Christmas Concert Update

This year's Christmas Concert will take place on Thurs., Dec. 15 from 5:00-6:30pm. Our first dress rehearsal will take place next Friday so students are asked to please practice our class song at home if possible.

Reminder that drop off for tonight's parade is at 5:30 and that pickup is around 7:30 (or whenever the parade is finished). Please see the exact locations in the post from yesterday below.

Drop-off and Pick-up Locations for tomorrow Evening

Hi everyone! I am so excited that we have the opportunity to participate in the Stittsille Parade of Lights tomorrow night.

We are halfway through a very busy week! This week we have started working on skyscraper problems as part of our centres and we have been talking about different ad techniques. Today we even analyzed some commercials.

Tomorrow will be our first Gospel Values Assembly at 10:05. This year, since our junior classes are blended, it will look a little differently for the junior awards. We have been asked to submit names by division rather than by class. Tomorrow we will be recognizing students who have displayed the values of Love (October) and Community (November).

Friday we will have our Dance-a-thon. This is a very important fundraiser to help our sister school St/. Luke Ottawa. We have talked as a class about some of the differences between this school and ours (breakfast and snack programs, etc.) and about the importance of helping other children and another school within our city.

Friday we will also have our fourth WWW quiz. As many students have noticed, the words are becoming more difficult so it is suggested that they practise at home.

Lastly, our class will be participating in the Stittsville Parade of Lights this Saturday. All permission forms MUST be brought to school NO LATER than Friday morning. Late permission forms will not be accepted. Parents will need to drop off their child and pick them up after the parade (please see the note that was sent home yesterday). We can not allow children to leave with other parents unless there is a note with the permission form.

Please visit our book fair in the library on Wednesday, November 2nd from 9am-3pm or Thursday, November 3rd 9am-8pm.

Book Fair

Our class will be attending the book fair from 10:00-10:30 tomorrow morning. If you would like your child to be able to purchase book(s) please send them with money tomorrow morning.

Interviews

Interviews will take place Thursday, November 3. Since I teach at a different school last block each day and I have bus duty at my other school on Thursdays, I am not available for interviews that day until 4:40. If you would like to schedule an interview (or a phone interview) on a different date please let me know by writing a note and I will do my best to accommodate everyone. I am available most mornings before school (usually starting at 7:45am) and I can arrange to be back at St. Stephen after school some days around 4:30.

If you would like to schedule an interview for Thursday, November 3, please use the following link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CgYbrrXLt4iCXjLgf7JfqJrR8SYPwjxJCnvT7RFMxnw/edit?usp=sharing

Spirit Day and Pumpkin Raffle

Tomorrow is our second United Way Spirit Day - Wear your favourite Jersey Day! Students are asked to wear their favourite jersey and to bring a donation to the United Way.

Tickets will go on sale starting Monday for the pumpkin raffle. If you would like to provide a pumpkin or donate a decorated pumpkin for the class, it would be greatly appreciated. Carved pumpkins can be brought in Thursday or Friday next week (so they don't begin to rot) and other pumpkins can be brought in ASAP. Tickets will be on sale from Mon., Oct. 24 - Fri.,Oct. 28 and will be $0.50 each or 3/$1.00.

Thank you for your support!

Book Fair

St. Stephen School will be having a Scholastic Book Fair November 1-3. We are looking for volunteers for all 3 days. Please contact andrea.stevenson@ocsb.ca if you are able to volunteer Tuesday, November 1 (from 8:30-11:30am or 12:00-3:00pm), or Wednesday November 2 (from 8:30-11:30am or 12:00-3:00pm), or Thursday November 3 (from 8:30-11:30am or 12:00-3:00pm or 3:00-8:00pm). In your email, please include your name, phone number, child's name and grade, and the date/time you are available.

Reminders

1. Food and beverage forms are due on Thursday.
2. Library is tomorrow. Even if your child would like to renew their book, they must still bring it to school on Tuesdays.
3. Spelling Quiz books are to be returned ASAP. I am still missing half the class. :(

Reminder that tomorrow is Crazy Hat/Hair Day!

This year, as part of our United Way Fundraiser, each class has been asked to provide at least one decorated pumpkin or jack-o-lantern for a raffle on October 28. Tickets will go on sale prior to this date for a chance to win one of the decorated pumpkins. This is completely OPTIONAL. If you and your child choose to donate a decorated pumpkin for the class to submit, it doesn't matter the size or the shape and here are a few ideas.

United Way Fun Fridays

Students will enjoy Spirit Days (one per week) as part of our United Way fundraising campaign this year. For each event, students are encouraged to bring a donation to support the United Way.

Friday, October 14 Crazy Hat/Hair Day
Friday, October 21 Wear your favourite jersey day (GO SENS GO)
Friday, October 28 Wear Black and Orange Day
Friday, November 4 Pajama Day

Reminders

*Picture Day will be on Wednesday, October 12.

