Wow! What a year this has been so far! I am amazed at all of the progress that the students have made thus far. I feel so blessed to be able to spend my days with each and every one of your children, and I also feel blessed to have such amazing families to work with.
Thank you to all of the parents who helped and volunteered with classroom parties, Sweet Elephant purchases, and everything else you do throughout the year. All of your help and support is appreciated so much!
When we come back for the 2nd half of the school year we will hit the ground running, so I hope that everyone is able to relax and enjoy the break.
Take a moment to check the GALLERY page on our classroom blog. I have uploaded some videos and pictures, and I will be uploading some more videos over the break. We also made some fun ELF YOURSELF videos. The links are below.
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/pLzOk0yGHuQLMmkeAYWo
(Aubrey, Alec, Alyssa, Clayton, Angel)
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/bSCbooxMK1i2EeXZJmBs
(Elizabeth, Domonic, D’arrica, Fred, Jackson)
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/ICErGW6tgWikvB9Tyi0z
(Mariah, Jacob, Lexie, Mackenzie, Madison)
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/ZOXB44ytAJCi7xkxMuaH
(Olivia, Spencer, Riley, Mason, Zack)
Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a fabulous NEW YEAR! I look forward to working with you all again soon!!!!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Updates 12-2
Wow! What a week we have had! I have been so impressed by how hard all of the students are working. They have absolutely done their best throughout the week and it is showing in all that they do!!!
• I am attaching the newsletter so please look that over for important news and updates.
• As you may have heard, we have been very fortunate in that we now have 4 student computers in the classroom. We have been utilizing those computers to do research, type papers, and visit Study Island along with other instructional sites. I feel like there is a new love for learning developing!
• All students recently finished a project on erosion and how to control it. These videos will be posted to the blog soon so check back often! They did a fabulous job and this was their own entirely! I offered no help at all
• If you have computer/internet access at home, it would be great for your child to access STUDY ISLAND while at home. This provide instruction and practice in reading and math skills. Once they have accessed this program at home, I am able to see the scores that they receive and this enables me to offer individualized instruction.
I hope everyone has a FABULOUS weekend!
• I am attaching the newsletter so please look that over for important news and updates.
• As you may have heard, we have been very fortunate in that we now have 4 student computers in the classroom. We have been utilizing those computers to do research, type papers, and visit Study Island along with other instructional sites. I feel like there is a new love for learning developing!
• All students recently finished a project on erosion and how to control it. These videos will be posted to the blog soon so check back often! They did a fabulous job and this was their own entirely! I offered no help at all
• If you have computer/internet access at home, it would be great for your child to access STUDY ISLAND while at home. This provide instruction and practice in reading and math skills. Once they have accessed this program at home, I am able to see the scores that they receive and this enables me to offer individualized instruction.
I hope everyone has a FABULOUS weekend!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Grading system
Parents,
You may have seen some numbers instead of percentages and letter grades coming home on your child’s papers recently. I wanted to take a moment to explain that grading system.
In assessing student work and looking to see who has demonstrated mastery of a specific topic, sometimes a letter grade does not give me enough information. One way that I am keeping track of student mastery of specific topics is with a 4-3-2-1 scale. These numbers coincide with proficiency indicators and tell me what we need to continue working on both individually and as a whole class. The break down on those numbers is as follows:
4-demonstrates complete mastery at an advanced level (becomes a 100% if placed in the gradebook)
3-demonstrates mastery at a proficient level (becomes an 85% if placed in the gradebook)
2-demonstrates mastery at a basic level and needs additional support to achieve proficiency (becomes a 75% if placed in the gradebook)
1-demonstrates mastery at a below basic level. We will re-teach the content in a different way to increase understanding and move towards proficiency. (becomes a 60% if placed in the gradebook)
I hope this clarifies. Please let me know if you have any further questions!
