Classroom Updates

Meet the Teacher/Welcome Back

July 26, 2023

Greetings Scorpion Families!!!

The 2023-2024 school year is quickly approaching. Many of us (teachers and staff) have been busy working to get the rooms and school ready for you.

Meet the Teacher is going to be Thursday, August 3, 2023. You can come to school anytime between 5:00-7:00 p.m. You can bring classroom donations at that time to make backpacks lighter for the first day.

Students first official day is Monday, August 7, 2023. You should plan to come to campus at 7:30 a.m. or shortly after to get your first day off on the right track.

See you soon!!

Are You Ready?

July 10, 2022

Greetings Scorpions and Families!!!

The new school year is just about here! I hope this finds all of you doing well. Teachers will officially be back on August 1, 2022. Students will be welcomed back on Monday, August 8, 2022. I am looking forward to exploring IB inquiry learning more and to the new year ahead!

Meet the Teacher Night is on Thursday, August 4, 2022 from 5-7:00 p.m.
Curriculum & Title I Night is on Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 5-7:00 p.m.

NWEA MAP August 9-11

August 8, 2021

Greetings Families,

Week 1 is in the books! It was wonderful to get to meet EFGA’s amazing 6th graders! They are creative, insightful, and full of energy in many ways. I am looking forward to a stellar year together!

In Week 2 we will have three days of NWEA MAP testing. These assessments measure a student’s instructional level in reading, language and math. We will be testing from 8:30-10:30 a.m. on Monday-Wednesday this coming week. Here’s a few things you can do to prepare for our testing days:

Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep
Make sure your child eats breakfast (at home, school, or both)
Make sure your child is in attendance
Show your support by encouraging your child to take their time and do their best on the assessments

During testing our schedule will be modified a little:

7:30-8:00 Breakfast/ Morning chat
8:00-8:15 Attendance, announcements, pledges
8:15 Pass out materials for testing
8:30-10:30 NWEA testing
10:30-12:15 Homeroom class
12:15-12:55 Recess/Lunch
12:55-2:30 Switch classes
2:30-3:00 Specials

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Enjoy the weekend!

Welcome Back Scorpions!

July 27, 2021

Greetings Students and Families!!

I hope you have all had a wonderful, relaxing and fun summer! It is time to get our minds back to thinking about the new school year ahead. Important dates to be aware of as we kickoff the 2021-2022 school year:

July 26-30 All teachers preparing for the new school year
July 29 Open House/Meet the Teacher night from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
August 2 First day of school

Enjoy the final days of your summer break! See you soon!!

Ms. Burnap

School’s Out for Summer!!!

May 19, 2021

Greetings Families,

We have made it to the final day of the school year! Woohoo! We all deserve to celebrate making it through this most unique school year. Today we are reflecting on our year together in each subject area, having fun playing Kahoot!, and just relaxing after our year together.

Thank you again for all you have done to support your child’s learning over the past year. I appreciated all you did to make sure your child attended class and engaged as much as possible.

Today from 12:15-3:30 you can return your child’s Chromebook, charger and reading books in the breezeway (by the east parking lot/where teachers park.)
Tomorrow from 7:30-3:30 is a second opportunity to bring materials back.
If neither date/time works, just check with the office and I am sure you can bring them back another day/time.
I turned in report cards on Tuesday so they should be in the mail already.

Best wishes for a fun, relaxing summer with family and friends! Good luck to all in the fall as you embark on middle school. (It will be awesome!)

Weekly Update

January 30, 2021

Dear Families,

We have reached the mid point in quarter 3. This coming week you will be getting a second progress report for the quarter detailing how your child is doing at this time.

Classroom News:

Reading: We will be starting Unit 3 Mod B, Jess and Layla’s Astronomical Assignment this week.

On Friday students took the test for Unit 3 Mod. A. If your child missed the test, they should take it before Monday at 8:00 AM.
There will be a retest offered for students looking to try for a better score this coming week.

Writing: We have finished our work on narratives. A new writing task will be coming in the near future.

When you see the progress report, if you see a “D” or “F” in writing that is because of the two narratives we did this quarter your child more than likely didn’t do well or didn’t do the work at all.
Monday we will be doing a performance-based writing assessment during the 8:00 ELA time.

Math: We have started chapter 9 on adding and subtracting fractions.

Last week we took the chapter 8 test. On Friday a retest was offered; only 3 students took advantage.
Prior to Ch. 8, we completed Ch. 7. A test and retest were done with that chapter as well.
I bring this to your attention because some students are letting opportunities pass them by and accepting less desirable grades.

Science: We are still working on Phases of the Moon. I am anticipating the concept test around 02/09.

Social Studies: We are still working on Immigration and Urbanization. I am anticipating the concept test to be 02/12.

School News…

02/03: Early release due to staff development

02/15: No School due to Presidents’ Day holiday

02/16: NWEA MAP Assessment Math

02/17: Early release due to staff development

02/18: NWEA MAP Assessment Reading

02/19: NWEA MAP Assessment Language

03/03: Early release due to staff development

03/05: Last day of the quarter

03/08-03/12: NO SCHOOL due to SPRING BREAK

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Weekly Update for 01/25

January 24, 2021

Greetings Families,

I hope you are all doing well. Another week is upon us and it’s hard to believe it is the last week in January. Wow! That month flew. February will probably do the same thing and before you know it another quarter will be done.

Classroom News…

Reading: This week we will be wrapping up Unit 3 Module A by comparing the stories we have read. On Friday, students will be taking their test on the story.

Writing: We are working on our narrative essays. Last week on Thursday students were to do the prewrite and Friday we started the introduction. This week we will draft the body paragraphs and conclusion. Thursday students should be revising/editing the essay and the final copy done on Friday.

