Thursday, October 16, 2014

Principal's Epistle



www.stmarksmilford.org            http://stmarksmilford.blogspot.com            
Calendar                   
15 Chapel at 9:15 AM, School Pictures, Market Day 11:30 AM, Biggest Leaf contest ends
16 Last Runner’s Club meets until 4PM
17 K-8 dismisses at noon – no lunch, Pre-4 PM class does meet, Free dress down day
            End or 1st grading period
19 St. Mark’s has services at 8AM, 10:30 AM and 6 PM with Sunday School at 9:15AM
20-21 No School – Teachers’ Conference
22 Chapel at 9:15 PM
Prayer Families
Blake L. (P4), Ruby L. (P4), Liam L. (P4), & Olivia M. (PK)
Saint Salute
v A big Saint Salute to those students climbing the AR Wall of Fame
o   Kristen L. (4)              700 points
o   Markus V. (4)              900 points 
Notes
I would like to take the next 2 weeks to introduce our new staff – one each week.
 Hi, I’m Christin Frey. I teach Preschool at St. Mark’s. I was born and raised in Rochester, MN and attended an LCMS K-8 school. It was there that I realized I wanted to be a teacher. I attended Luther College in Decorah, IA, graduating with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish. My first teaching job took me to a charter school in Phoenix, AZ. After one year I moved to Milford. Before coming to St. Mark’s I worked at an educational child care center as a rotating teacher for one year and Kindergarten teacher for two years. St. Mark’s has also been my church home for the past 3 years, which is how I got connected to the school. In 2013 I married my husband, Bryant, and we are expecting our first child in March 2015. We are also in the process of buying our first home. I am thankful for the many blessings in my life right now, especially the opportunity to teach your children about God’s love and forgiveness. I can honestly say I love teaching at St. Mark’s!
Important Dates to Know

17 Early dismissal – grades K-8 dismiss at noon, No lunch
20-21 No school for all classes, Teacher’s Conference

Picture Day
St. Mark’s will have their school pictures taken on Oct. 14 and 15.  Shannon Hickcox is back to taking our pictures.  She will have several proofs available to you and then you can choose if you want one or more and what package your family desires.  Of course, if none of the proofs are to your liking, we will offer a retake day.  Shannon takes awesome pictures.  The information went home last week and is available in the office.  The form is due on picture day.  Here is the schedule:
Wednesday, Oct. 15
9:00 AM         Pre-2                          9:30                Pre-4             10:45        7-8 grades
11:00              5-6 grades                 12:45 PM       Pre-4              1:30                PK
All students have dress up day on their picture day.
Books & Blankets 
Please help us supply books for the Ronald McDonald house.  They could be gently used books. Please bring these books in by this Friday.  Leave the books on the table in the front hallway.  Thanks from Student Council
Fund Raisers
St. Mark’s will not have a fundraiser involving selling something this year.  Instead, we will hold a walk-a-thon on Friday, November 7.  All the information will be coming home on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
Happy Birthday
14        Grace C. (Pre-3)
Classroom information
Mrs. Schulte (Pre-2)
We continue to spend October ‘on the farm’.  Our theme this week was “Ol’ MacDonald Had a Farm”.  In Art we made produce prints with potatoes and carrots.  We read and sang the traditional Ol’ MacDonald Had a Farm.   We “dug” for potatoes in our fall sensory table, and during Center Time, we weighed and sold produce at our Preschool Produce Stand.  In Bible Time we worked on our creation book Day 6: God created the land creatures and man and woman. 
Mrs. Frey (Pre-3,4)
Preschool is learning about letter S for spiders this week. 3’s will create handprint spiders and build a web by weaving yarn. 4’s will create an egg carton spider and practice letter S in an Itsy Bitsy Spider poem and craft. 4’s are also looking forward to a visit from the Fire Department on Monday. In Bible Time 3’s will hear the account of baby Moses and learn about God’s plan for this tiny baby. 4’s will hear of Jacob’s trick on his father and Esau’s anger. They will learn that God forgives all sins.
Mrs. Reynolds (PK)
We are excited  to embark on another fun week of learning in Pre-K! This week in Pre-K we are learning about the letter S. Our theme this week is Spiders and Scarecrows!  We will share words we know that begin with the letter S, and talk about how scarecrows protect farmers crops. We will also be learning some fun facts about spiders and how God made them special. In Bible we will learn about Abraham and how God used Him as an agent of the truth.
Mrs. Sherman (K)
Kindergarten heard a Bible story of joy and sadness.  It is the account of Joseph and the struggles he faced.  God had a plan for Joseph and was with him through the tough times and the happy times.  The class finished their fairy tale unit by comparing and contrasting versions of Goldilocks.  During math, they identified "tricky teen" numbers, sequenced numbers 0 - 20 and practiced pumpkin measurement.  On Monday, the class enjoyed a visit from the firefighters who taught them fire safety and showed the class the tools on the fire truck.  The full day students created and labeled a pumpkin in science, played number games during math, read and sorted popcorn words and learned more about fire safety!
Mrs. Reisenbichler (1-2)
This week the children learned about Gideon in Jesus Time.  In math, the first graders counted money, reviewed telling time, and had their second assessment.  The second graders are star students in math.  They are mastering every new skill that comes their way.  In science, we started our online course.  Our first lesson is on inquiry materials.  The children got to examine beakers of a variety of sizes and shapes and other items used in a science lab.  Second graders started writing humorous stories in language arts.  Our spelling skills are also improving.  80% of the class had a 100% on their last spelling test.  Now that is something to crow about!
Mrs. Mayo (3-4)
In religion we studied the accounts of Jacob and Esau.  In reading, we continued reading the book, There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom and worked on cause and effect.  In math, the 3rd graders began the week with a chapter test and then began a chapter on measurement.  The 4th graders worked on multiplication by figuring out air mileage and plane ticket prices.  In science we learned about heat and light.  In social studies we learned how to research.  In Spanish we continued to work on making plurals using school words.
Mr. Postenrieder (5-6)
In our Bible time this week we looked at what makes people special. In 5th grade math we learned how to use a protractor and compass. We were also able to work with polygons. In 6th grade math we took our 4th test. We continued to work with fractions as well as measured circles.  In our Language Arts time we spent the week on the writing process.  In Social Studies we prepared and presented power points on Egypt. In Science we continued to study viruses as well as bacteria.  In Spelling we looked at words where the spelling changed when adding the suffix –ion.
Mr. Mayo (7-8)
The end of the first quarter is upon us.  For most, it has gone by quickly (as it did for me).   Students are fond of asking what grade I “gave” them.  I always explain that I don’t “give” grades at all.  I merely report what grade they have earned as a result of their work.  God gives them all abilities, and it’s my responsibility to help them get the most out of their gifts and talents.  We get to start fresh with every new quarter.  Everyone has straight “A’s.
Mr. Reisenbichler (7-8)
In religion we will study what God’s Word says about homework in school.  In 7th grade math the students are calculating decimals, learning the metric system, and finding points on the coordinate plane.  The 8th grade is adding and subtracting integers, and studying probability.  In science we will be starting our study of heredity.  The students are planning and making a structure in STEM that resists wind and water.  It may end up something like the Native Americans’ dwellings.

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