Thursday, December 13, 2018

Dear Parents, It’s hard to believe that the first semester has come to a close already. I’m really having a great time working with your children. They are a very kind, hard-working, fun group to work with. Every year I am amazed at the growth that the students make. Your children, once again, amaze me. It is one of the true joys of my job. Holiday Night 2018 is tomorrow Friday, December 14th from 6:30-8:30. This event will be an opportunity for parents, students, faculty & staff to celebrate the season. The evening will incorporate singing by the Denali Choir and our class (that’s correct, our class will be singing), holiday fun and more. Mr. Stafford, our wonderful music teacher and choir director, would like the students to arrive at 6:00 to be prepared to sing at 6:30. Thanks! On Wednesday, December 19 we will have our annual gingerbread house creations and decorating session from 1:40-3:00. The students have volunteered to bring the items listed on the handout to share with all when we decorate. You can send in these items any time before December 19. You are welcome to join in the fun (Craziness) if you wish. Our trip to West High Pool on Thursday, December 20 from 12:30-2:30 is in need of drivers. As of today, I have only enough drivers to take 6 students. If I don’t have enough drivers by tomorrow, I will have to cancel the trip. There will be no new homework until January 2019. We will be testing Spelling List 13 tomorrow morning. You can go to www.denalimontessori177.blogspot.com and enter your email to receive an automatic email anytime I post a newsletter or any other items. During the winter break I encourage your children to continue reading at least 20 minutes a day so they keep up some of those newly learned skills. I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season and I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Monday, December 10, 2018

Dear Parents, It is so wonderful to be back working with your children! It will be nice to get back into a routine and see each other again. I hope all is well with you and your family and home. If you need anything, please let me know. I am planning to have a class meeting this morning allow those that want to talk about his or her earthquake experience. I will also give students the opportunity to write about their experience and feelings as well. Our counselor and school psychologist will be on hand if a child needs help throughout the day. I will reassure students that my number one job is to keep them safe. If there is anything you need to share with me, please don’t hesitate to email me or call. I appreciate all you do on behalf of your children. On Wednesday, December 19 we will have our annual gingerbread house creations and decorating session from 1:40-3:00. The students have volunteered to bring the items listed on the handout to share with all when we decorate. You can send in these items any time before December 19. You are welcome to join in the fun (Craziness) if you wish. Our final field trip of 2018 is Thursday, December 20. We will be driving to the West High Pool for some water fun. We will leave the school at 12:30 and return by 2:30ish. If your child requires or you prefer your child to use a booster seat and you are not driving, please send in your child’s booster seat on Thursday morning. Your child also needs to bring his or her own swimsuit, towel, goggles (optional), and plastic bag (for the wet swimsuit). Don’t worry if your child is not a swimmer. Students will all be given a life jacket, unless they choose to take the swimming test. We have use of the slide and most of the students stay together in the shallow end any way and have a good time together. I want everyone to have fun and not to worry if you can’t swim. Chaperones, I need a copy of your current valid driver’s license, a copy of your current vehicle registration, and a copy of your proof of insurance with the minimum $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage included. Parents will need to sign the district swimming form waiver or your child may not attend. I can’t make phone calls to get permission on this trip. I have put permission slips in today’s folder. Please return them by Friday, December 14. Thanks! Let’s have fun swimming! Holiday Night 2018 will be held on Friday, December 14th from 6:30-8:30. This event will be an opportunity for parents, students, faculty & staff to celebrate the Season. The evening will incorporate singing by the Denali Choir and our class (that’s correct, our class will be singing), holiday fun and more. Mr. Stafford, our wonderful music teacher and choir director, would like the students to arrive at 6:00 to be prepared to sing at 6:30. Thanks! There will be no new homework until January 2019. We will continue to work on Spelling List 13 in class this week and take the test on Friday morning. You can go to www.denalimontessori177.blogspot.com and enter your email to receive an automatic email anytime I post a newsletter or any other items. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Dear Parents, Tomorrow we are walking to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Air Play”. We will leave the school at 11:00 and should be back about 1:15. We will eat lunch in the classroom before we leave at 10:20. Chaperones are welcome to join us for lunch, but don’t need to be in Room 177 until 10:45. Thank you to all the chaperones that are able to join us. It should be a fun performance. Our final field trip of 2017 is Thursday, December 20. We will be driving to the West High Pool for some water fun. We will leave the school at 12:30 and return by 2:30ish. If your child requires or you prefer your child to use a booster seat and you are not driving, please send in your child’s booster seat on Thursday morning. Your child also needs to bring his or her own swimsuit, towel, goggles (optional), and plastic bag (for the wet swimsuit). Don’t worry if your child is not a swimmer. Students will all be given a life jacket, unless they choose to take the swimming test. We have use of the slide and most of the students stay together in the shallow end any way and have a good time together. I want everyone to have fun and not to worry if you can’t swim. Chaperones, I need a copy of your current valid driver’s license, a copy of your current vehicle registration, and a copy of your proof of insurance with the minimum $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage included. Parents will need to sign the district swimming form waiver or your child may not attend. I can’t make phone calls to get permission on this trip. I have put permission slips in today’s folder. Please return them as soon as possible. Thanks! Let’s have fun swimming! Holiday Night 2018 will be held on Friday, December 14th from 6:30-8:30. This event will be an opportunity for parents, students, faculty & staff to celebrate the Season. The evening will incorporate singing by the Denali Choir and our class (that’s correct, our class will be singing), holiday fun and more. Please put this on your calendar. The students have had a great week working on homophones, spelling, math operations, problem solving, math facts, reading comprehension, penmanship, reading, writing letters, pronouns, vocabulary, science, classification, geometry, and more. You can go to www.denalimontessori177.blogspot.com and enter your email to receive an automatic email anytime I post a newsletter or any other items. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Dear Parents, Our next field trip is on Friday, November 30 from 11:00-1:15. We will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Air Play”. I have sent home permission slips in last week’s folder and have sent more to those that have not returned them. This should be a fun show. I have sent homework home this week. It is not due until Friday, November 30. There will be no spelling test next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Holiday Night 2018 will be held on Friday, December 14th from 6:30-8:30. This event will be an opportunity for parents, students, faculty & staff to celebrate the Season. The evening will incorporate singing by the Denali Choir and our class (that’s correct, our class will be singing), holiday fun and more. Please put this on your calendar. Our school is having a canned food drive. If you are able to donate a few cans, I know it will help those in need. Thank you. The students have been working hard this week on continent and ocean studies, the verb, math facts and operations, thank you letters, reading, writing, comprehension, geometry, vocabulary, science, and more. It has been a great week in Room 177! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is a time for us to gather with friends and family and reflect on the many things we are thankful for. I am very thankful for your support at home with your children, all the volunteers that help listen to students read, make copies, are able to join us on field trips, and everything else that makes my job so enjoyable. I am thankful for such a great group of students who care about each other, work well together, and are not afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. I hope you all have a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Dear Parents, I can’t tell you how impressed I was with your children yesterday during our trip to the Apple Store. They were safe, well-behaved, engaged in the learning experience, sharing and exchanging ideas. It was impressive to see. The students and I had a lot of fun learning how to make a podcast for their creation stories. The students used i-pads and the program Garage Band to record their voices and add background music to their projects. We should be receiving the recordings in the next week, so the students can share them with you. Thank you to all the chaperones that made this trip possible and to Nico’s mom for the hot chocolates on the walk back to school. It was a wonderful experience! Our next scheduled field trip is Friday, November 30. We will walk to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Air Play”. We will leave the school at 11:00 and should return by 1:15. I appreciate the gift of your time so we can attend these wonderful learning experiences. I have included permission slips in today’s folder. The cost is $8 for chaperones and students. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 10:45. Winter has finally arrived in Anchorage and with it comes all the winter gear. Please remember to label your child’s boots, hats, gloves, snow pants, and other gear. It will make it a lot easier to sort out whose is whose. If you haven’t had time to get your child’s snow gear, please get it soon. We want your children to enjoy outdoor recess as comfortably as possible. If some of you have gently used gloves, hats, boots, coats, or snow pants that you don’t want any more, please consider donating them to nurse Marissa. We have several families in need of snow gear for their kids. The students have had a great week working on capitalization, vocabulary, geometry, spelling, math operations, verbs, creative writing, reading, writing letters, the continents and oceans, informative writing, and more. This class is really impressive in their work habits, how they work with each other, and their love for learning. I am having a great time working with your kids. Thank you for all your hard work you do at home with them. Please don’t forget that there is no school on Monday, November 12 due to the teacher in-service. I look forward to seeing all your children ready to learn on Tuesday next week. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Dear Parents, A big thank you to Tristan’s parents! They came on Halloween afternoon and had a wonderful science experiment in which the students went through the scientific method to create slime! They brought all the supplies, safety glasses, worksheets, and more. The students had a terrific learning experience! Thank you, Tristan’s parents!!! Homework has returned! I sent this week’s words home on Monday and the students will be tested tomorrow on those words. I have put in the homework for next week in today’s folder that will be tested and due on Friday, November 9. It will be nice to get back to our regular routine. Our first field trip to see Black Violin was incredible. Thank you to all the chaperones that could join us. We can’t do these fun learning experiences without you. Our next field trip is next Wednesday, November 7. We will be walking to the Apple Store in the 5th Avenue Mall to make our creation stories come alive. We will leave the school at 10:00 and should be back about 12:30. If you can join us, I could use a couple more chaperones. Thanks. Friday, November 2 is the Denali Fall Carnival from 6:00-8:30. Please join us for music, food, games, and fun! If you can bring a cake for the cakewalk, it would be much appreciated! It should be a spooky good time! If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Monday, October 29, 2018

Dear Parents, I have enjoyed meeting with you all to discuss your child’s progress this quarter and set goals for the next quarter. I will meet with each student as well to have him or her set goals for themselves as well. Please take time to go over the report card with your child and celebrate their accomplishments and set goals for improvement. With all of us working together it should be a great year! Our first field trip will be on Thursday, November 1! We will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see Junior Theater’s, “Black Violin” We will leave the school at about 9:45 and return at about noon. We look forward to this fun event! The Denali Fall Carnival is Friday, November 2 from 6:30-8:30. Please join us for music, games, and a lot of fun. If you are able to donate a cake for the cakewalk, it will be greatly appreciated. I have sent chaperone requests for our trip to the Apple Store in the 5th Avenue Mall in today’s folder. We will be bringing our creation stories to life on Wednesday, November 7. We will leave the school at about 10:00 and return at about 12:30. Thank you to all those that can help us make this trip happen. This should be a great learning experience! Homework has returned! I have put homework in today’s folder that will be tested and due on Friday, November 2. It will be nice to get back to our regular full week routine. