Dear Parents,

     Happy Thursday!   We are back!  I tell the kids it is the beginning of the end.  We are now here with no more breaks until the end of the year.  It is a time of a lot of work.  When I am making plans I am now thinking about the end of the year and where I need to be.  Yes, it is a couple months away but I still have to think big picture.  I am only here until noon today.  I have a Dr. appointment in Des Moines.  I have prepared the kids for days that I would be gone.  I would also like to share that my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer about 8 months ago.  He has a very rare, aggressive incurable cancer.  Hospice has now been brought in to take over.  I have had family at my house all week and I have a feeling that I will have family in and out until the end.  There may be a time I need to be gone.  I will always be here unless they call everyone in for the end. I told the kids I have had lack of sleep for staying up late so I may be half crazy some days but so far so good.  Please just pray for us, pray for peace for my father-in-law.

Language Arts-  This week we have completed the Unit 4 test and we are working on writing an opinion paper.  The test is complete you will see results next week.  We are slowly working on their opinion essay.  They have got a topic and a plan.  Today we will move forward with some writing.  I also assigned them their next book report on Monday.  They have 6 weeks to pick a book, get passed by me, read the book, and complete a diorama.  They have 1 more week to choose a book. Be sure your student is doing that.  Right now I only have 2 people who have chosen a book and one is almost done with it already.  Next week will go back to our regular language arts schedule.

Math - This week we have begun to study division.  We are working on estimating quotients using a multiples.  I have given them a multiplication table to use instead of making them find the multiples every time.  It would be very time consuming if they did.    Division may get very difficult. Please don't struggle with them, have them come early in the morning and I will help them.  This will make it easier on all of us.

Social Studies -  We are talking about the Civil War this week.  We all know this is a very large topic that we could spend an entire semester learning about but we literally just skim the surface.  The kids seemed very interested in the topic yesterday so they may have come home and asked about it.  This can be a very hard topic to discuss due to slavery and the Confederate states.  

Spirit Day -  Tomorrow is a Spirit Day!  They can pay $1.00 to wear sweats or a hat.  The money has been going for a great cause.  We have helped out some teachers who have had surgeries recently with some gift cards for a meal or gas for their travels.

We are getting our 2nd COVID shot tomorrow!  YAY!  I will admit I am a little nervous.  I pray I feel okay.  I have too much going on to have time to be sick.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.  It has been a good week back.  I look forward to everyone staying refreshed and the weather turning sunny to keep a pep in our step for the rest of the year.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels