It’s hard to believe that October will become November this week as our school year flies by. The end of the first trimester will be Friday, November 9th and we will have Parent/Teacher conferences on Monday, November 19th and Tuesday, November 20th. Opportunities to sign up for conferences will be sent via email after the trimester ends.
I learned so many amazing things at the conference I recently attended, and I am excited to try some new strategies in the classroom to increase student engagement and instructional differentiation. I feel confident that these strategies will benefit all students and enhance academic growth. While I was away, your students worked hard in ELA as they learned more about the rise of the Farmworkers Union in California. This topic is woven throughout the Esperanza Rising novel, but becomes particularly important in Chapters 11 and 12. This week we’ll finish the book as we read Chapters 13 and 14. We will wrap up our novel study with a vocabulary unit and a multiple choice test on the reading next Wednesday, November 7th. Spelling tests will be given this Tuesday for all spelling groups that did not test last Tuesday. Check with your student to see if they will be taking a spelling test this week.
In social studies, we have been concentrating on the Judicial Branch of the government as well as the history of our Constitution. As our government unit comes to an end, students can expect a final unit test next Monday, November 5th. From there we will move into a short Election unit as the midterm elections are held across the country on Tuesday, November 6th.
The PCCS Green Team is excited to announce a star-studded evening at the Prairie Skies Star Party on Friday, December 7. Join us at 5 pm for star-gazing, constellation stories by the fire, and cocoa to warm up. More details about this program, including registration information, are in this FLYER. In addition, the Green Team’s Critter Trail will be available as a free, self-guided family activity on Saturday, November 3, in conjunction with the Fall Artisan Fair (in the PCCS gym). After you shop (or before), get a map and instructions from the Green Team and spend some time outside learning about the critters of Illinois!
As we plan for a fun Halloween celebration on Wednesday, October 31st, please keep in mind the following guidelines on costumes:
No excessive violence depicted by the costume
No face masks or hoods which render students unrecognizable
No “Creepy Clown” masks or “Creepy Clown” face paint
No Weapons of any kind, real or toy.
Thank you for your help in ensuring our students stay respectful, responsible, and safe. And finally, please make a note that we will have an Early Release on Friday, November 2nd.