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Thursday, October 11, 2018 Dear Parents, We have rescheduled our trip to the Apple Store. We will return on Wednesday, November 7. We will leave the school at 10:00 and return about 12:30. I have all the signed permission slips. I will just need those that can join us to email me that you can chaperone on this date. We look forward to recording our creation stories. I have sent a permission slip for what will be our first field trip on Thursday, November 1, in today’s folder. We will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Black Violin” from 9:45-12:00. This is a great opportunity to see two incredible performers! Conferences will be held Wednesday, October 24 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. and Thursday, October 25 from 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Students will be released at 12:30 p.m. on October 24 and 25 and there is no school on Friday, October 26. Parents now have the ability to schedule conference times online. The Conference Scheduler is available starting Monday, October 8. Scheduling early offers you the opportunity to secure conference times that work best for your family. Please visit the online scheduler on the district website. You will need to go to mix and find my name to find my schedule. If you are not able to use the online system, please call or email. I look forward to meeting with you all and celebrating your child’s progress. The students were crying and wailing at the end of the day today when I told them there would be no spelling homework the next two weeks due no school on the in-service day Friday, October 19 and the following conference week. We will return with homework on Monday, October 19 and the spelling test on Friday, November 2. Next Thursday, October we will celebrate a wonderful first quarter by having a class Read-In. Students can bring a blanket, stuffed animal, pajamas, and a favorite book. I will be serving waffles and juice. It should be a lot of fun! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Dear Parents, I just wanted to let you know how impressed I was with the students yesterday during the unfortunate event at our school. The students followed my instructions, remained calm, and resumed their daily routine as well as could be expected. They were upset that we had to postpone our first field trip, but they handled the day very well. I will let you know when the trip to the Apple Store will be rescheduled. I know yesterday was a stressful day for everyone. I hope you take time to read over the suggestions from the district on how to talk with your child. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. I appreciate all you do on behalf of your children. They are a wonderful group to work with. One of my favorite times of the year is fast approaching! Conferences will be held Wednesday, October 24 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. and Thursday, October 25 from 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Students will be released at 12:30 p.m. on October 24 and 25 and there is no school on Friday, October 26. Parents now have the ability to schedule conference times online. The Conference Scheduler is available starting Monday, October 8. Scheduling early offers you the opportunity to secure conference times that work best for your family. Please visit the online scheduler on the district website. You will need to go to mix and find my name to find my schedule. If you are not able to use the online system, please call or email. I look forward to meeting with you all and celebrating your child’s progress. I am also excited about our next upcoming scheduled field trip! On Thursday, November 1 we will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Black Violin” from 9:45-12:00. I appreciate your support in making this and all the incredible learning opportunities possible. While we are on the topic of field trips, I wanted to let you know about the responsibilities of the students on our outings. Each child has been told this before we go on each trip, but I wanted you to know my policy as well. Each child is responsible to follow the instructions of the chaperones and teacher on every field trip. It is my responsibility to keep the students safe. We walk, take buses, or drive to all our field trips and it is vital that they are being safe in all those situations. It is also the responsibility of the child, to be respectful and kind on the field trip. When we go out in the public, we are representing Denali Montessori, Room 177, you, and myself. We need to show that Denali Montessori students are respectful and kind at all times on field trips. If the student isn’t being safe or listening to the adults and being safe or is not showing respect and kindness, the student will be required to have his or her parent attend the next field trip. If the parent can’t attend, the child will have to stay in a classroom at Denali while we are on the trip. I don’t expect any of this to happen, but if it does these are the consequences. We have been busy in Room 177 learning about money, antonyms, adjectives and articles, math facts and operations, reading, writing, penmanship, spelling and more! It has been a wonderful week! I love observing your children and all the growth they are making! If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Dear Parents, The students have impressed me with their concentration and peaceful work environment. This week we have been working on perimeter and probability, writing creation stories and friendly letters, spelling, math facts and operations, noun work in grammar, antonyms, reading activities, phonics, penmanship, a bullying lesson and more. Our first field trip of the year will be on Wednesday, October 3! We will be walking to the Apple Store in the 5th Avenue Mall to make our creation stories come to life. We will record our stories as a podcast and make an i-movie as well. This should be a great trip. I have sent permission slips in today’s folder. Please make sure you fill out both sides. Our school is holding an emergency food drive. The Food Bank is very low on food and needs our help. If you are able to send in food, there are families that would appreciate it. There will be a table at the entrance to the school to drop off your donations. Thank you. Picture Day has been postponed until next Wednesday, September 26. We are scheduled for 10:33, but it could be earlier. I expect a lot of great smiles with all this extra practice. You can go to www.denalimontessori177.blogspot.com and enter your email to receive an automatic email anytime I post a newsletter or another item. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Dear Parents, Please join us tonight Thursday, September 14 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and find out more about the Montessori program at the Denali Open House. This is your chance to find out what your child is doing in Room 177. I look forward to seeing you tonight. It’s been another great week in Room 177! The 2nd and 3rd graders have been great role models this year in their work effort and citizenship. The 1st graders have been following along and are working very well. It’s been a lot of fun to see. We have been studying spelling words, nouns, rhyming words, classification, penmanship, reading, place value, math facts and operations, geometry, writing our own creation stories, and writing friendly letters. We also had a presentation on Maria Montessori’s Second Great Lesson: The Formation of Earth. Next week we will learn about the Third Great Lesson: The Coming of Life. I really enjoy working with your children and observing their growth. Our first field trip of the year will be on Wednesday, October 3! We will be walking to the Apple Store in the 5th Avenue Mall to make our creation stories come to life. We will record our stories as a podcast and make an i-movie as well. This should be a great trip. I will send permission slips in next week’s folder. Our school is holding an emergency food drive. The Food Bank is very low on food and needs our help. If you are able to send in food, there are families that would appreciate it. There will be a table at the entrance to the school to drop off your donations. Thank you. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Dear Parents, The students have been busy this week learning the golden beads, stamp game, and banker’s game to help them on their addition, subtraction or multiplication. The first graders have enjoyed playing “fetching games” in which they create numbers that I ask them to retrieve. We have also been studying the noun, classification, rhyming words, polygons, reading, quadrilaterals, fundamental geometric concepts, math operations and facts, letter writing, and penmanship. I will also be telling the students Marie Montessori’s Second Great Lesson, “The Formation of Earth”, next week. There are 5 Great Lessons, which I will be sharing in the next couple of weeks. They are the basis of all our learning and the class will revisit these topics throughout the year in our various studies. Open House at Denali Montessori is next Thursday, September 13 from 6:00 -8:00 p.m. Please join us to see what we’re doing in Room 177 and how the students use all the wonderful Montessori materials. I look forward to seeing you then. We do not have a snack calendar in Room 177. I ask that students that bring their own lunch pack a snack to eat during the morning, as they get hungry. We do have a snack cupboard for those that have hot lunch or forget their lunch. If you would like to help stock the snack cupboard with items such as goldfish, pretzels, string cheese or other items, it would be very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Thursday, August 30, 2018 Dear Parents, The second and third graders have done a great job making the first graders feel welcome and modeling proper work habits. The first graders are working hard to learn the new routines and new work. It’s been a super first week and half and I’m having a blast working with your children. This week we have been working on learning the routines, math operations, writing friendly letters, practicing our handwriting, alphabetical order, writing in our journal, phonics boxes, SRA, spelling, reading activities, learning about the noun in grammar, and getting to know each other. As part of Maria Montessori’s first Great Lesson, we have also been reading Creation Stories from around the world. Next week we will learn about the scientific story of how the universe began. The students have enjoyed listening and acting out the various stories and will be writing their own. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, September 13 from 6:00-8:00. This is your chance to visit the classroom and find out more about the Montessori program at the Denali Open House. I look forward to seeing you then. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Have a wonderful sunny (I hope) Labor Day weekend! Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Important!!!!!

Important!!!!! Please remember to have your child dressed for any weather tomorrow for our trip to the Alaska Conservation Center (5-9-18) and Thursday for our trip to the Alaska Native Heritage Center (5-10-18). Both of our field trips are outside and I would like the students to enjoy their trip warm and cozy rather than cold and miserable. Also, make sure your child has a lunch and water for the trip unless you ordered a lunch from the cafeteria. The bus leaves at 9:15 tomorrow. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. On Thursday, the bus leaves at 9:20. Chaperones please be here by 9:00. Thank you!

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Thursday, May 3, 2018 Dear Parents, Tomorrow, Friday, May 4 we will take a bus to Bartlett High School for the District K-3 Orienteering Jamboree. We will leave the school at about 9:30 and return about noon. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:10. Please make sure your child has shoes that are comfortable and is dressed for the weather. The forecast is for rain and we will be in it. Also, it is not very warm and if your child gets cold easily, a hat and gloves would be a great idea. It is always easier to take things off than never having it in the first place. We will be walking to the Performing Arts Center on Monday, May 7 to see Korean breakdancing group, “Jingo Group” from 10:20-12:30. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 10:00. On Wednesday, May 9 we will be taking a bus to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. We will leave at 9:15 and return at about 2:00. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. Students will need to bring a lunch and drink for this trip as well as the next two trips unless they ordered one from the cafeteria. All these trips are outdoors as well so please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Thursday, May 10 we will take a bus to the Alaska Native Heritage Center for their Preview Day. We will leave about 9:20 and return at about 1:30. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. Our final scheduled trip is on Wednesday, May 16. We will take a bus to the Eagle River Nature Center for a three-mile hike to the river, have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The bus will leave at 9:15 and we should be back by 1:30. I have sent home permission slips to those that have not returned them in today’s folder. I can’t take any student without a permission slip. I appreciate all the chaperones that make these learning opportunities possible. One more important event is our 3rd Grade Recognition Ceremony in which we send our 3rd graders with a big thank you and good luck in the future. I have scheduled this event for Friday, May 11 at 1:00. The 3rd graders have finished writing speeches their speeches and will be practicing them until the event. Even though there is no homework for the remainder of the year I encourage students to continue reading, practicing math facts, writing in journals or sending letters to relatives as ways to keep those skills fresh. We have been busy working on equivalent fractions, spelling, reading, writing thank you letters and journals, geometry, synonyms, reviewing our grammar, math facts and operations, vocabulary, penmanship, research projects, science experiments, and more. It has been an energetic week! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Thursday, April 19, 2018 Dear Parents, Here is the dwindling list of scheduled field trips that you can put on your calendar. Wednesday, April 25 we will be taking private cars to West High Pool for the Kids Don’t Float pool session. We will leave the school at 9:15 and return at about 11:30. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. Thursday, April 26 we will be walking to the Pioneer Schoolhouse for a fabulous tour of what school and life was like over 100 years ago in Anchorage. We will leave the school at 11:30 and return at 2:30. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 11:15. Friday, May 4 we will take a bus to Bartlett High School for the District K-3 Orienteering Jamboree. We will leave the school at about 9:30 and return about noon. On Wednesday, May 9 we will be taking a bus to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. We will leave at 9:15 and return at about 2:00. Thursday, May 10 we will take a bus to the Alaska Native Heritage Center for their Preview Day. We will leave about 9:30 and return at about 1:30. Our final scheduled trip is on Wednesday, May 16. We will take a bus to the Eagle River Nature Center for a three-mile hike to the river, have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I have sent home the permission slip for the orienteering trip to Bartlett High School in today’s folder. I appreciate all the chaperones that make these learning opportunities possible. While we are on the topic of field trips, I want to remind you about the responsibilities of the students on our outings. Each child is responsible to follow the instructions of the chaperones and teacher on every field trip. It is my responsibility to keep the students safe. We walk, take buses, or drive to all our field trips and it is vital that they are being safe in all those situations. It is also the responsibility of the child, to be respectful and kind on the field trip. When we go out in the public, we are representing Denali Montessori, Room 177, you, and myself. We need to show that Denali Montessori students are respectful and kind at all times on field trips. If the student isn’t being safe, listening to the adults, or is not showing respect and kindness, the student will be required to have his or her parent attend the next field trip. If the parent can’t attend, the child will have to stay in a classroom at Denali while we are on the trip. One more important event is our 3rd Grade Recognition Ceremony in which we send our 3rd graders with a big thank you and good luck in the future. I have scheduled this event for Friday, May 11 at 1:00. 3rd grade parents please let me know if this date and time does not work for you as soon as possible. The students could barely hold back the tears when I told them that this week’s homework will be our last for the 2017/2018 school year. The last spelling test will be on Friday, April 27. I encourage students to continue reading, practicing math facts, writing in journals or sending letters to relatives as ways to keep those skills fresh. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Thursday, April 5, 2018 Dear Parents, Here is the latest and greatest updated list of scheduled field trips that you can put on your calendar. Thursday, April 12 we will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see the Asian Cultural Performance. We will leave the school at about 9:20 and return about 11:45. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. On Tuesday, April 17 we will be returning to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Peter and the Wolf” from 9:20-11:45. Wednesday, April 25 we will be taking private cars to West High Pool for the Kids Don’t Float pool session. We will leave the school at 9:15 and return at about 11:30. Thursday, April 26 we will be walking to the Pioneer Schoolhouse for a fabulous tour of what school and life was like over 100 years ago in Anchorage. We will leave the school at 11:30 and return at 2:30. Friday, May 4th we will take a bus to Bartlett High School for the District K-3 Orienteering Jamboree. We will leave the school at about 9:30 and return about noon. On Wednesday, May 9 we will be taking a bus to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. We will leave at 9:15 and return at about 2:00. Thursday, May 10 we will take a bus to the Alaska Native Heritage Center for their Preview Day. We will leave about 9:30 and return at about 1:30. Our final scheduled trip is on Wednesday, May 16. We will take a bus to the Eagle River Nature Center for a three-mile hike to the river, have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I have sent home a few more permission slips in today’s folder. I appreciate all the chaperones that make these learning opportunities possible. While we are on the topic of field trips, I want to remind you about the responsibilities of the students on our outings. Each child is responsible to follow the instructions of the chaperones and teacher on every field trip. It is my responsibility to keep the students safe. We walk, take buses, or drive to all our field trips and it is vital that they are being safe in all those situations. It is also the responsibility of the child, to be respectful and kind on the field trip. When we go out in the public, we are representing Denali Montessori, Room 177, you, and myself. We need to show that Denali Montessori students are respectful and kind at all times on field trips. If the student isn’t being safe, listening to the adults, or is not showing respect and kindness, the student will be required to have his or her parent attend the next field trip. If the parent can’t attend, the child will have to stay in a classroom at Denali while we are on the trip. One more important event is our 3rd Grade Recognition Ceremony in which we send our 3rd graders with a big thank you and good luck in the future. I have scheduled this event for Friday, May 11 at 1:00. 3rd grade parents please let me know if this date and time does not work for you as soon as possible. The students have had some excellent work sessions this week and things have been humming along. We have been reviewing our grammar and making books, working on math operations and facts, graphs, alphabetical order, spelling, penmanship, continent and country research, writing, reading, problem solving, and so much more. It has been an energetic week! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Thursday, March 29, 2018 Dear Parents, Here is the latest and greatest updated list of scheduled field trips that you can put on your calendar. On Thursday, April 5 we will be walking to the Anchorage Museum for a day of exploration. We will leave the school at 9:45 and return at about 2:30. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:30. Thursday, April 12 we will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see the Asian Cultural Performance. We will leave the school at about 9:20 and return about 11:45. On Tuesday, April 17 (This is a change in dates) we will be returning to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Peter and the Wolf” from 9:20-11:45. Wednesday, April 25 we will be taking a bus to West High Pool for the Kids Don’t Float pool session. We will leave the school at 9:15 and return at about 11:30. Friday, May 4th we will take a bus to Bartlett High School for the District K-3 Orienteering Jamboree. We will leave the school at about 9:30 and return about noon. On Wednesday, May 9 we will be taking a bus to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. We will leave at 9:15 and return at about 2:00. Thursday, May 10 we will take a bus to the Alaska Native Heritage Center for their Preview Day. We will leave about 9:30 and return at about 1:30. Our final scheduled trip is on Wednesday, May 16. We will take a bus to the Eagle River Nature Center for a three-mile hike to the river, have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I have sent home the second permission slip in today’s folder. I appreciate all the chaperones that make these learning opportunities possible. One more important event is our 3rd Grade Recognition Ceremony in which we send our 3rd graders with a big thank you and good luck in the future. I have scheduled this event for Friday, May 11 at 1:00. 3rd grade parents please let me know if this date and time does not work for you as soon as possible. This is an important message from the PTSA. Denali Families, At this week's PTSA meeting we have some big agenda items that will be presented and discussed. PTSA Meeting is Thursday March 29, 2018. 5:45 Potluck (Meet, Greet & Eat) and 6:00 Meeting. Childcare is provided. Please come, even if you can't bring food. We always have plenty.  We try and keep the meeting short, ending at 7:00 so additional opportunities for discussion will be made at a later date if desired.  1) Our School Counselor.  This year Denali's school counselor position was cut.  An ASD representative came to our first PTSA meeting of the year and said it was difficult decision but they looked at our school's needs and decided we really didn't need a school counselor. We disagree. On Monday April 2nd, 6:00 pm, at the Anchorage School Board meeting, Denali PTSA will be presenting our request that this position be filled next year. Our kids need it. Only a few folks are testifying (keeping our message brief but clear) -- but we'd love to have written statements to present to the school board members. And we'd love to have a large Denali crowd to show our community concern. Wear Blue! 6-7 pm. If you want to submit your statement on why a school counselor is important for your child or the school overall, you can send it to denaliptsa@gmail.com or comment on the Facebook event at http://www.facebook.com/denaliptsa  2) School Schedule Changes?  You may have heard that the School Board is considering the start times for school. Elementary start time would be moved to 7:30 or 7:45 am, with a dismissal at 2 or 2:15.  There has been a proposal for that Denali might be a pilot school to test out this start time change. There has also been a proposal that Denali change our school calendar to be more similar to Polaris. This would be re-occurring (biweekly) half-days for teacher in-service and moving when/how Fall and Spring conferences are held.  At the meeting, there will be a presentation on these ideas at the PTSA meeting and some discussion. (But this wouldn't be the only discussion on these matters). We hope to see you on Thursday and at the Anchorage School Board meeting on Monday.   Sincerely, The Denali PTSA If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Thursday, March 22, 2018 Dear Parents, It’s great to be back with all this wonderful sunlight and the smiling, enthusiastic faces of your children! The students have come back ready to work! It has been a fantastic week! The 3rd graders are taking the PEAKS test next Monday, March 26 and Tuesday, March 27 and will start promptly at 9:15 each day. 3rd grade parents please send your child well rested, well fed, and relaxed and ready to do his or her best. I have sent next week’s homework in today’s folder. Here are the scheduled field trips that you can put on your calendar. On Thursday, April 5 we will be walking to the Anchorage Museum for a day of exploration. We will leave the school at 9:45 and return at about 2:30. Thursday, April 12 we will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see the Asian Cultural Performance. We will leave the school at about 9:20 and return about 11:45. On Tuesday, April 17 (This is a change in dates) we will be returning to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Peter and the Wolf” from 9:20-11:45. Friday, May 4th we will take a bus to Bartlett High School for the District K-3 Orienteering Jamboree. We will leave the school at about 9:30 and return about noon. On Wednesday, May 9 we will be taking a bus to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. We will leave at 9:15 and return at about 2:00. Thursday, May 10 we will take a bus to the Alaska Native Heritage Center for their Preview Day. We will leave about 9:30 and return at about 1:30. Our final scheduled trip is on Wednesday, May 16. We will take a bus to the Eagle River Nature Center for a three-mile hike to the river, have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I have sent home the first permission slip in today’s folder. I appreciate all the chaperones that make these learning opportunities possible. One more important event is our 3rd Grade Recognition Ceremony in which we send our 3rd graders with a big thank you and good luck in the future. I have scheduled this event for Friday, May 11 at 1:00. 3rd grade parents please let me know if this date and time does not work for you as soon as possible. I have sent third quarter report cards home in today’s folder. Please take a few moments to talk with your child to celebrate his or her accomplishments and discuss some areas he or she needs to improve. Teaching your children how to set goals is an important tool and gift that you can give them. The students have settled back into a nice work cycle this week. We have been studying prefixes, numbers and operations, math operations and facts, grammar, writing, spelling, writing friendly letters, country and continent research, and more. It’s been a great week! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org or call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Thursday, March 1, 2018 Dear Parents, Our next field trip is on Thursday, March 22. We will be walking to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Step Afrika”. We will leave the school at 9:20 and return at about 11:45. