On Monday, August 29, the Wolves will embark on their first field trip to the Iowa City Public Library. We will travel by city bus. We'll be working on "book shopping," or how to select just right books that fit our interests from the vast selection at the library and familiarizing ourselves with the expectations for our many future library trips. Please send your child with their library card on this day so that they can check out books.
ELECTRONIC RECESS RETURNS ON MONDAY, AUGUST 29:
The Owls and Wolves met last week to discuss a beloved tradition, Electronic Recess. As many of you know, E-Recess is a once per week optional lunch recess activity, during which the Owls and Wolves spend their Monday lunch recess in the Wolves' classroom playing card games and/or collaborative games on their handheld electronic devices. Many students look forward to playing games together and enjoy this time immensely.
Working as a team, the Owls and Wolves developed the following guidelines for E-Recess:
1. E-Recess is before lunch on Mondays. Morning and/or afternoon recess is for exercise.
2. You must use your own handheld device. We will not use school devices as these are reserved for classwork as educational tools.
3. Devices may include laptops, tablets, phones, or other handheld gaming devices.
4. Games only. This is not a time for videos or music.
5. Use the Willowwind Student wi-fi network to play collaborative games (e.g., Minecraft).
6. When playing collaboratively, respect others' virtual property and keep your user name the same at all times so everyone knows who they are playing with.
7. Games need to be rated E10 or lower. Ask a teacher if you're unsure if a game is appropriate for E-Recess.
8. Sound can be on. Bring headphones if you wish to use them.
9. Collaborative card games, such as Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon, are also welcome at E-Recess.
10. Personal electronic devices or card games must be stored in backpacks or cubbies during the remainder of the school day to avoid distraction from classwork.
Please be in touch should questions about this fun, weekly activity arise.
SPEAKING OF PERSONAL ELECTRONICS...:
As we settle into our classroom routines, the Wolves and I will discuss expectations regarding phones and other personal electronic devices. We will review our classroom rules together in the coming week, and I wanted to remind families of the guidelines from our class handbook:
"Many students in 5th and 6th grade have their own mobile phone or other electronic device in order to stay in contact with parents. While it is important for parents to feel they have access to their child during the day, mobile phones are a distraction in the classroom environment. If your child chooses to bring their phone (or any other personal electronic device other than their school-owned iPad) to school, it must be stored, on silent, in their backpack from 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM. These electronic devices are not allowed out during the school day in order to maintain an environment conducive to learning. The only exception is for E-Recess on Mondays. If you need to contact your child during the day to communicate a change in schedule, please call the front desk at 338-6061 or e-mail me at [email protected]. We are happy to pass any necessary messages to your child."