Preschool - Mrs. Malone, Ms. Onkka
After spring break, we had fun reading a lot of stories by Dr. Seuss. Students loved looking for the rhyming words that he incorporated throughout his stories.
Students enjoyed our Laura Numeroff author study. We discussed how many of her stories are circle stories that start and end at the same point.
Our 3-day students invited their parents to enjoy a donut and apple juice on Wednesday morning!
Next week we will spend some time discussing the true meaning of Easter. We hope everyone has a blessed Easter and enjoys their time off.
We are looking forward to having the Rose Theater’s movement workshops visit our 2-day and 3-day classes in April.
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Kindergarten - Mrs. Guinan, Mrs. Millar, Mrs. Vaughan
Our students have been thinking about how they can be more like Jesus during the Lenten season. We will pray the Stations of the Cross next week and will learn about the events of Holy Week.
The kindergarteners did a great job of preparing and ministering their first Mass with their fourth grade buddies!
In math, the boys and girls have enjoyed learning how to count pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.
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First Grade - Mrs. Kleffman, Mrs. Nigrin, Ms. Hermsen
As part of our celebration of Holy Week, the students will be receiving a set of Resurrection Eggs on Wednesday, March 27th. Please ask your child about the special Easter story that goes along with the eggs.
In math, 1st graders are expanding their skills by adding double digit numbers. Another goal for 1st grade students during these final months of the school year is to become a more independent learner. To prepare students for 2nd grade, we will be asking more of them in reading and following directions, being a problem solver, and completing work independently. We want all students to be ready to tackle the new challenges they will have in 2nd grade.
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Second Grade - Ms. Hargens, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Truscott
Spring is here! Let’s hope it is bringing the warm weather with it. Please remember that your child may still need a jacket for first recess. It is not always to the high temp of the day when we go out at 11:00 A.M.
Our mathematicians have been working on place value and are working on adding 3-digit numbers. Scientists have been exploring different land and water habitats.
Please remember to keep practicing with your child on how to receive Jesus at Holy Communion. Students are looking forward to being able to fully participate in Mass.
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Third Grade - Ms. Ruelas, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Schofield
Great news! Pioneer Day 2024 will be Thursday, April 25th. Information about dressing as a pioneer, packing a pioneer lunch, and opportunities to help with activities on Pioneer Day will be sent via email soon. We will need parent volunteers for some of the activities, and a Sign-up Genius will be sent out with a variety of ways to help. Please be on the lookout for this information.
As our Lenten journey ends and the Easter season begins, let us all rejoice in the risen Christ.
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Fourth Grade - Mrs. Madison, Mrs. Thede, Mrs. Caito
March 1,1867 is the day Nebraska became a state! Thank you to the parents who donated items for the birthday party to celebrate our great state!
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Also, in science we have been studying how weathering, erosion, root wedging, and deposition change the Earth’s surface. Next up, rocks!
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Fourth graders enjoyed their field trip to the Air and Space museum. We observed different planets, moons, and constellations in the planetarium. The Leonardo da Vinci exhibit fostered exploration of motion, flight, and simple machines.
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As we approach Holy Week, we wish all of you a blessed Easter.
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Fifth Grade - Mrs. Dotzler, Mrs. Jones, Ms. Salerno
Fifth grade is cruising right along into fourth quarter! In science, we’re finishing up the last lesson in life science, and then we will begin exploring space! In social studies, 5th graders are learning about the first presidents and the struggles and challenges of leading a new nation. Students are also learning how European immigration led to westward expansion. Finally, we are EXTREMELY proud of all the hard work the students put forth in preparing for the State Fair! It was a joy to celebrate with friends and family! Throughout this project, students learned about their state, became better writers, and learned how to use coding. Parents, thank you for your support at home! WAY TO GO, FIFTH GRADERS!
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Sixth Grade - Mrs. Wane, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Guinotte
English - Students continue to work on mastering the English language as well as editing their writing. We will be taking the writing and editing assessments this month to see how much students have improved since the fall.
