Breathing in that cold November Air

Good Afternoon,

As we welcome November, it was a fun filled week that saw some tired 4th graders by the time they were exiting the doors today for the weekend. Coming back from an extended break can be difficult at times, but the 4th graders were resilient as they worked hard every single day. We have lots to celebrate and be proud of in the classroom, and I am excited as we get closer to conferences for all the 4th graders to be able to showcase their learning and growth as leaders here at NDLC. I'm proud of each and everyone of them, and excited to continue to make more strides in the month of November!

Week in Review:

Leader in Me: We worked on writing personal mission statements by identifying personal values and things that matter most to us! Invite your learner to teach you how to write your own personal mission statement. Consider sharing it with your learner! 

Writing: Writers began the week self assessing to set goals for the essay writing. Then they worked to develop evidence for each of their reasons to support their thesis statement. Writers complied various mini stories and lists along with other forms of evidence to make their reasons convincing. We ended the week putting the work all together in a draft, and adding introductions and conclusions to their essays.

Math: Mathematicians worked through multiplication story problems, and discussed strategies they have to solve single and multi digit multiplication. We looked at another multiplication strategy of doubling and halving when the numbers we are working with allow us to use it. Then the mathematicians were multiplying with money & units of metric measure so that we can practice multiplying with landmark numbers and converting from larger to smaller units. We wrapped up the week discussing the various strategies we worked with throughout the week.

Reading: Readers began their week checking in on their goals and the progress they have made so far, and what action needed to be taken to continue working to achieve their goal. The we discussed the various text structures in nonfiction books that help accentuate what matters so that we can better understand main idea based off the structure. Then we discussed embracing the challenge of nonfiction reading so that we can learn and become experts on the texts we read. We looked at the challenges posed by texts that are structured as hybrids so that we can balance between narrative and informational to better understand the text. Lastly, tackling tricky vocabulary through reading, Note-Taking, and conversation so that we can teach and explain to others what we learned while reading

Content: Students applied their learning over the module to a contemporary case study in which the balance between people and the environment is challenged. They drew connections between the case study and the Dust Bowl, and considered how natural resources can be used responsibly. Then students investigated ways to reduce their daily use of natural resources and contribute to sustainability. They examined what it means to “go green”.

  • Thank you to a parent who shared this great resource which can benefit your 4th grader and family! Every fourth grader in the US is eligible to receive a free pass for their family to visit America’s natural wonders and historic sites, which accesses hundreds of parks, lands and waters for an entire year! Visit everykidoutdoors.gov/rules.htm for more information and to get your pass!


A Look Ahead:

  • DATE FOR MADISON FIELD TRIP
    • Thursday, December 19th. 
    • We try to accommodate all chaperones as we know this is a popular field trip for all. If you could get permission slips turned in sooner than later it would be greatly appreciated to help us with the planning process!
  • November 12th - Veterans Day Concert (6:00 P.M.)
  • November 14th - Simple Simon Order Pickup 
  • November 19th & 21st - Conferences
  • November 19th & 21st - Book Fair
  • November 22nd - Early Dismissal
  • November 27th-29th - NO SCHOOL
  • See below on information from the District for subbing opportunities!


That's all for this week!

Have a great weekend!


Mr. VW




Do you want to make a difference in Kaukauna? 
Would you like to help your child's school out? 
Do you like kids?
Are you good with kids? 
 
Then you should become a KASD SUB!! 

Talented and skilled substitute teachers and educational assistants are critical to our district. Becoming a sub aids in the instructional and procedural continuity of the district. We are so thankful for our wonderful subs! 

To become a Certified Substitute Teacher the state requires a minimum of an associate's degree and the completion of an 8 hour Substitute Training Program - in person or self guided modules from the comfort of your own home - through CESA 6 (see first link below). Once the 8 hours are complete, you will receive the certification of completion. You will then log onto the Department of Public Instruction website (DPI) (see second link below) and apply for the Short Term Substitute License. In the application, DPI will require you to upload your completion certification from the substitute training program. 

Here is the link to the CESA 6 substitute training program: 

https://www.cesa6.org/teachers/educator-licensing/substitute-teacher-training

After the program is complete, here is the link to DPI - where you will need to go after you acquire the certificate from CESA: 

https://dpi.wi.gov/licensing/apply-educator-license/sub-permit

To become an Educational Assistant Substitute no degree or certification is necessary! You just have to like kids and be reliable! Please log onto WECAN, and apply today to become an EA sub. Your school and district thank you!

Both positions - Certified Subs and EA Subs - are posted on WECAN.  Here's the link:https://wecan.waspa.org/    Please apply when you're ready and I will reach out to you once your application comes through.  

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions. 

Thank you!



Holly Parks
Human Resources and Business Services Associate
Kaukauna Area School District
920.766.6100 ext. 2050






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