So Who Do You Know in Your Neighborhood?

Who Do You Know in Your Neighborhood?

Does that phrase have a familiar ring--remember sitting on the family room floor eating your Cheerios and watching Mr. Rogers-that soft-spoken, eloquent man, from your childhood years?  We decided to investigate not only our own neighborhood but a few others, as well. This was the theme of the chapel the girls presented this morning.  The girls learned so much from each other--where everyone lives in the city, where they love to eat, churches where they worship. They also learned how diverse and interesting many of our Richmond churches are.  Did you know that Beth Ahabah was the second oldest synagogue in the country or that there was a Baptist church where there is a Chinese service, as well as an English one?

 I was also reminded of something that I already knew--what wonderful, welcoming people you are.  When I asked the girls how their families helped neighbors or how neighbors helped their families, their answers were so real.

"Bake an apple pie and take them flowers."

"Bring a meal to them when they are sick."

"Attend neighborhood gatherings."

"Bake cookies for people who can't get out."

Part of the fun included a walk through our neighborhood of St. Catherine's.  The girls met the owner of Nellie George, Nancy Hartt, who was in my fourth grade class!  They also interviewed Dick Fowlkes, owner of Peter Blair, and Lt. Pettigord of Firestation 19 on Maple. Last, but not least, they got to know Ms. Vermillion's upper school computer science students, and they LOVED that.

Happy girls after our chapel this morning!

 Visiting Peter Blair.

Thank you, Mr. Fowlkes!

 Lunch, anyone?  Cafe Caturra

 We love our neighborhood bank!

 New friends in Ms. Vermillion's Computer Science class!

Thank you, Mrs. Hartt, for letting us visit Nellie George!  It's been a long time since you were in my fourth grade class!

Lieutenant Pettigord, thank you for answering these girls' questions!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6Bf-RKPFfTGM0dWTU1hMXhBTW8/view?usp=sharing

Home Sweet Home



Book Projects Galore

We had a fun-filled day as the girls presented their first book projects!  All of them were so attentive as they listened to each girl's presentation.  The projects were creative and interesting, and I think everyone in the class has a new list of books that they would like to read!

October is such a great month for Fourthies!  Fall is upon us.  We hope!  Girls are getting in the groove, and we have lots of exciting Halloween activities, some of which are on the Fourthie Website!  We are reading mysteries and identifying the elements of a good mystery, as well as solving some mysterious math problems, as well.  Check out our Halloween math site! Our class loves Math Playground, and the Fourthie Website has wonderful activities that we will begin on Monday.

Lots of Activity in M06 and Chapel on Friday

Just a tease!  You know from my email that our class is presenting Chapel this Friday, October 13, at 8:15 in the Lower School Assembly Room. Your daughters have learned a lot during the process and are working hard on getting it ready for the lower school.  We would love to have you join us.

The classroom is filled with excitement pretty much the entire day.  The only problem we have is that there are not enough hours in the day to do everything.  Those of you who were able to attend Tech Night know that our new favorite thing is Kahoot.  It's so much fun and a great learning tool.  Ask your daughters about it!  

We are nearing the end of Unit 1 in Math, and we are finishing with the very challenging concept of Order of Operations.  We use a pretty cool acronym for remembering the Order.  Your daughter can show you the slide on Google Classroom.  Mastering this, however, just takes lots of practice so we will work on it until everyone feels comfortable.  As you know, for the last ten days the girls have been involved in an international Halloween Math Contest on a site called Manga High.  They love it, and I know they will be sad to see the contest end on Friday.  They earned bronze, silver, and gold medals by playing the games and completing the assignments.  It's a great way to become proficient in math while having fun and competing.  If you have been wondering why your daughters are spending lots of time on the computer lately, now you know why!

Xtramath.org, which is located on the right side of this blog, should be a nightly routine in your homes.  The girls need to learn their basic facts, so this is a regular assignment. Thank you for administering the nightly quizzes on the tables. We are focusing on the sevens this week.

We are finishing up Number the Stars, the wonderful book by Lois Lowry.  It ties into our history as we study World War II and the Thirties and Forties.  The girls are enjoying all of the reading, research and collaboration. 

Upcoming Field Trip Date  -  November 8     Mount Vernon

 As we approach the date, there will be more information on this trip.

Music Class Update

October 6, 2017

Dear Grade 4 Parents,

Greetings from the Lower School music room! This is a note to let you know that fourth-grade students will soon resume playing the recorder in music classes. Please send your daughter to school with her recorder and a folder or notebook (to keep her recorder music in all year) beginning next week. Students who are new to St. Catherine’s this year will receive their recorders in music classes next week.

