Kleenex we go thru during the winter months!)
Volunteers (We would love to have someone come in and run flashcards with us or simply be a reading buddy with us during Daily 5 time)
NWEA Testing:
We are wrapping up our NWEA testing this week. Most students completed all tests last week. This week we will be focusing on make-up tests for students who were absent last week. We are proud of all of the effort our students put into taking their mid-year assessment. We will be using this information to reconfigure math groups, as well as how it will impact the rest of the instructional areas.
Fundraising:
We are continuing to fundraise for the spring field trips to Sherman Lake Camp and the capitol in Lansing. Weekly popcorn sales will now be benefiting the third grade field trip fund.
Valentine's Day Party:
Please note that our Valentine’s Day Party will be on Tuesday February 14th, in the afternoon. We will be having a low key party, filled with healthy snacks and goodies. If you would like to donate anything, you can return the lower portion of the slip at the bottom of the newsletter. We are only in need of a couple of small treats for the students to choose from since many of the student’s valentines contain candy anyways. During the party we are passing out valentines, watching a movie and enjoying the few goodies that were sent in. If your child is bringing in valentines, please be sure they are bringing in valentines addressed to every student in the class. We don’t want anyone to feel excluded. At the bottom of this newsletter you will find a class list for addressing valentines.
Valentine's Dance: 
The annual PTO Valentine’s Day dance will be on Friday February 10th in the Lakeview Middle School Gym. Watch your child’s Friday Folder for further details.
Cough Drops and other over-the-counter medication:
Per Michigan State Law, in order for a student to use a cough drop or any other medication, be it over-the-counter or prescription, we must have a signed doctor’s note providing the school permission to administer the medication. Cough drops do not require a prescription, but a medication from must be signed by the doctor prior to a student using one. These forms are available in the office, or send us a note and we will send one home. All medications, cough drops included, need to be turned in to a teacher or the office as soon as they arrive to school. Students should not be keeping cough drops in their backpacks, desks, or pockets. This is for their safety, as well as the safety of their friends. We apologize for the inconvenience. We don’t make the law, we just obey it.
We have had a lot of students missing school this past month due to illness. Please give the office a call if your child will be out that day due to illness. Also, if your child will be out more than a day, please don’t hesitate to call us so we may make arrangements to send home work, if you would like. Please stress the importance of using Kleenex, hand sanitizer, coughing into their elbow, etc… with your child to reduce the spread of germs. If your child is sick, please keep them home so they may get well. We will gladly send home any work they missed. If they have a fever of 100 or higher, they must stay home until the fever has broken.
Cold Weather:
It is very important to put your child’s name in everything before they bring it to school. Please be sure to label everything so we can identify the rightful owners. Also, it is helpful if you can double check the labels when they come home, just to make sure they match.
The snow is here and will surely stay for many months. With the snow comes cold weather. Please be sure your child is dressing appropriately for the weather. We go out side for recess everyday unless the temperature is below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Students need hats, gloves, snow pants, boots, and a scarf is not a bad idea. Students are not let into the building until 8 am, so if you drop your child off early, they will be waiting in the cold until they are permitted in the building. Just because a student did not bring the proper snow gear, does not mean they will get indoor recess. Also, students needs to bring boots AND a change of shoes to wear inside. It is not a bad idea to leave an old pair of shoes here for the winter, in case they forget shoes at home. If students do not have a dry pair of shoes to change into after recess, they will not be permitted to play in the snow. Instead they will have to stay on the sidewalk.
Book-IT:
This year we are participating in the Pizza Hut Book-IT program to promote reading and literacy. Each month a reading calendar will come home with a monthly reading goal. Every month that your child reads at home and meets the goal, they will receive a coupon for a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut. Calendars must be turned in by the 5th of the next month in order to receive their reward. Hooray to Isaac and Nigella for earning a free pizza during the month of January!
Math Facts:
During the third quarter we strive for all students to memorize their multiplication facts. Students must pass their addition/subtraction facts before advancing to multiplication. Please be working with your child at home as well in order for them to advance as quickly as possible. We don’t want to see anyone fall off the pace this early in the year. Each Friday we compete in a Math Challenge versus the other third grade class to see who can bring home the Math Facts trophy. This quarter we are competing over multiplication facts. Congratulations to the following student(s) whose hard work has advanced them to subtraction during the last month: Congratulations also to Nigella for advancing onto multiplication! Keep up the hard work!
Character Ed. Assemblies:
At the end of each month we will again be having our Character Ed Assemblies. This is a chance for students to be recognized in front of the entire school for outstanding achievement. Each month there will be a winner in math, writing, and character education. For the month of February we will focus on using Word Choice in our writing and on the character trait of Kindness. Please discuss what it means to be a fair student and person with your child at home. Congratulations to our January winners: Nigella – math; Jaden – fairness; and Lacey – writing!
Homework and Spelling 35:
We still have many students forgetting their Spelling 35 and/or Homework. Spelling 35 is to help students practice their spelling words and prepare for the weekly spelling tests. The spelling test is given every Friday morning. When a student is completing their 35 spelling points in the afternoon during Study Hall, this does not help them prepare for the test because they have already taken it that morning. They are still required to complete because we want them to learn responsibility and make better choices about managing their time. Please be sure your child is completing and returning their work by Friday morning. Spelling 35 comes home every Friday so students may get a jump on their work over the weekend. Homework comes home Monday in their Homework Folders. If you have any questions over one of these assignments, please do not hesitate to contact us at school. Please be sure to return your child’s Friday Folder and Homework Folder to school as soon as possible. This allows us to be sure everything gets home to you without getting “lost” in backpacks.
Contacting us:
As always, if you need to reach me here at school, please call us at 269-963-5851 ext 24. You may leave me a message on our voice mail or with the office as well. I will get back to you as soon as I can. You may also send me a note with your child or catch me at drop off and pick up times. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have ANY questions.
Attendance:
Just a reminder that the school day goes from 8:20am to 3:30pm. Students arriving after 8:20am will be marked tardy. In the afternoons we have specials from 2:45pm-3:15pm. Picking your child up early causes them to miss some of these objectives. Please make every effort to have your child here for the full instructional day. We understand that life happens and it may not be possible to be here everyday, all day. If you know in advance that your child will be missing school for any reason, please let us know and we will work with you to minimize how much your child will miss. Students are responsible for making up any missed work.
Mark Your Calendars!
| February 10th – | Valentine Dance (6pm-8pm) at Lakeview Middle School |
| February 14th – | Valentine’s Day Party (afternoon) |
| February 20th – | No School (Teacher Professional Development Day) |
Miss Sandefur
Class List 
| Miss Sandefur | Alana B. |
| Nathan F. | Erica H. |
| Michael H. | Sara I. |
| Jaden J. | Juliana L. |
| Nigella M. | Lacey M. |
| Monae S. | Isaac S. |
*Thank you for any donation. Remember only a few treats are needed.
February 2012
We are also looking at word usage in writing, looking for the way that each writer uses creative words to make their writing vibrant and alive. Our character assembly will be February 28th.
