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.