April 24th through 28th

Keenoy Koala News                                                     4-28-17

Dear Families,

I hope that everyone had a wonderful week!  This newsletter will be kept informational since this is such a busy time of year!  Yay…..MAP testing is finished and GO BLUES!    Have a wonderful weekend and stay dry.

Koala of the Week: Olivia Randolph

Hello, my name is Olivia and I have four people in my amazing family (including me)!  I have a wild seven year old brother (Logan), my dad (Mark), and mom (Bridgett).  I also have two dogs named Mickey and Jake.  I like playing softball and volleyball.  My softball team is called the Lightning, and my Volleyball team name is Synergy.  Some of my favorite hobbies are fishing and camping.  My favorite color is blue and animal is the zebra.  I love being in 5th Grade!

5^th Grade T-Shirt

5^th grade students had the opportunity to create a design for the 5^th grade t-shirt.  The top five designs were selected and voted on by 5^th graders to determine the winning design.  Typically, students who buy these t shirts decide to wear them to the 5^th Grade Party (May 19^th).  A local t-shirt company, Diggit, always gives Paxton a great deal by charging only $8.20 per shirt.  If ordering, money and order forms are due by Monday, May 8^th.  Order forms will be sent home today, and cash or checks are accepted.  If writing a check, please make it payable to Dan Keenoy.  Thanks!

5^th Grade Graduation

* This event will be held at Paxton in the gym on Thursday, May 25th beginning at 9:00 am.

* The ceremony will take approximately an hour and afterwards there will be time to take pictures in front of the school.

* This is the last day of school and is also a ½ day. 

* Dismissal will be at 12:50 p.m. and you will have the option to take your child home after the graduation ceremony.

* Students are expected to dress nicely for this event.

Celebration

We enjoyed watching Tuck Everlasting, and thank you for getting the permission forms returned quickly.  Students also liked the brownies and picnic style lunch in the classroom.  I am happy to celebrate their outstanding attitude and effort.  I will miss this special group of kiddos. Everyone in our classroom seems to genuinely enjoy each other’s company and shows kindness towards each other. 

MAP Testing

We completed our MAP testing today (Friday). I appreciate students’ positive attitudes and effort during each testing session. If a student was absent during a testing session, he/she will be completing a make-up session in the next week.   

Economy

Our field trip to BizTown was a huge success! I’m very proud of my students with the work that was completed during the simulation. Thank you SO MUCH for the volunteers who donated their time and energy for this trip.  The class had a lot of fun and this trip would NOT be possible without the help from you.

6^th Grade Orientation

I hope you will take time out of your busy schedule to take your child to Smithton’s orientation night (if your child will not be going to Smithton next year, please disregard). This will give students an opportunity to spend time in their middle school building and begin to learn the layout of the school. This is a parent and child event.  I included a note from Dr. Schumacher (principal at Smithton) in your child’s Friday folder.

Upcoming Dates

May 1                          Middle School Orientation Night (Smithton 5-6:30; all other middle schools 6-7:30)

May 12                        Field trip to Rock Bridge State Park

May 19                        5th Grade Party at the Arc

May 23                        5th Grade Talent Show

May 25                        5^th Grade Graduation @ 9:00 am in the Paxton Keeley Gym

                                                                                   

Sincerely,

                                                                                    Dan Keenoy

April 17th through 21st

Keenoy Koala News                                                     4-21-17

Dear Families,

I hope that everyone had a great week.  I love everything about this time of year except for the allergies.  We have several students who are struggling with the goodies that Mother Nature is putting into the air.  My own kiddos are doing very well and greatly enjoyed Easter brunch at the Heidelberg last Sunday.  My son conquered the mini cinnamon rolls with several returned trips to fill his plate:)  Afterwards, we traditionally walk around the MIZZOU columns to get a family picture.  I’ve included one of the pics on our classroom blog this week.   Anyway, have another wonderful weekend and GO BLUES! 

