Week of February 17, 2026

 Please Note

-Thank you so much for the Valentine's treats and gift!  I appreciate your kindness.  Thank you as well for your cooperation with the food-free Valentine’s.  It honestly makes my job in the classroom much easier when the parents support, or at least adhere to, these school policies.  Be it Valentine's, the uniform code, or whatnot, your cooperation doesn’t go unnoticed, and I really appreciate it!

- We will have our school mass on Wednesday at 9:00.  No dress downs please.  This is our Ash Wednesday Mass, and all are welcome!

- This Friday, February 20th, will be a dress-down day benefiting blood cancer patients & their families.

Homework

Tuesday

Reading - worksheet

Math - page 81 and worksheet

Practice words and read.

Wednesday

Reading - worksheet

Math - test review worksheet

Practice words and read.

Thursday

Reading - worksheet

Math - page 86

Practice words and read.

A Peek at Our Week

Religion

We will learn about Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent.

Reading

Story: "Stories Teach Many Lessons"

Target Skill: Describe characters, settings and major events using key details

Phonics Skill: Long e and u (e_e, u_e)

Grammar: compound sentences and conjunctions

H.F.W.: house, small, long, off

Spelling Words: these, theme, mute, flute, cube, cute, tube, rude

Math

We will continue skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s (forwards and backwards) and work with even and odd numbers.  We will test these skills on Thursday.  

Week of February 9, 2026

 Please Note

-Valentines should be sent to school on Thursday, February 12th.  We will be having our party on Thursday, February 12th, because the students will not be in school on the 13th due to a Teacher In-Service Day.  

-Please see the following messages from the office:

💖  Food Free Valentines -- If your students are sharing Valentines, please choose food free Valentines to ensure that everyone can enjoy safely -- especially those with dietary needs or allergies. This also avoids "sugar rushes" here at school and keeps the focus entirely on the heart of the holiday: kindness, friendship and inclusion! Thank you for your cooperation!

💖On February 12th,  students are invited to show their spirit by adding some festive flair to their school uniform- maybe a pop of pink, a radiant red, or a sprinkle of sparkles. 

-No school on Friday, February 13th or Monday, February 16th.

-Our reading/spelling test for Unit 6 Week 2 will be next Friday due to the short weeks.  We will have a math quiz on skip counting (forwards and backwards) and odds and evens next Thursday.

Homework

Monday

Reading- Worksheet 

Practice words and read

Math - page 82

Tuesday

Reading Worksheet

Practice words and read

Math - Worksheet

Wednesday

Reading worksheet

Practice words and read

Math- worksheet

A Peek at Our Week

Religion

We will continue Chapter 9:  Jesus Died and Rose to New Life

Reading

Story: "Stories Teach Many Lessons"

Target Skill: Describe characters, settings and major events using key details

Phonics Skill: Long e and u (e_e, u_e)

Grammar: compound sentences and conjunctions

H.F.W.: house, small, long, off

Spelling Words: these, theme, mute, flute, cube, cute, tube, rude

Math

We will continue skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s (forwards and backwards) and work with even and odd numbers.

Week of February 2, 2026

 Please Note

- We had a great Catholic Schools Week despite it being a short week!  Thank you for having them prepared each day.  I am so proud of their behavior and enthusiasm.  

-Valentines should be sent to school on Thursday, February 12th.  We will be having our party on Thursday, February 12th, because the students will not be in school on the 13th due to a Teacher In-Service Day.  

-Please see the following message from the office:  Food Free Valentines

💖As we look to February -- If your students are sharing Valentines, please choose food free Valentines to ensure that everyone can enjoy safely -- especially those with dietary needs or allergies. This also avoids "sugar rushes" here at school and keeps the focus entirely on the heart of the holiday: kindness, friendship and inclusion! Thank you for your cooperation!

-No school on Friday, February 13th or Monday, February 16th.

Homework

Monday

Reading- Worksheet 

Practice words and read

Math - Worksheet 

Tuesday

Reading Worksheet

Practice words and read

Math - Worksheet to review for quiz

Wednesday

Reading worksheet

Practice words and read

Math- worksheet

Thursday

Reading Worksheet

Practice words for test and read

Math- page 83

A Peek at Our Week

Religion

We will finish Chapter 9:  Jesus Died and Rose to New Life

Reading

Story: "Stories Teach Many Lessons"

Target Skill: Describe characters, settings and major events using key details

Phonics Skill: Long I (i_e)

Grammar: compound sentences and conjunctions

High Frequency Words: after, large, call, her

Spelling Words: vine, line, mine, life, strife, slice, rice, nice

Math

We will have a quiz on finding 10 more/less and 1 more/less from a specific number.  We will begin skip counting by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s.

Week of January 12, 2026

 Please Note

- The first grade is collecting small travel shampoo bottles for the MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 16th. If you would like to donate, please send them in by Friday, January 16th.

- Friday, January 16th, is a dress-down day to benefit our MLK Day of Service. Please send in $1.00 to dress-down. Thank you!

- We will have our school mass on Wednesday at 9:00.  All are welcome.  No dress downs, please.

- There is no school on Monday, January 19th, for MLK Day.

- Our Kids A-Z app is ready to go.  They have their passwords in their homework folder.  This app allows them to choose a book at their level, listen, read, and then answer follow-up comprehension questions.  The app guides them to correct any errors in comprehension as well.  They can use this app along with their pet bags as part of their nightly reading.

Login Instructions

Step 1: Go to www.kidsa-z.com

Step 2: Enter or choose the teacher's username, mthornton20

Step 3: Your child finds his or her username on the class chart

Step 4: Your child enters his or her password

Step 5:  Choose ‘READING’

Step 6:  Choose ‘LEVEL UP’

-I know there was some worry about the stomach bug today.  I think the message was meant to be that yes, the bug is going around, so please be aware that if they say they aren’t feeling well, it could be the bug.  We are not at alarming numbers, but it is easily spread, so awareness that it is a consideration when they aren’t feeling well helps you to evaluate their symptoms.  We are taking precautions such as disinfecting and extra reminders to wash well, and to keep their hands away from their faces.  We mix and mingle all day long, just as they do outside of school, so these healthy washing/cleaning habits are at least one defense that we can use to help.

Homework

Monday

Reading: complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: wkst

Tuesday

Reading: complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: wkst

Wednesday

Reading:  complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: wkst

Thursday

Reading: worksheet

Practice words for test and read

Math: wkst

A Peek at Our Week

Religion

We will finish Chapter 8 "Jesus Had Followers".

Reading

Story: Technology At Work

Target Skill: Identify Main Idea and Retell Key Facts and Details, Make Connections

Phonics Skill: Long O (v_e words)

Grammar: prepositions, contractions, types of sentences

HFW Words: find, how, over, under

Spelling Words: hope, rope, nope, nose, those, chose, joke, spoke

Math

We will review and test expanded for, then we will start our unit on number sense: a review of ordering numbers, finding the number that comes before, after, or between, and learning how to compare numbers using the <, >, and = symbols.

Week of January 5, 2026

 Please Note

- Happy 2026!  I hope you all had a great break! Thank you so much for your generous Christmas gifts. I truly appreciate your kindness and generosity. 

-This week, we will be working on returning to our normal routine in reading, math, and homework!  I know I am happy to get back to a normal schedule, but with that will definitely come the need for a late afternoon nap or early bedtime this week - just like the kids, I’m sure!

- With the cold weather, please be sure to mark all outerwear with your child's name.

- There will be a reading and spelling test on Friday.  We have moved on to long vowel spelling patterns, which is a new skill for them.

-Have a great week!

Homework

Monday

Phonics:  pages 147 and 151

Math: page 74

Practice words and read.

Tuesday

Reading:  worksheet

Math: worksheet

Practice words and read.

Wednesday

Reading:  worksheet

Math: worksheet

Practice words and read.

Thursday

Reading:  worksheet

Math: worksheet

Practice words for test and read.

A Peek At Our Week

Religion

We will start Chapter 8 "Jesus Had Followers".

Reading

Story: Technology at Work

Target Skill: Drawing Inferences, Main Idea and Details, Making Connections 

Phonics Skill: words with long a (v_e words)

Grammar: 4 types of sentences

H.F.W. Words: why, many, right, start

Spelling Words: game, name, shame, frame, take, fake, shake, brake

Math

We will continue our unit on place value with expanded form. We will focus on identifying the value of digits, writing expanded form, and building numbers with place value blocks.

