image of composition notebooks with pencils and erasers and text og GRAIS updates, January 29, 2023

Dear Intermediate School Families,

It’s hard to believe that we are welcoming the month of February next week, that we have begun the second half of the second trimester, and that the 100th day of school is in a couple of weeks!  Before we know it, spring will arrive.  In the meantime, we hope you will continue to send the children to school with enough layers of clothing to adjust to whatever weather Mother Nature bestows upon us from one day to the next!

Fun Run:

The day is here! You can now register for our Fun Run! Our goal is to raise $25,000 for field trips and enrichment programs. Registering is easy and free!

⭐️ Register Now On MYBOOSTER.COM ⭐️

This year if we get 75% of our whole school registered by the Fun Run, we will have a schoolwide Pajama Day, which the students love!  

Be sure to check out the easy sharing functions on MYBOOSTER.COM to let others know how they can help support our school.

We are grateful for your support!

More Updates from the PTO:

The PTO is looking for donations for the upcoming staff appreciation event called Sweets and Treats! Be on the lookout for the Sign-up Genius going out next week to sign up and make this another successful event for the staff!  All donations can be delivered to the main lobby on February 13th where someone from the PTO will accept them as early as 7:45, or they may be sent in with your student.  All the information will be on the Sign-up

Genius, so stay tuned.

As noted above, it’s almost time for our BIG fundraiser, the Fun/Color Run event which is taking place on February 16th! More information will be sent home with each student and is also available on the GRAIS PTO Facebook page.  This is an in-school event, which does not include volunteers or spectators, as the amazing Booster company handles everything from start to finish!  

We will need volunteers for our second book fair (date TBD), to help in the building during MCAS in April and May, and at June’s Survivor Day.  Volunteer opportunities are discussed at our PTO meetings.  The next meeting is via Zoom on February 28th at 6 p.m.  As always, thank you for your support!

Dates to Remember:

February 13th - Sweets and Treats for Staff 

February 16th - Indoor Fun Run

Winter Vacation - February 20th - 24th

Early Dismissal at 11:30 - March 3rd

Curriculum Night Event - March 23rd

No School - April 7th

Spring Vacation - April 14th - 21st

Early Dismissal at 11:30 - May 5th

Grade Five Science:

We are currently finishing up our unit about space. Our next unit will be on plants. Plants use energy from sunlight, along with carbon dioxide in the air and water to create their own food. Animals rely on plants or other animals that eat plants, to get their energy. The most important things plants need to live and grow is water and air.

Grade FIve Social Studies:

Fifth graders are continuing to learn more and more about the Revolutionary War in their social studies classes.  We are focused on the causes, as well as the many battles of the war.

Grade Four Science:

Fourth graders are wrapping up testing on their changing land and rock layers unit. We are beginning our unit on plate tectonics. In this unit students will learn about what plate tectonics are, and how their movement helps shape the Earth.

Grade Four Social Studies:

Our exploration of the United States regions continues with the study of the Southeast region.  In addition to learning the states and their capitals through practice and games, students are learning that the Southeast region relies on their resources and land in order to live.  People adapt their living due to the climate and landforms of the region.

MCAS Practice Questions:

As we have had a lot of interest in the MCAS practice links, I will continue to include them in the memo for your convenience. 

http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/student/practice-tests-ela/

http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/student/practice-tests-math/

http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/student/practice-tests-science/

Spring MCAS Dates:

April 10 & 11–Grade Five ELA 

April 12 & 13–Grade Four ELA

May 08 & 09–Grade Five Math 

May 10 & 11–Grade Four Math 

May 15 & 16–Grade Five Science 

With gratitude for your support,

Dr. Sullivan

508.923.3506 x 3150/esullivan@freelake.org