Halfway through December!

Good Afternoon,

What a special week it was here at NDLC. It was filled with learning, making an impact in our local community, and working to become the best versions of ourselves every single day. The project students worked on yesterday may seem like a little activity, but our leaders are learning the importance that small acts of kindness can have big impacts in the lives of people. I'll leave you all with this quote, and it resonated with me as I shared it with the 4th graders as well, "When you can give something without anything in return, you have mastered the art of living." Ultimately, at the end of the school year if these 4th graders leave becoming better people it is what's most important!

Week in Review:

Leader in Me: We learned about the importance of planning our week. We considered our most important roles, activities, and responsibilities (Big Rocks) and added them to a weekly calendar. Work together to brainstorm a list of strategies to keep your family on track with your most important activities this week.  

Writing: This week, 4th grade writers focused on crafting literary essays. They explored how characters and their relationships shape stories and used details from texts to develop bigger ideas. Writers worked on writing longer, more thoughtful essays and practiced adding quotes to strengthen their points, explaining them in detail to support their claims. It’s been a week of growing their writing skills!

Math: This week, our 4th grade mathematicians explored decimals! They practiced comparing decimal numbers, learned about tenths and hundredths, and reviewed their progress with a "Decimal More or Less" work place game. Finally, they connected decimals and fractions, building a stronger understanding of how the two relate. It was a week of hands-on learning and discovery!

Reading: This week, our 4th grade readers focused on understanding characters and the themes in their books. They examined how story details (like setting and plot) reveal a character's change, deepening their understanding of the story. Students also explored the motivations and obstacles characters face and what they learn, connecting these lessons to life. They studied character behavior to help identify themes, adding a valuable tool to their reading skills. Finally, they explored how secondary characters impact the theme, uncovering the deeper meanings behind minor characters in the story.

Content: Students explored how animals receive information through their senses and process that information in their brain, using instincts and memories to guide their behaviors. 4th Graders worked to understand how an animal’s senses, brain, and memories all work together as a system to influence their behavior and support their survival. Additionally, students made observations of external and internal parts of trees in order to collect evidence that these structures work together as a system to help plants survive in a particular environment. In their activity, Tree Detective, students used models of roots and branches to explore their functions and then constructed an argument about how these structures must work together in order to support the survival of trees in the unique environment of the frozen taiga.

  • 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. 
  • December 13th - No School
  • December 16th-20th Holiday Dress Up Days
    • Monday, December 16th - Wear Holiday Socks
    • Tuesday, December 17th - Wear Holiday Shirts/Sweaters
    • Wednesday, December 18th - Wear Grinch Colors
    • Thursday, December 19th - Wear Holiday Hats/Headgear (Madison Field Trip Day)
    • Friday, December 20th - Wear Pajamas
  • December 23rd - January 1st - 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




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