Monday, May 18, 2020


Updates and announcements

I hope everyone had a restful weekend! How crazy is it that we survived 9 weeks of remote learning?

The work for this week on Google Classroom will not be graded. Please complete the assignments on a separate sheet of paper and keep them.

Promotion is this Wednesday! We will have a car parade around the field (lining up the same way you would for pickup and drop off). You are invited to decorate your cars. We will have goody bags for students at the end of the parade with some gifts from the teachers, yearbooks, t-shirts, and certificates. There will also be a photographer. We are delighted to share this event with extended family via an emailed recording for families to view after the event. Here are the times:

5A: 8:00-8:45
5B: 9:00-9:45
5C: 10:00-10:45

We will have our final Zoom call on Thursday for a small celebration. All 90 fifth graders will start off in the same Zoom meeting to share speeches that were not chosen for the official Promotion video. We will start with our runner ups, then take volunteers. If your child wants to read their speech, please email me and we will put them on the schedule. After that, we will go to individual class Zooms for memory sharing.

Summer packets will be available for families on Google Classroom on Wednesday this week. Final grade letters will be shared on Google Classroom as well. If you are interested in private summer tutoring, please let me know.

Dr. Lynch and Mrs. Lynch dressed up for our decades themed staff party. Mrs. Lynch was 90's grunge (they didn't smile) and Dr. Lynch did his best to embody 1970. 

When your Gustav turns into a corgie

Miss Priss sleeping adorably

The futon is a favorite sleep place for little black cats.

Brother cuddles <3

Playing footsie with Gustav

Gustav's shoulder rest

On the destroyed cat tower

Snoopy Cosmo

We couldn't find Miss Priss, until we checked the laundry hamper.


Monday, May 11, 2020


Updates and announcements

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend! In a futile search for boba tea, we saw several restaurants packed with curbside pickup orders.

Fifth Grade Promotion will take place on Wednesday, May 20th in the form of a car parade. More specific information went out last week in an email. Here are the times for the three classes:

5A: 8:00-8:45
5B: 9:00-9:45
5C: 10:00-10:45

All teachers will be outside cheering on our graduates for the entire duration of the event. We all taught all of the students and want to see them and celebrate with them! Traditionally, all three lead teachers help present to all three classes during the ceremony. A video will be available to you on Wednesday morning which will have speeches from Mr. Gillingham, the teachers, and a student representative from each class.

Please review Mr. Gillingham’s announcement coming soon regarding work for NEXT week (5/18-5/21). Fifth grade will provide material on Monday and Tuesday of that week to give students time to prepare for Promotion on Wednesday and our celebration on Thursday.

We will do a class Zoom on Thursday, 5/21, for our end of year celebration. More information to come.
I did not have many pictures this week, so I needed to raid Dr. Lynch's stash. This is one of Gustav's favorite spots.


Baby quilt underway!

Cosmo cuddling with his first favorite foot (the other foot is his second favorite)

Gustav being a slight nuisance during the staff meeting (he was chewing on a nail file and rolling around on the desk...) 

Gustav enjoying the pillow like the humans do

If he fits, he sits (the recliner behind him is always pushed down because Cosmo likes to lay on the top part of the back).

Gustav is asleep in this picture, showing his belly to the world.

Miss Priss post-bath, looking very sleek

Monday, May 4, 2020


Updates and announcements


I hope everyone had a restful weekend! Even though we are learning remotely, I feel the pressure to get everything ready for the end of the year, like our Promotion ceremony. A separate email with additional information will be coming later today.

We will have a special Zoom call this week for students to read their promotion speeches for the class. Ms. Vaughn and I will choose the final speech that we will use for our Promotion ceremony. The special Zoom will be on Thursday, May 7th, 2:00 pm.

Thank you so much for the Teacher Appreciation gift! I look forward to using the Sprouts gift card that was inside.

Gustav found a new sleepy spot while I work. Can you find him?

Gustav belly!

 Nap time!

Cosmo joined Gustav in the sleepy spot.

The most perfect homemade oat milk latte

Cosmo and Dr. Lynch

More Gustav belly

Yet another sleepy spot for Gustav

 A new project started! This will be a little girl quilt. She likes bold and crazy, pink and purple. 


Friday, May 1, 2020

Optional: Write a speech to be given at our promotion ceremony. Speeches are due on Thursday before our special Zoom call, where you will read your speech for the class. We will pick the promotion speech by Friday. The assignment is posted on Monday, May 4th.

5A Prompt: How has life at Archway Arete prepared you for life after Arete.

Though this speech is optional, I would love to read your responses! They are always a highlight of my year.