We finished the book, Freckle Juice this morning. Andrew, the main character, did not get freckles after drinking the secret recipe that Sharon gave him. The only thing the juice gave him was an upset stomach and a day home from school. Andrew did not want to face Sharon at school without freckles, so he decides to dot his face with blue magic marker. Everyone in class laughs at him, but his teacher gives him a secret formula for removing freckles. Andrew removes his freckles and learns an important lesson, to like yourself just as you are!
Please encourage your child to complete the Act of Kindness for this week. Each child should read to a younger brother/sister or friend. If there is no one younger than your child, have them read to you or a neighbor. Thanks so much for helping with this and spreading the joy of books!

There have been sitings of pink flamingos in Poland! These birds have been seen at many North family homes along with a sign that reads: "You've been Flocked!" They have been flying from home-to-home helping North raise money for Relay for Life. If you are interested in having these birds land in your yard, return the pink flamingo form with your donation. If you would like more information about the flamingos or Team North, please email us at teamnorthrelay@yahoo.com.

I want to thank all the students for the well wishes for my birthday. I am a very lucky person to have over 200 people sing me "Happy Birthday" first thing in the morning! It started my day off perfectly!
I would also like to thank Mrs. Fedor, our school nurse, for all that she does. She is such an important part of our school. Happy Nurse's Day to Mrs. Fedor!

Today we started a new book, Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. This is a classic story that I remember as a child in elementary school. The main character, Andrew, wants freckles just like his classmate, Nicky, so his mother will not know if his neck is dirty! Sharon, who teases others, has offered Andrew her secret freckle juice recipe. He has to pay 50 cents for this recipe that makes him sick to his stomach. Andrew does not get any freckles from this juice but decides to solve that problem on his own, but isn't sure he really wants freckles. Ask your child about Andrew and his freckle dilemma.

This morning, students shared their stories of how they celebrated Mother's Day and what they did special. Many moms enjoyed breakfast in bed, while others received special cards. My personal favorite was the gift of peace and quiet. Everyone in the family went for a hike while mom stayed at home for relaxation by herself. However you celebrated, I hope it was the best day ever.
The Act of Kindness assignment this week is "when you see someone in a sad or bad mood, cheer them up." I gave the students some suggestions of how they can cheer others up: Make a poem; Draw a picture; Listen as they talk; Tell a funny joke. Everyone has a bad day and could use a little 'sunshine' brought into by others!

Our 3rd and 4th graders listened to a guest speaker this morning. Mr. Smith, from the Juvenile Justice Center, paid a visit to our school to talk to the group about bullying. He had great stories and examples for the students. He also had some students participate in role playing. He stressed how important it is to stand up for yourself and others if there is bullying. Please ask your 3rd and 4th grade child about what they heard.
I would like to extend a "Happy Mother's Day" to all of our North moms, grandmas, aunts, and friends. May you all be treated to a relaxing day. You all deserve it!

This morning we finished the book, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. The main character, Lilly, loves her teacher, Mr. Slinger, and brings in her new plastic purse to share with the teacher and class. Lilly can not stop playing with the purse and gets the purse taken away by Mr.Slinger. This makes her mad so she decides to draw a not-so nice picture of Mr. Slinger and puts it in his school bag. Lilly starts to feel guilty about this on her way home and writes a story of apology to give Mr. Slinger the next day. Mr. Slinger forgives Lilly and throws away the not-so nice picture from the day before. The story is a great example of our character trait for May, forgiveness.
The 3rd and 4th Grade testing is complete! Congratulations to them for a job well done. They took their time and did their best. I am very proud of them. Enjoy this sunshine while it lasts!