MCAS is Coming!

It comes as no surprise that we are in the midst of MCAS season, which means testing, and concentration, and lots of unnecessary stress for students, teachers and staff!  That's the bad news.

The good news is that our students seem very well-prepared for the next week, and we are certain that their work will come with high honors and accolades.

Just to ensure our students' success, make sure they do the following before and on testing days:

1) Get a good night's sleep
2) Relax with a good book
3) Get some exercise
4) Eat a good breakfast!

Please make sure your student gets to school on time on both Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27.  We will be testing the morning.  Also, homework will not be given out on those days, so please allow your student to enjoy their afternoon.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

6-Word Essays

It's been a while since we've written on the blog, so I'm posting some 6-word essays I made up during our after-school meeting today!  I hope you all come up with some tonight and post them here!

Two cultures combined into one being.

Riding the waves through life's storms.

Ascending higher, caring less, finding more.

**Now it's your turn!!**

Theme Writing

The students have been working on different ways to approach theme in their novels, and tonight they are to use one of the methods we discussed and create 2-column notes based on their notes and book.

The link below is the video we used to break down theme, and is very helpful and does a nice job explaining it.  Use it if you get stuck on how to understand theme!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4qME64SkxM

Spirit Week!

Next week is Spirit Week!  Here are the daily festivities:

Monday: Support your favorite team by wearing a hat or team apparel

Tuesday: Mix and Match Day - Go nuts with patterns!

Wednesday: Nerd Day - Glasses, pocket protector, suspenders.

Thursday: Valentine's Day colors

Friday: Cougar Pride Day - wear your best blue and white!

Report Cards

Please remember to have your report cards signed and brought back by Friday, February 8th!

Just a friendly reminder!  

Reading Incentive

The Lowell Spinners are offering a Reading Incentive in conjunction with the Lowell Public Schools. The kick-off of the program is today. Any student in grades 2-6 that reads books between now and May 24th will earn varying levels of prizes. 15 books = 1 ticket, 25 books = 1 ticket & 1 slice of pizza, 35 books = 2 tickets & 2 slices of pizza, 40+ books = 2 tickets, 2 slices of pizza, and going on the field. The class that reads the most books at the Pyne will receive a Sal's Pizza, pizza party. Also, parents can enter to win Red Sox tickets or a Spinners Party. 

Any books that students read, have read to them, do in LLI, or Language!, or Guided reading, as well as homework…all count. So please help students remember to record their books if they are with you for reading or any subject area that finishes a book.

Project Save One Khmer

Our National Junior Honor Society has a new project they are sharing with our school, where we can all be involved!  Please read the details below:

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What is Project Save One Khmer?

http://www.uml.edu/News/stories/2011-12/SaveOneKhmer.aspx

Project Save One Khmer is an organization that builds homes for needy families in rural Cambodia.  It was started through UMASS's Peace & Conflict Studies program by Lowell High (2002) and UMASS Lowell graduate Tola Sok.  They built 6 traditional homes last summer and plan to build 10 more this August.  The cost is around $500 and each home can accommodate a family of seven.

How did NJHS get involved?

We met Tola through a professor at UMASS, and he came out and talked to NJHS and 5th graders in Dec. about his path through Lowell Public Schools and the Air Force to starting this organization.

How can we help?

The goal is to raise $500 as a school in change only – no cash! Two NJHS members will introduce the spare-change fundraiser in your class this Friday. Contributions are voluntary of course, and every little bit helps.  They will leave a collection jug in your room for two weeks and collect it on Friday Feb. 15th.

We have some incentives for the class that collects the most (free gym time or party hosted by NJHS) and we can work out a date / time with the winners.  We also have some other incentives in the works.

Our goal is to have a 'Pyne Arts House' in Cambodia, and Tola will send us pictures of the build and the family.  Please let me know if you have any questions or if a brief visit tomorrow will not work for you.