May Newsletter
Last updated May 8th, 2012 at 10:22 a.m.Miss Traber’s Fourth Grade
May Newsletter
Important Dates:
5/1- Musical Performance 7:00pm (6:45 in classroom)
5/2- All Pro Dad’s Breakfast 7:30am-8:15am
5/2- Elementary Awards Chapel-8:40
5/3-5/4- St. Augustine Trip (7:00am)
5/7- Jungle Bounce Spirit Night
5/8- Athletic Banquet 6:00pm-7:00pm
5/9- Muffins with Mom (7:30am-8:00am)
5/15- PAC Meeting/Ice Cream Social- 7:00-8:30
5/16- Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast 8:30-10:00
5/17- Sunshine School Uniform Sale 10:00am-5:00pm (on campus)
5/17- Chick-fil-A Spirit Night
5/19- “Annie” Middle School Musical Performance 7:00pm
5/20- “Annie” Middle School Musical Performance 2:00pm
5/25- I-Mom’s Breakfast 7:00am-8:15am
5/28- No school-Memorial Day
5/29- Annual Awards Presentation 6:30pm-8:30pm
5/31- 8th Grade Graduation 5:30pm-7:00pm
6/1- Last Day of School 12:00 dismissal (no lunch)
Other Happenings:
St. Augustine Field Trip – Our students are going to have an amazing time in St. Augustine! Please be here by 7:00am. By the time we load the bus and get situated, we will be leaving around 7:20am.
National Day of Prayer- National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 3rd. We will be in St. Augustine during this time. Our tour guides will be taking our group into one of Henry Flagler’s churches to have a little time to pray and reflect.
Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast: Our annual volunteer appreciation breakfast is on May 16th from 8:00am-10:00am. If you are a Westlake volunteer or have chaperoned for our field trips this year please come and enjoy the breakfast and festivities!
Happy Birthday!
Alivia-11th of May
Jaden- 19th of July
Here are a few things we are studying this month:
Math – Students will be moving into geometry and using protractors.
Reading – In the last few weeks of school we will be working in our reading anthology.
Grammar –Adjectives that compare and pronouns
Writing – Student’s will be creating poetry and finishing narrative writing.
Science- Students will be working on their solar heater contest staring the second week of May.
Social Studies –In Chapter 11, we will be discovering more about our local and state government.
Bible – Lesson 16 is the Fruit of the Spirits. Students will continue to study Bible verses which are posted on the class website and in their binder.
Enrichment Corner:
Music:
May Music Newsletter
“The Broadway Beat” will be presented next Tuesday, May 1st @ 7:00 featuring third through fifth grade students. Students will meet in their classrooms @ 6:45. All students are wearing white shirts and long black pants. Black shoes are encouraged!
I pray that all students are in good health next Tuesday and all are present in our final performance. This show has been fabulous from start to finish and students have worked very hard and have been challenged. Since January, students have worked closely with our choreographer and my dear friend, DeeDee Herndon. I want to share with you just a little bio so you will understand how thrilling this has been for WCS. Mrs. Herndon was a professional dancer with the Houston Ballet Company. She studied at the American Ballet Theatre School in New York City. She was a trainee (apprentice) at Harkness Ballet in New York where she was a co-trainee with Patrick Swayze. Yes, she has danced with Patrick. She has also taken Master Classes with Broadway performers and choreographers, Tommy Tune and Ben Vereen. Mrs. Herndon has studied the choreography of the Broadway songs in our show from the original Broadway productions and I really believe you will be amazed observing your child. We are blown away!
DVD order forms have been distributed to students. If you did not receive one you will find one printed on your program Tuesday night.
Lastly, I just want to thank you for all of the kind words sent my way regarding my retirement. I am so grateful to you and it truly has been an incredible honor working with your children. I have many production DVD’s (and a 10 year anniversary scrapbook made by Linda Coleman) that I will cherish forever. God Bless you and your families!
Computers: Important News from Elementary Computer Lab 4…
We have begun our unit on PowerPoint, in which the students will be creating and presenting a slideshow about St. Augustine. One of the skills we introduce in 4th Grade is the ability to incorporate personal photos into PowerPoint. To develop this skill, students will be taking relevant photos during their St. Augustine trip in May. Each student will need his/her own original photos, which can be taken via digital camera (preferred) or via a camera phone (in which case, you or the student must be able to download/transfer the photos from the phone to a flash drive for use at school). We will provide card readers so students using a digital camera can easily transfer photos from a memory card to a school computer.
If you have any questions, please contact me at jpinder@westlakechristianschool.org.
Jennifer M. Pinder
Enrichment News for May
Physical Education
From Coach Buck and Coach Seiter
The WCS Elem Track Invitational was a huge success. Our 1st-4th grade students each competed in 3 of 14 track and field events against students from Guardian Angels, Cornerstone Christian, and First Christian Academy. Our team of 31 athletes received many 1st place ribbons in the events. We are so proud of you!
Keep running over the summer!
Our focus this month continues to be choreography at all grade levels. The 4th and 5th grade girls have been working on a routine which they will perform at the Volunteer Breakfast. The boys will work with the girls this month on a country partner dance routine.
The K-3rd graders have been taught various dance and rhythmic movement and how to connect them in a sequence. They have learned many known dances so far like the Macarena and the Cha Cha Slide and have been encouraged to create their own dance moves in a sequence.
We will continue to develop the skills needed for kickball, t-ball, softball and baseball depending on grade level. We will work on striking skills, base running skills and fielding skills like catching and throwing. We will focus on the concepts of learning the rules of the game and playing various games to teach the students how to play the games with success.
News from the Media Center: In May we will spend time looking at folklore. We will learn about the importance of story, and as our spiritual focus we will look at the importance of God’s story in our own lives. As we look towards closing out the school year, we would like all library materials returned by Thursday, May 17. Thank you for all you’ve done this year to encourage your child to read and make Westlake a school of readers!
Spanish:
Dear Parents:
Time has passed very quickly, not long ago I was planning my beginning of the year implementing new methods that would make my teaching more effective and enjoyable for the students.
Today I can see that my students had achieved the goals and expectations.
I am proud of each one of them.
In May we will be reviewing what had been taught throughout the year.
Vacation is very important for children. This is the time that they can listen to music, watch programs in Spanish and practice the vocabulary gained.
Please help your child!!!!!!!!
Students: DISFRUTEN SUS VACACIONES!!!!!! Enjoy your vacation.
Astrid Torres
Spanish Teacher.
A NOTE FROM THE MEDIA CENTER
An Accelerated Reader Update: In order to prepare for the End-of-the-Year Awards Ceremony, the cut off for points in terms of the top AR awards for the 2011/2012 school year will be Friday, May 11 at 3 p.m. After May 11, students will still be able to accumulate points toward earning Point Club Rewards in the library; but in terms of the top student awards, the deadline will be Friday, May 11.
