January 23, 2025

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday! It is hard to believe January is almost over! We have not had one single snow day this year and last year we had had 7 by now. Where is my snow! I am hoping February does not disappoint me and brings me a good snowstorm. Yes, I am in charge of snow blowing and cleaning up my snow. Sometimes I have a friend who pops over and digs out my driveway if they have time. Last year I tackled a 3 ft. snow drift with my little snow blower. It took me a very long time. But I love watching the snow fall under a blanket in my comfy clothes with a hot chocolate and a book. Best time of the year.

Language Arts

This week we have finished up our Module 3 testing and writing an informational essay over an animal of their choice. Most of the students are still putting together their facts and paragraphs. I do have 8 that are finished. The hardest part of writing projects is meeting with me to edit and revise. Twenty-three kids is a lot of kids to try and meet with and get the project shined up Publishing. This is a long process. Tomorrow I will assign the next book report to them and then once again start pulling kids to my desk so we can look at their papers. I hope to have more than half the students complete by the end of tomorrow. Today I got 1/3 of the class finished. It took over an hour. Monday we will begin a new story for Module 4. So back to spelling tests, worksheets and reading from our book.

Math

We have been working on double-digit multiplication! This week the strategy we have focused on has been Area Box. We have spent a couple days working on this one. We will move into partial product next, which is the same thing just without the visual or area box. Most kids are okay with it because they feel it will be less work, but it is not. I make them show me the problems they are working I have to see how their brains are working or I will never know how they got the answer. They are learning the hard way this year that they have to show their work on everything. If they do not show their work, I assume they used a calculator which is not how we do it, so it is a late slip for not being done. They will thank me one day cause in Middle School if there is not work they don't accept it and it is a late slip.

Social Studies

We have started our 2nd chapter over the Southeast States. The first lesson is all about the Cherokee U.S. Government and sent to Reservation land in Oklahoma. The track they took from Tennessee to Oklahoma is known as the Trail of Tears because it was a long hard journey with very little good, and warm clothing. Many Cherokee died along this route! The students are working on their first "Sequence" worksheet. I teach them a strategy to work this by using post it notes. I have them write the statements on post it notes and them put the post its in the book where they find the statements. When they are all found in the book, they are automatically in order. So now it is easy to start with the first note and make it #1 then the next one is #2 and so on until all are put in order. It is a great strategy to know to use in High School and beyond.

Spirit Day

Tomorrow is a Spirit Day. The students can pay $1.00 to wear sweatpants. It is the perfect sweat pant weather. Again, we use those dollars to help staff or St. Malachy Families in need.

Catholic Schools Week

Sunday Kick off Mass at Holy Spirit - Students that signed up were given part in their Take Home Folders today. It is on Lavender sheet. Petitions are running late and not in there.

Monday Faculty/Staff Appreciation Students need to bring a sack lunch milk will be provided. The dress theme today is St. Malachy Gear

Tuesday School Appreciation Day - Build a snowman day (this is inside activity with Advent Angels). The dress theme is: Polar Paradise: Wear snowman/white clothing

Wednesday Vocation/Community Day Advent angel activity to write Thank you to priests and nuns. The dress theme for today is Disney Day

Thursday Student Appreciation Field trip to the Family Fun Center for Bowling. Please turn in the green permission form and $6.00 by Wednesday. Also wear sticky socks if you have them. The dress theme for today is Dress in a decade: 50's, 60's, 70's or 80's.

Friday Grandparent/Special guest day School will dismiss at 1:00 PM. A grandparent or special guest is to pick up students and go to Holy Spirit church for Mass. This is required it is not an option. Everyone must attend mass as it is part of the School day. The dress theme for today is Dress-Up day. Dress in Mass clothing.

Next week is definitely a busy week for us. We have lots of fun things going on. it is a great time to celebrate our school. I look forward to this week every year. it is fun to participate in the dress up days and all the fun activities planned. This is like our Homecoming Week. I look forward to how the kids will be creative in their dress up days. My disney day is proving some work for me. The decade day I am excited about. I ordered something fun. I hope it works!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels