Happy Holidays

“Laughter is an instant vacation.” Milton Berle

We have arrived at that magical day for students…the last day of school prior to winter break!  The teachers have done a remarkable job keeping the students engaged and focused on learning this week.  I hope you and your family enjoy the time together.  Please encourage your children to continue to read over the next two weeks.  While it is important to take some time and relax, I encourage you to keep some aspects the same.  It is always extra difficult for students to return to school from such a long vacation, if nothing in their daily routine remains constant.  We look forward to having the students come back in January refreshed and ready to tackle (essentially) the second half of the school year.

The 5^th grade students have been studying the periodic table in science.  As the culminating project from their study, they created gave reports on a particular element.  Some students created PowerPoint presentations while others made posters of their elements.  Those element posters are hanging in the 5^th grade hallway.  Here are pictures of a few of them.

Kindergarten students have been talking about past, present, and future.  They did an activity where they noted what they were in the past, present, and what they wanted to be in the future.  I remember wanting to be a teacher when I was 5 years old.  I wonder how many of these future predictions will come true. 

Eagle Ridge Academy is participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this year.  So far, students in grades 4-8 have taken their written tests.  The top four scores from each grade level will advance to the Eagle Ridge Academy school spelling bee on at 4:00 on January 9^th in the Academy Commons. Our school winner will take an online test to qualify for the regional spelling bee.  Mrs. Pettinger (4^th grade) is spearheading our participation.  If you have any questions, please contact her at kpettinger@eagleridgeacademy.org.

4^th Grade School Spelling Bee Contestants

Simran D.

Eimaan H.

Saranya P.

Ansh S.

Surya A. (alternate)

5^th Grade School Spelling Bee Contestants

Serena F.

Ishan S.

Sri S.

Ryan W.

Today the Lower School students enjoyed their winter parties.  Thank you to the teachers, classroom parents and volunteers for organizing these festive events.   There were great games, crafts, and treats for all.  Everyone enjoyed the festivities!

Have a wonderful winter break!

Mrs. Baier

Snowy Beauty

Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.
~Bill Morgan, Jr.

As adults the idea of winter often weighs on us.  This sometimes seems funny to me as we live in an area of the country known for winter.  It must be human nature for adults to think of the problems winter brings, but it also brings many delightful things.  I love watching children and dogs play in the snow.  It becomes not a wet annoyance, but a marvelous thing used for fun.  I hope you and your family spend some time enjoying the snow and the winter weather.  Playing in the snow (as it talks about in the quote above) makes us all feel like children again and pushes away those long commute memories.  It all goes back to noticing the beauty around us.  Every season has its beauty and it is up to us to notice it.

Mr. Anderson has updated the art work in the Lower School office.  We have some beautiful first grade paper weavings hanging on the wall.  Motor skills are still developing in many first grade students and it can be challenging to weave with paper.  The students did an excellent job with their weaving and their work on warm and cool colors to create these projects.  Please check them out the next time you stop by the Lower School office.

Mrs. Sahli/Peitz’s class earned all of their eagle feathers in their CIPHER chart and had a delightful celebration today.  Students brought in blankets, stuffed animals, and flashlights for a special reading party.  They read to each other and their special stuffed friends.

We have a new bulletin board outside the Lower School office.  Yes, the fun facts about staff have been removed much to the chagrin of some of our students.  Thanks to Jenny Hjerpe and Casey Nus, we have a wonderful bulletin board dedicated to examples of pillars students see outside the school setting.  If you hear or see articles (newspaper or online) that demonstrate one of our pillars in action please send them to school with your child.  

Eagle Ridge Academy is participating in the Mitten Drive again this year.  We have a box in the Lower School office for collecting new mittens, gloves, hats, blankets, coats, scarves, etc.  Please consider donating to this worthy cause to help others stay warm this winter.  The last day to donate is Friday, December 20^th. 

The next Pillar ticket drawing is on Friday, December 20^th.  The winners will receive spend time with Mrs. Baier enjoying some hot cocoa.

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Baier

Winter Wonderland

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”

~Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Winter has arrived in Minnesota with the turning of the calendar page to December.  The snow is here along with the typical chill in the air.  As we officially head into our winter months here are some things to remember.  

• ·         Please send your child to school dressed for the weather.  We head out to recess each day until the feels like air temperature reaches 0 (zero) degrees and ALL students need to be prepared to go outside.  They need their snow pants, boots, coats, mittens or gloves, hats and scarves.  Recess supervisors check the equipment each day to see if it is too icy for safe play. 

• ·         Please anticipate a slower carpool lane in the mornings on days we have snow.  Leaving a little early will allow your child to make it to class on time and not miss any instructional time on any snowy days. 

The next Lower School Parent Coffee is next Tuesday at 8:00am.  I will be discussing the NWEA test and other assessments, as well as walking you through an NWEA student progress report.    Our group last quarter seemed to outgrow the office conference room.  We will move our coffee to the Academy Commons (lunchroom) this quarter.  If anyone has any off-campus suggestions for a future Lower School Parent Coffee, please let me know (mbaier@eagleridgeacademy.org).

There is a PTO meeting next Thursday (December 12th) at 6:00 at Eagle Ridge Academy.  Please consider coming and getting involved in some wonderful activities in the Eagle Ridge Academy community.

Next Friday (12/13) is Spirit Wear Day for all students.

Winter parties have been scheduled for the Lower School students.  The schedule is below.  Classroom parents are in charge of planning the parties with the teachers.  Due to parking constraints, we can only have a limited amount of volunteers for each party.  Please check with the classroom parent for your child’s class, if you have any questions.

Winter Parties- Friday, December 20^th

Kindergarten- 10:30-11:30

1^st Grade- 1:30-2:30

2^nd Grade- 10:00-11:00

3^rd Grade- 1:00-2:00

4^th Grade- 11:30-12:30

5^th Grade- 12:00-1:00

This week the students in Ms. Hudak’s class reviewed the pillars and used CIPHER to remind them how they should act at school and at home during this holiday season.  They brainstormed words that would inspire them to remember how they should act towards others.   They then put those words on a special snowflake using white crayons and water colors.  This artistic technique led to a great discussion about resistance and why water and paint will not stick to the wax of a crayon.  What a multi-faceted lesson for these second grade students.  Below are a few pictures of their end results.

Another group of LS students went with Mr. Ulbrich to learn about recovering the flag.  Students from Mrs. Madigan’s fourth grade class spent assisted Mr. Ulbrich one day before the snow flew.  Here are a few pictures.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Baier