,
It was a pleasure to meet with you last week and discuss your wonderful kids.  I hope the meetings were informative for you all.

This week, the Kindergarten through Third Grade will begin Choir as our  Parent Alliance sponsored art program.  We look forward to having the class weekly throughout the year.

The Harvest Festival is scheduled for this Friday. For those of you that are new to the school, this is a fun, family event that our kids look forward to every year.

This week's homework will consist of a spelling packet, reading log, and math practice sheets.  Please continue supporting your child with the organizational structures they need to do this work well.

Finally, our field trip to the SC Natural History Museum is a week from Friday.  If your child has not returned their permission slip, please send it in.  If it has been misplace, let me know.

Thanks for all you do,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Hi All,
This week is Conference Week.  You should have received a confirmation from me as to the time and date of your conference via "kid mail" or, in some cases, phone or email.  If there is an issue about the schedule, please contact me immediately, as I still have a few free times. Because of conferences, the kids will be dismissed at 12:20 every day, and there is no Afterschool Program.

For this week's Homework Packet, I have included a study guide on government instead of the usual spelling words.  The kids should review this information for a test scheduled on Friday.  In math, we are moving on from addition to subtraction (including regrouping--"borrowing").  Many kids struggle with this concept and may need additional supervision and support when completing their math homework. Please scan your child's nightly math homework to be sure they are practicing this concept correctly, as it will be frustrating for all if they practice misconceptions.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Hello All,
This week the kids will return to our "normal" Homework Packet format.  The spelling words for the week focus on the long vowel sounds, spelled with the "bossy e".  For most students this is a review of a concept from previous years, but this is an essential idea for fluent reading, as well as conventional spelling. Throughout the year, the various spelling concepts are valuable because they review phonics concepts that support reading (decoding), as well as strong spelling. Math will continue with review of Addition Properties and practice.

Thanks to all who returned the permission slip for the Natural History Museum with such swiftness.  I have enough drivers for this trip, but still need some students' permission slips.  Be sure that your child has returned theirs, along with the $1.00 donation for the museum.

Finally, Conference Week begins a week from Monday. If you haven't yet scheduled your child's conference, I will send you a time.  Please remember that there is no Afterschool Program that week, and that the kids are dismissed at 12:20 every day.


Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Hi All,

I hope you are enjoying our beautiful first weekend of autumn!  On Friday, the class (and much of the school) had the wonderful opportunity to see the space shuttle flying past our community.  Hopefully, this will be something the kids remember as we move into the next generation of space exploration.  Third grade will be learning about the solar system later this year in science.  In addition, on Thursday, we had a drum/dance assembly presented by a couple from Zimbabwe.  The assembly was sponsored by the Cox family.  I feel so fortunate to be a part of a school that seizes on teachable moments when they present themselves; it makes our world so much richer.  On that note, we will be going on our second field trip in October, to the Santa Cruz Natural History Museum.  Permission slips and chaperon forms will be coming home this week.

The Homework Packets this week  are slightly different.  There is no spelling list.  Instead, we are asking that the kids memorize and prepare to recite two poems (out of 3 sent home.)  Encourage your child to practice the poems out loud, using a slow, clear voice.  In addition, they should focus on good posture and eye contact.  We will be discussing these skills in class, but they will need time to review them, as well as memorize the poems.  The rest of the packet is the usual (reading log, math facts.) Finally, please take the time to glance over your child's homework, even if they attend the Afterschool Program.  It is essential that you hold your child accountable for quality homework. The supervisors after school see that it is done, but do not check the work's quality.  You do not need to check each math problem, but do scan your kid's work for completeness and general accuracy.

Thanks for all your support,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Hi All,
Thank you for checking in. It was great to meet many of you this week, between Back-to-School Night and our field trip to the fair! I found it quite challenging to include all the information I wanted to share in the brief time we had together Thursday evening. For those of you unable to attend Thursday, the Conference and Parent Volunteer schedules were available for sign-ups. E-mail me to schedule your conference time.

This week, students will bring home a Homework Packet consisting of a spelling list, Practice Book page, Subtraction practice and a Reading Log. Last week, almost all of the kids remembered their packets. The greatest challenge for many remains the Reading Log, which includes a place for a short summary of the day's reading. Please hold your child accountable for writing this summary, as well as reading. In math, we are continuing place value with numbers into the 1000s. Please review Ch. 1's test (taken Friday) with your child when it comes home this week.

