6-9-09

Hello!  

I know most of you are reading some good books! I have been busy reading some of my favorite cookbooks since my goal this summer is to try one new recipe a week. I also have been reading and familiarizing myself with our new Language Arts Adoption.  I am really looking forward to Building Great Readers, One Good Habit at a Time.  Good Habits, Great Readers is organized around seven effective, research-based habits and strategies of successful readers.

1   Great Readers See Themselves as Readers

2  Great Readers Make Sense of Text

3  Great Readers Use What They Know

4  Great Readers Understand How Stories Work

5  Great Readers Read to Learn

6  Great Readers Monitor and Organize Ideas and Information

5-16-09

Please make sure to check your child's binder for a letter from Ms. Chesser. Also, all third
graders will go to the gym on Monday during specials for a game of tug-o-war. Please have your
child dress appropriately with tennis shoes and gloves if they want to bring them in. If you
have any questions or concerns please email me.

5-15-09

It has been such an AWESOME third grade year especially with it being Pickett’s Mill’s first
year! The end of each year is always so bittersweet. I am sad to see them go, but so proud of
the academic progress and growth that each PIRATE has shown over the year! And the time has
finally come for them to be fourth graders!

Thank you so very much for all of the wonderful support and kindness you have given to me all
year. Wishing each family a super delightful summer! Below is a schedule of the Final Five
days of the year:

Multiplication Monday - We will take one minute timed tests throughout the day to review our
multiplication facts to build a super yummy sundae. It is also Tug-o-War Time during our
specials, so please wear tennis shoes and bring gloves if you want.

Market Day Yard Sale Tuesday – Bring in at least 10 to 15 items you have created/made at home.
We have invited our book buddies to come shop with us in the afternoon.

Iditarod Musher Motivational Speaker 3rd - 5th, 8:15 - 9:45

Backwards Day Wednesday - Wear your clothes backwards and be prepared to do things backwards all
day long.
Also, it is Autograph Day! If your child purchased a yearbook, he or she may bring it in to
have friends sign it. All of third grade will sign yearbooks in the morning. If you didn’t buy
one, we have made an autograph book for you! Bring a good pen to use.

Sports Galore Thursday ~ Wear your sports uniform or favorite team jersey or shirt. We’ll play
kickball and enjoy hotdogs as a snack.

Roll the Dice Friday ~ Get ready to learn some dice games! Remember ~ No backpacks may be
brought to school today! It is a hands-free day! :o)


5-10-09

Happy Mother's Day to all our wonderful moms! Hope you are enjoying your special day!

Thanks to all of you who came to our Poetry Tea on Thursday! I am so proud of your children! I
hope you enjoyed their poems.

Wow, I am so touched with your generosity this past week! Mrs. Kenney, Mrs. Jackson, and Mrs.
Jolley surprised me Wednesday afternoon with a sweet congrats card, beautiful flowers, and
delicious cake recognizing my awesome honor as being Pickett’s Mill Teacher of the Year! Ms.
Chesser announced this grand news Tuesday at our staff meeting. A shout out goes to Mrs. Mullen
for being our runner up. She has done a fabulous job in the media center this year! I am truly
blessed to be working amongst the finest in Cobb County. Then at our poetry tea I was presented
with the BEST end of the year gifts! I can’t wait to go shopping and use the generous gift card
to treat myself to something extra special! AND, I just LOVE the beautiful antique picnic quilt
and basket. I have enjoyed reading all the wonderful and sweet acrostics each child wrote. I
will treasure this always along with terrific memories of my 2008-2009 Pickett’s Mill third
grade class.


5-6-09

Yearbooks will go on sale on May 12 at 7:30 a.m. on a first come, first serve basis. They are
$30.00.

Please plan to join us on Thursday, May 7th from 8:15-9:30 for our Poetry Tea. All are invited
to listen to some great poets share their wonderful poems. Each child will share 2 of their
poems while we enjoy some yummy breakfast treats. Come help celebrate your child’s successes!


Market Day Yard Sale is coming!!!

What is Market Day?
Market Day is an economics day where the children create a good or service to sell to the other
students. They earn money based on their classroom behavior and participation. As they
participate in the actual day, they will earn money as they sell their product. This money can
be used to shop with as well.

When is Market Day?
Market Day will be on May 19 in the afternoon. I will give the students time to set up
their “booth” or “display area” after lunch. Your child’s booth area should be NO LARGER than a
typical classroom desktop. We will set up our booths outside the building right behind our
classroom. We’ll invite our book buddy friends and some 3rd grade friends to come purchase items.

What do I need to do?
NOTHING! This should be your child’s project. Feel free to input or assist your child as they
prepare their project.

What are some examples of products or services my child can make?
Goods:
Handmade Jewelry- beaded or braided necklaces, bracelets, etc.
Handmade key chains
Decorated flowerpots
Cookies
Handmade or decorated picture frames
Brownies
Chocolate covered treats
Handmade gift cards
Hats, Scarves, or Purses
Decorated pencils or pencil toppers/accessories
Magnets

Services:
Back massages
Make your own coke float
Fortune Tellers
Beanbag tosses
NO HAIRSPRAY OR FACE PAINTING PLEASE

How much money should my child charge?
This is completely up to your child. Part of the learning process involves having the children
discover supply and demand, so we do not dictate the amounts they charge. The children can raise
or lower their prices during Market Day as they see it is necessary.