Literature - Students have been working hard this year and have come to our final sixth grade novel. Look for A Wrinkle in Time (AWIT), as it was sent home at the end of March. Students will also be taking the Archdiocesan Language Arts assessment this month as well as checking their growth as a reader through benchmarking.
Math - Students are working their way through the geometry unit. Students are practicing identifying types of angles and polygons, finding the area of various polygons, and labeling the parts of a circle. Next up is algebra and solving one-step equations. In the coming weeks, students will also be reviewing for their upcoming assessments - simple solutions post-test, math computation, and STAR testing. We will practice reviewing and taking tests as well as covering material from the previous school months.
Social Studies - Students are just wrapping up the chapter on Ancient China. We discussed the many fascinating facts about how and why the Great Wall of China was built, the creation of the Silk Road, and the start of international trade. Students are also continuing to learn about the global marketplace during our Junior Achievement sessions.
Science - Students will study tectonic plates and how they change the Earth’s surface through volcanoes and earthquakes.
Religion - Students have been studying the Exodus and Seder Meal. Students will participate in a Seder Meal to celebrate Passover, on Monday, March 25th in the Parish Center. Thank you so much for all of the volunteers who made this special event possible.
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English - Mr Leever
English 7 students have begun reviewing types of adverbs and learning how to correct grammar issues that arise with incorrect adverb usages. Students will then review the basics of the prepositional phrase before focusing on using them as adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. In April, students will take the spring editing and writing assessments. Students will learn how to defend an opinion with logic, expert opinion, and facts and statistics by writing an argumentative essay.
English 8 students have completed their unit on prepositional phrases and how they function in sentences. The next grammar unit will be learning what verbal phrases are (participial, infinitive, and gerund) and how they function in sentences. In April, students will take the spring editing and writing assessments. Students will learn how to defend an opinion with logic, expert opinion, and facts and statistics by writing an argumentative essay.
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Science - Ms. Kolberg
7th grade
Seventh graders have been looking at genetics. We have looked at both strawberry DNA and our own DNA! We are discovering what dominant and recessive traits mean and what phenotypes and genotypes are. Our culminating activity will be to see if the 7th graders can determine if there was a baby mix-up at the hospital when the electricity went out!!!!
8th graders
Eighth graders are finishing up our chemistry unit. One of our recent activities involved the titration of a base into a neutral solution……patience was a virtue that day! We are looking into balancing equations, and one of our challenges will be to see if we can successfully control a chemical reaction! It might be a little messy until we are successful!
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Math - Mr. Polacek
It is hard to believe that we have made it to Quarter 4 of this fast-moving year. The students have been fantastic in their efforts, and we still have many important topics to cover to make sure the students are well-prepared for next year.
The algebra classes are finishing up quadratics (ask them to sing the quadratic formula to you) and will be starting on radical expressions and trigonometry. We will be simplifying square roots and cube roots and doing all of our mathematical operations on them as well as perfecting our Pythagorean Theorem.
In pre-algebra we are concluding the algebra chapters with a look at polynomials and slope, both are a great introduction as to what will be expected next year in algebra. We will be adding, subtracting, multiplying and even dabble in factoring of the polynomials. Algebraic expressions and equations will be the final topics in 7th Grade Math as we get ready for a big leap into 8th grade! Keep up the great work and finish strong!
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The eighth grade students would like to thank you for supporting their frozen food fundraiser. The students raise money to buy a gift for the school from the eighth grade class.
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Religion - Mr. Dunn
In religion class, seventh grade students are exploring the Gospel of John. A reminder that Confirmation forms are due April 3.
Eighth grade students are discovering how to be a people of prayer and the many ways the prayer of the Church unites us all. Students are also exploring the life of Saint Pope John Paul II.
Maranatha!