You may have seen some numbers instead of percentages and letter grades coming home on your child’s papers recently. I wanted to take a moment to explain that grading system.
In assessing student work and looking to see who has demonstrated mastery of a specific topic, sometimes a letter grade does not give me enough information. One way that I am keeping track of student mastery of specific topics is with a 4-3-2-1 scale. These numbers coincide with proficiency indicators and tell me what we need to continue working on both individually and as a whole class. The break down on those numbers is as follows:
4-demonstrates complete mastery at an advanced level (becomes a 100% if placed in the gradebook)
3-demonstrates mastery at a proficient level (becomes an 85% if placed in the gradebook)
2-demonstrates mastery at a basic level and needs additional support to achieve proficiency (becomes a 75% if placed in the gradebook)
1-demonstrates mastery at a below basic level. We will re-teach the content in a different way to increase understanding and move towards proficiency. (becomes a 60% if placed in the gradebook)
I hope this clarifies. Please let me know if you have any further questions!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Book Orders
Scholastic Book orders went home today. Please make use of online ordering so that we can earn free books for the classroom! If you would like to place an order for use as a gift, I am happy to help you with that, just let me know and I will hold the order for you until you can pick it up!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Assembly and Veterans' Day
I have uploaded some pictures from our Academic Pep Rally at the High School today.
On Wednesday, we will be celebrating Veterans' Day here at Mathews. We have asked all students to wear red, white, and/or blue if possible. Honor Choir students should wear their Mathews Spirit Wear.
Please see the important information below. This was taken from the newsletter.
Effort
I have begun to notice a decrease in the amount of effort students are putting forth on their assignments. Grades for this quarter are not where I would like them to be, and as I am analyzing tests and quizzes, I am noticing that many students are missing skills that they have previously demonstrated mastery of. Please talk with your child about the importance of always doing their best. If the content is difficult for them, I am happy to reteach the concepts, but we do still have many new concepts to cover throughout the year, so they need to consistently do their best and double check their work so that I do not reteach based on simple mistakes or rushing through work.
On Wednesday, we will be celebrating Veterans' Day here at Mathews. We have asked all students to wear red, white, and/or blue if possible. Honor Choir students should wear their Mathews Spirit Wear.
Please see the important information below. This was taken from the newsletter.
Effort
I have begun to notice a decrease in the amount of effort students are putting forth on their assignments. Grades for this quarter are not where I would like them to be, and as I am analyzing tests and quizzes, I am noticing that many students are missing skills that they have previously demonstrated mastery of. Please talk with your child about the importance of always doing their best. If the content is difficult for them, I am happy to reteach the concepts, but we do still have many new concepts to cover throughout the year, so they need to consistently do their best and double check their work so that I do not reteach based on simple mistakes or rushing through work.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Thank you!
A huge thank you to all of my parents for attending parent-teacher conferences this week. I greatly appreciate your support as we work together to help your child achieve and succeed! I feel blessed to work with such an amazing group of families and I am looking forward to the rest of our year together. Please do not ever hesitate to contact me if you have an comments, questions, or concerns. I love working with your children!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
New pictures
New pictures from the Big Event are now posted under the gallery. There are also pictures of the students working hard on their ecosystem posters.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Ready for a new week!
We are about to begin a brand new week and a brand new quarter! I can't believe that we are 1/4 of the way through the school year already. We are working hard and have made so much progress already. Please remember that parent/teacher conferences will be held on Tuesday and Thursday this week. I am looking forward to visiting with all of you!
If you click on the gallery link you will find pictures from Friday's BIG EVENT. The students worked so hard throughout the quarter to be Safe Outstanding learners who are Respectful and Responsible. In other words, they were SOARing! We all enjoyed our celebration on Friday. Ask your child about SOAR bucks each day. They love sharing what they did to earn them!
