Wrapping Up Testing

Welcome to the 4th and final quarter of the 2013-2014 school year!  Where did that time go?  Well, we have A LOT to get done this quarter so we will need the time in June to get our things done.

We have completed the first week of testing for Iowa Testing.  We will complete the tests by Friday, March 21st.  Please remind your child about taking his/her time and trying his/her best on these tests.  We have talked about those things in class, but please let your child know the importance of these tests coming from you.  Your child is also working on earning effort points for effort displayed on the Iowa Tests.  He or she receives the maximum effort points if he or she is taking his or her time, rereading the tests when it is completed, and trying his or her best.  As a review of the same tips I sent last week, I am (AGAIN!) suggesting a few things to help your child finish these tests with a successful testing experience:

* Go to bed on time the night(s) before the tests

* Eat a good breakfast the morning of the tests

* Talk with your child about any concerns he/she may have

* Emphasize the importance of the tests and trying his/her best (this is an area we have talked about in class, but please talk with your child about the importance of trying his/her best on the tests)

Your child will continue to bring home a "Math Fact Study Log" sheet every Monday.  Again, I am asking your child to practice his/her multiplication facts at least 3 times per week.  When your child practices the facts, please initial the days practiced on the log sheet.  Your child should know what fact families he/she should be working on.  The order we will test on the fact families are as follows: 0, 1, 2, 10, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9.  Your child will bring home a "Math Fact Study Log" sheet every MONDAY and will need to return the previous log sheet the following MONDAY. THIS IS HOMEWORK AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE DONE.  Please continue to have your child practice these facts and sign the sheet until further notice. Please contact me with any questions.  Thanks!

Report cards will be sent home next week.  There will not be a science grade recorded on your child’s report card.  Due to the missed school days, delayed starts, and other interruptions, the emphasis for instruction time needed to be on literacy and math.  Also, due to weather interruptions, you will notice we continued on with the same unit in social studies that we were working on in 2nd quarter.  Please contact me if you have any questions.  Thank you!

Have a great week!  If you have any questions, please contact me!
Mrs. McCarville

Iowa Testing

What beautiful weather we had yesterday.  I felt a bit like a rebel and went out WITHOUT a coat!  Gasp!  Spring fever....here we come!  Let's just hope the snow are gone for the season!

Beginning THIS week and going through March 21st, your child will be taking the “Iowa Tests,” also known as the ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills).  Please discuss with your child taking his/her time and trying his/her best on these tests.  We have talked about those things in class, but please let your child know the importance of these tests coming from you.  Today, I am sending a copy of the 3rd grade's testing schedule so you can see when we are testing and what we will be testing for that day.  Because the tests will begin tomorrow, I am suggesting a few things to help your child prepare for a successful testing experience:

* Go to bed on time the night(s) before the tests

* Eat a good breakfast the morning of the tests

* Talk with your child about any concerns he/she may have

* Emphasize the importance of the tests and trying his/her best (this is an area we have talked about in class, but please talk with your child about the importance of trying his/her best on the tests)

Your child took home a "Math Fact Study Log" sheet yesterday.  Again, I am asking your child to practice his/her multiplication facts at least 3 times per week.  When your child practices the facts, please initial the days practiced on the log sheet.  Your child should know what fact families he/she should be working on.  The order we will test on the fact families are as follows: 0, 1, 2, 10, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9.  Your child will bring home a "Math Fact Study Log" sheet every MONDAY and will need to return the previous log sheet the following MONDAY. THIS IS HOMEWORK AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE DONE.  Please contact me with any questions.  Thanks!

Lastly, there will be a 3-hour early dismissal on Wednesday, March 12th, due to teacher inservice.  Students will be dismissed at 12:25 PM, so please plan accordingly.  

Have a warm week!
Mrs. McCarville

Post Conferences and Now Math Facts

Hello!  I wanted to thank all of you for attending your child's conference last week, and the week previous.  Hopefully you were able to gain some insight to your child's education and progress.  I was very impressed with how well the students shared their work and were honest about their behaviors.  Thanks again for coming in!

Your child is taking home a "Math Fact Study Log" sheet today.  I am asking your child to practice his/her multiplication facts at least 3 times per week.  When your child practices the facts, please initial the days practiced on the log sheet.  Your child should know what fact families he/she should be working on.  The order we will test on the fact families are as follows: 0, 1, 2, 10, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9.  Your child will bring home a "Math Fact Study Log" sheet every MONDAY and will need to return the previous log sheet the following MONDAY. THIS IS HOMEWORK AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE DONE.  Please contact me with any questions.  Thanks!


Your child’s February reading calendar is due on THIS WEEK.  On Friday, I sent home your child’s March reading calendar on Friday.  The calendar includes a reading goal of 450 minutes that your child will be asked to complete by the end of the month.  If your child reads 20 minutes or more a night, he/she is to color in the icon for that night.  If he/she brings the calendar back at the end of the month and read the amount of minutes his/her goal requires, he/she will get a pizza certificate to Pizza Hut.  This is your child’s last calendar for the program.  If your child brings this calendar back and has brought all the other calendars back, he/she will celebrate with a surprise (that I still have to decide on!).  Woot!  Woot!  However, if they do not complete the calendars, they will not get the opportunity to celebrate with those who complete it.  If you have any questions, please ask!

Starting NEXT week and going through March 21st, your child will be taking the “Iowa Tests,” also known as the ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills).  Please discuss with your child taking his/her time and trying his/her best on these tests.  We have talked about those things in class, but please let your child know the importance of these tests coming from you.  Next week, I will send a copy of the 3rd grade's testing schedule so you can see when we are testing and what we will be testing for that day.  Because the tests will begin next week, I am suggesting a few things to help your child prepare for a successful testing experience:

* Go to bed on time the night(s) before the tests

* Eat a good breakfast the morning of the tests

* Talk with your child about any concerns he/she may have

* Emphasize the importance of the tests and trying his/her best (this is an area we have talked about in class, but please talk with your child about the importance of trying his/her best on the tests)

As a reminder, we do not have school on Tuesday, March 4th, due to the Crestwood Girls basketball game in Des Moines.  GO CADETS!

