Hello parents and students,
Can you believe we’ve made it through the first marking period of the 2018-2019 school year already? I love watching the changing seasons — even though it took a little longer than my liking to bring that fall weather this year.
My students are changing too! Every day, as they each learn something new, it shapes them into the person they are becoming. It is a beautiful thing to watch. In this first marking period, my 4th graders spent some time looking at their own strengths. We’ve used a site called Thrively to take a strengths assessment and create our own profiles. Did you know that some of my students not only have great strengths for memory and academics, but also cool character strengths like appreciation and compassion for others? Assertiveness, social justice, and worldliness also jumped out as strengths for students. I love that we get to explore the things that make us unique — not just in the “school sense”, but as whole, contributing members of our families and communities.
5th & 6th graders are busy changing their ideas about old and new words as they prepare for our first WordMasters Challenge of the year. This analogy/vocabulary competition will require them to dig deep in understanding word meanings and the relationships with one another. The Challenge will be taken the last week of November/into the first week of December.
In addition, 6th graders worked on a special ELA extension activity/learning opportunity this marking period which took us on a field-trip to the Wittel Farm Growing Project in Elizabethtown, PA. The Global Goals they’ve learned about in their classes took on a whole new meaning as they saw how one local project is doing their part globally by working to end hunger right here in Lancaster County. I think some of their attitudes and understanding about food and hunger were changed after this visit!
As we move into the second marking period, I look forward to my class roster(s) changing too. We welcome some newly identified gifted students to our groups in upcoming weeks. I can’t wait to get to know these students. I know our small groups will be enhanced by their presence.
Goal Achievement Updates are being sent out as I write this post. As you receive your child’s update, please contact me with any questions. Questions can also be directed to your child’s teacher(s) at conferences next week. I look forward to seeing several of you there or at your child’s upcoming GIEP meeting.
As we head into this season of Thanksgiving, thank you for entrusting your child’s unique gifted needs to me. I continue to enjoy working with all of them and am thankful for the opportunity!
Cherie Lenahan