Mary Hogan Family News
October 23rd, 2026
Hello Mary Hogan Families!
It is hard to believe that there is only one week left in October. It honestly has been a beautiful month - in terms of weather as well as learning at Mary Hogan. I have been reflecting yesterday and this morning about the fall. I have seen so much growth in students and classes since the start of the year. Students are engaged in their learning, working hard to push themselves beyond just getting "the right answer".
This week, I watched 5th graders in their fitness unit encourage each other as they sprinted, jumped, and practiced agility. Everyone was doing their best, and their peers' encouragement was genuine and positive.
While this is just one example, it is what I see in classes throughout the building each day. I hope you have seen the growth in your child this fall and that the fall conferences are an opportunity to reflect on that growth - and set goals for the rest of the year.
Enjoy the long weekend!
💙,
Jen
Save the Date for a Cozy Math Night - 11/12, 5.45-7pm
Please come to Math Night and enjoy a free Farm to School meal, featuring local products. It’s a chance to recognize every child’s effort and growth in math. When families explore math together, children feel more supported and confident. You can visit classrooms to play math games with your mathematician, view student work, and learn more about at-home resources.
We are looking for adults who are willing to help set up (5:15-5:45) or serve the food (5:45-6:45) during this event. If you have a child in 4th or 5th grade and they would like to help serve food with you, let us know. You can take a half hour shift and then still have time to explore the math games! Please email jaltemose@acsdvt.org if you are able to help out.
Out in the Woods
Kindergarteners got out to Battell Woods this past Wednesday with Dave Nulsen, who works for the US Forest Service. He helped them learn about the woods around them. And, they loved being in the woods on such a beautiful fall morning to learn and explore the world around them. If you have a chance to go for a hike in Battell Woods this weekend, it is beautiful!
Fractional Thinking
Fourth Graders are working on understanding and adding fractions. This week, students looked at three different squares with different amounts colored in. Just by looking at them, the students needed to figure out how much of the larger square was colored. They then talked with a partner and worked to find agreement for what the fraction should be. The conversations were rich and students used different strategies, so could hear how their peers thought similarly or differently form themselves.
Backing Up Your Opinions
Students in first grade are learning about fact versus opinion and when you have an opinion how you can explain why you have that opinion. One class did this together with would you rather questions. Students considered if they would rather eat pizza or ice cream every day for a year and if they would rather have a pet unicorn or dragon. Once on the side they chose, they had to explain why they felt this way. There were SO many reasons on each side. It was a great example of the part of the IB mission statement that guides our work "other people, with their differences, can also be right!"