5-1-09

The first annual Pickett’s Mill sticker relay will be May 4 – May 8! Students will be able to
purchase stickers for 25 ¢ each. Stickers will be sold each morning before announcements. The
class in each grade level with the most stickers purchased will receive an ice cream treat!

4-24-09

WOW, what an amazing week we had! Everyone was present each and every day and did their very
best! We will finish up our CRCT testing on Monday with the social studies section. Ask your
child about today's extra special cool treat! We reviewed the three branches of government by
creating a yummy sundae. Quiz your children over the weekend to see if they can remember the
following: What is the constitution? (law) What part is the judicial? (cup - judges/supreme
court -decides what law means) What part is the legislative? (scoop of ice cream - House of
Representatives, another scoop of ice cream - Senate / congress makes laws) What part is the
executive? (cherry - president / he carries out laws) Check out their completed work folder as
they created a graphic organizer for this and look over their work packet from the past two
weeks. Please review the work and encourage your child to stay focus and do their best
throughout the day. We still have a lot of learning to take place these last few weeks of
school.

Save the Date: We're planning a Poetry Tea to showcase our poems on Thursday, May 7th from 8:15-
9:30. Each child will present two poems to the whole group then share their poetry books with
you. Coffee, tea, and light breakfast foods will be provided.


4-17-09

The CRCT begins next Tuesday, April 21st! Please make sure that your child gets to bed early
and is at school ON TIME everyday! The schedule for testing is as follows:

Tuesday, April 21st: Reading

Wednesday, April 22nd: English/Language Arts

Thursday, April 23rd: Math

Friday, April 24th: Science

Monday, April 28th: Social Studies

Thank you very much to parents who have graciously volunteered to bring in a snack for the
students each day! I know that this will be their favorite part of the day!! Your children are
working so incredibly hard to be sure they are prepared for each part of this important test.

A couple of reminders for next week: Please help your child to get plenty of rest and to have a
nice breakfast each day. In addition, as you know, it is super important that each child is
here and is on-time each day as well. The test will begin promptly at 8:00am. This means that
I need them here before the bell. Otherwise, it will take longer for roll and morning duties,
resulting in a late start on the test. Any child arriving past the bell will be held in the
Media Center until after testing for that day. This is so that they do not disrupt others
taking the test. Thank you very much for your support in that. I have offered an incentive to
our class if they are all here and on-time each day during testing. I have every confidence in
each student’s ability to do well on the test.


TIPS FOR SUCCESS

1. Get a good night’s sleep - go to bed early and make sure students are at school ON-TIME
each morning.

2. Eat a healthy breakfast.

3. Dress comfortably – bring a light jacket to wear just in case it is too cold.

4. Let your child RELAX at home.

5. Tell your child they are super smart and to be a good detective and do their best!!

6. NO WORRYING – everyone will do GREAT!!!!!


4-4-09

Wow, I am so overwhelmed to get such an awesome birthday gift from my treasured third graders! I
absolutely love the birthday box filled with sweet sayings and thoughtful wishes! We also
enjoyed the yummy cupcakes! I am looking forward to treating myself to something extra special
with the generous gift cards.

I am deeply touched by your generosity! I truly appreciate you thinking of me and for making my
birthday celebration extra special!


Have a spectacular time sharpening the saw over spring break! I wish everyone safe traveling
and fun family time. See you on Monday, April 13th.

What Are We Learning This Last Nine Weeks?
Math: We will be extending our multiplication and division skills! Students are beginning to
multiply and divide two and three digit numbers by single digit numbers. We will finish us the
nine weeks collecting data to create graphs, while studying how to interpret graphs.

Reading: Students will continue to use UNRAAVEL as they sharpen their reading comprehension
skills. We will also be studying poetry and doing a author study! Our class is planning to
have a Poetry Tea one morning in May to share their book of poems with you.

Writing: Students will continue to work on applying grammar skills while they write.

Science: We will focus on recycling, conservation, pollution, and the impact humans have on
their environment.

Social Studies: We will continue to review the people we have studied this year that have
helped expand the rights and freedoms of people in the United States like Paul Revere, Frederick
Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Mary McLeod Bethune, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Thurgood
Marshall, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Cesar Chavez. We will also review economy and our government.



3-27-09

WOW, what an incredible week! From the yummy lunch on Monday to beautiful flowers on Tuesday,
tasty salad on Wednesday, delicious desserts on Thursday, and the scrumptious Mexican lunch on
Friday. I want to thank all of you for making Teacher Appreciation Week so special! I truly
appreciate all the kind words and the thoughtful gifts. You’re the BEST! This is such an
awesome third grade class and I appreciate all your help and support throughout the school year.

Hope to see everyone at the SPRING FLING on Saturday!

What a great job the students did presenting their Famous Americans today! Please stop by to
look at our amazing paper dolls displayed outside our classroom. I am so proud of your child
being so proactive. Don't forget who presents next!

Monday, March 30th - Kara, Spencer, Mason, AJ, Jalisa, Stephane

Tuesday, March 31st - Steven, Patrick, Justin, Aaron, Darius, Shawn

This week we will not have a spelling test on Friday. We will spend time reviewing instead.
Please visit the OAS site for extra CRCT practice.

