One Last Post...

Dear Parents,

The time has come for me to say goodbye. I will miss all of you and writing on this blog. It will be forever available as a yearbook to your child on the internet. I hope they visit it often throughout their lives and say things like, "Oh, I remember doing that," or "Ah, that was fun."

Tomorrow will be the last day I have as your child's teacher. Thank you for sharing them with me. It has been an honor to teach each and everyone of them. They are all unique and will forever have a footprint on my heart.

I ask that you do me three more favors before we say goodbye....

1. Send in a school picture of your child, and have them write me a message on the back so I can add it to my amazing kids board tomorrow.

2. Read the poem that I am sending home in their picture frame with them often.

3. Read the letter I wrote to each of them on their report card together, and discuss how very proud I am of all of them.

I hope that you all have an amazing summer, and I hope this is only the beginning of our relationships down the road. Please encourage your child to continue to invite me into their lives. Graduations, weddings, important events...all of it. I would love to continue to watch them grow.

Thank you again. I am always here to help in any way I can.

Love,

Ms. Erickson

PS. Kids need to dress for the weather tomorrow and wear tennis shoes for our walk. They may also bring footballs or frisbees for the park. Remember...no need to bring backpacks as we brought it all home today. Report cards home tomorrow. Thanks.

Thank You!!!

What a day! Two wiffle ball games, a walk to the dollar store, and still plenty of learning time. Ask your child about the book we are listening to in science. If they can tell you the name of the book, write it down in the planner for a $20 bonus tomorrow.

We will be watching the movie tomorrow. While watching, we will be cleaning out our desks, washing our desks, eating popcorn, and drinking sodas. Oh my. Students will NOT need their backpacks on Friday. Everything will go home tomorrow.

I will give students their framed poems tomorrow. Could you do me a HUGE favor? Please help your child find a special place in their room for their poem. Have them read it often when they forget to BELIEVE in themselves or are feeling blue. I would really love to have them read it before they start 5th grade on the first day of school next year. It really does say it all.

Lastly, I really, really want to thank those of you that have sent in a letter. Every single one has touched my heart. It is AWESOME that many of you are thinking and seeing exactly what I wanted you to see and think. I am a hard teacher. I am stict. I do push your child way past their limits. I do all of these because I really do love your kids with my entire heart. They are my life. Thanks again everyone.

Have a wonderful evening.

What is the strange circular object in they sky?? THE SUN!!

Hi there. Happy busy Tuesday! This morning we had our awards assembly. Our two citizenship awards went to Destiny H and Jaycee!!! Congrats you two. You have shown great character all year. It was VERY hard for me to think of only two people that deserved this award. So many students have grown in this area all year long. Be proud of all students, I know that I am! Above is also the winners for the 4th quarter BUG club awards. Congratulations!!!

Thanks to the many of you parents that have done my letter for parent homework. I told the kids I would extend it to one more day due to the long weekend and my forgetting to blog your reminder last night. So...you have one more chance. Write me a quick letter telling me how I did teaching your child this year. What did you like? Suggestions for change for next year? What your kid learned? Turning it in by tomorrow or emailling it to me by tomorrow will make your child $500 richer. Your child has two things left to buy into: 4 more wiffle ball games and the movie The Return of Nanny McPhee. Those that bought into everything all ready, I sold some of my personal treasures that I have collected over the years and posters that I don't use anymore. Fun things. We will continue the sale tomorrow.

Thursday will be our last official day in the classroom. Therefore, all supplies will come home on Thursday. I do ask that students donate their supplies if they can. As you can remember, many students had to buy (with fake money) supplies throughout the year. This is where those supplies come from. So, if they know that they will go shopping in the fall for their new school supplies, I ask that they donate the old. Scissors, looseleaf paper, unused notebooks and folders, glue bottles or sticks, or whatever. We always run out by the end of the year. Things get lost and/or used throughout the year so any donations really do help. Like I say, whenever possible, pay it forward to someone else in need. If you don't want your child to donate supplies please talk to them. It is totally up to you. Thanks!

Friday morning, we will walk to the park off the bike path. We will play Mrs. Hankin's class in wiffle ball, and then just have time to play with our friends one last time. Students may bring footballs, frisbees, or other fun things to play. Then we will walk back and watch our last wiffle ball game against the staff of Bitterroot. Some kids will even get to play!!! Good character on the field is the best way to get picked for this special game.

Lastly, tomorrow we will be walking off campus to the dollar store. Each student will need to bring a dollar. We will go and buy our picture frames for my special BELIEVE poem I give out on Thursday. I want them to pick out their own special frame for this. I have had MANY, MANY students come back over the years and many tell me that they still have the BELIEVE poem by their beds. It is my final gift to them. Please send back the permission slip tomorrow, and make sure your child has $1.00 in hand tomorrow. Thanks!

Have a wonderful night, and ask your child about today's wiffle ball game. How did they show good character? Write down their response and earn $50 at tomorrow's check in.