If you click on the gallery link you will find pictures from Friday's BIG EVENT. The students worked so hard throughout the quarter to be Safe Outstanding learners who are Respectful and Responsible. In other words, they were SOARing! We all enjoyed our celebration on Friday. Ask your child about SOAR bucks each day. They love sharing what they did to earn them!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Happy Friday
Happy Friday!
I am attaching the newsletter, but wanted to remind everyone that next Friday is the end of 1st quarter! I can’t believe it is already here! Time has flown. On that day we will be having our Big Event. I am happy to say that everyone from our class will be attending the Big Event this time! Woohoo! Way to show how we can SOAR. We are asking that the students wear camo that day if they have it.
Also, we are going to begin an ecosystem project this week. I have asked students to bring in pictures of plants and animals that would be part of a variety of ecosystems. If you have any old magazines or pictures that you don’t mind us cutting up, we would love to use those to make our posters! Please send them in at your earliest convenience.
Enjoy the weekend!
I am attaching the newsletter, but wanted to remind everyone that next Friday is the end of 1st quarter! I can’t believe it is already here! Time has flown. On that day we will be having our Big Event. I am happy to say that everyone from our class will be attending the Big Event this time! Woohoo! Way to show how we can SOAR. We are asking that the students wear camo that day if they have it.
Also, we are going to begin an ecosystem project this week. I have asked students to bring in pictures of plants and animals that would be part of a variety of ecosystems. If you have any old magazines or pictures that you don’t mind us cutting up, we would love to use those to make our posters! Please send them in at your earliest convenience.
Enjoy the weekend!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Coats for Kids
Every year the Lion's Club collects coats for students in need. The drive begins Oct. 3 and ends on Oct. 30. You can bring your coats to Mathews Elementary for drop-off.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Happy Friday
It has been an extremely busy week in our classroom! I did get behind on grading this week, but all grades are now posted and current. All of your child's work from this week will be coming home in their Friday folder. We are approaching the end of first quarter (I can't believe it already!!!), so please remind your child to continue to stay focused and do their best. I encourage them to take their time and double check ALL of their work!
I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend! I am hoping to relax and enjoy the family!
I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend! I am hoping to relax and enjoy the family!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Marble Celebration
Our class has earned another marble celebration so tomorrow is COSTUME DAY!
Please make sure that your child wears a school appropriate costume if they choose to participate. I have asked that they not dress as witches, vampires, etc. Also, no full face makeup is permitted. Otherwise, have fun
Please make sure that your child wears a school appropriate costume if they choose to participate. I have asked that they not dress as witches, vampires, etc. Also, no full face makeup is permitted. Otherwise, have fun
Sept. 20th Information and Updates
We had a very chatty day in class today. There were a lot of disruptions to the learning environment. Please take a moment to talk to your child and remind them of the importance of following classroom expectations and only talking during appropriate times or after raising their hand and being called on. We have a lot to cover throughout the year, and I want to allow everyone the opportunity to learn without disruptions or distractions!
· Please send in a picture of your child’s grandparent as soon as possible! Grandparent’s Day is Monday at 12:30 and we have a project to complete. A digital picture is perfect and you can just email me a copy!
· I sent out an online signup for Parent Teacher conferences. So far this is working great! If you have not yet signed up, please do so at your earliest convenience. This link is http://www.signupgenius.com/go/parent1205
· Please send in a picture of your child’s grandparent as soon as possible! Grandparent’s Day is Monday at 12:30 and we have a project to complete. A digital picture is perfect and you can just email me a copy!
· I sent out an online signup for Parent Teacher conferences. So far this is working great! If you have not yet signed up, please do so at your earliest convenience. This link is http://www.signupgenius.com/go/parent1205
Friday, September 16, 2011
September 16th Updates and Information
• Mid-quarter grades are coming home today. Please be sure to look these over and sign and return them in your child’s Friday folder.
• If you have any questions regarding grades, please remember that it is the middle of first quarter and we do not have very many grades at this time. One poor grade can significantly lower your child’s average. You can check grades regularly on Powerschool and if you have any questions please contact me!
