Dear Parents,
I’m thrilled to be teaching 5th and 6th grades this year and am so thankful to God for this opportunity to get to know your child better. I’m looking forward to a fabulous year with Vander Kooi’s Joys!
Our schoolwide theme for this year is “We Are One: Growing in Christ” which comes from Ephesians 4:15-16: “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Please pray with me that we will grow this year in becoming more Christ-like, full of love for one another as we work together in his service.
CONVOCATION:
Please join us on Monday, August 12 from 8:00-8:30 A.M. in Peoples Church sanctuary as we begin the year with an inspiring convocation led by Superintendent Debbie Siebert and our high school worship team. All students are expected to attend and parents, grandparents, etc. are more than welcome to join us.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT:
I look forward to meeting each of you at Back to School Night on Tuesday, August 20, when I will share further details about our 5th/6th year.
COMMUNICATION:
Newsletters are posted online every Monday. Please take the time to read them as they contain information about class activities, areas of curricular study and upcoming special events.
Power School offers a variety of information including attendance, grades, assignments, assignment descriptions, special notes to parents and quarterly report cards. Please check Power School often and stop by our elementary office for help if you have trouble logging on.
Black Homework Folders will be taken home daily and returned in the morning with the homework that is due.
Student Planners will not be provided by the school this year. Families are strongly encouraged to purchase a planner so that students can record daily assignments.
Contact: If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jvanderkooi@fresnochristian.com. You may also send a note with your child. I will check emails after school each day and occasionally during the day, as time allows. In the event of an emergency, please call the elementary secretary, Kerry Roberts, at 299-1695 extension 103.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL:
Beginning on Tuesday morning, students should go directly to the blacktop area north of Building 5 and east of Building 6. After the 7:55 A.M. bell and whistle, they will line up with their classmates and I will escort them to class.
School begins at 8:00 A.M. sharp. Students who arrive later than 8:00 A.M. must report to the elementary office as classroom doors are kept locked at all times.
School ends at 2:45 P.M. Please arrange pick up promptly. Children not picked up by 3:00 P.M. will be taken to the elementary office to call parents and wait. The pick-up location is at the pirate ship on the west side of Building 5. All children must wait with the teacher until an adult walks over to pick them up. They may not go and meet you at your car.
DRESS CODE:
There have been some changes in the dress code. Please refer to the student handbook to familiarize yourself with these changes. Teachers have been asked to check daily for those who are not adhering to the current dress code.
MILK AND JUICE:
Milk and juice will be offered for K-6 students and are 40 cents each. You may purchase a milk or juice card for $8.00 each. Each card is good for 20 drinks. These are available in the Elementary Office. You will be notified when it is time to purchase a new one. This is offered as a convenience to you and is not mandatory.
PARENT HELPERS:
I welcome parent helpers in the classroom. If you have an hour or two per week or month to help with paperwork, bulletin boards, assisting students, or other tasks, the class and I would greatly appreciate it! Please email me or let me know if you can help. Thank you.
SUPPLIES PROVIDED IN CLASS:
Students will be given color-coded subject area folders, notebooks, lined paper, colored pencils, felt pens, pens, pencils, an eraser, a dry erase marker, a white erase board with its eraser, and a ruler. If you are wondering what to purchase for your child, I recommend the following:
1. Pencil box
2. Highlighter
3. Personal hand sanitizer
ELECTRONICS:
Electronic devices such as dictionaries, I-pads, notebooks, and computers may be utilized at school for learning only. This means electronic devices MAY NOT be out at school unless students are instructed to do so by their teacher. No overnight storage is available so students will need to take them to and from school on a daily basis. A technology use form will be reviewed with the students and sent home for your signature of approval.
HUME LAKE FOR 6TH GRADERS:
This year we will be going to Hume Lake for 6th grade camp October 14-18 to study Outdoor Education. More details will be given later. Please contact Mr. Broersma at jbroersma@fresnochristian.com if you would like to be a counselor for the week. The spots fill up quickly. There is a fee that you will need to pay for room and board for the week. More information will be given to you at Back to School Night.
ASSESSMENTS:
I will be using a variety of assessments in class this week and next in the areas of reading, writing, and math. These assessments are not graded but will assist me in the preparation of future lessons. Each child should bring a book to read when they finish their assessments. Books are also available in the classroom library.
BIRTHDAY TREATS:
Birthdays are special to all of us and we want to celebrate your child’s birthday by singing to them and praying for them for the year and for their future. Parents may bring an easy-to-eat treat on the special day which will be served prior to morning recess. This Wednesday we will celebrate June , July and beginning of August birthdays and I will provide the treat. Belated birthday wishes go to Megan Grimmius, Logan Lewis, Matthew Peterson, Janae Shew and Jayden Wood.
ALLERGIES:
Please be sure to alert me as well as the elementary office of any allergies or health concerns you have about your child.
RECESS, SNACKS and P.E.:
Recess is scheduled every day in the morning from 9:50 to 10:10 and after lunch from about 12:00-12:30. Snacks may be eaten during the morning recess. Because of various children’s food allergies, we are not allowed to share or trade food. Each class will have P.E. twice a week. Be sure to have your child wear appropriate clothes and shoes that are for workouts. Water bottles are required and should be brought to school and kept at your child’s desk.
ELECTIVES:
Elective forms will be sent home on Monday and should be turned in by Wednesday, August 14 with a parent signature. Students will be given their first choice whenever possible, but should select 2nd and 3rd choices as well since some classes fill up.
SPIRIT WEAR:
Students should wear their FCS shirts on Fridays to show their school spirit. Please be sure to have them wear their FCS class shirt, once it is printed, on field trips, too.
MONTHLY READING:
My goal this year is to make reading enjoyable for all students through a balanced reading program. We will approach our learning through a variety of engaging methods. Students will be asked to read a book from a different genre each month. Class time will be given every day for silent reading and students are expected to read a minimum of 10 pages a day. If they are unable to complete this in class, then reading becomes homework. Whenever possible, I recommend that students choose books to read from the Reading Counts Program. After completion of the book, the student can take a computer quiz to earn reading points. They may earn points for other appropriate books not on the quiz list by completing one of the response forms I have available. They should show these books to me for approval. The first book for the first month of school is a free choice genre.
BIBLE:
This week we will discuss ways to show respect to one another and ways to handle conflict. Students will collaborate on “respect agreements” which will help them better understand what respect is and how to demonstrate this quality at all times.
SCRIPTURE MEMORY VERSE:
Students will memorize scripture weekly and take a written test each Friday. The memory verse for this week is Ephesians 4:15 and the test will be this Friday, August 16. Students will be graded on writing the verse accurately, including correct wording, spelling, grammar and the scripture reference.
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:15
SPELLING:
Students will be given a word list each Monday along with activities for defining, dividing the words into syllables, and practicing the words. Students in 5th grade will study the first fifteen words and students in 6th grade will study all twenty words. All students may take the Challenge Words for extra credit.
Spelling words are tested each Friday. Please be sure your child has a dictionary (hard copy or online) available at home. Lesson 1 words will be tested this Friday, August 16.
Lesson 1
Words with Short Vowels and Vowel Digraphs
- absences
- against
- album
- circuit
- bronze
- chess
- biscuit
- depth
- cabinet
- drenched
- glimpse
- nozzle
- feather
- plastic
- publish
- pulse
- rapid
- snack
- solve
- system
CHALLENGE WORDS:
- adolescent
- hectic
- acknowledgement
- amended
- relegated
DATES TO REMEMBER:
- Happy Birthday to Morgan Parker: August 16
- First Day of School: August 12
- Back to School Night: August 20
- Half Day: August 21
- Happy Birthday to Max Munoz: August 31
- NO SCHOOL Labor Day: September 2
- Happy Birthday to Faith Monroy: September 5
- Happy Birthday to Marin Sue: September 7
- Happy Birthday to Harmanpaul Gill: September 11
- Elementary Pictures: September 10
- Half Day: September 18
- Parent/Teacher Conferences: September 23-27
- Hume Lake: October 14-18
- Happy Birthday to Izabella Arballo: October 23
- Happy Birthday to Anthony Ellis: October 23