4th Grade Newsletter 10/2-10/16

 

⭐10/2/2025 - 10/16/2025 ⭐

4th Grade Newsletter

What We're Learning:

Math: TEKS 4.4B, 4.4D, 4.4H

Students will develop an understanding of place value and patterns (TEKS 4.4B) by determining products of numbers and 10 or 100 using place value and the properties of operations. They will build procedural fluency and conceptual understanding (TEKS 4.4D) by using strategies such as mental math, partial products, and standard algorithms to multiply up to a four-digit number by a one-digit number and two-digit numbers by two-digit numbers. Through the use of models and representations (TEKS 4.4C) such as arrays, area models, and equations, students will visualize multiplication and understand the structure of numbers, including perfect squares through 15 by 15. The unit also focuses on estimation and number sense (TEKS 4.4G) by teaching students to round to the nearest 10, 100, or 1,000 and use compatible numbers to make reasonable estimates. Finally, students will apply their knowledge to solve one- and two-step real-world multiplication problems with fluency (TEKS 4.4H).




Link to Optional Math Homework PDF

RLA: TEKS 4.11Div, 4.9B, 4.10D, 4.6E, 4.8A, 4.10A, 4.12A

Students will engage deeply with both fiction and poetry texts, focusing on character development, theme, and figurative language to enhance reading comprehension and analytical thinking. Students will explore how character interactions and changes contribute to plot and theme, while using mental imagery and context clues to build meaning. In writing, students will apply these literary elements as they craft personal narratives, drawing connections between the characters' journeys and their own life experiences. Writing instruction will emphasize organization, voice, and revision strategies. In addition, students will compose a poem to apply their learning of poetry elements. Word study and grammar will be integrated throughout to support decoding, spelling, and sentence fluency.



Grammar Focus: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Learning Target: I will use comparative adjectives to compare people, places, and things correctly

TEKS: 4.11Div-edit drafts including adjectives in their comparative and superlative form. 


Word Study Focus: Closed Syllables

Ex: menu (men/u)

little (lit/tle)


Reading Focus: Theme and Figurative Language in Poetry

Learning Target: I will explain figurative language and imagery in poetry, describe the poet’s purpose and message, make connections to what I read, and infer themes using evidence from the text.


Writing Focus: Compose a poem

Learning Target: I will brainstorm and use elements of poetry and figurative language to write a poem.



Science: TEKS 4.7A
Students will learn that forces are pushes or pulls that can make things move, change direction, or change shape. Students will investigate forces that act on objects through direct contact. Students will explore forces that act on an object at a distance.

  • Pushes, pulls, and friction are contact forces that change the position of an object through direct contact.

  • Friction pushes against an object to slow it or change its direction.

  • Gravity and magnetism are noncontact forces that can change the position of an object at a distance, without direct contact.


 
Social Studies:  TEKS 4.1A, 4.1B, 4.8A, 4.8B, 4.9A, 4.19C, 4.19D
Students will explain the possible origins of American Indian groups in Texas.  Students will identify and compare the ways of life of American Indian groups in Texas before European exploration such as the Lipan Apache, Karankawa, Caddo, and Jumano.  Students will  describe ways people have adapted to and modified their environment in Texas, past and present, such as timber clearing, agricultural production, wetlands drainage, energy production, and construction of dams.  Students will  explain reasons why people have adapted to and modified their environment in Texas, past and present, such as the use of natural resources to meet basic needs, facilitate transportation, and enhance recreational activities.  Students will explain the economic activities various early American Indian groups in Texas used to meet their needs and wants such as farming, trading, and hunting.  Students will analyze information by applying absolute and relative chronology through sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions.  Students will organize and interpret information in outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps;
 



Up Coming EVENTS for LHISD and SRE:


Oct. 1-31Bullying Prevention Month/National Principal Month/Down Syndrome Awareness Month/Dyslexia Awarness Month

Oct. 2 Grade Level Newsletters Sent to Familes

Oct. 2 School Custodian Appreciation Day

Oct. 3 Student Holiday/Staff Work Day

Oct. 6 National Instructional Coach’s Day & Behavior Interventionist Day

Oct. 7 SRE PTO Meeting 7:30-8:30 @Ranch Hub (Across the Street)

Oct. 9 Santa Rita News Newsletter (Admin Letter) Sent to Families

Oct. 10 Student Holiday/Staff Work Day

Oct. 13 2nd 9 Weeks Begins!

Oct. 15-23 Fall Bookfair!

Oct. 16 Grade Level Newsletters Sent to Familes

Oct. 17 Staff & Staff Holiday

Oct. 17 LHHS Home Football Game @ 7:30 PM

Oct. 20-24 Attendance Week!

