Miss Atkins' Class

I have been blessed with love and appreciation this week from a group of very sweet children and their families!  Thanks so much to each and everyone of you for the beautiful flowers, the fabulous school supply basket, and the various gift cards.  And for any of you who provided treats in the teacher’s lounge this week, I have greatly appreciated having a few days off from fixing lunches.  I am very blessed to work at such a loving school.

I know you’re “Green with Envy” that I get to work with these lovelies everyday!

This past week started off great with a nice trip to Washington DC, complete with good traffic, beautiful weather, and some fun exploring the not-too-crowded museums.  Then students shared their appreciation for some of the adults in their lives by making thank you cards and birthday cards for our principal and other members of our support staff at the Edge.  Next week brings activities that will continue to review key vocabulary for SOL testing and, weather permitting, a fantastic High Five Hero Field Day!!

We had a “monumental” time exploring the Mall!

Next week is our big trip to Washington, DC.  I know the students are excited, and I can’t blame them.  This trip was such a blast last year, and with predicted weather in the 70s, it should be another beautiful day for us this year.  Here are a few reminders as you prepare your student this weekend.

• Be at school Monday morning at 6:45 am.
• Drop-off and Pick-up will take place in the bus loop.
• Students should bring a bag lunch in a disposable bag with their name clearly visible.
• Electronics (except cell phones) are acceptable, but the sole responsibility of the student.
• Students may also bring 2 small snacks for the bus and up to $20 for a museum gift shop.
• Dress for the weather.  (Layers are always the safest bet!)

Next week is also exciting for those trying out for the 2012 Talent Show.  All auditions will take place during school on Wednesday, May 9th.  Students will need to bring their materials with them to school that day, but not necessarily costumes unless vital to the act.

A couple of other events happening next week that you may want to plan for are listed below.

• Tuesday, May 8th – Music on the Lawn at Holman Middle School, 7 pm
• Friday, May 11th – REES Spring Carnival, 5:30-8:00 pm

Check out our Eagle Express members who went and sang at Cedar Field this past Thursday.  Way to go girls!!!

The State Fair Tea was a huge success!  Students looked great on Thursday as they impersonated various cartoonists, singers, government officials, and athletes.  Everyone did a nice job pushing through their nerves and delivering their speeches, and the food was a huge hit!  I am sure that the students are glad to have crossed that hurdle.

Next week does bring a slightly normal routine back to the classroom.  We will have regular switches for Math, Science, and Reading throughout most of the week.  Thursday’s schedule will be slightly altered due to the Eagle Express Field Trip to Cedarfield.  Looking ahead, here are some important dates to mark on the calendar:

• Monday, May 7th = Field Trip to Washington DC
• Friday, May 18th = REES Field Day
• Wednesday, May 23rd = Reading SOL
• Thursday, May 24th = Science SOL
• Thursday, June 7th = Math SOL
• Monday, June 11th = Awards Assembly, Talent Show, and 5th Grade Party

The first week back from Spring Break was a little busy, but I am a very proud teacher as we wrap up on this Friday afternoon.  My students have spent the last month and a half working with students in the special education classes at Rivers Edge to prepare for the Little Feet Meet.  Today they were fabulous as buddies, really helping to chaperone the athletes and also showing amazing care and encouragement as the athletes competed in their various events.  This week also showed me how compassionate and protective my students are as they rallied around both teachers and students that were visibly upset by different events of the week.  It’s so nice to see them really act like a family!

While I would love to tell you that next week returns to a normal schedule, it’s that time where we check for progress through another round of NWEA testing.  We will take the Reading assessment on Tuesday and then Math on Wednesday.  And finally, Thursday is the big culminating Social Studies event with our State Fair Tea.  We will work next week to help the students become more comfortable with delivering their speeches.  Please be sure to help them in the coming week to memorize these speeches.  Parents are invited to join us Thursday for all the festivities beginning at 8:30 am in the classroom.  Then, we will all move to the cafeteria and share in the yummy state treats.  I can’t wait to see all the great costumes and taste the delicious snacks!

Congratulations to my lovely students who made it through a crazy last day before break!  They survived a sound test, a reading quiz, and a word study quiz, amidst Science fair presentations, a VA Trekker digital field trip to DC, and a Kindergarten parade!  We also had a good time sharing some of our Social Studies choice projects, bonding over lunch in the classroom, and a little thing we like to call the Rose Dance with Mrs. Boyer’s class in music.  I was very impressed with the maturity shown by my fifth graders, especially my boys who kept eye contact and showed some lovely respect for their dancing partners.  I’m looking forward to the next time we have a joint music class!!

As we look ahead to the busyness of school after break, I just want to share a few thoughts.

• STATE FAIR: Students have begun their research for their impersonation speeches and should have a brought home any work so far.  Typed speeches are due on Wednesday, April 18th, along with state recipes.  These speeches will need to be memorized and will be presented on Thursday, April 26th, in homeroom classes.  For specifics on requirements for these two assignments, check out Mr. Ridle’s page.
• LITTLE FEET MEET: The Friday we return is the BIG DAY!  An nList is up asking for help with side items for our pizza picnic upon our return.  I added two slots for helpers that can set up the room around 12:15 so that everything will be ready upon our return.  The actual meet takes place at Freeman High School and anyone is welcome to meet us there and cheer on our athletes.  Please let me know if you have any questions or are not a member of nList and would like to participate in some way.
• BAT DAY #3: Our next BAT Day is April 19th.  Please remember to send in an auction item with your student by April 18th if he/she wishes to participate.  Anyone with outstanding work will spend part of their morning catching up those missing assignments.

With all of that, I want to wish you all a safe and restful break!  Enjoy time with the family and be safe if you’re traveling!

