Preschool - Mrs. Malone, Ms. Onkka
All of our preschoolers are making great progress learning the routines and procedures of school. This month we discussed feelings, 5 senses, and one of our favorite fall topics, apples!
Our 5-day class has been enjoying PE with Mr. Boone! He has been helping them work on locomotor skills, taking turns, and cooperation.
If you haven’t accessed your child’s Google Classroom account, please do so soon! It’s a great way to know what’s happening in your child’s classroom!
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Kindergarten - Mrs. Guinan, Mrs. Millar, Mrs. Vaughan
We've been in school for over a month, and the kindergarteners are adjusting wonderfully! Hopefully, the parents are as well! Our first month has been a busy time with introductions to school rules, new friends, beginning sounds in reading, positional words in math, the five senses, and recognizing that God made all of us and the beautiful world around us.
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First Grade - Mrs. Kleffman, Mrs. Caito, Ms. Wrigjht
Happy Fall! October brings all sorts of new activities to First Grade. One of these is Gumball Math Time tests. Please start studying addition fact families 0-4 to prepare for this. Students have 2 minutes 30 seconds to correctly complete at least 40 problems to pass to the next level.
Our favorite 1st grade event, All Saints Day, is coming up quickly! Please watch for further details coming home soon. We are excited to share this special day with you!
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Second Grade - Ms. Hargens, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Truscott
It has been a great start to the school year. We have been working hard on memorizing our math facts (addition and subtraction). Second graders are working on becoming better problem solvers in math, too! Our super readers have been finding the beginning, middle, and end of stories. Be sure to ask your child these questions about the books they are reading at home! Have them show off those wonderful skills.
Our scientists have been working on the design process, how it is used, and how we apply it to when we are doing experiments. In Social Studies students have been talking about families and how things have changed over the years. Please take the time to have these discussions with your child and let them know about their history.
Thank you for attending the Reconciliation retreat. Please keep all the second graders in your prayers as they prepare to receive this special sacrament.
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Third Grade - Ms. Ruelas, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Schofield
Right out of the gate, this school year has started great!
The students have been working hard on transitioning to a new grade and routine. Third graders continue to utilize the assignment notebook as a tool to organize, prepare for dismissal, and complete daily work. Thank you for your assistance in helping them become responsible learners.
Students are using XtraMath at school as a way to develop and maintain quick recall of basic facts. You can access this program at home on your child’s Chromebook or through Google Classroom on your personal device.
It is almost time to “Run for the Roses” at SPREE Derby 2024. Our classroom projects will be “in the winner’s circle” at this fun event. Thank you to the parents who came to school and helped the students with projects that will definitely win, place, or show for SPREE.
We are looking forward to a wonderful year in third grade!
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Fourth Grade - Mrs. Madison, Mrs. Thede, Ms. Geist
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In grade 4, social studies students are learning about the rivers and regions of Nebraska as well as continents and time zones! They are enjoying learning about our state. Up next the lessons will be all about our federal and state government.
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The fourth grade engineers began the year creating prototypes with specific criteria and constraints. Pictured below are the winners from each homeroom for the strongest straw structure, and the three T challenge where they had 10 cards, 10 cm of tape, and 10 minutes to create the tallest structure to hold a notebook. We will do other challenges throughout the year.
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Fifth Grade - Mrs. Dotzler, Mrs. Jones, Ms. Salerno
It has been a great first month to the fifth-grade school year! Students have adjusted to the new procedures and routines. In science, students are learning about the physical properties of matter by doing various investigations and analyzing data. In English class, students have been busy learning about using punctuation marks correctly, capitalization rules, and applying these concepts to their writing. These skills will be used throughout the entire year. We are also writing bio poems to get to know each other better. In social studies, students have begun learning about early explorers. We’re looking forward to a school year full of lots of growth and learning!
