ISM Halloween Festival - Friday, October 31

Hi Parents,

Don't be frightened, but we have attached a letter and included a link to some flyers from the Halloween Festival organizers for you to read. Please do. It looks like it will be a fun day. Everything's been planned out and organized really well, now what's needed are some volunteers and a few items donated. Here is an overview of what's happening, and what you can do to help:

The festival will be from 1:00-3:00 on the 31st, with many fun activities held at various locations on campus, beginning with a costume parade. Volunteer responsibilities have been categorized per class, and ours is running the Die-Cut Photo Frame activity table. We need two volunteers per 4th Grade class... Anyone, Anyone?

As far as what our classes are responsible for in terms of supplies and food/water, we have been asked to provide the following:

• 10 Cases of Water per class (perhaps 1 case each for 10 people per class?)
• Die Cuts for decorating frames and photo printer paper

Also, there will once again be a carved pumpkin contest, but this year the organizers have asked that students bring their pumpkin(s) to their classroom on Thursday, Oct. 30.

If Trick Or Trunk is something you want to participate in, you can sign up on ISM's volunteer website or through Lisa Moberg at lisa@landolinks.com.

Parent Letter
http://www.coastclick.com/pdf/IntroLetter_Halloween08.pdf

Check out the ISM volunteer website and this file containing flyers to find more details about the day:
http://www.coastclick.com/pdf/2008_HalloweenFest_Parent.pdf

Finally, please e-mail or call us with questions or to sign up for the volunteer or supply opportunities specific to our classes.

Thanks!

~ Karen Monahan and Barbara Okamura

Pilot Testing at ISM

Dear Parents,

Along with being a school textbook company, CTB Mc Graw Hill is also contracted by California
and many other states to create its standardized tests, (STAR Tests.) The company recently
contacted us at ISM and asked us if we would consider piloting some of their tests. The tests
will not count. No score will be recorded for any student. The company will use the tests to
determine which questions are valid questions that can be used on future STAR tests.

The request was to have one or two classes in grades 4-8 take an ELA test, math
test, reading test, social studies test, or science test. No class would take more than 2 of the tests and each test would take no more than 1 hour.

Taking a pilot test gives children the opportunity to experience (practice taking) a standardized test format in a non-threatening atmosphere. Experiencing a pilot test provides teachers with an opportunity to see how the California state standards might be accessed and thus allows them to better prepare students for the actual state tests.

Next week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10/28, 10/29 and 10/30 your child may have the opportunity to take one or two pilot tests. If you have any questions please contact me at 583-2169.

Sincerely,

Eric Pearlstein
Associate Director

(831) 583-2169
epearlstein@ismonterey.org

Half-Marathon Volunteer Opportunity and Box Tops Contest Information

Half Marathon Volunteers Needed - Sunday 11/9/08 from 6-11am

We have the chance to work at the aid station at Lover's Point for the Monterey Bay Half Marathon again this year. Our duties are to set up tables and prepare energy drinks before the runners arrive, serve water and energy drinks to them when they pass our station, and sweep the cups away with rakes. Students 3rd grade and up are welcome to help too. They will mainly be pouring water or energy drink into paper cups. It is a fun event for the whole family. Come join the fun!

To sign up, please contact Clara Wang at clarawang@comcast.net or sign up through PTO Manager.


Kids bring in your Box Tops!

The class that collects the most Box Tops will win an in-class movie and enjoy made-to-order smoothies.

Turn in your Box Tops to your teacher by Monday, October 27th

Jewelry Class Session 2 Reminder

Dear ISM parents,

The second session of the after school jewelry class is going to start next week on
Tuesday, October 28th through December 16th. This is an 8 week session and the cost is $90 (material cost included.) The class meets from 3:40pm to 5:00pm in the multi-purpose room.

The students will be able to make numerous jewelry pieces, which will be a great
opportunity to create some hand made Christmas presents.