Thanks to Cameron's mom for the field day pictures. Enjoy the slideshow. The kids had a great time! Thanks Mr. Ness for putting it on!!!!

This free picture slideshow generated with Smilebox

Field Day Tomorrow!

Hi. It is field day tomorrow. Let's pray for sunshine! We did see the sun make an appearance today!!! Kids need to wear appropriate clothing, tennis shoes, hat, and bring a water bottle. If it does rain, Mr. Ness has an alternative plan ready to go! I don't think these kids could get any more wet than they all ready did on the field trip however. Bring it on Mother Nature!

It is that time of year again...Report Card Time. I have written all your children a final letter on their report cards, and now I would love for you to write comments for my report card. How did I do this year? Be honest about things that did or didn't work for you or your child. What can I keep for next year? What can I get rid of? What did you like? I am asking, so no worries on offending me. Also, how do you think I did teaching your child? Did you notice any changes? Write or email your response and earn your child $500. Due Tuesday!

Have a super duper night!

What a day!

Well, as you can see we had a great time today and yesterday! Sgt. Fink was in the house today, and we loved having time to just sit and listen to him tell us about his time in another country. He was a true demonstration of the exact reason we have the right to come to school. It was great to also get some of our questions answered. The kids were very interested, engaged, and extremely respectful. Just one more reason I am so proud of this group.

Above you will also find the pictures from our field trip yesterday. Do you see the rain?? Oh my were we wet, but it was great fun! We learned a ton. Ask your child what three things they wrote about in their thank you letter to Jeff. If they can tell you, write the word LETTER in their planner for a $20 bonus tomorrow. And, don't you just love the video of Zack in the bobcat cage??

As far as the money your child has been earning but not spent yet in class, here are a few upcoming events that they may buy into. Our annual intermediate wiffle ball tournament starts next week. It will be a $50 charge for each game. If they have the money, they HAVE to buy in. If not, they will sit and watch. It is super fun and memories are made so I really don't want anyone to miss out! We will also have a end of the year celebration. We usually ride our bikes to the park, but with my knee I am not sure how that will happen. Mrs. Hankins and I are brainstorming. We will also have a movie one day next week. Students will have to buy in for $300 and popcorn and drink can also be purchased for $100 each. So, please remind kids to be on their best behavior, get their homework done, and save their money for fun stuff ahead. Other little things may pop up along the way as well.

Tomorrow, we will have our final states and capitals test. Students will need to be able to match the two together. They do NOT have to find the state on a map, just match the state with the correct capital. They have been doing a lot of review in class. We will play a few more rounds of BINGO tomorrow before the test as a final review. Study tonight. All kids got a study sheet today!! Ask them for it and quiz them. They are pretty good at it.

Have a wonderful evening, and with all my heart I hope that the rain is not causing any major problems for any of you. My heart and prayers go out to those that have had to leave their homes, lose their belongings, or worry about any loved one.

Sgt. Fink Tomorrow!!! WooHoo!

Well we had a great, fun time, but if none of us ever see another raindrop again we will be fine with that. The kids are drenched to the bone. They will be needing hot showers upon their arrival home. BRRR! Ask them about their favorite part though and write it in their planner for an extra $50 tomorrow. I will post pictures/video later tonight or tomorrow. I have to download them first.

The day has arrived. Our soldier is home and coming to visit tomorrow morning. Out of respect, I have asked the kids to wear something red, white, and blue tomorrow. No Camo please, as I discovered that wearing camo and not being in the military can offend some soldiers. So, we will stick with the good ole red, white, and blue. Don't go shopping, just look in those drawers and closets. :0) The more the merrier! I want him to see the pride when he steps in the door!

Have a dry night!

Congratulations Zack!

Hi! Happy Monday!!

Zack will be venturing into the bobcat cage tomorrow pending his mom's approval. If not, we will draw person number two. Congrats Zack!!

We will go on the field trip tomorrow, rain or shine. We will leave right at 8:30 and be back around 2:15. We will not wait for tardy students, so be on time please. I am so happy to say that everyone was able to buy into the trip!!! Yay Erickson team!

Field Trip Reminders:

1. Long pants-NO SHORTS or CAPRIs

2. Layered clothing-sweatshirt, long shirt, short shirt, coat??

3. Sunscreen applied at home.

4. Hat

5. Extra socks in backpack

6. Tennis or Hiking shoes.

7. Umbrella or Rain Coat in Backpack

8. Electronics for bus-NO Cameras

9. LUNCH!!!!!! and Drink.

10. Positive Attitude and Adventurous spirit!

Lastly, we will be having our 50 states and capitals test this Thursday. There are many review games online. There are also sights where kids can take/print practice quizzes. They will need to be able to match (not locate) the capital to the state on this one. We had fun playing BINGO to review these, and will do so all week. Practice at home too!! This will be the last social studies grade for the year!

Cya tomorrow!