Week of 11/11-11/15

Dear Fourth Grade Families,

I hope everyone is doing well! Here’s a look at what’s coming up for the week of November 11-November 15. Please make sure to read all the important information below to avoid any questions that may already be addressed. If you missed last week’s email, you can find updates on my school blog: http://www.stanthonygardena.org/fourth-grade/.

I look forward to the new trimester as my hope is to see improvement as the students are becoming more independent.  Witnessing the growth of the students, seeing them gaining in self confidence, has been an amazing journey. 


Deadlines:

• November 18:  California Project Trifold and Project (slide, timeline, mission built, Tribe built, movie, interview…)
• December 2: Explorer project 
• February 24: 2nd trimester Mass reflection (7 mass reflections)

– Project Board: Students were given instructions on where to put information on their board. This is due November 18. 
– Project: Students may choose the way they want to represent their projects (artifact, slide, timeline, interview…) but they HAVE TO tell me as  I am trying to make sure that we have various representation.  Thank you for those who already told me. 

ST math/ AR 

• Starting this week, we will have a weekly ST math grade based on the fact that in a 5 days week, students spend 90minutes and 75 minutes in a 4 Days week. ST Math is to be done in class only (unless emailed). 
• AR goal: Students should test at least once a week. 

Homework 
If your child didn’t give me his/her homework this Friday, please have them personally hand it to me this Tuesday 11/12.

Focus of the Week:

• Math: Divide by 1-Digit Numbers  Test Wednesday 11/20
• Grammar: Verbs 
• ELA: Figurative Language
• Religion: Lesson 5 & TOB
• Science: Energy Transfer
• Writing : Personal Narrative

Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Vision To Learn (VTL) will give your child a chance to have their vision tested on campus. If they FAIL the exam, your child will be fitted for a FREE pair of glasses in January 2025.

Wednesday, Nov. 13
I will be out on Wednesday, November 13, to attend a family funeral. Mrs. Patel will be substituting for me on that day, and I’ve prepared everything to ensure a smooth day of learning.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me directly, and I will respond as soon as I am able.

1st Trimester Grades & Missing Assignments
I will be finalizing our 1st trimester grades by Wednesday, Nov. 13. If your child has any missing homework, projects or classwork that were sent home, please turn it in by Tuesday, Nov.12. After this day, I will not be accepting any late work. All grades are updated in a daily manner so parents are more aware of their child’s progress Please check Gradelink for more updated grades.

I kindly request to avoid waiting until the end of the trimester to address any missing assignments or incomplete work. Timely submissions significantly impact my ability to finalize and accurately assess grades within the given deadlines.

Awards Ceremony
Our 1st Trimester Awards Assembly will take place in the hall on Wednesday, 11/20, starting at 8am. Grades K-4 at 8am and Grades 5-8 at 9am. 

Awards
I will be sending out direct emails to all families of our awardees by Monday, Nov 18. For a student to receive a Citizenship award, a student must earn A’s (Outstanding = 92-100%) on both work habits and behavior grades. Therefore, students’ daily behavior, participation, attendance, assignments, projects, ST MATH AND AR goals and work habits are IMPORTANT factors in receiving an award.

Students are not eligible for a Citizenship award each trimester if they have one of the following:

• 5 tardies
• 5 unexcused absences
• 5 unexcused early leave
• 3 conduct slips
• 3 effort slips
• 3 detentions
• ST Math and AR goals are not reached

Please know that if your child doesn’t earn Citizenship this trimester, there’s still a chance to earn it in the next two trimesters. 

