Students took their second science test of the year last Friday. The tests were returned on Monday and corrections were due today.

The tests are computer generated ... I want to thank those of you who identified a couple errors that existed. Scores have been adjusted accordingly.

The class did very well. The average grade was a B. As this is a new curriculum, we are introducing different strategies with each chapter in an attempt to help students learn study habits and skills. Hopefully as we move through the curriculum this year we'll all become more comfortable and successful.

Our next chapter is actually chapter 1 in the textbook. The test should be in about 2 weeks. The students should be preparing for their test ... now.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up next week! Many of you are scheduled for a conference on the 27th, while a few of you have signed up for times earlier in the week. Every student should have brought home a confirmation sheet that listed your date and time. It also provided you a spot to ask questions. Some of those I will try to address prior to the conference. The others will help shape our discussion at the conference.

I have also invited you to bring your child to the conference with you. You are still welcome to do so, even if you selected "no" originally. I'd love to have them join us!

Just a couple quick notes ...

• The fundraiser officially ends October 19.
• Please return all materials, completely filled out, that day.
• That includes money (cash or checks made to Prairieland), order forms, and envelopes.
• Please return the items even if you did not meet your goal and/or chose to not participate.
• Once we have collected all the materials we will send out information to those who did not meet their goal or chose not to participate about what optons exist.
• Please remember that chaperone information will not be available until this Spring.
• Items ordered will be here before Thanksgiving. We will send pick-up date information as soon as we have it.
• Thanks!

We will have our next math test this Friday. We'll be reviewing together in class Thursday (students should take this opportunity to ask questions and get help!). They will then receive a practice test/study guide/checkpoint on Thursday evening that they can use to check what they know and review what they don't.

The test will cover the following (while the test may state students need to use a certain method or algorythm, they will be allowed to choose which to use on the test itself):

• addition and subtraction
• rounding to the nearest one, ten, hundred and tenth
• place value to the ten-thousands and the thousandths
• making estimates, including "magnitude estimates"
• multiplication of whole numbers and decimals
• working with data (mean, median, mode, maximum, minimum, range)
• problem solving (identifying what's needed to solve a problem, choosing an operation, coming up with the solution/answer)

We're in the middle of Spirit Week, both in preparation for Normal West's homecoming on Friday and in an attempt to raise awareness and support for the United Way.

Monday was gum day, Tuesday was sports team/stuffed animal day, Wednesday is wacky hair (NO hair coloring)/hat date, Thursday is twin day or student/teacher switch day and Friday is pajama day.

Students must pay 1 dollar each day to participate. They may also donate other change and money, and may pay 50 cents to make a guess at the M&M jar.

Remember on Friday students will be dismissed at 1:15 for Normal West's homecoming. Please make sure you have arranged for a ride or for after- school care!

The district seems to have addressed some of the email concerns, but they are still tinkering with the SPAM filter, which means at times I may never even know you tried to email me, and you may never know I didn't get it, except for a lack of response.

To help alleviate the potential issues, please do the following for me: 1. feel free to copy your emails to me to my personal email account as well - ben@benmatthews.net 2. sometimes I will not reply to an email if it is not clear a reply is needed - for instance, if you are just informing me of something I may not take the time to send a reply to you. If you need/want a reply to an email that doesn't specifically request one (if you ask a question or request specific information I'll always respond), please include a request in your email letting me know you'd like a response.

Thanks!