Thursday, February 14, 2008

REVENGE OF THE SUGARED STUDENT



Valentine's Day is such a hoot. It is one of the few days a year that I get to send the kids home completely amped up on sugar! Usually, I get them after they have been amped at home with Poptarts and sugary cereal. Enjoy their excess energy! Hopefully not many stomach aches ensue.

Not much in the way of homework tonight. I figure that the sugar high will result in a homework low.
The kids are responsible for:

-Reading log
-Math 76 (all)
-Sadako, "Epilogue" vocabulary and questions (all)

Take it easy,
Mr. B

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

This district....

is taking a dark turn with the proposed budget cuts for the upcoming 2008-2009 school year. Serious changes are in store that will negatively affect your child's education. I encourage folks to attend the Feb. 27th Board Meeting to voice their concerns and show a united front as a concerned community. Just because we are Rio does not mean that we will be immune to what is happening to PVUSD as a whole. Teachers will be relocated, class sizes will increase and much-needed asistance programs will be cut. For example, not one elementary school will have a nurse next year. Bizarre, but expendable according to PVUSD.
This is also a contract negotiation year for teachers. As many of you know, we are one of the lowest paid districts in the state, and the cuts on the table have all but ruled out a simple cost-of-living salary increase. Again, expendable according to PVUSD. Teachers number 1,200 in the district, but serve 30,000 students and their families. The families are our bargaining chip, and we need your voices and actions to help us secure a living wage. We don't want to be priced out of the area, but it is happening. We lost two examplary teachers last year to other districts, and several more have made it clear that this will be their last year at Rio for similar reasons.

On a happier note, tomorrow is Valentine's Day and the class will be celebrating during the last half hour of the day. Treats and valentines may gladly make their way to school, as long as they are considering the whole class, and not just a few select friends. Tomorrow is also a spirit day, and students are encouraged to wear Valentine's colors. Reds, pinks, purples and whites.

Students are responsible for the following tonight:

-Reading Log
-Science text page 216 and science WB pp 86-87
-Sadako, read chapter 9 and complete vocabulary (all) and questions 1-5

Respectfully, Mr. B

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

another short week...

Holy cow, do you folks just feed these kids sugar over three day weekends? The class was a rambunctious crew today, but we did manage to begin our Gold Rush simulation and create terrariums for our new science unit on ecosystems.

Please check out the Green Folders, as they are filled with goodies and two, count 'em two, permission slips. Wow!

Students are responsible for the following tonight:

-Reading Log
-Math 75 (16-30)
-Math 14B
-Science WB pages 84-85 (started at school)
-Sadako packet, chapter 7

Respectfully, Mr. B