Parent volunteers, we will begin the schedule this week. Thanks so much for your support.
Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Hello All,
I hope you are enjoying our beautiful weekend weather!

As you should know by now, we are going to the fair on Thursday. I am still short one driver who can take at least 3 kids. I also have several students missing permission slips. Please contact me ASAP if you can drive on the trip, or if your child needs a 2nd permission slip.

On Thursday, we also have our annual Back-to-School Night. I will have sign ups for in-class Parent Volunteer opportunities, present a few important web sites, and give a quick overview of our class's schedule.

In class this week we will continue studying place value in math. Kids are responsible for the entire front of the nightly math homework, and three of the six leveled problems on the back. Encourage your child to select those problems that are interesting and challenging, not the three that are easiest. That being said, the problems get gradually harder, and if math is not your child's greatest interest or strength, it is fine to do the first three. It is also okay to do more than 3.

In Language Arts, we will continue reading Charlotte's Web, and we will also begin our anthology with a fun story called The Lost and Found.

This week's Homework Packet contains a Reading Log, Spelling list, Spelling Practice Book page, and subtraction practice. It is all due on Friday, but may be returned earlier.

Thanks for all your help. I look forward to seeing many of you throughout the day on Thursday!

Carroll Mayer

Monday, September 3, 2012

Hi All,
I hope you are enjoying the wonderful holiday weekend!

This week the kids will receive a homework packet with a short spelling list, a reading log, and subtraction practice. The packet is due on Friday. Every child is expected to spell their full (including middle) name as part of their spelling test scheduled on Friday. On Wednesday, the class will be having a math test on the concepts of Data and Probability that we have been studying the last 2 weeks. Tuesday night's math homework is a review page from the text, which should give everyone an opportunity to revisit the concepts addressed. There will be no math homework on Wednesday night.

Picture day is this week, and the kids should have brought home order forms. Ask at the office if your child's form got lost in transit.

The permission slip for the fair was delayed, but will be going home this week! The field trip is on Thursday, September 13th. We will be looking for parent chaperons who would enjoy spending the day at the fair, but the board limits our number of free adult tickets. So those people returning their volunteer forms most quickly will be assured a ticket; all others are welcome but may have to pay fair admission. Thanks in advance for your support with this!

Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Hi All,
Happy Second Week! Thanks to all of you who have responded so swiftly to the supply lists and many forms to fill out. I still have a few students missing their Computer Use form and/or yellow Emergency Card. These are the absolute essentials!

After 5 days, I've found your children to be charming and am enjoying starting to know them a little. We will continue with Mystery Bags for this entire week, so be sure your child has brought in their bag as it's a fun way to learn a little about their interests.

This week the kids will continue learning about Data & Probability in math, with the focus shifting more to the concepts and vocabulary for probability. We will have a test on these 2 chapters during Week 3. We have read 5 chapters of Charlotte's Web, and will continue to practice the skill of summarizing throughout the reading of this novel. In Science, we are studying adaptations in plants and animals.

The kids have been very responsible with the daily math homework! In addition, Third Grade sends home a weekly Homework Packet. It goes home on Monday and is due on Friday. This week's packet is a condensed version, as we will not be sending home spelling until next week. However, in a usual week you and your child should expect a spelling list, a spelling Practice Book page (front and back), a reading log, and a math facts sheet (front and back). This week the kids have the math facts and the reading log. The reading log is to be completed daily, and we expect the student to write a 1-2 sentence summary of what they have read. It is probably best for them to practice this orally before they write, and we understand that there is a "learning curve" involved with this skill. Please make sure that your child is held accountable for neat penmanship, and beginning and ending punctuation.

Finally, we will be sending home a permission slip this week for our first field trip: the Santa Cruz County Fair. Please file your driver information in the office ASAP if you plan on driving on a field trip this year. It really makes organizing these enriching activities much easier.

Take care, and have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to Third Grade! We are going to have a great year.


A short supply list is posted. Please don't send pencil boxes, as they take up a great deal of space and are underused by the kids. I will have communal boxes with markers, colored pencils, and other supplies, which we will pull out as needed.


In addition, if you have copies of Charlotte's Web, please bring them as we will start reading this wonderful book right away.


We are also going to hit the ground running with math homework on Monday night. In addition there will be a Mystery Bag assignment that will be due on Friday, August 24th.