3-24-09

WOW! Thank you so very much for all your support, appreciation, and the beautiful flowers
today! I am admiring the gorgeous bouquet on my desk. You warmed my heart and I am so blessed
in this classroom.

For those of you that ordered Spring Fling wristbands or dinners, those are coming home today in
a sealed envelope. Please look for them and I'll see you there!

We are very excited about our Famous American projects. Many are finishing theirs tomorrow,
with just a few exceptions. I will send those home to be completed. Remember that they are
due this Friday.

Here is the presentation schedule:

Friday, March 27th - Katie, Kristen, Anna Kate, Madison, Thomas, Ethan

Monday, March 30th - Kara, Spencer, Mason, AJ, Jalisa, Stephane

Tuesday, March 31st - Steven, Patrick, Justin, Aaron, Darius, Shawn

Remember you may dress up like the person, bring props, etc. but not required.

On another note while I am thinking about it I usually ask parents to help donate healthy snacks
during CRCT. If you could donate snacks for one of our testing days, please let me know as soon
as possible. I have already bought water bottles and new #2 pencils for everyone. Also, each
day your child will receive a little treat note on their desk as they come in...like you're such
a smartie use that brain power, you were mint to be a great test taker, etc.

The testing dates are listed below, if one day is better for you than another please let me know.

Tues. 4/21
Weds. 4/22
Thurs/ 4/23
Fri. 4/24
Mon. 4/27

3-21-09

Boy we had a busy Friday! We started off the morning with a yummy health lesson taught by
Kara's mom and another KSU student. Please ask your child to tell you about the five food
groups and ask them if they made healthy choices when given the opportunity to choose from a
variety of snacks.

Then we had our class picture and individual pictures taken after lunch and ended our day with a
book buddy activity. The children did a great job sharing their stories and taught our first
grade friends what third grade's writing process looks like.

It was time to go and I totally forgot to pass out their homework. Please look for it on Monday
in their homework folder. Your child can get a head start by writing their spelling words in
their agenda. Here is our list: face, door, cut, done, group, basement, airliner, paperback,
breakfast, playground *trace *analyze *infer *evaluate

3-20-09

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

Famous American Presentations

We had a productive week with our Famous American research. Most are finished with their
research and have begun typing their paper. Some were more diligent than others and even typed
their final copy. We will spend a couple more days this week in the computer lab to finish up.
If your child does not get their paper finished then it will be sent home to be completed.

Here is the presentation schedule:

Friday, March 27th - Katie, Kristen, Anna Kate, Madison, Thomas, Ethan

Monday, March 30th - Kara, Spencer, Mason, AJ, Jalisa, Stephane

Tuesday, March 31st - Steven, Patrick, Justin, Aaron, Darius, Shawn

Remember you may dress up like person, bring props, etc. but not required.

3-14-09

PTA extended Spring Fling wristband and food orders. You have until Monday, March 16th to turn
your order in. If you have any questions contact: Gina Sullivan at gina.sullivan@comcast.net

The Treasure Chest School Store is NOW OPEN!! It will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:15-
7:45 a.m. The store will sell all kinds of wonderful treasures: pencils, pens, scent-sibles
bookmarks, key chains, and more! Just this week ~ School Store Tokens Now available ~ These are
TOKENS that you may purchase!!!! These can be used as rewards, birthday presents, etc.

You can purchase tokens from our school store and give them to your child. The student can then
use the tokens to "purchase" an item or items from the school store.
Token values are from 10 cents up to $2.00.

Career Day Flier- The counseling department is developing a file of career speakers that may be
used for Career Day. We have sent a letter home with your youngest child. The career file
information is on the back. Please complete the form and return it to us. Our counselors are
planning to have career activities on Monday, May 11.

Rummage Sale- On April 18, 2009 from 8am-2pm Pickett’s Mill will host our 1st annual Rummage
Sale. If you are ready to get rid of all that "stuff" around your house or want to sell
your "crafty" creations, then the Pickett's Mill Rummage Sale is just the thing for you!! All
proceeds benefit Relay for Life.

Art Gallery- Pickett's Mill Elementary will be hosting an Art Gallery of your child's artwork.
The children have been working hard on a special art project that will be framed and displayed
at our Kids Art Fair. The event will take place on 4/14/2009 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. If you
attend this Art Gallery event, your child's artwork will be framed and on display. You may
purchase it framed fro $29.95 (plus tax). Our school receives 20% of all frame sales to support
art education. Please help support this program at our school!


3-12-09

We spent some time researching our Famous American during our computer time this past week.
Many took notes on index cards and some even began typing their paper. I told the children they
could take their note cards home over the weekend to continue working on it. We will go to the
computer lab another 2 times this upcoming week and the following week. If you feel that your
child might not be able to finish before Friday, March 27th by just working on it at school then
please feel free to help them at home.

The children know that they must complete all their paper doll creations at home and that it is
due on Friday, March 27th.

I will send an email either Thursday or Friday letting you know when your child needs to do
their report. I am planning to have 6 present on Friday, another 6 on Monday, and finish up
with the last 6 on Tuesday. (3/27, 3/30, 3/31)

Please email me with any questions or concerns. Again, thanks for your continued support!

3-7-09

KIDSART FAIR
Pickett's Mill Elementary will be hosting an Art Gallery of your child's artwork. The children
have been working hard on a special art project that will be framed and displayed at our KidsArt
Fair.

The event will take 4/14/2009 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. If you attend this Art Gallery event,
your child's artwork will be framed and on display. You may purchase it framed for $29.95 (plus
tax). Our school receives 20% of all frame sales to support art education.

Please help support our awesome ART program!

The Treasure Chest School Store- NOW OPEN! The Treasure Chest School Store will be open on
Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:15-7:45 a.m. The store will sell all kinds of wonderful treasures:
pencils, pens, scent-sibles bookmarks, key chains, and more! Visit our class web site for a
printable flyer with more information.

3-6-09

Famous American Project

Please look for the Paper Doll Famous American Project packet in your child's binder today.
Your child needs to choose a famous American to research. We will begin working on this next
week in class, but your child may get a head start over the weekend on choosing their famous
American and gathering resources. I have also scheduled some time in the computer lab so that
they may do some research here at school and to type up their final report. I would like for
the paper doll to be completed at home. If you have any questions or concerns just email me.

Elementary ELA Adoption Public Review
The Elementary ELA Adoption Committee has recommended that the following titles be submitted to
the Board of Education for approval:

Pearson Learning – Good Habits, Great Readers

Zaner Bloser – Handwriting (K-3)

These materials will be on display for public review at the county office (514 Glover St,
Marietta, GA 30060) from March 9, 2009 to March 27, 2009 during regular office hours of 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m.

Chick-fil-A Anniversary Special
Chick-fil-A at Brookstone is having their 1 year anniversary and has many special offers. Please
read the attached flyer for more information.

COOL CUBE
We are busy learning about Heat and Energy in Science. The children are performing many hands on
experiments in class to identify and use the five sources of heat. This unit includes an At-Home
Project, The Cool Cube! Your mission is to create an INSULATED container to keep (or slow
down) an ice cube from melting! The directions were sent home on blue paper Monday. I have
shared drawings and ideas from last year with the children, but if you have any questions please
don’t hesitate to email me.

2-28-09

Yes, you heard right! Roll out of bed Monday morning March 2nd, and head straight to school. No
need to get dressed...it's PJ Day!! In a fun celebration of Read Across America Day, Pickett's
Mill students will chill out in their PJ's as we read and relax! See you Monday morning in your
PJ's ~ Can you predict what Dr. Seuss PJ's Mrs. Ewers will be wearing along with her favorite
Cat in the Hat slippers? Remember you may also bring in your favorite stuffed animal and a
beach towel/blanket.

Tuesday is an Early Relase day and Hat Day. Students will get out 2 hours early. They can wear
a hat for $1.00. This money goes towards Relay for Life.

Your child brought home an order form for Field Day T-shirts. If you would like to order one
for your child, just follow the directions on the form and use the envelope to send in your
payment.


We can no longer accept any plastics here at the school. Our plastic recycle bin was taken away
several months ago because it was not cost efficient for their company to leave one at our
school. People are still continuing to bring plastic products to the school and are placing them
in the aluminum recycle bin. Unfortunately, this will probably adversely effect our monetary
reimbursement because there is so much plastic in our aluminum recycle bin. So please only throw
appropriate aluminum items in the aluminum bin. Thank you!



2-24-09

The Treasure Chest School Store- NOW OPEN!
The Treasure Chest School Store will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:15-7:45 a.m. The
store will sell all kinds of wonderful treasures: pencils, pens, scent-sibles bookmarks, key
chains, and more! Visit our class web site for a printable flyer with more information.

Old Mill Nights- Date change- Old Mill Family Night will now be on the 1st Wednesday of the month

The Giving Tree- The Pickett's Mill Community Outreach program is collecting new or gently used
clothing for the Giving Tree in Acworth through Monday, March 2nd. There is a box in the main
hallway outside the Front Office. The Giving Tree is in great need of children’s sizes 7 - 14
and teen pants and jeans size 1-12 also good (gently worn) shoes.

2-19-09

Just a reminder that the students' Six Flags reading logs are due tomorrow! Remember to tally
up the minutes your child read and sign the log at the bottom.

Also, please join us for a Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, March 10th, from 11:30-12:30.

Topic: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Kids

The teachers at Pickett’s Mill are currently being trained in Steven Covey’s
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. They are also beginning to integrate the habits into
class lessons and instruction. Come learn what the habits are, how the school is teaching and
using the habits, and how to incorporate these wonderful life-skills into life at home.

Please bring your lunch or plan to buy a school meal. Light refreshments will be provided.

Session Facilitators:
Shelia Chesser, Principal
Kathy Collins, School Counselor
Rebecca Radicchi, Area 5 Lead Teacher
Pam Richardson, School Counselor


2-14-09

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! We had a very special Friday and enjoyed spending time with our book
buddies. Please make sure to visit our blog to see our Book Buddy Valentine Fun SMILEBOX. You
will enjoy the precious photos!

Thank you all so much for thinking of me with your special treats and gifts! I truly appreciate
your thoughtfulness!

A message from the principal of Allatoona High School. It sounds like a fun way to begin next
Friday! Maybe I'll see you there..... or maybe at the Pickett's Mill Bingo that night!

