A few items...

What an exciting time it is as we on the cusp of a brand new school year! I want to warmly welcome you to my class, once again, and reassure you that your sweetheart is going to be very well-loved, taught and cared for over the next ten months. I feel that teaching is a special calling, one that I take very seriously. Know that I will give you and your child my very best and look forward to a great year together! 

Here are a few brief items worth noting: 

• Schedule: Sunday, August 30, will be our first day of school and Day 1 on our ten-day cycle. Please refer to the schedule tab to the right as it's remained unchanged from last year, or click here. 

• Communication: I will send home a few important papers early in the week, which will provide you with our class schedule, my classroom expectations, as well as a few forms to be completed by Thursday, Sept. 3. Thanks so much in advance for reviewing those. (Since some of info being asked is redundant, please feel free to skip questions.) 

• Healthy Snacks: Please be sure to send your child to school with a healthy snack right from Day 1. Our snack and recess time is from 9:30-9:50. The nurse will monitor the weather and if it it is too warm, we will eat and play indoors, not to worry. 

• Transportation: Kindly inform me of your child's intended regular transportation, so I can make a note of it for my records. (This is the purple form I sent home.) If anything changes, please be sure to update me via written communication (passport/agenda, email, note). If your darling says that he won't be taking the bus, unless I have a note, I will have no choice but to put him on the bus. Also, please note that I am not always able to check my email at the end of the day as I may be teaching. Therefore, please try to communicate any last-minute transportation changes by 1 pm. After that time, you may try to contact me, but please also inform Ms. Rene in the office, so they can get the message to me ASAP. 

•  Arrival and Dismissal Procedures: As we will be working towards independence, please encourage your child to walk upstairs, unpack his/her backpack and begin class without any assistance. (I will be there to ensure a smooth start this week, don't worry.) Likewise, in the afternoon, you can pick up your sweetheart from the foyer. If there is an alternate location where I should allow your child to go, please just let me know by providing it on the transportation form listed in the bulleted point above. I realize that this first week is a bit chaotic, so please bear with us patiently as we work out any kinks. We'll get there, not to worry! It actually does become much easier with time and practice.

• Uniform Change: With the weather still so warm, ties will not be required until after our Eid holiday in October. Enjoy this small break in the uniform policy. :) 

• Assignment Sheet and News: Please read our weekly Assignment Sheet and News to learn about what we will be doing in class. This is also a great way to engage with your child as you know exactly what kinds of lessons, activities, and events are happening in school. 

• Activity: We will begin the week with "Me Bags" to introduce ourselves. Simply have your child collect 3-5 items that best represent his/her favorite things. For example, I enjoy traveling, so I have included a copy of my passport picture. I also love seahorse, so I included a little wooden figurine of one. You get the idea. :) They can be in any bag (plastic, paper, etc). Your child will share a bit about each item, so please prep him/her for this if needed. These can be sent in any time this week. 

I think that's it for now, but please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or concerns. I'm happy to answer any question, regardless of how minor you think it might be. 

Once again, I'm thrilled to be your child's teacher. Thank you for your kind support as we work towards your child's academic and personal success! 

Ramadan Schedule

As we enter into the holy month of Ramadan, please take note of the new schedule, which goes into effect on Thursday, June 18th: 

8:00 - Teachers arrive 

8:15 - Students welcome in classrooms

8:30 - Period 1

9:00 - Period 2

9:30 - Period 3 (Snack/Recess is from 9:45-10:00) 

10:00 - Period 4

10:30 - Period 5

11:00 - Period 6

11:30 - Period 7 (*Fasting during lunch) 

12:00 - Period 8

12:30 - Period 9

1:00 - Period 10 (*Prayer time) 

1:30 - Dismissal 

1:45 - Busses depart 

2:00 - Teachers leave 

A few more notes for those children who may be fasting:

• Students who are fasting will be staying indoors for recess. They will be supervised by Ms. Saima in Ms. Olivia's classroom, where they will also gather during snack and lunch periods. This will be a quiet, reflective, and restful time for them. 

• Students will also be given the opportunity to pray. This will occur during Period 10 when children will be in Islamic class, with the exception of Monday, Day 9, when they will go to the ES Conference room between 1:00-1:15 to pray. 

• Students will go to PE with the class, yet will not partake in any physically demanding activities. If they prefer to sit on the side as a spectator, that is also perfectly acceptable. We want to make the week as pleasant as possible as they build their fasting skills and challenge themselves in a greater way spiritually. 

To review the letter Jim Hardin recently sent, please click here. 

We are looking forward to a wonderful last week together during this very special time! 

Thanks so much for your support. 

**Updated Schedule**

Here is the latest and greatest 3LN schedule with just a few minor changes. Please print it out and refer to it as needed and let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for your flexibility and support! 

** MAP Testing Update **

Due to some difficulty uploading student data for the MAPS test, it has been delayed until Wednesday at the earliest. Stay tuned for more info. I will post the updated schedule as soon as it's released. Thanks for your patience and flexibility. 

MAPS Schedule for 3LN

Here is the schedule for our MAPS testing. Please remember that this is not a test you must study for, but a measure of how much your child knows at this point in the year in the areas of Language Arts (Spelling, Grammar), Reading and Math. 

I shared part of a prep Point Point with the class this afternoon in an effort to lower their test anxiety and give them an idea of what to expect. We will finish it on Sunday morning, set some testing goals, then begin the first test at 10:30 AM. 

Simply click on schedule to enlarge