Please consider signing up your child. The sign up sheet is available at:
http://www.coastclick.com/welsh/files/2008_jewelryclassflyer.pdf
Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Kind regards,

Nick Trachsel,
Father of 5th grader Corinne

RSS in Plain English

Here is a 3.5 minute video explaining Really Simple Syndication (RSS). By using RSS, you can save lots of time and ensure that you get the most recent news without having to worry about bounced email messages, identity/privacy issues or having to update your personal email address whenever it changes. (Google Reader is a free, easy web-based RSS Reader.) In order to "subscribe" to this blog and receive updates, click on this link and follow the instructions. If you have any questions or require any assistance, please contact james@ssmedia.com.

Thursday's Field Trip Information

Just a quick note to update you all on Thursday's field trip to Seaside Beach to explore and restore the sand dunes.

First, thank you for being so prompt at returning the permission slips. We've had a great response and just have a few more to collect. Go team!

We had a nice presentation today by the woman who will be leading the trip. We learned about the fragile habitat of the dunes and what we will be doing to help restore some of the areas which have been damaged.

For the field trip students may wear "free dress". (This is different from what I mentioned in the letter sent home.) This is an outdoor field experience so all students should wear long pants and comfortable closed-toe shoes. We will be getting sandy and dirty so, fashion is not to be a concern with dress. Definitely no high heels or skirts!

Students should also wear:

• a short-sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt over it
• a hat
• sunscreen applied at home in the morning

Bring a backpack with:

• a water bottle
• a snack (we were asked to be careful about wrappers that might blow away) - fruit is a great choice.

We will load the cars to depart at 9:00 am and return around noon or a little before. Pick-up time will be the usual 3:20.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,
Mary Welsh

ISM Help with a Ladder, Lunch or Recess, and Spanish Tutoring

ISM needs help. If you can do any of the following, please read the paragraphs below and respond directly to Mr. Eric Pearlstein, epearlstein@ismonterey.org.

Thank you!

1. Loan ISM a tall extension ladder
2. Help with supervising lunch or morning or afternoon recess
3. Tutor Spanish (for new ISM students who have little or no Spanish background)

Here's the longer request from Mr. Pearlstein:

1. Is there a parent with a tall extension ladder. I would like hang our "Dream Flags" for our celebration of Veterans Day on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 which will take place at the flag pole. We would need to install eye hooks the week prior and then string the flags Tuesday morning before the ceremony.
   
   
2. Would there be one or two parents who might be available one or two days a week to help supervise during lunch periods? The idea would be for children to have the option of eating outside on the grass one or two days each week. The teachers assigned to supervise could split up, one inside and one outside and then a parent could provide supervision, watching as children leave the lunchroom and walk to the grass area.
   
   Might there be any parents available to help supervise during morning or afternoon recess? With the loss of aides we could use a few more adult sets of eyes.
   
   
3. Would there be parents or grandparents who are native Spanish speakers or fluent in Spanish who could tutor children who are new to ISM? Often these kids have little or no background in Spanish. The program we might develop, and how it might work would depend on the background of the tutors and the time they might be available.

U.S. Army Fort Ord Prescribed Burn Program: Mobilization Notice

Hello Parents,

We are on the Fort Ord notification list for the prescribed burn program. Below is an email then just sent to us, we wanted to make sure you were informed as well.

Mobilization Notice: Tuesday, October 21, 2008, Noon This message is from the Former Fort Ord Prescribed burn direct notification program. Helicopters and other equipment have begun to mobilize to Fort Ord. Prescribed burns may be conducted at any time over the next several days if appropriate weather conditions are present. You will receive an additional notification after the prescribed burn has been ignited. Please call the hotline at 1-800-852-9699 or visit the web site at www.FortOrdCleanup.com for further information. Again, the hotline is 1-800-852-9699.

Parent Update 10/20/2008

Dear 4th Grade families,

I hope all of you enjoyed a nice two-week break together and had some time to unwind and be together. I certainly enjoyed the time with my family and friends as well as have a chance to read and work.