Honors

• 1st Honors – All A’s including Handwriting, Music, and PE
• 2nd Honors – A’s & B’s including Handwriting, Music, and PE

Grading Scales (from 4th grade syllabus)– Grades 3-8
Subject Areas                                                                  Skill Areas
A (93 -100) Excellent                                                       O      Outstanding
B+ (90 – 92)                                                                   G      Good
B (87 – 89) Very Good                                                    S       Satisfactory
B- (85 – 86)                                                                   NI     Needs Improvement
C+ (80 – 84)
C (75 – 79) Average
C- (70 – 74)
D (65 – 69) Poor
F (0 – 64) Not Passing

Tests

Friday

• Spelling Test 
• Religion Session 5 
• Grammar: Part of speech

2nd Trimester Chapter book
Our second trimester chapter book is,Tiger Rising, by Kate Di Camillo. In this book, students will learn empathy and get attached to the character. I always encourage students to read the same chapters as the same time so that we could share our feelings.
I recommend purchasing a copy of the book for your child, as it will be used both in and outside of class. The students will benefit from having their own copy to follow along and engage with the text. Please have your child bring the book by Monday, November 18, please consider ordering it from Amazon using the link below: Tiger Rising

2ndTrimester Expectations
Friday, Nov 15 is the start of our 2nd trimester. Here are some of the expectations that I am looking out for

1. Writing Skills

• Cursive Writing: in all work. 
• Sentence Writing: Students should answer work using sentences. 
• Paragraph Writing: Write at least one paragraph with 3-5 sentences on a given topic, ensuring that each sentence contributes to a complete thought.
• Grammar and Mechanics: Use correct punctuation and capitalization. Each sentence should begin with a capital letter and end with appropriate punctuation (period, question mark, or exclamation mark). Emphasis is placed on creating complete sentences and coherent thoughts.

2. Reading and Comprehension

• Fluency: Improve reading fluency by reading aloud with accuracy and appropriate expression.
• Comprehension: Student should answer questions about the theme of a story, being able to identify figurative language, plot of a story, as well as determine the point of view.

3. Math Skills

• Multiplication Facts: Master multiplication facts from 0 to 12. Regular practice is essential, as students will use these facts to solve multi-step word problems and more complex math operations.

4. Personal and Classroom Responsibilities

• Homework Responsibility: Submit homework independently by the deadline without reminders.
• Organizational Skills: Keep personal belongings and supplies organized. Students should bring their own supplies and take responsibility for their learning materials.
• Listening and Following Directions: Actively listen during instructions and follow directions promptly
• Preparedness: Come to class prepared with all necessary materials, including personal supplies and iPads, as well as an organized workspace.

I am encouraging all students to meet these expectations every day, and it would be helpful if you could also encourage your child to work with these expectations at home too!

Amazon Wishlist
As we gear up for an exciting school year filled with learning and growth, I wanted to share a wonderful opportunity to further enhance our classroom experience. I created an Amazon Wishlist with carefully selected items that will greatly benefit our students’ education journey. You may check out the link below.  Add your favorite items!
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3OUPUHM2XB902?ref_=wl_share

Upcoming Events:
For more details, please refer to the school calendar http://www.stanthonygardena.org/sap-school-calendar/.

• November 12 – Vision to Learn on campus for screening at 8:30 am (everyone gets screened for FREE eyeglasses, except the opt-outs, form was due 10/4)
• November 14 – BMX show for all qualifying families from Chocolate Sale, End of 1st Trimester
• November 18 – Poinsettia PRESALE ends for 8th grade fundraiser (pick up on 12/6 after school or 12/8 at 8th grade bake sale at church)
• November 20 –1st Trimester Awards Ceremony (not in the church), report cards go home K-4 at 8am and grades 5-8 at 9am in Hall (2 sessions)
• November 25-29 – Thanksgiving Holiday
• November 22 – All School Ice Skating Annual Event (8th grade fundraiser)
• November 25-29 – Thanksgiving Holiday

If you find yourself having more questions, do not hesitate to contact me. 

Blessings,

Florence Ekindi 

4th grade Homeroom Teacher 

St Anthony of Padua School

Tel. 310-329-7170 

 Fax 310-329-9843

1003 W 163rd St. Gardena, CA 90247