Turkey Day

Happy early Thanksgiving!  The week will be shortened, but BUSY, due to Thanksgiving!  The class will soon find out that I am looking forward to the day after for....Black Friday shopping!  The students know me well enough that they will NOT be surprised to hear that!  Regardless, enjoy your time with your family.

Being the Thanksgiving holiday is this week, the 3rd grade teachers thought it would be a nice treat for the classes to have a movie afternoon on Wednesday, November 27th.  Since we are planning a movie, we are asking that the students provide their own snack AND beverage to drink that day.  The beverage can be whatever they like: juice, water, Gatorade, whatever!  (We are just asking that your child NOT bring pop).  Also, please see that the drink is a twist-top.  Your child's snack can be his/her own choice.  Your child can bring his/her snack and beverage to class on WEDNESDAY morning.  He/she does NOT need to bring a snack and beverage but it will NOT be provided by the school.  It is your choice to send your child with a snack.  Thanks a bunch! 

We are having an author visit with our K-3 students tomorrow.  Jamie Teahen Sanders, author of Adrian's Adventures in Indonesia is visiting with our class and sharing her writing experiences.  It will be exciting to visit with an author and hopefully the students learn some new things too.

For some apparent reason, there has been an increase in students in our class bringing cough drops to school.  While I am completely OK with students bringing cough drops to school if he/she needs them, I am finding some of the students are bringing them and using them more as a candy than a cough drop.  I am just asking that if your child brings cough drops, he/she MUST have a note with a parent/guardian's permission.  If he/she does not have a note, he/she cannot have the cough drops.  Please ask me if you have any questions.  Thank you!

Lastly, there is a 1-hour early out on Wednesday, November 27th, due to Thanksgiving break.  Students will be dismissed at 2:25 PM, so please plan accordingly.  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Mrs. McCarville

Information for You

The Chip Shoppe fundraiser pick-up day is TOMORROW! If your child ordered items from the Chip Shoppe, please pick your child's items up between 3-6PM in the elementary cafeteria.  Please contact the office with any questions. Thank you!

Tomorrow, I will be sending your child's Unit 2 assessment in math.  Please look over the test with your child and discuss the test with him/her.  Look over the questions that were missed and ask your child to solve the missed questions.  Please sign the sheet attached to the test to indicate that you have looked over the test and discussed the missed problems.  Finally, please have your child return the sheet to me.  ALL of the students are receiving a review packet.  I have decided to send each student a review packet because your child MUST know how to add and subtract.  Most of the class needs to review longer addition and subtraction from this unit.  Your child IS EXPECTED to complete the packet at home with help from you.  Your child does NOT need to return the packet, but your child DOES need to complete it.  If you would like for your child to turn it into me, I would be more than willing to check it over and let your child know how he/she did.  If you have any questions when the tests go home today, please contact me.  Thank you!

TOMORROW, I am sending home your child's book order.  Your child is bringing home several different flyers for you and your child to look at.  I have written down the due date (Friday, November 22nd) and the online code (GQLKG), if you are interested in ordering online.  If you do choose to order online, I have attached a link to the top of our blog page for easy access to the Scholastic Book Clubs link.  It is your choice to order online or to send a check or cash to school with your child.  If you choose to send book orders to school, please make checks payable to "Scholastic Book Clubs" and not to me.  Again, please see the flyers for the due date and class activation code (for ordering online). Thank you and Happy Reading!

Lastly, there is a 3-hour early out on Wednesday, November 20th, due to teacher in-service.  Students will be dismissed at 12:25 PM, so please plan accordingly.  Thanks!

Have a wonderful week!  Please contact me with any questions/concerns.  
Mrs. McCarville

Conferences are Done

I wanted to extend a big thank you to all of you for visiting with me at Parent Teacher Conferences last week.  It is great to have open communication with all of you.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about your child that need to be addressed.  Thanks again!

Conferences Week

Conferences will take place on Monday, November 4th, and Thursday, November 7th, so I will plan on seeing all of you then!  I look forward to visiting with you!  Please remember there will be a 1-hour early out for both Monday and Thursday.  See you soon!

Report Cards and Halloween

We have quite a busy week ahead of us.  Report cards, high school volleyball and football games, and Halloween!  Sounds like a highly energetic week!  Yikes!

If you have not scheduled a parent teacher conference time, please do so as soon as possible.  If you are unable to schedule online, please call the elementary office and set up a time that works for you.  If something does not work, please let me know so I can rearrange/reschedule a time that best fits your schedule as conferences are next week.  Your child's report card is going to be sent home on Wednesday, October 30th.  If you have any questions regarding your child’s grades, we can discuss the questions at conferences time.  Thanks!


