News for the Week of March 9, 2020

Language Arts

 We will read and complete comprehension activities related to the next stories in our Wonders reading series-"A Visit to the Desert" and "Sled Dogs Run".  We will compare and contrast a Siberian husky and a fennec fox.  We will do a writing project about someone "worth more to me than gold".

Math

We will continue with Topic 13 on counting money.  I am sending home an information sheet on the skills your child needs to master to be successful with this math unit and the related Common Core content standards.  Many children still have difficulty mentally skip counting to count up a group of coins.  Please help your child manipulate, count and recognize coins.  Skip counting by 25, 10 and 5 is a skill that will help them be more successful with this unit.

Health/Science/Social Studies  

We will work on a social studies unit on our government.  

Classroom News 

Adventures in Art  - Thursday, March 12th  Please have your child wear a short sleeve shirt, if possible.  We will be painting.

Scholar Dollar Question of the Week:  Why are you as lucky as a leprechaun? Write your response on a piece of paper and turn it in by Friday.  You will get 2 Scholar Dollars for your answer.  Be sure your name is on the paper. 

Happy March Birthday to Hemasri, Bryan, Vishwak, and Riley!

Hemasri is the Scholar of the Week!  

Student Free Day - March 16th - No School   

We would like to welcome two new students to our classroom-Abishrudha and Omar.

Message to the Parents

The Grades K-2-4 STEAM Fair is March 12th.  If your child is going to do a project please have your child bring his/her project to the cafeteria at 8:30 on March 12th.  If you need any information about the STEAM Fair please let me know.  Parents can visit the STEAM Fair for grades K-2-4 this Thursday night from 6-7PM.

We are doing our best to remind students of proper handwashing and sneezing and coughing protection.  I have Kleenex and handsanitizer in the room and we clean our desks weekly.  If you wish to send a small bottle of handsanitizer for your child to use that is fine.  If you are able to find any larger bottles of handsanitzer to donate to our classroom that would be greatly aprreciated.

We are starting a new independent reading program called Reading Counts!.  Unlike Raz-Kids and Zearn Reading Counts! is NOT available to be done at home. Students read books and take COMPREHENSION quizzes on the computer.  They must pass the quiz with 70% or better to earn points. They earn points based on the books reading level.  Children will receive badges based on the number of points they have. Even though children cannot take Reading Counts! quizzes at home they CAN read books at home and take the quizzes at school. Reading Counts! is sponsored by Scholastic so chances are any book you have at home or have purchased through the monthly book orders will be a Reading Counts! book.  We have just started the program this week.  So have your child bring in any books they have read at home and we'll see about having him take a Reading Counts! quiz.

Just a reminder: all parent volunteers must complete the required form, show proof of a negative TB test and present these documents along with your driver's license/photo ID to the secretary in the office before you can volunteer ON campus.

Please consider making a donation to our PTA's Direct Donation fundraiser.  Our PTA supports many great activities at Victor, so please support them.  Thank you to those families who have already donated to PTA's Direct Donation fundraising campaign.  While no donation is too small, there are 3 levels of donation that offer some great rewards.  $100- your child receives a specially designed Victor tshirt.  $150-your child receives a specially designed tshirt AND sweatshirt.  $200- your child receives a specially designed tshirt, sweatshirt and school yearbook.  Please consider making a donation to Victor PTA today!

Please join PTA!  It is only $10 per membership. Our PTA provides your child with many fun, academic experiences. You also have access to some great educational information and cool discounts. If you join PTA you are not required to attend meetings or volunteer at school, even though we always need volunteers to help with various activities.    

Please remind your child of our Victor Values-Be respectful, Be responsible, Be safe, and Always give your best effort.  I'd appreciate it if you could review the importance of  the Victor Values with your child.  Some children need daily reminders to work without talking and to be safe in the hallways and playground. 

Feel free to contact me through email or with a note if you have questions about our classroom.

Zearn Math and Raz-Kids at Home

Please have your child do Zearn Math home on a daily basis or at least over the weekend. Children would benefit from additional practice with Zearn Math above the 45-55 minutes a week we do in Computer Lab.  

I also encourage you to have your child log in to Raz-Kids on a regular basis.  Zearn Math and Raz-Kids are two programs Victor School pays for your child to participate in, please utilize them.  It will only help your child. 

PLEASE CHECK YOUR CHILD'S HOMEWORK AND HOMEWORK FOLDER. I EXPLAIN THE HOMEWORK EACH DAY BUT MANY STUDENTS DON'T HAVE THEIR NAMES ON THE PAPERS, THEIR HOMEWORK IS INCOMPLETE OR INCORRECTLY DONE.  BE SURE TO REVIEW THE PAPERS THAT COME HOME ON FRIDAY.

It's important for your child to be in school every day and to arrive on time. School starts at 8:59. It is important for your child to be in line when the bell rings. If your child needs to leave early for a doctor /dentist appointment please let me know ahead of time. With the shift to Common Core we have a full day of learning and working, so it is important your child is here.

Just a reminder, when your child is absent, for any reason, I need a note. The note must include your child's first and last name, the date of the absence, the reason for the absence and your signature. Your child will be marked truant if I do not receive an absence note. 

Your participation in your child's education and your support at home is vital to your child's success, not just this year but for the future years as well.  Your child needs to read every night- whether he/she reads to you or a younger sibling or YOU read to him/her.  YOU need to review your child's homework to be sure it is complete and correct it withhim/her. Please be sure your child gets plenty of sleep, eats breakfast, at home or here at school, and arrives at school ON TIME.  The playground opens with supervision at 8:35, breakfast is served starting at 8:20. 

Please take the time each week to go through the information sent home in the white communication envelope, sign and date the envelope and return it on Wednesday.  If you have not completed and return these forms please do so as soon as possible.

REMEMBER - FRIDAY IS SPIRIT DAY! WEAR YOUR VICTOR T-SHIRT OR BLUE!  IF 100% OF OUR CLASS WEARS BLUE WE EARN A DUTY PASS.

We are collecting "Box Tops for Education". So keep clipping!! 

Be sure to check our school's website for more information about school activities, events and fun websites. 

Feel free to contact me by phone 310-533-4542 X4033 or by email at childers.cheryl@tusd.org.