December is an exciting, but short month at our school. Teachers and students will be very busy completing many projects in the next three weeks of school. As I write this newsletter and try to decide the most important information to include, I am once again in awe of what a strong learning community this is. Teachers are able to be more effective because of the incredible job you do as parents.I want to personally say thank you to the parents who support their children’s school experience through reading to your children and helping them access the remote school experiences.
It is important students are actively participating in their classroom activities so they are connecting with classmates as well as progressing academically. Teachers will be communicating end of the year standards for math and reading with you soon, if they have not already done so. In January you can expect to receive a report card explaining your child's progress toward priority end of the year grade level standards. We have reduced the number of standards we are reporting on to reflect those that are most important for your child's grade level. However, we continue to teach to all grade level standards. I have linked the OSPI website where standards can be found here. If you have any specific questions, please ask your child's teacher.
I hope as the holiday season arrives, you get to spend wonderful days with your family and friends. One activity that is both beneficial for students during the holiday break and fun for families is to have your child read out loud to someone everyday. There is much evidence that this one activity is most important in building strong readers. It is also an excellent way to take some time to relax when things get busy. Singing songs, repeating rhymes, finding the letters in the alphabet on the road signs as your family is in the car, are also great literacy activities.
Your children are growing in so many ways. My wish is that you get to take time to enjoy this magical time with them.
Julie Bartlett