Week of December 15, 2025

 Please Note

- I hope you enjoyed the Christmas Concert last week. I heard that the kids looked and sounded wonderful. We hope it helped to put you in the Christmas spirit! 

-Thank you for all of your kind words last week regarding my brother-in-law.  I appreciate your thoughtfulness, as well as the comforting PSL from the class. 

-If the Letter to Santa was not completed and returned today, please send it tomorrow so our elves have something to guide them in writing back.

- Report cards will be sent home on Tuesday. Please remember that these grades are a reflection of your child's work in school, along with their test scores. You should keep the actual report card at home. Please just sign and return the envelope. If you have any questions, please let me know.  

- We will have a math quiz on place value this Thursday, and our weekly reading test on Friday.  The words are a bit harder this week,  so I wanted to make sure it is on your radar to study the words each night.

- Our Buddy Bowling Trip will be on Thursday.  The children will wear their gym uniforms.  We will have pretzels for morning snack and pizza for lunch, so there is no need to pack anything unless they are not willing to eat those items.  We will make cards for our buddies in school.  No gifts or treats are to be exchanged.  Thank you!

-If you are available to chaperone for bowling, you are welcome!  We will meet at Devon Lanes around 9:45/10:00.  We will leave around 11:30.  Please remember that younger siblings are not permitted.  Thank you!

- Friday will be a Dress Down Day. Please send in $1.00 to participate in the dress-down day to benefit CRS Ghana.

Homework

Monday

Reading: complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: worksheet

Tuesday

Reading: complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: worksheet

Wednesday

Reading:  complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: worksheet

Thursday

Reading: study for words test tomorrow

A Peek at Our Week

Religion

We will celebrate the third week of Advent as we continue to celebrate the Christmas season.

Reading

Story: Stories Have a Narrator

Target Skill: Identifying who is telling a story, Ask and Answer Questions, Use Context Clues

Phonics Skill: three-letter blends

Grammar: Adjectives and using commas

HFW Words: when, because, from, their

Spelling Words: splash, split, strap, stretch, squid, squint, sprint, spring

Math

We will have a test on place value: matching place value blocks to the number they represent, identifying digits in the tens and ones place, and finding the value of digits. Then we will begin working with expanded form after Christmas break.

Week of December 1, 2025

Please Note

 -I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a relaxing, fun-filled break. Thank you for all of the birthday wishes and for the gifts from the class.  I appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity.

- The first trimester ends this Friday. Report cards will be sent home on Friday, December 12th.

- The Craft Club Christmas Extravaganza will be THIS Friday, December 5th.  The children will have a jolly good time at the annual party, with extended hours (3:00 - 5:30), outside playtime, Christmas Bingo, a wreath craft, a snack, dinner & an ice cream treat (allergy-friendly choices as always), as well as the much-loved Christmas Karaoke! Craft Club Christmas Extravaganza: All attendees may dress-down in red and green.

- There will be a school mass next Monday, December 8th.  All are welcome!  No dress-downs, please.

- The K-4 Christmas Concert will be next Wednesday, December 10th, at 6:30 pm. The students are to wear their Christmas best. More information will be sent next week.

- Our second field trip is quickly approaching. We will be bowling at Devon Lanes with our 8th-grade buddies on Thursday, December 18th. Please note that a pizza lunch will be provided when we return to school, which is included, so you do not need to order lunch on that day. You will receive information from the office/facts for payment and permission soon.

-We need chaperones for our bowling trip. We will meet at Devon Lanes at 10:00, and leave by 11:30.  If you are interested, please email me, and I will pick from a hat again next week. Sorry, no younger siblings are permitted on this trip. 

 -Have a great week!

Homework

Monday

Reading: complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: worksheet

Tuesday

Reading: complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: wkst

Wednesday

Reading: complete worksheet

Practice words and read

Math: wkst

Thursday

Reading: worksheet

Math: wkst

Study words for test

Read

A Peek at Our Week

Religion

We will learn about the Advent season.

Reading

Story: Stories Have a Narrator

Target Skill: Identifying who is telling a story, Ask and Answer Questions, Use Context Clues

Phonics Skill: digraphs th, sh and glued sounds ing, and an

Grammar: Adjectives

Sight Words: our, these, were, could

Spelling Words: sing, bring, thing, shop, ship, shut, this, than

Math

We will begin our unit on place value. We will learn about tens and ones and practice making numbers from 10-60.