Almost there...

We're almost there... but not quite. The need for Spring Break is real but we have three little days until that time comes around. These "little" days are actually big days, chock full of learning experiences, so please encourage your child to stay positive and focused.

This week we'll be learning about fossil fuels and renewable energy - important stuff - and we'll be reading about the hows and whys of American expansion into the Pacific Islands. This evening I posted two longish assignments. 1. The students will write their own short story. 2. They are reading either Fahrenheit 451 or Lord of the Flies and preparing for two Socratic discussions. These assignments are on Google Classroom in the ELA thread.

I'm looking forward to the goal conferences this week. It's been an honor to mentor your children and I'm anxious to share my thoughts with you as well as listen to yours.

The students embraced our latest project. They each chose an inventor from the Industrial Revolution Era to research. Some wrote three paragraphs about their inventor while others wrote a five paragraph essay. Along with the writings, they collected items about their person and displayed these in a shoebox. Here are their final products.

Cyrus McCormick 

Elias Howe/Isaac Singer 

Alexander Graham Bell 

Thomas Edison 

Nikola Tesla

Charles Goodyear

Richard Gatling

George Eastman

Eli Whitney

George Westinghouse

All Smiles

Our Galaxy students shined at the Regional Social Studies Fair on Saturday. They all were outstanding and at the end of the day two of them received 1st place medals. Aiden and Maxine will be continuing on to represent GES and Greenbrier County in the WV State Social Studies Fair which will be held on April 26. Congratulations to Ian B., Indigo, Mary, Julia, and Casey for all placing 3rd in their categories.

Spring break is right around the corner - April 22-April 26. Parent/student conferences are scheduled for April 18 - 19. Please schedule with Tanya and remember that there is no school on those days.

Reminders:

• Keep sending money with your student for GrabNGo and check with Tanya about providing the goodies for one of the remaining weeks.
• May 4 is the Annual Auction. Please plan to come. Contribute $25 to pay for the Galaxy Auction Basket.
• Our end-of-the-year field trip is May 17-19.

Encourage your student to end the year strong. We still have some learning to do along with all the activities that come at this time. It's been a great year!

Mrs. J

Love the smiles!

1st Place!

They had a blast!

The whole crew.

Breezing into April...

Spring is here and with it lots of anticipation for the end of the year. We still have some hurdles to clear these next couple of months but we are pretty close to the finish line.

Here are some highlights from March.

The students followed the evolution of an organism and observed how its traits changed. They provided evidence as to how/where it lived and if it was predator or prey.



These student's are enjoying the nice weather and a game of Dungeons and Dragons



while these three have fun with a little bit of old fashioned jump-roping.



I don't think I need to explain this...

Alice in Wonderland was a hit.

They were mesmerized by the North House's train set-up and the globe/map exhibition.

We all learned about the local Civil Rights Movement by visiting the exhibit at City Hall.



WVSOM students provided some excellent hands on activities.




















All the students that competed on the county level of the Social Studies Fair are moving on the the Regional competition next Saturday!

Our class strand of DNA.

GES is always trying to be the best it can be and so there is often times when discussions are necessary in order to determine the direction GES needs to be headed. Please consider joining in the important discussion concerning our Episcopalian affiliation.

You will be receiving an email with information about the summer program and also an updated school calendar.

Finally, one last piece of information. Each year, every class has a basket that is auctioned at the Annual Auction. This year we have a trip to offer. We're asking each family to contribute $25 to cover the expense of this fantastic offering. Please pay Tanya as soon as possible.

Mrs. J

Wrapping Up March

I hope everyone enjoyed the show this afternoon. Personally, I love seeing those kids having so much fun. GVT is definitely a gift to this community.

Just a few reminders:
1. Financial aid is open until March 31.
2. It's time to sign up for new contracts.
3. A new school calendar for the rest of this remaining school year will go out at the beginning of the week.
4. Pages+ Fiesta Dinner is this Thursday at 5:30. Please join us.
5. Galaxy Nacho lunch is Friday.
6. GES Auction is coming up on May 4.

The end of the year is closing in on us. Please help your student stay strong and motivated as we wind up our studies. There's always more to learn... for all of us!

Mrs.J

Spring!

Happy first week of Spring! Now let's hope that the weather agrees with the season.

