5/25/15 - I'm sorry that I needed to be gone so much the past few months.  My Mom was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer in January.  My loving Dad had passed away just last May, so my Mom was all alone in her home.  She was very weak and unable to take care of herself, so my brother and I took shifts staying at her home in Murrieta in order to care for her.  My sweet Mom passed away earlier this month.
4/23/15 - Parents, FAR too many students are not turning in their homework.  If your child does paper homework, then please check it daily to make sure that they did it, and that they did it well.  If your child does computer homework, then please go to SpellingCity.com and check daily to make sure they did it, and that they did it well (check their scores).  There should NOT be any old homework assignments left for them to do on the assignments page.  They should only have the current week showing up under assignments, and they need to be current (refer to my assignment directions to see what they should be doing daily.  Also, make sure that your child is reading every day (Mon-Thur) for 20-30 minutes.  Way too many students have not been earning the minimum amount of target points in order to improve their reading skills.  
Thank you!
4/15/15 - The SCHOOL YEARBOOK order deadline has been extended until the end of April.  So, the new deadline for the school yearbook is Thursday, April 30th.  The beautiful, all color yearbooks are $25.00 (cash only).  If you have never seen one, then please stop by the school library to take at look at last year's yearbook.  They are very thick, and FULL of tons of pictures from school activities throughout the year, as well as a photo of every individual Baldy Mesa student grouped by class and grade level.  In other words, the yearbook is full of your child's memories from this year of school.
4/14/15 - Parents, the Book Fair day and time for our classroom is Wednesday, April 15th @ 9:45.  Only students with money for the Book Fair will be able to go to the Book Fair.  The PTA needs parent volunteers to go with each class to help the students with their purchases.  The PTA is offering parents a FREE book valued up to $5.00 for volunteering to help out with our class during our class day and time only.  The PTA will also donate a book to our classroom for each parent that helps out.  If you would like to help out, then please notify me by using the contact form on the "Home" page, or by sending me a text or email.  Thank you! 
3/25/15 - Please do not turn in science models & projects early, there is no place to store them in the classroom.  The classroom models & projects are not due until the week of April 13-17 (Table 1 can turn in on 4/13, Table 2 on 4/14, Table 3 on 4/15, Table 4 on 4/16, and Table 5 on 4/17). 
      If you intend to enter the model or project in the school Science Fair, then please turn in the notification slip ASAP (it's on the bottom of the front page of the science packet that went home) and turn it in by the deadline as stated on the front page of the science packet.  Thank you!
3/6/15 - Parents, due to just recently discovering that 3rd grade students do a science model for the school Science Fair instead of doing a science project using the scientific method as 4th graders do, I have decided to make ALL science projects optional.  I encourage everyone to do a science project, and to enter it in the school Science Fair (my 4th grade class last year swept up ALL the 4th grade prizes winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd place), but I will make it optional to ALL at this point due to the confusion surrounding the project this year.  If your 3rd grader chooses to enter their science model in the school Science Fair, then please be sure to follow the instructions, and the deadline dates, in the light blue science packet that went home on 3/2/15.  If your 4th grader chooses to enter their science project in the school Science Fair, then please be sure to follow the instructions, and the deadline dates, in the green science packet that went home on 3/2/15.  If your child decides not to enter their model/project in the Science Fair, but does want to do one and present it to the class for extra credit, then the deadline week to turn it in to me will be April 13-17.  I hope this reduces some stress on everyone. :)
2/18/15 - Parents of 4th graders only, For 4th grade students that will be doing a Mission or Science Project in the 4th grade history/science class that they go to, I have decided to make the "Science Project" optional.   I always have a mandatory science project, and the thought did not occur to me that my 4th graders might be doing a project in their other class, so I think it's only fair to make it OPTIONAL FOR 4TH GRADERS ONLY.  I hope this relieves some stress for you and your child.  
2/18/15 - The PTA is having a Classroom Supply Drive during the month of February.  
Items we need are:
1.  Copy Paper
2.  Lined 3-hole Paper (WIDE ruled)
3.  Hand Sanitizer
4.  Facial Tissue  
If you could supply any one of these items, it would be great.  Thank you!
PS - For those of you that have donated PLENTY {you know who you are-LOL}, please disregard this message. :)
2/17/15 - I just added a Study Ladder link to the "Educational Websites" page (under "Multi-Subject"), and a link to an article that lists many fun and popular mobile math websites (under "math").  Enjoy!
2/4/15 - Parents, please go to the "SCIENCE PROJECT" tab to learn about the mandatory science project that will be due on 3/26/15.
1/26/15 - Parents, I recently sent home an information sheet on how to sign up for Study Ladder at home that includes your child's user name and password.  This is a new classroom website that we will be working on at school, and at home.  It looks like a great educational tool for many subject areas.  I allowed a block of time in class for students to experiment with the website, and they think that it is also fun and entertaining.  After you sign up at home so that your child can use it at home, please go to the "CONTACT ME" page of this website and send me a message that says, "YES, my child is now registered to use Study Ladder at home" in the comment section.  If you sign up in the next seven days, then your child will earn a treat for them self, as well as for their table group.  Thank you!
