April 11 All-day O&A - Oregon Trail Dress-Up Day
April 13 No School
April 19 Student-Led Conferences
April 20 No School
April 23 Library Visit - Chaperones Needed
April 30 SBAC Testing Begins
Homework Due by Thursday, April 12th
1. Read for at least 20 minutes every night.
2. Complete at least 30 minutes of math practice
3. Complete at least 20 minutes of typing practice.
4. Optional: Complete Paragraph of the Week writing assignment.
Prompt: When pioneer families moved west, they packed only the most important belongings. Imagine your parents just sold your house and bought a covered wagon. You can keep only one book and one toy. Which items will you choose and why?
Welcome Maddie!
This spring, we have a student teacher from Pacific University joining our classroom! Maddie observed and helped in our classroom last spring and this fall, and she will take over more teaching responsibilities later this month. Below is a short note from Maddie!
Hello Plover Families!
My name is Maddie Ketcheside and I am currently a student at Pacific University working on my bachelor’s degree in education while getting my teaching license. I am so excited to have joined the Forest Grove Community School to work and learn with Laura and your children. Let me tell you a little about myself!
I was born and raised in Washington State on beautiful Bainbridge Island. Bainbridge is just a short ferry ride away from Seattle. I graduated from Bainbridge High School in the spring of 2014 and came to Pacific University in the fall of 2014. I chose Pacific because of its great education program and I had the opportunity to play on the Women’s Soccer Team. I am looking forward to graduating from Pacific in May.
In my free time I enjoy being outdoors. I love hiking, biking, and traveling! The Oregon Coast is one of my favorite places and I try to go as much as possible. I am a big sports fan and love playing and watching many different sports. When I need some quiet time I love to draw, paint, and read books.
I am looking forward to being in the Plovers’ classroom every day, and hopefully I will get to meet some of you soon.
Oregon Trail Clothing
In the classroom, we are preparing to head west on the Oregon Trail! We have been busy creating characters and wagons. To bring the characters to life, students may bring in a piece of pioneer clothing that they can easily put on in the classroom. Students will use this clothing item in the classroom over the next several weeks and during our O&A this week.
Please know that there is no need to go out and buy anything. Feel free to creatively use items that you have at home already - sun hats, neck kerchiefs or scarves, suspenders or aprons! Items should be brought in a small bag that your student can hang easily on their coat hook in the hallway. Your child can wear one or more items, but everything needs to be easy and quick to put on over the top of their regular school clothes!
Upcoming Out and Abouts
On Wednesday, students will dress up as their Oregon Trail character and visit the historical AT Smith house for a pioneer field day! Some easy costume ideas that you may be able to find around your house or borrow: long skirts, button-up shirts, suspenders, aprons, straw hats, and bandanas. We hope that some parents will be able to join us for a day of old fashion fun!
Student-Led Conferences April 19th
All Plovers are expected to participate in a conference with their family on Thursday, April 19th. Student participation is required because students are leading their parents/guardians through a presentation of their recent school work. These conferences will last about 20-30 minutes and provide an opportunity for your Plover to highlight their growth this year, as well as their strengths and challenges. There will be multiple families in the classroom simultaneously; I will be available for questions, but I will not be meeting individually with each family. The Plovers will be working hard over the next weeks to rehearse and prepare for leading their conferences, so we hope to see you there! If you haven't already, please contact the FGCS office (503-359-4600) to schedule a conference.
State (SBAC) Testing
Level 2 students will begin state testing on Monday, April 30th. Testing is administered in the computer lab in short sessions, and students have the opportunity to work on the same test over multiple sessions so they can work at their own pace. Please help support your Plover by: encouraging them to do their best, making sure they eat breakfast and bring a snack, and helping them get plenty of sleep. Over the next few weeks, we will discuss the English Language Arts (aka Reading and Writing) test and look at some sample questions together. Students will also have the opportunity to complete a practice test in the computer lab.
Under Oregon law, parents have the right to exclude students from standardized tests. Parents are required to sign an opt-out form and submit that to the school office. Use the links below to download opt-out forms or request forms in the school office.
Opt-Out Form English, Opt-Out Form Spanish
Volunteer Opportunities
Out & About Chaperones - Check the SignUp page for more details
- April 11 Pioneer Day at the AT Smith House
- April 25 Cooking at UCC
Weekly Review
Last week, the Plovers visited the Old Train Station Museum with Friends of Historic Forest Grove to learn what Forest Grove was like in its early days. Students also worked together in small groups to create murals of four regions along the Oregon Trail: the plains, Fort Laramie, the Rocky Mountains, and the Snake River Canyon. Then, our wagon train departed from Independence, Missouri and started the journey to Oregon! Right away, the travelers encountered their first problem: a thunderstorm and flash flood destroyed the food in Henderson's wagon! Everyone met for a wagon train meeting to discuss ideas for solving the problem. Then, each Plover wrote an opinion paragraph in their trail journals to support their position. The wagon train leader decided that the other families should share some of their food with the Hendersons and the hunters/trappers would try to catch animals at night when the wagon train stopped to rest. We will continue our journey this week!