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Sunday, September 30, 2018

Sailing to week 6

Here's a preview of our upcoming week.
  • We'll spend some time talking about transition words in writing and create our own improvisational story. 
  • The students will start a novel (Where the Red Fern Grows or Sounder) and be part of a literacy circle for the next 8 weeks. 
  • I'll give a spelling assessment that will be shared during our goal setting conferences.
  • We'll discuss  Science Chapter 1, vocabulary words, and begin a classification project.
  • The students will have the opportunity to revise and edit their Native American powerpoint presentations in order to raise their grades. We will then be moving on to European explorers and the controversial subject of Christopher Columbus.
  • The students always have ongoing math assignments so please be aware of those.
  • Some students will have handwriting homework.
  • GrabNGo: Mini chicken tacos, burritos, muffins, fruit, and snacks. YUM!
Please check your student's google classroom in order to support him/her in their assignments and homework.

In addition to all of our classroom activities, we have some exciting events this week. Thursday, GVT has invited us to come and view their performance of "Julius Caesar". We will leave school around 9:30 and return after picnicking on the lawn at Carnegie Hall @12:30. I need 2 more drivers so please let me know if you are available on Thursday.

Our last XC met is Friday at Pipestem. Please take note of these recent changes in Friday's schedule. I'll leave school at 1:30 with those wanting to caravan and will meet others at the XC course at Pipestem at 3:00. The meet starts at 3:00 with the college women race. College men run at 3:40. Then the HS girls are up at 4:20 and the HS boys at 5:00. The middle schools girls will follow next at 5:40 and then the MS boys at 6:15. We'll watch the meet together. With the changes in the schedule, we won't have time to do other activities. Please plan to join. (We will be practicing on Tuesday and Thursday at the Fairgrounds.)

Also, and more importantly, goal setting conferences are being scheduled for Friday morning, October 5 and Monday, October 8. Please schedule a time for you and your student to come to your individual conference.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. We are well on our way to a fantastic year. Kudos to our XC team for an excellent showing at the Spartan Invitational. The boys team came in third, Indigo received an individual 15th medal, and Ian L. came in 8th place. Well done!

Mrs. J










Sunday, September 23, 2018

Moving into Week 5

I feel that the class is coming together well and ready to tackle more learning! I plan to have ongoing projects that integrate different subject areas. Some will be short term while others will take a few weeks. The students have time in class to work on them, but there will probably be times that your student will need to do some work at home. If you ever have questions or concerns, please contact me. I'm trying to push the students, yet I don't want to overwhelm them.

This week, they have chosen a tribe or tribes of Native Americans to read about and prepare a powerpoint presentation. They are assigned two separate sources to draw from, but they may use others that they discover. The project is due this Friday. Your student has the necessary information and can give you more details.

Tomorrow, I'm assigning a specific writing piece. They will have a couple of weeks to take this piece through the writing process. The assignment is to write a first person narrative about the Monarch's journey. This writing combines our Science studies with writing and also English Grammar.

Some very important events are on the horizon so please take note:

  • Tuesday and Thursday this week: XC practice at the fairgrounds parking lot. If it's raining, we'll stay at school and do sprints and yoga.
  • Tuesday and Thursday: Band and dance. Remember instruments and dance clothes.
  • Thursday 9/27: School pictures
  • Saturday 9/29: Spartan Invitational XC meet. I'll let you know what time we will meet there.




  • Saturday 9/29: Harvest dinner
  • Friday and Monday 10/5 and 10/8: Goal setting - no school. All parents and students must participate. Schedule your time in the office. Return your parent survey this week.
  • Friday 10/5: XC meet at Pipestem. We'll plan to meet at Pipestem at 3:30 for some fun together, and then run in the meet. I'll send details next week.
GrabNGo starts this week! The menu is chicken strips with ranch dressing, fruit/grain cereal bars, blueberry muffins, and clementines. Thank you, Tanya and Gretchen. Please talk to Tanya about participating in this fundraiser for our kids.

This was a long post and I appreciate you sticking with me to the end. I'm enjoying your kids and the challenge of keeping them stimulated and focused.