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Sixth Grade - Mrs. Wane, Mrs. Bernt, Mrs. Guinotte
English - We will finish our noun unit in September and move into pronouns. Students will continue working on editing, grammar, and vocabulary. Remember that the vocabulary and spelling words are the same. Students have until 3 P. M. the day before the test to complete the online assignments in Sadlier Connect. I make the assignments available the same day the test before it is given (example is that Unit 2 assignments were posted on 8/30 when students took the Unit 1 spelling and vocabulary tests).
Literature - We will wrap up our Hatchet novel unit at the start of October and move into Where the Red Fern Grows. Ask your children if they think they would be able to survive in the wilderness like Brian did!
Math - We will finish Chapter 1, which covers place value, expanded form, comparing and rounding decimals and whole numbers, and estimating the sum and difference of numbers. The next chapter will be over the many uses of multiplication. This will include exponents, scientific notation, estimating sums and differences, and applying multiplication to real-life story problems. This is a great time to share with your child the many purposes of math in real life and how it can be used on a daily basis.
Religion - Students are creating mosaics of God's wonder and awe.
Science - Students are starting their adventure into Invention Convention! They will be creating products that will solve a problem or make life easier.
Social Studies - We just finished Module 1, “Uncovering the Past.” These first few lessons were over the studies of history, archaeology, civics, and economics. We discussed how those studies relate to our lives and compared them to today. In the next module, we will be learning about prehistoric people from the stone ages and how the development of agriculture came about. In addition, we will learn about their migration patterns and how they adapted to new environments across the globe.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered for Grandparents' Day! We could not do it without you!
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English – Mr. Leever
English 7 - Students have begun fine-tuning their editing skills (capitalization and punctuation) with daily sentence editing. Students also took an editing pre-assessment to measure what they currently know. Students have worked on revising run-on and rambling sentences and reducing redundant words. Finally, students have reviewed the writing process and produced a personal narrative with a strong introduction, conclusion, specific details, and transitions that demonstrate chronological order.
English 8 - -Students have begun fine-tuning their editing skills (capitalization and punctuation) with daily sentence editing. Students also took an editing pre-assessment to measure what they currently know. Students have worked on revising run-on and rambling sentences, and they have studied the importance of identifying words with Latin and Greek roots. Finally, students have reviewed the writing process and produced a How-To Article with a strong introduction, conclusion, specific and complete details, and transitions that demonstrate chronological order.
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Science - Mrs. Kolberg
7th grade
The seventh graders have earned their microscope licenses and have been using the ’scopes in the lab. We have seen various protists and identified them. Those wee beasties (as Antonie van Leeuwenhoek called them) have been fun to find!
8th grade
We have been studying waves—specifically sound waves. We have used tuning forks and determined wave lengths, measured the speed of sound outside using stop watches and a Kaboom whacker, and measured decibel levels around the school. And…., of course, studying the ear to learn how we are able to hear. Lots of hands on activities so far this year!
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Math - Mr. Polacek
We are off to a great start here in 7th and 8th grade math in 2023. The 7th grade math class is going over some positive and negative numbers to begin the year. We have reviewed chapters on decimals and fractions to get us going before working our way into some algebra expressions.
The pre-algebra classes started off with some new topics such as integers and negative exponents, and will soon be solving equations and inequalities which require quite a bit of pencil and paper work.
The algebra classes are finishing up solving equations and will be solving and graphing inequalities and solving systems of equations in the next couple of chapters.
With continued work in our Simple Solutions books, an emphasis will be placed on reading problems carefully and trying to be as meticulous with our work as possible. The students have done a great job of showing work so far, and we are looking forward to that continuing as we tackle many more new algebra topics down the road.
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Religion - Mrs. Nigrin
In religion class, the seventh grade has begun to discuss the “I am” statements from the Gospel of John. They will also be discussing the Trinity and the part God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit play in their lives. The eighth graders are also discussing the Holy Trinity and the Transfiguration, Passion, and Ascension of Jesus. Both grades will be reviewing the parts of the Mass and breaking down each part to come to a fuller understanding of the meaning of the parts.
