News

12/15/23

Dear Parents,

I hope you were all proud of the wonderful job your kids did putting on the Nativity play this year. They knew their parts and practically ran the whole show themselves. Our student teacher, Mr. Merrifield, was a big help this year and kept us all organized and on track. I especially loved his “prompt posters” to let the kids know which scenes were coming and who was in them. I had so many positive comments from people today saying that it was an amazing show and that the eighth graders did a fabulous job.

I have the Legacy Project packets ready to go with this year’s dates on them, but I decided to wait until the new year to hand them out to the kids. I do want you to be able to preview what is in involved with the Legacy Project, since it is a long-term research project about a relative and many of you will be visiting relatives over the holidays. Your child may wish to do some interviewing and gathering of facts and artifacts. For this reason, I have uploaded this year’s Legacy Project packet onto the 8th grade page under “Resources”. Please look at this, as it has some great ideas for interview questions your child might want to use with relatives to gather information. Remember that your child must choose at least a grandparent or older to research (great uncle/aunt/cousin also okay). 

Thank you for the many gifts that came in today. I feel appreciated! Have a wonderful holiday!

Chris

12/10/23

Dear Parents,  

The Nativity play script has been researched and written, a storyboard was made to keep us organized, roles have been cast, and props made. We will now focus on blocking and acting out this special play, which will be presented this Thursday, December 14th at 7PM. Please have your child at school no later than 6:30 so that we can change into costumes, pray together, and head to the church by 6:45.  

We had to be creative to be able to include all nineteen kids in the play in some way, so we have many scenes where kids are “acting” (holding) as trees, animals, stars, etc. So that they blend in with the background and allow the props to stand out, the kids should dress in dark pants (black or blue) and a black or blue long-sleeved shirt. Shirts with logos work, but the shirt will need to be turned inside out and the tag cut off. We don’t want anyone burdened with buying clothing, so please borrow what you need. 

In literature class we read a short story by Truman Capote called “A Christmas Memory”. We studied Capote’s style of writing which evokes imagery by using sensory details. We talked about how he “shows” a story rather than tells it. Truman Capote does a very good job of drawing out emotions from the reader. Using Capote’s style of writing, the kids had to write a personal narrative about a Christmas memory of their own. They spent the majority of their language arts time this week working on these and I am grading them this weekend. The kids will have a chance to rewrite them this week. 
 

I told the kids that they will have only one book report due in December, but it must be turned in by December 14th (the last school day of the month). Please remind them about this and also about the reading log due on Monday. 

In US history class we continue to study the formation of our government by the Founding Fathers, including the Articles of Confederation, the US Constitution, and the importance of finding ways to avoid the abuse of power.  

I will be sending an overview of the “Legacy Project” next week. This is a long-range project in which the students study an ancestor and write a narrative biography about the person, then create a 50-page album about them. Although we won’t really launch the project until January, I am sending the overview before Christmas so that those who will be seeing relatives during the break can start gathering information, family stories, photos, etc. about the person they choose. The person must be a grandparent or (preferably) older relative/ancestor. No repeat ancestors are allowed by siblings.  

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,  

Chris  

12/1/23

Dear Parents,

We had a great week back from Thanksgiving break! The students are right back to working hard to finish the year strong!

As we move towards the new year, we continue to work on our Nativity play in our religion class. The students have been making some fantastic props that I’m excited for you all to see. The chance for them to let their creativity flow in the classroom has been fun for everyone. Additionally, everyone has volunteered for their roles in the play, so some of you may notice your children coming home with their costumes. Please wash and iron these and send them in next week so that they are ready for the play. We’re going to be working on rehearsals and script reading to ensure we put on the best play ever!

Fr. Moore held a lesson on morality this week and also explained the paper he assigned before break so that there would be no confusion. Your child is welcome to reach out to Fr. Moore if more clarification is needed. Next week, we will be having a Circle of Grace lesson and Reconciliation. I mentioned that we would be having a Circle of Grace lesson two weeks ago in my newsletter and have attached the official letter to parents.

During our literature class we focused our attention on learning about the significance of secondary characters influencing a story’s protagonist. We learned that an antagonist works against the protagonist and how that conflict is the driving force for most novels. We continue to incorporate the use of citing the text and using quotations in our activities to help the kids have stronger evidence to back up their claims.

In US history class we learned more about how our governmental system was chosen by the Founding Fathers. We discussed the strengths and weaknesses of a republican government, identified what a constitutional government is, and talked a lot about what it means to be a citizen. We ended the week by having students read the story of Antigone by Sophocles, a cautionary tale against abuse of power, and even held a mock trial with students representing characters in the story!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Chris  

11/17/23

Dear Parents,

We celebrated a wonderful Grandparents Day today with a packed house! It was nice to meet so many grandparents and to honor the role they play in your childrens’ formation.

One thing mentioned during Grandparents Day was the fact that we want to graduate students who are global citizens. We worked toward that end this week as we started our focus on civics in social studies class. We learned about John Locke’s theory of natural rights (the right to life, liberty, and property) and discussed what it might be like to live in a state of nature (without laws or government). The kids quickly reasoned that while that might be fun at first, it would quickly lead to chaos and destruction. We learned that we need social contracts – agreements humans make to live under a government and to give that government the power to make laws – so that we can protect our natural rights. The kids are enjoying this unit so far.

Speaking of global citizenship, we will have our Human Food Chain the Monday we return from Thanksgiving break. We have not received many food items, so please consider this over break and send in what you can. As the weather turns cold, the lines for Hope House’s food pantry are growing longer.

In literature we continued learning about characters and how they change during a novel. We completed some activities that asked us to talk about the changes in dynamic characters and to prove our answers by citing evidence from the text. Most kids are growing stronger at citing text evidence, and this makes their written and verbal responses more robust.

We spent most of our time in religion class working on writing the script to the Nativity play. We divided it into eight different scenes, then had groups write the details for the individual scenes. When we return from break, we will read through the play to be sure there is continuity. We will also start making our props. I haven’t received any large appliance boxes for the props, so if Santa is particularly good to you and comes with an early appliance, please send the box our way!

Fr. Moore continued his lessons on morality this week. He will be moving into some topics that involve human sexuality and has provided a letter to explain what this unit will entail. Please find the letter attached to this email.

I am also attaching two consent letters from Seattle Pacific University explaining about Christopher Merrifield’s video observations. He will be completing his first lesson video the week we return from break. As is stated in the letters, this video is viewed only by his supervisor and is not posted online. More complete details are provided in the letters attached.

I will see you at conferences on Monday and Tuesday. Please be sure to bring your child, as he/she will be leading the conference.

Have a great Thanksgiving break!

Chris  

11/10/23

Dear Parents,  

We had a wonderful prayer service on Thursday to honor veterans in our community. It was a very special event and brought me to tears. My father was a WWII vet, wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, so I am especially grateful for those who put their lives on the line for our nation’s safety.  

We have been working hard to finish up a few things to share with you at conferences November 20-21. The kids will be doing some self-reflection next week about each of their subject areas and will be leading their conference. They will have some work samples to share with you and will set some goals for themselves based upon what we discuss. If you have not yet signed up for a conference slot, please do so soon. I will attach a Parent Conference Planning Sheet to this email, in case your child did not give you a hard copy on Thursday. Please take a moment to fill it out and email it back to me (or send a hard copy with your child) before Friday so that I can prepare for our time together. 

We continue to read our Salem witch trial novels. Since this is a short month, I told the kids that they may complete just one book report based upon their outside reading. The other book report can be about their Salem witch trial novel. These will be due the last school day of the month, although I recommend that they complete one before Thanksgiving break to relieve some of the end-of-month pressure. I ask the students for substantive work (as described on the “Outside Reading Requirements” sheet found on the 8th grade page under Resources) so they should not be surprised if they receive only half credit and are asked to re-do for more points. Please remind them that a reading log is due on Monday as well.  

In religion next week we will begin planning the Nativity play which will be the evening of December 14th this year. All students are required to participate in this very special performance. We will be in need of three to four appliance-sized boxes to make our props for the play. If you have any of these, or other sheets of large cardboard, please send them in Monday or Tuesday. Thanks!  

