Welcome to 4th Grade!

2/20/18

Greetings Marvel Families!

 

Field Trip - Alamo

Our trip to San Antonio is coming up next Thursday, 2/28. This year we are registering for the Alamo Field Trip online. Most families have completed the form, but we still have a few missing. If you have not yet registered, please follow the link below to complete the form for your child.

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https://www.cognitoforms.com/RRISDCoLaurelMountainElementary/ROUNDROCKINDEPENDENTSCHOOLDISTRICT

 

Class T-Shirts

Students from our class collaborated with Mrs. Webster to create a class t-shirt for this year.Our t-shirt design combines the Toewe Texans and McCullough Marvels since, with our class sharing,  we are really one big class. We have plans to use a silk screen machine on Monday to make our shirts. Please send in a plain white t-shirt on Monday. 

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1/27/18

Greetings Marvel Families!

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Live Museum

This week students will participate in the 4th Grade Live Museum. Ms. Toewe sent home permission slips, mainly to be sure families were aware of the event and student responsibility to create a costume and practice their speech. We are still missing a few of the forms. If you still have the green permission slip floating about, please return it to school this week. We hope to see you at the event!

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Walk to Read

The amazing work of former LME librarian Trudy Marshall has provided thousands of children the opportunity to experience the power of reading. Through her efforts and collaboration with LME families, we are actually changing the world, one reader at a time.

 

If you are able to contribute to this effort please send hard-bound books to donate or monetary donation to help with shipping costs in the Walk-To-Read envelope. Even if you do not plan to send in a donation, please return the envelope. Classes which return 100% of their envelopes are eligible to participate in a Walk-to Read celebration. 

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Valentine's Day

While in the past we have held a Valentine's Day party, this year the PTA has decided to forgo the party. Students will have an opportunity to mark the day with classroom activities, however we will not have a formal party, If students would like to share valentines with their classmates they may bring cards. However, if they decide to bring cards for one, they must bring cards for all. 

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San Antonio Field Trip

We are gearing up for our field trip to San Antonio in late February. Students will visit the Institute of Texan Cultures and the Alamo. If you are available to chaperone on our trip, please email me.

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10/29/18

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Report Cards

Report cards went home in the Monday Folder today. You will find two copies. One is for your records. Please sign the other copy and send it back to school in the report card envelope.

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Carnival

Thanks to all of you who came out to support LME PTA at the fall carnival! It was a fun event and proceeds benefit our school.

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Pencils

Somehow we have gone through most of our pencil allotment for the year! I am wondering if students are taking pencils home and leaving them there. Please check to see if your student has a growing collection at home and send them back to school. :)

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10/15/18

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Conference Outcomes

It was great to visit with all of you during the Fall Conferences. I will be working to set our plans in place over the next week. Students will have ROAR time on Fridays to work on their goals, and with the additional help from home, I am sure the Marvels will achieve their goals over the year. If you were unable to set up a conference during the days allotted, I will be in touch to find a time that works for you.

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Egg Shells

Thank you all for sending in your egg shells! We will be planting winter vegetables, and the shells will come in handy to deter snails. Keep those shells coming in!

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PRIDE

We have a spirited and energetic class this year. During the first 9-weeks we struggled a bit with respecting other classes and rules in the cafeteria by talking too much and not taking care of our surroundings. I am happy to report that the Marvels won the Golden Fork award last week for showing their PRIDE at lunch! Please continue to encourage your student to embody the core values of LME of positive attitude, respectful behavior, independence, dependability, and being an engaged learner. 

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Homework 

One thing I heard during conferences was that students reported not having homework, and parents were confused. I want to clarify the weekly homework and how it is recorded so that you, as a parent, can feel comfortable knowing what is expected.

 

In a normal week, I will assign 3 days of math homework. One day will be fluency practice (4-Square). We will have a day of review work, and then a practice of the skills we are currently learning. Each day we have a time to record homework in student planners. I check to be sure the assignment is copied correctly, and give students a copy of the work. Occasionally there will be science homework, but it is usually to review for a test. I strive to list the work on my website daily as well (my goal this year:).