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. I have sent home the permission slip for this trip in today’s folder. I also have a few other field trips scheduled that you can put on your calendar. On Thursday, April 5 we will be walking to the Anchorage Museum for a day of exploration. We will leave the school at 9:45 and return at about 2:30. On Thursday, April 19 we will be returning to the Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Peter and the Wolf” from 9:20-11:45. On Wednesday, May 9 we will be taking a bus to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. We will leave at 9:15 and return at about 2:00. These are the ones that I have scheduled now, but I know that there will be plenty more. I appreciate all the chaperones that have made these learning experiences possible. The students and I appreciate your time! Thank you. Next week is the beginning of Spring Break for the students. There is no school on Friday, March 9 and students will return to school on Monday, March 19. We will not have homework until we return from Spring Break. We will celebrate the end of the 3rd quarter with a Read-In next Thursday, March 8. I will be serving waffles and juice in the morning. Students may wear pajamas and bring a stuffed animal, blanket and some good books to read. We will be participating in reading activities throughout the day. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you all and celebrating your child’s success. I appreciate all you do on your child’s behalf. I love working with your children and observing their growth and maturity academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank you for all your help with field trips, spelling tests, laminating, making materials, listening to students read, sharing your expertise with the class, and all you do to make Room 177 and Denali Montessori such a wonderful place to be. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org of call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Thursday, February 15, 2018 Ms. McEvoy, one of our wonderful P.E. teachers, is looking for volunteers to help out with our first annual Winter Field Day on Tuesday, February 20 during our time slot from 1:15-3:15. There are lots of games and activities that need adults to supervise them. If you are able to join us for this fun event, please return the flyer as soon as possible. Please think snow as well so this event can take place. Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, February 21 and Thursday, February 22. Please schedule conferences during this time. I have offered morning conferences last week and late ones two days in a row. Unless it is an extreme circumstance, it is difficult for my family schedule to do them any other time. Thanks. Instructions for parents to set up Parent/Teacher Conference The web site is at the link 1.    Select Denali from the drop-down menu. 2.    Choose MIX for your child grade, unless your child is in Kindergarten. 3.    Select the name of your child’s teacher. 4.    Select your desired conference day by choosing a date from the drown menu. Use this link to sign up. https://www.asdk12.org/Page/5584 I love conference time and talking about your children and all the wonderful things they are doing. This week the students have been studying math facts, homophones, spelling, penmanship, problem solving in math, vocabulary, writing, practicing math operations, reading, writing friendly letters, conjunctions, journaling, numbers and operations, reading comprehension and activities, research, and more. It has been a busy and wonderful week! Please remember that there is no school on Monday, February 19 due to the Presidents’ Day holiday. Wednesday, February 21 and Thursday, February 22 the students will be released at 12:30 for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Finally, Friday February 23 there is no school due to the Montessori Conference. There is no homework during this crazy week. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org of call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Thursday, February 8, 2018 Our next field trip is Thursday, February 15. We will be taking private vehicles to Jewel Lake for the Ice Fishing Jamboree put on by Fish and Game. Students will need to be bundled up for this one, but all the fishing gear is provided. We will leave the school at 9:15 a.m. and return about 11:45 a.m. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. We have only enough drivers to take 18 students so far and we have 25. If you can drive, please let me know as soon as possible. Also, if you are a driver, please check with the office to make sure you have your insurance and registration information turned in. Thanks for taking the time to make our trips possible! Ms. McEvoy, one of our wonderful P.E. teachers, is looking for volunteers to help out with our first annual Winter Field Day on Tuesday, February 20 during our time slot from 1:15-3:15. There are lots of games and activities that need adults to supervise them. If you are able to join us for this fun event, please return the flyer as soon as possible. Please think snow as well so this event can take place. Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, February 21 and Thursday, February 22. The conference scheduler will be available for you to schedule conferences beginning on Monday, February 5. Instructions for parents to set up Parent/Teacher Conference The web site is at the link 1.    Select Denali from the drop-down menu. 2.    Choose MIX for your child grade, unless your child is in Kindergarten. 3.    Select the name of your child’s teacher. 4.    Select your desired conference day by choosing a date from the drown menu. Use this link to sign up. https://www.asdk12.org/Page/5584   Please let me know if the times don’t work for you. We’ll find a time that does. I love conference time and talking about your children and all the wonderful things they are doing. On Tuesday, February 14 we will have a valentine exchange and cookie decorating activity in the afternoon. If your child wishes to participate in the exchange, he/she must bring a valentine for each student. I have provided a list of Room 177 names on the back of the newsletter. This week the students have been studying math facts, homophones, spelling, penmanship, problem solving in math, vocabulary, writing, practicing math operations, reading, writing friendly letters, conjunctions, journaling, numbers and operations, reading comprehension and activities, research, and more. It has been a busy and wonderful week! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org of call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Thursday, February 1, 2018 Our next scheduled field trips are Thursday, February 8 and 15. On Thursday, February 8 we will be walking to the Alaska Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Anatomy of a Piano” We will leave the school at about 11:00 a.m. and will return to school at about 1:15 p.m. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 10:45. On Thursday, February 15 we will be taking private vehicles to Jewel Lake for the Ice Fishing Jamboree put on by Fish and Game. Students will need to be bundled up for this one, but all the fishing gear is provided. We will leave the school at 9:15 a.m. and return about 11:45 a.m. Chaperones please meet in Room 177 by 9:00. These trips should be a lot of fun! I have sent permission slips for both trips in today’s folder for those that have not returned them. We have only enough drivers to take 6 students so far. If you can drive, please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks for making these trips possible! Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, February 21 and Thursday, February 22. The conference scheduler will be available for you to schedule conferences beginning on Monday, February 5. Instructions for parents to set up Parent/Teacher Conference The web site is at the link 1.    Select Denali from the drop-down menu. 2.    Choose MIX for your child grade, unless your child is in Kindergarten. 3.    Select the name of your child’s teacher. 4.    Select your desired conference day by choosing a date from the drown menu. Use this link to sign up. https://www.asdk12.org/Page/5584   Please let me know if the times don’t work for you. We’ll find a time that does. I love conference time and talking about your children and all the wonderful things they are doing. On Tuesday, February 14 we will have a valentine exchange and cookie decorating activity in the afternoon. If your child wishes to participate in the exchange, he/she must bring a valentine for each student. I have provided a list of Room 177 names on the back of the newsletter. This week the students have been studying math facts, synonyms, spelling, penmanship, problem solving in math, vocabulary, writing, practicing math operations, reading, writing friendly letters, conjunctions, journaling, numbers and operations, reading comprehension and activities, research, and more. It has been a busy and wonderful week! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org of call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer Valentine Class List Room 177 Mackenzie Yunie Tressa Sean Colin Jet Dimerius Ginger Colton Annali Cora Zachary Jackson Julia Lucas Sage Victoria Nico Cole Holden Kira Kylan Margaux Soren Tristan Paxson Mrs. R. Mr. Moyer

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Thursday, January 25, 2018 Congratulations to our Battle of the Books participants Cora, Julia, Lucas and Sage! They represented Room 177 with grace and courtesy Wednesday morning. The students all worked hard for several months reading the books on the list, memorizing the authors and book titles, and practicing sample questions. Thank you to Mrs. Harth, our wonderful librarian, who helped prepare them for the battle. We are proud of all our battlers! It is cold outside and we want your children to enjoy recess! We go out until the temperature reaches -10 degrees, so in order for your child to stay warm they need hats, gloves, snow pants, coat, and maybe a facemask. Thanks! Our next scheduled field trips are Thursday, February 8 and 15. On Thursday, February 8 we will be walking to the Alaska Performing Arts Center to see Alaska Junior Theater’s “Anatomy of a Piano” We will leave the school at about 11:00 a.m. and will return to school at about 1:15 p.m. On Thursday, February 15 we will be taking private vehicles to Jewel Lake for the Ice Fishing Jamboree put on by Fish and Game. Students will need to be bundled up for this one, but all the fishing gear is provided. We will leave the school at 9:15 a.m. and return about 11:45 a.m. These trips should be a lot of fun! I have sent permission slips for both trips in today’s folder. Please return them as soon as possible. This week the students have been studying geometry, commas, practicing math facts and operations, reading, writing friendly letters, learning about prepositions, journaling, vocabulary, reading comprehension and activities, and more. It has been a busy and wonderful week! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org of call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, January 18, 2017 Next week, January 22-26, is the Great Kindness Challenge! I have included a checklist in the homework packet that your family can work on together. This is the website where you can download the family challenge: https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/familychecklist/ We have a school checklist that we will be working on as well. A little kindness can go a long way and it is always a good thing to practice. Thanks! On Wednesday, February 7th we will have a visiting guest in our room! From 12:40-1:25 a flying squirrel will visit us from the Alaska Zoo. The students will learn all about the flying squirrel. It should be a fun learning experience! This week the students have been studying math facts, classification, spelling, penmanship, problem solving in math, practicing math operations, reading, writing friendly letters, pronouns, journaling, geometry, reading comprehension and activities, measurement, beginning out fundamental needs of humans work and more. It has been a busy and wonderful week! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org of call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Dear Parents, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a healthy and happy holiday season. The students seem eager to be back and are resuming their working routines. I’m looking forward to a great second semester! I have sent second quarter report cards home in today’s folder. I met with all the students before the break and had them evaluate their own behavior marks. I was impressed how self-aware and honest the students were with their assessments. Please take a few moments to talk with your child to celebrate his or her accomplishments and discuss some areas he or she needs to improve. Teaching your children how to set goals is an important tool and gift that you can give them. I sent homework for this Friday’s spelling test on Monday and we have been working on them in the classroom as well. I have attached a copy of these words to the back of this newsletter. This is a list of words that all students should be able to spell every time they write by the end of third grade. I have given them to everyone so they can see where they are at this time. These are also great words to practice reading quickly to improve their reading speed and accuracy. I have next week’s homework in today’s folder. This week the students have been studying pronouns, geometry, graphing, practicing math facts, reading, writing friendly letters, journaling, learning about the scientific method, reading comprehension and activities, measurement, penmanship, and more. It is great to be back working with your children! Remember that there is no school on Monday, January 15 due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at moyer_craig@asdk12.org of call or write me a note. Sincerely, Craig Moyer