I look forward to seeing you on Monday morning at 7:55. Have a great weekend!

Ms. Mayer

Sunday, June 3, 2012

HI All,
Just a few short messages...

I am still short transportation for 5 students to the beach. If you are able to drive, please let me know. Also, the office will not be able to handle last minute updates to driver info., so please come in before Wednesday morning if updates are necessary.

Also, a reminder that Wednesday is a full day. We will have early dismissal on Friday.
If your child has a lost or overdue book, please clear it with the library before Friday. We will have to hold report cards for people with missing books.

Finally, it's been a great honor to teach your children this year. This class has been a special one, and I will look upon it with great fondness. Have a wonderful summer!

Take care,
Carroll

Monday, May 28, 2012

Hi All,
Happy Memorial Day! This week there will be no regular homework, HOWEVER, students should bring home the Astronomy study guide and prepare for the test on Thursday.

The permission slips for the End-of-the-Year Party at Seacliff were sent home last Monday. I am still missing paperwork and $5 from quite a few kids, and I am a little short on drivers. If these have not been sent in, please do it ASAP.

I can't repeat it enough: Thanks for a fabulous year! Your kids have been such a pleasure and I have really enjoyed our time together.

Take care,
Carroll


Sunday, May 20, 2012

Hi All,
Fun field trip on Thursday; thanks to all the drivers who made it possible! Also, the kids enjoyed another successful choir performance on Thursday night.

This week, we will continue to have nightly math homework. The homework packet contains multiplication practice and a reading log. I am doing a final push on multiplication. The kids are taking quizzes twice a week, with the goal of 90% accuracy in 2 minutes or less. When they reach that goal, students are shifting to 100 second multiplication and then 144 second multiplication. In these programs, the kids recite the factors for a list of products. It is a different way of working with multiplication facts, and prepares them well for using these facts in more advanced math.

Finally, I've wrapped up Literature Circles for the year. The kids should continue reading for pleasure and knowledge, and taking AR tests. Many have reached their goal, but many have not.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Hi All,
It was great to see you all on Thursday night at the Open House. The kids have worked hard this year, and are so proud of all they have accomplished. I have had a great time this year with your kind and responsible children, and am so grateful for the opportunity to have taught them.

This Thursday, our class will be going to the Agricultural History Museum at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Kids should bring their lunches and a light jacket or sweater. On Thursday NIGHT, we will have our spring choir performance at Aptos High. Third Graders are expected to perform at 6:15.

Finally, this week students will have a homework packet with multiplication practice and a Reading Log. Please make sure they follow up with these responsibilities. Lit. Circles will be due on Wednesday.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer


Sunday, May 6, 2012

Hi All,
This week begins with the Famous American speeches.  Kids, please come to school on Monday or Tuesday, dressed appropriately,  ready to give your speech.  We will begin as soon as we can. Students 1-15 (A-J) will speak on Monday and 16-29 (J-T) will go on Tuesday.

We will resume regular math homework this week, but the Homework Packet will only contain multiplication practice and a reading log. I will be giving multiplication timed tests 1-2 times a week for the remainder of the year, as we push towards automaticity with these facts.  The Lit. Circle assignment is due on Wednesday, as we have speeches on Tuesday.

Finally, Open House is scheduled for Thursday night. Please come by and see your child's work.

Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Hi All,
Just a few reminders...

This week we will continue CSTs. We should finish on Thursday and will return to a normal homework schedule after this week. I will also be ready for parent volunteers again when testing ends.

Permission slips and $4.00 for the Agricultural History Museum are due right now. I still need 1-2 more drivers (depending on car size.) The trip is on May 17th.

May 17th is also the day for the kids' Spring Choir Performance at Aptos High.

Jogging for the Arts is this Friday. This fundraising event pays for our special Art teachers: Choir this year, various Spectra Art teachers in the past.

Finally, Famous American speeches are due in written form this Friday. The kids will be giving their speeches on May 7th and 8th. I will tell them which day they are speaking this week.

Have a great week!
Carroll

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Hi All,
This is a big week!

First of all, everyone has now brought home their research and writing on the "Famous Americans." As I said in the cover letter attached to the work, most students have completed their research and the first draft of their writing. All students will need to dedicate some, or a lot, of homework time to taking their work to a final draft stage, and practicing delivery of their speech. They will also need to put together an appropriate "dress up" style costume. Please don't spend money on special clothing or props. Regular homework will be much lighter than usual for the couple of weeks, so there should be plenty of time to focus on the speech.