Your child’s October reading calendar is due on Friday (or Monday if your child forgets to bring it on Friday).  I will be sending home your child’s November reading calendar on Friday.  The calendar includes a reading goal of 250 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.  If your child brings back all the calendars through April, he/she will get rewarded for a school year of reading! J  This is an OPTIONAL program for students.  Each student will get a calendar every month, but I am not requiring him or her to complete it if they choose not to.  However, if they do not complete the calendars, they will not get the opportunity to eat and celebrate with those who complete it.  If you have any questions about the program, please ask!

We have been talking about author's purpose, or the reason an author writes, in literacy.  I have been reading different picture books to the students to see if they can decide whether the author's purpose is to entertain, inform, or persuade.  I read a book called The Man Who Walked Between the Towers written by Mordicai Gerstein.  We decided that the book was written to inform because it is a true story of Philippe Petit walking on a wire between the World Trade Centers, but also to entertain as it wrote the story of his journey.  I found a "You Tube" video that included pictures of the actual event taking place.  Ask your 3C child about it and enjoy!

Lastly, picture retakes will take place on Tuesday, October 29th.  If your child is planning on retakes, please plan for this accordingly.  Thank you!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  Have a wonderful week!
Mrs. McCarville

Character Counts Week

Welcome to the 2nd quarter!  We are in a great routine and things are running smoothly in the classroom.  Yah!

“Tomas and the Library Lady" was a great play on Tuesday.  The students were all very well behaved and displayed Cadet Pride in a theatre of at least 1,000 students.  Way to go 3^rd graders!  Hopefully they shared what they liked about the play with you!

This week is “Character Counts” week.  To celebrate “Character Counts” at the elementary, we are having our own colored themed “dress up days.”  The days are as follows:

Monday, October 21st – Respect Ourselves and Others and being Drug Free!

* It is also Red Ribbon week, so what better way to start off Character Counts week by celebrating being drug free and respecting ourselves and others!  Students are encouraged to wear yellow this day to show support for a drug free school and community where people respect each other!

Tuesday October 22nd – We Care About Each Other!

* Come to school in your favorite shade of red!  We will celebrate the pillar of Caring and being kind to one another.

Wednesday, October 23rd – Responsible Rocks!

* Show us your inner green by wearing as much green as you can on this day, and rock out to how responsible we are at Howard-Winneshiek Schools! 

Thursday, October 24th – Citizens Unite!

* We will be celebrating being a good citizen who contributes to our school and community!  Come to school dressed in your best purple to show we are global learners and active citizens in our world!

Friday, October 25th– Give me a "T" for Trustworthy and an "F" for Fairness - Show your school spirit by wearing your Cadet gear!  We will celebrate the pillar of Fairness and Trustworthiness for good sportsmanship and true blue trustworthiness! 

Along with the colored themed dress-up days, there will be a "Character Counts Citizenship Project" that Mrs. McCabe, the guidance counselor, will be organizing.  This year's "Character Counts Citizenship Project" is a winter wear donation box.  Please help students donate NEW winter items including socks, mittens, hats, or gloves.  These items will be dispersed throughout the Howard-Winneshiek School District.  Thanks for your support!

The Chip Shoppe Fundraiser is due on Tuesday, October 22nd.  Please see that your child returns his/her envelope with the money and order form by that date.  Thank you!

On Friday, you were given a note from the school explaining Parent Teacher Conferences and online scheduling.  You may begin signing up for conferences on Wednesday, October 23rd.  If you have any questions about Parent Teacher Conferences scheduling, please contact Linda at the office or myself.  Thanks!

Lastly, there will be a 3-hour early dismissal on Wednesday, October 23rd.  We are dismissing at 12:25PM, so please plan accordingly.  Please contact me with any questions.

Have a great week!
Mrs. McCarville

Unfortunate Behaviors

Dear Parents,

Your child will be bringing home a letter that he/she has written about his/her behavior during dismissal time yesterday.  I was not here during dismissal and another teacher came into the classroom to dismiss 3C.  Unfortunately, I was informed that the class was loud and disrespectful at dismissal time, so the class is doing a little work for me today.  Each student is writing apology letters to Mrs. Watt and writing a letter to YOU about his/her behavior.  I would like for you to discuss your child's behavior and sign this sheet indicating you and your child discussed his/her behavior, and return it to me tomorrow.  I would appreciate your help in this matter.  Thanks and let me know if you have any questions!

Mrs. McCarville