Any returning students who have lost or misplaced the recorders they were given in grade 3 are asked to please replace the lost instrument. In class we use the Peripole® Angel Baroque Soprano Halo® Recorder, which is available for purchase online at www.peripole.com. Soprano recorders are also sold by local music merchants such as Music & Arts.

Thank you for your support and assistance! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Ivens

LS Music Teacher

Technology Night and Other Dates

Join us on Thursday, October 5, at 7PM, for a Technology Night.  Come and see how your daughter learns in a 21st Century classroom.  To let me know if you will be able to attend click here.


Reminders:

Blessing of the Animals         October 2  8:15  on the green

Technology Night                   October 5  7PM  M06 classroom

Columbus Day  No School     October 9

Conference Day   No School   October 19

Lend A Helping Paw

Everyone wants to help all of those affected by the recent hurricanes.  Here is a wonderful way to help dogs stranded during this terrible storm.  St. Catherine's is taking a vital interest in this project.
Click on the link to see how you and your daughters can help!

Lend a Helping Paw

Lend a Helping Paw

Lend a Helping Paw- Florida

The Tradition Continues-NewFourthies Installed Today

Sounds of gleeful laughter and excitement filled the Lower School Assembly Room this morning as this year's class of Fourthies signed the pledge to be wonderful role models for the younger girls. These girls already show many signs of leadership.They are helping with morning carpool, they hold doors and run errands, and they accomplish this with a cheerful heart! I know you are as proud of them as I am!  Congratulations, Class of 2026!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FOURTHIE AT ST.CATHERINE'S?

A Fourthie is a leader.
A Fourthie is kind and helpful to younger children.

A Fourthie knows how to be a good role model for younger children.
A Fourthie is helpful to her teachers.
A Fourthie always strives to do her best work in school.
A Fourthie helps with carpool.
A Fourthie helps with chapel.
A Fourthie helps with Discovery Day and other school activities.

Is it 1958 or 1976?

Look, girls, this was a class in 1958 on Picture Day!  Maybe your grandparents were in classes that looked a little like this one!

This was a class in 1976!  

....and here you are in 2017!

Maybe someday your children will look at this picture!  I wonder what they will think!

Check Google Classroom for an assignment on this!

Spirit Day, and is McVey Theatre really 50 years old?!

Happy Birthday, McVey Theater!  There's a lot to celebrate around our campus this week, and one of the biggest milestones is that of McVey Theater.  It was built in 1937 during the height of the Great Depression, girls!  Wouldn't it be interesting to see what Richmond looked like in 1937?  Let's find out!

Remember that Spirit Day is also on Friday, September 22. You may wear jeans along with your traditional gold and white! We are going to have a lot of fun on Friday!  Stay tuned for pictures!

Special Week Information

Special Week

Each girl in the fourth grade will have her own special week.  This is a wonderful time to learn a little bit more about the girls in the class.  Each girl should use a simple piece of poster board to put pictures of her family, hobbies, or whatever she would like us to see.  This poster does not have to be elaborate, but it is important that all words be spelled correctly because the poster will be featured on a bulletin board near the Library.

During this week, the girls may bring a pet to recess. This, of course, is optional. If it rains all week, it is fine to schedule this for the next week.

The girls may also bring two special people to lunch during their special week.

If you would like to talk to the class about your profession or hobby or anything, we would love to have you. It is our honor to have you speak because we know that you have so much to contribute to the education of the class!  This opportunity is also optional.

It’s fun for the girls to sign up for this themselves so the sheet will be available in the classroom.  There are many weeks from which to choose from  September 25 to April 16.

Primp for Pictures!

Reminder:

As you know swimming starts tomorrow, but no worries about Picture Day scheduled on a swimming day!  This always seems to happen to my class during the weeks that the girls swim, so I scheduled their pictures for 12:00 tomorrow, Tuesday. That will give their hair plenty of time to dry after swimming.

The girls are off to a wonderful start!  In math we have been concentrating on Place Value.  They have written standard numbers, as well as expanded numbers, while also identifying the value of the digits.  Now we are working on number lines and comparing and ordering numbers.  It's interesting to see what they have learned in Singapore Math in previous grades.  They are doing a great job!