As you know, we are starting out the next few weeks with a bang. We have three field trips coming up and a 4th grade picnic to look forward to this Friday. Our class will also be hosting the Chinese lunch on Friday as a fundraiser for our class. So, here is an overview of the upcoming events:

Thursday, October 23rd – Our class goes on the Beach Garden Project field trip - 9am – 12pm.
Look for the field trip forms coming home today for this trip and return them tomorrow if possible. Drivers needed!

Friday, October, 24th – Chinese Lunch fundraiser – Thank you to Barbara Okamura and Angela Leavitt for helping to put this lunch on.

Friday, October 24th – 5–7pm - 4th grade potluck in the park. Come to Cassanova-Oak Knoll Park to meet with other parents and families and relax and play together. (Please bring a food item according to the sheet provided before break.)

Wednesday, October, 28 – 8:30am–3:00 pm - Field trip to Mission San Juan Bautista. Tour, interactive game and exploration of historic San Juan Bautista. Cost: $3.50 per student. Drivers needed.

Thursday, November 6, 2008 - 9:00 am – 2:30pm – (It's back on the books unless it is a big problem for all. Please be reminded that this trip is scheduled for the early dismissal day.) Monterey State Historic Park program focusing on life in California during the rancho period. Cost: $10 per student. Drivers needed.

Due to the fact that we will have a guest speaker tomorrow and a field trip on Thursday during our normal spelling time, we will not have a spelling list this week. We will resume spelling next Monday. We will work in our math lessons in the afternoons to keep on target with the math. Math homework will be mostly normal ie. Study Links pages though we may split one of the homework assignments up if we can't do the whole lesson.

We will continue with our science unit and be creating river tables this week. This should go nicely with our work on the dunes too.

I will be going over expectations for the planners with the students again today. I am hoping to help them all be more consistent with using their planners and helping them prepare for 5th grade and middle school. They will be keeping track of their reading minutes and pages as well as homework or any notes needed. I will also be more consistent with collecting and grading them for their "work habits".

Everyone should have a set of "Fact Triangles" at home to help study multiplication and division facts. Students should be working on them every afternoon.
Try covering one of the divisors and see if they can come up with the quotient of a division problem with the fact families. Your help with this makes a big difference with their memorization skills.

Best wishes,

Mary Welsh

Dates of Upcoming Field Trips

Hi, all,

Apologies for all the confusion.

Our upcoming field trips are:

Thursday, October 23 (Welsh) and Tues. 28 (Arnow) to Seaside Dunes (Dune geology and ecology)

Wednesday, October 29 to San Juan Bautista State Historic Park (Mission history and hands-on program)

Thursday, November 6 to Monterey State Historic Park (Rancho history hands-on program) (This is a conference day and an early dismissal day -- we will return about 2:30 p.m. but school lets out at 11:30)

Best,

Laura

Another Change of Plans

Dear families,

After much thought and discussion, we've come up with a plan that may help us salvage our trip to the Rancho program at the Monterey Historic State Park. It involves some stretching by us as teachers and also by you as families. Here is our proposal -- please let us know no later than noon tomorrow if this poses a problem for you or your family.

We will attend the field trip as originally scheduled, returning to school around 2:30. This means that you will need to pick the kids up at that time, even if you've had to pick up their siblings at 11:30 dismissal. For our part, it means we will have to make up the missing conference time by scheduling conferences after school and/or during our planning periods over a longer period of time instead of only the two scheduled conference days.

Please help us make this opportunity work for your kids! Reply by email or leave a phone message at school if this plan won't be possible for you and your child.

Best wishes,

Laura and Mary

Change to Nov 6th Field Trip to Cooper Molera

Dear 4th Grade Parents,

We have one change to our upcoming field trip schedule. Sadly, the November 6th trip to Cooper Molera adobe conflicts with our student-led conferences. On Thursday, November 6th, there is an early dismissal which doesn't work for our planned day-long trip. Therefore, we had to cancel this trip. The other field trips are still on the calendar. The first of these will be next week for Ms. Welsh's class so, please look for the field trip form coming home on Monday and return it as soon as possible.
Thank you again for all of your support.

Sincerely,
Laura and Mary