Mrs. J


Sunday, September 16, 2018

Snaking our way into week 4

Old business

  • If you missed parent night, please come to the classroom and pick up your parent packet. Also, the parent survey needs to be completed and returned by 9/24. 
  • Your student will not be allowed to take a chrome book home until you read and sign an agreement form.
New business
  • We will have XC practice this Tuesday and Thursday at the fairgrounds parking lot. We need drivers to be at school by 3:15 to help with transportation. Pick up will be at the fairgrounds parking lot between 4:15 and 4:30. If it's raining, we will have practice at school.
  • Remember to have your student bring his band instrument or dance clothes on Tuesday and Thursday.
  • Please pay attention to the home/school communication which will come home with your student tomorrow.
Future business
  • September 29 - XC meet at GEHS.
  • September 29 - Harvest dinner
  • October 5 - Morning: goal setting meetings - Afternoon, evening: Pipestem XC meet
  • November 2 - Day trip to Monticello. Please let me know this week if you are able to drive and/or attend. 
  • Beginning of May - Field trip to Williamsburg and Busch Gardens.
  • I need a parent to head up fundraising in order to offset the expenses of our field trips. GrabNGo brings in about $200 a week. If someone will get this going, it may be all we have to do. Please contact me if you are willing to do this.
We had a successful trip to Cranberry Glades and the Falls of Hills Creek. We were all captivated by the WV snake program and most of the kids loved being amateur snake handlers. The students did quite a bit of nature journaling while walking the boardwalk of The Glades and enjoyed taking in all the beauty of the waterfalls. I count all that exercise as a mini XC practice!














I'm enjoying class and building relationships with your children. They are an interesting bunch!
Mrs. J

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Bring on Week 3.



Old business:

  • The kids are settling in. We are all adjusting to new energy and beginning to focus on learning.
  • The XC meet was so much fun, even in the blazing heat. Your kids (and mine) amazed me. Honestly, I didn't think they all would finish. They are awesome! 
New business this week:
  • We'll have XC practice at the fairgrounds on Tuesday. I need another driver. Pick up will be at the fairgrounds between 4:15 and 4:30.
  • Parent night is Thursday starting at 6:00 pm. I'm looking forward to sharing what our days look like with you.
  • Because of parent night, there will not be XC practice on Thursday. 
  • A day trip to Cranberry Glades is planned for Friday but I need two more drivers. We can't go if we can't transport. Contact me if you can drive.
Important future events:
  • September 20, 5:30-7:00pm: Back to school picnic at Hollowell Park. Bring a dish or dessert to share.
  • September 29: Harvest Dinner. Tickets are now on sale.
  • October 5 and October 8: Goal setting conferences - no school
  • October 5: XC meet at Pipestem. I will have goal setting conferences in the morning. We'll travel to Pipestem in the afternoon, leaving around 2:00. The first race is at 5:45 (high school) with the middle school races beginning around 6:30.
Here is some information about our next meet.


We had a great week. I'm still getting to know each student and the ways of GES. Our class is interesting and enthusiastic and I'm looking forward to an enjoyable year. Mrs. Troyer and I are working hard to shape our classroom into one that is comfortable, safe, and pleasant for every student. Some procedures and expectations will remain consistent and others will change slightly due to new teachers and new students. Our goal is for all of the class to cooperate and be respectful while learning and playing so that we can spend each day in a relaxed, supportive, learning environment.




Hope to see all of you Thursday evening,
Mrs. J







Sunday, September 2, 2018

On to week 2...

Some old business...

  • XC team sports physicals are a must before Wednesday's meet. I need the form by Tuesday.
  • All summer reading books are due back to the classroom on Tuesday.


And some new business...

  • Tuesday we will leave the school by 3:15 and run at the fairgrounds. I need a driver to help get the students there. Pick up your student at 4:15 in the back of the fairgrounds parking lot. Turn into the parking lot from 219 South and follow the paved road to the back.
  • We will be leaving the school around 1:30 pm on Wednesday for the meet. I've registered Mary, Cody, Jordan, Ian L. Indigo, Mason, Victoria, Julia, Baylor, and Casey for this meet. Will Jada, Maxine, Ian B., and Aiden be traveling with us? Our drivers are Mrs. Troyer, Mr. Lumsden, Stephanie Sanders, and me. I've included information about the meet and a travel map. Please let me know if there are any changes or corrections that need to be made in regards to the meet. Send $10 with your student and we will stop and get food on the way home.





     Our first full week was comprised of presentations, independent work, games, and a trip to the public library. This class goes full force all the time! Check out more of our week's highlights on the GES Facebook page.






Enjoy Monday off and we'll get back at it Tuesday morning.
Mrs. J