Greetings,
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and thank you to everyone who attended conferences last week. Maybe you’ve noticed the quotes and designs that our eighth graders painted on the brick wall outside of Room 123. One of the students painted the Benjamin Franklin quote, “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” That’s a rather appropriate thought this time of year. With the season of Advent approaching, we are reminded to always be on the lookout for when Jesus will come again. In addition to that, much preparation goes towards making sure that the time spent with our loved ones during the holiday season is both enjoyable and memorable. With so much anticipation surrounding us, it becomes really easy for students, and perhaps we adults, to neglect the learning process. It’s really important for the students’ development to prevent that from happening.
Both seventh and eighth graders are deep in to the grammar unit that focuses on verbs. There will definitely be an open book test for both grade levels before Christmas break. Eighth grade will expect a test in Literature on the O. Henry unit that we are near completing. Seventh grade will begin A Christmas Carol next week, and there will also be a test on that when it is concluded. People are probably wondering when I turned into a combination of the Grinch, Mr. Potter, and Hans Gruber! The intention is not to steal the season from the students, but rather to simulate the high school experience of mid-term exams in a relatively fail-safe environment. Students will learn to prepare to meet academic expectations while also balancing the fun that this season brings.
A reminder that if the backfield is playable and the temperature is above freezing, recess will be taking place outside. If the weather is not cooperative, we have access to the Parish Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather, and we will be making sure that sweatshirts, jackets, etc. are being worn when outside. Many students attempt to wear non- uniform sweatshirts in the building throughout the day, and then they claim to not have one when we go outside. We want to keep everyone as safe and as healthy as possible.