Please contact me if you have any questions/concerns.  Have a great week and stay warm!

Mrs. McCarville

Conferences Again....Weather Interruptions?!!

To update those who have not had conferences, the "Thursday" conferences will now take place on Tuesday, February 25th, so I will plan on seeing all of you then!  If that day/time does not work, please contact me or the office to reschedule.  Also, remember your child is to come with you for conferences as he/she will lead the conference.  Please remember there will be a 1-hour early out for Tuesday.  See you soon!

Week of Conferences....Weather Please Cooperate

Conferences will take place on Tuesday, February 18th, and Thursday, February 20th, so I will plan on seeing all of you then!  I look forward to visiting with you!  If you have not scheduled a conference, please contact Linda at the office.  Also, remember your child is to come with you for conferences as he/she will lead the conference.  Please remember there will be a 1-hour early out for both Tuesday and Thursday.  See you soon!

Finishing Assessments, Preparing for Conferences, STEM, and Valentine's Day

As you can tell by the title of this post, we have a BUSY week ahead of us!  We are going to be doing a variety of activities this week that the class should all enjoy.  Yah!


Next week, Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled.  A letter was sent home on a week and a half ago with the instructions for signing up for conferences.  As of now, I only about 10 parents that have signed up for conferences.  IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED UP FOR CONFERENCES, PLEASE DO SO.  If you need another copy of the instructions, please let me know so I can give you a copy.  If you have questions concerning conferences or would rather call to sign up, please contact Linda at the office.  Please, please sign up as soon as possible.  Also, keep in mind that your child is to come with you to conferences as he or she will lead the conference.  Thank you!

On Friday, February 14th, your child will partake in an experience in a "STEM" grant that the 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade received.  The 3rd graders will be experimenting with bubbles and creating bubble wands.  Ask your child about their experience on Friday.  I know they will all be excited to try it out!

Friday, February 14th, is Valentine's Day and the class is excited to exchange valentines.  The students are not expected to bring valentines.  However, if your child chooses to bring valentines, he/she must bring them for the whole class.  Also, we are NOT making Valentine's boxes/bags to put valentines in.  If your child would like to make a box/bag at home for valentines, feel free to do so and bring to school on Friday.  I am attaching a class list so that your child can fill out valentines if he/she would like.  Again, this is optional.  Your child can bring in his or her valentines anytime between now and Friday.  Thank you!

Please have your child practice the multiplication facts.  We have started testing everyone on the multiplication facts and if any student gets all of the facts from one fact family correct, he/she gets a gum-ball during math!  I plan on sending home a math facts study log in a couple weeks that students will hand in as homework.  The sheet will monitor if your child is studying the multiplication facts.  Look for the sheet in the coming weeks.

Have a great week!  Please contact me if you have any questions/concerns.  Thanks!

Mrs. McCarville

February.....Here We Are

For the first time in awhile, I am not going to start with a negative outlook on the weather.  It sounds to me like a cold week is ahead of us but no major storm.  Well, I say that now and the weather forecast will probably change overnight!  I am hoping for a better week with no snow days!

Last week, you received a letter from me discussing our classroom behavior.  I also had you complete the sheet where your child wrote 2 things he/she did well and 1 thing that he/she needs to work on.  The "sucker" behavior plan starts MONDAY.  Please be checking your child's folder/backpack in case he/she has brought home a parent contact sheet (this was given to you last week).  I am hoping that most students will not have to bring the contact sheet home for parents, but unfortunately, some will.  Please contact me if you have any questions about our new plan.  Thanks!

As a reminder from last week's blog, Parent Teacher Conferences are coming in a few weeks!  Last Wednesday, your child brought home a letter explaining how to sign up online for Parent Teacher Conferences.  Parent Teacher Conferences will take place Tuesday, February 18th and Thursday, February 20th.  You will need to sign up using the letter for instructions.  You can begin signing up on Monday, February 3rd (after 8:00 AM).  What is different from this conference from the fall conference is that your child is to attend the conference with you because he/she will lead the conference.  I will sit in on the conference with you and your child, but your child will be the main one explaining his/her work and behaviors.  Due to the fact that the conferences are student led, I would appreciate one conference with your child rather than two conferences.  If it does not work in your schedule that you can attend one conference, we can schedule something to make it work.  If you have any questions about signing up online, please contact me or Linda.  Thanks!

Today, there is an additional note coming home discussing a math incentive to help your child study and MEMORIZE the multiplication facts.  For the remainder of the year in math, your child is going to be working on mastering the multiplication fact families from 0-10.  My suggestion is to practice each of these fact families at home.  My suggestion to help your child learn the facts would be starting with fact families in the following order: 1, 2, 10, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9.  Beginning later this week, your child will take daily timed tests on the fact family he/she is on.  Once your child masters the 1s, he/she will move onto the 2s, then 10s, and so on.  We have a small incentive at school to help motivate the students to begin memorizing their facts.  Please see the note and ask your child about it!  Keep in mind that the students cannot use their fingers and need to have their facts memorized to fully master a fact family.  Thanks for the help!  Please contact me with any questions.

Lastly, here are a few reminders of things to remember:

* Reading calendars are due as soon as possible.

* There is a 3-hour early out on Wednesday, February 5th, due to parent/teacher conferences.

* Book orders are due Friday.

Have a warm week!
Mrs. McCarville