Week of March 10th through 14th

Hello! Thank you for your understanding with the lateness of this blog post! What a busy time it is!
Here are some important reminders for the week(s) ahead.

• PAWS testing begins tomorrow. Our testing dates/times will be as follows:
• March 11th, 12th, & 13th (Reading sessions 1, 2, 3) from 8:30-10
• March 18th, 19th, & 20th (Math sessions 1, 2, 3) from 8:30-10                                   ***Plenty of rest and a good breakfast will help to ensure your child does his/her best on these state-mandated assessments.*** 

• The 3rd quarter will end on Friday, March 14th. Report cards will be sent home next week. As always, if you have any questions regarding your child's report card please feel free to contact me. 

• Book orders are due this Friday, March 14th. 

• Leprechaun traps are due on Monday, March 17th. This is NOT an optional assignment. Students will receive a grade for creating his/her own leprechaun trap. 

• You will notice a bit of a change in your student's spelling word list. I have noticed many careless errors in students' everyday writing. Due to this, I have decided to work on ensuring that students know how to spell everyday 3rd grade words. A blue letter was sent home today with your child regarding this new spelling list. These words will be easy for some, but tough for others. In April, when students take the state-mandated writing test, students will be marked down if they cannot spell common 3rd grade words. Please, remind your child of this important message: If you can spell a word right for a spelling test then that word should be spelled correctly for LIFE. Please see this week's spelling words below. 
• with
• one
• there
• would
• been
• little
• think
• because
• great
• small
• never
• along
• while
• might
• next
• sound
• from
• their
• said
• could 
• first 
• back
• right
• help
• between
• below
• saw
• something
• thought
• both
• There are NO bonus words this week (or for the next few weeks). 

Have a great week!
Mrs. Martinez

Oops!

Hello!
I just realized that I left my spelling word list at school! I want to apologize--I will have to post my blog *tomorrow evening* (3/10/14) instead of tonight. I do want to mention, however, that PAWS testing will begin Tuesday at 8:30. Once again, sorry this blog won't be complete tonight. Please check back tomorrow--thank you for understanding!
Mrs. Martinez

Week of March 3rd through 7th

Hello! I hope you stayed warm over the weekend! Spring is upon us, right?!? From here on out there will be a lot going on at East Side. Testing is upon us. Please read the following note from the office of Mrs. Anderson regarding our upcoming PAWS testing. (This note was sent home with your child on Friday, Feb. 28th.)

Dear Families,

I want to let you know that the PAWS (Performance Assessment for Wyoming Students) window for testing is from March 3rd through March 28th this year.

This is a very important test for both student and East Side. As a school we look at school wide results and develop action plans to improve instruction and curriculum. At a student level we use the data to develop Individual Learning Plans for those students who may need extra help. It is very important for your student to do their very best work.

Please be mindful of the testing dates and make sure your student is at school. We also recommend that students get plenty of rest during the testing period and have a good breakfast.

If you have any questions please contact your student's teacher or the office. We will be glad to assist you in any way possible.

Sincerely,

Linda Anderson
Principal

For my class, testing dates will be on the following days: 

• March 11th, 12th, 13th from 8:30-10: Reading parts 1, 2, 3
• March 18th, 19th, 20th from 8:30-10: Math parts 1, 2, 3

Once again, it is VERY IMPORTANT that your child is at school on these days--as any missed PAWS testing must be made up. 

Please see below for other important information regarding the week ahead.

• Due to staff development, there will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, March 7th. 

• P.E. fitness calendars and Book-It reading calendars are due at school on Tuesday, March 4th.

• A new book order will be going home on Monday. This book order has a coupon attached to it that will allow you to receive one free book (up to $5 in price) with the purchase of $10 in books. These book orders will be due on Friday, March 14th. 

• It's time to think green!! St. Patrick's Day is quickly approaching. All third graders are required to design/create a leprechaun trap. Tips and ideas for how to create this leprechaun trap will be sent home on Monday. (It will be a green sheet.) This leprechaun trap will be due on Monday, March 17th. On that day students will have the opportunity to show their traps to fellow classmates as well as East Side students! 

• Please see this week's spelling words below. We will be discussing the suffixes '-er', '-ly', and '-ful'. Please keep in mind that due to no school on Friday the spelling test will be on Thursday and contracts will also be due on Thursday. 
• singer
• loudly
• joyful
• teacher
• fighter
• closely
• powerful
• farmer
• quickly
• careful
• friendly
• speaker
• wonderful
• truly
• hopeful
• safely
• listener
• calmly
• Extra spelling words:
• sincere
• managed
• loaded
• loveliest
• terror
• conversations
• inspired
• reunion
• currently
• pleasure

If you have any questions about any of the information above please don't hesitate to contact me at school. Have a great week!

Mrs. Martinez

Week of Feb. 24th through 28th

Hello! Another week is upon us. Please see below for important announcements for the week ahead.

• There's not a whole lot going on this week. However, next week PAWS testing will begin and will last sporadically through March. It is imperative that your child is at school each day--as PAWS testing must be made up. Please anticipate any needs so that your child misses a minimal amount of school for the next few weeks. 

• Students are allowed to bring healthy snacks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The school will provide snacks on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

• As of late, the playground has been extremely wet and full of puddles due to the melting snow. Please, if possible send your child with some waterproof boots or snow boots. An extra change of socks in your child's backpack would be helpful, too. Students will NOT be allowed to call home due to soaking feet or wet pants. I will remind the students to stay out of the water as much as possible--please do the same at home.  Just remember, a change of tennis shoes is necessary on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays--when we have P.E. 