As for regular homework, the weekly packets will now contain a Reading Log and multiplication practice sheet only -- No spelling! In addition, this week's Lit. Circle will be due in 2 weeks, not one, because of state testing. Students will have math homework on Monday and Tuesday of this week only; after that we will begin state testing.

Students are also bringing home a permission slip for our final museum field trip-- the Agricultural History Museum. This is a fun, hands-on activity. Please return the permission slip quickly, so I don't have to nag the kids.

Finally, as you have probably inferred, state testing will begin in Room 24 on Wednesday, April 25. Please make sure your child arrives on time, well rested and fed. The tests will continue into the week beginning April 30th. Students may bring sugarless gum to chew in class, but school rules about gum elsewhere will be enforced. Thanks for your support this year in all matters, including these assessments.

Take care, and have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Hello All,
This week we will be working on long division in math. For homework, I will be sending home some practice pages that focus just on this skill. The homework will look different from our usual HM math pages. After this week, we will move on to 2 chapters on capacity, but will still be practicing long division daily.

In Social Studies, we will continue working on researching and writing Famous American speeches. After this Thursday, students will be bringing home their work, and completing the project at home. While many have made a lot of progress in class, some of the kids will need a lot more time and support at home. The speeches will be due on May 8th and 9th, but more details in terms of expectations will come home with the kids at the end of this week. This week is the last week the homework packets will include spelling words; starting next week they will just have reading logs and multiplication drills.

Have a great week.
Carroll Mayer

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Hello All,
I hope you had a great break. I know I enjoyed the time off and beautiful weather.

First, as so many students forgot their Lit. Circle assignments today, I am delaying the groups for one day. Students will receive their new assignments on Wednesday this week.  If your child has not completed their assignment (which they have had for 2 weeks) please have them wrap it up tonight!

Spelling homework for this week will be due next Friday, April 20th. This is the last spelling lesson of the year, so packets after this date will just contain multiplication practice and reading logs. Also, I am having the kids add a word to the list: doesn't.

This Friday our class has a field trip scheduled for the MAH.  I have many volunteer drivers, so if you signed up the field trip and are having second thoughts, please let me know.  I will send a reminder home ASAP if you volunteered for the trip.

Finally, the date for Rio del Mar's spring choir concert is Thursday, May 17th.  It will be at Aptos High, just like the Winter Concert.

Have a great week!
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Hello All,
I hope you are all enjoying this weekend.

First of all, a big thank you goes out to Ben and Corrie Slyder. Our class got to have an excellent Science Party organized by Ben, a high school Science teacher. He demonstrated some cool properties of matter and light, and gave the kids some tools to take home and replicate the activities. It was an interesting and fun way to end the week!

As you probably know, there will not be a Homework Packet going home this Monday, because last week's packet was not due until this Friday. I imagine everyone will do very well on Friday's Spelling Test because they will have additional time to practice! There will also be a timed multiplication test on Friday, covering the facts through 7. As we do 3 and 4 digit multiplication problems, those kids who have been practicing the facts all year are really seeing a payoff. This will continue as we move into long division. Please make sure your child is practicing multiplication until it is automatic!

In addition, if you have not returned your child's permission slip for the April field trip to the MAH, please do so. We will be going on this trip right after Spring Break, and it's much easier to organize ahead of time.

Finally, the kids are working hard on note-taking for their Famous American speech. This week we will move into writing the first of the five paragraphs. While most of this project will be completed in class, some kids may need the extra support or time that they can get at home to complete the project. I will let you know when this assignment becomes homework, and notify you about the final completion date at that time.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Monday, March 19, 2012

Hi All,
As mentioned last week, Third Graders are beginning research on their "Famous American" reports. Be sure to send your child with a readable (to him/her) article about their chosen person. If this is not possible, please send a note.

Also, just a reminder that Lit. Circles are due on Tuesdays. I understand that this is particularly difficult to remember when it's a 3 day weekend, but students can bring in completed work ahead of time too. Several of the kids have become "Frequent Fliers" when it comes to missing Lit. Circles, and it has a very negative impact on the entire group, who miss out on that person's contribution to the discussion. Please impress upon your child the importance of being responsible about this obligation.

