April 26th Update

Good Afternoon Everyone-

I hope this finds you enjoying the lovely weather.  So glad the weather forecasters were wrong about the rain!

There are a couple of housekeeping items that I want to bring to your attention for the coming week.

 1. This is Ms. Boak's last week with us.  Please have the children complete their notes to her, and bring in any school items for her gift bag by Wednesday.  We will celebrate her time with us on Friday afternoon with a sweet treat.

2. The AFAC/Food Bus food recovery program is exceeding all our expectations.  As of Wednesday of last week we had collected and delivered over 150 pounds of food for AFAC.  If you wish to help with the delivery of food to AFAC, please use the Sign-Up Genius link to do so.  www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0B45ABAF2EA75-afac/

3. Please return report card envelops and signed comment sheets as soon as possible.

4.  If your child is playing a spring sport, please send me their schedules.

5.  As we are in the final two months of school, I would like to remind everyone that our focus will continue to do our best at school each day.  This includes getting homework done and handed in on time and coming to school each day with all the supplies needed to be successful.  We want to finish out the year on a positive, strong note.  Your help at home is most appreciated.

Here are some important dates to place on your home calendars:

                        May 1 (Friday)- Box Tops are due for Spring Collection

May 8 (Friday) – Tuckahoe vs. Glebe Basketball Game, 6:30PM – 8:30PM

May 16 (Saturday) – Tuckahoe’s Home and Garden Tour

May 26 (Tuesday) AND May 27 (Wednesday) – Reading SOL 

June 1 (Monday) AND June 2 (Tuesday)- Math SOL

June 1 (Monday)- Rising 4th Grade Orientation- 7 pm

June 10 (Wednesday)- Tuckahoe Town- 9:30-10:30 am

June 10 (Wednesday)- Early Release- 1:26 Dismissal

June 17 (Wednesday)- Early Release- 1:26 Dismissal

June 18 (Thursday)- Third Grade Picnic- 12:45-2:30 pm

June 19 (Friday)- Last Day of School/Early Release- 1:26 Dismissal

Savanna- 4-17-15

Dear Parents:

       I would like to begin this week’s update with a big “Thank You” to Mr. Nelson, Mrs. Bullinger, Mrs. Gil and Mrs. Mitchell for chaperoning our trip last week to Imagination Stage. I heard from everyone involved that it was a fun play and that everything went smoothly.  I truly appreciate the help.

       The children have been working hard in all academic areas.  The focus in math has been on 3D shapes, area, volume, perimeter, lines, line segments, and rays.  The children put their perimeter skills to work with an in class project to design their own dream house.  In Social Studies we have continued our study of Ancient Rome, and will wrap this unit up with a test next Tuesday.  In Language Arts, the children have finished their book study of Charlotte’s Web.   Writing continues to be a focus, as the children have been sharing what they did over Spring Break.  Overall, good progress is being made.

       As you may know, each year the third grade grows food for the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).  Last week we began some of our crops indoors, and will be moving the plants into our garden in the next couple of weeks.  In past years we have been able to donate between 60-80 pounds of lettuce, chard, basil, snap peas, radishes and mustard greens to AFAC.  This year we have expanded our efforts a bit to recover uneaten food in the cafeteria as part of the Food Bus program.  Each day the children have the opportunity to place any pre-packed foods or drinks that can not be returned home or are not being eaten as part of purchased lunches into collection bins in the cafeteria.  Examples of what we are collecting are unopened milk, cheese sticks, yogurt, humus, carrots, cereal, etc. We sort and box the food to then be delivered to AFAC on Friday afternoons.  We had so much food placed in the bins between Monday and Wednesday of this week we had to make our first drop-off on Wednesday afternoon.  We delivered 66 pounds of food for Arlington children and families who are in need.  As one of the children said, “We collected a whole third grader!” Should you wish to help with deliveries to AFAC, please be on the lookout for an email with a Sign-up genius form to find a date that would work into your schedule.

