GRATEFUL for you. Thank you for your support!

August 12, 2021

It is SO NICE to be back in the classroom! I used to love "The Brady Bunch" when I was a kid, but I am happy to start off our school year SEEING all your kids in person, rather than on Zoom, where all their little faces remind me of the squares in the opening scene of the Brady Bunch!

I want to thank you for the immense support as we begin this new year. I have been so proud of how hard the kids have worked and I think they're finally getting used to my style and starting to understand the importance of building a strong community! They are kind, motivated, and we have gotten off to a very positive start! I also appreciate the feedback I've received on the parent questionnaires and your honesty is refreshing as I do believe working as a team is the best way to address the needs of each child. I would still like an opportunity to get to know them better and then I might be reaching out to check in to make sure things are going well on your end. (I might be able to chat a little more about this at Back to School Night, but as you can imagine, it's a busy night, so we might need to schedule that for a later time.)

I will try and update this webpage at least once a month, to give you an overview of curriculum and what we are doing in class. I like to use REMIND as a regular way to text and let you know snippets of what's happening, but sometimes a longer letter - like this - is helpful to give you some feedback as to how things are going in class. And I hope you'll join me next week on Wednesday, the 18th at 7 pm for Back to School Night, where we ask that one parent represents your child (due to COVID consideration in our classroom space) but I'll be sure to make my presentation one that can be shared, for the parent who chooses to stay home. :)

As mentioned in my email sent earlier this week, the most important part of the first two weeks of school is to provide opportunities to build community and create an environment of trust, so kids are willing to take a risk, especially when lessons can get challenging. Sprinkled in will be assessments, so I can have a better understanding of the strengths and deficits in different academic areas.

In the future, on Thursdays and Fridays, there will be a dedicated period of time for intervention, so that students have an opportunity to work in areas of concern, so I will do rotations, and can meet students in small groups. I am thrilled to work with a strong group of teachers and LOVE my fifth grade team. We plan weekly so that we can offer a strong academic program, while still focusing on the social and emotional needs of our students.

I want to foster a love for learning, so I will infuse different modalities of learning, often trying to focus on tactile learning and drawing, as I find both are excellent ways for kids to retain information. I have started to teach them sign language and they seem to love this new language. Additionally, I will often play music, as I also think this is a great way to connect and access new material.

What I really want my students to understand is that some things they will encounter when learning aren't easy YET, and that's okay. YET, those things/new understandings are possible with hard work and determination. Showing up for extra help, being on time, asking questions (at an appropriate time) ;) and showing GRIT... ALL these skills are important to succeed, as well as advocating for oneself and becoming resilient. And above all else, especially when confused as sometimes even after I explain something, kids can get confused. I then love to rely on the students, as they do a great job explaining and plus, they will learn more in reteaching themselves. The motto of "Do your best and give it a rest" is also KEY. (See video of Sesame Street and the power of YET, I encourage you to watch with your kids!)

In addition to school, I want to instill in my students that their "job" is first and foremost, attending and participating actively in school. But ALSO, it's important to be an integral member of the family, helping always, to run a household because it isn't just ONE parent's job to do so! (That is just too exhausting!)

So NOW is the time to beef it up. Teach them how

to do laundry (NO, fifth grade is NOT too young to show them!) Let them help you with chores, at this age, they often find it fun! Teach them how to mop, clean out the refrigerator, organize a drawer, and begin to show pride in keeping their room organized. One thing that would be helpful is to have a basket at their work/study area with all their supplies so they can easily use what is needed, otherwise not knowing where to find the essentials (pen, paper, etc.) slows learning down.

Get your kids in the habit NOW to be organized and help around the house. It's important to give your children more responsibility. I know they will rise to the occasion! Plus, I have your back. And I know you have mine, too, which is why I thank you for also sharing that school is a priority. Students need to practice these essential skills! Students also need to get in the habit of completing homework, so I will eventually assign a nightly math page and of course, I want them to READ. EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. (Please.) It's KEY to learning and understanding in all academic areas.

As always, I appreciate your support and I am grateful for the students in my class.

Thank you for the privilege of teaching them.

Most Sincerely,

Cheri Eplin