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Literature - Mrs. Fosbender
In eighth grade literature, students will be finishing the book Touching Spirit Bear. Each student will be creating a totem pole with five symbols that represent their family or the students’ personality. Through the months of March and part of April, the eighth grade will be the Holocaust/WWII unit. Students will work with a literature circle group and practice different strategies throughout the novels.
The seventh grade students are starting the Adventure/Mystery unit novels. Students will be using their creative side to complete three tier projects that consist of some researching, writing and illustrating. Seventh grade will also work with literature circle groups.
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Social Studies - Mrs. Sullivan
In social studies, the 8th grade students are actively engaged in learning about WWII and will be moving into studies of the Cold War and life in the 1950’s. We will explore the causes of the wars, the countries and people involved as well as the outcomes of the wars. Learning will involve not just be from our textbooks. We will also use powerpoints with guided notes as well as small group projects and investigations.
The 7th grade students are finishing up their studies of Africa. They have spent time learning about the countries, culture, geography, history, religion, language and many other aspects of life in these countries. Our next studies will take us to Asia. As with our other continent studies, the students will explore the history, geography and ways of life in many Asian countries. We will use a combination of textbook, workbook and powerpoint/guided notes to help us with our exploration. The 7th graders will also engage in small group projects and investigations.
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Art - Mr. Pflaum
Congratulations to the following students who had their work chosen for the annual Duchesne 5-8 Grade Student Art Show:
7th Grade: Alexa Franzluebbers, Ani Clure, Charlotte Quiel, Cole Keating, Finley Moylan, Gabriella Rodriguez, Hayden Marquis, Layla Sidoruk,
8th Grade: Bella Facca, Keira Moylan, Mary O’Connell, Olivia Clayton, Teagan Menicucci, Zelie Niehaus.
You can view these students' entries at the gallery show link: https://duchesneacademyartshow.weebly.com/
Bella Facca, Mary O’Connell, Finley Moylan received a Tres Bien Award for their work. Cole Keating received a Judge’s Choice Award. These four students will have their work displayed at the award show on April 4th.
Congratulations to the following students whose artwork was chosen to represent St. Vincent de Paul in the annual Art and the Holocaust Memory Project at the Jewish Community Center.
KC Muhs, Samantha Mayer, Elle Wegner, Dominic Espiritu, Nora Klein, Liam McConville, Kennedy Creath, Grace Barna, Drew Santos, Will Moore.
Their work will be displayed at the reception on April 8th at the JCC.
Additional grade level student art work can be viewed on the SVdP instagram gallery: https://www.instagram.com/svdpmrpflaumart/
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Computer - Mrs. Kuhr
Kindergarten and 1st Grade - Students wrapped up the robotics unit with the Sphero Indi. The students had a blast and learned how to code the little robot using different colored squares. Now they are going to do a few lessons on CAD (Computer Aided Design) and using CAD style websites.
2nd Grade - Students have just finished logging in to their Prodigy account using their Google account. Prodigy takes math and gamifies with students battling cute little creatures using math facts. They will be heading to Typing Club for a few classes, and then onto our Sphero Indi.
3rd Grade - Students completed the Google Earth unit. Students were finding land formations or buildings that, from above, look like a letter from their name. They then added all the images they found to a Google Drawing to recreate their name. They are now working on creating digital badges with positive messages for classmates. They will be learning more about Google Drawing and be introduced to Google Slides.
4th Grade - Students are currently in the Super Digital Citizen Superhero unit. Students are learning about online safety through discussions and creating their own digital hero. They will finish the unit creating their own comic strip, where their digital hero saves the digital day by following the rules of online safety.
5th Grade - Students have finished working on their state fair programs. They have worked so hard. We are now starting a ciphering unit. We will be going over a couple of different ciphers and then students will create their own cipher.
6th Grade - Students are currently working on an animation unit. They made flipbooks and GIFs. They are now using the online tool Wick Editor to create a traditional animation clip, and one using keyframing. They will then create a 30-second animation.