Service hours are part of your child’s religion grade. As a reminder, 18 service hours are due each semester. Your child has already earned 10 hours as part of their WeGrow Garden work. Students can earn service hours on Friday, November 17th by helping with PTC’s Movie Night. Students are needed at 6:30 (immediately following the girls’ basketball game) to begin setting up for Movie Night, which will begin at 7:00 PM. They can stay to help until 8:45PM.  

In social studies, we took our topic (chapter) test about the Revolutionary War. I will allow the kids to make corrections to this test this coming week. Our next focus is on the U.S. Constitution. This will be our entry point into a unit about civics. Our student teacher, Mr. Merrifield, has a degree in history, so it will be great for him to add his perspective to this unit.  

I hope you saw Steph Wolf’s email summarizing our D.C. fundraising opportunities. This is an amazing trip, and I know that we can all work together to make it affordable for all. Please be sure to sign up for areas to help.  

Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, we had a quiz to demonstrate our knowledge of food vocabulary. We also learned about a food project we will be starting next week. 

And finally, please see this information below: 

Human Food Chain is Monday, November 27th  

Each year, we do a food drive for the Hope House to help stock their shelves before winter. This has always been a great tradition at Assumption. Starting this week and through November 21st, please bring non-perishable food items to the front entrance where there will be tubs to place the food. Please do not bring glass containers or beans (they have enough of these). Hope House has asked specifically for the following “open and eat” items to support a greater need in the homeless population:  

  1. tuna kits  
  1. beans and franks  
  1. fruit cups  
  1. granola bars  
  1. peanut butter crackers  
  1. individual bags of chips/cookies  
  1. fruit rolls  
  1. bottles of water  
  1. individually wrapped cookies  
  1. individual packages of beef jerky 

Have a great weekend! 

Chris  

11/3/23

Dear Parents,

Next week we will be welcoming a student teacher to our classroom. Christopher Merrifield will be joining us for the remainder of the year. He will initially observe how I teach, then progress to teaching alongside me, and finally lead the teaching (in the spring). I will be with him the entire time and will still be your child’s teacher, but it will be a great opportunity to mentor someone who is taking up this calling. Please read the following introduction from Mr. Merrifield:

Dear Parents,

I’m thrilled to introduce myself as your child’s upcoming student teacher! My name is Christopher Merrifield, and I’m originally from Chico, California. I hold a bachelor’s degree in US History and a minor in Military Science which I obtained from UC Davis. I moved to Bellingham over 5 years ago after discovering, and subsequently falling in love with, the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and specifically this wonderful town of ours! I am now in the process of pursuing my teaching certification at Seattle Pacific University.

In addition to my studies, I currently serve as an intelligence officer within the Army National Guard in an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, which has been an incredible source of inspiration for my teaching philosophy. It has instilled in me the values of teamwork, adaptability, and resilience, qualities that I am eager to pass on to the young minds I’ll have the privilege to work with.

Beyond education and my military service, I have a passion for painting miniatures, hiking, and learning more about history! I’m excited to bring my enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication to the classroom and to work alongside your child to help foster their growth and development. I’m looking forward to a rewarding partnership with you and your family during my student teaching experience at Assumption Catholic School!

Very Respectfully,
Christopher Merrifield

This week in language arts class we continued learning new vocabulary using our Latin roots. We also continued our verbs unit learning about the progressive tenses, irregular verbs, using consistent tenses, and subject/verb agreement (especially with compound nouns). We will finish this unit on Monday, then assess our learning.

The kids made headway in their Salem witch trial books and completed a variety of literature tasks associated with these books. After their first week and a half of reading in book groups, I gave them a self-evaluation sheet so that they could give me an honest assessment of how much energy and attention they think they are putting into their time together. We will look at these and other reading skills during conferences. Please remind them that a reading log is due on Monday.

We had a great All Saints Day liturgyWednesday. Your kids did a great job leading their Kindergarten buddies in this celebration. They processed in with their Kinder buddies dressed as saints and carried portraits of saints with the Mass, the saint’s name, feast day, symbol, and patronage. Fr. Moore spoke about how Jesus is the cornerstone on which we build our faith. I was excited, as this is the exact topic of one of our religion lessons this past week. I had just taught the song “Cornerstone” by Leon Patillo. I got a few glances from the kids as Father started talking about Jesus as the cornerstone, so I know they took the lesson to heart.