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Social Studies - Mrs. Sullivan
In social studies, the 7th graders have been working on several aspects of geography including the themes of geography, maps, and the Earth’s systems. They will be working on projects including a biome project with a partner as well as learning about world governments. The 8th graders have been focusing on learning about European exploration of the Americas and the first European settlements in the Americas. In the upcoming month, we will focus on learning about the colonies, including who settled where, the government, interactions among people, and starting to learn about what led to the Revolutionary War. It has been a great start to the school year. Looking forward to the coming months!
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Literature - Mrs. Fosbender
The seventh grade literature students have been reading, The Skin I’m In and eighth grade are reading, My Brother Sam is Dead. Students have been practicing comprehension skills, being leaders of discussion, and making connections with their novels using a variety of strategies. Both seventh and eighth grade students have been working a poetry project that brings in details from their novel. Very creative ideas!
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Art - Mr. Pflaum
Quality artwork is being produced in the art room this fall. Here is a summary of current projects for each grade:
The kindergartners are working on a fall themed watercolor painting and the first-graders have started on the fall owl resist paintings.
The third-graders are finishing their counterchange design drawings while the fourth-graders are completing their Wayne Theibaud dessert illustrations.
In fifth grade, the students are in the preliminary stages of ceramic cross sculpting. The sixth-graders are nearing the end of their awesome illustrations of St. Vincent de Paul Church. In seventh grade, the students are using the iPad to illustrate their own landscape drawings. The eighth-graders are working on two projects; the color-scheme landmark drawings and a doodle illustration.
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Computers - Mrs. Kuhr
Kindergarten -
They have been learning how to use the new laptops and mastering the trackpads. The next step is to start familiarizing them with the keyboard.
1st Grade -
We started the year off with practicing letter placement on the keyboard by going to one of our favorite websites, Typetastic! This is the site we use in kindergarten and 1st grade to practice using the keyboard for typing. 1st graders will start working on Level 2. Then we did a lesson on the difference between private and personal information in an online environment.
2nd Grade -
They finished working on creating monster GIFs in Kid Pix. They are now working on logging in to their Google Classroom. Next they have been introduced to the typing program that we use in 2nd grade, Typing Club. This program walks them through using the correct finger placement with the different letter keys. They start to learn about using “Home row” while keyboarding.
3rd Grade -
After getting familiar with our online keyboarding program Typing.com, students will take their first keyboarding test. Next, they will also be introduced to one of our robots, Edison. They are using barcode programming to see the different features that Edison can do. The next step with Edison is starting to use block base programming to see what they can get Edison to do.
4th Grade -
We started the year off by learning about AI (artificial intelligence). We used a few different AI tools. They created flashcards using Google Slides, AutoDraw, and Google Translate.
5th Grade -
This year we started off working on Google Slides & Docs to brainstorm and collaborate on creating a group “choose your own adventure” story. I always love to see what stories and adventures they come up with.
6th Grade -
We are working on creating Pop Art using Google Drawing. Students select an image, and learn how to create customized shapes to recreate their image. They then fill in the shapes with bright Pop Art colors, which is one of my favorite projects. We are also talking about AI art and pros and cons of using it.
8th Grade -
We started the year with learning about podcasts. Students worked on choosing topics and creating scripts for creating their own podcast. They are now getting ready to record their podcasts on BandLab, an online music creation and editing software. I encourage students to work on recording their podcasts.
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Educational Strategists - Mrs. Heavey, Mrs. Price, Ms. Bousquet
Summer is over and school is back in session! The transition to school can be an adjustment for children and parents. Here are some ideas to help make going back to school a little easier.
- Clear the Decks: Pick a specific spot in the house for your child’s backpack. Store school folders and assignment notebooks in the backpacks when they are not being used. In the morning, you’ll find these supplies with ease.
- Read All About It: Most days your child will bring home papers in a mail folder or “take-home -folder.” Teach your child to empty the contents of these folders each day and place papers in a designated spot. Review the papers with your child each day.
