Fifth Grade Weekly Update...May 6-10, 2024

5th Grade Families,

Happy Friday Everyone!

Just four weeks to go!  Time is flying and I hope your child is finishing the "race" strong by giving their all until the very end.  We still have a lot to learn in the coming weeks!  And a whole lot of fun is planned too. Field trip costs are in and are posted in the updates below.  Let me know if you can help chaperone either of our upcoming field trips.  We will be heading to Riveredge next week Wednesday after chapel. Have a great weekend.  ~ Mrs. Zvara

IMPORTANT DATES:

• May 11: Grafton Community Clean Up Day (9-10am check in - see below for details)
• May 14 (Reading) & 16 (Math): Spring MAP TESTING
• May 15: 5th Grade Riveredge Field Trip   9:30am-1:00pm
• May 17: Spring Choir/Band Concert

COMING SOON / PUT THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR:

• May 19: ALL STUDENTS sing in church (8am L-Z & JuBellate / 11am A-K)
• May 24: 1/2 Day  11:40 Dismissal
• May 27:  NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day
• May 28: 5th Grade Ropes Course Field Trip
• May 30: Track & Field Day
• May 31:   LAST DAY OF SCHOOL & Closing Chapel Service with 10:00 dismissal

INFORMATION/UPDATES:

🌎"Keep Grafton Clean" Community Clean-Up Day: The fifth graders just finished studying Human Impact on Earth's Systems in science. As we learned about many ways we can protect Earth from the harm that we do, we also learned how important it is to reverse the harm that we have already done, so I am encouraging all fifth graders and their families to participate in our local Community Clean Up Day (if you are willing/able). Consider this a chance to plant seeds of service in your child and earn community service hours (these would count for LJHA). This is a GREAT opportunity to get a group of friends and parents together and make it a fun group effort!  Meet at Lime Kiln Park at 9am on Saturday, May 11 and choose an “assignment area” of Grafton. It usually takes 1-2 hours to complete your assignments (depending on the size of your assignment and how many helpers you have - Many hands make for light work!) Wear work clothes and comfortable shoes.  You select an assignment from the areas available. Gloves, garbage bags & snacks are provided.  The nice part is that this is a safe way for kids to serve as it is away from busy roads/highways, etc.  Most of the spaces included in the cleanup are areas within our local parks and along the interurban bike trail.  Also, As a bonus for your service, all participants will receive a FREE Day pass to the Grafton Pool!  It's a WIN for Mother Earth and a FREE fun day as a family this summer! I hope you will consider participating if you are able. Send Mrs. Zvara a pic of your group cleaning up and earn EXTRA CREDIT for science class! 🙂 That’s a Win-Win-Win!!!

5/6 Spring Field Trips Information:

🌱Riveredge CHAPERONES NEEDED: On MAY 15, 2024, the 5th graders will be traveling to Riveredge Nature Preserve to help apply our classroom learning about Energy & Ecosystems to their everyday world. The cost of this field trip will be $15.  Permission slips will come home on Monday & will be due on Wednesday.  We will also be needing some chaperones. If you're available and interested, please let me know asap VIA EMAIL. Once we know how many are interested, we will see how many we can bring/fit on the bus. Thank you

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2024: SAVE THE DATE! CHAPERONES NEEDED! Each year, our middle school classes also do a fun/educational field trip in the spring. This year, our students will be participating in a ropes course.  Students will need to bring gloves with a rubber palm (gardening gloves, batting gloves, football gloves, etc) and parents will need to sign an electronic waiver for their student to participate. This field trip cost will be $52.  Permission slips will come home on Monday & will be due on or before Friday, May 17.

GOALS: We will use this field trip for multiple purposes: it will challenge many students both physically & mentally, it will require students to take risks, problem solve and to work together to achieve some of the challenges. It will be a fun opportunity for this group of kids to bond with each other and build their social community. This field trip will also offer us an opportunity to revisit/reteach some of the lessons from our Kindness Retreat while it offers the kids a platform where they can put these lessons into practice.  Ropes courses often present an opportunity for kids to “see each other in a different light”/setting, which often presents strengths & fears that we often don’t learn about in our classroom. It offers students opportunities to show respect to one another, to lead & encourage those around them. We will plan to have a picnic lunch outside if weather permits. 

CHAPERONES NEEDED!  We will be looking for FIVE adult chaperones from each homeroom to join us on the bus. More adults are welcome to meet us there and chaperone once they arrive for the day.  We will send out communications to find out if you are interested. Here is the FORM to sign up to chaperone this field trip. We have a limited number of “climbing” chaperones, but unlimited non-climbing chaperones.  If you are interested, please communicate your interest & save the date! 🙂   FORM LINK: https://forms.gle/4791FqDdi5d63PPG9

✝️Lutheran Junior Honor Association (LJHA) Information...This coming August, our fifth graders will have the opportunity to apply for membership into the Junior Lutheran National Honor Association (LJHA) if they are able to meet the criteria set forth. If you are interested in this honor, please see my detailed email from 3/9. I will discuss this opportunity briefly with the fifth graders this coming week and they will have an opportunity to ask questions.  Please know that many more details will be sent from the NJHA Coordinators - Mrs. Yurk, Mrs. Wulfkuhle, & Mr. Fischer in a couple of months.