FUNDRAISER
Everyone who participated will have their name entered in the drawing for a Kindle. There will be a 4th grade winner, and a 5th grade winner. That drawing will take place after the fundraiser pick up night. Winners of the first drawing for the $20.00 Walmart gift cards were Kaydence Luebbers and Kaylee Stein. Winners of the second drawing were Chase Polk and Carly DuChene.
Our top 5 sellers from 4th grade were: Karmen Cover, Xander Wente, Olivia Burns, Kayleigh Renner, and a tie for 5th place, Lane Shevlin and Paige Koch.
Our top 5 sellers from 5th grade were: Tallas Langhorst, Emily Rusteberg, Trinity Drewes, Clark Deptula, and a tie for 5th place, Kendell Belcher and Carson Buser.
Please remember pick up night is Thursday, October 24th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
BOOK FAIR
The Book Fair will be at Gardner September 30th thru October 3rd. Teachers will allow their students time during the day to attend the book fair. The book fair will also be open after school until 4:00 p.m. and on Tuesday night (10/1) it will be open during the Chorus concert (7 p.m.) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Books are great for incentives or as gifts!
McTEACHER'S NIGHT
Take a night off from cooking and come in or drive thru McDonalds on Tuesday, October 15th and see some of your favorite staff members working and waiting on you. Staff members will be at the Waterloo McDonalds from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Gardner will receive 10% of total sales. Come out and maybe Mrs. Washausen will wait on you!
WCUSD HOMECOMING WEEK
October 7th, Mismatch Monday! Powder Puff game at WHS 6:00 p.m.
October 8th, Tourist Tuesday!
October 9th, Orange and Black Attack! Homecoming parade 6:00 p.m.
October 10th, Rich and Famous! Wear your favorite sports jersey or your "best attire"
October 11th, No School. Homecoming football game at WHS 7:00 p.m.
RED RIBBON WEEK
OCTOBER MINDSET
5TH GRADE NEWS
In social studies, fifth grade cartographers have been busy learning all about the components of mapping. They will then apply that knowledge to their own island map. We are looking forward to starting our next unit, “Journey to Cahokia.” We will wrap that unit up with a visit to Cahokia Mounds on October 16th to see all they studied during this unit. Science classes have been exploring the scientific method and the engineering design process. The students tested which side of a penny holds more drops of water, built tall towers, and created structures that were strong and stable. In reading 5th grade is wrapping up the introductory unit where focus has been on text features, genres, author’s purpose, and theme.
Next, it’s on to the “Determining Importance” unit. Is it really important to understanding the story? Is it super interesting but not very important to understanding the text? Unit 2 in math has begun in some classes and is coming soon in the rest. Students will learn a number of methods to multiply and divide. The best part is….they can choose which one works best for them! We all learn in different ways! Our 5th graders have settled into the school year, and they are working hard. Here’s to a wonderful school year!
4TH GRADE NEWS
Fourth grade is the year that report cards transition from reporting standards-based grades only, to include letter grades as well. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Grades are just one indicator of your child’s progress-- a “snapshot” of where they are at that time. Children learn at different rates. Celebrate hard work and effort rather than “all As”.
- On the other hand, maybe this is the time to talk with your child about their effort. Are they filling out their agenda completely every day? Are they asking for help from the teacher when they need it? Are they getting enough sleep at night? Lots of factors, including overscheduling in the evenings, can affect school progress.
- Teachers spend lots of time gathering data at the beginning of the year, which we use to help make decisions about educational placement. WIN and CAPE classes are now in full-swing, and both offer students extra help in targeted areas.
So, take a deep breath, don’t panic, and make sure to attend parent-teacher conferences (Oct 24-25), where your child’s teacher will share more detailed information with you.
BAND AND CHORUS NEWS
Fall Chorus Concert
The 5th grade Fall Chorus Concert is Tuesday, October 1st at 7:00 p.m. in the gym. Chorus members will need to be checked in the music room by 6:50 p.m. The dress for the concert is school colors (orange and black) and jeans or long pants. A concert reminder was sent home with specific information. The chorus will sing a variety of music from folk to rock and more.
Band News
The 5th grade Band is making wonderful music. We are learning how to create tones, read music, and perform in a large group. Band progress notes will be sent home in the coming weeks. Our first concert is Thursday, December 5. Thank you for signing the practice records.
STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS
Congratulations to our new Student Council members. Our 5th grade members are:
Shane Rakers, Aidan McFadden, Landon Washausen, Paige Lindhorst, Maggie Blair
Kenley Mueller, Tyler DeVilder, Reagan Wilhelm, Clayton Westfall, Emily Vogt, Jay Rader, Isabella Hicks, Brody Kollack, Jack Powles, Bella Reiken, Lane Riebeling, Charlie Calloway, and Claire Parker. Our 4th grade members are: Jack Stellhorn, Elsa Wiemerslage, Liam Gilbert, Daniel Calloway, Cayla Zavorka, Adler Hoffman, Kloey Meyer, Kalista Brown, Presly Lane, Emery Bockhorn, Kaydence Luebbers, Clare Kalbfleisch, Jordyn Keller, Brody Blind, Brady Hamilton, and Harper Kurtz.
All meetings are scheduled on Thursday in Mrs Jones’s Room. If you have a conflict with a meeting time, due to band and chorus, please talk to Mrs Jones. Meetings are from 2:40 to 3:40. Meeting dates for this year are schedule for the following days, October 10th, November 14th, December 12th, January 23rd, February 13th, March 26th, and April 23rd.
A WORD FROM OUR READING TEACHER, MRS. JONES
As adults, we may take certain things for granted because reading has become automatic for us. Your child must learn that words on a page have meaning and that the purpose of reading is to get that meaning. Below are some tips to help your child at home.
Imitation is the highest form of flattery. As you read in front of your child, model the strategies good readers automatically use: It is alright to briefly break the flow of text to talk about what you’re reading. Talking expands vocabulary and improves understanding of words.
-Predict what the book will be about by looking at the cover and the title.
-Speculate as you read: “I wonder what will happen next?”
-Anticipate the outcome of an event: “I bet the prince comes to save her!”
-Question as you read:“Why would she carry an umbrella?”
-Retell the story in the order it happened.
-Discuss favorite parts, funniest parts, parts you didn’t like, or something you learned. -Communicate your thoughts and feelings about what you are reading.
Reacting to Errors…….. Mistakes are a fact of life, especially when you are learning something new. Encourage your child to take a risk then praise him or her for trying. The following hints will help if your child has difficulty:
- Have patience. Give your child “wait time” to let him or her figure out the word.
-Ask your child, “What do you think the word could be?”
-Suggest that your child use a picture clue if appropriate.
-Tell your child to reread the sentence or read the rest of the sentence.
-Ask your child, “What sound does the word begin with? What sound does it end with? Do you see parts you know? Do you know a word that looks like this word?”
-Give your child time to self-correct as he or she reads and praise him or her for the effort!
-Accept appropriate substitutions such as “mom” for “mother.”
-If your child is unable to pronounce the word, after attempting, tell your child the word. Some words are difficult to figure out.
-Focus on what your child is doing well. Praise your child with “Good try!” and “You really figured it out!”
