GT Academy Newsletter
Sablatura Middle School / Pearland ISD
Spring 2020
Field Day
Remote Learning
As students, parents, and teachers adjust to remote learning, it is important to remember, as Dr. Kelly states in his video below, that "grace prevails." Families are encouraged to "do what you can" and communicate with teachers.
GTA parents will receive an email through Skyward on Mondays with an overview of assignments from all five core classes. The intent is for parents to stay informed without having to spend time checking each teacher's Edmodo. Of course, students are expected to continue checking each teacher's Edmodo for specific instructions. Fortunately, this format is not new to GTA students, as they are accustomed to flipped video lessons, collaborating through Edmodo, revising writing assignments and submitting work through Office 365, and online quizzes.
The guidelines set by the district suggest students spend approximately two hours per class per week. We understand each student's situation is different and encourage parents to reach out to teachers if there is a struggle to complete the assignments. As Mrs. Tipton mentioned in her email, "Although work is sent each week, your student does not need to complete it all. Work at a pace that suits your circumstances. The goal is to learn and be engaged during this difficult time, not become overwhelmed."
Regarding fourth nine weeks grades, a completion grade of pass/fail will be given for work completed during the remote learning time. Teachers will give feedback and support and are keeping a record of assignments completed. There will be no penalty for late work.
"Virtual teaching will never replace the love, the laughs, the learning, the smiles on students' faces, the 'aha' moments that happen in an actual classroom." We are looking forward to returning to school and connecting with our students. Until then, scroll down to the bottom of this newsletter to enjoy the "GTA Life" video, which is a reminder of the engaging learning environment of the GT Academy.
Happy GT Awareness Week!
- The week of April 6-10 is GT Awareness Week. This is a great time to share your story while empowering and advocating for gifted students. Do you have a story about an exceptional teacher or how the GT Academy has impacted you? Students and parents are encouraged to submit their #whyGT stories here: https://fs27.formsite.com/tagtforms/h0bpxixk42/index.html
- Don't forget to tag us @SabGTA and include the hashtags: #whyGT #GTweek #TAGT
Quiz Bowl
Super Quiz - First Place
5th Grade – Alivia, Jeffin, Will, Gatik, Alexander, Ethan, Aiden and Avinash
6th Grade – Amy, Stephanie, Tanishta, Ares, Jerry, Derek, Bryan and Noah
General Trivia - First Place
5th Grade - Nicholas , Alexander, Alan and Junxi
6th Grade - Roy, Leetyan, Mason and Malcolm
General Trivia - Second Place
5th Grade – Annalise, Aashi, Shine and Grace
General Trivia Alternates: Emerson and Amadea
Individual High Scores: Alexander and Malcolm
Thank you to Mrs. VanderWoude and Ms. Sisk, our Quiz Bowl super coaches!
Romeo & Juliet
Zen Den
Led by Ms. Hart, students in the Zen Den mini course learned valuable skills to help keep them calm and focused in any situation. As families deal with a variety of stressors during the Coronavirus pandemic, it is important to find ways to relax and find peace. Here are a few exercises that were used in the Zen Den course. Give them a try.
5 Minute Mindfulness Meditation "Blue Balloon"
https://youtu.be/Z0Og50KyZWc
Yoga for Focus
Rainbow Yoga
Future Sea Aggies
The Spirit of Giving
Thank You Parents
Boredom Busters
Legos: If you have lots of Legos around your house, challenge friends to complete the tasks on this menu then share on Flipgrid!
SET Game: If you like playing the SET card game, try playing online. A new game is posted daily.
https://www.setgame.com
Wonderopolis: How are jelly beans made? Do hummingbirds really hum? Can neurotechnology connect our brains? What are YOU wondering?
Duolingo: Challenge yourself to learn another language.
National Geographic Kids: Check out the Brain Busters and Cool Stuff.
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com
Keyboarding: Lots of fun ways to boost your keyboarding speed. Try Keyboard Ninja or Nitro Type!
https://www.typing.com/student/games
Chess: Learn how to play or keep your skills strong.
https://www.chess.com/ or https://www.chesskid.com/
Cool Math: Another way to stay ahead of the game in math.
Prodigy: A favorite among GTA Purdue students!
Smart Core Labs is offering a free session for students to try a class, or they can register for a series of classes using this registration form link. Check it out!
Teacher Recess
A Virtual Visit Down the GTA Hallway
Contact Us
Email: muellers@pearlandisd.org
Website: https://www.pearlandisd.org/Sablatura
Location: 2201 North Galveston Avenue, Pearland, TX, USA
Phone: (281)412-1500
Twitter: @SabGTA