Celebration

Our class reached the goal of 1,000 Keenoy Cash last week.  Students decided that they would like to have a repeat of the last celebration.  This included a video and picnic style lunch in our classroom. The difference this time is that I agreed to make them brownies for our picnic.  During our fraction unit, we discussed a lot of recipes and I felt compelled to say I’d make several batches for the class. The movie that they decided on is from our latest read aloud book, Tuck Everlasting.  This is a PG rated Disney movie and I will send a permission form home today. 

 Koala of the Week:  Ella Grant

Hello, my name is Ella and I’m ten years old.  My birthday is on June fourteenth.  There are five of us in my family.  My mom (Kati), dad (Justin), sister (Vera), and brother (Luke).  My dog’s name is Yadi!  My favorite baseball team is the Cardinals.   I like playing softball and play for a team called Stealth.  I play 3^rd base and pitcher.  I also like playing outside during my free time.  My favorite subject in school is math and reading, and love spending time with my family!

MAP Testing

We have completed the Communication Arts and Math portions of the MAP testing this week.  Next week we will complete all testing sessions with Science on Thursday and Friday.  Make-up testing will also be completed next week.   

    

Thursday, April 27             8:30-10:00 (Science)

Friday, April 28                 8:30-9:30 (Science)

*These are estimated times. Since none of the sessions are timed, students will have the time they need (as long as they are making forward progress) to complete each session.

Economy

Last week, students had the opportunity to finalize their preparation for our BizTown trip by meeting with peers in their assigned business.  Tasks that students participated in included: filling out a deposit slip for their first paycheck, writing a check to open a savings account, figuring out their business loan amount, and creating an advertisement for their business that will be read during our trip.  Students seem very excited about their trip next Tuesday, April 25^th. 

I’ve also included an optional BizTown merchandise order form in the Friday folder.  Optional purchase items include a Biztown bag, pencils, t-shirt and others.  Items bought do not directly benefit Paxton Keeley Elementary School.   If purchasing, your child will need to bring the order form and check/cash on the day of the visit. 

Writing

Next week students will investigate the idea of Traditional or Year-Round school scheduling.   The school year includes approximately the same amount of days, but breaks (during the year) are split up much differently. 

Following the conclusion of our research, students primarily focus on choosing and developing three supportive reasons for the side that they favored. We will continue to look at and depict different characteristics of the argumentative essay rubric. We will also practice the format of our argumentative essays by developing well-written beginnings and body paragraphs.

Reading

I continue to meet with small groups each day to support the comprehension skills taught this year.  We will pick back up with a new read aloud book after MAP testing.  I have several great book selection choices in mind, but have not made a decision yet.

Math/Science

With MAP testing taking up the majority of our morning time, we have not had a consistent Math/Science schedule.  My primary focus has been on MAP testing, Reading, and Writing.  We have spent some time reviewing Volume in math and Simple Machines in Science.  These are skills that have been taught during prior years, but I wanted to give them some review in both areas.

Upcoming Dates

April 25                       Biztown Field Trip (Chesterfield, MO)

April 27^th and 28^th       Science MAP Testing

April 28                       PK Color Run

May 1                          Middle School Orientation Night (Smithton 5-6:30; all other middle schools 6-7:30)

May 12                        Field trip to Rock Bridge State Park

May 19                        5th Grade Party at the Arc

May 23                        5th Grade Talent Show

May 25                        5^th Grade Graduation @ 9:00 am in the Paxton Keeley Gym

                                                                                   

Sincerely,

                                                                                    Dan Keenoy

April 10th through 14th

Keenoy Koala News                                                     4-14-17

Dear Families,

The Blues won the first of many hockey games this Wednesday!  I explained to the students how hockey fans and players often grow playoff beards to show support for their team.  For the last couple of years, I’ve done the same thing.  I’m not sure how excited Jessi is about this idea, but I think it’s fun:)  Anyway, thanks for supporting your child and my teaching.  Have a wonderful weekend and week!

MAP Testing

Again, my apologies for the MAP scheduling confusion last week.  On Monday we begin MAP testing first thing in the morning. It will be important that students (car riders) are on time and ready to go. Any student that is late to school and not a bus rider will have to wait in the office if testing has started for the day. Once our testing session is completed, then the student will be allowed into the room.

    

Next week, students must have a book to read when finished with a testing session. Students will finish at various times and reading a book (not electronically) will be the only option available if a student finishes before others.

    

With MAP testing taking up a portion of each day, students will not have homework the next two weeks (as long as the student has utilized his/her class time wisely).  Hopefully, this means students will be able to go to bed at a decent hour so that a good night’s rest is achieved each night. Students should also eat breakfast (at home or at school) each day. :)

Monday, April 17              8:30-11:00 (Communication Arts)

Tuesday, April 18              8:30-11:00 (Communication Arts)

Wednesday, April 19         8:30-11:00 (Communication Arts)

Thursday, April 20             8:30-11:00 (Math)

Friday, April 21                 8:30-11:00 (Math

Thursday, April 27             8:30-10:00 (Science)

Friday, April 28                 8:30-9:30 (Science)

*These are estimated times. Since none of the sessions are timed, students will have the time they need (as long as they are making forward progress) to complete each session.

Economy

As we get closer and closer to our field trip to JA BizTown we have been focusing more and more on how businesses operate. This week as a class we looked at what different aspects it takes to run a business. We also dove into how and why businesses price certain goods and services the way they do. We will be traveling to St. Louis for our JA BizTown field trip on Tuesday, April 25th.

Writing

Hopefully students shared information with you about their IMovie creation. This project set the stage for creating an argumentative essay.  Students are working on choosing and developing supportive reasons for a reasonable argument with two sides. We will continue looking at and depicting different characteristics of the argumentative essay rubric. Next week we will also practice the format of our argumentative essays by developing well-written beginnings and body paragraphs.  They will learn and turn thesis statements into effective 6^th grade writing beginnings!

Reading

We completed the book, Tuck Everlasting.  Students really seemed to enjoy this story and how the ending solved all of the major problems that hung out there for so long.  Instead of starting a new read aloud book right away, I am using the extra time to meet with three different groups and individual students (while they independent read).

Math/Science

We continued to review concepts in preparation for the MAP test coming up.  We have completed our Measurement Unit in math.

Upcoming Dates

April 17-28^th   MAP Testing

April 25           Biztown Field Trip (Chesterfield, MO)

April 28           PK Color Run

May 1              Middle School Orientation Night (Smithton 5-6:30; all other middle schools 6-7:30)

May 12             Field trip to Rock Bridge State Park

May 19            5th Grade Party at the Arc

May 23            5th Grade Talent Show

May 25            5^th Grade Graduation @ 9:00 am in the Paxton Keeley Gym

                                                                                   

Sincerely,

                                                                                    Dan Keenoy

April 3rd through 7th

Keenoy Koala News                                                         4-9-17

Dear Families,

I hope that everyone had another terrific week.  As I shared last week, it is so hard for me to believe that summer is just around the corner.  I am extremely excited that the St. Louis Blues are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  I have tuned into most games and was fortunate enough to attend a few games this year.  Even my three year old daughter (Gabby) is frequently saying, “Go Blues!”  Have a wonderful week and thank you for everything that you do.

Koala of the Week-Elizabeth Dorman

Hello, my name is Elizabeth.  I have a cat and his name is Truman.  I like to read and I like to swim.  I am currently reading Hollow City and really like that book a lot.  I live with my mom and Truman.  I am really excited about getting a new kitten this summer.

MAP Testing Schedule

Monday, April 17       8:30-11:00 (Communication Arts)

Tuesday, April 18       8:30-11:00 (Communication Arts)

Wednesday, April 19 8:30-11:00 (Communication Arts)

Thursday, April 20      8:30-11:00 (Math)

Friday, April 21          8:30-11:00 (Math

Thursday, April 27      8:30-10:00 (Science)

Friday, April 28          8:30-9:30  (Science)

*These are estimated times. Since none of the sessions are timed, students will have the time they need (as long as they are making forward progress) to complete each session.

Math

Students showed a lot of improvement with their knowledge of area and perimeter last week.  This week we started learning about measurement (weight, capacity, and length).  Students found the metric system much easier to use because of the landmark numbers found within this system.  ______ grams = 8 kilograms is an example of a problem students solved.  Since there are 1,000 grams in a kilogram, you multiply 8 by 1,000 = 8,000 grams.

Economy/Field Trip/BizTown

Our 5th grade classes will be traveling to Chesterfield, MO on Tuesday, April 25. A permission slip is in your child’s folder with more details. The permission slip must be returned next week. Thank you! If you are a volunteer, you will also find an information note in the folder as well.

Students are spending time getting familiar with how to write checks, complete deposit tickets, and keep up with a check register. We have also focused on savings, credit cards, debit cards, and interest. Next week, your child will find out what job he/she will be doing at Biztown.

Writing

This week, we have reviewed and practiced some of the steps needed to write an effective research based argument essay.

*Try and think about a topic that is debated and you can understand both sides to the argument.

* Before taking a Firm stance, keep an open mind and read about the topic from trusted sources.

*Take effective notes thinking about Pros and Cons......for or against.

*Decide on a stance that you want to take.

*Collect "Fast Draft or Quick Write" your position and reasons why.

Reading

Students seem to be really enjoying Tuck Everlasting during read aloud.  We will be finishing this book next week.  We will also spend some time reviewing testing strategies for the MAP test.  There are a couple of online language arts sources that we will explore during our reading time.

Science

Students are learning about the three states of matter as we spend time reviewing science concepts this week.  We have had several great discussions that led to better understanding.  We will continue our work with matter into next week.

Upcoming Dates

April 25    Biztown Field Trip (Chesterfield, MO)

April 28    PK Color Run

May 1     Middle School Orientation Night (Smithton 5-6:30; all other middle schools 6-7:30)

May 12    Field trip to Rock Bridge State Park

May 19    5th Grade Party at the Arc

May 23    5th Grade Talent Show

May 25    5th Grade Graduation -Paxton Keeley Gym 9:00 am.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Mr. Keenoy

March 20th through 24th

Keenoy Koala News                                                                        3-24-17

Dear Families,

Spring Break is here and the Keenoy family is ready to enjoy our trip to Florida.  I hope that you have a wonderful break and hopefully some well deserved time off.  I will not be sending home Friday folders today due to the extended time off.  Also, this newsletter will be very brief and electronic only. Everything will resume as normal when we return from break.

Kindness Door Decoration
I am very proud of our class participation in the door decoration contest.  We had approximately ten students who volunteered their recess/lunch time each day to design our door.  They showed a lot of cooperation each day and worked together as a team!  The theme of the week was kindness and the door decorations had to represent that theme. Even though we did not win, they clapped for the winning class and demonstrated a positive attitude even though they were disappointed.   To celebrate this tremendous sportsmanship, the class enjoyed a doughnut together this morning!  Below is a picture of their hard work and effort.  Each raindrop has a picture of one of our students inside them.  Great Idea and Poster!!!

Anne of Green Gables
The Koalas have two students (Mariah and Elizabeth) performing in the play, Anne of Green Gables this weekend.  The show is put together by PACE Youth Theatre and shows will run tonight through Sunday, March 26th.  Each show is held at Launer Auditorium, which is on the Columbia College Campus.  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit  www.pacecolumbia.com


Have a WONDERFUL WEEK!

Dan Keenoy

March 13th through 17th

Keenoy Koala News                                   3-27-17 

Dear Families,

   It is so hard for me to believe that we are entering the week prior to Spring Break!  Time is flying by right now and it tends to do that during this time of year.    Have a wonderful week and thanks again for all that you do!