Next Friday, Feb. 20th, CBS 46 will have their camera crews here at Allatoona. We have been
selected as a Cool School. During the Better Mornings AtlantaShow from 5am to 7am there will be
a live shot from our school every 10 minutes.
We would like to make this an Allatoona Community Cool School Pep Rallyand invite all our
parents and rising 8th graders and elementary school parents and students who will attend
Allatoona to be part of this. We will feed them breakfast, but we need everyone in the gym in
place by 5am. We will have music and performances, singing, cheerleaders and teams present from
5am to 7am, and then feed everyone at 7am. Please share this with your Future Buccaneers. They
should have plenty of time to make it back to your school.
Thanks in advance for helping me with this, and announce it for us. I hope you will come also.
We will make it fun.
Please go to this link to see what Kell High School did when they were selected.

www.cbsatlanta.com/coolschools

Scott Bursmith
Principal
Allatoona High School

2-6-09

Congratulations Ms. Chesser!! Ms. Chesser was awarded "Principal of the Year" by the PTA Tom
Mathis Council! We are so PROUD of her and consider her one of the finest treasures here at
Pickett’s Mill! :o)

Listen to/watch actor Hector Elizondo read the Valentine’s story "Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch"
on the website Storyline Online http://storylineonline.net/index2.html.

If your child is working on a Science Fair Project please remember that projects are
due February 12th. Don't forget to work on your "Family Garden Graph" which is also due.

1-30-09

WOW, what a great conference week! Thank you for taking the time to come to your parent
conference meeting. I truly enjoyed getting a chance to visit with each of you. I am very proud
of all my students and look forward to continued success.

1-25-09
Conference week is next week. Please remember early dismissal at 12:15. Also, there is no
after school tutoring. It will start back up on Monday, February 2nd. Please be sure to come
at your assigned time, so I can stay on schedule. I want to be able to give each parent an
equal amount of time. I look forward to talking to each of you about your child's progress and
goals. I will give report cards out at that time.


1-16-09

We had a great week of learning! Please ask your child about our "SKULL STUDY". We truly
enjoyed all the hands on learning about some of Georgia's animals.

The Pickett's Mill counselors invite you to attend an Internet Safety parent workshop presented
by Dr. Patti Agatston. She is from Cobb County's Prevention Intervention Center. The workshop
will take place Thursday, January 29th from 11:00-12:00 in room 315. Please consider attending
this session!

Just a reminder, please make sure your child comes to school with a jacket so everyone can go
outside during recess weather permitting.

Please remember to send a healthy snack in with your child daily. Our community snack basket is
running low and these come in handy when a child forgets their snack. We would appreciate any of
the following: pretzels, goldfish, cheez-its, crackers, fruit snacks, fruit loops, etc. Thanks
so much! :o)

Enjoy this long weekend with your family and stay warm. I'll be spending some time by the fire
reading a book this weekend and looking through some recipe books so I can cook up some yummy
new recipes for my family.

1-8-09

I am so happy to be back with the students. They have come back to school and worked hard this
week. I've heard lots of good stories about happy holidays at home!

On Friday your child will bring home 2 important papers. A yellow sheet with CRCT online
practice test access information and a blue conference time letter. The yellow sheet is yours
to keep in a safe place at home. It has your students' ID number and the password that will
allow you access to the practice website. Please have your child log on and practice and let me
know if there are any problems. The blue sheet needs to be signed and returned to me in order
to confirm your conference time. We have tried to coordinate the times with sibling teachers,
so just let me know if there is a conflict. I look forward to seeing each of you during
conference week, January 26 - January 30. That week will be early release at 12:15 every day.
Please remember to send a note if your child's transportation will be different that week.

Smencils are coming!!!! Your child might be more willing to tackle that homework with a cotton
candy smelling pencil. Smencils are scented pencils that will be sold next Tuesday for $1.00 to
benefit Relay for Life. They are made from 100% recycled newspaper and are guaranteed to keep
on smelling for 2 years. They come in 10 different nose tickling flavors and I'm sure you'll
hear about them more from your child.

Remember that January 19 is Martin Luther King Day and there is no school. Have fun!




1-2-09

Happy New Year! I hope everyone has enjoyed the nice long break with your family and friends!
Please check out either my blog or website for imporatant dates and newsletter.

Here is what we will focus on this upcoming third nine weeks.

Third Nine Weeks Focus
Reading ~ Fictional Text
EQ: How do I decide what the text is mostly about? How does the author support what they are
writing about?

Writing ~ Persuasive Writing
EQ: How do I write to persuade an audience?

Math ~ Fractions and Decimals and Measurement
EQ: What is the relationship between fractions and decimals? What relationships can be found
within the metric system of measurement? What relationships can be found within the customary
system of measurement? In what ways do I use measurement to determine the perimeter and area of
a plane figure?

Social Studies we will learn about Mary McLeod Bethune, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt
and Thurgood Marshall.
EQ: Who are the Americans that expanded peoples’ rights and freedoms in a democracy?

Science ~ Habitats and Organisms of Georgia
EQ: What features should I look at to see why plants live and thrive in a region? What
features do Georgia animals have that helps them live and thrive in a region? How can habitats
change?


12-21-08

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday with your families. Merry Christmas and see
you in 2009!