Finally, I will be sending home permission slips and information about our field trip to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH). As the trip is scheduled right after we return from Spring Break, I need all permission slips and volunteer information before we take the week off. Thanks for your support in this matter.

Take care, and enjoy the week,
Carroll

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Hello All,
It was great to see so many at Saturday's Auction Dinner Dance. Thank you so much for the opportunity to attend. Parents really had fun dressing up in early 60's style.

This week, we will begin instruction for the 3rd graders' "Famous American" Report. At home, please select a "Famous American" and print an article that your child is able to comfortably read. In addition, I have a variety of short biographies in class, as does the school library. The person selected must be someone who has contributed in a leadership role to American society, not simply a person with celebrity or artistic/athletic talent. Children should have their person chosen by Friday, March 16. Articles to be used for research are due on Tuesday, March 20th. Please send a note if you are unable to print an article at home.

Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Hi All,
This week's homework packet will not include a spelling list. Instead, there are math practice pages and a short article and crossword puzzle. Also, I am hearing from some kids that they don't have enough time to do their Lit. Circles. Please remind your child that this assignment is given weekly, and they need to plan their work time accordingly.

Have a great week,
Carroll

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Hi All,
Just a few reminders...
Lit. Circles are due on Tuesdays, and are marked down if the student does not have the prepared job at the group's meeting. Most kids are doing well with this responsibility, and all students are welcome to bring completed assignments into class early and keep them safely in their desk.

For the most part, students did well on our Social Studies test on the US Government. I did delete one portion of the test from the final score, as many children were confused by the format. All students appear to know more about the structures of our government than they did a few weeks ago.

Shana DeBernardo is finishing up our class auction project with the kids this week. Ask your child about it-- and look for it at the auction site. Thanks, Shana, for your great work on this fun project!

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Hi All,
Due to the President's Day holidays, the spelling packet will not be due until a week from this Friday, on February 24th. However, please encourage your child to use the full 2 weeks for practice, as the spelling concept is -augh and -ough! In math, we will continue with fractions.

This Wednesday, Rio del Mar is having its 2nd Annual Book Night. The K-3 book is Stuart Little. Last year, we had a fun and interesting time discussing the selection, and sharing our enthusiasm for reading. I hope to see you there.

Our Valentine Party is scheduled for 12:15-1:15 on Tuesday. Students who bring valentines must include enough for all 29 members of the class.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Hi All,
I hope you are enjoying another beautiful weekend!

Hopefully, most of you received my email to send in photos from this school year for our yearbook page. Please get your pictures in right away, by Wednesday at the latest.

Kids have been doing very well getting back into the routine of homework, and most have been remembering their daily and weekly responsibilities. However, several children forgot their Lit. Circle homework last week. This is due every Tuesday. Students may bring in the homework early if they are worried about forgetting on Tuesday, but this assignment's grade will be lowered if the work is not returned on time.

Valentine's Day will be here soon. The class party is scheduled immediately after lunch on the 14th, from 12:15-1:15. I will send home a list of students' names this week, so that valentines can be addressed individually. As always, those kids who choose to bring valentines must include all members of the class.

Have a great week,
Carroll


Sunday, January 22, 2012

HI All,
Just a few reminders...

We are back to normal with the Homework Packet; it's due on Friday. Remember that the first new Lit. Circle assignment is due on Tuesday. Kids may bring it in on Monday and just save it in their desk until Tuesday. They must also bring in their books to use during the meeting.

Continue practicing multiplication facts. Students will find that the better they know their multiplication, the better they know division. Math homework will be smoother and easier for those kids who have their multiplication facts memorized. On Friday, we will have another timed test on multiplication facts 0-5.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Monday, January 16, 2012

Hi All,
Well, now we are back to the routine after a long Winter Break and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday! The Homework Packet given to the kids last Wednesday is due this Friday. In addition, the kids will be bringing home their new Lit. Circle assignments on Tuesday. They are due the following Tuesday, January 24th. From now on, students will receive their assignments each week and will be responsible for attending their Lit. Circle on Tuesday with the completed work and book in hand. Please help your child stay organized with this new task, as the reading and "job" should be completed over several days, not on Monday night!

In Math, we are moving on from geometry to division. While we will be focusing primarily on the concept of division, those students who have their multiplication facts memorized will have a much easier time with the work.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer