TJ's "strong man" pose from Homecoming!

 TJ's "Don't Judge Me" pose! It was something he often said! :)

Happy Thursday Everyone! I hope this has been a good week for you.

Friday, December 20, 2013- Just a reminder it will be the last day for sweat pants, music, gum, etc.,
Students will need a sack lunch on this day, milk will be provided by the school. They will be eating with their Advent Angels and then we will do caroling in the gym.  In the afternoon we are watching a movie with 3-5. I have had a parent donate water bottles for everyone in our grade band that afternoon. Thank you!!! I also have a student with a birthday--so her treat will be our treat during the movie!

Language Arts- This week we read two short biographies about two teenagers and their experiences with the Revolutionary War. I found it pretty interesting.In grammar this week they are working on putting transitions into their writing. The transition will connect two ideas in the same sentence.  When we get back from Christmas we will be doing our next unit test.

Math- We worked on dividing money this week. I worked with two students at a time giving them play money to divide up. They had to work on exchanging the larger bills for something smaller so that everyone would get their share.

Religion- This week they wrote letters to the Des Moines Diocese seminarians. Our school is taking turns writing them while they are in school. The 5th graders made me aware that they knew a couple from CYC. They were excited to see "Batman" as one of them. I also recognized that Mrs. Priest's brother-in-law is one of the seminarians. I told them not to expect a letter in return, but you never know!

I am going to try and add some pictures and a video clip of the kids this morning in their TJ and Nate colors. They looked so sweet! They were sharing stories again today! Those make me smile!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Safe travels to everyone! I am heading home to Doon and will spend the week with my mom and see my siblings. Merry Christmas!!!
God Bless, Miss Surma

Hello Parents,
I hope you are all staying warm! Winter is here! 

Language Arts- This week we are reading a story called James Forten. It is a biography about an African American who was free during the Revolutionary War. At a young age, he signed up to work on one of the ships during the war. They had to surrender to the British. He was held prisoner for a time. We also learned that he dedicated the rest of his life to working on sails for ships and was quite profitable with it. He also worked on freeing slaves and getting women the right to vote. In grammar we are focusing on using commas and semi-colons. That was something new for me! We used our commas to separate items in a series, to set off a direct address in a sentence, or where an introductory element is being used in a sentence. Next week will be the last story in this unit. They will have a normal week of spelling and a test over the story next Friday. 

Math- We started working on division.  On Monday they worked on drawing me pictures to show what division looks like. On Tuesday we worked on doing some division mentally with the basic facts. On Wednesday and Thursday, they are learning to do estimating through compatible numbers. I am stressing to them to keep their multiplication table handy. I will sometimes rephrase the division problem into a multiplication problem to help them find the quotient. 

Religion- We are finishing up our quizzes!!! We are also working on liturgical calendar and Advent.  They will be going to reconciliation on Thursday.

Geography Bee- The final round will be on Wednesday, Dec. 18 around 10:30. You are welcome to come and watch. This will be held in the gym.

Friday, Dec. 20- This is our last day before break. It is a full day. We do not get out early that day. They will need a sack lunch and drink on that day. They will be eating with their Advent Angels. We will also do some caroling.  In the afternoon, grades 3-5 will watch a movie together. Since this is the last day we are raising money for the Philippines, I want ALL 5th graders to have a water bottle that day. They will be able to have that with them during the movie. We  will also have a treat that day. I would like a parent to volunteer to supply some kind of treat for the 5th graders. The 3rd and 4th will have their own. Please let me know ASAP if you can help out with that! Thanks. Nothing big! 

Classes will resume on January 2 and 3rd. 

Thank you for all the donations we received for the St. Nicholas Project. We collected about 361 items! Woo hoo!  I believe the noisy change collection on Wednesday raised a little over $300! So much giving!!!!!  The students should be so proud of their contributions! 

Program- Way to go, 5th graders, with the Christmas concert! You did a wonderful job! 

TJ and Nate Memorial-- We have extra money from your donations last week. We decided to purchase some of their favorite books in memory of them for our school library because they were such big readers. The remaining money will be used in some way as a memorial here at school for the kids to see. Mrs. Sickels and I have a couple of ideas, but if you have suggestions, please email us. We will consider all ideas. The cost will also play a role in what we choose to do. We aren't going to rush into this just yet. We want some time to think it over. Thank you again! 

The week has felt a little more normal, but we continue to receive sympathy cards. The support has been amazing.  Have a great weekend! God Bless, Miss Surma

5th graders working on division with Skittles!

Dear Parents, 
I probably don't have much to say this week. It has been a very difficult week for all of us. I think your children are doing quite well considering, but we can surely tell something is missing in our room each day. I love that they share their  "TJ" stories with me each day. I am probably over-hugging them, but handshakes this week just aren't cutting it. :)

We are working on a story this week in language arts, but I am just kind of playing it day by day. We most likely won't test on Friday. I told them if we do, I will treat it more like a worksheet. We are working, but I know that the focus just isn't on the work yet. We will do a spelling test on Friday. 

Math- We did do some more work with volume. We are going to begin working on division. Again, just playing things by ear from day to day. 

Thanks so much for  the money brought in on Wednesday. I know Mrs. Sickels and I were overwhelmed with the generosity.  Of course, I am feeling that way with everything I am seeing from the community and surrounding towns. I told your children on Monday that for the 7 or 8 hours they are here each day, they are my children. I love them all and right now our family is broken. It is going to take some time to get used to the loss and there will be days we are sad and other days we are happy. I will say that your kids are certainly helping me get through the week. 

I will be at the visitation with Mrs. Sickels. We plan on being there the entire time. We told the kids they could find us if they needed us or wanted anything. 

Christmas Program is still on for Sunday at the YMCA. I will see your kids in the back hallway. They can have their DS games and iPods there. 

Noisy Change Collection- There will be a collection next Wednesday during mass. This money will go towards the Adopted Family for Christmas. 

St. Nick Project - Thank you for your donations this week!


Thank you so much for entrusting me with your children each day. They mean the world to me. Hug them for me. God Bless, Miss Surma

Funeral Arrangements: I have received information that Ben and Nicole Adamson are going to collect monetary donations from the 4th grade and 5th grade families. They are going to use the money to purchase flowers, a statue, or a stone (depending on donations) for each of the boys from our separate grades. So, if you would like to donate money, please have your child bring it to school tomorrow (Wednesday). That will give them time to order it before the visitation and funeral.  I appreciate anything you can do to help. Thank you. Miss Surma

This morning some of the 5th graders enjoyed their pancake breakfast in honor of TJ! They showed me their "sticky fingers" in the picture. As they greeted me at the door, they made sure to shake my hand with their very sticky fingers, just as TJ would do!


Just a reminder that the funeral information is on Powers Funeral Home website. I was told this morning that the 4th and 5th graders will be named honorary pallbearers at the funeral. They won't have to do anything. If they attend the funeral, they won't have to sit somewhere special. The family just wanted to include them. God Bless the Freys, and your children during this difficult time. TJ and Nate will be greatly missed. I doubt they knew how many lives they have touched and have changed forever. We love you TJ and Nate!