Weekly Newsletter

Dear KME Families,

As we enter the fourth week of January, our 5th graders are continuing to build strong routines and deepen their focus on learning. Students are being encouraged to stay organized, use their time wisely, and take ownership of their work as we move confidently through the second half of the school year.

This week, we are emphasizing perseverance and goal-setting. Students are being reminded that growth comes from effort, practice, and a positive mindset—especially when learning feels challenging.

We would like to ask for your support in reinforcing school expectations during lunch and recess. Some students need frequent reminders about appropriate behavior during these unstructured times, and your encouragement at home can help reinforce positive choices and respectful conduct.

Additionally, please help us encourage students to practice their cursive handwriting. Regular practice will help improve fluency, neatness, and confidence, and even a few minutes at home can make a big difference.

Also, please remind your child to read their library book daily and log their reading minutes in Beanstack. Consistent reading at home helps build strong literacy habits and supports classroom learning.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement. We truly appreciate our partnership with you and look forward to another meaningful week of learning and progress in 5th grade.

As always, please reach out if you have any questions or need anything from us.

Misty Horton- mhorton@newcaneyisd.org

Anna Heimler- aheimler@newcaneyisd.org

Amanda Mengel- amengel@newcaneyisd.org

Taylor Bonsal- tbonsal@newcaneyisd.org

Joshua Paul- jpaul@newcaneyisd.org

Roshelle Buaquen- rbuaquen@newcaneyisd.org

Sincerely,
The KME 5th Grade Team

January 19 - MLK Day/Holiday (No School)

January 26- 100 Days of School "100 Years of Fashion Eras"

January 29 - Family Meal Challenge (4:30-5:30)

January 30 - PTO Winter Dance (6:00-8:30)

February 3rd- Houston Symphony (5th Grade Field Trip)

February 13th- Class Party

May 15- 5th Grade Awarding Ceremony

Unit 6: Introduction to Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Family Letter for Unit 6- LINK

Comparing Characters in a Play

Performing Shakespeare’s Work

Comedies and Tragedies

Dramatic Indignation and Slapstick Comedy

HOMEWORK

Cursive Handwriting Practice-Weekly

30 minute reading- Daily

What we are learning this week:

-Compare and evaluate expressions with parentheses and brackets

-Solve and create fraction word problems involving addition, subtraction, and multiplication

-Convert measures involving whole numbers, and multi-step word problems

Bluebonnet Math Family Guide

Check the Tuesday folder for weekly optional homework. These worksheets are great for practicing skills we are learning in class.

What we’re learning this week:

Social Studies: The Civil War

Every Tuesday, be sure to check your child’s Tuesday folder for their weekly science homework! Homework will be reviewed in class on Fridays. Students that return their homework before class time on Friday will receive an incentive in class! We highly encourage students to get the extra practice at home!

Science IXL is Here!!

Science has been added to the IXL program for our 5th grade students! The science team highly recommends having your child log on and practice occasionally at home! The IXL program can be accessed through Classlink at home on a computer or phone/tablet. Students will use the same login and password that they use on their Chromebooks at school. Additional instructions can be found below in our newsletter.

How to Access Classlink From Home:

Some parents have requested instructions on how their students can get to Classlink programs (such as IXL) from home. View the picture on the right for instructions!

-We have a 7 -minute snack break at 9:30 AM. Please feel free to send a small healthy snack with your child. *No candy or juice.

-This year, homework will be optional and not graded, but students can earn rewards for completing it—like class points, shout-outs, or small prizes. It’s a fun way to build responsibility and practice key skills without the pressure of a grade. Thank you for encouraging your child to participate!

• No tag = no ride begins September 2nd for all bus riders! Please ensure your student has their Smart Tag. We have printed and zip tied a Smart Tag to every student's backpack. Replacement tags can be purchased in the front office.

• Transportation changes are due everyday by 2:00 PM to kmetransportation@newcaneyisd.org.

• The early pickup cut off is 3:00 PM each day.

• Updated proof of residency is due for every student by October 3rd!

Some parents have asked for resources to use at home:

• Released STAAR Tests: https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/testing/staar/staar-released-test-questions
• Multiplication Facts: https://www.rapidtables.com/math/number/multiplication-table.html
• Reading Comprehension: https://www.readworks.org/
• Read every night for 30 minutes!
• IXL in Classlink (Reading Language Arts, Science and Math)

We will add more resources as we come across them!