Weekly News 9-30-11

Walkathon

As I type,  I am being lapped by our Junior High students in our Walk-a-thon.  God has blessed us with a beautiful afternoon: sun shining and a cool breeze.  Praise Him for the gifts we have to share with others!

Now that students have a mileage count, they can collect pledges and donations this week.  A donation envelope came home today and is due back next Friday.  Thank you for helping encourage your child in this wonderful servant event. We look forward to the next phase of our project in creating the Baby Care Kits for Lutheran World Relief.  More photos will be posted soon!

Quarter Nears End

The last day of first quarter is approaching in a week and a half, Tuesday October 11.  First quarter grades will be presented to parents with a hardcopy of the report card at the upcoming parent teacher conferences, October 20-21.  NOTE: The last day grades will be posted online prior to conferences will be this Monday, October 3.  This allows teachers time to process end of the quarter homework, tests, and projects.   

Field Trip October 10

Thanks parents, I have the chaperones needed for the Weldon Spring/Bowling trip.  Permission slips are coming home next week with detailed information about our trip.

Weekly News 9-23-11

Walkathon Next Friday

We are excited to host the Walkathon portion of our Junior High service project next Friday.  Here are a few helpful tips:

• Afternoon classes are canceled that day.  We will walk for the afternoon and finish before the end of the school day.
• Student may come to school dressed for the event:  sweats/track pants or PE shorts (no "shorty" shorts), spirit wear shirts, and walking shoes
• Water and refreshment stations will be provided.  Students may wish to bring their own water bottle.
• Students may bring $.75 to purchase a soda during the afternoon.
• Students are encouraged to "self-pledge" as well as seek donations for Lutheran World Relief - Baby Care Kits. This may be a single amount or a "pledge-per-mile".
• PLEDGE SHEETS are returned the week after the walkathon with pledges collected. 

Please pray that our students may see the blessings we have to share in this servant event as well as for the mothers and babies to whom we will share God's love.

Field Trip - Monday Oct. 10
Our first field trip of the year will be Monday, October 10.  We will be taking a Science trip to the Weldon Spring Interpretive Center in the morning, departing at 9:00, and bowling in the afternoon.  Further details will come home closer to the event.  I am seeking 2 parent chaperones to attend and possibly drive students.  We are joining the 7th grade classes for this trip.

FUTURE FIELD TRIP  ON THE CALENDAR- Edison Theatre at Wash U.  Friday, Feb. 10 in the morning for Cashmore Marionettes. (2 parent chaperones also needed)

Love & Logic

Occasionally, I like to share a parenting tip.  This comes from the "Insider's Club_ on the Love and Logic website.   http://www.loveandlogic.com/

Why saying, "Just try it, it's easy" isn’t a good idea.
Weekly Tip from the Love and Logic® Experts

Has someone ever said to you, "Just try it, it's easy!" and then you found-out the task they coaxed you into trying was painfully difficult? Did this leave you feeling exceptionally capable or downright stupid…and embarrassed?

When this happens to the average adult, it doesn't take long for them to conclude two things:
This person who's trying to help me is nuts…and definitely not to be trusted!
Why should I try if I can't even handle the easy stuff?
Quite frequently I overhear well-meaning parents and educators using the "Just try it, it's easy!" approach in an attempt to urge a reluctant child into trying something they're afraid of. When the child finds the task easy, all is right with the world. When they don't, they're confronted with the pain of seeing that they might be so slow that they can't even do something really, really "easy"!

How often does this need to happen before our kids lose faith in our word? How often does this have to happen before our children lose faith in their own abilities? Are you willing to take this sort of risk with your kids?

In my book, From Bad Grades to a Great Life!, I teach a far safer approach. Experiment with asking your child:

A lot of kids find this kind of challenging. Would you try this and let me know what you think?

If you hear, "It's too hard. I can't do it," smile, pat them on the back and ask:

Aren't you glad that I don't believe that?

"Aren't you glad that I don't believe that?" represents an exceptionally powerful way of communicating to your children that they have what it takes to succeed. Delivered in question format its effectiveness becomes supercharged. Remember: Questions create thinking. Statements create resistance.

You may also experiment with asking another question:

And…aren't you glad that I'm going to love you the same even if you have to work really hard to figure this out?

Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.

Dr. Charles Fay


©2011 Love and Logic Institute, Inc. All copyright infringement laws apply. Permission granted for forwarding and/or for a single photocopy or electronic reproduction of one email tip only. Please do not alter or modify. For more information, call the Love and Logic Institute, Inc. at 800-338-4065.

Weekly News 9-16-11

Midquarter Monday
Where has the time gone?  Monday, Sept. 19 marks the midquarter of the first quarter.  You are encouraged to check your child's grades online after 3 p.m. to see your child's progress.  This is an excellent opportunity to ask your child about his or her impressions of the school year and personal effort.  Grades are a reflection of organization, effort, and following directions as well as ability.  Your child may need encouragement to talk with teachers and ask questions about subjects in which he or she feels confused.  Please contact me with concerns you have so we can team together to meet the needs of your child.  I feel our class has had an excellent start to the Junior High experience and are now "in the groove" of school.  

Student Email Accounts
Information about email accounts that are going to be set up in your child's name came home today.  Please sign and return the attached permission form.  This is just in time for our first writing project, a combined English/Literature Character Sketch based on The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain.

Weekly News 9-9-11

Classroom Geography Jeopardy

How many degrees latitude??

I know!

Having fun!

Walkathon

We had an assembly today to introduce the Junior High Walkathon coming September 30.
Look for news in your child's Friday Folder.

Individualized Spelling

Students use a personalized spelling list this year in spelling.  We begin the week with a pretest on a list of words that follow a spelling pattern.  From this pretest, student select any words missed to be studied for the week.  Other words are generated in their own writing or from a list of commonly misspelled words in the English language.  Then they are able to take a test over their ten personal words using the computer. In the event of an absence on test day, students may make up the test from home at this website:6R Spelling Test

Remembering 9/11

We will be taking time next week Tuesday during Social Studies to recognize the anniversary of 9/11.  Our focus will be an overview of events of that day and looking at the response of our church body and our nation since that time.  We will use Junior Scholastic as a resource.  You may wish to use the media coverage this weekend as an opportunity to talk about the tragic events with your child and share the confidence in our faith and our loving Lord.  To see a message from the president of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, click: A Hopeful Lament

**Book orders due tomorrow 9/12 online.

Weekly News 9-2-11

How was school?
Often kids respond, "Fine," or "OK." How do you get your child talking?  Ask specific questions about our units of study:


RELIGION - The Word of God, specific types of writings, God's promises and fulfillment
LITERATURE - Fiction and non-fiction, making predictions, plotlines, evaluating websites
SOCIAL STUDIES - Map components, latitude and longitude
MATH - Order of Operations, Fractions, Reading a ruler


Helpful Information:

Calendar - I am having trouble updating the calendar on our class webpage.  Please note our first test dates:
      Wednesday - 9/7 Math test 1  (Lessons 1-5)
      Friday 9/9  Literature test Unit 1Part 1
      Monday 9/12  Social Studies Test Chapter 1

Reporting of Grades - Please refer to the information on our class webpage regarding the online gradebook.  Link:  Grades Online    Note students may be turning in assignments from absences or late work, but they are not reflected until the upload occurs on the first school day of the week.

New Families - Please note that your password to access grades will come home on Tuesday.  I found them in my mail after I dismissed the class.  My apologies for the delay!

Book Orders - See the letter that came home today for ordering information or our class webpage.  Due date for paper orders is 9/9.  Online 9/10.