12-3-08
We are so excited that the third grade will be the very first grade level to perform here at
Pickett's Mill. This Thursday night December 4th please come join us for our fabulous
performance "An All American Christmas". Meet me in the gym by 6:30pm. If your are a speaker,
dancer, or soloist please report to Mrs. Grebe in the cafeteria at 6:15 pm. We have 12 students
from our class that have a special part so get ready for an awesome performance!

Also, due to our wonderful "All American Christmas" program and the excellence that all of the
practice has brought ~ homework for this week will not be due until Monday, December 8.
Homework for next week will be sent home on Friday and is due the following Friday. Our class
will not have homework the week before the holidays. Please continue to have your child read
nightly...there's so many great holiday stories to share.

Jingle all the way,
Mrs. Ewers

11.10.08
Event Reminder ~ Jump Rope For Heart

When: Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Where: Pickett’s Mill Gymnasium

Time: During Regular Specials (Art, Music, Computer Lab, P. E.) Times

We have officially started collecting the JRFH envelopes on Monday, November 7th in the Gym
office. Each student that returns an envelope will receive a sticker and a heart placed on the
gym wall with their name on it.
All money is due on Wednesday, November 12, 2008. Please send your child’s envelope on or before
this date. The thank-you prizes will be ordered the day of the event and will take 3 to 4 weeks
to come in. Our goal is to reach $12,500.00 for the American Heart Association.

If we hit our goal this year, Coach Charrette will walk the halls before school on Thursday
dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz with his dog TOTO, singing “Somewhere over the
Rainbow”.
Remember to send your child with tennis shoes on Wednesday, November 12th even if they do
not have P. E. as a scheduled class.

Come and join us if you can! It is a lot of fun!

11.8.08

Also, don't forget to visit my blog at http://www.pickettsmill.typepad.com/cathy_ewers/
I have added a new page to explore ~ Super Social Studies ~

Field Trip - We will be going on a field trip to see "King Tut" on Monday, November 10th. We
will leave around 9:00 and should return between 12:00 and 12:30. Students will have sack
lunches when they return. Please pack a large snack for that day so that students can eat
something before we leave. This trip is a part of the Performing Arts Programs. You signed
permission forms at the beginning of the year for this. Students should wear their red pirate
shirt or a red shirt.

Here is a description of the performance:
KING TUT ~ TheatreworksUSA
TheatreworksUSA exciting musical tells the stories of Tutankhamen, the “boy king,” who ruled
Egypt in the 14th Century B.C.; and Howard Carter, the archeologist who made him famous by
discovering his tomb in 1922. The TheatreworksUSA authors begin with the grain of fact about
Tut’s life that has survived thousands of years. But, they had to do a bit of storytelling in
order to fill in the historical gaps (including the cause of his death, which continues to be
debated among scholars today). The result is a compelling tale of two men, who leave their
marks on history in two very different worlds.

11.7.08
12 Ways to Develop Your Child's Organizational Skills
Fun activities like cooking and collecting; teach planning, sorting, and classifying.

Keep a family calendar. Track everyone's activities on a prominent and accessible calendar,
encouraging your child to write her own entries and reference the calendar when making plans.
You also might consider checking schedules and updating the calendar as a family over Sunday
breakfast.

Introduce checklists. Whether it's as simple as "3 Things To Do Before Bed" or "What To Take On
Vacation," creating and referring to lists together will develop your child's ability to
strategize tasks and organize his time.

Assign chores that involve sorting or categorizing. Grocery shopping, emptying the dishwasher,
sorting photos, cleaning out a closet, and other tasks that involve pre-planning, making lists,
or arranging things are great choices.

Get ready the night before. This one's always tough — for both of you — but it does work if you
can get in the habit.

Use containers and closet organizers. If there's a place for everything, she'll find it easier
to find items, keep neat, and clean up. Build "pick up" time into the daily routine.

Buy your child a planner. Ask him to help you pick it out or choose one that will appeal to him
so he'll be excited about using it. Having his own planner will show him you consider his time
valuable and encourage him to create a schedule. Be sure to routinely coordinate the information
with your family calendar to avoid conflicts.

Organize schoolwork. Make sure your child's keeping notes, homework, handouts, and graded
assignments in separate folders in a binder. Try to check her backpack nightly and set a time
aside each week to go through her binder and get things sorted.

Establish a homework routine. Help your child make a "study hour" schedule and set up a
comfortable workspace -- whether her room or the kitchen table. Encourage her to stick to the
schedule even when she doesn't have homework (She can read, review notes, or even do a crossword
puzzle.)

Create a homework supply box. Fill a box with office supplies and encourage your child to store
pens, paper, measurement tools, and a calculator in it so he'll have what he needs on hand.

Cook together. Cooking teaches measuring, following directions, sorting ingredients, and
managing time — all key elements in organization. Involve your child in meal planning too,
challenging her to help you put together a shopping list.

Cultivate an interest in collecting. If your child has a particular interest, encourage him to
create and organize the collection. It can even be something free — such as rocks or cancelled
stamps — that he can sort, classify, and arrange.

Reward and provide support with organizational tasks. Your child may find organizing a
challenge, so help her develop her routine and give her a treat for jobs well done!

