Parents,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!  I appreciate everyone who took the time to come out and play a game (or two) with your children tonight.  We had almost 40 Pentathletes come out with their families and play the games.  Thank you so much for coming out and showing your support for your students!  We were so pleased to see everyone there.

We will have 5 more of these nights as the year goes on…we hope to see you there as well.

Special thanks to Rene LeBlanc of the Pentathlon Institute who came out to be with us tonight!  Rene shared a few tips with the parents and students who were there tonight.  We caught him playing a game or two as well.  Thanks, Rene!!

Parents,

Each week seems to get a little better.  Just a few reminders:

• Please remind your children before they leave for school on Mondays that they have MP class after school.  We still have a few friends forgetting and either getting on the bus or walking home.
• Also, please try to keep your pick up procedures the same each week.  This makes it easier on us and on the kids as well.
• Lastly, please be on time to pick up your children.  We have spoken to the office and starting next week, children picked up late will be sent home with a note stating that being late for pick up more than twice will result in dismissal from the club.  We don’t want this to happen to anyone, so please…be on time!  They need to be picked up at 4:00.

Division I Recap:

Our Division I players moved on to the full size game board in Kings and Quadraphages.  They will be playing again next week, one on one and should by now know all the rules.

Division II Recap:

Division II moved on to playing one on one in their game, FIAR.  They learned what a blocking chip is and what it is used for.  They also practiced challenges in class during their game play.

Division III Recap:

Division III worked on worksheets that go along with the game they are learning, Juggle.  They practiced putting their pentominos on the board and learned how many they need to fill their board (at least 5, 8 max.)  They will practice again next week playing one on one.

Dear Parents,

What a change from last week!!  All of our Pentathletes got to the correct room and we were all able to start on time!  Please remind your students that they need to come directly to the MP classroom after dismissal.  We will allow them a restroom break and a snack time when they get to us…we don’t want them wandering the halls during this time.

You should all be recieving an email from your child’s coach regarding dismissal.  We still have a few of our younger friends that are confused as to whether they are a car rider or a walker.  Please be sure to respond to your coach to let them know how your child will be getting home.  The choices are CAR RIDER, WALKER or YMCA.

Division I recap: 

Our division I Pentathletes reviewed the rules to Kings and Quadraphes today.  This group also moved on to a larger 7×7 gameboard.  They will be playing on the full size versions next week.  They also learned what a challenge is.  Be sure to ask them how to challenge your opponent!

Division II recap:

Division II learned the basic rules to FIAR today.  FIAR stands for FOUR IN A ROW.  They played on the full size gameboards and learned the proper placement and movement of their chips.  Next week, they will start playing with the blocking chips.  Be sure to ask them how many spaces they can move their chips.

Division III recap:

Division III learned the rules to Juggle this week.  They played in teams and tried to entirely cover their gameboards with different polyominos.  Ask them what the difference is between the Exact Value Method and the Calculated Value Method.

Parents, please remember that Math Pentathlon is run entirely by volunteers!  Before they come to class, encourage your children to be good sports, when both winning and losing.  Remind them that they are to follow the rules on the Parent/Student contract that they signed.  While in class, they need to be constructive, good listeners and come ready to play the games.  When one or two children are disruptive, the rest of the class is distracted from learning the game as well.

We have a great group of kids this year and we look forward to teaching them the games, how to be good sports and preparing them for the tournament in the spring!  Have a great week!

The lesson we learned last week was, releasing 140 kids at the same time leads to chaos!!  So, to remedy the situation, we will be releasing the same way the school does.

CAR RIDERS will be coming out of the “safety patrol” door.  Please line up as you would after school and we will release car riders from there.

WALKERS will be coming out of the front door.  Please be waiting in the areas designated that are used after school (ex. K and 1 meet in the grass to the right of the front door, 2 and 3 meet by the tree, etc.)  If the students will be walking home alone, they will be released this way as well as a walker or a bike rider.

YMCA students will be taken there through the building. 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Parents,

We are into the 2008-2009 Math Pentathlon season!  We had a bit of a late start today making sure we got all the kids to where they were supposed to be, but overall I think things went smoothly!  We will not be gathering the kids in the library next week…they will be released from their classrooms and will go to the SAME room that they were in this week.  Please refer to the sheet that went home on Friday for their coach/room information.

We will be changing dismissal next week.  We have never had 140 students in the afterschool program and we just weren’t sure how to best release them.  It was a little crazy this afternoon and we will be working out another way to release them next week.  Please be sure to check this blog for updated information later in the week on new dismissal procedures.

Again, if you have not received any email from me, please let me know so that I can add you to our list!

Division I recap:

Our Division I students started this week with Kings and Quadraphages.  They all started with a 5×5 game board and will move to a larger one next week.  Be sure to ask them the difference between a King and a Quadraphage!!

Division II students started this week with FIAR…be sure to ask them what FIAR stands for.  These students played smaller versions of the game with rules that are similar to the standard rules for FIAR.  We will move on to actual game explaination next week.

Division III students started this week with Juggle.  For those of you who have ever played Blockus, this game is very similar to that.  They use polyominos to try to completely fill their game boards before their opponent.  Ask them if they know the maximum number to pentominos they can fit on their gameboards.

I hope everyone had fun and learned at least one new thing during today’s classes.  If you would like to read the “Highlights” of each of the games, please visit the following links:

Division I Highlights — http://www.mathpentath.org/pdf/highlightsdiv1.pdf

Division II Highlights — http://www.mathpentath.org/pdf/highlightsdiv2.pdf

Division III Highlights — http://www.mathpentath.org/pdf/highlightsdiv3.pdf

As always, please feel free to comment or send me an email directly at ashoepe@austin.rr.com with any questions.  Thanks and have a great week!

If you are not getting any email from me regarding Math Pentathlon, that means I do not have your email, or it has been added incorrectly.  Please email me at ashoepe@austin.rr.com and let me know your email address along with the division your child is in and I will add you to the list.  Thanks!!

Please check your email for more information!

Registration for the 2008-2009 CRE Math Pentathlon club is now closed.  All classes are full as of Friday, September 5th.  Waiting list names will be held until the end of October.   If a space opens up before then, we will call the waiting list in the order we took the names.  Thank you all for your patience and cooperation.

Thank you to all our parents who volunteered to help with our Math Pentathlon program this year!  Due to the tremendous response to registration today, space is very limited for general registration tomorrow morning.  We will take names for a waiting list, but might not be able to accommodate everyone.  Thank you in advance for your patience!

As many of you know, the MP registration form went home today in the Tuesday folder.  I’m sure you also know by now that the dates for registration were inadvertently left off the form.  We are very sorry and I take full responsibility for the error.  Registration dates are as follows:

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION — Thursday, September 4th beginning at 7:20am

GENERAL REGISTRATION — Friday, September 5th beginning at 7:20am

NO FORMS WILL BE TAKEN TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 3RD.

Registration on both days will take place in the library.  If you are planning on registering on Thursday, please make sure you have a copy of your volunteer commitment form filled out and signed.

Thank you for your patience while we adjust to our growing pains!