Dear Parents,

         Happy Thursday!   Well, another snow day is upon us!  I think I am glad with how bad the wind is blowing!  If we think about it the roads were not good for travel at our normal time but it still was not good if we would have had a 2 hour delay.  I guess the correct decision was made.  All of you received a survey about snow days and virtual snow days.  Please be sure to fill that out.  I will be doing some reading today, and I think I am going to bake my grandma's sugar cookies.  I was going to do it at Christmas and it never happened.  Today might be the perfect day for it.  I hope all of you do something productive today.  Relax and enjoy and I look forward to being back together tomorrow for Camo Day.

Language Arts -  This week they have worked on their Unit 3 test.  We spent 3 days completing it. I try to break it down so that the students are now doing the whole thing in one day.  I will have scored ready to go home next week.  Our other activity this week was to begin working on a writing project.  We were going to begin writing an opinion paper.  Not sure there will be enough time to do that in one day.  Their book reports are due tomorrow so today is a perfect day to get those finished.  Maybe the snow day was for you, so you can be sure it is complete.  Next week we will start back up in the book with a regular week of spelling tests and end of the week tests.

Math -  We are wrapping up chapter 3.  They have taken the dress rehearsal test and we have gone over it.  They were to take the test today.  So I guess that moves into tomorrow.  After this chapter we will be doing chapter 13 on Area and Perimeter.  We will also be doing some work on "real life" math using checkbooks, deposit slips and check registers.  I hope these next few items are fun for the students.  After all of this we will hit the big topic of Division.  This one can be hard and frustrating.

Social Studies -  The students have been working hard on putting some states in their interactive notebooks.  They are getting much quicker at this process.  Their coloring may be getting worse though because they want to be done and have no homework.  I agree it is tedious.  I am completing my own interactive notebook with them.  I wanted to have an example for students and I have never had the chance.  This year with 5 kids I am finding the time to do just that.  I can't wait to be finished with the whole thing.  We will begin reading in the book again tomorrow.

Auction Basket/Silent Auction -  Thank you so much for the donations I have received so far.  Remember tomorrow is the deadline for donations.  We plan to place the Pampered Chef order to get the items here.  The pictures were taken last week for the silent auction item and the puzzle has been ordered.  It may be arriving this weekend.  I am so happy we are on the ball and getting things completed in a timely fashion.  Then we don't have to panic at the last minute.  I hope this years auction is very successful.

Catholic Schools Week -  I feel like this has been a fun week.  We have still kept the academics going all week which has been wonderful from my point of view.  They had several activities that they did with their Angels.  Tomorrow is Camo Day!  We also plan to do a grandparent parade.  We are already thinking that may have to be filmed in the gym instead of outside due to frigid temps.  We are also thinking about possible trying to make up the snowman building activity.  Maybe when the temps are better and we have better snow for it.  We are moving today's Tie-Dye day to Monday.  So the kids will still get to wear their tie-dye.  I am happy about that because I bought a new sweatshirt for it.

Valentine's Day - We will celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday, February 12th.  The students are welcome to bring Valentines to share with the others on Friday.  We will enjoy and snack and drink while they are passing out their valentines.  These items will be provided by our homeroom  parent.  The kids will only be allowed to eat the snack provided.  Any other candy will be kept in their Valentine Bags and brought home.  We will be making those Valentine bags during Art next week.

Sounds like this weekend could bring us some snow again.  Nothing major but snow and cold temps make me want to stay inside and warm. I hope everyone stays safe and warm!  Have a great weekend!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels