5 days Until the End of the Quarter!

Dear Otter Families.

Amazingly, we only have 5 more days until the end of the first quarter. All work that is missing due to absence must be made up before Friday! Grades must be turned in by next weekend and report cards should be mailed out the following weekend. Most of the team have worked hard this quarter and have done well adjusting to middle school. Grades will begin anew on November 1, so everyone starts with a clean slate.

In middle school, we do not have parent-teacher conferences. If you have concerns regarding your child's progress, please email me with any questions or to schedule an after-school conference. I am available most days after school to help students, unless I have a meeting. I am very sorry that the past couple of weeks have been so packed with meetings. I really prefer to be able to spend the time with students. This week looks like a better week, with Tuesday as my only meeting day. Your child is welcome to drop in for help any time.

In math, we have been very busy since I last posted on the blog. The kids have taken their first quarter district-wide benchmark exams as well as the end of unit test for Chapter 2. Grades for both are posted on Powerschool. This past week we started our new unit, fraction concepts. We have been working on prime factorization, greatest common factor, and least common multiple. Next we will look at equivalent fractions, mixed numbers, improper fractions, and decimals. Many students have already filled up a spiral notebook with notes and homework. Please make sure they bring a new one to keep their notes neat and organized.

In Social Studies, we finished our unit on Geography. The kids did a beautiful job on their world maps and I am now in the process of grading those projects. Grades should be reflected on the first quarter report cards. This week we will begin an ongoing project related to geography. Ask your child to tell you all about the postcard project. He/she will need your help sending out letters to family and friends. We are also studying the beginning of civilization from prehistoric times through Mesopotamia. Next week we will be treated to our first Art Vistas presentation on Cave Art.

Friday, students may wear their Halloween costumes to school. They can wear the costumes all day as long as it doesn't interfere with their learning. Costumes must be appropriate for school, following school dress code regulations. They should not be violent or risque. There is a costume contest during the morning snack break, but we will not have a classroom party.

With the end of the first quarter, comes our first Otter Awards assembly. The assembly will be held during the school day. I will let you know the date and time as soon as we schedule this important event. All students who achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or higher will be recognized at the assembly. Parents, family, and friends are welcome to attend, so please join us if you can. We will also hold our quarterly Otter Auction, where students can bid their hard-earned Otter Bucks for "fabulous prizes". Speaking of prizes, we are in need of donations. If you have any interesting and inexpensive items that you would like to donate, the kids would love it. Items that have been popular in the past include, craft kits, books, toys, puzzles, sports equipment, games, school supplies, stuffed animals, and gift cards.

Thank you for your continuing support. Your generous donations to our classroom are greatly appreciated!

Until next week,

Mrs. Shimamoto