2/24 News
“Buzz”-worthy Moments: Compliments!
Our class earns Busy Bee points whenever someone gives us a compliment and this week has been quite complimentary!! Walking in the halls quietly, lunch behavior and clean up, choices during specials, etc. We also had a potential family touring the school and I was told that after the dad observed our class, he felt this may be the school for his child next year!
Way to “BEE”, Busy Bees!!
Our March/April Schedule:
2/24 Wear your Busy Bee Tees Today!
Lunch with 3rd Grade (Mondays) Sign Up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafae2ca3f9c70-lunch
Guided Reading Groups (Tue/Wed/Thu) Sign Up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DAFAE2CA3F9C70-guided
2/21-3/3 Gifted Testing
All 3rd graders who have not already tested as “Gifted” will be tested.
No need to sign up!
3/1 Spring Pictures/Class Picture
3/3 Wear your Busy Bee Tees Today!
3/8, 3/9, 3/10 Student-Led Conferences and 11:00 Dismissal
These conferences can be done in class or at home. Please sign up using this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DAFAE2CA3F9C70-spring1
3/10 Wear your Busy Bee Tees Today!
3/13-3/24 Spring Break (Enjoy your time off!)
3/27 Back to School! Let’s finish 3rd Grade with a Buzzzzz!!
3/31 Wear your Busy Bee Tees Today!
4/6 11:00 Dismissal
4/7-4/10 No School (Easter Weekend)
4/13 Zoo Field Trip Sign-Ups and Payment Due
4/14 Wear your Busy Bee Tees Today!
4/21 Wear your Busy Bee Tees Today!
4/26 11:00 Dismissal
4/27 Zoo Twilight Experience (Wear your Busy Bee Tees!)
In the Dippre Family, We call it a “Late Over” (with the animals!!)
Zoo Twilight Camp (3rd Grade Mainstream and Gifted)
In other NEWS…
Busy Bee Tees: Wear them on FRIDAYS!!!
The company that made our Busy Bee Tees for us was started by a few STCS High School Students and a dad. Feel free to browse their STCS Spirit Gear! I truly appreciate how they took care of us and our Busy Bee Tees! https://sstshirt.com/
Book Reviews
The kids decided they would like to write book reviews! I have the sheets available but they can certainly write the review on notebook paper!!
Book Boxes
If anyone wants to create a Book in a Box, GO FOR IT!
Salt Dough Recipe
Here is the recipe to make salt dough at home if you’d like 😊 Maybe use it for Book Box items?
https://wanderhomeschooling.com/easy-homemade-playdough-recipe-with-cream-of-tartar/
A Glimpse into our Class
Daily Schedule
This is subject to change, of course!
Homework
I am encouraging the kids to work on the homework emailed at the beginning of each week.
Any time they spend reading, writing, doing math, and practicing skills will encourage academic success!!
Reminder: I check homework for EFFORT, not COMPLETION. You decide how much gets done at home!
BENEFITS of Homework:
- Extra practice for students who may need it
- Communication with parents about what we are doing in class
- Creates good study habits
- Gives students the opportunity to ‘accomplished’ when they are finished and/or they understand
- Creates opportunities for parents and/or older siblings to spend time with their 3rd grader
***Homework is NOT meant to be a frustration!
My purpose with homework is for the kids to get the practice they need so they understand the concepts AND to show you what they know! If the math packet is easy for them, for example, there is no need for them to complete it at home, although they probably will have finished it at school! THE POINT: I know you are all busy! I am typically flexible with due dates so if you have sports or ??? one night, feel free to wait until the next night to do it. When they return the homework to me, I acknowledge the time and effort they put into it. If this inspires your child to get the practice at home, wonderful! If not, no added stress!!
Social-Emotional Learning: Do My BEST!!
Our goals have gone from FAIL! to FINDING SOLUTIONS!! to FINISH!!! to Do My BEST!! and this week “Bee” an example!!
Read Aloud: We finished!! It was so enjoyable!
Because of Winn Dixie By Kate DiCamillo
We are going to enjoy this heartwarming story while digging deep into literary concepts such as COMPREHENSION, CAUSE and EFFECT, AUTHOR’S PURPOSE, CHARACTER ANALYSIS, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, and BOOK vs. MOVIE COMPARISON (If we decide to watch the movie!)
