Welcome back to school parents! It has been so great to see all those sweet smiling faces after summer break. We couldn’t have asked for a better crew this school year. Third graders have really shown themselves to be true leaders, and second graders have adjusted beautifully to their new environment.

Expedition Express

FIRE and ICE:  Our Fall expedition is off to a great start.  This expedition explores the early days of Truckee and how FIRE and ICE have shaped the history of this quaint railroad town. We kicked off the expedition with a downtown Truckee scavenger hunt. All of the students were able to locate the 13 historical buildings on the scavenger hunt and demonstrated the SIERRA norms beautifully while out in public.  Well done, crew!  Thank you to our chaperones: Angie Perkins, Jaimie Edwards, Caren Schatz, Sarah Adams, Crescent Ferrera, Stacey Carr, Lori Franssen. 

Crew News

Student Teacher:  I would like to introduce you to our fall student teacher Brittney Banning.  She is currently in the final stages of completing her coursework through CalTeach and will be working in the Welch Crew classroom for the next 13 weeks.  Please stop by to meet Brittney.

Daily 5: A big part of our literacy block includes the Daily 5. The components of the Daily 5 include Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Someone, Writing, and Word Work. So far, our primary focus has been the reading components of the Daily 5 in order to practice selecting Good Fit Books with IPICK (I choose books to read, I figure out my purpose for reading this book, determine if I am interested, figure out if I can comprehend what the story is about, and if I know the words), and building stamina. In no time, all 5 components will be up and running seamlessly!  IPICK is a great acronym to familiarize yourself with so you know what to look for when your child is selecting books.

CAFE: Our classroom has a literacy CAFE menu posted that contains strategies good readers use when reading. CAFE is an acronym that stands for Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding vocabulary. These become our goals, and the strategies we use to be successful with our goals are posted below them. Each child has goals and strategies specific to his/her individual needs and therefore will get the direct instruction needed to move forward and become a successful reader. We will also be focusing on specific strategies as a class, and you will see Parent Pipeline letters in weekly folders informing you of the strategy we are working on in class, complete with suggestions for assisting your child at home. Please look for these letters throughout the year and support your child in his/her quest to become a better reader.

Math: Math is off to a great start. Routines are in place, and we have hit the ground running! Thank you for any support you provided your child over the summer. Real world, hands-on experiences outside of school provide such enriching and positive avenues for learning, and keep your child active and engaged in the process.

2nd Grade math homework has begun. You will find a calendar attached to assignments, with the weekly assignments written as a suggestion for when to complete. Math homework will alternate between games, practice pages, and contextual problems. Homework is meant as practice, and should not take longer than 20 minutes per assignment. If an activity will not be returned to school, such as with a game, please initial that your child has played the game in the appropriate space, and have your child return the calendar to school.

3rd Grade math homework:  The first homework assignment for 3rd grade will be coming home this week.  Unlike last year, when math homework is assigned for 3rd graders it will be due back the next day. If questions arise, please email Diane directly and she will clarify.

Fieldwork: The 3rd graders attended Trails and Vistas art walk at Sand Harbor.  Although we ran out of time to visit all of the stations, we participated in team building activities, saw the Sand Harbor visitor’s museum, and listened to musicians and storytellers.  Thank you to our chaperones: Monique Long, Mark Wasley, Jaimie Edwards, and Tina Cook.

Planners: Please be sure to check and sign your child’s planner nightly.  Also, please record the number of minutes your child played outside or exercised after school and the amount of time spent reading at home.  Establishing this routine in the beginning of the year will help consistency for all. Plus, each day it is signed students will get a much-desired stamp in their planner.

Book Orders:  Scholastic Book Orders are due on Friday, September 12.  You may order books online or send in the paper order form with a payment to school.

SELS News

Back to School SELSebration Dance:  Join us on Friday, Sept. 12 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm for the Family Dance in the gym.  Cost is $5.00 per person or $15.00 per family.  Pizza and baked goods will be on sale so come on out and enjoy the fun. PTC needs your help to make this event a success.  Please consider signing up to help on the Google.doc link below:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Oow718F3GMuKs4Eb9KG-ehvRBwkyHLALW2sqotxBuiU/edit?usp=sharing