January 4, 2024

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday! Welcome to 2024! The last half of the year is here. I told the kids they still feel like the rest of the year will take forever but for me not so much. I begin making plans based on the whole picture now. I am looking at the end of the year goals. They were shocked to hear me say that. It is still a long ways out but that is how a teacher's mind works. I know I have a lot to get finished and when you look at time left and all the things that will happen in between it shrinks quickly. We have Catholic Schools week, Lent, and Spring Break. They are all busy times with lots of activities. I hope everyone had a great Christmas Break.

Language Arts

This week in language Arts we finished up the Christmas story they were writing before we left for break. They had a "Peer" editing session yesterday and today we printed them off and shared them. Tomorrow I will assign the 2nd book report to them. They will need to read a book that has more pages than the first book they read. I have those written down so I will know. I am hoping they have an easier time picking one this time. I am thinking they will know more about what books they like to read. Some may have to learn to not be so picky. They will have the directions to the report and the rubric in their folders tomorrow. I really like this report and the kids who love to draw and color will also. I apologize to those who do not. The last report we do will be a better fit for them!

Math

We reviewed partial product yesterday by playing a game. Today I taught them the standard algorithm which is what you and I learned in school. I feel like they caught on pretty quickly. We will work with this into next week. Now you will be able to help them with their work. I am okay if some want to come in early before school if they didn't get the work done.

Social Studies

We have begun talking about the Southeast States. They made their answer key for their map test, which will be next Wednesday. We have talked about the land from the shoreline to the mountains. Terms we discussed were Outer Coastal Plain, Inner Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Fall Line. This week we will begin talking about the climate in this region and how it differs throughout the region.

Spirit Day

Friday the 5th is a Spirit Day! Please wear sweatpants and bring your $1.00. Our pay it forward committee has been busy, I know we have helped by donating money to Mrs. Ramsey through the premature birth of her baby Briar. I also would guess they will send something to the Perry Schools . We do have a Catholic School in Perry called St. Pat's that is in our same Diocese.

Please pray for the Perry Community. The community is the same size as Creston. I have 2 kids in school systems throughout Iowa and this hit hard today. Jami teaches in Stuart at West Central Valley High School and Josie is at St. Augustine's in Des Moines. As we are all far enough away, but it still hurts to think about a tragedy like that and you begin to worry about your loved ones. It is crazy to think we as educators have to worry about this happening in school systems anywhere. Please know that I have not shared any of this with your children today. It came across my watch during prayer so I said, we need to pray for Perry, Iowa they have something going on at their school that involves the police. That is all I said and no one has asked anything for the rest of the day.

Again pray for the town, the teachers, and the students. Pray for healing and understanding. Also keep communication lines open with your kids. Know what is going on with them and how they are feeling. This might be easy for 4th graders but high school age children are harder to get to talk to you. Hug your kids a little tighter tonight.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels