What a BUSY WEEK!!!

Is it Friday yet!?!?  If your children didn't tell you, we've had a busy week this week (and it is only Wednesday).  Monday I was out sick, Tuesday I came back to find out that the School District had Benchmark Math Assessments (due Friday), and then today we had visitors from a partner with the District named West Ed. that walked around the school with clipboards to verify that all teachers are providing the highest quality of instruction to the students.  I was pulled out to attend a walkthrough this morning, which meant the students were left in the hands of a "guest" teacher for the second time this week.  As important as these things may be to keeping and maintaining a positive and academically sound learning environment here at Cordelia Hills, eventually they have to stop and give everyone a break.  The teachers are also expected to turn in Progress Reports at the end of this week as well.  I don't know about you, but this kind of feels like a lot of things to put into one week.  How are the students expected to maintain and function routinely with all of the "disorder" they've been asked to endure this week??  Please note, I am not complaining about all of these extra activities, I just wish someone higher up the "educational ladder" than I would have the common sense to see that pacing all of these "important" things over the course of the month, rather than in one week, might provide better results to all involved.

Moving away from that comment, I would like to tell all of you how proud I am of my class this year.  They are working very hard and maintaining a strong commitment to achieving their learning goals.  Both Kinders and 1st Graders are showing tremendous growth in Reading and Writing, and continue to excel in proving their knowledge of math objectives.  They received high praise from both "guest" teachers, and that is a reflection of the work all of you parents are doing with your children at home.  THANK YOU!!!

Next week I truly hope to begin book bags, as well as Guided Reading in the classroom, to help motivate and fulfill the reading desires of our hungry little book worms.  It's been a very busy week for all of us at school though, so please understand if it's not up and running on Monday.  I'm still working out the Reading Groups for the class so that the students are best paired by ability level.  I want to make sure these Reading Groups are effective and beneficial to all of my students.

Thanks again for all of you who provided sports pics to the class.  We should have a lot of fun making our Sports collages later this week.  I've been reminding the class, but they may not have relayed the message home, if you wish to be a part of our school's Recipe Book, please send in a family recipe with your child by Monday, so that I can submit it to the PTA for you. 

-Mr. Linnet