Questions of the Month
What was your favorite part of the Fire and Ice expedition?
What is your reading goal and what strategies are you using to reach it? Hint: CAFE goal
What will you be working on the second semester?
What will our new expedition be (following Ski-Skate Week)?

Crew News
Tahoe Donner Cross Country Skiing: Again we wish to thank the parent chaperones who have volunteered to drive on our cross country skiing days. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding when we have cancelled. Our number one priority is to keep the kids safe. No need to have 48 kids on the road in nasty weather. We will be sending out an updated google doc when dates are secured.

Planners and Book Bags: With all of the recent snow days, tacked onto a long break, it seems the kids have forgotten the routine of getting planners signed and participating in the book bag activities. We do our best with updating our “Week at a Glance” emails, but you will find other information within planners, and sometimes information specific to your child about his or her school day. The book bag activities are looked at as a homework alternative and as a way for your child to interact with new text in an artistic or creative way. Thank you for your attention to this matter and helping get them back on track.

Math Info: Be on the lookout for parent math information. In Next week’s folders you will find handouts to support your understanding of how your child learns math at SELS in 2nd and 3rd grade. Math is structured and taught in a very different manner than what parents and teachers were exposed to. For instance, we know it seems easiest to teach your child the standard algorithm of “carrying” or “borrowing” with addition and subtraction, but these concepts are not taught until late in 3rd grade. If you should ever have additional questions about math please let us know and we are happy to speak with you further. Thank you for supporting your child’s math education!

Math Fact Practice/Daily Reading: Due to the recent snow days, and unpredictable weather to come, please be sure to have your child practice their basic addition and subtraction facts, as well as daily reading. Practicing will only continue to support their ongoing school readiness.

Field work Chaperones: More winter adventures are on the horizon, and we need your support. We greatly prefer, and strongly suggest, that parents look to the fieldwork docs to sign up now rather than wait until the last minute. We understand that a shift in work schedules is necessary, but we don’t want to cancel any fieldwork due to a lack of sign-ups. Please see the following google docs to sign up for February fieldwork now, Thank you! Fieldwork Link

Crew Highlights
Tosh- Tosh really enjoys drawing superheroes and loves to play lacrosse with his friends.
Riley- Riley really likes participating in creative art and drawing portraits of friends, family and invented people.
Dani- Dani loves to organize and lead events. She has successfully organized a SELS talent show and plans on doing another one this spring.
Marlene- Marlene is very excited to welcome a baby girl into her family this summer. She can’t wait to dress her up in cute little clothes!
Hank- Something you may not know about Hank is that his real name is Wyatt. He’s had his nickname since he was a baby.

Important Dates
2/13- Book Orders Due
2/14- Pass out Empathy and Caring Notes-Last 30 minutes of day
2/17- Cross Country Skiing (more re-scheduling dates to come)
2/20-2/24- Ski-Skate Week- NO SCHOOL
2/28-Winter Survival-2nd grade only-Drivers Needed!
3/13-Science Expo. 3rd grade only