Purple House 5 2023-2024

Dear Purple Families,

We started the week by reviewing what we investigated about density and relative density, exploring how different materials float or sink. To make it real-world, I shared how understanding density can even help when panning for gold! This picture shows my dad (in the plaid shirt) with a friend in the Yukon Territory of Canada, using science to separate gold from other materials in a stream.

We’ve had a busy and exciting week! Beginning-of-year MAP testing is now complete, and we’re turning our focus toward our very first fall conferences. Please be sure to check ParentSquare to sign up for a time that works best for your family.

We’re looking forward to another great week ahead! Don’t forget—the Book Fair opens Monday and will be available during lunch and recess. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to discover new stories and build their love of reading.

Warmly,
Ms. May Voltz
Purple Fifth Grade Teacher

International Dot Day, celebrated each year on September 15, is a global celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot. The story encourages students to “make their mark and see where it takes them,” reminding everyone that creativity starts with just a simple dot.

We encourage our learners to wear some dots!

Lesson 1: Let’s Dream Big!

In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to identify goals that are personally meaningful and interesting to them.

Try This at Home

Ask your child to share one or two goals they are considering. Encourage them to explain why those goals are important or exciting to them. Share a goal you had when you were younger and what made it meaningful to you.

We are excited to prepare for our upcoming conferences on October 7.

🤣 Look, Ms. Voltz, it says, "Coincidence? I don’t think so!" Who says that?

📚 Learn at Home: Reading Together

Reading with your child—both listening to them read aloud and reading aloud to them—is one of the most powerful ways to support their learning. Here’s why:

Benefits of Reading Together:

• Builds Vocabulary: Hearing new words in context helps children understand and remember them.

• Improves Fluency: Reading aloud helps children practice expression, pacing, and accuracy.

• Strengthens Comprehension: Discussing the story together helps children think deeply about characters, events, and ideas.

• Boosts Confidence: Regular practice builds self-assurance and a love for reading.

• Enhances Parent-Child Connection: Sharing books creates meaningful conversations and positive experiences.

What the Research Says:

• Children who read with an adult at home show higher reading achievement throughout elementary school.

• Reading aloud daily improves listening comprehension, critical thinking, and attention span.

• Discussing books together encourages deeper understanding and retention of ideas.

Tips for Parents:

1. Set aside 10–20 minutes a day for reading.

2. Let your child read aloud, but also read aloud to them.

3. Ask questions about the story to encourage thinking and conversation.

4. Celebrate progress, even small victories, to keep reading fun!

Pro Tip: Try alternating pages—your child reads one, then you read one. This keeps reading engaging and interactive!

Students broke into expert groups to investigate pH, location, climate, and soil drainage, applying scientific thinking as they explored each factor. Meanwhile, Mrs. Keiko guided us through hands-on soil sampling and pH testing, helping us collect data, make observations, and connect our findings to real-world gardening and plant growth.

Check out our Schoology Course for more information and photos at home!

Pro Parenting Tip: Schedule dentist and doctor appointments outside of school hours or choose afternoon slots so your child doesn't have to miss school. Every day counts! Thank you for supporting your child's education and helping us maintain strong attendance. Together, we can make a difference!

Our class will be electing a LEEdership Council representative on Friday, September 19th, 2025. This learner will meet with Mrs. Kastrounis throughout the school year during normal hours to develop their leadership skills and share their voice on campus.

This person must be a strong communicator, confident about sharing their thoughts and ideas, respected by their peers, and be elected. Please discuss this role with your learner to see if they have an interest in campaigning. If your child does want to run, we’ll refer to him/her as a candidate. As they "run" for this position, please abide by these guidelines:

1. Candidates may create a campaign video or prepare a speech to speak in front of the class. Make sure you:

1. Introduce yourself

2. Share why you would be the best candidate for this position

3. Share what you will do to make Lee Elementary a better place

4. Speak for 2 minutes or less.

2. OPTIONAL: Campaign poster

3. If your child is in 5th grade and was elected in grades Kinder through 2nd, they may run to be a class representative again this year.

ATTENDANCE

As you make vacation plans this year, remember that missing school can impact your child's learning and success, and it also affects attendance laws. Please schedule trips following the holidays on the CISD calendar to ensure compliance and support your child's education.

Show your school spirit with our brand new house color shirts! This year, we've updated the look with fresh designs and vibrant new colors, perfect for Spirit Day Fridays, field trips, and showing off your house pride all year long. Don’t miss the chance to grab yours at rjlpto.org/spurstore. The order deadline is September 21, with delivery the week of October 20. Adult sizes are also available so parents can join in the fun and showcase their school spirit! Place your order today!

Book Fair time is approaching. This is a time where there is an assortment of books, posters, and more for purchase while at school. Any funds raised at Book Fair go back to our school library to buy more books and supplies for all learners to use in our media center. Your child will be previewing the book fair this week and will be coming home with a “wish list” of books they would like to purchase. Please consider helping your child participate and make it easy by filling up their Scholastic E-Wallet.

We invite guests to stop by and have lunch with learners this Thursday, September 18. After having lunch, guests are welcome to shop at our Scholastic Book Fair in our media center. If you plan to attend, please sign up here to help us prepare for this special day. You can bring lunch in or enjoy the cafeteria lunch. School lunch is priced at $5.00 and will be charged to your learner's account. Bring your identification and please arrive at least 15 minutes early to facilitate getting checked in. We will have name tags prepared for those who have registered online to help speed up checking in and to avoid waiting in a long line.

This is one of the first onsite volunteer opportunities of the year and a great way to get involved and foster young readers! rjlpto.org/bookfair

Reminder, if you plan to volunteer for these or any other future events, complete your yearly required CISD Background Check asap here.

LAST CALL FOR HOUSE FUNDS

This is your FINAL opportunity to donate to our Annual House Fund before it closes on September 14th. These contributions make ALL of our student celebrations possible throughout the year. Don’t miss your chance to make an impact—visit rjlpto.org/housefunds today to donate. Every dollar counts!

We loved seeing so many of you at our first PTO meeting of the year on Tuesday! You can review the meeting minutes at www.rjlpto.org/pto_meetings. We’re also proud to share highlights from the PTO’s accomplishments during the 2024–2025 school year—take a look at https://www.rjlpto.org/whypto

• NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
• LEEDERSHIP COUNCIL ELECTION WEEK
• CELEBRATE FREEDOM WEEK
• FALL BOOK FAIR WEEK

Sept 15- Dot Day (wear your dots)

Sept 16 - 4/5 Progress Report Grades Due

Sept 17 - Progress Reports Generated

Sept 18- Special Friend's Day

Sept 19- LEEdership Council Representatives submitted

Fifth-grade designer of learning experiences at RJ Lee Elementary a Net Zero school in Coppell, Texas.

Our Guiding Purpose: We empower learners to positively impact the world by designing learning experiences that promote relationships, risk-taking, and collaboration in a flexible learning environment.

Apple Teacher

HEB Excellence in Education State Finalist 2018

Twitter X: @MayV1