News from Mrs. Drudy 05/2/2016
"We exist so children can excel."
What We're Learning in Challenge
3rd & 4th Grade
State Parks to Honor “Every Kid in a Park” Pass
Every fourth-grader in Indiana can visit both a National Park and an Indiana State Park for free this year. “Every Kid in a Park” is an initiative established by the federal government and supported by a variety of partners. It allows fourth-graders to download a pass from everykidinapark.gov for free admission for them and their families to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters nationwide – including national parks, national forests and marine sanctuaries – for a full year.
Current fourth-graders can download and use their fourth-grade passes through Aug. 31, 2016, and current third-graders can get their fourth-grade passes starting Sept. 1, 2016. Indiana State Parks will honor these fourth-grade passes in 2016 as a way to celebrate their 100th anniversary this year, which coincides with the National Park Service Centennial.
3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade
As you know, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders just completed their final round of ISTEP testing. Now it's time for the 6th graders to shine. Remember, due to the interruptions imposed by the testing schedule, Challenge will not be meeting this week. I strongly encourage all students to use this time to focus on the final independent reading project of the year, the "Create A Test" book project. Books for this project cannot be previously read books; not can they be a book that is currently being read aloud in the general education classroom.
ISTEP Part II
Sixth Grade: We will continue taking the computer-based portion of ISTEP this week, May 2 - 5. As we do, please continue to consider the following tips:
Night before ISTEP test:
Have a good dinner
Get all materials ready and organized (pencils/scratch paper)
Get a good night's sleep (8-10 hours recommended)
Morning of ISTEP test:
Have a nutritious breakfast (healthy protein)
Make sure you have all of the materials you need (pencils/scratch paper)
Get to school on time
While I never wish to minimize the importance of assessing students' progress, I always want my students know that they are so much more to me than a test score.
Relay for Life
Our Mini-Relay for Life will be the week of May 9 - May 13. All money raised will be donated to Relay for Life and turned in to the Franklin County Relay for Life.
Beginning May 9th, students will be involved in a “Penny War”. Each grade level will be participating. Students may bring in pennies and other moneys any time during the week.
In celebration of the Mt. Carmel mini-relay, students are invited to participate in the following activities for the week.
Balloon Celebration - Students and staff may purchase a ticket for a helium balloon to show their support for fighting cancer. These tickets will be attached to a balloon and tied to the cable out front on Friday. The balloons will be taken down at the end of the day. Balloon tickets must be purchased by Wednesday, May 11.
Away with Cancer - Students and staff are invited to purchase a small bottle of bubbles to blow away cancer. Cost is $1.00. When turning in this money, please fill out a ticket for bubbles for the child so that their bottle of bubbles is reserved. We will distribute these bottles on Friday morning.
Monday, May 9 - Purple Day & Hat Day - “Thinking of a Cure” cost $1.00 - Students and staff are encouraged to wear purple and their favorite hat to show support of cancer awareness.
Tuesday, May 10 - Crazy Sock Day - “Sock it to Cancer” and Kiss Cancer Good-bye. Cost for the socks is $1.00. Chocolate candy kisses will be sold at recess. Students must bring their $.25 to get their kisses.
Wednesday, May 11 - Cancer Prevention Day - Sunglasses Day - “Looking for a Cancer Free Future”. Cost $1.00.
Thursday, May 12 - PJ Day & Can Cancer Day - “Put Cancer to Sleep for Good”. Wear PJ’s for $1.00. Students may bring a can of pop to school to drink during class time. Students must pay $1.00 to participate.
Friday, May 13 - Mini-Relay for Life Day - Blow Away Cancer & Popsicle Day - Popsicles will be sold outside during lunch time. All classes will participate in the mini-relay by walking for 24 minutes. Remember to wear comfortable shoes. We will have opening ceremonies beginning at 8:30 for all students and staff. We will begin the opening ceremony with a silent walk honoring those we have lost to cancer and those who we know who are survivors of cancer.
Thanks for helping to make this a memorable event for our cancer survivors, students and staff!
Independent Reading Book Project
Students should be reading (or have read) a historical fiction book that meets the requirements set forth at the beginning of the year. Historical fiction is a fictional story that takes place during a particular time period in the past. Often, the setting is real but the characters are made up from the author's imagination.
Most importantly, students should choose a book that has no fewer than 115 pages for grades 3/4 or no fewer that 135 pages for grades 5/6. Since the other projects' due dates had to be extended, this one will be extended, too. I've set the due date for the "Create A Test" book projects as May 13. I inadvertently listed May 15 as the due date on some forms. (That's what happens when a frazzled teacher refers to an April calendar rather than a May one.)
Students have taken home the listing of requirements for this project, which I'm guessing will be much easier to complete than some of the others. As always, I expect students to take an A.R. quiz on book that they read for this project.
Library News
Mrs. Frondorf has passed along several dates of interest.
May 4th: Accelerated Reader party
May 6th: Last Day to check out library books
May 13th: All books due to library
AGstravaganza
Franklin County High School is hosting its first ever AGstravaganza on May 13th from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.! This is a chance for our community to learn more about what AG is all about. FCHS students have prepared different stations with all different types of learning opportunities and information. There will be a total of over 20 booths for all ages that will be staffed by business and high school students that would love to share their knowledge with others. The ag students have been working hard on this event and would love to see you there.
Every Kid...
Get your kid signed up today!
AG Fun!!!!
AGstravaganza!!!!
May 13, 2016 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Franklin County High School
Relay for Life
Notes from the Teacher
Coming Up:
May 4: Early Dismissal
May 9-13 Relay For Life
May 11: Grades 3-5 Field Day
May 17: Grades 6-8 Field Day
May 19: Principal’s picnic 12:30 PM
May 20: Grades 1-5 Awards 9 AM
May 20: Grades 6-8 Awards 1 PM