      

       As baseball, soccer, and lacrosse seasons are in full swing I would like to ask for any sports schedules you may have.  I would like to get out to some games as the weather permits.

      

       The forecast for the weekend looks lovely.  I hope you all enjoy the time outside.

Important Dates

April 22 (Wednesday)- Early Release- 1:26 Dismissal

April 23 (Thursday) – ETC Play, 7:00PM – 8:00PM

April 24 (Friday) – ETC Play, 7:00PM – 8:00PM

May 1 (Friday) – Box Tops Due

May 8 (Friday) – Tuckahoe vs. Glebe Basketball Game, 6:30PM – 8:30PM

May 16 (Saturday) – Tuckahoe’s Home and Garden Tour

May 18 (Monday) through May 29 (Friday) – SOL Testing Window

March 27th Savanna

Dear Parents:

Apologies for lack of newsletter last week.  Hoping that this week’s note brings you up to date on all the events in our classroom.

This week was busy with the Book Fair, Donuts for Dad, and field trip to the Portrait Gallery. 

As you know, this week also brings us to the end of the third quarter.  I am shaking my head asking, “How did we get here so quickly”.  Overall, progress has been steady and visible.  I have seen growth in all my students as readers, writers, scientist, historians, mathematicians, citizens, and more.  It has been a good year and I look forward to seeing what progress the last quarter will bring.  It will certainly be an exciting one.

Please note that picture day is Tuesday, the day we return from spring break.  Further, yearbook orders are due by that time.  We have a multitude of other exciting things coming up that week including ANOTHER field trip to the Imagination Stage in Bethesda.  Information about that trip can be found in the Friday Folder.  A limited amount of chaperones will be needed.  Let me know if you are interested in attending, and have not already joined us on a previous trip.

Thank you for all that you do every day to support.  Spring sports are here and I am much more of a morning/afternoon sporting attendee.  Please send schedules especially if I have not made a visit to an event for your child this year.

I hope everyone has a fun Spring Break.

Mrs. D.

Important Dates:

Mon. 3/30-Fri. 4/3- Spring Break
Mon. 4/6- Teacher Work Day- No School for Students
Tues. 4/7- Class Pictures
Wed. 4/15- Silver Diner Night
Wed. 4/22- Early Release- 1:26 Dismissal
Thurs. 4/30- Career Day

March 13 Savanna

Dear Parents:

         How things can change in a week!  Last week we received six to eight inches of snow and this week we got outside for recess.  Let’s hope that these warmer days are here to stay.  It is nice that the weather has changed for our week of swimming.  The children have enjoyed their daily visit to Yorktown pool for swimming and they have all done a good job keeping track of all their clothes and swim gear.  A big thank you to Cecie Hampton for her help with the locker room at Yorktown during this week.

         We welcomed our student teacher Allison Boak to our class on Monday morning.  She has spent this week learning the kids names, visiting the various specials, helped with classroom activities, and sat in on a couple of Parent Teacher Conferences.  The children have been very welcoming and are excited to have her with us, as am I. 

        

         Academically this week we have continued our study of fractions, paying particular attention to being able to place various sized fractions on a number line.  In addition, we have worked on turning improper fractions into mixed numbers.  The children have also been working on their third writing piece, honing their skills of writing to a given prompt.  I have been pleased to see the increase in confidence when asked to write a first draft. For the most part, the pieces had more detail and more varied sentences than in pervious works.   We were also able to wrap up our study of Ecosystems and Food Chains on Thursday. 

         I hope you all enjoy your weekend.