Koala of the Week: Mariah Oster

My name is Mariah Oster and I have a wonderful family.  My mom, Teri is an amazing mom and cook.  She is also very helpful to me.  I have two brothers named TJ and Garrett.  I also have two sisters named Maya and Elena.  My two dogs are Jet and Lola.  They like to play with each other and go for walks around the subdivision with me.  I enjoy seeing my teacher as I walk my dogs!  My favorite restaurant is CiCi's Pizza.  I also really like animals and shopping at the mall. 

Paxton Keeley “Kindness” Spirit Week March 20th-24th

Monday, March 20th-Cozy Up to Kindness Day (Pajama Day)

Tuesday, March 21st-Be Kind, Stomp out Bullying (Funky Socks and Shoes Day)

Wednesday, March 22nd-Hats Off to Kindness (Hat Day)

Thursday, March 23rd-Color Our World with Kindness (Crazy Color Day)

Friday, March 24th-In the Spirit of Kindness Day (School or Team Spirit Day)

*Show how kind we are at Paxton Keeley by participating during our Spirit

 Week! 

Math

Our class seems to already have a lot of background knowledge about Geometric Shapes (Topic 8).  During this unit, students will learn how to: classify triangles and quadrilaterals, naming shapes up to 12 sides, defining polygons and, determining if they are regular.  Students will take an end of the unit assessment prior to Spring Break. 

BizTown Junior Achievement

This week we began our Economy unit in order to start preparing us for field trip to JA BizTown.  We had great discussions about the different types of resources and the basics about starting a business.  Next week students will be learning about Financial Literacy.  This will include information about types of bank accounts, how to fill out a bank application, how to write a check and deposit ticket, and the differences between standard vs. direct deposits. As a class, we are really enjoying this unit. All of the kiddos seemed to be very intrigued about economics.

Inventions (Writing/Soc. Studies)

In writing this week we are continuing on our inventions. Earlier this week, each student narrowed their inventions list down to one and everyone presented to the class.  Students voted on the top three inventions that we would dive deeper into as a class. The three inventions that were decided on were vaccine, anesthesia, and electricity.

The class then decided which of those three they felt was most impactful, and created small groups. In these small groups, we are asking them to research and develop an iMovie for their specific invention together.  I am really impressed with how our students are able to work collaboratively together.  Next week, students will finish their iMovies, present the movie to the class, and vote on our top  movie to share with the rest of the 5th grade classes.  Each 5th grade classroom will have two iMovies to be shared with each other. We will receive the top two movies from each of the other classes as well. After, we will watch then vote/decide on 1 TOP invention that impacted the world the most.

Reading

I really enjoy reading the book, Tuck Everlasting to the class each day.  There are a lot of words for us to consider because of the later time period/setting.  Students really seem to be understanding main idea, cause/effect, and we will continue working on Point of View next week. 

Science

Students continue to learn about matter during our unit.  Students are currently learning about mass, volume, and density in learning cycle 2.

Word Study

With the extra time needed for our invention project and Biztown lessons, it has been difficult for me to fit word study into our routine this week.  I will try hard to get us back on a schedule soon. 

MAP Testing

The MAP testing window for Columbia Public Schools is April 17-May 12. Mrs. Patton will be narrowing that window down soon. Once that information is shared with me, I will pass that along. Fifth graders are tested over the areas of Communication Arts (reading and writing), math, and science.

My School Color Run

This year, Paxton will be hosting our own school color run!  This is an exciting new program that will help create awareness for healthy living, raise funds, and is sure to be a blast.  Register Online by 4/7/17

www.paxtonMSCR.eventbrite.com

Reminders

March 16       Spring Pictures

March 27-31 Spring Break -  No school!

Empty Bowls Fundraiser

The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture is this Sunday and the United Methodist Church from 11:30 – 5:30.  Paxton Keeley is donating bowls the kids made from last year, as well as Lee, Derby, Shepard and Access Arts.  A free meal of soup, bread and water is available for you and if you donate, you get a handmade bowl to take home with you!

