The Bulldog Barks
January 11, 2010
Principal – Mr. Tush
I hope everyone enjoyed the extended Christmas break. Thank you for all the cards and gifts. I enjoyed hearing about your presents and travels from your children.
Please remember that all school activities are canceled on days that school is not in session due to snow or other disasters. Some activities will be made up, but some, as with athletics, may not be able to be rescheduled.
Have a great week!
Kindergarten – Mrs. Denning
In phonics this week we will be working with letter Cc-keyword-carrot ("hard" sound of Cc). We will be learning the "K/C rule": The /k/ sound is spelled with "k" if it is followed by an e, i, or y; the /k/ sound is spelled with "c" if it is followed by an a, o, u, or any consonant. Reviewing this rule at home would be greatly appreciated.
We will add can, my, said to our list of "pop-up" words. We will be reading sentences using these words, and will discuss the use of quotation marks.
In math we will be measuring items using non-standard units (unifix cubes, paper clips, etc.), we will be doing simple addition and subtraction number sentences, we will be working with nickels- identifying and giving the value, and we will be counting by 5's to 100.
The class is doing a great job writing their last names. Thanks for your help at home.
If you haven't already done so, please remember to sign and return report cards.
Grade 1 – Mrs. Hurst
In Phonics this week we will be learning about compound words, suffixes -ly, -less, -ness, and digraphs ai (as in rain) and ay (as in hay). Our sight words this week are: says; they; build; built. We do have a spelling test this week. Don't forget to study!
January book orders went home last Wednesday. They are due back by Friday, Jan. 15th!
Grade 2 – Mrs. Grove
Thank you to the Leon’s, Simon’s, Sedler’s, Manford's, Meeks’, and Zimmerman’s for all the supplies for our Christmas party. Thank you to the Townsend’s for our new Nativity set.
We have started working on two new plays to perform for some of our school mates. They won’t be ready for several months!
This class is doing a good job of adding two-digit numbers together with regrouping! (carrying) Please keep practicing at home.
Grade 3 – Mrs. Rector
Welcome back! I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas and had a terrific break from school. Thanks to everyone for the cards and gifts. I feel very blessed to be a part of the St. Mary’s community.
Students received their new AR goals last week. They may take AR tests or complete book reports to meet their goal. In science we will be learning about the solar system, and in social studies we have been talking about how new inventions changed the way we live. We will be working on special projects for both subjects.
Next week, spelling words will be sent home in both print and cursive. Students will have to practice the words in cursive, but they won’t be graded on the cursive words yet. Have a great week!
Grade 4 – Mrs. Meyer
It was good to see everyone again after our two week break! This week students will be having their math test 10. They now know how to divide with remainders. Students will also be having a religion test this week over our baptism chapter. Thanks to those who brought in pictures and objects from their baptisms; they were neat to see! We will be ending our science chapter on life cycles this week, and students can expect to have a test if weather permits.
I would like to welcome our new student, Alexa, to St. Mary’s School. Her first day was last Wednesday. The fourth graders did a great job kindly welcoming her to our class. I hope everyone has a great week!
Grade 5 – Mrs. Baker
We are working hard on our family tree projects in religion. Thank you for helping your child with this project. It is a lot of fun to learn where our families came from and the names of our ancestors. We will finish this project this week and hang them up for all to see. If you are in the building, please stop by and see them!
The 3rd Quarter AR goals went home last Monday. This quarter we are earning points, but we will continue projects next quarter. Please make sure students are reading a few minutes each night.
We are continuing our social studies chapter over explorers. We will have an open book test over this chapter since it is so long, and we started it before Christmas break. The test will probably be early next week; more information will come home soon. Have a wonderful week!
Grade 6 – Mrs. Rice
Welcome back to school. Report cards were sent home on Wednesday. Keep up the good work! Students are to be completing their assignment books daily. Most students do an excellent job of this, however there are a few students who need to work harder at this. 6th graders have morning work to do before first period. Morning work consists of a daily gram or journal entry and a PowerUp math worksheet. They have enough time to complete this in the morning if they use their time wisely. Happy New Year!
Grade 7 – Mrs. Powell
Happy New Year, and welcome back! I hope everyone found time for some rest over the holidays. It is that time of year again where we have the treat of severe weather. Students have been reminded that assignments are due the next school day.
There will be vocabulary in all grades this week. We are continuing with literature circle novels in the 7th and 8th grades; their projects are due on January 21st. We are working with plant processes in science with a test soon to follow. The 7th grade has started with adverbs in English and the 8th is continuing with verbs dealing with tenses.
The pancake breakfast is quickly approaching with hopes that it will be January 31st. There will be more information coming your way soon. Thanks to Chris Waldon who offered to coordinate the breakfast.
Have a great week!
Grade 8 – Mrs. Birkholtz
Happy New Year! As we begin our second semester, it seems the only obstacle to our learning environment might be the weather! Students do know that if we have snow days, they are still responsible for having their work completed for the day it is due or the first day we would be back after a snow day.
The 8th graders are studying constellations in science and the Jacksonian Years in social studies. 7th grade is studying South Africa, and the 6th grade social studies class is studying Mexico and Central America. 6th grade Language Arts class is focusing on writing skills and adjectives.
Mission Festival is coming up in February, and the 8th grade is asking for gently used items to use for our raffle and prizes. We will be holding the festival on Friday, February 12th. We appreciate all of the support of our families in this service project!
Youth Ministry – Mrs. Martini
The youth group will be meeting at Perfect North Slopes for 2 hrs of tubing on Saturday January 30th. All youth in 5th grade and up are welcome without a parent. Anyone younger is welcome if there is a parent that will stay with them. The cost is $20.00 per person. Tubing begins at 1:00 p.m. however we need to register so be there by 12:40. There are TWO Permission Slips REQUIRED. You must RSVP to Melissa by Friday January 29th @ 812 577-5327.
BOXTOPS Cathy Hill
Our first submission check has been received in the amount of $743.65. Thanks to everyone who has been collecting and submitting 10 cent coupons to the school. However, the school year is not over! The next submission date is February 28, 2010. As of January 6, 2010, not one single coupon had been turned in. Please remember that the money raised from this fundraiser, will be used to replace a chalkboard in each classroom, with a dry erase marker board. The opportunities to clip coupons are endless this month. Up to 5 bonus coupons have been placed on General Mills merchandise sold at Sam's Club. If you are not a member, visit BoxTops4Education.com to print up a free ONE-DAY pass to Sam's Club. This offer is valid until January 31, 2010. There are also $1.00 off coupons (ready for printing!) on 25+ items, during the whole month of January. I know we can reach our goal of $1,000.00. Go to boxtops4education.com and let's see the coupons come pouring in!
Thank you!
Cafeteria Volunteers
1/12 – Pat Titkemeyer, 1/13 – Marge Waldon, 1/14 – Laurie Gray, 1/15 – Jennifer Taylor
Playground Volunteers
1/12 – Marianne Weir, 1/13 – Moe Roessler, 1/14 – Help Needed, 1/15 – Deb Lischkge