~Taken from November 2008 Scholastic Elementary School Parent Update~



10.26.08

Our field trip to the CATO Environmental Center is tomorrow Monday, October 27th. This is our
first Environmental Field study where we learn about "Adaptations". This is the first of our 5
part series. We will leave at 9:00 and return by 1:30. Be sure to dress for the weather and
wear walking shoes. Please remember to bring a sack lunch from home if you did not order a
school sack lunch. We will have a cooler for our lunches and drinks.


Please email me if you have any questions.



10.22.08

Reminders:

Don't forget to bring in your items for our column project this Friday. It will be a fun
and creative culminating activity for our Greece unit.

Remember to bring in your reading log on Friday with the total minutes added up. I hope all
students participate in this reading program that our PTA has put together for us. This program
asks that all students log their nightly reading and record the number of minutes read each
night. For third grade it is asked that each child reads 75 minutes a week. Who will be our top
reader in the class?

We have our first field trip on Monday. Please wear your red Pickett's Mill t-shirt or any
other red shirt on this day. Also, your child needs to wear comfortable walking shoes that may
get dirty. Please send your child in a jacket that is appropriate for the weather. If your
student does not want to purchase a school sack lunch they need to bring a lunch from home. We
will have a cooler with us.

Social Studies Textbook Online!
Great news! You can now access your social studies textbook online! Just take the following
steps:
Go to: http://www.eduplace.com/eservices
Once there, find your grade level and type in your User Name and Password.
For ALL third grade students, your username is: cobbstudent3
Your password is: password
Have fun exploring!


10.16.08

Red Ribbon Week will soon be here. There will be many fun activities to help Celebrate Red
Ribbon Week which is October 27 - 31st.

Pickett’s Mill Elementary Activities

Monday, Oct. 27
Be Proactive – You’re in Charge,Just Say No
Everyone wear red to school.

Tuesday, Oct. 28
Begin With the End in Mind - Be Drug Free to Succeed
Students dress up as what they want to be when they grow up.

Wednesday, Oct. 29-
Put First Things First – Keep your mind and body healthy
Talk about healthy eating habits and exercise to keep our mind and body fit. Encourage students
to bring a healthy snack to school. Also, during the day, take a walk around the school or take
a few minutes to exercise with your students.

Thursday, Oct. 30
Think Win Win - We are winners because we are drug free!
Students will sign a pledge banner located in the grade level halls. These banners will be
provided by the Pickett’s Mill PTA

Friday, Oct. 31
Spirit Day – Synergize
Wear your Pickett’s Mill shirt or school colors to show we are united in being drug free.

10.02.08

Good afternoon Treasured Third Grade Parents. Don't forget that our school pictures are
tomorrow. Our picture time will be at 9:12a.m. Also, we have our weekly math timed test, DOL
quiz, and spelling test tomorrow. Reviewing our weekly morning work packet that should be in
your child's PIRATE BINDER will be helpful for the DOL quiz.

We are looking for 1 or 2 volunteers to be our Reading Moms on Friday mornings. Please read the
following letter and if you are interested please email me.
Lynn Judson and I are the co-chairs for the Pickett's Mill reading program. We are looking for
volunteers for Reading Moms from each classroom. The program is starting October 20th and runs
for five weeks. The kids will be keeping track of their minutes read for each week. The
Reading Mom will need to go into the classroom each Friday and do the following:

1. Collect the kid's reading logs. Kids who reach their weekly goal will receive a pirate
themed temporary tattoo. You can decide if you want to actually apply them or just hand them
out. Each classroom will have a reading chart to track their weekly progress. We are
providing a blank chart to be filled out and decorated however you would like.

2. Tally the classroom's total minutes read for the week. There will be a box in the PTA room
at the school to place the tally sheet.

3. The classroom from each grade who reads the most minutes will be awarded a class party. We
will provide the treats and supplies but would like the Reading Mom to facilitate the party.

If you know of any parents in your classrooms that would like to volunteer to help us with this
program, please email or call me at 770-726-9524.

Thank you so much for your help.

Christy McHugh


9.30.08

Picture Day is Friday, October 3rd!!

Watch for an information packet about pictures to come home with your student on Wednesday, Oct
1st.

Don't miss out on a great opportunity! School pictures make great Holiday presents for loved
ones!!

Also, we are reviewing our first nine weeks math skills this week. Your child should be
bringing home their math review sheets daily. Please ask our child to review them again at
home. We will take our posttest on Thursday. Thanks for your continued support at home!

9.29.08

TESTING IS OVER!!!!! WHEW!!!!!

Our lunch, specials, and recess schedules return to normal! Hurrah! Please note that there has
been a slight change in our lunch time. Our lunch time is 11:34 - 12:04.

Your children worked so very hard this week on testing. I am so proud of their efforts. They
were absolute champs! And thank you to those of you who provided special snacks! The children
really enjoyed them after working so hard. They each deserve a pat on their back and an extra
hug from you!

FREE Family FUN
The Southern Museum will host a FREE Family Fun Day this Saturday, September 27, 2008 from
1:00 – 5:00 PM!

Come celebrate the opening of the NEW Jolley Education Center with family activities such as:

Arts & Crafts
Games
Inflatable Train
Educational Programs
Tours of the new Jolley Education Center
Weapons Demonstrations
And more!
For more information, visit www.southernmuseum.org or call (770) 427-2117, extension 3174.
Sponsored by Ashton Staffing, Kennesaw Pediatrics, Primrose of Kennesaw, Kennesaw Museum
Foundation.