Oct. 23 Santa Rita News Newsletter (Admin Letter) Sent to Families

Oct. 24 Student Holiday & Elementary Fall Parent Confrences

Oct. 27-30 Red Ribbon Week-Wellness Week (Dress-Up Days)

Oct. 30 Grade Level Newsletters Sent to Familes

Oct. 30 Storybook Character Parade

Oct. 31 Student Holiday/Staff Work Day

                                      





Wranglers Love to Read!

Dear SRE families,

Get ready—the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! This is a great opportunity to build your child’s home library with new books they’ll dive into again and again.

The easiest way to let your child shop the Fair independently is by creating an eWallet. It’s easy to set up and easy for others to add funds.

Create an eWallet, and you’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to Share the Fair - the giving program that supports students at our school who need help buying books. Consider participating so that no child leaves the Fair empty-handed!

Here’s everything else you need to know about the Book Fair:

Dates: OCTOBER 15, 2025 – OCTOBER 23, 2025

Location: SRE LIBRARY

Family Event schedule and location: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025, 3:30-6:00

For full details, and to create an eWallet, visit our school’s Book Fair homepage:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/santaritaelementary

More than ever, we need to get students reading. Studies prove* that children with more books at home have higher-level reading skills, and attain more years of education overall.

Lastly, this is a great opportunity to be a Book Fair volunteer! When you give your time, it helps make our Fair an unforgettable reading experience where every purchase benefits our school directly.

Happy reading,

Kendell Luedtke

Principal
Santa Rita Elementary School

P.S. Don’t miss out! A new Scholastic sweepstakes offers a chance to get more books for your child’s home library–plus an unbelievable vacation!




Arrival and Dismissal Safety

Safety is our first priority. Cell phones in school zones and in car lines are not only against the law, it puts our kids and staff at risk. Your cooperation is needed and appreciated.


Please do not park at or near crosswalks as it blocks our ability to see oncoming traffic and creates a hazard for crossing guards and students crossing the street.


The first few days of school are exciting for everyone. We often have 2-3 times the number of cars dropping off and picking up than the rest of the year. Thanks for your patience as we worked through these first couple of days getting back into our routines.


Morning Arrival:


  • Please form one lane and do not go around other vehicles or cones or run over our cones.
  • Do NOT drop off students in the bus parking lot to avoid our car rider line. That parking lot is reserved for our staff and students with special circumstances.
  • Do NOT drop off students by the black Panther walker near Braun and Vista Porta Loop.
  • Please follow staff and sign directives.
  • It is imperative that you pull all the way forward in the morning before letting your child out of the car. This allows us to try and fill up our parking lot as much as possible and alleviate traffic from Santa Rita Boulevard as soon as possible.
  • Please be kind to our staff members and use appropriate language in the presence of children.
  • If you are a walker, please cross the street at the designated crosswalk locations ONLY.


Afternoon Dismissal:


  • Please form 2 lines in the afternoon. Please remember the inside lane will go straight into the neighborhood off of Vista Porta Loop. The outside lane will turn left down Braun.
  • Please remain in your vehicle at all times.
  • Please follow all staff directives and signs.
  • Please do not come up to the building to receive your child. All students will meet parents at their designated crosswalk and their vehicle.
  • Please be kind to our staff members and use appropriate language in the presence of children.




SRE Digital Citizenship

Families,


Students at SRE have been learning about digital citizenship in library classes. Students are learning how to balance time online, how to be kind to others while on devices, and how to keep their private information safe. Please continue to discuss online safety with your children.


LHISD Library Website

Library Services Website


We are excited to share the LHISD Library Services website. We invite you to view the page to find information regarding all 11 of our state-of-the-art libraries, the book selection process, and frequently asked questions. You will also find a list of proposed book purchases for elementary, middle and high school. These books will be posted for 10 school days. If you would like to provide feedback or input on any of the books listed, we invite you to complete the Feedback Form that can be found on the Library Services website. After the books have been posted for 10 days, a committee, including campus and district staff, will review the comments to determine approval for purchasing.


Thank you!


After School Care at SRE!

Need Afterschool care? The Y Afterschool is here to give your kids supervised fun as soon as the school bell rings, till 6:30pm!

In Y Afterschool your child will have the opportunity to participate in programs such as enrichments, crafts, STEM activities, and so much more! A snack is provided for students daily.

Registration is available online.



Ricardo Rios
Site Director | Licensed Child Care
Phone: 512-246-YMCA
rrios@ymcactx.org
ymcactx.org | The Y.™ For a better us. Follow us:


Watch D.O.G.S.