• Grandparents’ Day is September 26th. We are putting together a special project for which we will need a picture of your child with a grandparent, or just a picture of the grandparent. The sooner you can send in those pictures, the better!
• Please continue to read at home and practice multiplication facts. We have made amazing progress already this year!
• Please check the blog regularly for updates, information, and great links. Visit the blog and you can subscribe by email so that anything new will be forwarded to you automatically!
• If you have any questions regarding grades, please remember that it is the middle of first quarter and we do not have very many grades at this time. One poor grade can significantly lower your child’s average. You can check grades regularly on Powerschool and if you have any questions please contact me!
• Grandparents’ Day is September 26th. We are putting together a special project for which we will need a picture of your child with a grandparent, or just a picture of the grandparent. The sooner you can send in those pictures, the better!
• Please continue to read at home and practice multiplication facts. We have made amazing progress already this year!
• Please check the blog regularly for updates, information, and great links. Visit the blog and you can subscribe by email so that anything new will be forwarded to you automatically!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Supporting Your Child's Learning at Home
Often parents ask me, "What can I do at home to support my child's learning?" Under the Parent Link above, I have included a tip sheet with lots of great ideas and resources. You can also make use of the websites that we use in class, and STUDY ISLAND is a fabulous way to review skills and practice. Your child's login information was given to them last week and should be in their Buddy Binder.
Happy Learning and Practicing!
Happy Learning and Practicing!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Weekly Updates
Happy Friday! I hope that everyone has time to relax this weekend. I am so excited to have another weekend of nice weather!
A few reminders for the week:
• Book Orders are due on Friday, September 16th. Please feel free to order online or send in a check. For every online order we earn a free book for the class!
• Fundraiser information went home yesterday. Take some time to look this over. These fundraisers help to supply many of the great things we have and do here at Mathews!
• Mid-quarter grades will go home next Friday, September 16th in your child’s Friday folder. You may also stay updated through Powerschool. I make every attempt to get those grades entered as soon as possible!
• We have an amazing class! Everyone worked together this week as we did a lot of learning about Native Americans. I am proud of all of our SOARing students who have great character!
• We will be taking our Acuity tests in Communication Arts this Tuesday. This is a new test that we are implementing in the district this year and it will help me to assess your child’s learning abilities and needs. Please make sure they get a good night’s sleep on Monday and have a good breakfast Tuesday morning!
Have a great weekend!
A few reminders for the week:
• Book Orders are due on Friday, September 16th. Please feel free to order online or send in a check. For every online order we earn a free book for the class!
• Fundraiser information went home yesterday. Take some time to look this over. These fundraisers help to supply many of the great things we have and do here at Mathews!
• Mid-quarter grades will go home next Friday, September 16th in your child’s Friday folder. You may also stay updated through Powerschool. I make every attempt to get those grades entered as soon as possible!
• We have an amazing class! Everyone worked together this week as we did a lot of learning about Native Americans. I am proud of all of our SOARing students who have great character!
• We will be taking our Acuity tests in Communication Arts this Tuesday. This is a new test that we are implementing in the district this year and it will help me to assess your child’s learning abilities and needs. Please make sure they get a good night’s sleep on Monday and have a good breakfast Tuesday morning!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Study Island
Study Island usernames and passwords went home with your child today. This is a great online tool for practicing and reinforcing the skills learned in class!
Monday, September 5, 2011
This week
I hope that everyone was able to enjoy the extended weekend! My family visited from St. Louis and Cincinnati, Ohio so it was a very busy weekend, but we had a great time!
We are going to start school on Tuesday ready to hit the ground running. I would like to remind everyone to continue working on multiplication facts at home, and to READ! READ! READ! One struggle that many of the students are having is chosing a book and sticking with it. While I definitely want them to read a wide variety of materials, it is very important that students are choosing books that are on their level and are books that will provide them with an ongoing storyline to follow. This can be either fiction or non-fiction. I have asked students to be sure to check out at least one chapter book when they go to library on Fridays. We also have a wide variety of chapter books in the classroom.
