From the Principal's Desk
Progress reports were made available for viewing through your Powerschool Parent Portal on Friday, January 30th. If you have questions about your child’s progress after reviewing this report, please contact your child’s teacher directly. If you need help with access or would like a paper copy of your child’s progress report, please email [email protected]. In mid-March, teachers will be offering another opportunity to formally meet about your child’s performance.
Please know that we are always open to communication that will enhance your child’s educational experience with us and welcome your questions and feedback at any time.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
February Vacation - 2/16-2/20
Full Day of School - 2/25
Sincerely, Carol MacArthur
Principal, Grade 4-5
Office Reminders
- Student arrival begins at 8:20 AM.
- School begins at 8:50 AM. If your child arrives after that time, they are tardy and need to check-in at the office before going to the classroom.
- You can report absences, communicate transportation plans or make general inquiries by calling the main office at 829-4815 or emailing [email protected]
We greatly appreciate your attention to these procedures, as they help to ensure that our routines run smoothly and efficiently.
Lost & Found
If you are missing something, encourage your child to take a look at the racks & bins just outside the cafeteria. Remaining items will be donated during vacation week.
News From Our Nurses
Lice
Several cases of head lice have been found at MIW. Anyone can get lice...mainly from direct head-to-head contact, but also from sharing personal items such as hairbrushes, bike helmets, and other items. Lice are not a health risk and are no cause for shame, but are definitely a nuisance! Please help us keep the number of students affected at a minimum by checking your child regularly.
At this point we suggest head checks at home every other night for 2 weeks. If you discover lice or nits, follow the guidelines listed on the CDC and healthy children websites (CDC Guidance & AAP Guidance) and notify the school at [email protected].
Head checks at school are ONLY completed on students showing symptoms (itchy heads). The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National School Nurse Association agree that management of head lice should not disrupt the educational process.
Meaghan Riemer: [email protected], School Nurse
Lora Rolfe: [email protected], School Nurse
Community Corner
Katie Campbell, School Social Worker
Ali Waterhouse, School Counselor
Amy Vincent-Cross, School Social Worker
A Look Into Literacy
As we move into February, our literacy classrooms are transitioning from their poetry units to new units!
*4TH GRADE*
Get ready for some "light bulb" moments! This month, our 4th graders are diving into Unit 4, “Eureka! Student Inventor”. This quest-based unit transforms the classroom into a fast-paced game show where students act as contestants. To earn wedges for their Wheel of Invention, students will explore the history of innovation and the grit required to turn a simple idea into a world-changing reality. Students will read biographical profiles of legends like Thomas Edison, George Washington Carver, and Hedy Lamarr. They will also learn the mechanics behind levers, pulleys, and inclined planes to understand how they form the "bones" of complex inventions. As students work through the unit, they will collaborate in labs (groups) to solve problems, such as designing a way to move objects without using their hands. Finally, they will identify a real-world problem, design an original invention to solve it, and pitch their idea to the class.
How can you help at home?
- Spot the Simple Machines: Look for simple machines around your house. Can your child find a wedge (a doorstop), a lever (a bottle opener), or a pulley (the blinds)?
- The "Problem-Solver" Mindset: When something is frustrating or broken at home, ask your child: "How could we invent something to fix this?" Encourage them to sketch their ideas.
- Discuss Failure: A key theme of this unit is that "failure is a part of the process." Share a time you failed at something and how you pivoted—it helps reinforce the resilience they are learning in class.
*5TH GRADE*
Our 5th graders are stepping back in time to Golden Age Spain as they begin their new unit, "A Knight’s Tale: Don Quixote." This unit centers on Miguel de Cervantes’ masterpiece, Don Quixote. Through the adventures of the "Man of La Mancha" and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza, students will explore the fine line between imagination and reality, while uncovering the history of knighthood and chivalry. Students will explore how Cervantes uses irony, parody, and slapstick humor to poke fun at the books of chivalry popular in his time.They will contrast the idealistic (and often deluded) vision of Don Quixote with the grounded, practical worldview of Sancho Panza, and follow the classic hero’s journey structure while identifying the specific traits of a knight-errant. Finally, students will compose their own chivalric adventure, focusing on descriptive language and character development.
How can you help at home?
- Vocabulary "Quests: Ask your child what it means to be quixotic (extravagantly chivalrous or romantic) or what the phrase "tilting at windmills" means. They might be surprised to learn these common English idioms come straight from this book!
- Discuss Perspectives: Talk about a movie or book where two characters see the same event differently. Ask, "Who is the 'Don Quixote' (the dreamer) and who is the 'Sancho Panza' (the realist)?"
- Explore Chivalry: Discuss what "modern chivalry" looks like. How can we show courage, honor, and courtesy in our everyday lives today?
Check out what is going on at Prince Memorial Library!
Janet Giguere, Literacy Specialist
Math Matters!
This month, our upper elementary mathematicians are tackling complex operations with multi-digit numbers and fractions. Here is a look at what’s happening in the classroom:
Fourth graders are transitioning from simple facts to multiplying larger numbers. We focus on Partial Products, a strategy that ensures students understand the value of each digit rather than just memorizing steps. We use Area Models (rectangles partitioned into smaller parts) to help students visualize how the numbers are being broken down. The example below shows how to use partial-product multiplication to find 456 * 4.
Fifth graders are diving deep into fractions, moving to complex operations. The goal this month is to build flexibility by learning to manipulate fractions in different contexts.
- Adding & Subtracting: Students are developing strategies to find common denominators when working with unlike fractions and mixed numbers.
- Fraction Multiplication: We are connecting "fraction-of" thinking (e.g., What is ½ of 10) to the formal multiplication algorithm.
- Why Models Matter: We use concrete tools (like fraction bars and number lines) to build a "conceptual foundation." When students can see the math, they are better equipped to use faster, more efficient strategies later on.
Shannon Peterson, Math Specialist
News from our Greely PTO!
In December, the Greely PTO organized the first ever Tee Shirt Design Contest for students in grades K through 5th.
Students were given a submission form with the blank outline of the Greely Rangers G and asked to design anything they felt like on this sheet of white paper.
Choosing winners proved difficult as we received hundreds of amazing submissions.
Please congratulate our winners when you see them. We are so proud of them and all the others who participated.
The Late Bus
In addition to regular, daily dismissal, a late bus is also available on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for students who stay for co-curricular activities or after-school academic support. Buses pick up students from GMS at 4:15pm and transport them home. Please be aware that depending on the number of students riding the late bus on a given day, your child's arrival time at home may vary. If you have specific questions about the late bus, please feel free to call the Transportation Garage at 829-4820.
Co-Curricular Activities
Monday:
5th grade Band Mr. Barry Saunders [email protected]
Tuesday:
Chorus - Mrs. Jennifer Caton [email protected]
Thursday:
Newspaper Club - Ms. Melissa Fiess [email protected]
5th grade Ukulele Club - Mr. Barry Saunders [email protected]
5th grade Math Team - Mrs. Laurie Poissonnier [email protected]
During the School Day:
Green Team - Mrs. Monica Moore [email protected]
Civil Rights Team - Mrs. Katie Cassessee [email protected], Mrs. Jane Kilbride-Dupuis [email protected], Ms. Molly Russell [email protected]
Stay Connected
