Congratulations to Laurelville student Austin Dingess! Austin represented the Logan Elm School District today as fifth graders from across the county competed in the Spelling Bee. I hear he also enjoyed some good pizza for his efforts! Way to go, Austin!
Practice for World Maths Day 2010 begins on Monday, Feb. 1! Practice those facts and your speed!
I have not made any new year resolutions for quite a few years. In fact, the last resolution that I had made was to make no more resolutions. Like so many people, I spent many years making my list of resolutions only to be joking around about them by April (or sooner) that I didn’t stick to them.
The only resolution I have made that I actually stuck to was the one I made when my daughter Hannah was born. In fact, I even made that resolution long before the new year came. When she was just a few weeks old, I resolved to not say “I can’t wait until. . .” She was growing so fast that I quickly realized that I COULD wait, because each of the milestones of growing up would be here before I knew it. (and they have!) Time certainly goes by fast.
This year, however, I decided to make a new year’s resolution that actually involves my entire family-the Caudill family resolution for the new year is to do more of what we can to help others in any way that we can. My wonderful family has agreed to it! 
Now it has been a couple of weeks into the new year and after watching the news, reading newspapers and emails, I have decided to add to my resolutions for the year. Here are my resolutions for the new year:
1)For the Caudill family to do more to help others. 2)To spend more time shopping at local stores instead of huge chain stores in the mall or department stores (like the one that starts with a W). Have you ever shopped in downtown Circleville? There are some really great shops that have a huge variety of items and services. And by local, I don’t just mean Circleville. Maybe it will be the local store in Lancaster, Chillicothe, Logan, etc. If I have to buy a gift for someone, my goal is to NOT find it at a chain store. 3) Whenever possible, my goal is to buy products that are MADE IN AMERICA. I resolve to start comparing different brands of products and if one is made here in the USA and the other is not, I will buy the one MADE IN AMERICA. Even if it means I may have to pay a little extra. I realize this may not always be possible, but I am certainly going to try. 4) To stop using the self-checkout lines at the store. As my husband pointed out, using those checkouts is costing someone a job. So I will go through the checkout that actually has a person who is doing a job to make some money. Hopefully, this will let the store know that they need cashiers.So there they are. . .my resolutions for 2010. Why am I writing them in this post? I am hoping that by writing them down for all to see will make me more accountable for sticking to them. And just maybe, they will make someone else do the same. . .
Wow! The fifth grade students at Laurelville are really “excelling” in Math. Since October 17, they have answered over 25,000 math problems on their IXL account in a combined time spent of 234 HOURS and 18 minutes! I think that is incredible (not to mention a lot of Math!)
Congratulations to Jessica Willard, Austin Dingess, Shala Spaulding, Frankie Davis and Brooklyn Ebert. These students are the top five students in time spent practicing math on IXL! Way to go!
I’m wondering. . .how long before we can reach 100,000 answered math problems? Or should I say. . . how soon?
Well, I was really looking forward to getting back to school today and seeing all of you. I am sure you were all extremely disappointed when you heard there was a two-hour delay and then the announcement that we were actually closing for the day . . . My girls were extremely sad about that news. In fact, I think I actually see a tear in their eyes. It’s kind of hard to tell from this distance-they are outside playing in the snow, but I just KNOW that they are wishing they were at school instead! They are just working awfully hard to not show their disappointment. . .
Have a fun day and hopefully I will see everyone tomorrow! I really do miss everyone!
Ok, here it is-your homework assignment for the holiday break. . . .Stay up late, sleep in, spend entire days in your pajamas, play lots of games, eat a lot of food, and enjoy time with your loved ones as you celebrate this holiday season-because that is what your teacher will be doing!
Seriously, enjoy your break. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas filled with many blessings. Come back to school in 2010 ready to work hard!
Laurelville Elementary had the pleasure to listen to the Logan Elm High School Choir perform this morning at our school. These talented young ladies and gentlemen did a fabulous job singing some well-known and some not-so-well-known Christmas songs. It was great to see several former Laurelville students among them-Molly Dickson, Hannah Stump, Karissa Estep, Addison Wyckoff, Torrye Fetherolf, Jessica Poling, Rebekha Mullins, Martha Morlan, Isaiah Shreve, Dalton Fox, Chris Hartley, and Eli Dickson. We are so proud of all of them!
I just wanted to recognize a few students who have been really standing out in Math class lately! Blaize, Dustin, and Tiffany have really been working extremely hard to improve in Math. All three of these students have been paying attention in class, asking questions, and participating in class discussions. Your efforts have really stood out! Great job!
Also, I have had several students who have stepped up to help other students. Sierra, Cade, Mark and Sarah (to name just a few) have been very generous in lending a hand to others as we have been reviewing division. You have been a tremendous help to your classmates (and me)! Way to help others!
Wouldn’t math class be so much easier for everyone if we all could help others in some way?
We have been working on Data Analysis the past few weeks. The students have been analyzing data presented on many different types of graphs. IXL has been an extremely useful tool to give students practice on reading and understanding graphs. (Thanks again to our PTO!) This week our focus has been on choosing the best type of graph to display data. Yesterday and today the students worked on collecting data from their classmates and displaying the data in a graph. They also used an nces web site to create their graph using the computer. Students were given a quiz today on the types of graphs and interim reports went home.
*Reminder: Students will have an opportunity to shop at the holiday shop next week during their library time and PICTURE RETAKES are MONDAY!
Once again, we owe our gratitude to our wonderful PTO! Yesterday, students at Laurelville had an opportunity to learn a little about chemistry through an assembly, Ion Jones and the Lost Castle of Chemistry. This traveling science show is sponsored by the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. Our generous PTO was responsible for bringing them to Laurelville and providing such an exciting, hands-on learning activity for our students. If you see a PTO member, please be sure to thank them, let them know how much you enjoyed the program, and share something that you learned!