Important Dates

Mon. 3/16- Tues. 3/17- Swimming at Yorktown Pool

Mon. 3/23-Fri. 3/27- Book Fair

Wed. 3/25- Young Author’s Night

Fri. 3/27- Book Fair Donuts with Dad

Fri. 3/27- National Portrait Gallery- 9:15 am-12:30pm

Mon. 3/30-Fri. 4/3- Spring Break

Mon. 4/6- Teacher Work Day- No School for Students

Tues. 4/7- Class Pictures

Wed. 4/15- Silver Diner Night

Wed. 4/22- Early Release- 1:26 Dismissal

Thurs. 4/30- Career Day

Happy Freezing Friday!!!!!

Dear Parents,

            This has been a very shortened week due to the President’s Day holiday on Monday, snow day on Tuesday and the delay on Wednesday and again this morning.  With that said, we have been able to move forward with the Wax Museum project, learning about food chains, working with fractions and writing personal narratives.  The children are working hard on their note cards for the Wax Museum.  I am looking forward to reading their first drafts over the weekend.

I’ve recently been advised that a parent release form is required for all information being released by me (or any other teacher) about your child.  This includes forms such as sport or scout forms in which a teacher is asked to check whether or not a student is meeting grade level expectations.  I bring this to your attention as I often get these forms with a request for immediate turn around.  Please know that I will not be able to do this unless your child’s request is accompanied with a pre-signed release form that can be found in the front office.  Thanks for your attention to this matter.

            Please take a few minutes to review the upcoming events as there has been a date change for Curriculum Day.  I hope everyone is able to stay warm during this bitter cold.

                                                                    Mrs. DiNardo

     

Tues. Feb. 24 Curriculum Day- 1:50-3:20 pm (NEW DATE)

Wed. Feb. 25- DessART Night- 7pm

Wed. March 4- Wax Museum- 2:15-3:15 pm

Thurs. March 5-Fri. March 6- Parent Teacher Conferences- No School

Friday March 27- National Portrait Gallery Field Trip- 9:15 am-12:30pm

Monday March 30-Friday April 3- Spring Break

Monday April 6- Teacher Work Day- No School for Students

Friday, February 13, 2015 Savanna

Dear Parents,

            Happy 100th Day of School, Valentines Day, and President’s Day!  So many celebrations this week.  Getting to the 100^th day is always a significant mark for the children.  We took a couple of minutes to talk about all the things we do better than we did at the beginning of the school. The answers varied from being better at multiplication, writing down assignments, to knowing more English.  It was so nice to celebrate our accomplishments together. 

            The children have all selected the person they would like to represent for the Wax Museum, and are busy reading about their person.  We have talked about taking notes while reading, and what are some of the important information to know about the person.  The children were given a notes packet to fill out.  The next deadline for this project is to have the books read by Tuesday, February 17^th.  We will talk more about writing note cards, and costumes at that time. Please remember the date of the Wax Museum will be Wednesday, March 4^th from 2:15-3:15 in our classroom.

            Below are some important upcoming events.  Please take moment to put them on your calendars.  Have a nice long weekend.

                                                                        Mrs. DiNardo

           

Monday Feb. 16- President’s Day- No School

Wed. Feb. 18- Curriculum Day- 1:50-3:20 pm (see flyer in Friday Folder)

Wed. Feb. 25- DessART Night- 7pm

Wed. March 4- Wax Museum- 2:15-3:15 pm

Thurs. March 5-Fri. March 6- Parent Teacher Conferences- No School

Friday March 27- Portrait Gallery Field Trip 9:15-12:30 pm

Monday March 30-Friday April 3- Spring Break

Monday April 6- Teacher Work Day- No School for Students

Friday April 10- Imagination Stage Field Trip- 9:15am-12:30pm

Valentines Day

We will be celebrating Valentine's Day on Friday the 13th.  We will take time in the afternoon to exchange cards with each other.  If your child wishes to give out cards, I ask that they do so for all the children in the class.  This will help avoid any hurt feelings.  In addition, the children will participate in a Science "experiment" that will result in a sweet treat.

A flyer with the names of all the children in the class will be sent home with your child tomorrow.  Please let me know if you have any questions.


Mrs. D.