12/20/14 - PARENTS, Thank you so much for coming through with all the wonderful goodies that made our classroom Christmas Party a BIG success.  The kids had a fun day filled with Christmas music, coloring, arts & crafts, goodies & drinks, and a movie.  I'm sure they all had a wonderful day.  Thank you for your support without which these fun events for the kids would not be possible. :)
12/14/14 - Starting this Monday, 12/15, I will no longer be sending home the TOPS reports (grade sheets) for AM (Accelerated Math) to parents that have signed up for Renaissance Home Connect, because you are already being notified of grades every time your child completes something in AM & AR.  This will also include the parents that said that you would sign up very soon on my paper survey.  AM uses tons of paper and toner, so I am trying not to waste with redundancy.
12/8/14 - Parents, To sign up for Renaissance Home Connect in order to receive email/text notifications with scores for every AR (Accelerated Reader) & AM (Accelerated Math) test that your child takes in school, please do the following.  Hover on my "More" tab (last tab on the right), then hover over "Educational Websites", then click on Renaissance Place (AR/AM).  Or, just click "HERE" to go to Renaissance Place (AR/AM).  The first paragraph of the page has a link for Renaissance Home Connect that you can click on to go there.  The user name and password that they will ask you for are the same ones that your child uses for AR & AM in class every day. 
11/29/14 - After one-third of the school year has passed, there are still some students that do not have the required classroom supplies.  If you have not supplied your child with the required supplies yet, please be sure to go to the "Student Supplies" section of the Supply Lists tab and print out the student supply list.  Check http://www.sundaysaver.com/ for sale prices on the items on the list.  There aren't that many items (the Mp3 player can wait), and most of the items can be found at a large 99 cent store.  We use these supplies in class every single day (especially the composition books & the 2-pocket folders), so please get them right away.
11/28/14 - I would like to thank the parents that have donated the much needed classroom supplies.  Due to your efforts I am happy to report that we are now in good shape with all our supplies.  I will let the rest of you know when, and if, we get low again on items throughout the year.  Thanks again!
9/21/14 - Parents, if you haven't completed my website "Survey" yet, please do so ASAP.  I need to know which students will be doing their homework on a computer verses the paper homework.  If you have a computer, tablet, or smart phone that your child can use to do their homework with, then they will get more out of their homework using the Spelling City interactive learning games than they will with the paper homework.  Please complete the survey even if your child will not be doing computer homework.  Thank you!
9/11/14 - Parents: Tomorrow (Friday) is the ABSOLUTE LAST DAY to turn in the fundraiser orders.  Please be sure to turn in only the order forms and the money in the large white envelope.  For those of you that participated in the fundraiser, THANK YOU for supporting OUR school! :)
9/9/14 - Thank you new 3rd grader parents, for responding so quickly to my survey and to the student supply list.  I realize that it is inconvenient (to say the least) to get more school supplies so shortly after school started, but these items will be needed and used by your child every day.  If you haven't filled out the survey yet, please do so ASAP so that I will have good info regarding you and your child as far as homework needs and contact info.  Be sure to check the Baldy Mesa Calendar each time you visit this website to see what events are coming up.  Thank you!
9/8/14 - Due to our newly formed 3/4 combo class, the homework this week will be reading only.  Please have your child read for 30-45 minutes each day Mon-Thur. this week.  This will give me time to create and set up the spelling and vocab. words for third grade as well as time for you to respond to my survey so I know which students will be doing paper homework, and which will be doing computer homework.  Thank you for your patience as we all navigate through new waters together.
9/2/14 - PARENTS;  Please read the VERY IMPORTANT letter found just below here.  Thank you!
9/2/14 - Parents; please buy, or sell, at least ONE item to support our PTA which supports our school.  Our PTA is currently out of money and is unable to buy ANYTHING for our school unless we have a successful fund raiser.  I know fund raisers can be a pain, but the PTA can't pay for any school programs, field trip transportation, family activities, playground equipment, etc, etc., without money from fund raisers.  Please support our PTA which supports our school.  Thank you!
8/26/14 - A big THANK YOU to those of you that have supplied your child with the required supplies from the "Student Supplies" list!!  We have already been using many of the items including the composition books, so if you haven't gotten everything on the "Student Supplies" list yet, please do so ASAP.  I only listed items that they NEED and will be using on a regular basis (aside from the Mp3 player), so please make sure that they have all the items very soon.  The only item that we really need soon on the "Classroom Supplies" list is the tissue.

Another big THANK YOU goes out to the parents that have sent in items from the "Classroom Supplies" list.  A special THANK YOU goes out to Cole's parents for donating a large amount of copy paper, construction paper, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, tissue, and MORE!  Thank you so much!!
8/18/14 - Mp3 Update - Sorry, but I do not have the equipment, or the know-how, to load audiobooks on ANY Apple product such as the iPod.  I'm also unable to load books on a Kindle due to the fact that there is a cost for Kindle books.  Students can use an iPod, Kindle, or a Tablet as long as you load the books on the device at home (they must be AR and in their reading level).  If you allow your child to bring an expensive electronic to school, please understand that the school and I cannot be held responsible for that item, your child must take responsibility for it.  Please see the "Mp3 Players" page for more detailed info.
      Please note that the cafeteria menu now shows which days our school has PE right under the daily menu item.  Please try to remind your child to dress appropriately for PE activities on those days (dresses aren't advised; but if worn, should have shorts underneath; a tennis shoe type of shoe should be wore, etc.).