Mrs. Cummings' Classroom Blog

This was placed on the blog earlier, but wanted to reiterate it. Your child will becoming home with a math homework/remembering worksheet almost every night and completed work will be included in the Core Value Responsibility grade. It is expected that your child complete their homework ON THEIR OWN (with the exception of having a problem read to them if need be) and return it to class the very next day. They will not be required to complete the entire worksheet, just the specific problems circled. Research has proven that time spent practicing new concepts in a different environment leads to a 28% higher comprehension of these concepts. If your child is struggling, please do not hesitate to mark the number and move on. I stress to the students that if they can write something down, draw a pictures, something, they are good and we will review and work through the problems at length in class the next day. We want to do everything we can to make sure your child is successful...

I have my feelers out  for 2 parent volunteers, but I am in need of at least 2 more. If you are interested please write a note in your student's assignment notebook or send me an email. Looking forward to our trip on Thursday! :)

These were sent home today! Please sent them back ASAP! Thank you! First come, first served for conferences.

We have added a field trip to our schedule this year! Woot! Woot! We will be going to Log-a-Load in Seeley, Wisconsin. We will be going next Thursday, October 1st. It will be an all day field trip starting at 9:00am and we will be returning on the buses at 2:30pm. I am not sure if we need chaperons, but will know soon. There will be a letter sent home as well with this information. Any questions, please let me know.

Remember that October 5th is coming quickly! In the letter that was sent home with the flashcards earlier this summer it stated that if the students know all of their facts by October 5th they will receive a special party! So, practice, practice, practice. :) We are on our 5s test today! So keep up the great work. On October 5th we will take a BIG multiplication test. After grading them I will find out who is able to attend the special party. Let's make it a goal for ALL students to participate. Please be aware that if your student does not know their facts, they WILL NOT be able to attend the party. They will be practicing their facts instead. Thanks!

Hello! I am sorry that it seemed to turned in to be more of an inconvenience to check the blog last night. Life got ahead of me and I forgot to update it. My true purpose of having the students and parents check the blog yesterday was to ensure that EVERYONE is actually doing it. I know that some have not looked at the blog, so it was more of a way to get some practice in and was supposed to be treated as a reminder to check it. So, thanks for checking in! Book orders were placed this morning, so I anticipate that they will be here the middle of next week. Friday is the Homecoming Parade at 2:30. We will be attending and watching on the sidewalk on 5th Street. If you plan to take your child after the parade, YOU MUST meet them in the office and check them out with Mrs. Gay. Safety is our number one concern. The kiddos are doing a great job this week with the Rules. Keep up the practice if necessary!

Book Orders where due TODAY, but if you have one at home I will take them tomorrow, Friday, at the very latest. Remember, you can also order online. Look at earlier posts for the class code.

We have been having a hard time following the rules lately in class. Next week I am going to be starting another portion of the Whole Brain Teaching. This portion is called Practice Cards. I will be having a pocket chart with each child's name in it. If I see a student not following the direction I will place a practice card in their pocket and they will owe me time at recess practicing that rule. The biggest rule that has habitually been broken is Rule #2 Raise your hand for permission to speak and leave your seat. This then causes extra and unnecessary chatter, redirecting and an unhappy teacher (Rule #5 Keep your Dear Teacher Happy). If the student continuously breaks the rule they will get a letter sent home explaining which rule they are breaking and to please practice at home too. Now, there is also a positive to this. If students are following directions wonderfully and all of the time I will also be sending letters home saying just that. Please speak to your student about...

PICTURE DAY IS TOMORROW! OUR CLASS IS SCHEDULED TO GO AT 9:15AM. PLEASE REMEMBER TO SEND THE ORDER SLIP WITH YOUR STUDENT. :)

Book orders are due Thursday, September 17, 2015. I usually give a week to decide and turn in. If you choose to order online the classroom code is: MHFN7. Thank you!

