THE BULLDOG BARKS

September 8, 2008

 

Kindergarten – Mrs. Denning
Thank you to all who were able to make it to the first P.T.O. meeting and Open House last Thursday.
We are working with new letter Gg(hard sound), keyword- goggles. We will also be learning about compound words.
In math we will use graphs to identify "most/fewest", and we will begin using positional words like- under, over, on top of, in back of, behind, in front of, and beside.
Don't forget to practice reciting phone numbers, addresses, and birthdays with your child.

Grade 1 – Mrs. Hurst
This week in Phonics the students will learn the meaning of suffix -s and review the sounds of the letters Dd (as in doughnut) and Ff (as in feet). Our first two Phonics Readers will be coming home this week. Parents, please have your child practice his/her readers until he/she has mastered each word. Remember, practice makes perfect!

Grade 2 – Mrs. Grove
Please send in your Box Top for Education coupons. Second grade has a good chance of winning the $25 prize this month!
Thanks to PTO for the cool Open House and to all who were able to attend last Thursday night.
Mark your calendars for April 25 and 26, 2009. This is the weekend to receive our First Holy Communion. It is a week earlier than usual.

Grade 3 – Mrs. Eldridge
Students did a wonderful job creating the rainforest in the stairway going out the side door. We have been learning a great deal about the environment and the animals that live there.
On Thursday of last week students brought home permission slips for our field trip to the Cincinnati Zoo which will be taking place on September 26th. Please return those slips along with the money on or before September 12th. Chaperons are welcome on this trip.
This week students will be required to learn the seven continents and five oceans. We will have a quiz over those on Thursday. Students should also be AR reading every night in order to reach their half way point by midterm which is Monday the 15th!
Have a great week.

Grade 4 – Mrs. Meyer
The students were very busy last week. They had their first Math Test and Science Test. Parents should be seeing those sent home soon to be signed and returned. Last week we continued our cause and effect essays. The students wrote their rough draft. I have never seen students write so much and be so excited about it. I can’t wait to read their final drafts! All the students received a ticket for working so hard during writing time.
We have another busy week ahead of us. We will have our first Religion Test on Thursday. The fourth grade schedule has changed a little. Instead of having Spanish on Monday morning, fourth graders now have Spanish class Friday afternoon.
Students should have brought home the September Scholastic Book Order form. The order and money is due Friday, September 12, 2008. Our first field trip is also coming up soon. We will be going to the zoo with 3rd and 5th grade. Students will be bringing home permission slips this week; they are also due Friday, September 12, 2008. Parents, if you are available to go to the zoo as a chaperon it would be greatly appreciated! Have a great week!


Grade 5 – Mrs. Baker
We have been working hard in 5th grade! Students have been doing a very good job! Everyone worked hard on their Math and Social Studies tests and it definitely shows! We are finally finished with our preposition quizzes!
This week we will have a Religion test on Tuesday, study guides went home on Friday and so everyone should already be studying for this. We have finished our chapter in Science on Life Processes and will have a test on it Thursday. Study guides for Science will go home on Tuesday.
I would also like to acknowledge that our 5th graders are getting a wonderful start on their AR goals for the first quarter. Keep it up! Have a great week!

Grade 6 – Mrs. Rice
It was good to see so many families at the Open House last Thursday. If 6th, 7th, and 8th graders didn’t have their parent sign their math grade sheet at Open House, they are to have taken it home and gotten it signed, so parents could see their math grades and papers. All papers are to be kept in their math folder (grades 6&7) or notebook (8). The first Algebra test is Thursday.
ISTEP testing begins next week. A good night sleep and nourishment are the main homework for that week.

Grade 7 – Mrs. Powell
It was great to see all the parents at the PTO Open House on Thursday. Thanks to the PTO for organizing the event.
We are getting close to Mid-term. Students are doing a great job with homework and studying. I appreciate their hard work especially with so many of them doing extra-curricular activities.
This week is back to a normal routine for all grades. We are quickly coming to an end with the two novels we are reading in the 7th and 8th grades. They are all doing a great job and are enjoying the novels, which I love to see.

Grade 8 – Mrs. Birkholtz
It was great seeing so many parents attend the PTO Open House on Thursday. It is always good to see the parents and get a chance to talk briefly. We are so blessed at St. Mary’s with so many wonderful and supportive parents!
Thanks for all of the work done for the latest fundraiser. A special thanks to Julie Alley for organizing the event! Our next fundraiser will be the chicken dinner on Sunday, October 12th. Thanks to Chris Waldon for chairing it!
We are getting close to the first quarter’s midterms! It is hard to believe that we’ve been in school for over three weeks. Most students are getting back into good study habits and routines, but some of the students are still struggling a bit. I’ve been focusing on the students using critical thinking for all of their work not just tests and projects. When they give answers to questions, they need to support their answers with good details!
Congratulations to our new 2008-2009 Student / Teacher Organization members! They are Brittany Harrell, Adam Hill, and Hunter Kent from 6th grade; McKenzie Downey, Hannah Teaney, and Morgan Wolfer from 7th grade; and May Hetzer, Angelo Lipps, and Mac Wheat from 8th grade.

Principal – Mr. Tush
Thank you to all of those who attended our PTO/Forester Information Night and Open House. I hope you found it beneficial and enjoyable. If you did not get a chance to attend, please contact me with any questions about service hour opportunities.
Our school is morning the loss of Mrs. Charlotte Rebecca Gregory. This is not easy for a child or an adult. If you are concerned that your child is having difficulty handling the thoughts and feelings associated with loosing a loved one, please do not hesitate to inform me. Father Joe, Father Vincent, and the staff of St. Mary's School are here to help. There will be a pancake breakfast for the Gregory family on Sunday, September 14th from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

DRE – Mrs. Carolyn Meyer
There is a parent/child meeting for Catholic second graders to begin preparation for First Reconciliation and First Communion. It is on Tuesday, September 30 at 6:15-7:30 in the school cafeteria.
First Communion weekend will be April 25, 26 2009. More information specific to this will be given at the meeting on the 30th.

Conquers Boys Club
By Dominic Cigolotti
If you want something exciting to do on Friday night come on down to St. Mary’s activity center and enjoy St. Mary’s Conquers Boys Club. It starts at 7:00 p.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m. You will be playing dodge ball and other fun games. We will be serving snacks while learning about saints and virtues. When you come you will get a free Conquers Boys Club shirt like mine. Bring your dad along or get dropped off; either way is just fine. Bring a friend!