I am going to spend time speaking with each student individually this week to determine reading levels and preferences, and to provide them with guidance in choosing books that will work well for them.
We are going to start school on Tuesday ready to hit the ground running. I would like to remind everyone to continue working on multiplication facts at home, and to READ! READ! READ! One struggle that many of the students are having is chosing a book and sticking with it. While I definitely want them to read a wide variety of materials, it is very important that students are choosing books that are on their level and are books that will provide them with an ongoing storyline to follow. This can be either fiction or non-fiction. I have asked students to be sure to check out at least one chapter book when they go to library on Fridays. We also have a wide variety of chapter books in the classroom.
I am going to spend time speaking with each student individually this week to determine reading levels and preferences, and to provide them with guidance in choosing books that will work well for them.
Friday, August 19, 2011
First Week!!!
What a wonderful week we have had! I am so excited for the year ahead of us! Here are some updates and reminders.
• Please remember to sign your child’s Friday folder. Those will be due back on Monday.
• Everyone has been doing a great job of learning how to fill out our Brain Books and having them signed. I’m also proud of how quickly they have picked up on recording their reading minutes and their reading response!
• Our class has already earned 10 marbles for our marble jar! What an amazing group. As a result, they have chosen to have crazy hair day on Monday.
• Remember to visit our class blog for great websites and information. www.golmen.blogspot.com
• Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
• We are jumping in full swing next week and will fall into our routine and schedule for the year. It’s going to be fabulous!!!
• Thank you to everyone who came on orientation night. For those of you who were unable to make it, please let me know if you have questions.
• If you have not yet sent in your parent homework, please do so at your earliest convenience. I love reading your thoughts about your child!
Thank you for all you do. I appreciate you and am looking forward to working with you throughout the year!
• Please remember to sign your child’s Friday folder. Those will be due back on Monday.
• Everyone has been doing a great job of learning how to fill out our Brain Books and having them signed. I’m also proud of how quickly they have picked up on recording their reading minutes and their reading response!
• Our class has already earned 10 marbles for our marble jar! What an amazing group. As a result, they have chosen to have crazy hair day on Monday.
• Remember to visit our class blog for great websites and information. www.golmen.blogspot.com
• Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
• We are jumping in full swing next week and will fall into our routine and schedule for the year. It’s going to be fabulous!!!
• Thank you to everyone who came on orientation night. For those of you who were unable to make it, please let me know if you have questions.
• If you have not yet sent in your parent homework, please do so at your earliest convenience. I love reading your thoughts about your child!
Thank you for all you do. I appreciate you and am looking forward to working with you throughout the year!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Welcome
Welcome back to another wonderful school year! I am so excited for the opportunity to get to work with a new group of students and families! There is so much fun to be had this year, and I can't wait to get started. Please check back here regularly for updates and information. If you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me either by phone or e-mail. E-mail is always a great way to get in touch with me because I am able to access this regularly and can quickly respond.
Please remember the importance of practicing multiplication facts and reading with your child each and every night! Reading is a fun family routine and can be rewarding for everyone involved. Even at this age it is great to have your child read aloud to you and for you to read aloud to them. Sharing a book is a fabulous way to spend time with the family and open lines of communication. One suggestion is to have a 20-30 minute family reading time. This is a time where everyone in the family is reading in the same room at the same time. Sometimes you may read the same book and sometimes you may read individual books. It is wonderful for your child to see you modeling a love of reading, and a great way for you to get in some reading and relaxation!
