Specials Spotlight

Our primary kiddos are starting off the year strong with learning how to use art supplies respectfully, responsibly, and safefly. They'be used paints, oil pastels, paint sticks, color sticks and of course crayons so far and will be practicing scissor safety and bottle glue control soon. I am always looking for parent/grandparent/guardian volunteers. No experience is needed, just come on in and create with us.

Here are the links to iVolunteer Sign Ups if you're interested.

Ms. Escobar : https://stceciliacathedral.ivolunteer.com/art_room_006

Ms. Mateljan: https://stceciliacathedral.ivolunteer.com/art_room_007

Mrs. Schumacher: https://stceciliacathedral.ivolunteer.com/art_room_008

Mrs. Zimmer: https://stceciliacathedral.ivolunteer.com/art_room_009

Mrs. Neuman: https://stceciliacathedral.ivolunteer.com/art_room_010

Ms. Monson: https://stceciliacathedral.ivolunteer.com/art_room_011

We've definitely hit our stride in the library, and it's been fantastic to see so many students remembering to bring their books back each week! A quick heads-up: if your student forgets their library books, they can always renew them for another week or bring them in the next day.

Here's a quick look at our class schedule:

• Mondays: K, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade

• Tuesdays: 1st and 5th grade

• Tuesdays & Wednesdays: Middle School (for Library/Technology) and PreK

This week was packed with activity! Our middle school students wrapped up their IXL Math and Reading Diagnostic Tests and are now getting creative by designing modern art-inspired T-shirts on Google Slides. The fifth graders explored our new digital resource, Sora. It's a great app that lets them check out ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines, and it's available to all students in grades 4-8. It's an awesome way to supplement our physical library. I've attached a guide if you'd like to get the app on your home devices.

Our youngest students, from kindergarten through 4th grade, are doing an incredible job of taking care of their books and are becoming pros at choosing ones that are just right for them.

We have had a great start to the school year in music class! We are starting to settle into our routines and get some good work done.

Our youngest students (preK - 2nd) have been exploring the concept of high and low. The 1st and 2nd grade students took this a little further and added some solfege syllables (so, mi, la) to name the pitches. We have also spent some time learning and practicing how to use our classroom calm down tools.

The rest of the students have been busy on a wide variety of projects. The 3rd graders have been learning how to read letter names on the treble clef (this is challenging!) and the 4th graders have been reviewing their rhythms in preparation for starting recorders. 5th grade has been doing some research on instruments and the physics of sound as part of an engineering project we are working on.

The middle school students have all been getting a chance to practice discussing and explaining music in different ways. They have been doing a lot of listening, discussing, and writing.

After compiling all the numbers, there were officially 28 students who hit new personal records on the PACER Test! Way to go, Cardinals! Last week, Etta H. (3rd), Romona L. (3rd), Avianna D. (3rd), Jeanne L. (3rd), Elwood M. (3rd), Goldie S. (3rd), Sunny G. (5th), Maggie G. (5th), Kristina L. (5th), Anastasia P. (5th), Caiden R. (5th), Gabe A. (5th), Will G. (5th), Hannes K. (5th), Mia L. (5th), Paisley R. (5th), Aubrey R. (5th), and Finn W. (5th) reached a new personal record on the PACER Test. 11 students in 7th and 8th Grade achieved new personal records on the Broad Jump Test! 103 students broke their personal record on the Time-Lap Test! Middle School students are beginning our Flag Football unit. 2nd through 5th Grade start our Football unit, which will last 3 weeks. PreK through 1st Grade are transitioning from an underhand toss to overhand throw while playing catch with a partner.

This past week, our students have been diving into some exciting projects that combine their technical skills with their creativity! We've been using a few different apps and hands-on materials across the grade levels to learn some new skills in a fun way.

1st and 2nd Grade: Digital Book Creation

Our 1st and 2nd graders have been busy making their own digital books using an app called Book Creator. This app allows them to design and illustrate their very own stories, which they absolutely love. It's a fantastic tool that helps them develop a wide range of skills, from writing and storytelling to digital drawing and layout design. They can add text, images, and even audio to their creations, giving them endless ways to express their imagination.

3rd Grade: Acrostic Poems

Our 3rd graders are putting their writing skills and digital skills to the test by creating fall-themed acrostic poems using the Pages app on their iPads. This project challenges them to think creatively about the words they choose while also learning how to format and design their work within the app.

Kindergarten: Wikki Stix

The kindergarten students used Wikki Stix to help develop their fine motor skills. Made of string coated in wax, these colorful sticks are perfect for little hands. We used them to practice making 2D shapes, which was a fun and hands-on way to learn about geometry.

I'm always so impressed with the ideas the students come up with. They do such great work!