Happy New Year!

Good Afternoon,

First off, Happy New Year! It’s been awesome welcoming the kids back after the winter break. They came in full of energy and enthusiasm, ready to jump right back into learning. We’ve already had a great start to the new year, and I’m looking forward to seeing all the progress they’ll make in the coming months. Thanks so much for your continued support. Here’s to a fantastic 2025 – I’m excited for what’s ahead!

Week in Review:

Leader in Me:  This week, students review expectations in all areas of our school as we transitioned back from break. We discussed what expectations are in the hallway, recess, classroom, lunchroom, bathroom. We also talked about what their role is during a time when a speaker is talking, and having eye contact and body facing the speaker can help with engagement, and listening.

Writing: This week, writers worked on literary essays, comparing themes across different texts. They practiced close reading to identify themes and began drafting comparative essays, focusing on how to compare and contrast themes from various stories. This will help them analyze texts and organize their ideas effectively in writing.

Math: This week in math, mathematicians completed a pre-assessment to gather baseline data. They also investigated numbers up to ten thousand, focusing on practicing place value and understanding the value of each digit in larger numbers as well as rounding.

Reading: This week, readers focused on comparing and contrasting life lessons across texts, exploring how different characters handle similar challenges. They also compared and contrasted points of view in different stories to understand how a character's perspective impacts the story's events and message.

Content: This week we started a new science unit! In this unit, students will investigate features and processes of the Earth’s surface. Students will explore the rapid process of volcanic eruptions! In contrast, students will also explore the gradual Earth processes of weathering and erosion. Students will apply their knowledge and design solutions to mitigate the impacts of these processes on humans. In this week's lesson, students explored the past and present pattern of where volcanoes exist on the earth. In the activity, Mapping Volcanoes, students plotted volcano locations on a world map and looked for patterns. Students analyzed these maps to discover that volcanoes form a “Ring of Fire” around the Pacific Ocean.

  • 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:

  • 4th Grade i-Ready testing dates and times
    • January 13th-16th @ 12:00 P.M. - 1:30 P.M.
  • Friday, January 17th - Half Day for Students
  • Monday, January 20th - No School
  • Madison Field Trip - Thursday, April 10th
  • 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



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hello May!

Image
 Good Afternoon, As we head into the final full month of the school year, I’ve been reflecting on how quickly time has passed. It’s hard to believe that eight months have flown by since we first began, but every year I’m reminded just how fast it goes. During these months, you entrusted me with your most precious gifts, and I’ve had the privilege of being their teacher—getting to know each one, guiding, teaching, watching them grow, and hopefully providing a space where they could become the best version of themselves every day. I’m truly grateful for that opportunity and for your ongoing support this school year. This last month is always bittersweet. After putting in so much time and seeing incredible growth and connections each day, it’s difficult to realize it will soon come to an end. My hope is that we can all savor this final stretch, knowing that while the end is inevitable, we can take pride in making every day count. With that mindset, we can finish the year with gratitud...
Read more

Is it really June?

Image
Good Afternoon, What an incredible week! Our 4th graders did a phenomenal job during their concert on Thursday evening—a wonderful celebration of all their hard work and dedication. The evening culminating in a special moment when they receive their 4th grade diplomas from NDLC is always an emotional moment. We are all looking forward to a memorable final week of school, filled with fun activities, lasting memories, and plenty of emotions. Buckle up—the end of the school year is approaching quickly! Week in Review: Leader in Me:  This week we learned about how to use skills of curiosity, analysis, and open-mindedness to think critically and express an opinion about a topic. View the Your Passions video on Leader in Me Online and discuss your learner’s passions and how their passions could be used to impact others! Writing:  This week, our 4th grade writers put the finishing touches on their graphic novels, completing final revisions and edits. They poured an incredible amoun...
Read more

Memorial Day Weekend

Image
Good Afternoon, We've wrapped up another wonderful week of learning, and it's hard to believe we're heading into the final stretch of the school year. This time of year brings a mix of excitement, reflection, and emotion as we begin celebrating this incredible group of 4th graders. As we look ahead, we're focused on making these last couple weeks meaningful and memorable for every student. Thank you for your continued support—let’s finish strong together! Week in Review: Leader in Me:  This week, we learned about stress. Eustress is positive stress that feels exciting, can motivate us, and is short-term. Distress is negative, toxic stress that causes anxiety or concern, feels unpleasant, and can lead to health problems. Invite your learner to teach you about the differences between eustress and distress. Discuss ways you can support your learner if experiencing distress. Writing:  This week in writing, our 4th grade authors continued working on their graphic novels, foc...
Read more