Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!!  Well...it is here!  Flu has hit our school.  We are taking every precaution we can to help prevent the spread of the flu.  We are cleaning water fountains after each group use, we are cleaning desks everyday with Clorox wipes, and I am preaching hand washing and use of Germ-X.  Influenza A, Influenza B, Strep, and the puking flu is all here.  The school nurse has advised us of all these things to try and prevent the spread of disease.  We are doing the best we can!  You as parents need to join in and help us.  You need to do just as your doctor says.  Some are saying once testing positive for either strain of influenza that you should be out of school for a week.  Some may say different.  Our rule of thumb is make sure your child is fever free for a full 24 hours (without meds) before returning to school. Also make sure your child is vomit free for 24 hours and can eat a normal amount of food and are hydrated back up, before returning them to school.  It is not only children that can get these illnesses it is also teachers.  We need to try and keep our teachers healthy through this time because there is not a long line of subs on our list.  We could be in trouble if several teachers were gone at once.  We are lucky it hasn't hit us like it has East Union.  They have more than 10% of their student population out of school. Let us pray that we can keep this under control and not have a severe problem.  One year we had a class of about 14 have only 4 students present one day.  That has only happened once in my 19 years of teaching.  That made for an interesting day.  Please be respectful and follow our wishes. 

Language Arts-  This week we are reading Riding Freedom, which reminds me of a Mulan story.  A female is disguised as male to do a job of driving a stagecoach.  This is considered a man only job.  She has cut her hair and dresses as a man.  She is in an accident and loses the sight in one of her eyes.  She works on training herself to drive the stagecoach using other senses, mainly her sense of hearing to help her.  So not only is she a woman in a man's job she would also be considered as having a handicap.  She proves to them she can do her job very well with only one eye.  They never figure out in our story that she is a female.  It is a good way to show the girls how certain jobs weren't meant for them. Which will lead right into our viewing of the movie Hidden Figures next week.  We learned about adjectives this week in grammar.  What they describe and what questions they answer.  We also did some discussion and computer searching on figurative language.  Personification, metaphor, simile, and idioms were the ones we talked about.

Math- We finished up perimeter this week with a fun activity of going around the school and measuring different things.  They measured doors, windows, desks, whiteboard, chalk boards, trophy cabinet, and file cabinets.  After measuring in inches they were to find the perimeter.  This got them out of the room and moving and physically doing the work instead of looking at a shape that all ready had the measurement done for them.  We learned Area yesterday and will do a worksheet today on it and tomorrow we will do the fun activity again where they go measure different things and find the area.  This gives them a good grasp of what area and perimeter are and how they are different.  This is a fun chapter.  I relate this learning to jobs that would have use these skills.  We just have a few more lessons in the chapter.  It is only 5 lessons long!  Then we are off into the deep world of division!

Social Studies - We are covering lesson 2 this week. It is covering some pretty big topics and only skimming the surface of each of them.  We talked about the Revolutionary War and immigration.  It quickly told them when the revolution was, where the first shot was fired and reasons why the war happened.  Immigration is about Ellis Island and where people were immigrating from.  We are singing our states and capitals song everyday before Social Studies class.  Some all ready have it memorized and some are working on it.  Once they can sing this song they can list all 50 states and capitals!  Woohoo!

Coin Wars -  This week the students have been participating in the Coin Wars.  Students were asked to bring in coins to fill a bucket.  This money will go towards Veterans and Honor Flights.  The class bringing in the most "change" will win a pizza party or a cookie party.  Last year 4th grade and 6th grade won a cookie party.  So far our class is way behind.  Tomorrow is the last day, so if you have any spare  change laying around please send with your student to help.

Catholic Schools Week!!  Hey, it's that time of year!  We have a lot of great activities planned for next week.  You will find a sheet with a list of each day and it's activities.  This will be in your youngest child's folder. But I will give you a run down here.  

Sunday, January 29, this is kick of Mass at Holy Spirit church with a brunch to follow put on by the PTO

Monday, January 30, Faculty and Staff appreciation Day
                                Students bring a sack lunch this day
                                 Spirit Day Dress: Blue/Gold Day for St. Malachy
                                 
Tuesday, January, 31, Student Appreciation Day
                                  Hidden Figures Movie at the Movie Theater (see paper and                                                   permission form in today's folder) 8:30-11:15
                                  1:30-3:00  Students vs. Teachers in gym
                                  Spirit Day Dress:  Sports Wear (hats and sweats included)

Wednesday, February 1, Community Appreciation Day
                                      Advent Angel Activity making valentine's for servicemen and                                                                                         people in Nursing Homes
                                   Spirit Day Dress: "America" Day or Red White and Blue

Thursday, February 2, School Appreciation Day
                                  Talent Show beginning at 1:00 pm
                                  Spirit Day Dress: Pajama Day

Friday, February 3,     Grandparents/Special Guest Day
                                  Mass begins at 1:30 pm and Holy Spirit Reception to follow
                                  Spirit Day Dress:  Dress up Day

4th Grade Auction Basket -  We met and discussed both the silent auction item and the auction basket.  Our silent auction item is a wooden cross.  Danielle Steele is in charge of this item and will be doing all the work.  Each student will be given a piece of stained wood that they will be writing their favorite bible verse on.  All the pieces will come together to make a cross.  Please be discussing with your child different verses that they may like and choose to write on their piece of wood.  I will also talk about this hear with them.  I will let you know when I need the verse.  Danielle is coming in during class to have them write then she will put the cross together!  I think it will be awesome!  Our Auction basket is movie night!  Our basket is going to look like a "Redbox".  If you search Redbox auction basket you will see what we are doing.  You will be getting an email with a sign-up genius for donations to the basket. Kiki Scarberry is in charge of the basket. I appreciate these ladies stepping up and helping. Keep in mind the $5.00 bin at Wal-Mart will be awesome for this basket.  We are also looking for "movie Candy".  I am contacting the theater for any donation they would like to give!  Let me know if you have any questions.

 I hope everyone has a great weekend and an even better Catholic Schools Week!

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels