Pacific Intermediate Newsletter

Happy February, Intermediate Families!

As we enter the heart of winter, I want to share a few important reminders to keep in mind:

• Recess in the Cold: We understand that cold weather can make recess less enjoyable. To ensure our students still get some fresh air, we will continue to go outside for recess on most days where the wind chill is above 20 degrees. Please make sure your child has appropriate winter wear, including a warm coat, hat, gloves, and appropriate shoes.

• Winter Wear Needs: If your child needs a jacket or other winter items, please don't hesitate to contact the school office. We have a small supply of items available to help keep our students warm and comfortable.

• Valentine's Day Deliveries: To ensure the safety and well-being of all students, we strongly discourage parents from sending Valentine's Day deliveries to the school. Flowers and balloons can create distractions and potential hazards, both at school and on the school bus. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

• Third Trimester Incentive Dance: We are excited to announce that we are preparing for our third trimester incentive dance! This fun event will take place in May and will be a reward for students who maintain good academic standing (no F's) and demonstrate appropriate behavior (no major discipline issues).

• February Calendar Updates:

• February 24th is now a full day of student attendance.

• The end of the trimester has been moved to February 27th and will also be a full day of attendance. Please see the revised 24/25 District Calendar listed below.

• The professional development day has moved to February 28th and it will not be a student attendance day.

• This moves our February club day to the 21st.

• Important Academic Reminders:

• Summer School: Students who earn more than three F's across all three trimesters may be required to attend summer school.

• Grade Retention: Students who earn more than five F's across all three trimesters will be considered for retention in their current grade.

We look forward to a productive and enjoyable February and end of the second trimester!

Sincerely,

Matt Agee

Principal, Pacific Intermediate

Mrs. Jackson~ Math & Science

Mrs. Menley~Language Arts, Reading & History

Mrs. Alcorn~Math

Ms. DiBlasi~History & Science

Mrs. Tandy~Language Arts & Reading

Mr. Crabtree~Math

Mr. Gilcrease~Language Arts & Reading

Mr. Wengler~History & Science

Over the next few months we will be focusing on fractions. Our first unit is adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. It is vital that your child know and understand their math facts. They will use this knowledge as they find the least common multiple to make equivalent fractions and the greatest common factor when reducing to lowest form. Please have your child review their math facts daily with flash cards or even free games that can be downloaded to their devices.

Another important piece to this unit is the homework. Your child needs to be completing the daily practice to ensure that they are ready for the assessment. Collectively as a 5th grade math team we don’t have a particular method for students to use. They can use whichever methods they want, as long as they are successful with it. If you need any help or support, please let us know.

Students have been working hard on their CODEX projects and writing about the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. They have also been learning about several different aspects of each civilization. The stories we have been reading are non-fiction, and students have been working on finding text evidence and referring back to the text.

Students have been learning about subjects, predicates, and action and linking verbs. We have also been learning new prefixes: il-, ir-, and inter-. This unit, we have incorporated spelling. The first spelling list contained content words and the second list contained words using the prefixes that we have learned.

Our next unit will be about poetry. Students will be reading and creating their own poetry.

Science:

Fifth graders will explore patterns of the Earth, Sun, moon, and stars. They will investigate how shadows change throughout the day, how the sun's position changes throughout the year, and how stars change throughout the seasons. They will also create models to explore moon patterns.

Students will also explore our solar system! They will investigate how bright the sun appears from each planet in our solar system in addition to stars of other solar systems in galaxies far away. Fifth graders will also investigate gravity on Earth and gravity on other planets to discover patterns of this incredible force.

History:

Fifth graders will continue their study of World War I by focusing on trench warfare, the U.S.'s role in the war, and the new technology that was used. We will then move on to a mini-unit on the Great Depression, focusing on this time period's causes and effects.

Mrs. Boling~English

Mr. Effan~Social Studies

Ms. Griffin~Science

Mrs. Voss~Math

Ms. Stumborg~English

Mr. Slaughter~Social Studies

Mrs. Todahl~Science

Mrs. Weil~ Math

Mr. McMahon and Mrs. Meyers

Ms. Shearin

We are glad to be back and settled back in from Winter Break. Please make sure your child's hoodies, jackets, and coats are being washed regularly. Please continue to check your emails to keep up with what is going on in class. This is a great time of year to make sure your child has pencils!

6th Grade English: Mrs. Boling & Mrs. Stumborg
English students are currently working on an argumentative writing unit about whether or not children should be allowed to have social media. They will be looking for evidence in articles to back up their claims. We are also continuing to do vocabulary units every 2 weeks, so be sure to ask your child when the vocabulary quizzes are.

6th Grade Math: Mrs. Voss & Mrs. Weil
Math students are working on solving One-Step Equations. Students in advanced classes will focus on Mean, Median and Mode. It's important to ensure that your child completes their homework every night, as this practice contributes significantly to their success in the classroom.

6th Grade Reading: Mrs. Meyers & Mr. McMahon
In reading we are currently in our argumentative unit. The students are reading a variety of nonfiction articles. They will then be learning how to form an intelligent argument by citing textual evidence. Also, Trimester 2 book reports are due by the end of February. The students need to complete a fictional chapter book and fill out the assigned slideshow in their classroom.

6th Grade Science: Mrs. Todahl & Ms. Griffin
We’ve just wrapped up our Weather and Climate unit and are diving into our new topic Human Impact on the Environment! Check the planner page at the front of your child’s science binder to stay informed about what we’re learning, their current grade, and any missing assignments. Students must update this planner page every Monday to keep everything on track!

6th Grade Social Studies: Mr. Effan & Mr. Slaughter
Social Studies concluded 2024 by exploring the history of ancient India. This civilization contributed significantly to the world with the emergence of Hinduism and the philosophical principles of Buddhism, both of which have had enduring impacts, ranging from contemporary yoga practices to the foundations of modern psychology.

6th Grade Odyssey: Ms. Shearin

Odyssey will be moving into our Foreign Language unit. Students will build a basic understanding of a new language and learn how to build simple sentences in the language of their choice.

Hello families! We hope you had a great long winter break with your families last month. Welcome to the second half of the school year. We are so excited to be bracing the cold with your kids.

Last month we were gathering information from both fifth and sixth graders on what elective classes they would like to take next school year. This has been a fun time looking to the future and hopefully getting them excited about what is to come. If your child is a sixth grader and they have not reviewed their elective choices for next year with you, please have them turn this form in asap to Pacific Intermediate so they are able to get the elective choices they signed up for. Fifth graders will hear more about the transition to sixth grade in the coming months. Sixth grade students will be given the opportunity to visit Riverbend in the spring so that they feel more comfortable as they prepare to change schools.

This month fifth grade students will engage in a counseling lesson about a growth mindset. Students may not be able to do something yet, but with perseverance and determination students may reach their goals. Sixth graders will receive a lesson plan on perseverance and goal setting. Sixth graders will use time management and personal responsibility to maximize their time and reduce “time wasters." Additionally, students will be given time to review their grades for both Trimester 1 and 2 to reflect on performance and make plans for change, if necessary. By reducing time wasters, changing plans, and applying personal perseverance, students should be enabled to overcome obstacles to reach improvement or success.

Have a great month, and enjoy your Valentine's Day with your family. Please call us or email us if we can be of any help.

Sincerely,

Ms. Ally Speicher

5th Grade Counselor

636-271-1425 x 3509

aspeicher@mvr3.k12.mo.us

Ms. Jeanne Diamond

6th Grade Counselor

636-271-1425 x 3504

jdiamond@mvr3.k12.mo.us

Pacific Intermediate

195 N Indian Pride Dr.

Pacific, MO 63069

www.mvr3.k12.mo.us

Phone: 636-271-1425

Fax: 636-271-1465