Roderick Review Week 17 (12/21/15-12/23/15)

While this week only consisted of three days, there were many things happening to close out 2015.  Take a look!

Your friendly neighborhood conductor welcomed
fourth grade passengers boarding the Polar Express today!

Fifth Grade students presenting their flag code projects.

Students in Mrs. Kane's class shared original poems and some favorite seasonal songs with residents at Maples Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.  They also shared a few festive garlands that they made as well to adorn the dining room!

 

 

 

Fourth grade students explore different problem solving strategies to see who can make the longest chain out of a single piece of paper.  What would your strategy be?

Sixth Grade Productions of "A Christmas Carol"

I wish you all a wonderful vacation with family and friends and a very happy and healthy New Year!

See you in 2016!

Roderick Review Week 16 (12/14/15-12/18/15)

Gifts for Kids

Students in a number of fifth and sixth grade classrooms took advantage of the optional service project to earn their own money to purchase gifts for students who are less fortunate.  Pictured here are three sixth graders, eager to deliver all that they had bought!   

Analytical Readers

Students in 5 Phipps share some of the differences they have found between traditional versions of fairy tales and their "fractured fairy tale" cousins.  

'Tis the Season!

Last Friday, December 11, 2015, a number of our traveling musicians volunteered to join Ms. Salazar to serenade friends throughout the Wrentham community! 

 Under the calm direction of their leader, the students are shown here at their last stop, where a number of their teachers (and principal) were able to hear them play some seasonal favorites.  Thank you to our student musicians for sharing their musical gifts and a special thank you to all of the parents who made this possible as well!

Roderick Thespians in Action!

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant, C.D.

December, 1843.

As the preface of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol suggests, the sixth graders have been exploring the meaning held within the text and re-enacting the story in their own versions of this classic as the messages of kindness and goodwill, selflessness and charity, as well as forgiveness seep into their own thoughts.  Some classes are sharing a filmed adaptation with the students' families while others are going to be performing the play live for their audiences.

Please visit next week's blog for more pictures of these special performances!

Mismatch Spirit Day!

This month's spirit day was designed by the Roderick Student Council and benefited the Wrentham Food Pantry.  Each year at this time, we are not only collecting food, but also hats and mittens.  Our bins were overflowing!  Thank you to everyone who contributed!

Coming Soon...Get your tickets before January 1st!

Roderick Review Week 15 (12/7/15-12/11/15)

Next Week:  Parent-Teacher Conferences!  

As both a parent and a teacher, I have appreciated parent-teacher conferences over the years as an experience that can strengthen the home-school partnership.  As you prepare for the upcoming conferences for your children, it may be helpful to think about the following:

1.  What would you like your child's teacher to know about your child?  Any new special interests?  Any changes in health or changes coming up at home?  

2.  What questions do you have about your child's academic strengths?  Do you have any questions about what the grades "mean" on the report card?

3  What questions do you have about how best to help your children at home practice different concepts and skills they are working on at school?

4.  What questions does your child have?

I will be attending some teacher conferences throughout the grades and will also have times in between conferences if you would like to touch base with me as well.  Enjoy these special times with your child(ren)'s teachers as you discuss your child's progress!

What is happening at Roderick?

Check out the latest and greatest masterpieces from our student artists!  This is just a hint of what is to come during our Night of the Arts on January 13th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Mark your calendars now! 

 

Congratulations to all of our students who have participated in the "Gifts for Kids" program!  Students have earned their own money to purchase items that will benefit children who are less fortunate.  They are learning that it truly is a blessing to give to others.  Pictured below are just some of the items that students in 6Moon were able to purchase this week!

Students explore different ways to represent division problems when they are finding the divisor, dividend, or quotient with Ms. O'Toole and Dr. Ribeiro.

                           

 

Ms. Haughey's scientists are pacing out just how far the planets are from each other and the sun in this demonstration.

Students took part in the Hour of Code this week with Mrs. Fox.  If you would like more information about the Hour of Code, check out the following site:  https://hourofcode.com/us 

Roderick Review Week 13 (11/23/15 - 11/25/15) and Week 14 (11/30/15-12/4/15)

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving recess last week!  With such a short week last week, I am sharing some news from last week as well as some news from this week.  

Thankful Hearts from Caring Kids
This year, our Fourth Grade team planned a new event with a twist on the former Thanksgiving Feast.  While in previous years the students and families gathered to indulge in a great feast for Thanksgiving on the Wednesday before the holiday, this year, the students and their families embarked on a new type of "Thanks-giving."  Students and their families donated items for care packages for those currently serving in the military.  In addition to personal care items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, there were also other items such as books, puzzles, cards, and touching drawings and cards with messages of peace and thankfulness.  Students, teachers, with the help of MANY parent volunteers, assembled the care packages and each class recited a special poem or song to share.  This community project ended as all present sang "This Land is Your Land" together.  I am including some pictures below:

Thank you to the fourth grade students, their families, and their teachers for all of their efforts!

(Check out the following link to the article in the Wrentham Times! http://alturl.com/i7z8p )

Parent Meetings with Dr. Beauchaine

This week, there were two "sense-making" meetings scheduled for me to share the trends I had seen through the various meetings held with staff and parents since I came to Wrentham in July.  A special thank you to the parents who came to meet with me!  It was helpful to hear that the general trends I had noticed matched not only the staff's experience, but also the varied experiences of the families.  The general trends that emerged included:

*Celebration of a strong, well-respected faculty

*Celebration of our positive community

*Desire to be connected across schools, within Wrentham as well as regionally.

*Desire to challenge all students.

*Questions about the placement process (how students are assigned to classes)

*Celebration of a new focus on writing instruction (with the hope to revisit the math curriculum/program soon as well)

*Desire to keep all community members informed and involved.

The next step in my entry plan is to spend time over the next month or so crafting a few goals based upon all of the information I am collecting from students, staff, and parents.  In February, I will then share these goals with the School Council for their feedback as well. 

Thank you to everyone who has been helping through this information gathering stage!  I have appreciated everyone's willingness to share their experiences and suggestions!