Math: We are winding down the first chapter on fractions. Wednesday we are scheduled to take the test on Chapter 8. The following day we will begin Chapter 9, adding and subtracting fractions.

Science: We will be starting a unit on phases of the moon this week.

Social Studies: We will be starting a unit on immigration and urbanization.

Progress reports: I won’t be sending the next progress report until the week of February 1-5. This falls in line with when the rest of the school sends one out.

School News…

02/03: Early release due to staff development

02/15: No School due to Presidents’ Day

02/16: NWEA MAP Assessment (Math)

02/17: Early release due to staff development

02/18: NWEA MAP Assessment (Reading)

02/19: NWEA MAP Assessment (Language)

Enjoy what is left of the weekend!

News for you 01/09…

January 9, 2021

Greetings Families~

I hope this email finds you well and enjoying a really nice Arizona weekend. Here’s the news you need to know for the coming week ahead.

Parent Teacher Conference week is here! I am planning to conference with parents on the phone January 11-14. Some of you have already selected a date and time that works for you so I look forward to that visit. If you haven’t had the opportunity to sign up, please click on this link Calendly Sign Up to reserve your spot. Once again, if I do not hear from you, I will be calling starting Monday.

Classroom News…

Reading: We have been reading an interesting novel, George’s Secret Key to the Universe. This weekend the student should be reading Chapter 12 for Monday as part of his or her homework. You can read with them if you wish.

Writing: We have been working on elements of a narrative essay. No formal paper has been assigned as of yet.

Math: Chapter 7 focuses on expressions and patterns. The lessons have been building to this week where they will work with coordinate planes, ordered pairs. Thursday will be the test on Chapter 7.

Science: We have been studying Patterns of Motion in the Sky (cycle of day and night, etc.) The test will be on Wednesday, January 20.

Social Studies: We have been studying the First Industrial Revolution. Students are learning about how American went from producing goods by hand to factory/industrialization. Test will be Friday, January 22.

Please make sure to check in with your child on his or her level of participation in LIVE lessons/Nearpods and Independent Practice work.

School News…

01/11- 01/14: Parent Teacher Conferences

01/14: Early Release due to conferences

01/15: Early Release

01/18: No School due to MLK, Jr. Holiday

01/20: Early Release due to staff development

News for You 11/29

November 30, 2020

Hello Families~

We are all heading back to virtual learning, if you haven’t heard. I wanted to let you know that means I will more than likely be working from home. If you need to reach me, send me an email.

I believe you all were asked through a survey or phone call about what you would like to do when school resumes in January for Quarter 3. If you were not contacted please reach out to the office staff to let them know what you would like for your child’s learning.

Progress reports…I am using them to keep you in the loop with regards to your child’s progress. I will be sending one out tonight after this posting. Keep in mind that we have about two and half weeks left in the quarter.

Classroom Learning:

Reading: Unit 2 Module B The Great Migration then use the “Text Collection” book and our other story to finish the module. I am guessing there will be a unit test next week on Friday, December 11.

Math: We will start dividing decimals this week. There will be a quiz on Tuesday. The Chapter 6 test will probably be next week on Tuesday, Dec.8.

Social Studies: We will finish Concept 7.3 Westward Expansion this week and start Life in the West. Students will have a test on Thursday, Dec. 10.

Science: This week we’ll finish Energy and Motion. The test will be Tuesday this week. Starting Friday, Dec.11 until Dec. 17 we will be working on a Solar System project/presentation.

School News…

12/09: Early release due to staff development

12/17: Last day of Quarter 2

12/18: Winter Break begins

01/04: Classes resume with Quarter 3

01/06: Early release due to staff development

News for You 11/10…

November 10, 2020

Dear Families,

Here is the news this week for you.

Classroom News:

Reading: We have started Unit 2 Module B. We are reading Real-life Superheroes by Alison Hawes.

Writing: Students should have completed two opinion works thus far in quarter two. We started a new task yesterday that is an informative essay. We will work on this until Nov. 20, 2020.

Math: Yesterday we took the test on Ch. 4. Today we will begin Ch. 6 on multiplying and dividing decimals.

Science: Today is our test on Effects of Gravity. Next week we will begin Energy and Motion.

Social Studies: We finished the Age of Jefferson. We will begin studying the Challenges of Expansion.

Quarter 2 Progress report #2: I am going to send the new progress report today. Some students are making great progress towards mastery. Others are struggling.
Things to improve: Students can retake their Reading test (Unit 2 Module A) and math tests (Ch. 3 and/or Ch. 4). I plan to offer those sometime before Thanksgiving.
Writing: If you notice your child has an “F” in writing, that is more than likely due to the fact (s)he hasn’t done the work. They can complete these two opinion pieces for a better score. It is up to them to do it. I won’t be reminding them anymore since I have been doing that all along.
Otherwise, it comes down to completing Nearpod activities, quizzes, and the independent practice.
I recommend you look in Google Classroom at your child’s actual work completion (the documents). I can give you the log in information for your child if you want it.
Lastly, a reminder all work is due by 8:00 am the next school day.

School News:

11/11: No school due to Veterans’ Day holiday

11/16 – 11/20: NWEA MAP assessments

This is a very important assessment that allows us to see students’ growth towards mastery.
How can you help?
Make sure your child is up by 7-7:30 am.
Make sure they have breakfast
Make sure they have a quiet place to take the assessments
Make sure to monitor the testing. Most tests are 45-52 questions. The minimum time it should take to complete this is 1 hr.

More information will be coming soon on NWEA MAP assessments.