Wahoo! The kiddos earned their reward! They got more Mighty Oh Yeahs! than Mighty Groans! This is wonderful!  As a reward for their awesome behavior I am allowing them to bring in something to play with for Free Time Friday. This may include, but is not limited too, electronics, books, board games, etc.  I have also talked with all of the students and they are aware that they are bringing something in at their own risk. That means I am not responsible for lost, stolen, broken or damaged items.  Congratulate you student on an fabulous week! 

Below you will find websites for multiplication facts practice. www.multiplication.com www.aplusmath.com www.mathisfun.com www.learnyourtables.co.uk www.mathplayground.com www.fun4thebrain.com www.jmathpage.com www.mltfx.com www.coolmath4kids.com www.ixl.com www.learninggamesforkids.com

Our Elementary Campus Handbook is online. You may access it by going to the Intermediate School page on our school website www.hayward.k12.wi.us. Please drop students off AFTER 7:30am. We do not have supervision prior to that time and we want our students to be safe. Students arriving before 8:00am should report to the gym or cafeteria if they are eating breakfast. Always enter the building through our main entrance and check in at the office. Guests are not allowed on our playground unless the principal has approved it.  Please let our secretary know BEFORE 2:00pm if you need to change your child's after school plans.  Information about joining our Parents Assisting Canes Committee can be found on the back of the newsletter sent home on Thursday.  WIN THE DAY! 

If you have not filled out the paperwork from open house or the first day of school, please do that as soon as you can. Thanks for your timely return!

Our tables are on their way. We are hoping to have them ready to go this week. Thank your for being so flexible, understanding and patient with this matter. I think I can speak for the students and myself and say that we are very ready to have a normal classroom soon.

Your students' assignment notebook and take home folder (the fancy, colored one) is in the 1/2 inch binder that most students brought in. I figured this way they would have everything in one spot and it would be hard to forget or hard to lose. Please be sure to check for this every night after school. This is also where I suggested to them to keep their flash cards. The flash cards and this binder MUST be brought back and forth from home to school to home each and every day. The students will be getting s responsibility grade for this and I will be checking every morning. Remember, it is also important and expected for the students to be asking for your signature and talking with you about their homework and paperwork sent home. Thanks! If your student doesn't have a 1/2 inch folder and you are unable to get one please contact me ASAP.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day Weekend. It's supposed to be quite warm again! Let's enjoy that while we can.  Wow! Those three days of school went by so fast. I can hardly believe it. It sure was a great start to the school year. Thank you for all your help making it run smoothly. As a team (parents and teacher) I  know this year is going to be wonderful.  Your students have their very first homework assignment. It was to practice their flash cards and also to check the blog. If they read over this short break, I told them they could also write that down. Please be sure to talk with your student about the first few days of school and to check their assignment notebook and sign it. We had a lot of Oh Yeahs! And a few Mighty Groans! You could also ask your students to tell you our 5 classroom rules! Make sure they also do the hand motions that go along with them. :)  On Tuesday we will be starting our lessons in full force with math, spelling and ...

Please remember to write your child's name on the inside of their brightly colored folder. That will be their take-home folder!

Hello Everyone! Wow, was it a hot one today! I was so wonderful to see all of your smiling faces again this morning! I woke up with a huge smile on my face just so excited to see you all! We had a fantastic day learning routines, rules and expectations! Tomorrow will be a normal scheduled day...we will even have Prime Time. It will be a Day 1, so we ill have Phy. Ed. Thank you for everyone who brought back all of your paperwork. I have it filed away already. Those of you who just got the paperwork, please bring it back as soon as possible. Kudos to those kiddos who have their flashcards all set and ready to go for the fun treat and extra recess on Thursday! I am so excited to see how far you have come with your facts! Yes! :) I hope you all sleep well tonight. Remember to dress cool tomorrow as it will be just as hot! Bring water bottles too if you didn't today.