- Ask Questions: Show an interest in your child’s school day. Ask specific questions that will bring on conversations.
What was the best thing that happened today?
Tell me one thing you learned today.
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Guidance - Mrs. Skudlarek
We have had an excellent start to the school year! The kindergarten students have been learning all about the role of the counselor in the building. They had an opportunity to practice saying each other’s names as we marched through the classroom on the Q-Bear Train. This also heled them to each practice good listening skills. We will begin talking about different feelings in the coming weeks. First graders have been discussing the importance of being kind to others. We read, How Full is Your Bucket and did different activities to practice being a “bucket filler.” Second grade students focused on worries. We read, Wilma Jean the Worry Machine, and discussed the difference between worries we can control and worries we cannot control. Students in grades 3-8 have started a new guidance curriculum called Freindzy. This is a biblical friendship curriculum. That teaches and empowers kids to have healthy relationships and build stronger communities. The units are the same across the grade levels but with a different age-appropriate focus. The kindergarten, first, and second grade students will be starting this new program in a few weeks as well.
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HAL - Mrs. Miller
The HAL classroom has been buzzing with excitement as the first full month of school ends. The 4th grade math group spent time learning about place value and computation with whole numbers and decimals. The 5th grade group has been focusing on writing expressions and equations to solve a variety of problems. The topic of rational numbers, absolute value, and computation with all types of rational numbers has kept the 6th graders busy while adjusting to the pre-algebra book. Meanwhile, the 7th graders learned about real numbers and matrices. The literature groups have been just as busy reading their novels. The 7th graders read The Skin I’m In and completed a word collage with adjectives describing what each hopes someone sees in them. The 8th graders read The Wednesday Wars and explored the connections made between the text and Shakespeare. All in all, the year is off to a great start!
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Media Center - Mrs. Kaiser
Welcome back to library! All grades have started the year focusing on finding books to read for pleasure. Pleasure reading is a great way to relax, explore new people and places, and improve as a reader. Here are some tips to help your child read for fun:
*Be a role model. Let your child see you reading books or magazines.
*Continue to read aloud even after your child can read independently.
*Have a parent-child book club, read the same book and have a special one-on-one time when you finish.
*Keep your child’s bedroom device free.
*Have a daily device-free hour for the whole family dedicated to reading, drawing, playing outside, or other imaginative activities.
*Listen to audio books in the car or while doing chores.
If you are in need of book recommendations, feel free to ask anytime. Talking about books is one of the best parts of being a librarian!
Thank you to the following students and their families for donating a book to the library in honor of their birthday: Elliana Drake, William Hagedorn, Ellie O’Brien, Ruby Kleber, Maggie Hammes, Penelope Heimann, Brooks Meek, Beau Meek, Quinn Scheppers, Colin Horgan, Millie Hammes, Noah Buttell.
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Music - Mrs. LeMenseHi from the music room!
The 5th graders are working on the songs for their November 17th program!
We’re calling it , “Musicals, Part 2!” You can ask any 5th grade to spell the word, ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ in song!
We’re also working on “Born To Hand Jive” and “Green Eggs and Ham”. There’s more to come, so stay tuned.
The 4th graders have received their recorders and are promising to be a great group of players this year!
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The 3rd and 2nd graders have been working on the concept of meter…songs that move in groupings of 2,3, or 4 beats in a measure.
For the meter of 3, we learned to dance a waltz! They also know the oldest patriotic song, “America, My Country ’Tis of Thee”.
1st graders and kindergartners have been demonstrating the concept of steady beat verses rhythm.
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Music - Ms. Campbell
6th graders are reviewing form, rhythm, and pitch. They just completed an ABCs of Music Genres project. We are practicing for our concert on November 21st at 6:30 P.M.
7th and 8th grade have been practicing for their program on October 17. I really enjoy seeing them get into character for some of our pieces.
