Monthly Archives: April 2023

Hi E-2 Families,

The Reed Walkathon Fundraiser is finally here!

Tomorrow, April 21st, your Fourth Graders will walk from 10:10-10:50 PM.

They will receive their FREE Walkathon 2023 T-Shirt tomorrow morning, that is theirs to keep.

For their comfort, please remind your child to:

–Wear comfortable shoes.

–Bring their water bottle.

–Eat breakfast (we are walking before recess’ snack break.)

–If you child uses sunblock or wears headgear to protect from the sun, of course encourage them to use that, too.

Questions about fundraising, donations, or receipts may be directed to Hillary Young of Reed’s PTA.

Thank you for your time and attention. 

Warmly,

Ms. Seyan

Dear E-2 Families,

CAASPP Testing starts next week:

-April 25 and 26, 9:15-11:15. English Language Arts CAT and PT, respectively.

-May 2 and 3, 9:15-11:15. Math CAT and PT, respectively. 

Information about these tests for families in English and Spanish can be found at the Starting Smarter website.

Student practice tests that can be accessed at home can be found on the CAASPP site here. 

We are practicing all the routines and procedures around CAASPP testing this week, including putting backpacks to the side of the room, logging in to the correct test interface, and using all the features of the test to support our experience. We will also come together as a class to figure out what will work and what won’t in creating an equitable and positive testing environment for all!

The WALKATHON fundraiser is happening this Friday, with our fourth graders walking from 10:10 to 10:50. 

Please remind your child to wear walking shoes and to bring water, maybe a hat, and if they wear sunblock, bring that too! 

If you would like to donate to the fundraiser:  

https://app.99pledges.com/fund/Reed/addme

If you would like to volunteer:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b45aaa929aafa7-reed?useFullSite=true#/

We have continued with POETRY month in class. Today we listened to 2 poems by Langston Hughes: “Dream Variations 3” and “I, Too”; find that page on the class blog here.

All of 2020’s Poetry Month selections can be found here.

Last but not least: Today, teachers were able to learn from someone who has already spoken with families here at Reed: Mary Eschen of Parenting Decoded. Mary is a parenting coach with a podcast, seminars on YouTube, classes, a newsletter, and more; her work can be found online at http://www.parentingdecoded.com. Many of the strategies and observations she shared at our staff meeting were relevant to the work we do with children every day and were bolstered by research. 

Many of Eschen’s podcast episodes sound intriguing and I am planning on listening to at least a few. Podcasts can be found on the Parenting Decoded website here.

Episodes recommended to us by Mary Eschen include:  

35 – How to teach kids to apologize

48- Cultivating kindness in kids

19- Creating Calm with Choices

Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to more communication in the coming weeks as the school year draws to a close. As always, please reach out with your suggestions, questions, or concerns!

Warmly,

Ms. Seyan

April 15, 2023

I am excited to be welcoming you and your child back from Spring Break! 

A couple of reminders and some extra information before students show up to class Monday the 17th by 9:05 sharp:

•COVID tests were dispersed in class just before Spring Break. SJUSD requests that all students and employees test for COVID the day before school resumes after Spring Break, and that if students have a fever or any symptoms of illness, they stay home. 

•If your child was not in class the day or two before Spring Breaks or did not get their free test and you would like to have them test this weekend, please contact your regular pharmacy or doctor’s office.

•We will start our Monday back with a class circle, Social Emotional Skills lessons, updates to classroom jobs and seating, as well as reteaching and practice of class procedures. The first two agenda items will support students with their classroom relationships, communication skills, and managing their emotions, so necessary as we grow and learn with others!

•Look for me to provide you with information and support for CAASPP testing later this week. Students will have ample opportunity to get comfortable with logging in and working through practice test items in class; they will also be provided with information and support for at-home practice. This  “low-pressure” practice eases anxiety and helps students do their best without undue worry or pressure.

•Last but not least, April is National Poetry Month, and we have been reading, listening to, writing on, and talking about poetry during our morning activities. I was gratified to see how many students checked out books of poetry at the school library last Friday! I have also deeply appreciated the quality of discussion the class has held. I enjoyed sharing one of my favorite poems ever, “When You Are Old” by William Butler Yeats. Afterwards, students surfaced ideas about the poem’s symbolism and commented on Yeats’ rhyming scheme.  If you’re curious as to what all the fuss is about, you may find the poem on the class website here: https://msseyan.com/2020/04/03/april-3-2020/. By the way: In April 2020 I created a month’s worth of poetry and activities on the website for distance learning students. Feel free to check out the day-by-day posts, starting here: https://msseyan.com/2020/03/31/april-is-national-poetry-month/

As always, thank you for your time. Please reach out with any suggestions, questions, or concerns!

Warmly,

Ms. Seyan