I will be teaching a Circle of Grace lesson this month. This lesson will replace the Virtus lesson about safety that used to be taught twice per year. I will send you a link so that you can check out the program. As always, if you do not wish for your child to receive the lesson, please let me know.

In social studies we finished learning about the Revolutionary War. We completed a timeline of the significant events during this time period. We also had many discussions that connect this chapter’s essential question “When is war justified?” to both the Revolutionary War and current conflicts. To prepare for our viewing of the musical “Hamilton” (permission slip to come – we are still a couple weeks out), we learned about the historical context of certain key songs. Kids shared their research about these contexts and we listened to these songs. It will be fun to view the whole musical with lots of background knowledge to get the full impact of its historical importance.

I hope you all received your “Take and Bake” order forms. Our D.C. fundraising volunteers are working tirelessly to provide ways for us to reduce the cost of our trip to Washington, DC. Thank you!

Have a great weekend!

Chris

10/27/23

Dear Parents,

Welcome snow in the mountains! We have the best room in the school with its beautiful view of Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters.  

In language arts this week we went over the two essays the kids had finished. I explained the grading rubric and had them revise their writing based on the notes I wrote both on the rubric and on the essays themselves. I hope you saw the message I sent yesterday about how to submit the Veterans of Foreign Wars essay. I learned today that a representative of the local VFW has offered to come to our school on Tuesday to pick up any entries. If you wish to use this option, please be sure to fill out the entry form and attach it to a printed copy of the essay, then have your child give it to me Tuesday morning.

We also spent time this week working through Latin roots (we tested today) and verb tenses. We have covered the basic tenses (past, present and future) and the perfect tenses (past perfect – I had bought it; present perfect – I have bought it; and future perfect – I will have bought it). Next week we learn the progressive tenses! I told the kids that learning how our own language works will make it a whole lot easier to learn a foreign one.

We started a short unit in literature about the Salem Witch Trials. This period of history is a bit earlier than where we are in our history lessons, but with Halloween coming I couldn’t resist. Most books are historical fiction, but one group is reading a non-fiction book. We should finish these by the beginning of December. While reading these books, the kids are in small groups and are working through a number of literature tasks. The purpose of the tasks is to get the kids talking about their novels together. This is the first step in independent group literary discussions and should be valuable in setting up some discussion habits.

We didn’t have any lessons on Church history this week but focused on getting ready for the All Saints Day Mass. We are putting this Mass on with our Kindergarten buddies. If you would like to attend, it is an all-parish Mass on Wednesday at 12:30. Your kids will be leading and will be processing in carrying their saint posters and with their Kinder buddies dressed as saints. All are welcome!

In history class we finished learning what life was like in colonial times. We learned about the Great Awakening and its effects on religious tolerance. We also learned about the different social classes, about politics and government, and about how important literature, art, and music were. We learned about the French Indian War, and the taxes the British imposed to help pay for the war. We learned about the deep anger and frustration by the Patriots and that the “shot heard around the world” was the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Today we reviewed Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” pamphlet which stated that it was just plain common sense that we should be free and independent from Great Britain. We ended by declaring our independence.  

We had our final fall gardening time at the WeGrow Garden on Monday. We planted cover crops and more garlic, tidied the beds, attended to the compost bins, and disposed of unwanted plants (mostly sunflowers). Thanks to the parents who made this happen by coming along with us each week. We will resume our visits when the garden “wakes up” again in the spring.

Please check grades this weekend with your child. The sports season is upon us and kids cannot participate if their grades are low. Have your child fill out and turn in a reading log on Monday. And if there is any extra time this weekend, please encourage your child to complete the two book reports that are due on the last school day of the month – Halloween! By the way, the kids have planned their own Halloween party and have decided to watch “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. This movie is rated PG, so it should be fine for the kids. Please let me know if you don’t want your child to watch it and I will find an alternate location for him/her.

