First Full Week of October!

Here we go, fire up for Week 7 of 3rd grade!

I hope you enjoyed that weather outside today — they say next weekend will be even nicer! I’m looking forward to another great week in 3rd grade. Your kids bring me so much joy, I’m loving seeing them laugh, learn, and grow each day!

Please read on for a variety of reminders and announcements. Thanks so much!

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Snacks / Wipes

I am in need of some snacks (graham crackers, goldfish crackers, pretzels are perfect) for kids when they forget their morning snack. If you’d like to contribute, please just send in a box of these snacks with your child. Thank you for considering giving!

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Flash Cards / First Timed Facts Test (5’s)

As you may have noticed on worksheets/assessments coming home, the math curriculum in 3rd grade ramps up SIGNIFICANTLY — it is definitely the bridge year from building block concepts of math to higher level application. Because of this, not only are kids expected to learn their multiplication facts this year, they are also expected to manipulate them in major ways; currently we are using them with:

  • story problems
  • area
  • the distributive property of multiplication
  • the associative property of multiplication
  • the commutative property of multiplication

That is a LOT of high level thinking and manipulation of multiplication required! It is so important that kids know their multiplication facts REALLY well so they can move past getting hung up on the basic recall of these facts, and can focus instead on the much more complex task being asked of them in the application of the facts.

Thank you so much for your help in running these flash cards (or at least parts of them) every night! This is a great activity for car rides to/from sports practice, church events, or eating out!

We will be taking our first timed test of multiplication facts this coming Friday; it will be only on multiples of 5.

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Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for mid-November, however I am planning to have a brand new baby that week 🙂 Because of this, I’m working on solidifying plans with Mr. Waldie to hold my conferences with you the last week of October (Week of October 26th).  These will be held virtually.

Watch for further communication on this (hopefully) next week.

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Halloween Party

Yes, we will be having one this year! Yay! Please stay tuned for more details about what you can send in (including if your child needs to come in his/her costume or not) as we get closer, but the party will be on Friday, October 30th. As a reminder we will not be able to have parent volunteers or guests at this party. Thank you!

REMINDER: As you choose Halloween costumes, only school appropriate costumes will be allowed. Thank you for avoiding violent, gory costumes for the school setting!

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Reading Logs Turned In Tomorrow

Don’t forget to send your child’s Reading Log in tomorrow; you will have a new one sent home as well to return the following Monday. PLEASE DO YOUR BEST to encourage your child to read for a minimum of 100 minutes each week!

Important: When we want kids to do something, we know that intrinsic motivation is the highest indicator of their continued pursuit of the activity. For this reason, PLEASE do your best not to correct every little mistake your child makes when reading aloud (I know, I know, this is easier said than done 🙂)

By all means, help your child sound/stretch out hard words, have them back up to reread for understanding if necessary, etc, but please let your kiddo read…the more words they can consume, the stronger their reading will become in time. Thank you so much for your help in growing a love for reading instead of fear of mistakes in your child!

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October Lunch Menu 

Meals offered at school for the month of October can be found here.

Please check out the following message from the Jenison/Hudsonville Food Service:

Are school meals (breakfast and lunch) really free right now?  YES!! The meal itself is free.  Remember – each meal must contain a fruit or a vegetable to be qualified.  Students will still be charged for any other purchases like: milk only, bottled water/juices, additional entrees, etc. The USDA extended rules from this summer that allow us to serve free breakfast and lunch to students. This Extended Summer program will end on December 31, or until the USDA tells us to stop.  NO additional paperwork is needed to receive these meals. 

What comes with lunch?  Lunches include protein (meat/meat alternatives), whole grains, fruit, vegetable, and milk.  Students can select 3, 4, or all 5 items.  The meal must contain a fruit or vegetable to qualify as a complete meal. 

Free and Reduced Meal Applications:  We are still collecting Free/Reduced Applications.  Even though meals are free right now, when the Extended Summer program stops, an approved application MUST be completed to continue receiving meals at the free or reduced rate.  If you had an application approved in 2019-20, but have not renewed it for this year, it expires on October 7.  If you do not reapply, you will be charged full price when the Extended Summer program ends.

Did you know?  Approved Free & Reduced Applications help our school district!  School Districts receive money for Title I reading and math support based on our number of eligible students.  You can also qualify for discounts on athletic fees, AP testing fees, and college application fees.  You may also be eligible for discounts on your home’s cable TV or internet!  Apply anytime at www.lunchapp.com.

LOW and NEGATIVE BALANCE EMAILS:  These automatic emails will be turned back on on September 28.  If your child has a negative balance, this is left from the 2019-20 school year, and you are still responsible for paying the charges.  If you need purchase histories, just reach out to us and we can provide them for you.

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Turkey Trot 2020…Virtually!

Please be sure to head to this link to read what Mrs. VanKoevering and Mrs. Nienhuis have to share about our 2020 Turkey Trot!

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Curriculum

This week begins the first lesson or two in 3rd grade content and curriculum. I can’t wait to partner with you to help your child reach his or her full academic potential this year!

  • Reading: We will continue developing our first Reader’s Workshop unit, “Building a Reading Life”.
  • Writing: This week we will complete the first unit of our Writer’s Workshop: Crafting True Stories.
  • Word Work: Students will be working on spelling patterns based on individual needs indicated by a spelling inventory we took in September. This will be done through both small group and individual practice.
  • Math: We will continue working on multiplication and division, area, and will be introduced to the Associative Property of multiplication. PLEASE work on flash cards with students at home every night! Thank you for your help in this! We will take our first timed test for our Multiplication Challenge on our 5’s fact family this Friday.
  • Social Studies: We will talk about how challenges, mistakes, and taking risks all help our brains to learn, stretch, and grow.

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Upcoming Dates

  • Friday, October 23: Early Release (12:15 pm dismissal)
  • Monday, October 26: No School
  • Week of Monday, October 26: Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences for MRS. DETERS ONLY!
  • Friday, October 30: Halloween Party
  • Friday, November 13: Early Release (12:15 pm dismissal)
  • Wednesday, November 25 – Sunday, November 28: Thanksgiving Break (No School)
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