We have met with our 5th-grade buddy class for the first time; During the first meting, Mr. Remmers and Mr. Devoto challenged the students to build a toy or a game in 15 minutes. The catch? Students could only use cardboard, tape, scissors, and a Sharpie pen! 

Check out what we were able to accomplish in that limited time!

Check out the generous stash of books donated to us by Daniel and his family! Thanks so much!

Señora Malone brings Spanish to life! "Buenas...tardes...Señora...Malone!"

After learning about the compass rose, students engaged in a school-wide scavenger hunt using an iPad-based compass.

Early finishers engaging in a hands on math activity. It looks like they figured out how to create the five squares with the 15 fractional pieces!

Thank you to Debbie for reading us two fun picture books on Friday. The students loved your reading style and choice of books. 

Here you see students attempting to build a marshmallow-topped tower using only spaghetti sticks, tape, and string...oh and they only had 18 minutes!

After discussing the process of identifying needs and coming up with creative solutions, students were tasked with coming up with a solution for a scratching cat at home!

Back to School Night
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night at Back-to-School Night from 6:30-8:00pm. If you aren’t able to attend, I will be uploading parts of the presentation to our class website.

Class Website
Throughout the year you will be able to find important classroom information at http://pdevoto.reedschools.org (including blog posts with photos).

Username/Password
Your child has been assigned a general username and password that will work for most programs that we use at Bel Aire. It would be valuable to memorize these now (we have practiced in class - ask your child when they get home today if they know theirs)! The pattern is as follows:

Username: First 3 Letters of First Name + Last Name
Password: First 2 Letters of First Name + First 2 Letters of Last Name + Last 4 Digits of Student ID (district assigned)

For example, following this formula, my username and password would be as follows (Paul Devoto)

Username: paudevoto
Password: pade1234

*Please note, while this login information will work for most school programs, some will require a different username (like IXL).

AR program
We have officially launched the Accelerated Reader (also known as AR) program, which is a school-wide reading program. Read more about it on our class website.

IXL
IXL is a great program for practicing core skills in both math and language arts. We will be using it regularly throughout the year and students can access it from home too. 

Student Surveys
Thank you so much for taking the time to fill out the online parent survey. For those of you who have done so, I have taken the time to read them carefully multiple times. It helps me to revisit them a few times during the first month of school to gain a clearer, more comprehensive vision of your child. If you haven’t yet done so, you can still fill it out here (link).

Internet and Photo Permission List
Thank you for taking the time to sign the online internet and photo permissions lists. These are needed for your child to use the internet at school and to have their images posted to our classroom blog site.

Nut Free
We have several students with severe nut allergies and are officially a nut-free classroom. Please read the attached flier for more information from the district about being a nut free classroom and school.

Comfort Kits
Students are bringing home a small bag today to be used as a “comfort kit” in case of a school emergency. Feel free to add pictures, notes, or other small items that you think would comfort your child in such a situation. They will be returned at the end of the year.

Headphones
Students were issued headphones on Friday to use with their iPad at appropriate times (e.g. watching a tutorial video or editing a movie). They are the earbud type. If students would prefer to bring in a more comfortable pair from home, they are welcome to do so.

Homework
The 3rd-grade team works collaboratively to put together the homework packets each week. At this time, it is not possible for me to guarantee that I can get you the packet early. I apologize if this scenario is not optimal. 

Spelling City
Starting Tuesday, students will be issued a spelling list for homework each week. In addition to any homework-related activity, students can practice the spelling words using Spelling City (available online or as an iPad/Android app). Find out more here.

Class Dojo
We have started using Class Dojo to track all of the wonderful 

5th-Grade Buddies
My class is once again linking up with Mr. Remmers’s 5th-graders for collaborative, design thinking learning experiences. Students will be paired up with a 5th-grade “buddy” who they will work with on a series of creative projects each Tuesday throughout the school year. Keep an eye on the class blog for highlights!

Hope to see you tomorrow evening for Back-to-School Night.

Sincerely,

Mr. Paul Devoto

PS Ask your child if they can remember the 10 body parts that begin with 3 letters!