Weekly Newsletter

I am pretty sure I am the luckiest teacher at Northridge! We have such a great class with such great families! Our class is already starting to work really well together and it was such a pleasure to see so many of you at the Back to School Carnival! Many students also said they enjoyed getting a little extra sleep yesterday with our new late start Fridays.

This week we started igniting some excitement for learning and we continued building a great community. We finalized our class agreement. We also started some of our beginning of the year assessments and began digging into our curriculum. Next week the students will start using planners and having some homework. I have included more information about how you can help support your child at home below.

Today: Colorado Turns 150 Celebration in Highlands Ranch

8/24: 16" x 20" foam boards due Monday

8/26: Watch Dog Dad Meeting 5-6pm

9/2: Fun Run

9/8: Cold Stone Teacher Scoop Night

9/7 Labor Day - No School

10/22: In-house Nature Educators Field Trip!

The 16" x 20" foam boards for our first social studies project are due Monday. We will be working on the project this week!

We will be taking iReady beginning of the year tests for both reading and math this week. We will be doing iReady reading on Tuesday and Wednesday in the morning. We will be doing iReady math on Thursday and Friday in the morning.

Students will need their headphones/earbuds for iReady testing. Please make sure your child brings in headphones on Monday if they don't have a pair at school yet! Please remember that we cannot use wireless headphones/earbuds at school.

We will also be taking a Colorado Map test on Friday. They will be creating maps in school this week that they will bring home in order to study.

Our Topic 1 math test is also coming up. Each math teacher may be testing on a slightly different day based on class schedule and needs. My goal is to have their math homework in their planner, regardless of teacher, and on my website page. We didn't switch classes for math last year, so it may take me a little time to iron out the wrinkles on this one 🙃.

On Friday, they will bring home their first reading packet. They will receive a reading packet most Fridays and it is due the following Friday. They may turn it in early, if they finish before it is due.

Your child will receive their planner on Monday. We will write homework in it together every day. You can check to see that your child filled in their homework correctly using the homework page on my website. Please review their planner/homework with them every evening, help them find a great study space, help them plan their time in the evening so that their homework gets completed on time, and initial their planner each day. They will receive a PRIDE ticket if they have your initials.

4th grade social studies is all about Colorado history!!! We are known as the Centennial State because we were recognized as a state exactly 100 years after the United States was recognized as a country!

Stories in the Sky is a statewide series of choreographed drone light shows that bring Colorado’s landscapes, history, and communities to life after dark. Using hundreds of illuminated drones as a canvas, each performance tells a unique story in the night sky—blending art, technology, and local culture into a shared, awe-inspiring experience. From mountain towns to urban centers, these shows offer a sustainable, family-friendly way to celebrate place, spark imagination, and connect audiences across the state.

• Date: Aug., 22 (7:00 - 8:30PM)
• Location: Civic Green Park (Highlands Ranch)

CLICK HERE for MORE DETAILS!

What: Fun Run is a day for EVERYONE at Northridge! Our students raise donations and jog laps, teachers and parents jog with and cheer on students, Specials teachers and staff help support the day in so many ways, and our principal runs laps with every grade! It’s an all-school event that is our largest fundraiser of the year.

When: Wednesday, September 2nd

Why: Fundraising proceeds will go toward new technology, online learning resources, teacher appreciation, class field trip transportation, classroom books and supplies and much more!

How: All students can register for a customizable fundraising webpage that makes sending donation requests and sharing why you love NRE with friends and family easy peasy! On September 2nd students will run laps for 20 minutes on a .1 mile track (on average, kids run 9-10 laps). Students will be awarded an all school Prize Day on September 18th to celebrate our accomplishments in addition to individual fundraising incentives! All of this information and MORE can be found on the Fun Run website.

First Step: Sign up today! The Northridge Fun Run website will be your friend. It has ALL the information about the Fun Run and makes fundraising so easy. Step by step instructions are on the front page of the website.

For Some Extra Fun: Register your child(ren) by next Friday, August 28 and they will receive a NRE Waterbottle Sticker!

Cold Stone Night is Tuesday, September 8th. More details to come!

Our first Popcorn Friday will be September 4th! Please make sure to sign your child up using MySchoolBucks by August 31st, if they would like to participate.

On Thursday, October 22nd from 12:00--2:05 Nature Educators will be coming to do a one hour program for our fourth grade students. The Nature Educators is a wildlife education program in Colorado. This program will be about animal adaptations and habitats. Nature Educators will bring a few different animals such as: birds, reptiles, amphibians, or invertebrates to discuss the various diets, habitats, and adaptations for each. Students will be viewing the program in the library. The funds have been generously covered by a PTA grant. Parent permission is still required on MySchoolBucks. Thank you for supporting your child in this engaging educational experience.

Different volunteer opportunities are listed below. Please sign up for anything that you are interested in. Involved families make our school better! If you are interested in volunteering, you must sign a Parent Volunteer Form. This was available at the Fly By and Say Hi event. The form can also be found on the Volunteer Website as well as outside the Front Office.

A flyer came home the first Thursday with information about this program and how to RSVP's for the kick-off event on Wednesday, August 27th at 5pm.

If you have a special talent that you think would enhance the learning in our classroom, please feel free to email me.

I have a few Wish List items for our classroom, if you want to check out my Amazon Wish List. I will update the Wish List as the year continues. Thank you in advance!