Week of June 3

Happy end of May, families!  I hope you all enjoyed your three-day weekend and found plenty of time to rest and relax… and celebrate Memorial Day!  Thank you to all of those who have served in the military!  We are so grateful!

If you would like to make a donation to our class party, please do so soon!  Your donations will make our party possible.  A special shout-out to Mrs. Dotson for planning such a fun party!  Thank you to both Mrs. Dotson and Mrs. Moody for being our homeroom mom and assistant homeroom mom this year!

Please send in your child's proof of residence, as soon as possible, if you haven't done so already! 

Be sure to pay any unpaid dues or fees, so your child can receive his/her report card on the last day of school.  If fees are unpaid, you will need to pick up his/her report card from the front office this summer.  If you have questions about school fees from the beginning of the year, please contact Mrs. Sloan in the front office.  If you have questions about overdue fees, lost or damaged media center books, please contact Ms. Sease in the media center.  If you have questions about payments to the Seaside Cafe, please contact Mrs. Mills, our cafe manager.

A final word...

This is the final “West Wire” of the year!  I can’t believe it!  This year has flown by so fast… I guess that’s what happens when you’re having fun.

I wanted to take a moment and thank you all again for your support, patience, encouragement, and generosity you have given me throughout the school year.  I could not have done it without you.  

I’m going to miss each and every one of my little Beacons as they move on to the fourth grade.  My hope is that I have provided them an educational, fun, and memorable third grade year.  

If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  I hope that you and your child will stop by and say, “Hello!”  Be sure to keep in touch, no matter what!  Have a safe and wonderful summer.  Be sure to read!  Love and best wishes to you all!

Looking back...

Week of May 27

Hi, families!  I hope you all found some time to curl up with a good book this weekend!  Rainy days make for great reading days!

Looking ahead:  As mathematicians, students will create treasure map, using a map scale (which will involve measurement and geometry skills).  The children will also create a book report for their favorite Patricia Polacco story.  They will present these reports to the class.  Students will wrap up their Project-Based Learning product for the fifth graders.  

Please remind your child to do his/her personal best these last few weeks of school.  I know they have summer fever, but every day counts!

Please send in your child's proof of residence, as soon as possible, if you haven't done so already!  

Be sure to pay any unpaid dues or fees, so your child can receive his/her report card on the last day of school.  If fees are unpaid, you will need to pick up his/her report card from the front office this summer.  If you have questions about school fees from the beginning of the year, please contact Mrs. Sloan in the front office.  If you have questions about overdue fees, lost or damaged media center books, please contact Ms. Sease in the media center.  If you have questions about payments to the Seaside Cafe, please contact Mrs. Mills, our cafe manager.

A huge THANK YOU goes out to all of our Bookman Blast volunteers!  You made it a huge success!  Thank you to everyone who also came out to support our school!  You all rock and we appreciate you supporting our PTO.

I hope you all have a great week and enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!  Safe travels!

A note from Mrs. Spangler:

Help for the Homeless: Backpack Round-Up

Richland School District Two is collaborating with Resurrections of Columbia to help in their effort to collect new or used back packs for the homeless in Columbia. For the thousands of homeless in town it is very difficult to maintain a place for their basic possessions like soap or extra garments. Often they are assaulted and robbed for what little they have. When backpacks are provided to them it can make a world of difference. It is a sturdy and useful bag that they can secure very close to their body to hold all that they own in the world.

Many students throw their backpacks away at the end of the year. This is a great opportunity for our students to be of service to others by donating a used backpack to someone who truly needs it. We will be collecting the used bags through, Friday, June 7th. No character bags please. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Please contact our school counselor, Tonya Spangler, at 699-1724 if you have questions.

Check out some snapshots of our time spent with Ms. Ansley, a volunteer from Junior Achievement.  We are learning all about cities, towns and zones.  

Week of May 20

Hello, families!  I hope you all are enjoying the beautiful weather!

Looking ahead:  As mathematicians, students will create a "Show what you know" game show and incorporate all they've learned this year.  We will also continue practicing our multiplication, addition and subtraction facts.  As historians, students will finish creating a product about famous South Carolinians.  As readers, the children will enjoy reading books by Patricia Polacco and complete an author's study.  Students will continue working on their "secret" project for fifth grade.  We will also continue learning from our Junior Achievement volunteer.  

Please continue to remind your child to do his/her personal best these last few weeks of school!  I know summer fever is setting in, but everyday here, at BRES, counts!


We are still about 80 volunteers short for our Bookman Blast this Friday!!!  Our class filled all of our six spots at our "Color Hairspray" station (Thank you, awesome volunteers!), but if you are able to still volunteer, please contact Stephanie Gill, Brenda Gaskin - brendadgaskin@gmail.com - or another PTO member.  They will find a spot for any volunteers elsewhere! Older siblings may be able to volunteer, as well.

Please send in your child's proof of residence, if you have not done so already!

Thank you again for your endless support!  Enjoy the remainder of your week and have a great weekend!

David Catrow, an author and illustrator, visited us this week. He shared his strategies behind some of his most famous creations like "Molly Lou Melon."

Week of May 13

Hi, families!

We are well on our way to completing our final round of PASS testing!  Thank you so much for writing a wish on our class wall.  The students have really enjoyed reading all of your notes.  You really have cheered them on this week!

Looking ahead:  Students will complete Everyday Math lessons, which focus on fourth grade standards.  It will be a great introduction to next year's skills!  We will also continue practicing our multiplication, addition and subtraction facts.  As historians, students will learn about famous South Carolinians, by doing a little research and creating a product.  As readers, the children will enjoy reading Palmetto Roots, which will integrate what they've learned about the Great Depression and its effects on the south.  Students will kick off Project-Based Learning.  They will begin collaborating with other third graders to prepare something special for our Beacons, which will be presented to them at the end of the school year.

On a personal note, I would like to thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes, gifts and notes of kindness on Teacher Appreciation Day.  It means more to me than you know and made me feel so special!

We will have an author's visit on Tuesday, May 14.  If you would like to purchase an autographed book, please send in the paperwork and a check by Tuesday morning.  The information went home in last week's communication folder.  If you have any questions, please contact our media specialist, Ms. Sease.

The Bookman Blast is Friday, May 17!  Students brought home flyers on Monday, with a ton of information regarding stations and ticket sales.

Please continue to remind your child to do his/her personal best these last few weeks of school!  I know summer fever is setting in, but everyday here, at BRES, counts!

Thank you again for your endless support!  Enjoy the remainder of your week and have a great weekend!

Enjoy some of our photographs from our last "Being There Experience" to the State Museum!  Students enjoyed the cultural history tour and spent time in the military relic room.