I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and took the time to honor the sacrifices made by our military. We are looking forward to a busy week!

We will travel to the State Museum tomorrow (Wednesday, May 29) and release our trout at Saluda Shoals State Park on Friday (May 31). For the State Museum, students should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a light jacket. For Saluda Shoals, students should wear clothes they don't mind getting wet in and bring a towel. A bottle of water and sunscreen would be very helpful, as well, as we will be outdoors the entire time. On both days, students who indicated they would bring lunch from home should remember their lunches. Cameras are welcome, but all other electronic devices are prohibited. Students should bring their backpacks and school supplies on both days, as we will be continuing with academic activities before and after the trip.

When we are not traveling all over the world, we will be back in class, working diligently to finish our Help Wanted posters to show what we've learned about our careers! Students also will be taking their final Treasures Benchmark test in reading to show how they've grown throughout the year.

Finally, I'll be taking suggestions from students about how to celebrate the end of the school year on the last day of school! I am excited to see what they'll come up with!

We just finished our first-ever Poetry Slam, and it was a hit! I was SO proud of ALL of my students for their careful preparation and presence of mind onstage. They delivered quite a show! And I'm also extremely grateful to all of our families who were able to attend. We had an excellent turn-out and lots of encouragement from those who came. Thank you SO much for taking the time to share this special learning experience with us!

Now that we're finished with Poetry Slam, it's time to explore the world of "grown-ups" for a few days ... Ms. Gaillard, Mrs. Thompson, and I are working together to teach our students how to earn money and how to spend it. In my class, each student will chose a career to become an expert on. S/he will learn about the responsibilities involved, the education required, and the salary for the job and be prepared to share that information with the class. In math classes, students will learn about the different expenses that come with adulthood and how to create a budget based on the salary for their job. The students are very excited about this study, and I'm sure they'll be coming home ready to ask you questions and hear your advice!

Our calendar is going to be very busy for the next 3 weeks, so be sure to check the News + Events page and, as always, keep an eye on your child's take-home folder for information and reminders. Let's make this a wonderful week!

Hello, families! I don't know who is more excited to be finished with PASS testing-- the students, or their teachers! It was a long, challenging week, but I am so proud of the hard work that the kids put in. Now, we get to breathe a little easier and enjoy some exciting projects and opportunities during our next four weeks. Keep an eye on the calendar and your child's take-home folder to see what's coming.

This week:
Reading/Writing. We will conclude our poetry unit by finalizing and sharing an original poem, as well as preparing to recite poetry for our first-ever Poetry Slam! We are thrilled to be including you, our families, in this special event and hope that you'll be able to join us next Tuesday, May 21. (See the invitation in your child's take-home folder.)
Language. We are, at long last, reviewing what we've learned about adjectives and pronouns and hopefully testing on these topics by the end of the week.
Social Studies. We are wrapping up our study of the Civil War by sharing our "Civil War Windows" - sketches of what the war looked like from a variety of perspectives. We also will take a test on the war Thursday. 

Next week, we will jump into an interdisciplinary study of careers, money, and philanthropy. More news about that to come!

On a much sadder note-- by now, you have probably heard that our beloved Beth Phillips, Catawba Trail's IT specialist, passed away on Sunday. We will miss her so much and treasure all the encouragement, support, and energy she brought to the Colt family! She was truly an extraordinary woman. You will be the best person for your child to talk to as they work through their feelings about her death, so keep those lines of communication open. We also will have additional counselors on campus this week for students needing extra support. 

Happy PASS week, everyone! The students started off strong with their Reading test today, and I am so proud of their hard work and focus! Wednesday, they’ll take Math; Thursday is Science; and Friday is Social Studies. In the afternoons, we will continue to review skills for upcoming tests. Please make sure your child is present on time each day, well-rested and ready to do his or her best!

I am thrilled that we have an entire month of school after PASS testing, because that leaves us plenty of time to continue learning! Next week, we will wrap up our studies of poetry and the Civil War. Following that, fourth grade will launch into an inter-disciplinary study of careers, money, and charitable giving. The kids won’t want to miss it!

We also have 3 exciting events coming up on our calendar: our trip to the State Museum on May 29, the trout release on May 31, and Biome Day on June 4. Keep an eye on your child’s take-home folder for more information about these trips. Permission and money ($4) for the State Museum trip are due this Friday, May 10. We will send home permission forms for the trout release, which will occur at Saluda Shoals Park, within the next day or two. Thank you for your support!