Final....FINAL Post!

I know I said I had wrapped up the 2014-2015 Poling Blog posts, but I have a few more things to share!

The last Friday Folders will be going home tomorrow. Please check inside for a small gift from me to your FABULOUS fifth graders!

I look forward to seeing you all and CELEBRATING your remarkable children on June 2nd!

Maia

Final Blog Post :(

Monday, May 25                  Memorial Day. No School. 

Wednesday, May 27, a.m.   Middle School Counselor classroom visit
Wednesday, May 27, p.m.   K-2 Olympics.  We are assistants this day.

Thursday, May 28. p.m.      3-5 Olympics. We are participants this day. Please refer to "The Blake Bear Connection"  for details.

Monday, June 1                   Last Day of School

Tuesday, June 2                    1:15 arrival and 2:00 Closing Ceremony

Students arrive on Tuesday at 1:15. Students come dressed for this occasion: sundresses, blouses and skirts, or dressy shorts and tops for girls; suits and ties, dress shirts and ties, or dressy shorts and collared short-sleeve shirts for boys. The entire student body of Highcroft meets for songs, speeches, photos, and farewells. The fifth-graders will enjoy a brief social time with you in the dining room afterward, and then they are off to a fifth-grade party. Please refer to "The Blake Bear Connection for details.

And Finally.........

Families,

It has been pleasure to travel this road with you and your children. They are older, braver, bolder, smarter, more compassionate, self-aware and insightful individuals. They have made me smile often, laugh regularly and reminded me many, many times why I teach. 

I thank you all for the partnership and support you offered throughout the year. As cliche as the term has become, I truly believe that it takes a village of encouragement and love to anchor and guide children to become happy, strong and confident. I am honored to have been apart of the journey.

Warmly,

Maia

Middle School Visit, Algebra, Robotics, Puberty- WHAT A WEEK!

It was a QUOTABLE WEEK. 

I will leave out some of the quote worthy moments from the boys after our first week of sexual reproduction and puberty! Use your imagination!

"Going to the middle school was scary and weird and then it was super fun and I am not as scared anymore."

"I totally get Algebra...well, only if it does not get any harder."

"The middle school teachers are super nice. But I can tell we are going to have more homework."

"I am so glad the girls are mixed up for Robotics with girls from Ms. Robie's room."

"The Skittle activity in math was cool. I like Skittles."

"Ms. Poling said we would like Algebra. I was not so sure, but she was right. It is fun." ( I LOVE WHEN THEY ADMIT I WAS RIGHT!!)

"Wait, we don't have snack break in 6th grade?"

ATTENTION......ERROR in my last post!!!

Thanks to a diligent blog reader, I was alerted to an error.

The Closing Ceremony and Fifth Grade Graduation is on Tuesday, June 2nd at 2:00pm. Students should arrive at 1:15.

I am so sorry for this mistake

Week in Review

ERB's: Been There, Done That!

We have successfully completed our week of standardized testing. Most students enjoyed taking them on computers. We'll catch up with those who missed tests very soon.

Grade 5 Middle School Parent Learning Lunch (Tuesday, May 19, Noon, MS Pillsbury Conference Room): All fifth grade parents are invited to join Middle School Director Elizabeth Hastings for an informative discussion on a variety of issues surrounding the transition from Lower School to Middle School. It's a great opportunity to hear about next year as well as ask questions.

And Now We Navigate May! 

Here is what you need to know:

We have an art field trip Tuesday morning and our trip to the Middle School Thursday morning. We'll be gone all morning and back by recess. Jeanette Gadeberg, our Middle School counselor, will continue sixth-grade orientation when she visits our classroom on May 27. 

The Human Development and Reproduction Unit begins Monday. All the fifth-grade girls will enjoy Robotics programming while the boys have science in their own classrooms. On May 20th, all the fifth-grade boys will enjoy Robotics programming while the girls meet for science in their own classrooms. This 2-week unit is a basic introduction to changes during puberty for males and females, intercourse, fetal development and delivery. Students will review this information again in sixth grade. We'll use diagrams, posters, and books as reference materials (but not movies). If you wish to provide your child with some reading material in advance, you might consider Robie Harris' book, It's Perfectly Normal. Each day, your child will bring home a brief, bulleted list of what we talked about in class. Our intent is that you engage your child in conversation. Some students are quite willing to talk about this unit, and some are reticent. We encourage you to open up communication, even if it is simply to have your child sit with you while you read the day's information and thank them for sharing with you when you are done reading and discussing. Reassure your child that talking with you about sex is normal and healthy.

In addition to science, robotics, and field trips, we'll enjoy an introduction to algebra, work on elements of literature reading posters, dip into fiction and nonfiction short stories, finish up Megawords, and read every single day.

We make farewell gifts for our buddies. We are making bead creatures for our buddies as tokens of fondness and farewell. Some students like to purchase or make their buddy an additional gift; this is strictly optional. We just ask (beg!) that gifts be moderate, fit into backpacks, and given in private at school or outside of school. 

Olympic Days: We work the K-2 Olympics on Wednesday, May 27 at Highcroft. We participate in the 3-5 Olympics on Thursday, May 28. Please check out the latest Bear Cub Connection for more details.

Our final day of regular classes is June 2nd and the Closing Ceremony will occur at 2:00 on Tuesday, June 3rd. Students arrive on Tuesday at 1:15. Students come dressed for this occasion: sundresses, blouses and skirts, or dressy shorts and tops for girls; suits and ties, dress shirts and ties, or dressy shorts and collared short-sleeve shirts for boys. The entire student body of Highcroft meets for songs, speeches, photos, and farewells. The fifth-graders will enjoy a brief social time with you in the dining room afterward, and then they are off to a fifth-grade party. 

And that will be that. It is hard to believe that the end of the year is only weeks away. I hope we all can soak up the joy and excitement of this special time.

Happy Mother's Day, Moms! You have my respect and admiration!

Wow, What a Night!

It is hard for me to stop thinking about the amazing performance(s) of Turn the World Around, considering my four year old son, who was my date on Friday evening, has continued to ask me question after question about the play. Clearly the exciting performance has stuck with him!

Perhaps you are still beaming after seeing your student's hard work glisten and gleam on stage. They were fantastic and I am so proud of each and every one of them!

I wanted to remind you all that this week we will be taking the ERB tests. Please help your student eat a good breakfast, get a good nights sleep and get to school on time.

The Day Has Come!!!

Last minute notes from Ms. Hector

The actor “call” time for the evening performance is 6:15. 

Please do not come earlier as the “green room” is still 

being used by the Extended Day program until 6:00. I 

need a few minutes to get the space ready. Kids are

invited to walk down the hallway to the “green room” at

6:15 and not before.


The doors to the theatre will open at 6:30. 
No cameras or records during the performance. 

We have a professional videographer – please, sit back 

and just enjoy!


A cast party for students and families follows the evening

performance in the Bovey Chapel in the Middle School.  At

the party, students will be given a cast photo and photo

disc – compliments of our videographer, Mike Madden!


Students need to take home their instruments, costume

and makeup that evening as they will not be returning to

the Hopkins campus. Thank you, parents, for helping with

play costumes! Costume pieces from the theatre

collection that were loaned to students need to be

returned. 


Props that have been loaned to us, will be available in the

HC Theatre/Strings classroom starting Monday, May 4th. 

There will also be a “Lost and Found” box for student 

belongings left at Hopkins after our Friday evening 

performance.


Strike crew: Meet in the auditorium on Sunday,

May 3rd at 9:00 am.  We could use a couple more

volunteers and we sure appreciate your help!