11/10-11/14 Third Grade Highlights

Dear Third Grade Families,
 
 I hope everyone is doing well! Here’s a look at what's coming up for the week of Nov.10th-Nov.14^th. Please make sure to read all the important information below to avoid any questions that may already be addressed. If you missed last week’s email, you can find updates on my school blog: Third Grade Blog.

 

Deadlines:

 

Focus of the Week

Tests

Wednesday

Friday 

 

Morning Drop-off Reminder

Parents, please help me remind our third graders that after being dropped off in the morning, they should go directly to sit on the brown benches. There should be no running or playing during this time—we want to make sure everyone stays safe and avoids any accidents. I’ve already talked to the students about this, but a gentle reminder from home always helps. Since there’s only one teacher supervising in the morning, it can be difficult to monitor when students are running around. 

Tuesday, Nov. 11^th

No School on Tuesday, Happy Veterans’ Day! Thank you to all our veterans for their incredible service to our country!

2nd Trimester Chapter book

Our second trimester chapter book is, My One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate. It’s a heartwarming story which will be a key part of our reading and discussion over the next few weeks.

I recommend purchasing a copy of the book for your child, as it will be used both in and outside of class. The students will benefit from having their own copy to follow along and engage with the text. Please have your child bring the book by Monday, November 10^th, please consider ordering it from Amazon using the link below: https://www.amazon.com/One-Only-Ivan-Katherine-Applegate/dp/0061992275

Nov. 14^th, Friday - Blue Mass

Every year, the St. Anthony of Padua community celebrates, in a very special way, our brave men and women who serve our communities law enforcement, fire fighters and public safety.
 Friday, November 14, 2025 at 8am is our BLUE Mass.
 Following the Mass, our Hospitality Committee and Student Government will host a Continental Breakfast in the hall for our special guests.
 We would ask you to please share the flier attached to invite your family, friends, neighbors to our annual Mass. RSVP to the school office no later than Friday, November 7, 2025.
 We appreciate your help inviting those in our community to this very special Mass.

Boys’ Haircut
 Friendly reminder about our school's hair policy for boys: Haircuts should be no shorter than a #3 cut, ensuring it doesn't touch the collar. Avoid extreme styles, over-the-ear cuts, hair coloring, mohawks, or designs. Ensure eyes and ears are visible. Let's keep our students looking presentable, neatly groomed, and clean.

Awards

I will be sending out direct emails to all families of our awardees by the end of this week. For a student to receive a Citizenship award, a student must earn A's (Outstanding = 92-100%) on both work habits and behavior grades. Therefore, students' daily behavior, participation, attendance, assignments, projects, ST MATH AND AR goals and work habits are IMPORTANT factors in receiving an award.

 

Students are not eligible for a Citizenship award each trimester if they have one of the following:

 

Please know that if your child doesn't earn Citizenship this trimester, there's still a chance to earn it in the next two trimesters. 

Honors 

 

Grading Scales (from 3rd grade syllabus)- Grades 3-8

Subject Areas                                                            Skill Areas

A (93 -100) Excellent                                             O      Outstanding

B+ (90 - 92)                                                 G      Good

B (87 - 89) Very Good                                            S       Satisfactory

B- (85 - 86)                                                  NI     Needs Improvement

C+ (80 - 84)

C (75 - 79) Average

C- (70 - 74)

D (65 - 69) Poor

F (0 - 64) Not Passing

 

Awards Ceremony

Our 1st Trimester Awards Assembly will take place in the hall on Wednesday, 11/19, starting at 8am. Grades K-4 at 8am in the Hall, and Grades 5-8 at 9am in the Hall.

 

Adopt A Family- SAP Christmas Project 2025
 The Christmas season is just around the corner, and we’re excited to invite you to be part of something truly special. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Adopt A Family Christmas Program — a heartwarming tradition dedicated to bringing the magic of the holidays to hundreds of families in the downtown Los Angeles area.

Meet the Shir-Zai Family! The Shir-Zai family is a loving, resilient household doing their best to stay strong during challenging times. Moosa, the father, works long hours to cover rent and bills as the family's sole provider. Despite his exhausting schedule and limited sleep, he remains dedicated to spending quality time with his wife and children.

Taiba, the mother, recently gave birth to their newest daughter. She stays home to care for the baby and the couple’s three other children — including a child with autism, who requires extra attention, care, and support. The family faces daily challenges in meeting his sensory and dietary needs, especially as he is a very selective eater. Still, they do everything they can to help him feel safe, supported, and included.

Though finances are tight and every day brings new struggles, the Shir-Zai family remains hopeful and united. Their dream is simple: to continue living a healthy life together, and for their economic situation to improve.

This holiday season, your generosity can bring warmth, joy, and a bit of relief to this beautiful family. If each SAP family purchases just one item for the Shir-Zai Family, they will experience a miraculous Christmas. Imagine the joy we can bring to this family! 

How Can You Help? 

Here is the Sign-Up Genius to designate the gift you will buy.

For our parents of younger children, this can be a wonderful teaching moment to show how we make little sacrifices to show our love for those in need. Let’s come together to make this season brighter for the Shir-Zai Family. Thank you for being part of this beautiful tradition of giving!  

Stone Soup

On Friday Nov. 21^st, we will be reading Stone Soup, a story that teaches the value of teamwork, sharing, and community. To bring the story to life, our class will work together to make our own version of stone soup!

The ingredients we will use are:

1.     Shredded chicken (1 cooked whole chicken)

2.     2 Chicken broth

3.     Onions (chopped)

4.     Carrots (chopped)

5.     Celery (chopped)

6.     Potatoes (chopped)

7.     Garlic (minced)

8.     salt and pepper

9.     disposable bowls & spoons

If you would like to donate and prep any of the ingredients, please let me know. If not, I’ll prep them myself. 

If your child has any allergies to the listed ingredients, please let me know as soon as possible.

 

Amazon Wishlist

As we gear up for an exciting school year filled with learning and growth, I wanted to share a wonderful opportunity to further enhance our classroom experience. I created an Amazon Wishlist with carefully selected items that will greatly benefit our students' education journey. You may check out the link below. 
 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1C4X0QEVATZ5V?ref_=wl_share 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS
School calendar can be found (clicking here)

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. I look forward to another great week of learning with your child!
 

Thank you & God Bless!
 
 Warmly, 

Mrs. Do