Have a great weekend,

Chris

10/12/23

Dear Parents, 

This was a short week for us made even shorter by our work at the WeGrow Garden. We prepared beds, harvested beans, peas, apples, and tomatoes, composted sunflowers and other waning plants, and tended to the irrigation system. Thank you to Patty P. for walking with us and helping us in our important work to feed the hungry. Next week we will walk our Kindergarten buddies to the garden to give them a tour and to paint some mini pumpkins we recently harvested. Please note that Patty P. cannot make the October 23rd date on the Signup Genius. I couldn’t remove her name, so if you are willing to take her place, please add your name to the signup. Thanks!

The kids were given an explanation of the culminating project for the novel The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. They will each make a book trailer for the novel. They will be given some class time to work on these and will present them on Thursday of next week. If they feel inspired, they may wish to use some weekend time to take some video to add to their trailers.

The essay that the kids have been working on the past few weeks is due on Monday. They should print it and bring it in to me. If your printer does not work at home, please have them email it to me. I will grade these and then give them back to the kids so that they can make revisions before sending them in to either the VFW or Maryknoll organizations.

In religion we finished our chapter about how the Church is apostolic. We completed a chapter review and then tested our knowledge. Fr. Moore came in this week to continue his lessons on morality. He spoke today about the Ten Commandments, asking the kids who these were meant for – only Jews and Christians or all humans. Ask your child what he/she thinks this weekend.

In history, we finished learning about the colonies and then compared similarities and differences between the three different colonial regions. The biggest similarities were that each colony had religious freedom (or at least tolerance) and representation in government as their important desires. The essential question for this unit is “Why do people move?” and these desires of tolerance and representation, along with the need for elbow room (land/resources), are central to answering this question. The kids put the main descriptors, including advantages and disadvantages of living in each colony on a class bulletin board. They will complete a quest next week that asks them to use their knowledge to decide which colony they would choose to settle in.

Please check FACTS this weekend with your child so that missing assignments and low grades can be corrected. Also, please remind your child to send in a reading log on Monday and to start working on one of two book reports due on the last day of the month. 

Have a great weekend,

Chris 

10/6/2023

Dear Parents,

In language arts this week we focused on essay writing to prepare for the VFW and Maryknoll Missionary essay-writing contests. Last week we had gone over the theme for each and also the requirements. The kids were given a choice of writing to either one prompt or the other. We reviewed the structure of an essay and how it should include a hook, some background, and a thesis statement. Most kids didn’t know that a thesis statement is a bit like the topic sentence in a paragraph – it lets the reader know what the main points (paragraphs) of the essay will be about. We practiced thesis statements and also reviewed topic and closing sentences. I told the kids that I will be grading their essays for writing style, clarity, and mechanics (grammar and other conventions). I will not be able to give them feedback about what they might want to add or take out, but I can provide them with a general grade for their writing based upon the rubric I gave them. They will have early next week to finish these before doing some peer review, some revisions, and then turning them in to me for a grade. Once I have graded the essays, they can be submitted according to the contest guidelines.

We finished our novel The True Adventures of Charlotte Doyle. It was full of twists and turns and many of the exciting events at the end could be interpreted in different ways. This led to some lively discussions. We will review the plot structure of the novel next week before assessing their understanding of that.

In religion we finished learning about how our Church is apostolic. The kids will complete a chapter review by Wednesday of next week before taking their first chapter test that day. As with all work, including tests, kids who wish to retake or make corrections may do so, they need only ask.

Next Monday we go to the WeGrow Garden from 12:30 – 2:00. Please see the SignUp Genius if you would like to come along. We’ve had rain the past two weeks, but we have been having so much fun in the garden that we hardly notice. Please remember that your child may wear casual dress for their work in the garden on Monday.

We have learned about the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies and their search for participation in choosing their government (representation). We learned about the differences between a proprietary colony and a royal colony, about free enterprise and cash crops, and about the Quakers’ belief that all people are equal in God’s eyes. All these ideas are setting us up to learn about what our forefathers looked for when making a new government for this new nation.

Please sit with your child this weekend and look on FACTS. All grading should be in and updated. Don’t forget to have your child fill out and return a reading log on Monday. This is registered in the gradebook and does affect grades. Also, please remember that there is a two-week window in which to re-do or turn in late work (20% deduction for being late). Beyond that, your child will receive a zero.