 

Sometimes things don't always work out as planned. Some weeks our schedule is thrown off by unforeseen circumstances, and the class may not be ready for the review and skills practice planned.  Sometimes students leave their planners at school, or finish the work before leaving, which I encourage as a time management exercise rather than using the time to socialize. It is

 

Bottom line, the best way to keep up with assignments is to check your child's planner.  

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9/12/18

Greetings Marvel Families,

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Edible Garden

Fourth grade will be working in the garden this year. Our goal is to grow, plant, harvest, and prepare our own crop. Since we are growing organically, we need to be creative about pest control. That is where you come in. We need egg shells.

Crushed egg shells provide a natural barrier to crawling pests like snails, which we have in abundance. If you use eggs in your cooking, please set aside the shells and send them to school with your child. Better yet, if you are looking for a community experience for your student, check with your favorite restaurant or grocery store to see what they do with their shells. We can use as many as we can get!

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Excellence Fund

Excellence Fund envelopes went home in the Monday Folder last week. Please return your envelope to school as soon as you can. Regardless of whether you choose to contribute or not, the return of the envelopes gives our class a chance to win a celebration. The fund drive ends next week. 

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Have You Joined the PTA?

The LME PTA is a great way to stay involved with the school and contribute to all the things that make LME successful. Please view this video to learn more.

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9/4/18

Greetings Marvel Families,

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I hope you all enjoyed the ling weekend and are getting some much needed rain. As we start our second full week of classes, we are starting to create a classroom culture and are working on our PRIDE. 

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Healthy Snack

Each week LME features a healthy snack of the week. Having a healthy snack to enjoy before lunch keeps students alert and well. Classrooms earn points for bringing any healthy snack, but we get extra points for the snack of the week. I'll post the snack on our website. 

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Room Temp

It is sometimes hard to regulate the temperature in our classroom. Parents might want to consider sending a hoodie or light sweater to keep in class.

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Clorox Wipes and Tissues

Thanks to the families who sent these supplies to school! As I mentioned at Parent Night, tissues were left off of our supplies list this year. As cold season approaches, we go through quite a few boxes. If you could send a box with your student, we will all benefit. Also, I wipe the student desks off each day with Clorox Wipes. Hopefully this practice will cut down on the spread of germs. If you can contribute some wipes, I will put them to good use.

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PRIDE

As we develop our classroom community, the Marvels have been working hard to build their PRIDE and become positive, respectful, independent, dependable, and engaged learners. You can find a more detailed explanation of the expectations in your child's planner. Each week I will have students rate how they feel they are progressing on their PRIDE and set a goal for the following week. These forms will go home on Fridays. Please review your child's PRIDE rating and sign. Forms should be returned to school on the following Monday.

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8/27/18

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Dear Marvel Families, 

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It was great to see you all at Parent Night! I am looking forward to our second full week of school. We will still be working on establishing routines and assessments, but we are beginning to work into our core content. You can find out about what we are learning by visiting the "Our Week/Homework" tab.

 

White Binders

Students have a white binder that we call the "Switch Binder". The binder 

contains their planner, unfinished work, and homework assignments. Please ask to see your child's binder, and check for any homework. 

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Classroom Needs

I forgot to mention at Parent Night that our classroom could use some tissues and Clorox Wipes. If you can help out, please send some with your child. 

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Monday Folders

Monday Folders went home today. Please sign the front and return it tomorrow. In the future, I will send home graded work in the Monday Folder. 

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8/20/18

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Dear Marvel Families, 

It has been a pleasure to get to know your children over the past few days. We have mostly been setting up routines and preparing for the year ahead. I look forward to getting to know you as well. I hope you will be able to join us for the 4th Grade Parent Night on Thursday, at 6:30.Parents will meet in the Cafeteria and then move to the classrooms for more specific grade level information. 

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Monday Folders went home today. Please review the information and return the signed folder with your student tomorrow. 

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Best, 

Karin McCullough

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