Carol Stoddart (art teacher)

March 6th through 10th

Keenoy Koala News                                   3-10-17 

Dear Families,

The weather this time of year is crazy!  A tornado warning and a predicted snow event all within the same week.  I’m fighting a cold, but overall the Keenoy family is doing very well.  As always, thank you for the tremendous support that you have given me this year.  This is a very busy time of year, so I will keep this newsletter mostly informational.

Paxton Keeley “Kindness” Spirit Week March 20th-24th

Monday, March 20th-Cozy Up to Kindness Day (Pajama Day)

Tuesday, March 21st-Be Kind, Stomp out Bullying (Funky Socks and Shoes Day)

Wednesday, March 22nd-Hats Off to Kindness (Hat Day)

Thursday, March 23rd-Color Our World with Kindness (Crazy Color Day)

Friday, March 24th-In the Spirit of Kindness Day (School or Team Spirit Day)

*Show how kind we are at Paxton Keeley by participating during our Spirit

 Week!  

A Note From Our PTA President, Kristin Eastman

Dear PKE families,
            Believe it or not, PTA is gearing up for the 2017-18 school year! We are in need to fill positions that will become vacant due to 5^th grade parents moving onto middle school. Please consider volunteering for one of these positions. Grab a friend and co-chair a position together! If you have questions about the position and/or time commitment, please do not hesitate to email me at teameastman@hotmail.com or join our PTA meeting on the first Monday of each month at 6:30pm in the Media Center to learn more. Thank you for your consideration in filling these positions. Without volunteers, we won’t have a successful school year in supporting our students and staff. PTA wants to make 2017-18 the best year yet, and we need your help!

Positions to fill:
·      Carnival Committee Chair/Co-chair
·      Carnival Committee Silent Auction Chair
·      Carnival Committee Business Sponsor Chair
·      Room Parent/Classroom Support Coordinator
·      Staff Appreication Coordinator
·      School Directory Coordinator
·      5^th grade party coordinator
·      Book Fair Coordinator Fall and Spring
·      Hospitality Coordinator

Thank you!

Kristin Eastman

Spring Pictures

Spring Pictures will be taken Thursday, March 16 for any student that orders pictures ahead of time or brings in order forms by March 16. Order forms were sent home last week in their Friday Folder. Pictures will also be taken of students new (since fall pictures) to Paxton Keeley.

BizTown Junior Achievement

We will begin our preparation work next week so that we are ready to travel to Chesterfield on April 25 for our field trip. Students will learn about:

*The importance of sound personal finance.

*Explore their role as citizens of a community.

*The circular flow of money and goods in an economy.

*Interests, skills, and careers.

Inventions (Writing/Soc. Studies)

As you know, students are thinking about an invention (between 1700-current) that had the most impact on the world.  The process will take a couple of weeks and will look like this:

*Students brainstorm a list of invention ideas after looking up information.

*Narrow down their long list to 3 inventions.

*Research information about the 3 inventions.

*Select 1 invention and create a brief argument about how the invention impacted the world.

*Each student presents this information to the class.

*The class votes on the top 2.

*Our class creates an iMovie for the 2 inventions.

*After spring break, 5th graders will watch the top videos and then will vote for their favorite.

MAP Testing

The MAP testing window for Columbia Public Schools is April 17-May 12. Mrs. Patton will be narrowing that window down soon. Once that information is shared with me, I will pass that along. Fifth graders are tested over the areas of Communication Arts (reading and writing), math, and science.

My School Color Run

This year, Paxton will be hosting our own school color run!  This is an exciting new program that will help create awareness for healthy living, raise funds, and is sure to be a blast.  Register Online by 4/7/17

www.paxtonMSCR.eventbrite.com

Reminders

March 16       Spring Pictures

March 27-31 Spring Break -  No school!

Have a terrific week!

Dan Keenoy