Text Box: Mathematics News Mathematics instruction is off to a fantastic start at Concord Road. We have an assortment of new materials, and our young mathematicians are hard at work learning new concepts and honing their problem solving skills. By now, most have received their hardcover Student Math Handbook (SMH), and have brought home assignments from their Student Activity Books (SAB). At our recent Open Houses, classroom teachers discussed both of these texts with you, and asked you to sign an agreement of use form. It is required that every child has access to a Student Math Handbook, for use both at home and at school. It is considered an essential reference material, and can be likened in importance to any textbook assigned to deliver coursework at the middle and high schools. The SMH is a companion to the Student Activity Book. It provides a range of instructional supports that will answer any questions you or your child may have about homework, and the skills and strategies it is reinforcing. The Student Activity Book will alert you when to reference the handbook. It will display a blue, book shaped icon with the acronym SMH and a page number in the corner of a worksheet. We have received a great deal of enthusiastic feedback from families using the Student Math Handbook. They are thrilled to have material that will enable them to ensure that the routine of daily practice and reinforcement is a positive, meaningful experience for their children. If you have not yet done so, please sign your agreement of use form and return it to your child’s teacher. And if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Earth Committee Report The Earth Committee at Concord Road is thrilled to be working towards developing an earth-friendly community at our school. We began the school year enjoying an energetic and informative assembly called “Bash the Trash.” Perhaps your child came home interested in discussing how they could reuse household items and transform them into musical instruments! This month, we are asking children to think about how they can reuse plastic bags. Here is how you can help: Select one plastic bag from home. (Stew Leonard's, Barnes & Noble, etc.) colored bags would be wonderful! Cut the handles all the way down both sides of the bag until you reach the seam at the bottom. It should look something like the letter “H.” Also, if you would like, choose a piece of ribbon or an old shoelace approximately the same length as the cut bag. Send these items to school by Friday, October 26th. These items will end up being displayed in a School Wide Weaving that we will proudly display as recycled wall art!