*Students are not permitted to bring food to school to share with the class. If you would like to celebrate a special day (birthday, etc.) with the class, we ask that you please find an alternative to share (for example: pencils, a book for the class library, etc.). If food is sent to school, it will be sent back home with the student. This is a SCHOOL RULE and if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Mr. Santos. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Word Wall Words

Every two weeks we will be having a spelling quiz. This will usually take place on Fridays but, since this Friday is a PD Day, we will do our first quiz this Thursday. Below is a list of the WWWs from last week as well as this week's words. Students will need to know the correct spelling of each word as well as the proper use. In an effort to help practice cursive writing, students will be asked to write the words in cursive.

Oct. 3-6
you, your, you're, write, right

Sept. 26-30
threw, through, their, there, they're

Program Night is tomorrow night from 5:00-6:30. 

The night will look as follows:

5:10-5:30 - Presentation 1

5:40-6:00 - Presentation 2

6;00-6:30 - Question & Answer time

*Both presentations will be the same but offered at 2 separate times in case you can't make one of them.

*If you are unable to attend, I will send home the pamphlet with your child on Thursday and please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Samaritans on the Digital Road

Today we continued working on these lessons. We reviewed our padlet and what it means to be a responsible citizen and then discussed how many of these things also make us good digital citizens. We discussed reputation and the importance and purpose of passwords. Here are some of the videos we have watched:

The Good Samaritan

Be a Digital Citizen

How can people be responsible citizens?

This morning we read the story "Nails in a Fence Post" and we discussed how it made us feel, connections we have to the story, and what we have learned from this story. As a continuation to this discussion, I have asked students to answer the question: How can people be responsible citizens? I have asked that students discuss this at home with parents and/or siblings if they wish before submitting their answer here: http://goo.gl/UGHvfK

Homework and Other Points

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

I have had a few questions so far with regards to homework. I will be discussing this during Program Night next Thursday but I wanted to ensure I clarified some things beforehand in case there are any other questions or concerns.

My homework policy is that I do not assign weekly homework sheets. Students are expected to complete assigned work during class time. If something is not done within the expected time frame, then the work will be sent home to be completed. However, if your son/daughter is struggling with a certain concept, I will send home extra practice to help them grasp the specific concept. I have also told the class that if they notice they are struggling with something or would like extra work then they can come and see me and I will provide them with what they need. I may also ask students to check the blog in order to watch a video that will help them the following day or to complete a short activity.

I encourage you to ensure that your son/daughter spends time reading each night. It is a great relaxation activity and it can give you something to talk about. It is also a good idea to have your child read aloud occasionally to help develop oral language skills. This will also allow you the opportunity to ask questions about what your child is reading.

I also encourage all students to practice their math facts nightly. As we have discussed in class, this can include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division and it can be done in many different ways (oral quizzes, flashcards, worksheets, games, etc.). It is something that can be done independently, with a sibling, a parent, a friend, etc. If students know their math facts, it will help to make learning other mathematical concepts simpler.

With regards to students' agendas, I request that students please get their agenda signed each night and I will check it each morning. This is an important means of communication between home and school. Although, this is something that I feel is not the responsibility of the parent/guardian but rather of the student. Students should ensure that they take their agenda home each night and that it is signed by a parent before returning it to school the following day.

If you see written in your child's agenda "Math Facts/Read" it is simply a reminder to do what I have discussed above. If there is something specific that needs to be read or practiced than more details will be provided.

Lastly, our class blog is another way that I will be communicating with parents and posting reminders of important dates and information. I understand that it is difficult to always remember to check the blog so I encourage you to sign up for email notifications by simply submitting your email address on the blog's homepage. By signing up for email notifications, you will receive an email each time the blog has been updated so that you do not need to worry about missing anything or forgetting to check it regularly. Our class blog is also a great place to see what we are doing. I will be updating what concepts we will be covering in the "Curriculum" section and I will also continue to add various games and links in the different subject areas.

My goal this year is to create a safe learning environment where each student feels comfortable and realizes that making mistakes is a part of the learning process. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Miss Hodgins

September Newsletter

Dear Grade 5 Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to an exciting new school year! My name is Sarah Hodgins and I will be teaching your child Language Arts, Math, and Religion. Grade five is an exciting time for your child as they continue their educational journey through the junior grades. It is a time filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and energy! We are partners in your child’s education and I look forward to working with you over the next year.

Students may wish to have the following items for the coming school year. Please remember that this is a wish list and not a requirement!

• protractor
• basic calculator
• kleenex or plastic forks/spoons for the class
• pencils
• erasers
• 30 cm ruler
• indoor shoes (gym appropriate)
• pencil crayons/markers
• scissors
• glue stick
• red pen
• highlighters
• book for independent reading (English and French)

Students are provided with two snack times each day in addition to a regular lunch period. Healthy snacks in reusable containers are encouraged.