The Southern Museum is located at 2829 Cherokee Street in Kennesaw.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

October 2nd - Reflections Projects Due

October 3rd - School Picture Day

October 5-11 Public Safety Appreciation Week

October 7th - Old Mill Restaurant Night (5-10pm)

October 10th - End of first nine-week grading period

October 14th - Chick-fil-a Night (5:30-7:30pm)

October 15th - Cobb County Early Release

October 16th - Jump Its Night (5-7pm)

October 17th - Report Cards Come Home & Family Fun Run


9.19.08

Visit my blog for this week's pirate tidbits http://www.pickettsmill.typepad.com/cathy_ewers/

Ahoy there Mateys! Today we hopped on board and completed our Path to Pirate Treasure
activities in honor of National Talk Like a Pirate Day! Ask your child about the pirate chores
they did before finding their pirate treasures. Shiver me timbers, our day was filled with lots
of learning experiences.

We will continue to test from 8:00 - 10:00 each morning as we take the ITBS test. Please
remember to be at school by 7:50 as we begin taking our test promptly at 8:00. Make sure your
child gets plenty of rest each night and eats a good breakfast every morning.

Our specials are from 10:45 - 11:30 and our lunchtime is from 12:38 - 1:08. Extra snacks would
truly be appreciated during testing week as the children are really hungry by the time we get to
eat lunch. Pretzels, Cheese-Its, fruit snacks, and graham crackers are some favorites.

Please encourage your child to read every night this week. Due to testing there will be no
homework or spelling words.

September 22nd - Happy first day of Fall!

September 24th - Stevie B's Family Pizza Night from 5:00 - 10:00

September 26th - Chick-fil-a Biscuits $2.50 ~ sold in car line and bus port on a first come
first serve basis/proceeds benefit our wonderful PTA and Relay for Life

October 2nd - Reflections Due

October 3rd - Smile BIG ~ school pictures

October 10th - End of first 9 weeks

9.15.08

We have had a very busy week learning lots of amazing things! We visited our beautiful media
center for orientation. “Captain Mullen” engaged us in a treasure hunt as we toured each
section. We learned about walking the plank, sitting in the "Starbucks" chairs and then we were
allowed to check out books for the first time. We worked on using the hundreds chart to help us
add quickly and rounding in math, continued reading traditional literature and learned about
subjects and predicates in grammar. We explored fossils in science and enjoyed participating in
a hands-on activity where the students made their own fossil using shells. Here is a great site
to look at with your child for observing fossils. www.fossilsforkids.com

Next week, we will have an Early Release Day on Tuesday and the children will be testing on both
Wednesday and Thursday. The tests next week will be the CoGAT and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills
will begin the following Monday.

Tuesday, September 16th EARLY RELEASE (12:15 Dismissal)
5:00-10:00 Cici's Pizza Family Night

September 17 - 19 COGAT TESTING

September 22-26 ITBS TESTING

Thursday, September 18th 5:00 - 7:00 Jump Its Family Night

Friday, September 19th Chick-fil-a Biscuits $2.50

Wednesday, September 24th 5:00 - 10:00 Stevie B's Pizza Family Night

Friday, September 26th Spirit Wear Day! / Chick-fil-a Biscuits $2.50



8.31.08

Wishing everyone a nice and relaxing Labor Day Weekend! We had another fabulous week learning
lots of great things in third grade! You're child is truly a treasure! Please make sure to
visit my blog and website weekly to stay current on what we are busy learning. Please read
weekly class newsletter either from the website or blog. See your children on Tuesday! :o)


8.18.08

WOW! Mrs. Ewers' Treasured Third Graders are so excited about our great new adventure at
Pickett's Mill. We hoisted our anchor into lots of wonderful learning this first week of
school. I hope all of your children have come home excited about our class. We've spent a lot
of time learning classroom routines and procedures and I'm impressed with how quickly your
children are learning these. Enjoy reading our weekly newsletter.





Dear Treasured Third Grade Parents,
Just wanted to send a quick email to let you know how much I enjoyed meeting all of you at Sneak-
a-peek. I have an awesome class and looking forward to a GREAT year!

Please remember to send in your child's binder on Monday. Our agendas are in and I would like
to put them in your child's binder so that they may bring them home on Monday. We will be
organizing our binders a little bit each day. More info about our binders will be coming home
next week.

Our special for Monday is music from 9:50 - 10:35. Our lunch time is from 11:31-12:01.

Don't forget to send in a healthy snack for your child. We will have our snack time in the
morning during DEAR / teacher read aloud time.

Breakfast is from 7:15 - 7:40 each morning.
Lunch: Students $1.60, Adults $2.50 (Milk and juice is $.50)


Our school mission statement: Our mission at Pickett's Mill Elementary is to develop leaders
who are independent thinkers in a nurturing learning community where growth and individual
achievement are expected. We will challenge all learners to demonstrate leadership skills and
proficiency with academic standards while embracing a spirit of collaboration.


Looking forward to a treasured third grade year! :o) I can't wait to see your child Monday
morning. Give them a big hug for me and let them know how excited I am to have them in my class.

If you ever have any questions please email me anytime.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Mrs. Cathy Ewers