MAIN THEMES and LESSONS:
FRIENDSHIP LONELINESS JUDGING OTHERS
Language Arts
We are in week 1 of Unit 5 with the Essential Question: What do good citizens do? We are reading about people who courageously stand up to unfairness by unwaveringly proposing solutions to horrific problems such as slavery and women’s lack of rights. For example, Elizabeth Cady Stanton grew up amongst women who lost their homes and farms after their husbands died, only because women were not allowed to own property. Ask your third grader about her story.
Reading:
We enjoy our Guided Reading Groups each week. THANK YOU to our parents who led the groups Tue/Wed/Thu 11:40-12:15. We LOVE having you in class!! If you would like to join us, here is the link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DAFAE2CA3F9C70-guided
Writing:
Fractured Fairy Tales…SUPER FUN!! And we are preparing for the creation of our 3rd Grade Student Treasures Book!!
Spelling: Compound Words
Grammar Focus:
Pronouns: Singular/Plural/Personal
Pronoun Agreement
Continuing:
Irregular Verbs, including Have/Do
Correct Verb Forms
Complex Sentences
Dependent and Independent Clauses (New Concept…A bit confusing!)
Using Subordinating Conjunctions (New Concept…A LOT Confusing!)
Greek and Latin Roots: TOTALLY FUN for some!!
Main Verb/Helping Verb
Commas and Quotations Marks in Dialogue
Contractions with not
Using Apostrophes
Linking Verbs
Using Commas
Content Words
Context Clues
Sequencing Events
Past/Present/Future Tense Verbs
Capitalizing Book Titles
Figurative Language: Idioms, Similes, personification, metaphors, hyperboles
Synonyms
Abbreviations
Name Titles
Verb Tenses and Subject/Verb Agreement
Adding -y to change the meaning: rock to rocky
Quotation Marks
Colons in the time
Verbs
Homographs.
Open Syllables
Possessive Nouns
Closed Syllables
Collective Nouns: class, team, family
Irregular Plural Nouns: tooth/teeth, mouse/mice, deer, moose, woman/women, life/lives
Homophones
Prefixes un/re/dis
Plural Nouns, adding -s or -es AND changing the y to i
Common Nouns/Proper Nouns
Concrete Nouns/Abstract Nouns
Word Meanings, including multiple meanings
Math Topic 9: Fluently Add and Subtract within 1,000
We are applying what we know to BIG NUMBERS!!!
XtraMath.com
This is great math fact fluency practice at home! Let me know if your child earns a certificate!!
Khan Academy
Feel free to do this at home! Here is the link for the ELA practice:
https://www.khanacademy.org/ela
Science:
Social Studies: Our focus is on Integrity: “Bee” an Example
Other San Tan News…
Yearbooks for Sale!
https://store.shopyearbook.com/santan-yb
From our Family Engagement Committee (FEC)
Please join our school’s Family Engagement Committee’s (FEC) Facebook page. Here you will find school wide events that are coming up and ways to volunteer at school.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/620590539585576
Thank you again,
Jenn Jacobs and Heather Warren
The Family Engagement Committee (FEC)
San Tan Charter School
480-222-0811
From the Principal (Emailed Tuesday)
Dear San Tan Families,
Happy rainy Tuesday!! I hope you are all staying dry out there! We have conferences coming up in two short weeks. Please see your teacher’s individual sign ups for conference times.
Have a wonderful week!
– Mrs. Sarah Laramie
Month at a Glance
- Gifted Testing 2/20-3/3
- Recker Spring Pictures 3/1
- March Conferences 3/8-3/10
- Spring Break 3/13-3/26
Important Announcements
March Conference Food Donation Request
Let’s thank our STCS staff during their Parent/Teacher Conference Night on Thursday March 9th!!
If you are able to donate, please drop off all non-perishable items on or before Wednesday, March 8th. Perishable items can be dropped off after school until 4:00 on March 9th.
Thank you for your help!
Sincerely,
The FEC
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B48A9AF2EAAFB6-taco
We need your help!!
