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Welcome to the School Year (2021-2022)

Welcome to all the 4/5 PAT class off 2021-2022!

I would like to officially welcome you all to our 4th and 5th grade classroom this year!  I am looking forward full days of school filled with lots of grand discussions, cool projects, laughter, lots of learning all around and a chance to build yet another solid and supportive classroom community so that we can weather any challenges that come our way. I can’t wait to get to know (or learn even more about) your marvelous students, all the quirks and talents and passions and I hope that they are feeling hopeful about their new class as well.

For those of you how don’t know me, let me introduce myself a little.  I am an experienced teacher, a parent (less experienced on this one!), a wife, a knitter, a gardener, a reader, a writer when I make the space for it and a definitely still a person in progress. I have been teaching in the 4/5 PAT program for over 15 years and I strive to create a classroom where we all feel safe to be, to stretch, to try, to mess up, to succeed and to grow.  I tell the kids that being human is a messy business. It can be challenging and frustrating, and it can be a whole lot of fun, too.  Sometimes all at once! Here’s to hoping that we will build a great year together!

This first note is just to remind you that the first day of school is coming soon and give you a few tasks to think about as you get ready for the new year. Here are some things to think about or take action on between now and the first day of school (Wednesday, September 1st).

School Supplies & School Issued Laptop

Hopefully you have already received a note from the Carnation Elementary office letting you know that there is no list of school supplies that you need to worry about this year, just make sure you have a backpack, ear buds, a water bottle (reusable is best) and some extra masks for the school year. The rest of your supplies will be provided in the classroom.  You hopefully also still have your laptop and cord stowed somewhere safe for the summer. Students will not need to bring laptops for the first three days of school, though after that, we will need laptops daily.  Please leave your laptop at home for the first week (Wed – Fri) so that we can get to know each other eyeballs to eyeballs as we start off this year. I would say face to face, but a correctly worn mask covers pretty much everything but your eyeballs! Luckily, those are a pretty awesome part of your face, so we’ll be okay.

Subscribe to this blog!

I will continue to use this space to send out newsletters, links and other reminders throughout the year. Please take a moment to subscribe to this blog, if you haven’t already, by typing the best email for you into to the Subscribe box on the bottom left of this page.  You are welcome to subscribe using multiple emails or add several members of your family.  When your child has moved on to middle school, you can simply unsubscribe, unless you want to received messages from this classroom for many years to come. (Hello to all of you who never unsubscribed! I know you’re out there!)

Tell me about your student

In past years I have made phone calls, last year we met on Teams, this year I want to try something a little different. I want you to have a chance to tell me what you want me to know about your student, but I want you to be able to share in a way that gives you time to think and gives me time to listen.  This year, I want to offer two options — answering written questions or asking for a virtual conversation — whatever fits you.  Please use this link to either tell me about your child or ask for a virtual conference during the first two weeks of the school year.

Students – Do you want to get a head start?

If you have a student who just can’t wait to get started, tell them that we will be starting the year with presentation called “Expert, Novice, Passion”, where each student will tell us about one topic or activity where they are an expert (they know a lot and can teach a lot), an activity, skill or topic where they are a novice, or just beginning to learn and a something they are passionate about.  Your student is welcome to start thinking about where they are Experts, Novices and what they are Passionate about. The goal of this presentation is help students introduce themselves to their class and to review presentation skills.  We will talk much more about this in class, but it never hurts to start thinking! And if your student just wants to enjoy the rest of their summer assignment-free, that is also totally okay.

I look forward to seeing students on Wednesday, September 1st. If you have any questions or concerns before them, please feel free to email.

See you soon!

Ms. I

(Known in official circles as Christie Isler or Ms. Isler but mostly, just Ms. I)

Published inTeacher's Notes

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