Fire and Ice
Over the next week or two we will be wrapping up our Fire and Ice expedition on Truckee history. The crew now has a good understanding of Truckee’s foundational industries and how Truckee came to be. Students have been working hard to publish a newspaper from the late 1800s, showcasing their newfound knowledge. They will soon be bringing home a copy to share with their families.

New Expedition
Following Ski-Skate Week, both 2/3 crews will launch a new and exciting science expedition that will carry us through the rest of the year. The Anato-ME expedition takes a close look at the human body and the 6 main systems: circulatory, respiratory, muscular, skeletal, nervous and digestive. Students will investigate how these systems interact with each other and the importance of maintaining a healthy body for a healthy lifestyle.

MinBorg Maternity Leaves
As many of you know the MinBorg teachers are both expecting! Ms. Seaborg will begin her maternity leave towards the end of March, at which time Ms. Minczeski will take over the morning and afternoon teaching. Ms. Minczeski will hopefully be able to make it through the school year with an end of June due date – it’s almost as if we planned this! Next school year, Ms. Seaborg will cover the class full time from August through October. Ms. Minczeski will return to teach mornings come November. So, no need to worry, we’ve covered our bases and foresee a seamless transition for the students.

One thought that comes to mind as we begin our new expedition of the human body is the question of whether or not the kids will ask us specific questions regarding our pregnancies. We wish to tell you in advance that we will divert those questions back to you, so you can answer as you see fit. Rest assured, we will not be covering the reproductive system and have carefully removed pages from books covering this topic!

Report Cards
Report cards are scheduled to come home next Friday, February 6th. The format has changed from what you have seen in the past. Marks of “T” or on target to meet grade level standards, have been changed to 3s, which represent meeting grade level standards. Marks of 3 are a big celebration! We hope you take time with your child to look through the report card, read the comments, and have a discussion about accomplishments and areas of improvement or potential goals to focus on moving forward.

Spring Conferences
The MinBorg Crew will be holding their conference earlier than the other crews this year in order for both teachers to participate. A schedule for sign-ups will be sent home, via google docs, soon.

Book Bags
A new book bag response will be sent home over the course of the next month or so. We will practice this new model with the students in class and information to support them at home will be provided. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Valentine’s Day
Our Design Principle for February is Empathy and Caring. As a reminder, we encourage students to show they care for each other by using kind words when communicating with their peers. In an effort to practice our writing skills and show our crew mates how much we care about them, we will have students write individual notes to each member of our crew. We will exchange these notes Friday, February 13 at the end of the day.
Please encourage your child to create a homemade message for each member of our crew with a thoughtful note about that individual person. Avoid generic comments like, “You’re nice.” It is important for each student to take the time to mention something specific about each crew member. Examples may include, “I really like when you invite me to eat lunch with you. It makes me feel happy inside.” Or “You make me smile everyday when you come to school and share your funny stories.”
If your child needs any help with ideas or paper supplies, please encourage him or her to ask us for help. We love getting crafty! Be sure to get a head start and don’t wait until the last minute!

Important Dates
Monday, Feb. 2: Walk to Library
Wednesday, Feb. 4: Minimum Day
Friday, Feb. 13: Exchange homemade Valentines
Monday, Feb. 16-Friday, Feb. 20- NO SCHOOL-Ski-Skate Week
Wednesday, Mar. 11: Minimum Day
Thursday, Mar. 12: Winter Survival Day at Donner Trail