TRAILBLAZER TIMES

The Monthly Newsletter of Cannon Falls Area Elementary School

May 2008

 

IMPORTANT DATES

 

Monday, May 5 –

Minnesota’s Sesquicentennial Wagon Train passes by school at 9:15 AM on Highway 19

 

Thursday, May 8 –

PTO meeting at 7:00PM Election of officers for 08-09

 

Monday, May 19 –

School Board meeting –

7:00 PM at the high school

 

Tuesday, May 20 –

5^th and 6^th grade bands and choirs in concert-

7:00 PM in gym

 

Tuesday - Thursday, May 20-22 – Elementary Art Show- Student works of art on display in entry hallways from 6 AM to 8 PM daily

 

Monday, May 26 –

No School – Memorial Day

 

Phy Ed Fun Days:

Wed., May 28 – Gr. 4- 9:00                   Gr. 5- 12:45

Thurs., May 30- Gr. 2- 9:00

                        Gr. 3- 12:45

Friday, May 31- Gr. 1- 9:00

 

(Dates and times for the above noted events are subject to change- Check with your child’s teacher a week beforehand, please.)

 

Thursday, June 5 –

Last Day of Classes! * Unless there’s another snow day between now and then!

 

‘Back to the Future’ for Math in Fall

At Cannon Falls Area Elementary School, reading has always been our primary focus; as it should be. Because of that, much as we would love to, we sometimes find that there just isn’t enough time left in the (school) day to devote as much time as we would like to all of the other subjects; especially math.  As a result, we often find that we are unable to cover as much material or in as much depth in these subjects (especially math) as we would like.  That’s where you come in.

 

From the day your children were born, you have been their (unofficial first) teacher.  Now, it’s time to make it official.  Hence, the phrase, ‘Back to the Future.’  We know that you have always helped your kids with their spelling words, various projects or other homework assignments.  Beginning next fall, we’re calling upon all parents of students in grades 1-5 to join us in becoming their child’s basic math facts teacher.  With your help, and your child’s effort, success in math is within our reach.

 

The simple truth is that our teachers don’t have enough time during their daily math lessons to devote instructional time to learning the basic facts (0-9) in addition, subtraction, multiplication or division and teach all of the myriad concepts and applications required by the state standards in each grade level.  But, together, we can!  With your help at home (learning and memorizing the basic facts) and our focus here on applying those basic facts to the concepts being taught, we can form an unbeatable team focused on your children’s success in math.

 

More information about specific grade level math expectations will be sent home at the beginning of the new school year in September.  For now, though,  it’s enough to simply let your child know that math matters… and that memorizing their basic facts is as important to their future success in school (and in life) as learning the alphabet was to their learning how to read and write.  We look forward beginning this new partnership in the fall and the success it will bring your children in the years ahead. Thank you for your support.