Dear Parents,
December is almost here--the last month of 2017! Even though we’re near the end of the year, this Sunday marks the beginning of a church season—ADVENT. Advent is a time of preparation for Jesus’ birth.
The teachers and I will be teaching the students about Advent, and how our preparations could include special acts—such as saying extra prayers, reading the bible, attending an additional Mass, giving to the school’s weekly Missions collection, or doing extra good deeds—because doing those special acts will make more room in our hearts for Jesus. Some classes are following an Advent calendar or constructing Advent wreaths, yet some classes might also be planning special service projects to help those in need. Whatever your child and your family do during Advent, remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. The children have heard this at school, but continue this lesson at home. Let’s all be examples of open hearts and open minds, and know that we wouldn’t be celebrating if it wasn’t for our savior, Jesus Christ.
--Mrs. Sandra Jimenez
7th GRADE CARITAS CAMP
Next Spring, our 7th graders will be attending Caritas Creek Environmental Education Program and retreat at CYO camp. To help these students raise funds for their trip, visit their GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/send-mission-kids-to-env-camp) and make a donation, or submit a cash or check donation at the school office. Any amount would help, and please share the GoFundMe page with your family and friends!
UNIFORM CHECK-IN
As the weather gets colder and you bundle up your child, please ensure that he/she follows uniform policy as posted by the school office and stated in the school handbook. All undershirts, including long-sleeve undershirts, should be white. If your daughter wears tights, they should be solid black or white and extend to the ankle. Socks must be black or white. Boots may not be worn.
APPOINTMENTS WITH TEACHERS
Feel free to make appointments with teachers when you have a question or concern. Please avoid last-minute morning meeting with teachers, as teachers use this morning time to prepare their materials for the day so that they can best meet your child’s needs. If you would like a morning meeting, notify the teacher ahead of time by email or by calling the office a day in advance. We appreciate your cooperation on this matter.
BVCC WINTER CAMP
If you would like your child to participate in the BVCC Winter Camp (December 18-29; Closed on December 25), you can fill out and return a registration form which is available in the school office and in the Parish Hall with the BVCC After School Program.
IN THE CLASSROOM
KINDER - Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving filled with love. This week in KA, we will be exploring and brainstorming the different jobs that people do. We will be reading "Whose Shoes?" by Stephen R. Swinburne and have a discussion on what tools people use on their job. Then students will work in pairs to make a poster about a job and the tools needed for that job. It will be a fun week learning about the jobs people do in schools, stores, hospitals, library, etc. We will have visitors coming in to talk about their jobs and answer questions from students.
1A - This week in first grade we are reading and discussing how people help out in the community. In religion we are discussing how God wants us to love him and others. In math we are beginning our unit on data and graphing. In science we are observing weather and record findings using weather calendars. In social studies we are learning how to identify the different physical features of our state. We are reading a biography of John Muir and discussing the features of Yosemite.
2A - Second grade will read stories and learn about the author's purpose for writing a story; add and subtract 2-digit numbers; constructing timelines of their lives, and sorting bits and pieces in science. Advent season begins as we prepare for Jesus' birth.
3A – This week in 3A we will be reading about Thomas Alva Edison, the American inventor who was issued over 1,000 patents and invented many items that changed our world. In math class we continue to practice with money and how to make change. In science, we will be going to the science lab to plant beans and study how they grow and most especially what they need to grow. Thank you to all of the parents who helped their son/daughter with their very informative Saint posters. Great effort was shown and helped the students ACCOMPLISH their goals for Religion Class in November.
5A - This week, 5th graders are beginning to work on their book talks they will present to the class. We'll also be discussing how to compare and contrast characters in both social studies and English language arts. In math, 5th graders will be learning about multiplication patterns that can make it easier to find the products of decimals and large numbers.
6A Religion – Students will continue building their faith communities this week with a visit from Paula Pardini. Language Arts – After a short break, 6th Grade ELA is excited to continue our novel, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. This week we will be exploring the development of the book's themes as well as practicing how to support claims using evidence from the text. Math - 6th grade will be applying their new knowledge of integers to learning about mean, median and mode. Social Studies – Students will continue to explore the life of Ancient Egyptians, and they will present their pharaoh research. Science - 6th graders will practice finding the density of different liquids and applying this knowledge towards better understanding how weather patterns form.
7A/7B Religion - This week, we will be discussing the temptations of Jesus and how he was able to resist them, and how this relates to our lives now. Language Arts - Welcome back! I hope everyone had a restful and filling Thanksgiving! Students are beginning to read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. They are participating in small and whole group Reader's Theater to incorporate the element of drama. They are also taking a deeper look into the play's content with a variety of lesson extensions, starting with "Marley's Ghost." Math - We are starting our unit on ratios, proportions, and percents. We’ll begin with unit rates. Social Studies – Students will begin studying Medieval Japan, starting with Japan's physical geography. Science - Now that we are done with our conversation about how cells divide, now it's time to begin our conversation about meiosis!
8A Religion – Students will continue building their faith communities this week with a visit from Paula Pardini. Language Arts - Welcome back! I hope everyone had a fun-filled Thanksgiving! Students are beginning to read Night by Elie Wiesel. They are also preparing Cornell Style Notes to record the novel's content and personal interpretations. They are continuing their HSPT preparation with a presentation of strategies, general hints, tips and advice to ensure success in January. Math - 8th grade is working on equations with variables on both sides, and inequalities. This will include the first term project, “small business ownership.” Social Studies – Students will look closely at the details of the remaining two branches of US government: Executive and Judicial. Science - Students have finished their look into compounds and now it is time to begin to explore chemical reactions!
REMINDERS
Nov. 29 6:00 PM First Communion Parent Meeting in Church
Dec. 5 8:30 AM Advent Reconciliation, Grades 7-8
Dec. 6 Free Dress for No Tardies in November
Dec. 6 8:30 AM Advent Reconciliation, Grades 5-6
Dec. 7 8:30 AM Advent Reconciliation, Grades 3-4
Dec. 8 9:30 AM School Mass – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Dec. 12 9:30 AM School Mass – Feast of Our Lady ofGuadalupe