Please upload your pictures from this year at the following link. We are looking for more pictures for our yearbook.
https://uploads.picabooyearbooks.com/9681082
Tax Credit
This year’s tax credit giving goal is $100,000.00.
Your gift — large or small — will make a difference.
The form link is now open at:
https://yqysjrrxph.formstack.com/forms/?1627645-EuNcDzZTd2
With your support, we can continue to provide the programs outlined below;
- Junior High and High School Culinary Arts: Restaurant quality cutlery, pots/pans, additional shelving, and supplies for the classroom
- Full-Day Kindergarten Scholarship
- Funding for the Library/Media Space
- Health Care Supplies
- Playground Equipment
Reenrollment is LIVE
This year, we have gone to completely ONLINE registration! No more paper packets!! While the phone app is convenient for most things – we recommend using a computer to complete re-enrollment. We highly recommend getting your application finished as soon as possible as we prioritize current families and we already have a substantial pool of new students wanting to enroll.
Please Log into your Parent Portal. Go to “More” and then “Online Registration.”
- Confirm existing students’ information
- Add any new siblings
If you are adding a sibling this year you will want to have some documents ready as you will be required to upload them before you are able to move forward in the application.
· Birth Certificate
· Proof of Residency
· Immunization Records (exemption form available in application)
· IEP/504/Gifted Score Documents (if applicable)
If you have questions or need assistance with re-enrollment and/or the parent portal please feel free to reach out to Christine Gray, cgray@santancs.com, or Sydney Burdeno at sburdeno@santancs.com.
Reading Initiative
I am so excited to tell you of an initiative that I am starting that will continue throughout the rest of this year. Dedicated small group reading is proven to not only increase reading scores but also increase student’s love of reading. I am really passionate about students gaining a love of reading so we have created a new initiative.
We would love to invite parent volunteers daily between 8:30-9:30, in half an hour segments, to read to small groups of students in the library. I have attached the sign up. In the sign up, you will see classrooms with teacher’s names in it so that you know which classes you are volunteering for.
Grandparents are also welcome if they are interested! I am really excited about this initiative and want to thank you all for your consideration.
Thank you for your time and your devotion to our community,
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4baaa922aafd0-reading6#/
Spring Field Trips Links
Please sign your student up as soon as possible for our fieldtrips coming up
Phoenix Children’s Museum (Kinderversity)
Butterfly Wonderland (1st Grade Mainstream and Gifted)
Zoo Twilight Camp (3rd Grade Mainstream and Gifted)
Aspen Creek (4th & 5th Grade Mainstream, Gifted AND Montessori)
Medieval Times (6th Grade Mainstream, Gifted AND Montessori)
Kartchner Caverns State Park (6th Grade Mainstream, Gifted AND Montessori)
Montessori information to follow
Kids Heart Challenge
Dear Families – Our Kids Heart Challenge program is kicking off on February 15th! We are proud to support the American Heart Association and Be the Torch in the fight against heart disease and stroke! Students will learn how to keep their hearts happy and healthy through physical and mental wellbeing, while helping others with special hearts by raising lifesaving donations. Our goal is to have 100% of our school families join the team and learn Hands-Only CPR through Finn’s Mission. Don’t wait, get started TODAY! Students who join the team early and students who complete Finn’s Mission will be recognized at our kickoff assembly!
- REGISTER at http://www2.heart.org/goto/SanTanCharterSchool or download the Kids Heart Challenge App for Apple or Android.
- TAKE THE CHALLENGE to Move More or Be Kind and earn the FREE Be the Torch Wristband when we kick-off!
- COMPLETE FINN’S MISSION in your HQ to learn Hands-Only CPR, how to spot a stroke F.A.S.T., and how you can help kids with special hearts!
Thank you for supporting our school and this lifesaving program!
Get a sneak peek of this year’s Heart Hero Dragons!
Helpful Links
Arizona Tax Credit Form Social Media Links Facebook- San Tan Charter School Family Connection Facebook-PreK-6 Recker Campus Facebook-7-12 Power Campus Facebook- Mrs. Laramie Principal Recker Campus Instagram- Mrs. Laramie Principal Recker Campus Instagram-STCS Recker Campus
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