Agendas are provided to each student and acts as a form of communication between home and school as well as an important organizational tool for all students. Please take the time to review and sign the St. Stephen’s Code of Behaviour, a Parent’s Code of Ethics, and The Student’s Pledge. Students are encouraged to have their agendas signed each evening and I will check them each morning. This can encourage sharing time between you and your child. This system not only allows you to monitor your child’s progress, but also serves to keep the lines of communication open between home and school. Throughout the year, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call or write a short note and attach it to your child’s agenda book.

My colleagues and I are currently preparing for Program Night (September 22) and will be able to answer any of your questions regarding curriculum expectations, teaching assignments, and classroom routines at that time. Should you have any questions prior to this evening, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Here is a link to the class blog: http://hoppingintograde5.blogspot.ca/

Your Partner in Catholic Education,

Miss Sarah Hodgins

Important dates

If you have volunteered your time in any way this year, please join us tomorrow morning from 9:00-10:00 for the St. Stephen Volunteer breakfast.

Tomorrow at 10:05 is our Year End Mass. Please feel free to join us!

Multiplication Facts

Check out these songs to help with multiplication facts and skip counting! 

WWF

Students have been asked to research which animals they would like to help support by adopting with the funds we have raised. Mr. J gave us a great idea of choosing an animal for 3 categories: Land, Sea, and Air. Students must submit their choices by Friday.
https://gifts.worldwildlife.org/gift-center/gifts/Species-Adoptions.aspx

Homework

Homework (due tomorrow):

1. Watch Khan Academy Video:https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/multiplication-division/multi-digit-multiplication/v/multiplication-5-2-digit-times-a-2-digit-number
2. Do practice questions in your Math Notebook (Remember to include the date and a title!):

• 23 x 50
• 45 x 67
• 36 x 72

Important Dates

We have been VERY busy lately! Thank you all for your cooperation, help, and understanding! Here's a list of some important dates coming our way:

Friday, April 22 - Book Sale/Read-a-thon (organized by the EAP students in Miss Beardsley's class)

Monday, April 25 - Spring Picture Day

Tuesday, April 26 - Game Day for Grade 1 and 2 students (organized by the EAP students in our class)

Monday, May 2 - Friday, May 6 - Catholic Education Week

Thursday, May 5 - St. Stephen Open House (8:30-9:30) followed by our Easter Liturgy celebrated during Education Week at 9:30

As always, please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns! My door is always open and I enjoy having the opportunity to talk with parents :)

Time for Andrew

Since we have had a very busy week with so many events going on as part of our EA Program, we have decided to wrap up our novel study on Thursday instead of Wednesday. All students are asked to please ensure they have completed ALL of the jobs by Thursday and ensure they bring them to school in the yellow folder along with their copy of the novel.

Reminder that this Thursday is Double Lunch Day. Students are asked to please bring a second lunch to school on Thursday so that it can be delivered to the Ottawa Mission. If you wish, you can include a little message or note with the lunch. As well, if you would like to provide additional assistance, here is the link to a list of the most needed items: http://ottawamission.com/most-needed-items/

As well, a reminder to please continue to follow the Lenten calendar and to bring in your donations on the designated days. This year we are partnered with the Catholic Centre for Immigrants in support if their efforts towards the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Currently, they support the refugees that are being housed in hotels as a temporary measure. They have a need to support the education of the children who are currently living in these hotels. There are three hotels with about 150 children (ages 6 to 14) who are being taught by educators hired by the CCI. We will be providing support by purchasing backpacks, school supplies and teaching supplies.
http://cciottawa.ca/services/community-cup/

Grade 5,

As part of our Current Events Project, I am asking you to focus on events that highlight Character Development.
Here are three "Good News" sites that report on events that highlight Character. I have also added the Organizer to your Google Drive Language Folder. *Please remember to fill out the Organizer electronically.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

http://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/good-news/

I look forward to our weekly discussions! Happy Reading!

Entrepreneurial Adventure Program Update

Tomorrow morning our class and Miss. Beardsley's class will be presenting the different charities that we came up with that we would like to support as part of the Entrepreneurial Adventure Program that we are doing. Students have had sufficient class time to complete the research and were also permitted to work on it from home (if they wish). 

Today I reminded the class that these presentations are to be short and that they are not to be stressful. We are simply trying to share information about various charities before we vote for the charity that we will be supporting through this project.

*I am also still missing a few of the permission forms. If you child has not returned it yet, please ensure you do so ASAP.

Scholastic

January Scholastic order forms went home today and are due Monday, January 18. Reminder that all students were given a voucher that can be used towards a free book :) The voucher covers a book that is $4.99 or less. If your child would like to order a book that is more than $4.99 then you simply subtract $4.99 from the total cost.