• Please see this week's spelling words below. We will be discussing the prefixes '-ed' and '-ies or -es'. Specifically, we'll talk about changing the y to i and adding es or ed.
• cities
• cried
• puppies
• hurried
• stories
• flies
• parties
• tried
• pennies
• fried
• carried
• babies
• spied
• ponies
• pretty
• very
• countries
• libraries
• Extra spelling words:
• migrate
• survival
• plenty
• frightening
• accidents
• solid
• chilly
• landscape
• thunderous
• dramatic

Don't hesitate to contact me at school if you have any questions or comments. Have a great week!

Mrs. Martinez

Week of Feb. 18th through 21st

Hello! February is sure going by quickly! Please see the announcements for the week ahead below.

• Just a reminder, students can bring a HEALTHY snack on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The school will provide snacks on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• The following link will direct you to the district event calendar. On the calendar you can click on the daily menus for any particular day. This will help to determine if your child will need to bring a cold lunch or not.

• Please also remember, you can check your child's progress in each subject and/or pay lunch accounts on the parent portal. Click on this link to arrive at that portal. If you have not yet registered to use the parent portal, please check with Kari in the office. 

• This week's spelling words are below. This week we will be discussing '-ed' and '-ing' endings. Sometimes letters are taken out at the end of a word when 'ed' or 'ing' are added. For example: come = coming. (The 'e' is removed.)
• coming
• swimming
• dropping
• tapping
• taping
• invited
• saving
• stared
• planned
• changing
• joking
• loved
• gripped
• tasted
• making
• stopped
• freezing
• scared
• Extra spelling words:
• scout 
• puzzling
• violently
• unaware
• surrounded
• underground
• soggy
• narrow
• glassy
• liquid

Please don't hesitate to contact me at school if you have any questions. Have a great week! 

Mrs. Martinez

Week of Feb. 10th through 14th

Hello! Is it spring yet?! I'm sure ready for it! Valentine's Day is upon us. Please see important announcements for the week ahead below. 

• This past Thursday your child was given his/her valentine assignment (purple sheet). This assignment consists of constructing a valentine holder. This can be made out of a shoe box, cardboard box, or even a paper bag. The most important aspect of your child's holder is that his/her name needs to be written clearly (and large) on it. This way, when students are passing out valentines they will be able to easily see each student's name. Also, this valentine holder is not due at school any earlier than Friday, February 14th. There is not enough room in the classroom to store 23 holders until Friday. Thank you for your help with this!

• The Valentine's Day party will be on Friday, February 14th at 1:15 P.M. Treats and games are already taken care of via the parent valentine party committee. 

• The list of names for the valentines was located on the back of the purple sheet detailing the students' valentine holder assignment. 

• Our class will be serving this week. If you would like to take your child to lunch on a particular day please contact me and I will let you know if your child is serving or not.

• The February book order is due Friday, February 14th. 

• As a reminder, students are allowed to bring healthy snacks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Healthy snacks are provided by the school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

• Please see this week's spelling words below. This week we are focusing on compound words. Although these words are longer in nature they shouldn't be too difficult. 
• birthday
• anyone
• sometimes
• everything
• homework
• afternoon
• airplane
• grandmother
• something
• without
• himself
• faraway
• sunburned
• daylight
• someone
• cannot
• scorekeeper
• everybody
• Extra spelling words:
• wilderness
• constant
• shelter
• colony
• unexpected
• overheated
• layer
• climate
• region
• gliding

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call! Have a great week! Happy Valentine's Day!

Mrs. Martinez

Week of Feb. 3rd through 7th

Hello! I hope you had a great weekend! The cold air is upon us and this week will be tough for the kids--as I'm sure recess will be held indoors for a majority of the week. Please see below for important announcements for the week ahead.

• Please remember that parent/teacher conferences are scheduled for this week. Please call the school if you need to reschedule or won't be able to make it for your conference time. If you chose to do a phone conference I will be contacting you this week.

• Due to parent/teacher conferences, there is no school on Friday, February 7th.

• Mrs. Zimmer and I have decided to NOT have spelling words this week. Please look for a new spelling list next week. Enjoy the week off! There WILL still be some math homework, however.

• I told the students last week that they are allowed to bring a HEALTHY snack on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the school provides a healthy snack for every student at East Side. Since I'm sure the students are not just hungry for a snack on Tuesdays and Thursdays I have decided that this it will be okay to bring a snack on the other days of the week. Please remind your child that the snack needs to be healthy--no candy, candy bars, chips, pop, or the like. Examples of healthy snacks include but are not limited to: fruits/vegetables, string cheese, yogurt, or a granola bar. Water will still be the only allowed drink in the classroom. 

• During indoor recess days, the students are allowed to bring toys or games from home to play with. I would just like the students [and you] to please remember that items brought to school are the responsibility of the owner--therefore, if items get lost, broken, or stolen--it is no one else's fault. Valuables should still remain at home--to prevent something from happening to them. 

• A letter will be going to home to the parents who offered to help with the Valentine's Day party. If you are one of these volunteers, once you receive the letter please call the others on the list to find out who will bring what. Let me know what you will be doing/bringing as soon as you find out. 

• Last but not least, a February book order will be going home on Monday. This book order will be due on Friday, February 14th. Also, just a reminder that the January Book-It and Fitness calendars are due as soon as possible, but no later than Wednesday, February 5th. 

Have a great week! I look forward to seeing/visiting with you this week during conferences! 

Mrs. Martinez