Mrs. Roberts is constantly updating her blog and wants everyone to check it out!  CLICK HERE or check out the link to the side.  And don’t forget about Rivers Edge’s grade level book clubs.  Fifth grade is supposed to read a book by Andrew Clements – that’s the guy who wrote A Week in the Woods.  :)

Coming home today, you will find graded papers and one more permission slip.  As mentioned earlier, my homeroom class, with a few other select students, participates every year in the Little Feet Meet, Henrico County’s very own branch of the Special Olympics.  We will be going to Freeman High School on Friday, April 20th.  The trip is absolutely free, but I will be creating an nList asking for your help to provide some side items for our pizza party upon our return.  Students in my class have already been working with the athletes that will be competing on the 20th.  As buddies, my students are there to support and encourage the athletes and hopefully build a small friendship with these students.  We will continue to practice the weeks before and after break.  On Friday, buddies and athletes will participate in a parade around Rivers Edge before leaving for the event.  Then, we will enjoy a pizza luncheon that afternoon.  Check out pcis from last year on the Photo Albums page, and please feel free to email me with any questions and let me know if your child will not be available on the 20th as I will need to make arrangements.  This event is held every April in conjunction with Autism Awareness Month. Our class has also been reading a phenomenal book, Out of My Mind, and having some great discussions in class about appropriate behavior and responses to students with disabilities.  Please continue these conversations at home with your students.

Coming Up Next Week

• MONDAY: Light it Up Blue – Wear blue in honor of Autism Awareness Month; Science Benchmark with Mr. Ridle
• TUESDAY: Reading Benchmark in homeroom classes
• WEDNESDAY: Math Benchmark in homeroom classes
• THURSDAY: Science Fair, Reading and Word Study Quizzes with Miss Atkins
• FRIDAY: NO SCHOOL – Enjoy your Spring Break

Two weeks until the highly anticipated Spring Break!  As I know many students are looking forward to a few days off and some fun trips planned, we continue to keep them engaged in the all parts of the learning process as we move through our curriculum. This past week has included some more fun with a presentation by a local artist where we all learned a few new things.  Did you know that you can paint with a knife?  We participated in national tornado safety day with our own drill, smiled pretty for the cameras and wrapped up our SOL writing tests.  All 5th graders sat in a meeting with administration about their responsibilities as role models in our school.  They were reminded to set an example for the younger grades and also cautioned that staff would be watching closely, ready with consequences if behaviors did not meet expectations.

Looking ahead to next week, we will have a visit from the Richmond Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday and our annual Family Life talk on Thursday.  In reading, students will be introduced to a set of leveled spelling words that will be quizzed before we go on Spring Break.  Then, we will pick back up with these after break.  You will also receive information on Monday about our big Spring Field Trip, so be on the lookout for that packet.  Money will be due before break as well.  Have a great weekend!!

The students have been very patient with our super busy schedule.  Each day has brought a new adventure, and we have plugged right along with our work.  We took advantage of the nice weather and did a little reading out in the middle of nature. (Check out the pictures to the right.)  We were able to enjoy the performances of our spectacular second graders, the mad scientists from Theater IV, and the class has really taken to our class read aloud.  The fun part about not switching this week was that I was given the opportunity to see the students work diligently on their social studies projects and help them out with some of their math problems.  We also talked this week about the meaning of a joke and the importance of not taking it too far.  We have asked that students no longer play the “ZAP” or “Push” games at school so that we can avoid any negative reactions or hurt feelings.  The kids had a great grasp of what this meant; now we’re going to put it into practice.   Next week hopes to see us return to a more normal schedule, but we still have some additions to keep in mind.

• MONDAY: Student Holiday – Take advantage of the extra time to work on projects and hopefully to enjoy the beautiful outdoor weather!

• TUESDAY: Online Field Test Part II – This time students will be using the TestNav program to respond to a prompt.  Fingers crossed that all goes well and we don’t have to postpone a day.

• WEDNESDAY: Spring Picture Day – Envelopes came home today if you want to order a class picture.  Flyers should have come home last week with information about ordering individual pictures online.

• THURSDAY: We will enjoy a lesson in our outdoor classroom with a special guest artist in honor of Arts in our Schools Month.

• FRIDAY: A “normal” day, with book report presentations.

Looking ahead: Family Life will be March 29th (9:40-10:40) and State Choice Projects are due to Mr. Ridle Friday, March 30th.

Both on the court and in the classroom!  Aside from being the month of one of the biggest basketball tournaments, March is also Music in our Schools Month, and a busy time for us with assemblies, testing, field trips, and our regularly scheduled learning.  Please check out the week ahead and bear with us as we work with an altered schedule over the next few weeks.  The teachers have done their best to plan time for continued switching and forward motion in all academic areas.  The focus on writing will be pushed back for a while as we again hit the books hard in math, science, and reading, but that doesn’t mean Miss Atkins’ class won’t keep practicing grammar and written activities.  I was super proud of the effort the kids put in this last week on their SOL test, taking their time to read over their work and add expressive elements.  I know with that continued dedication, we will have continued success through the rest of the year.

IN THE NEXT WEEK

• Tuesday: Practice Writing Test Online (Multiple Choice Section)
• Wednesday: Behavior Review Assembly (Reminders from Administration)
• Thursday: 2nd Grade Musical Performance (PTA Meeting also that evening)
• Friday: Theater IV Performance: The Wonderful World of Simple Machines

LOOKING AHEAD

• March 19th: Student Holiday
• March 20th: Practice Writing Test Online (Direct Writing Section)
• March 21st: School Picture Day
• March 22nd: Guest Art Speaker
• March 23rd: Sandwich Book Reports Due