Our First Week Together

Dear Parents of Room 10,

Our first few days of school have come to a close, and we have had an amazing start to the 2015-2016 school year. The class is coming together as a learning community, and it is really nice to see them work together cooperatively.  It was a busy and fun-filled few days as we prepared for Open House.

It was really nice to have the opportunity to meet many of you last evening at our Open House.  I always feel a tad rushed and tend to talk really fast, so if there is anything you need clarified, please let me know.  Your children worked really hard this week as we prepared to “dazzle” you last night with their self-portraits and letters.

Next week we will begin to discuss and chart the guidelines for reading workshop.  We will also begin to practice literacy stations in preparation for guided reading.  The variety of stations I have prepared offer practice in various language arts skills.  I also include other curricular areas in stations such as non-fiction reading about crayfish.

Each week the children will bring home a “Weekly Reflection” in which they will reflect on their week. Most weeks I will write a note (just like this one).  I will ask that you read and sign their weekly reflection.  Also, feel free to write a note on the bottom or on the back.  I will also post it on our class blog so that we will have a history of all our blogs for the school year.   The address for our class blog is http://thebetorbunch.blogspot.com/                                           

Have a wonderful long weekend!                                          Lester B and class

First Day of School is COMING!

Greetings From Room 10!

      While not everyone was able to join us for supply drop-off on Wednesday, it was a pleasure meeting those of you who were able to come.  Remember that on Tuesday, students should bring their supplies to school along with a $3.15 check made out to "Slingerlands" for the assignment notebook and $5 cash for the BARE book.

      Please be sure to carefully look through all of the papers your child will be bringing home on Tuesday! Some of the material is date-sensitive.  Also, please pay close attention to the letter from our school nurse regarding the allergy concerns in our classroom.  Room 10 is an Allergy-Smart classroom!! Please do not send snacks to school which contain peanuts!  However, we will have a snack every morning around 11:15am so be sure to send your child with a healthy, peanut-free snack every day.  Also, please send your child to school with a refillable water bottle.  The weather forecast for Tuesday currently is calling for temperatures in the 90s. Obviously, the school is not air-conditioned, so it's important to stay hydrated.

      I updated our "Special Schedule" on our BLOG.  You will notice that on the first day of school we have Art.  Each Wednesday and Friday your child will have physical education. It is imperative that he/she wears (or brings) sneakers on PE days. Otherwise, they may be unable to participate.

      Thursday night I will begin my classroom presentation at 7:30pm. Feel free to stop in at about 7:15 so you can sign up for party supplies and your October conference.

      Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day!                       Lester Betor

                

     

Welcome New 5th Graders!

Greetings to my new 5th graders and their families,
      
       I am excited to meet each of you, and I look forward to seeing you on supply drop off day (September 2nd).  I am posting some important September dates for you to consider as you begin the new school year!  Enjoy the remainder of the summer!  Lester Betor

• September 2nd, 3:30pm -- Supply Drop Off.  Stop by to drop off your supplies and to see your classroom!
• September 8th -- First day of 5th Grade!  Welcome aboard!!
• September 10th, 7:30pm -- Open House. Fifth grade parents will begin in their child's homeroom at 7:30pm. You will then join your child's math teacher for a brief presentation at about 8:15, followed by a whole group Nature's Classroom presentation in the cafeteria.
• September 14th -- NO SCHOOL
• September 18th -- Slingerlands Family Picnic (5:30 - 7:30) catered by My Place.  A YELLOW flyer will be coming home the first day of school.  RAIN OR SHINE.
• September 23rd -- NO SCHOOL

Pictures and Updates

Greetings from Room 10,
       I am attaching some photos from both the Wax Museum and Nature's Classroom.  I wanted to post them sooner, but 5th grade gets a little crazy this time of year.  I have to say, however, that this has been one of my best years EVER as a teacher because your children are so wonderful!!!  I know I have said that many times before, but as it gets closer to the end, I am beginning to already feel a sense of loss!  They are incredible human beings!!
      Next week we will resume spelling.  It's been on hiatus since before Nature's Classroom.  However, we have a full, fairly uninterrupted week this week.  Yay, spelling!  Has your child told you about our experimentation in science.  We have begun our final science unit called "Mixtures and Solutions."  It is our chemistry unit.  Next week our focus will be saturation.  It's totally hands-on and lots of fun.
       I am in the process of scheduling our final party of the year; "What Slingerlands Means to Me" It will be our end of year celebration.  I will be sending out the date and time in the very near future.
       Persuasive writing is our final writing unit.  The children have already been pre-tested in this area, have picked a topic and began researching.  We will be conducting additional research and drafting this week.  Adding voice, statistics, data and a surveys will be completed within the next couple of weeks.
       As always, if you have a question or concern, email me at lbetor@bcsd.neric.org.

Day 3 Nature's Classroom Update

Greetings!
        Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous...sunny all day with temperatures in the high seventies/low eighties. The children enjoyed all of their outdoor activities, including a three-hour hike and picnic.  Last night's activity, "Back to Basics," proved to be very fun and exciting.  And s'mores by an open fire was a great way to end a perfect day.
        Today is equally as amazing weather-wise; another glorious, picture-perfect day!  As I write this, the children are out in their field groups playing predator and prey.  As you might imagine, they have enjoyed this trip immensely.
        Everything is going as scheduled today, so at this moment, it looks like we will be arriving at our expected time of 1:30pm.  If there is a problem or change in our arrival time, I expect that a notification will be sent.
        See you all at 1:30pm in front of school!                       Lester B. and class
 

Greetings from Nature's Classroom!

Greetings from beautiful Camp Chimney Corners in Becket, Massachusetts!  First and foremost, all of the children are having an absolutely amazing time.  No homesickness thus far.  Last night, all of the children, boys and girls alike settled down by 10:30pm, but unfortunately the boys in my cabin began to stir at 4:30am.  Needless to say, I wasn’t quite prepared to get up and begin my day, so I made them remain in their beds for about another hour.  I gave in just before 6:00am when many of them began to play cards.  By 6:45 they were outside playing Ga Ga; a game many of us were just introduced to.

Yesterday, the children enjoyed their first field group activity and their first class (some of which included a fetal pig dissection, assembling a geo-dome and making a bat house).  The campers are excited by everything the Nature’s Classroom staff offers, including the meals!  Last night the kids experienced their first nighttime activity; Quest.  During Quest, the children rotated through seven stations.  It was fun to watch them work as a team to complete a task.

As I write this, the children have already packed a picnic lunch and are headed out for a three-hour field group adventure.  They were so stoked to get out into the woods.  When they return we are planning a full fifth grade class kickball game where I will be the permanent pitcher.  Tonight we will be participating in a nighttime activity that will be new to all of us; Back to Basics.  It sounds really interesting.

I will be unable to post any pictures while I am here.  It’s a new Nature’s Classroom policy.  So I will be sure to include photos when I update the blog over the weekend. 

We are enjoying the glorious sun and the warm afternoon.  I hope you are experiencing the same weather we are.                                                                          Lester B. and class