Winter's Last Stand

Good Afternoon,

We've made it through a chilly week with indoor recesses, but I'm so proud of how the students have persevered and kept up their energy and focus. Their continued growth and progress have been inspiring, and it's wonderful to see their hard work paying off. I'm excited for all that lies ahead as we move forward—there's so much more to learn and discover! Thank you for your continued support.

Week in Review:

Leader in Me: 

Writing: This week, during our writing time, 4th grade writers focused on completing their Reading Post Assessments, using their individual reading goals to guide their assessment. They applied key nonfiction reading skills, such as identifying the main idea, understanding part-to-whole relationships, analyzing perspectives, and practicing cross-text synthesis to connect ideas across different sources. This time allowed students to really focus on their writing about reading, reflecting on their progress and measuring their growth in these important areas. It was a valuable opportunity for them to deepen their understanding and strengthen their skills.

Math: This week in math, 4th graders focused on geometry concepts. They began by exploring parallel and perpendicular lines, learning to identify and understand their properties. The next lesson expanded on this by incorporating angles, deepening their understanding of how lines interact. Students then learned about line symmetry, exploring how shapes can be mirrored. In the following sessions, they worked as "polygon detectives," identifying and analyzing the properties of various polygons, and solved polygon riddles to reinforce their knowledge. The week was filled with engaging activities that helped students develop a solid understanding of key geometric concepts.

Reading: This week in reading, our 4th graders focused on building deeper comprehension skills. They worked on expanding their vocabulary, questioning, and hypothesizing to reach more thoughtful conclusions as they read. Students explored historical texts to uncover universal messages and important lessons from the past. In preparation for the upcoming Wisconsin Forward, they organized their book bins and participated in a reading marathon to help build stamina. We also started discussing strategies and setting up a 'roadmap' to begin our test prep unit so when faced with a particular genre during testing we feel prepared, this week was fiction. It’s been a week focused on strengthening their reading skills and preparing for future challenges!

Content: Students examined a text to investigate the physical characteristics of their state and make preliminary inferences about how the earliest inhabitants of the region may have used and interacted with the land. Students also explored historical Indigenous American cultural areas, focusing on one cultural area connected to their state. They read an informational text and examined images to identify characteristics of the way of life in the past. 

  • 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:

  • March 7th - No School
  • March 14th - Knowledge - A - Thon
    • Get ready for the Knowledge-A-Thon (KAT) on March 14th! This year’s theme is "Today Readers, Tomorrow Leaders." We’re raising funds for new document cameras, high-interest books, and screen-free activities for our classrooms. And if we hit our $10,000 goal, Mrs. Steif will get a pie to the face! We need parent, grandparent, and adult volunteers to help with in-person questions that morning. Interested? Check out the school blog for the sign-up link! Don’t forget to practice the questions with your students — the class with the highest average of correct answers wins a pizza party, a traveling trophy, and bragging rights!
  • March 21st - Early Dismissal (11:30)
  • March 24th - 28th - No School
  • April 18th & 21st - 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

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