Dear Parents and Students,
Wow!  That first week seemed to fly by! It's been terrific to see old friends, as well as make some new ones.  The kids all seem well-rested, and eager to access new skills and knowledge.

First of all, thanks for the timely return of school forms and the Cotsen Foundation permission slip.  All but 2-3 students have returned the papers.  If your child is one of the kids who has not, please do so right away! In addition, please take note of the supply list on this site.  While the complete list is not mandatory, it will be very helpful if each child has a folder for homework, and an old sock to use as a white board eraser.

This week the kids are taking home the first official homework assignment.  They will not be getting a packet, but will bring home a single sheet with all regular work for the week listed.  Some students may also find that they need to put in additional time on classwork they have not completed. In a nutshell, there will be:
math homework --due daily *
spelling words--assignments due and tested on Friday
reading-- assignments and self-selected, due Friday.

*Each math module's homework will be sent home at the beginning of the unit.  Students will remove pages as they are assigned.

The spelling list will be included on the weekly handout, but students will have the opportunity to move on from the weekly list, to a Challenge List, if they score a 22/25 on Monday's pretest. I will explain the Challenge Lists to the kids, and they can access them through the link to Mr. McMillan's blog.  On Friday, those kids assigned to these challenge words will have their own quiz.  In addition, they will do their homework based on the Challenge List they're working on.

Finally, Parents, please email me with your best contact information, as well as confirmation that you are able to access the blog.  I will be updating it 1-2 days a week, and most information will be noted here first.

Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Hello Parents and Students,

Happy 4th grade!  I'm excited about the new year and grade.  This week we will be focused on getting to know one and other, warming up from the summer break, and taking care of paperwork!  Regular homework will begin in a few days, although parents will find they have some tasks to complete.

On the right you will see some optional supply items.  It's fun to start the school year with new gear, but I will provide all the essentials.  Please don't purchase a full-sized binder or a large pencil box.  The desks are not that big, and hauling a binder to and from school will just make your backpack heavier.  As noted on the list, you may want a binder to keep math modules in at home, as we will be sending home about a month's worth of math homework at a time, and you will not be doing it all on the first day!

I've also listed some wish list items, for those of you that want to contribute extra materials to the classroom.  I will be looking for Parent Helpers this year, but will not have signups until Back-to-School Night on September 18th.

Finally, please sign up at the top to receive these blog posts via email. If your child is not in my class this year, it's time to unsubscribe.

Take care, and I'll see you on Monday!
Carroll Mayer

Hello Parents and Students,
Summer is almost over, so I know you're all eager to see and learn what the new year's going to bring.  First of all, along with you, I've moved to 4th grade!  I'm really excited to discover what 4th graders are learning these days, as it's been a long time since I was one.

I'll be updating this blog again before school starts, to let those of you who are in my class know how to prepare for the first day of school. 

Finally, for those of you that are not on my class list this year, I certainly hope you drop by and say "Hello" once school has started.

Enjoy these last precious days,
Carroll Mayer

Hi All,
Thank you so much for the opportunity to spend this year with your children. They are curious, thoughtful, kind-hearted, and hard-working. It's been a delight. Have a wonderful summer, and I look forward to seeing you all around Rio next year.
Carroll Mayer

Hi All,

I so enjoyed seeing those of you that could attend Open House last Thursday. The kids really love showing off the classroom and their work from this year.

This week the kids will have a "Mini" Homework Packet, consisting of a Reading Log and a single multiplication page. Please make sure your child takes this final packet seriously; many kids have been slacking off about doing and returning quality homework.

The kids will be wrapping up their astronomy research on Tuesday, and will be a part of a panel presenting information about their topic to the class on Wednesday. The class will have an Astronomy Test on Friday. We will also have a final multiplication facts quiz on Friday.

Finally, a big thank you to all the parents who have helped in our class throughout the year, driven on field trips, organized parties, and worked behind the scenes to organize and support our students, classroom, and school. Your efforts are much appreciated.

Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Hi All,
We're in the countdown and the days are short. Every year I'm surprised how quickly June comes. This Thursday is Open House. The kids are excited and happy to show their room, see their siblings' classes, and explore the Fourth Grade.

Thanks to all the parents who have helped in a variety of ways throughout this year, from helping to organize parties, volunteering in the classroom, driving on field trips, participating in fundraisers, working on Site Council and Parent Alliance; without all you do our school would not be such a special place. A special thanks to Kristen Barrett for my yummy birthday lunch and cupcakes. I felt very fussed over and loved all the kids' cards. And then the next day was the Staff Appreciation Lunch--which was terrific!

This week the kids are bringing home a packet with our final spelling list. We are continuing with Astronomy, Measurement, and reading Little House in the Big Woods. The kids will have a small math test on metric units, and then we will study standard units of measurement. Many kids have not reached their AR goal yet, so please remind the kids to stay on top of that. There's still plenty of reading time, and anyone that wishes may also test on Little House...

Have a great week and I'll see you all on Thursday at 6:30,
Carroll Mayer

Hello All,

This week we will be continuing state testing on Monday, so I will not be sending home any math homework on that day. Math homework will restart later in the week. Students received their Homework Packet for the week on Friday, as I know many like the extra weekend time to work on it. This week kids will be reciting a poem, rather than learning spelling words. Students should memorize one (or both) poems, and also practice, keeping aware of the presentation skills we've discussed in the past. Specifically, students should be aware of eye contact, voice volume, and  pacing. They've made great progress this year in their oral presentations. 

In class, our literature focus is Little House in the Big Woods. We are continuing our study of Astronomy in science, and will also be working on writing our own constellation myths. The new math unit will be capacity using metric units. Finally, the kids are having a terrific time studying cartooning with our Spectra artist, Jon Hastings. 

The final Scholastic book order is coming home on Monday. Although I'm sending home several brochures, families may order books from any flier on the website. Please keep  summer reading in mind, as it's essential the kids keep reading throughout the summer to maintain their skills. 

Have a great week,

Carroll Mayer