I am so impressed with the adjustment your girls have made to the routine of the classroom. Today was a milestone! Each girl came into class this morning, unpacked her backpack, sat down and took advantage of the Monday morning study hall.  I mean they got the cards out and started writing!  It was awesome! You could have heard a pin drop!  They get it!  (If I do my cards in school, I won't have to do them at night!) Yay! Remember, I also give another study hall at the end of the day.

We took a little field trip during vocabulary to learn the word "approach." Here they are in
St. Catherine's Lane.

Ask your daughter about vocabulary class today!  They learned a lot!

Band Information

September 1, 2017

Dear Grade 4 Parents,

As we begin a new school year, I would like to take this opportunity to invite your daughter to participate in the St. Catherine’s Band Program! My name is Ben Court, I am the Band Director at St. Catherine’s School, and I am excited to meet the girls and help them to love playing an instrument while gaining the numerous skills that develop through playing in an ensemble.

In Grade 4, band instruction is provided in small group lessons, as well as in full ensemble rehearsals. This format is designed to help students understand the basic technique of their chosen instrument and enjoy speedy progress throughout their first year! Small group lessons are scheduled during Grade 4’s recess times. Each participating student will miss one recess period per week to attend her band lesson. The full ensemble meets during the Friday afternoon Activities period alongside the Ecology, Outreach, and Inclusion clubs, giving the girls an engaging and enjoyable end to the school week!

The following instruments will be offered in the Grade 4 class: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet (or Cornet), Trombone (or Baritone), and Percussion. These are the most accessible instruments for young students, but if your daughter already studies another wind or brass instrument and would like to participate in the band, we would love to have her join us! We also have a fantastic private lesson program at St. Catherine’s that is available to all students. Individual instruction can greatly enhance any student’s learning experience, so I highly recommend this option if your daughter enjoys her chosen instrument.

I suggest renting an instrument at first rather than purchasing one, particularly if your daughter is unsure as to what she might enjoy most. Renting allows for some flexibility in switching instruments if after a few weeks she finds that she would be happier with a different choice. Music & Arts (Locations on Broad St, Midlothian Turnpike, and Quioccasin Road) have a well-established rental program and carry both the book (Sound Innovations for Band, Book 1) and cleaning supplies that your daughter would need to participate in the class.

I will be giving an introductory presentation on Friday, September 8, then will be running introductory classes during recess periods of the following week: Tuesday - Flute; Wednesday; Clarinet & Saxophone; Thursday - Brass instruments; Friday - Percussion. Interested students should have an instrument that is ready to play no later than Friday, September 22.

I hope that your daughter is interested in this exciting opportunity! If she is, please reply to this message with her name and the name of the instrument that she would like to play. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at bcourt@st.catherines.org

Many thanks,

Ben Court

Music Teacher and Band Director, St. Catherine’s School

Grade 4: Beginning Band

What You Will Need:

1. Your chosen instrument

2. Cleaning supplies for your instrument

3. A music stand

4. Sound Innovations for Band, Book 1 (for your chosen instrument)

5. A metronome (these can also be downloaded from the app store on most mobile devices)

6. For saxophone and clarinet players: A box of Rico #2 reeds

For Percussionists

Full Percussion Learning Kits are heavy and cumbersome, so I recommend renting a Bell Kit and buying a Practice Pad. We have a number of snare drums in the band room that your daughter can play at full volume to her heart’s content, but a Practice Pad will enable her to practice successfully at home without waking every person in the neighborhood!

Swimming Information

                                                                                                September 11, 2017

Dear Parents,

         On Tuesday, September 19^th, our class will begin swimming instruction at the Kenny Athletic Center.  The schedule is listed below. Your daughter should be dropped off at the Lower School.  During that time, the girls will NOT have regular P.E. classes.

The following equipment will be needed for each child on swimming days:  a one-piece swimsuit, a latex or silicone swim cap, a towel, goggles (optional), healthy snack, and a bag other than a backpack to carry swim equipment.  Please label your daughter’s supplies. 

Tankinis and bikinis are not allowed.  The swim cap is required to help keep hair relatively dry and to keep the pool clean.  All swim equipment will be taken home each day and brought back to school the following day.  If your daughter has long hair, please put it in a ponytail or braid for ease in putting on the swim cap.  The girls should NOT wear tights on swimming days, as they are hard to put on damp legs.

SWIMMING SCHEDULE

Tuesday, September 19                     Tuesday, September 26

Wednesday, September 20                 Wednesday, September 27

Friday, September 22                        Thursday, September 28                            

Thanks so much,

                                                  Tara DiGiacomo and Laurie Marshalek