WATCH D.O.G.S. Santa Rita Elementary School


@Dads: 3 Steps to Sign Up


1. Background Check: Submit your Liberty Hill ISD Volunteer Application


https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MzQ0OmVuLVVT


2. PTO: Complete your Santa Rita Elementary PTO Google Form


https://www.sres-pto.org/membershipform


3. SignUpGenius: Request your Volunteer Day

http://sres-pto.org/volunteer


PTO will send a confirmation email invite

(Check your spam folder)



GT Website

Please check out the link below to view the SRE GT website and learn more information!


https://sites.google.com/libertyhill.txed.net/kids parent support/home


We Need You!

We will have lots of opportunities to get involved this year.


Be a volunteer! Get started by completing the volunteer application online. It must be updated every school year.


Join our PTO! Membership is free. Nowhere else can you get so much for so little! We have the best parent partners ever!! Check out their website for volunteer opportunities, Spirit Nights and more!


Calling all Dads! WatchDOGS is a unique organization that partners the school with male role models. It's an incredible opportunity to volunteer at Santa Rita while getting a sneak peak into your child's school day. It's an experience you won't want to miss, and you will make an big impact on your own child and so many others!


Student Reading Mentors Needed! Enjoy working with children, love reading and want to make a big impact on a child's life? Education Connection is just for you!! Consider investing just 30 minutes a week, and bless the life of a child.


More opportunities to come soon!


Lost and Found

We ask that you label all lunch boxes, water bottles, and jackets. This will help us to get lost items back to your child.


Specials Rotations:



Attendance

  • Communication is key! We are here to support you.

  • Our campus attendance goal is 97%

  • 90% attendance or better!

  • Arrival after 7:40 requires you to check your child in the front office

  • Please send a doctor’s note when your child is at an appointment

  • Vacations or traveling to other countries are not considered excused absences

  • For family loss, excused absences are for the travels days needed the day before, day of services, and day after. All other absences outside of these 3 days is not excused absences.

  • Truancy Measures initiated: when absent 3 days or parts of days in a 4-week period


If you need to report an absence, please CLICK HERE

Bell Schedule & School Calendar

Doors Open: 7:00

Students eating breakfast will go to the cafeteria.

If not they will go to their grade-level hallway.

1st Bell: 7:20

Students can go to class

Breakfast is still open


Tardy Bell: 7:30

Class begins

Exterior doors close

Breakfast ends

Please arrive on time

Dismissal Bell: 3:15

Helpful Tips

  • Please do not let tardies become a habit. Our car rider line is running smoothly, and we are eager to start the day off right.
  • The school encourages families to label their students' items such as water bottles, jackets, lunch boxes, etc. Let's work together to keep our lost & found empty.
  • Around 3:15, our car rider line will close. After that, students can be picked up at the front office.
  • If you need to pick up your student, please do not assign them as a walker. We have a car rider line for those picking up.
  • Continue to follow traffic patterns, staff guidance, and crossing guards.

Parents & guardians, please remember that if your child is not in the building by 7:30am, then your child is considered tardy and must be walked into the building by an adult. We are having students crossing crosswalks unattended and we have students being dropped off on the sidewalk and they don't know their teachers’ names. All SRE staff report to classrooms at 7:30 am. After this time, your child is your responsibility due to no available staff supervision.


Families, please check your child's backpack and school items each morning to make sure they have everything that they need. There have been many forgotten items brought to campus after instruction has begun. Here are some tips to support with this:


  • Have backpacks packed every night
  • Use sticky notes as reminders
  • Have students complete an inventory checklist- backpack, snack, water bottle, lunch, etc.
  • Have your child develop a routine of organizing items to ensure that nothing gets left behind


TRAIT OF THE MONTH

September: Empathy

EMPATHY:

Understanding and caring about how others are feeling


*Empathy is about sharing an emotion with someone, or feeling the way they feel, even if you aren’t in the same situation.


Example: Have you ever been with a friend who just got a new toy and she’s so excited about it and you get super excited too? If you are feeling excited because you know how great it can feel to get a new toy (even though you didn’t get a toy and you aren’t playing with the toy)… that’s empathy. Being excited with your friend is a kind of empathy.


*Empathy means you see things from someone else’s point of view, or from their perspective.


Example : Have you ever thought a game was really fun but your friend felt it wasn’t fair? If you saw your friend was bothered by the game and understood she wasn’t having a good time even though you were… that’s empathy. You showed empathy by understanding how things felt from her side of the situation.


Important Information:

TRANSPORTATION:

If you need to make a transportation change for your student, you MUST 
e-mail: srestransportationchanges@libertyhill.txed.net, by 1 pm in order to make that change.  Teachers will not be able to accept written notes, emails, or phone calls for transportation changes.