WOH, Tuesday November 28, 2023
Why I Love Teaching Third Grade By Mary Norton, Teacher
Every teacher always gets asked the same question when meeting new people. “So what grade do you teach?” I always answer that Third Grade is the best grade. And most people respond with, “That was my favorite grade!”
Third graders are special. First, they can read. There may be lots of levels and timelines, but the world of language is coming alive. They begin to learn that stories and words create pictures and third graders can understand different characters. Some of our favorite stories and books are read in third grade. So far this year we have loved The Wild Robot, Bunnicula, and coming up is the Tale of Despereaux and more wild robot books.
Third graders tell really good jokes. We love to share “dad” jokes, made up nonsense jokes and funny riddles. They understand that words can be funny and one can play with words. At the same time third graders are extremely literal. One must be careful how news is given and one must be ready for an explanation that makes sense.
The third grade imagination exists between the literal and figurative expressions of language.
Third graders are learning that they have an impact in their families, classroom, and community. They begin to see themselves as active participants. They are resilient, compassionate, and want to be involved. Third graders can be rambunctious and full of giggles.
They are learning that they are unconditionally loved by Jesus Christ and can deepen their faith by reading from the Bible every day.
As their third grade teacher, I experience all this and more each day; I can literally say that I smile every day this batch of third graders walk into the classroom.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Tues, 11/29: Auction Meeting
Wed, 11/29: Photo Retake Day; Times TBA
Thurs, 11/30: Auction Class Art Project Ideas due
Fri, 12/1 5:30-9:00pm: Parents Night Out
Saturday, 12/2 10am-3pm: Food/Coat Drive drop-off
Mon-Fri, 12/4-12/8: Scholastic Book Fair
Tues, 12/5 6:30pm: Christmas Concert (Grades KG-4)*
Fri, 12/8 6:30pm: Preschool Christmas Concert*
Sat, 12/9 4:00-8:00pm: Hot Cocoa at the Junction Holiday Night Market
Tues, 12/12: Christmas Performance (Grades 5-8)*
Fri, 12/15: Early Dismissal (K-8); PS/ESC all open
Sun, 12/24 5pm & 7pm: Christmas Eve Services
Mon, 12/25 10am: Christmas Morning Service
*PTH will have a photo area set-up in the Commons after the Christmas concerts to help you take a DIY family picture
SCHOOL NEWS
Hope North: We have almost reached our goal!
THANK YOU to everyone who has pledged a gift to the Hope North capital campaign! We are excited to share with you that our current amount pledged is $1,074,618.00! Wow! This is spectacular! Thank you all for your generosity and support for the future home of our middle school program in Fall 2024. If you haven’t already done so, there is still time to make your 3-year pledge, and you can do that through this link. We can’t wait to see what God has in store for us!
Hot Cocoa at the Junction – December 9
Ring in the Christmas season with hot cocoa at the West Seattle Junction! Hope Student Council will be handing out cups of hot cocoa and candy canes at the tree lighting from 4 to 8 pm. Last year we served over 600 people! We need volunteers to help set up and take down, manage the hot water production at Hope Church, cart water from the church to our location and prepare and serve the cocoa. PIP hours apply for parents. To sign up, click here.
SCHOOL EVENTS
Photo Retake Day – Wed, 11/29
Retakes are no charge for anyone that wants a retake. Hellriegel Fotos asks that you return the original photo package (you can keep the class photo) and they will photograph the student again and print up a new photo package.
If you did not order on the original day, you may go online and place an order the night before retake day (so we don’t miss photographing your student again). If they were absent, we should photograph them anyway for the yearbook and you can place an order online. Preschool class pictures will also be available to order here.
https://HellriegelsFoto1Inc.simplephoto.com/prepay/47212818?code=HL2023
If you would like to look at your child’s original, uncropped, unretouched images in the password protected photo gallery and then order, please go to the link below. Please be aware that you will see photos of all students, so be respectful.
https://hellriegelsfoto1inc.pixieset.com/hopelutheranschool-westseattle/
Password: HL23
Hope Praying Parent Group
This group will meet on Thursdays at 2:30-3:00 pm. Can you come a little early before pickup and join us as we pray for our Hope students and teachers? You don’t have to be an expert at praying out loud to come. You can listen and pray silently as well. We will gather in front of the church office entry and meet in the Fireside room. Questions contact patramueller@hopeseattle.org.
Hope North Banks: 11/29 Chapel Service
Students in every grade made a Hope North Bank in class. Students are invited to save money in their banks as a way to support updating the Hope North building. Students can bring their banks to the last chapel (11/29). Thanks so much!
Chapel Offerings for November and December
Thank you for your chapel offering donations during the months of September and October! $554 was raised for Maui wildfire relief, and was sent to Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School in Maui. Chapel offerings for November and December are being donated to Living Water International. Living Water provides clean water to communities throughout the world that do not have access to clean water by building wells.
Food and Coat Drive
This Saturday, Dec. 2 the Caudle family will be having a food/coat drive in the lower parking lot of Hope from 10-3. They are collecting food for the West Seattle Food Bank and coats for the Westside Interfaith Network. It is a drive-through collection so all people need to do is drive up and we will grab whatever people have to donate. Monetary donations are also kindly accepted for the Food Bank. This is our 4th year doing this as a family and we would love any help in getting the word out. There will be a flyer in the Tuesday Envelopes but it would be great if you could help draw attention to it. Thank you everyone!
EAST COAST TRIP FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Parents Night Out – December 1 from 5:30-9pm
Need to go Christmas shopping? Date night overdue? Hope School is hosting a fun evening event where kids 5 to 12 can enjoy pizza dinner, arts & crafts, games and a movie with friends while parents have the night off. Event proceeds support the 7th and 8th grade East Coast Trip in 2025. Drop off in the Hope Commons.Tickets are on sale now and space is limited, so be sure to purchase by Thursday, November 30. Click HERE to sign up. Registration form in yellow envelopes also.
Do you want to raise money towards your East Coast Trip in May 2025? Sign up to volunteer for the Parents Night Out event on Friday, December 1st from 5:30-9pm at Hope Commons & Hope North Gym. Lots of slots are available! Sign up here:
ECT Volunteer Opportunity – Fri, 12/1
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084BA4AE29A7FCC43-45743816-parents
More fundraising opportunities are coming soon. If you want to be added to the ECT volunteer email list, please email ECTFundraising@hopeseattle.org.
PTH EVENTS
Next Auction Meeting: 11/28 at 6:30pm – 7:30pm in the Commons. Come help us plan our auction and earn your PIP hours! (Auction will be on March 9, 2024). The Auction Committee meets on Tuesdays (unless otherwise posted).
Auction Class Art Project Volunteers needed by Nov 30th: We need YOU parents. All classes are required to create an art project to be included in the auction. If you are artsy or crafty, please consider volunteering. Earn your PIP hours too!
Class Art Project Sign-up (Masquerade Auction 2024)
Pinterest Idea Board- Class Art Project Ideas
Auction Volunteers needed: Many hands (and hearts) make light work, and we need many volunteers to have a successful auction. There are many opportunities to work from home as well. Please use the link to sign up to help. https://hopeseattle.ejoinme.org/volunteer
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES – Earn your PIP hours!
Scholastic Book Fair
It is time for some holiday book shopping at our Scholastic Book Fair in December. We are needing volunteers to help set up and cashiers to help students and families pick out the just right books. Times and dates are on the signup genius link. This is a great opportunity to earn PIP hours.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F054CACAA23A4FA7-45745464-scholastic
CHURCH EVENTS