7th Grade - Students have finished a Cave Surfing game in Scratch. These projects are a must see. Next, they will start a robotics unit using Spheros. They will design a chariot and program it to race around the room.
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Educational Strategists - Mrs. Heavey, Mrs. Price, Ms. Bousquet
April is National Poetry Month. It is a great excuse to focus on this fun genre with your family by playing with rhymes, rhythms, tongue twisters and choral reads (reading together). The humor found in some poetry just might motivate your child to read more poems. Help your child build reading fluency skills by asking them to read and reread the same poem. Here are some ideas to help get you started.
Plan a family Poetry Jam. Each family member can pick a favorite poem to practice and read to the family. Have fun with the playful language and rhymes! Here is a link to help you plan. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/poems-home
Reread old favorites. Look through your bookshelves at home for old favorites like Mother Goose or Dr. Seuss. Elementary-age children just might enjoy rereading favorites from their toddlers years. Visit the local library and check out poetry books.
If you want more ideas, go to www.readingrockets.org to find more resources.
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Guidance - Mrs. Skudlarek
March was a great month in guidance class. Students in kindergarten, first and second grades all learned about harmful substances as well as healthy and unhealthy habits. We discussed different types of household items and every day use items that can harmful to them and those around them. One area we focused on was medicine and not tasting things when we do not know what they are. Third and fourth graders learned about staying drug free with an emphasis on saying no to alcohol, tobacco/vaping and drugs, such as marijuana. Fifth grade students continued to learn more about the ripple effect of alcohol and marijuana use. While the conversations are a way to arm them to say "No" to things that can be harmful to them, you as parents have the strongest voice in teaching them about legal and illegal substances. Sixth graders created a story board to teach each other about dealign with strong emotions. Be sure to ask them about this! Seventh graders learned about the difference between bullying and harassment. We just started talking about thoughts and emotions. This will continue into April. Happy Easter!
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HAL - Mrs. Miller
The month of March flew by! The 4th graders learned how to divide decimals and are getting ready to study simple geometry. The 5th graders finished up a measurement unit and will learn about area and volume of 2D and 3D figures. Sixth graders spent time using percent proportions and equations to solve a variety of problems, and the 7th graders learned about computing with radical expressions. In literature class the 7th graders are reading The Lightning Thief and will learn about Greek mythology. The 8th grade group will create personal totems as a final project when they finish reading Touching Spirit Bear. This is one of our favorite projects!
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Media Center - Mrs. Kaiser
Let’s find a great book. One of the goals during library is to find something the student enjoys reading. If you’re struggling to find books your child wants to read at home, feel free to email and ask for suggestions. I’m always happy to make a list tailored to specific interests and reading levels. Another strategy to add more reading to your child’s life is to continue the habit of reading together at bedtime, even if your child can and does read independently. Taking a short amount of time to share a book together before bed helps your child as a reader, helps establish good sleep habits, and can open up a time for conversation about what’s going on in your child’s life. Happy Reading!
Thank you to the following students and their families who donated a book to the library in honor of their birthday: Ben Bueltel, Eddie Fyfe, Avalee Seppala, Mason Birkel, Meredith McClure, Peyton Stubbs, Henry Kerns, Nessi Fay, and Allison Miller.
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Music - Mrs. LeMense
Our 4th graders are becoming so accomplished on the recorder! They are WAY past “Hot Cross Buns.” You can hear them next at our Wednesday Mass on March 27. They will be playing the instrumental entrance hymn.
Additionally, 5th graders have been learning to play the ukulele. We’re good at folk songs like “My Darlin’ Clementine” and “The Hokey Pokey”!
We’ve learned the following chords so far: C, C7, F, Am, and G7! Next we’ll be tackling the C scale!
The 3rd graders are working on some dances for their upcoming Pioneer Day. They are learning what fun it is to do these group dances and how it passed the time (no Pioneers had iPads).
