May
7th, 2015
Dear
Families,
Wow, kudos
to our student test takers. It was
been one long arduous week of challenging tough questions and essay
responses. Our students have shown
great focus, grit, and perseverance all week long. I hope you have had a chance to hear first hand about the
test format. Our class has really
stuck with it! Well done.
Round two
will be math all next week. Our
test taking schedule stays the same, which we found really disrupts the regular
flow and rhythms of the day.
Perhaps you noticed that with the lighter homework this week. The kids celebrated this fact and saw
it as a “silver lining” perhaps to the Smarter Balance.
And the sugarless gum was a life saver! Something to look forward to during
testing. And so another…Alert request from the class… more packages of sugarless gum and mints during test taking time for
next week. Thanks! Be sure to continue checking in with your child about the
testing through out the week. Also
supportive encouragement and praise will go along way.
Also it has
been wonderful having the Native
American dioramas trickle in a
few at a time. We really love how
individual and creative each project is. Also of great intrigue is what items
people used from their own homes or yard to put into their scene. When each
student presents the village scene comes to life and lots of information pours
out, whether it is on the Native American tribe or the ingenuity and clever construction.
Well-done
students! Hopefully this weekend will allow
enough time for others to finish up their projects. We look forward to seeing the remaining dioramas next week.
Enjoy the
weekend~