“Buzz”-worthy Moments: Awards, Awards, and MORE Awards!!

So many of our Busy Bees earned numerous certificates and medals for their academic successes!! They were recognized for Noetic Math Scores, MAP Growth in Reading, MAP Growth in Math, and Odyssey of the Mind Wins!!

I also had the tough job of choosing only one Principal Award and one Character Award. It is so hard for me because each one of them deserves an award!! This year, I chose Thomas and Ethan! If you want to see a Busy Bee at work, take a peek at them in our hive!!

Our May Schedule:

Lunch with 3rd Grade (Mondays) Sign Up: (Monday, 5/15 is still available!)

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafae2ca3f9c70-lunch

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/

A Glimpse into our Class

Daily Schedule

This is subject to change, of course!

daily-schedule-22-23

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: Choose your PERSPECTIVE

Our goals have gone from FAIL! to FINDING SOLUTIONS!! to FINISH!!! to Do My BEST!! to “Bee” an example!! to “Bee” Optimistic…LOOK FOR THE GOOD! to “Choose your PERSPECTIVE! You get to decide your opinion and attitude!

Read Aloud:  Flora & Ulysses By Kate DiCamillo

The kids INSISTED that we read this book by the same author as Because of Winn Dixie because they loved it so much!! Again, we will be working on comprehension, vocabulary, word structure, and so much more!!

Language Arts

We are in week 4 of  Unit 6 with the Essential Question: How do you decide what’s important?

In the Drama/Play “King Midas and the Golden Touch”, the king realizes that his daughter is much more important to him than gold!

Reading: Book Clubs and Presenting the books read…FUN for ALL!!

Writing: Friendly Letters…including how others  can count on us!

Spelling:  r-Controlled Vowel Syllables

Grammar Focus:

Prepositions

Prepositional Phrases

Commas after an introductory word

Continuing:

Adverbs

Multiple Meaning Words

Adjectives that Compare (big, bigger,biggest; many, more, most)

Possessive Pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns

Pronoun-Verb Contractions (it’s, you’re, I’m)

Pronoun/Present Tense Verb agreement

Pronouns: Singular/Plural/Personal

Pronoun  Agreement

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 14: Time, Capacity, and Mass

The kids took the test on Tuesday and did very well!

Math Topic 15: Attributes of 2-D Shapes

No test! Just fun comparing shapes!!

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: Invisible Forces: How can you unlock a door using a magnet?

Social Studies: Arizona’s Early People (Folktales)

 

Other San Tan News…

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

From the Principal (Emailed Tuesday)

Letter from the Principal

Dear San Tan Families,

Happy Second to Last Week!! We are wrapping up the school year and counting down the days! Please look out for teacher emails for end of year conferences. We are asking for donations for end of year conference dinner for teachers.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B48A9AF2EAAFB6-lets4

 

We are very excited that we had such a great feedback from our Recker Academic Awards over at Power starting at 4:30pm. We had over 1000 people registered for the event, however, our gym only holds 500 people. Therefore, we will be live streaming the event and will be asking that only two people per student attend to conserve room so all students can have supporters in the crowd. I am so grateful for your help with this. I am so proud of all the support for our students!

– Mrs. Sarah Laramie

Month at a Glance 

• Recker Academic Awards 5/17
• Spring Athletic Awards 5/17
• Preschool and Kindergarten Graduation 5/24
• 8^th Grade and 12^th Grade Graduation 5/25
• Last Day of School 5/26
• School Closed 5/29
• Parent Teacher Conferences 6/1-6/2

Important Announcements

After Care 5/24

May 24^th we will be providing After Care services until 4:00 pm to allow our staff to make their way to the Power Campus for PreK and Kindergarten graduation. We are kindly requesting for all After Care students to be picked up no later than 4:00 pm. We appreciate your cooperation

and understanding.

Summer Camp

Summer camp registration has begun! This summer we have all kinds of fun happening on our two campuses. I have included the flyers for our three summer camps in this email. Please see the links below as well as our flyer attachments.

 

Athletic Summer Camp

STEM Summer Class

Shoe Drive Update

The following classrooms are in the lead!

Would you ever think that your old shoes could help offset field trips next year? Well they can and here’s how. Our team is participating in a fundraiser where there is nothing to buy or sell, all we need is your support and your old shoes. We are looking for community members to help support us by agreeing to collect 25 pairs of gently worn, used and new shoes in the next 4 weeks. Here’s how you do it:

Start in your family’s closets and gather pairs of shoes that you’ve out grown, are out of style, or out of season. If you have 25 pairs, great, if not please ask your neighbors and/or co-workers to do the same. These shoes will help support our program as well as individuals in developing nations like Ghana, Haiti and Cambodia. Connect with me to get them picked up or you can drop them off at these locations: in your child’s classroom or at the front of Recker. Can we count on you? Please reply YES, I’LL HELP. PS: if you can’t collect 25, then try for 15, 10, or 5. Remember, every pair that you collect helps.

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

 

Helpful Links 

Order Lunch 

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

Sarah Laramie Principal Recker Campus San Tan Charter School

slaramie@santancs.com (480) 222-0811 3959 E Elliot Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234 santancharterschool.com