1st and 2nd graders are learning/reviewing the instruments of the orchestra! Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, and Percussion!
Our kindergartners are working hard on their program songs for Wednesday morning, April 10th at 9:30 A.M. Our theme is “Get Happy”!
I will be sending more information to the Kindergarten parents this week regarding the program and what to have the students wear, etc..
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PE - Mrs. Conry
The 7th and 8th grade began a basketball unit. They demonstrated the ability to perform drills and skills.
We discussed different offense and defenses, applying the knowledge of the rules of basketball in game situations. We discussed the importance of good sportsmanship and playing as a team.
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PE - Mr. Boone
Jumping into Spring, the students demonstrated their best jump roping skills! We covered how to hold the rope, what it looks like, and sounds like when we jump over the rope. Each grade level approached it a little differently.
K - We introduced how to hold the rope, twirl it, and how to jump. For many students, this was the firs time that they tried this skill. Focusing on using both sides of the brain, jump roping helps students with coordination, balance, focus or attention, cognition, and proprioception. The biggest challenge for most was getting to string consecutive jumps in a row. We started off slow and progressively added more steps on how to piece it all together.
1st-5th - With at least a year of jump roping under their belts, the students in these grades were presented with more challenges. New for the 1st graders was our Ninja Belt Challenge. Here students have the opportunity to earn different level of belts based on consecutive jumps in a row. Each belt required a certain number of jumps to be made in a row before advancing to the next level. With nine levels in all, the students jumped like nobody’s business! After completing the challenge over two class periods, the students got to sign their names on posters in the gym with the matching belt colors. Stop by some time and see if you can find your child’s names! They also received a bracelet with beads matching the levels they completed.
6th - Lastly, our 6th graders had a different challenge. After reviewing the three levels of tricks (basic, intermediate, and advanced) the 6th graders had a different type of Ninja Belt Challenge. Each level required them to incorporate the different tricks as well as consecutive jumps. Like the younger grades they got to sign the posters and receive their bracelets as well.
Looking ahead in April, grades 3rd-6th will be doing their post test fitness testing.
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Spanish 2nd-4th - Mrs. McDermott
Second grade through fourth grade Spanish students have completed the topics they have been working on during 3rd quarter: 2nd grade - La Familia (the family), 3rd grade - Los Animales (animals), and 4th grade - Las Estaciónes y El Tiempo (the seasons and weather). They had their work published in a class book that will be kept in their classroom. Students can read this class book at their leisure during free reading time. They will be excited to see each other's work published in a book.
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Spanish 5th-8th - Mrs. Singh
Marzo
¡Hola! Students came back from Spring Break energized and ready to work! Great way to start the 4th quarter. This month, all students will learn how to say “Happy Easter” and learn about how Easter is celebrated in Spanish speaking countries.
5th grade students have made excellent progress reviewing numbers and greetings. We will continue working on greetings and introduction conversations.
6th graders are studying class subjects and ordinal numbers. They are practicing writing their daily class schedule in Spanish. Next students will be able to say who teaches the class and which school supplies (pencil, paper, scissors, etc) are needed. Students will present a short summary of their class schedule to the class…and hopefully at home!
7th graders have been feeling very hungry in class as we research the names of lunch and dinner foods. Each student made a slide show of their favorite foods for lunch and dinner. Later this month we will start practicing phrases used to order food in a restaurant and students will work in groups of 3-4 to present a restaurant skit in class.
8th graders will continue to practice using the verb “IR” (to go) to state places they are going to, and what activities they are going to do there.
We will continue to practice present tense verb conjugations and learn other phrases with 2 verbs (The first will be conjugated), the second will stay in the infinitive form.
Later in the month, we will review the phrases we learned to state goals for the new year and use them to state activities we “want to do, need to do, should do, and can do” on vacation in a Spanish speaking country.
A friendly reminder: please include your student’s homeroom number if you email regarding grades or homework questions.
¡Gracias!
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