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Dear Star Students and Awesome Parents,
WELCOME BACK TO NEW GOALS AND A NEW DECADE! Thank you for checking the portal for your child's report card. Congratualtions to our first 2 Senators: Emmersen and Brianna!
Reminder: Please sign your child's planner every night, so we know you are aware of his/her assignments and notices. Thank you!CURRENT SKILLS WE ARE LEARNING:
LITERACY- We have been busy working on summarizing, comparing characters, making connections, & writing with correct grammar while learning about THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD and HARRIET TUBMAN for Black History Month. We will be going to see a play about The Underground Railroad on Jan. 30th at THE ALGONQUIN THEATRE.
Your child may read books on EPIC. The information to log on is in taped into the inside cover of your child's planner. You can also click on the link on MY RESOURCES to access the code, too. This is a wonderful site that encourages the love of reading a plethora of genres! Audiobooks are available, too!SOCIAL STUDIES/NON FICTION Since we are going to see a play about Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad on Jan.30th, (info will be sent home soon) we will be learning about this period of time in various book clubs during WIN (What I Need- differentiated lessons for every learner). We will be learning eastern states, vocabulary, main idea, and how to write various responses based on read alouds and book club stories.
GOAL 1 min = 1 page read If your child reads for 30 min. each night (and in school) he/she will reach his/her goal on his/her JANUARY calendar. Ask to see your child's calendar.
MATH- We are working on calculating AREA (length x width), using multiplication and division strategies, and answering word problems in detail. This includes reading the problem carefully, showing work, and explaining how he/she arrived at the answer step by step. Every Friday your child will be "tested" on his/her MAD MINUTE (see the paper that is in their plastic communicator). This is HOMEWORK and should be practiced for about 5 min. each night. We are finishing Chapter 4. Log onto PEARSON (under my resources) to practice multiplication & division skills. Your child is expected to go on XTRA MATH 4 times a week to memorize ALL MATH FACTS. The program starts with addition. Then, moves to subtraction and finished with multiplication.
Congrats to: Richard, Emmanuel, & Anthony for graduating XTRA MATH!!!! Way to go!
YOGA CONTINUES ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS...Throughout the year, we will practice simple poses, breathing techniques, and being in the moment. The practice will help students be more mindful, slow down, and learn how to become calmer and more patient. Please dress in comfortable pants that you can bend in. Bring in a mat or a towel!
OUR CLASS DEMOCRACY:President- Charlotte Fatovic
Vice President Daniel Calabrese President Fatovic has chosen her cabinet:
Speaker of the House- Ashley Wall is in charge of reading the bills on Thursdays and tallying the votes (yays, nays, and obstains).
Secretary of State- Maia Ramos is responsible for any errand/chore between classrooms. This includes pick up and delivery of chrome books.
Secretary of Education- Emmanuel Akinboboye is responsibe for rewriitng the passed bills on our chart, facilitating jobs, and choosing odd or evens for assigned mathh problems.
Secretary of Treasury- Dylan Iatauro is in charge of counting $ that is collected for celebrations and events.
Any student can become a Senator when 5 of their bills are passed.
Our 3 bills that passed are now class laws:
1. Water bottles may remain on the desks.
2. Every Friday is Stuffed Animal Day, if you choose.
3. Every Friday is also Pajama Day, if you choose.
4. NO homework on Wednesdays! Read only.
5. Each morning, the "spinner" will pick sticks to see who will sit at the end of the bench.
6. Middle name Monday.
7. 3 students at the dollhouse during recess.
8. The chart police is also the hallway monitor.
As stated at Back To School Night, your child has the opportunity to participate in these days if he/she chooses to follow the class rules and expectations. Your child is in control of his/her behavior and is held accountable for his/her choices. We thank you so much for helping us teach your child accountability.
If you are feeling generous when shopping, we can always use extra boxes of tissues throughout the year. Many thanks to you if you already donated! You're the best!
UPCOMING EVENTS:JAN. 20 NO SCHOOL DR. KING'S BIRTHDAY
JAN. 30th 3rd Grade Trip to see a play on UGRR ( see SS/Non Fiction above) No chaperones are needed. More info. coming home soon. 
FEB. 14th Pizza making and baking for Valentine's Day (Parents who signed up in Sept. will attend. Mrs. Tolska will be in touch as it gets closer)FEB. 12th 9:15-11:15 Presidential Ball with Maher's/Jankowski's class
If your child is President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Treasurer, Secretary of Education, or Secretary of State you are cordially invited.
OUR SPECIALS MONDAY Computers
TUESDAY Music with Ms. Burnett
WEDNESDAY Art with Mrs. Thomas
THURSDAY World Language with Senora McDonald
FRIDAY Gym WEAR SNEAKERS
LUNCH 1:15-1:45 
**Since our lunch is 1:15-1:45, we will have a snack at around 10:00 everyday. If you choose to bring a snack, please make sure it is healthy (fruit, cheese stick, crackers, pretzels, veggies, Cheeze-its, Goldfish, a small yogurt, etc..) Please do not bring cookies, chips, etc..
Pearsonrealize.com Directions:
LOG IN : LUNCH# PASSWORD: Initials 03 Ex: Sue Miller SM03
XTRA MATH LOGIN will be posted in your child's planner (front page) the week of Oct. 7th. They must put my email address: sralkalay@jacksonsd.org
Our classroom is a RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM. Please go to responsiveclasssroom.org to learn more about this wonderful, research based, and effective philosophy!
Please feel free to email me (and/or Mrs. Sanzone, see below) at sralkalay@jacksonsd.org with any questions or concerns. All the best for a wonderful and successful year! 
Mrs. Alkalay & Mrs. Sanzonesralkalay@jacksonsd.org
tsanzone@jacksonsd.org
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