Hi All,
I hope you're enjoying this spectacular weekend. There are so many fun things to do that I'm expecting a bunch of worn-out kids tomorrow!

On Thursday night, we have Back-to-school Night. This will be your first opportunity to sign up for volunteer time, schedule your parent-teacher conference, and hear a general outline of the 4th grade year and expectations. Mrs. Dorney and the Parent Alliance will also be doing presentations so you can learn about other ways to support your child as part of the Rio del Mar community. The event is scheduled for 6:30-8:00, with the primary teachers meeting first.  No kids at this function.

I've started to hear from a few parents regarding math struggles. I'm seeing the kids work with greater confidence than they did last year when we began using Engage New York's math curriculum, but I understand the material is very challenging. I've been posting links to various teachers presenting the lessons, and the school has also put a link to homework and other teacher videos on the home page. Please encourage your child to review these resources when they begin to feel overwhelmed! (The videos will also be helpful to you.)  Finally, please be assured that we always include the "standard algorithm" when teaching math strategies. The lessons are intended to teach a variety of techniques, but many kids find the tried and true to be their preference. However, I've definitely seen kids develop a deeper understanding of the "why" of various algorithms when we begin with dots and place value charts and the like. On Wednesdays and Thursdays I plan class time to discuss homework questions, and I don't penalize kids for errors. I do expect all to put in some time and best effort and come with questions when the assignments are unclear.

I'm sending home a Scholastic order brochure this week, and would like to place an order this Friday afternoon. You may make orders via the website or the order form, and if you're ordering online you can select from any brochure. Our class code is on the blog. They give a lot more points at the beginning of the year, which I use to order new books, so if you're able, this is a great time to order!

Picture Day is this Tuesday, September 8th!

Have a great week, and I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday!

Carroll Mayer