Here are some notes from your child’s other teachers:

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish we checked our knowledge with a quiz on La Gloria (Glory Be) prayer and a quiz on verb translations and conjugations. Students will be able to do quiz corrections during lunch/recess Monday and Tuesday of next week. Then, we began a unit on comida (food) by learning important vocabulary.

Band – “This week in band, we reinforced articulation with our first five notes. We also explored different styles of music our instruments are capable of playing. Finally, we had our first official playing test of the school year from our Measures of Success Book. Beginning next week, we will begin working on our music for the Christmas Program!

PE – 6-8 learned about the 5 components of fitness and participated in the Fall Fitness Gram that included the mile run, curl-ups, push-ups and sit and reach.  

Have a great weekend,

Chris

9/22/23

September 22, 2023

Dear Parents,

This week we worked on MAP testing and completed both the reading and the math portions of the test. The kids understand that this fall test is simply a baseline so that we can see how much growth they make throughout the year. We will be able to talk about these results at conference time in early November and perhaps use them to set some goals for your child. We will continue testing next week on Tuesday from 8:15-10, and Thursday from 10-11:30, so please try to avoid pulling kids for appointments during those times. Also, please remind your child to bring a charged laptop on testing days – well, every day!

We completed our nouns unit, spending the majority of our time on possessives and appositives (add-ons, as one student aptly called these). The kids showed a good understanding of these and I told them that I expect them to use nouns correctly, especially possessives, in their writing from here on out. Our Latin test will be on Thursday next week.

In literature, we are reading our way through The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. We are nearly finished and are enjoying the plot twists and turns. I have been recommending Charles Nordhoff’s Mutiny on the Bounty for those interested in reading a higher-level book of this topic. The kids have been learning a lot of new vocabulary and have been discussing the elements of literature as they pertain to our novel. This would be the weekend to finish up the two book reports that are due on Friday, September 29th. Your child should ask you to sign their reading log, which is due on Monday.

In social studies we finished learning about the early Spanish explorers, what they were looking for, and the effects they had on early empires and indigenous peoples. We are moving into a study of the French, Dutch, and English explorers and will focus on the first permanent European settlements in North America. One component of this new text is its use of project-based learning (PBL). We previewed the “Quest” for this new topic (European Exploration of North America) and explored what it is asking for and how we might complete it as we work through the material. It will be interesting to see if this type of work leads to greater engagement with what we are learning.

Next week we will walk to the WeGrow Garden on Monday. We leave at 12:30 from the playground and return by 2:00. I don’t have any parent volunteers so far and could really use one more. Please use the Signup Genius I sent this week to let me know if you can come along with us.

On Friday of next week we have our Fall Retreat. I am still in need of seats for 6 kids to and from the retreat. If you are able to help us with this, please let me know right away. Lunch will be provided for the kids, so please don’t pack one that day. If your child has special dietary needs, please let me know or provide a safe lunch for him/her to bring along. Our plan is to have pizza for lunch.

Please sit with your child this weekend and log in to FACTS to check grades and missing work. This really helps the kids to get in the habit of working to better themselves. Some kids told me they were having trouble getting into FACTS and I will look into it next week.

I am pasting news from specialist classes below:

PE 6-8

This week in PE we practiced various skills needed to play spike ball and learned the official rules and regulations in order to play the game.  

Spanish 8th:

Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish we reviewed verbs and had our first quiz of the semester. We also learned the phrase ir+a+infinitve to talk about future plans. We listened to the song Vivir Mi Vida to hear this phrase in context. All students received an email with a link to the Spanish agenda (to see we are working on each day) and a link to the Quizlet (for practicing vocabulary with online flashcards). These links can also be found on the homepage of the ACS Spanish K-8 – Assumption Catholic School Site.

Middle School Orchestra:

This week in Advanced Orchestra we –

• Learned the difference between F sharp and F natural (and C sharp/natural as well)
• Turned a song in a major key, into a minor key
• Began working on the back up parts of the fiddle tune Sourwood Mountain

Have a great weekend! 

Chris

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