Here's what's coming up:

• Monday 3/18 - St. Patrick's Day celebration. Students are to be festive and wear some green to school or just stick with the school uniform.
• Monday 3/18 - $10 contribution for the taco/nacho lunch due. 
• Friday 3/22 - Taco/nacho lunch. Come join the Galaxy for lunch on Friday. All donations will go toward the end of the year field trip.
• Sunday 3/24 - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at Green Valley Theater. Plan to gather in the lobby at 2:00 for the 2:30 performance. I have the tickets.
• Thursday March 28 - Pages plus family Fiesta. Please come from 5:30-7:00. More details to come in the school newsletter.

This week in the Galaxy we will be exploring fossils and evolution, learning about the people and events of the Civil War, finishing up persuasive essays, honing math skills, and playing with passive/active verbs. I've incorporated a little bit of yoga and stretching into our day along with intentional mindfulness. We all seem to be enjoying the change. It's good stuff for healthy bodies and minds.

As always, don't hesitate to contact me with questions, concerns, suggestions, or even just to say hi.

Mrs. J

      

Choosing a Path

I'm sure you have all been enjoying this beautiful Spring-like day. It certainly is a wonderful follow-up to a successful Greenbrier County Social Studies Fair. All the students who were present and represented the Galaxy class received 1st place ribbons and will be moving on to the regional SS Fair to be help April 6 at Oak Hill High School. Kudos to Aiden, Casey, Ian B., Indigo, Julia, Mary, and Maxine.

We'll have a shortened week due to the septic mishap. Thankfully, all will be in working order and sanitized by Tuesday. Remind your students to finish up any outstanding assignments and come to school Tuesday prepared for their spelling and geography tests.

This week we'll discuss the Trail of Tears, complete outlines for persuasive essays, and explore fossil records. Friday morning we'll visit Lewisburg's City Hall and experience a poignant exhibit about the Civil Rights Movement in our local community. Then we'll go to the North House and learn about the Civil War. We are so fortunate to have such a rich history right in our own backyards.

The end of the school year is sneaking up and with it our Williamsburg/Jamestown/Busch Garden field trip. We also have some fundraising that needs to get done and so... please come to a meeting this Wednesday from 3:30-4:00. This meeting is important and so is mandatory. We will be covering the details of the trip, signing permission forms, and planning for the taco lunch and yard sale fundraisers. Mark it on your calendar.

Field Trip/fundraiser meeting - Wednesday, 3/13 3:30-4:00, Galaxy Room, Parents and students

The students seem to be enjoying Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It's a crazy read but has some worthwhile thoughts. I love the quote that I've included in this post. I know that speaking as a parent, my husband and I want our children to have some sort of idea of what kind of life they want, what kind of person they will be, and what their dreams and aspirations are. We want them to be strong and secure so that they don't go down just any old path. These are important years. I feel extremely blessed to be part of the GES community; a family of educators, parents, and children who care about who they are and where they're going.

Mrs. J

Job Well done!

I'm so proud of our students. They made possible what at times they thought was impossible. With some hard work - focused attention - perseverance, they completed the task and excelled. The GES Social Studies Fair was a success and the panel of judges revealed these results:

Individual
1st place

• World History - Indigo Graves
• Sociology - Mason Jones
• US History - Ian Lowthorp
• Economics - Ian Burford
• Anthropology - Maxine Casto
• Geography - Aiden Bebee

Group

1st place

• World History  - Casey Blair, Julia Troyer, Mary Johnson

2nd place

• Economics - Cody Wood
• US History - Jordan Wood

3rd place

• World History - Baylor Wooton
• US History - Jada Church

The 1st place winners are invited to move on to the county competition which will be held next Saturday, March 9 at Western Greenbrier Middle School. Students will set up their displays between 9-10am with the judging taking place from 10-12. Judges are needed for this event. I judged last year and it was an interesting and worthwhile experience. Please consider giving back to out community by volunteering to be a judge.

This week we'll learn about Andrew Jackson, his influence as the President, and his Indian Removal policy. We'll explore fossils and mass extinctions. We'll continue to wrap our heads around independent and dependent clauses, and we'll begin the first steps of persuasive writing. 

The classroom is always open to visitors and participants. Please plan to take some time out of your day and spend it with us. 

Mrs. J