Looking forward to working together,
Mrs. Brigette Golmen
Please remember the importance of practicing multiplication facts and reading with your child each and every night! Reading is a fun family routine and can be rewarding for everyone involved. Even at this age it is great to have your child read aloud to you and for you to read aloud to them. Sharing a book is a fabulous way to spend time with the family and open lines of communication. One suggestion is to have a 20-30 minute family reading time. This is a time where everyone in the family is reading in the same room at the same time. Sometimes you may read the same book and sometimes you may read individual books. It is wonderful for your child to see you modeling a love of reading, and a great way for you to get in some reading and relaxation!
Looking forward to working together,
Mrs. Brigette Golmen
Monday, March 7, 2011
Updates and Information
Hello Parents!
Can you believe it is already the end of 3rd quarter? This year has really flown by! As we wrap up 3rd quarter, I would like to provide you with some updates and information.
Can you believe it is already the end of 3rd quarter? This year has really flown by! As we wrap up 3rd quarter, I would like to provide you with some updates and information.
- Our PBS Big Event will take place this Thursday. Your child is encouraged to wear sports clothing. Uniforms from any team they currently play on, jerseys or other team wear, and ball caps with team logos are all appropriate attire for this day.
- We have earned our hundred marble party. The students have voted to have a camp-in, pizza party day. They will be able to wear pajamas, and bring stuffed animals and blankets to class. I will provide a pizza snack in the afternoon. The date for this celebration will be announced in the near future.
- MAP testing is quickly approaching, and WE ARE READY!!!!! We have been working hard to review and prepare. It is very important that all students arrive on time, every day so that they don't miss out on any important information.
- We just completed our 3rd round of SRI testing, and I am SO PROUD of our entire class! They worked hard and are making great progress. We are definitely getting ready for 5th grade!
- Spring Break begins for students this Friday. Take the time to enjoy relaxing with friends and family. Maybe we will have some nice weather so we can get out and enjoy some time outdoors!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thank you!
A huge thank you for all of your time during parent-teacher conferences. I appreciate all of you and feel so lucky to be working with you and your children. Please remember that MAP testing is right around the corner and we are working hard to prepare, so make sure your child is getting plenty of rest so that they can come to school ready to work!
Also, please continue to work on mastery of multiplication facts, and continue to encourage your child as they work hard to complete chapter books.
Thank you!
Also, please continue to work on mastery of multiplication facts, and continue to encourage your child as they work hard to complete chapter books.
Thank you!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Welcome Back
Welcome Back!
We have had a wonderful day today, and I am excited to get the second half of the year going! I wanted to let everyone know that report cards will be going home on Friday. There are also a few minor changes that I want everyone to be aware of.
First, we will no longer be completing DLR. I will be incorporating these skills into our Morning Message and our daily writing assignments. In place of DLR, morning math will now become homework. I will hand this out every Monday, and students are expected to complete one page each evening, to go over in class the next day. If students are struggling, have a question, or would like some additional time or assistance, I will be available Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 a.m. for study hall/tutoring.
Second, we have chosen to abandon our assignment books in favor of Brain Books. This type of journal will be much more informative for both you and your child. Under the parent link you will find a note which will explain the benefits and expectations.
Please let me know if you have any questions! Thank you for your support and I am looking forward to a great rest of the year!
We have had a wonderful day today, and I am excited to get the second half of the year going! I wanted to let everyone know that report cards will be going home on Friday. There are also a few minor changes that I want everyone to be aware of.
First, we will no longer be completing DLR. I will be incorporating these skills into our Morning Message and our daily writing assignments. In place of DLR, morning math will now become homework. I will hand this out every Monday, and students are expected to complete one page each evening, to go over in class the next day. If students are struggling, have a question, or would like some additional time or assistance, I will be available Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 a.m. for study hall/tutoring.
Second, we have chosen to abandon our assignment books in favor of Brain Books. This type of journal will be much more informative for both you and your child. Under the parent link you will find a note which will explain the benefits and expectations.
Please let me know if you have any questions! Thank you for your support and I am looking forward to a great rest of the year!
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