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PE - Mr. Boone
School is back in session and I couldn’t be more excited. The beginning of the year means several things, review or rules and procedures, introduction of new instant activities, and establishing a routine. It usually takes a couple of weeks for our younger grades to get used to the routine, and then it becomes secondhand to them. Here are the happenings for the month of September.
K-2: Locomotor skills has been our main focus during this time. We have been working on building on these foundational skills by doing activities such as Hunter and Hawks, Bridges and Rivers, Alphabet People, Driver’s Test, and an assessment of the eight locomotor skills: walking, running, galloping, skipping, sliding, hoping, jumping, and leaping. These skills have a direct correlation to the brain and learning. Students who can demonstrate these skills proficiently tend to excel at reading as they are able to use both sides of their brains efficiently.
3-6: These grades started the year by working on cooperative activities. They worked with partners and small groups by communicating with listening and providing feedback. They also tried to problem solve in activities such as The River, Lions and Villagers, Pool Noodle Transfer, Over The Top, Hula Hut Relays, and partner supports. The sixth graders worked on making baskets to lift each other up, trust falls, and partner relay races.
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PE - Mrs. Conry
7th & 8th grade
We started the year with some fun games, it gave me an opportunity to welcome the new seventh grade classes. It was good to see the eighth grade, too. The elementary school years represent a time in which students should be developing, refining and mastering fundamental motor skills and movement patterns. This unit will focus specifically on developing, refining and mastering the following motor skills and movement patterns as they relate to flag football:
Fundamental Movement Patterns
• Throwing
• Kicking
• Catching
Movement Concepts
• Spatial Awareness
• Pathways
• Directions
• Levels
We discussed the rules of the game and then actually playing mini flag football games that has been really fun for the students. Learning planning and postions on the field.
We will finish the unit up with a quiz.
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Spanish 2nd-4th - Mrs. McDermott
Students in second grade Spanish are learning basic greetings such as Buenos Dias (Good morning), Buenas tardes (Good afternoon) and Buenas noches (Good night) and how to use good manners by saying Por favor (Please), Gracias (Thank you) and De nada (You’re welcome).
Students in third grade Spanish are learning the names of breakfast foods such as: el cafe (coffee), la leche, (milk) el jugo de naranja, (orange juice) los huevos (eggs), el pan tostado (toast), el jamón (ham), las salchichas (sausage), el cereal.
Students in fourth grade Spanish are learning the days of the week (lunes, martes, miercoles, jueves, viernes, såbado, domingo (starting with Monday). FYI- the days of the week in Spanish are not capitalized
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Spanish 5th-8th - Mrs. Singh
¡Hola!
¡Bienvenidos a la clase de español! Welcome to Spanish class! I invite you to check in to your student’s Google Classroom as all of our activities and useful information are posted there.
If you need to email me for any reason, please include your students’ Homeroom number. Thanks so much!
In September and October, we will celebrate Hispanic Heritage. Students will learn about influential people of Hispanic origin and their contributions to the world.
We have spent the last several weeks learning some greetings and ways to say goodbye en español. The days of the week and the date in Spanish are something we practice each class meeting. Our weekly prayer is posted in Spanish and English, which provides an opportunity to learn new words and build fluency.
All classes are learning the alphabet in Spanish and practicing vowel sounds. They should know two fun phrases that help them with pronunciation. Ask your student!
6th, 7th and 8th graders have been making “Historietas" or “little stories” to practice phrases of introduction. Their final drafts are due next week. Students will be able to play an online review game (called Gimkit) before their first quiz.
I’ve posted 2 games that students can play at home anytime to learn new words…. One is called “Palabra del dia” (The word of the day) and it is like WORDLE but in Spanish. The second is called “Corre! Dibuja!”, which is called Quick! Draw! In English. These are located in the “Materiales Útiles” (Useful Materials) section at the bottom of the classwork tab in our Google classroom. Looking forward to a fun and productive year! ¡Gracias!
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