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

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

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

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

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

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

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