We hope you all had a fantastic Easter!  We would like to thank you for taking the time to visit with us during Parent Teacher Confereces last week. Below are highlights of the important things going on in fifth grade this week and next. 

• Please look for a letter we sent home on Monday regarding important class discussions we had upon returning to school after our short break.  We thank you for your continued support in helping us convey to your children the importance of treating everyone with kindness and respect.
• We are continuing to prepare for Exchange City. Students are very busy working with their businesses and getting everything ready for April 17th. So far, each business has worked hard to complete a loan application, a business plan and are now working on developing ways to advertise for their business. This week they will also be working on developing their goods and services.
• Standardized Testing will take place April 16-20. Fifth graders will test Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week.  Students will want to have a healthy snack at school on each of these days. It is also helpful for them to get plenty of sleep each night and eat a good breakfast each morning so they are prepared to do their best on the test.
  
• Students have been working on their Wordly Wise 18, which is due Thursday, April 12. The test over these words will be Friday, April 13.  After this set of Wordly Wise words, we will begin our final round of Word Masters for the year.


• Mrs. Nash's reading class has continued to read Jayhawker by Patricia Beatty this week. Mrs. Jones's reading class is currently reading Holes by Louis Sachar.


• This week in Science students have been working on their Independent Projects about space. Students will be wrapping these up early next week and will be sharing them with their classmates.


• In social studies, are learning about the United States Constitution.  We will begin a short in-class group project early next week.

Please note the following letter from Mr. van Thullenar about our upcoming Transition Night: 

March 26, 2012

Dear Fifth Grade Parents,

I want to invite you to our Middle School Transition Night on April 12th.  This will be an excellent opportunity to meet the middle school teachers, get exposed to the middle school curriculum, listen to reflections on middle school students and to ask questions.  For many students and parents, the years in middle school are some of the most amazing years in a person’s life.  This evening will offer some insight into characteristics of adolescent behavior and development.  We will meet in the third floor commons at 6 pm.  If you have time, the 6^th grade musical performance will take place in the North Wing MPR at 7 pm immediately following the transition presentation.  I look forward to seeing you April 12th.

Sincerely,

Ted van Thullenar

Head of Middle School