In my list of "thank yous" last week I forgot some very important people and I apologize--our hot chocolate makers! We really enjoyed having that nice warm cup of hot chocolate before heading out into the cold. Thanks go to Mrs. Dial, Mrs. Sullivan, and Mrs. Dalton for bringing or sending in thermoses ready to go. I feel so fortunate to have such supportive parents for our classroom.

The December break is here! I hope everyone has an opportunity to relax, spend time with family and friends, have some fun, and do some reading! The students are certainly in the mood and are looking forward to this afternoon's party. We appreciate all the parents who have worked to make the party a success. Thank you!

Although students have finished reading Island of the Blue Dolphins, they still have one final project to complete before we are done. They received the assignment sheet in class today. They may work on it over the break, but they do not have to. The assignment is not due until Monday, January 11 (one week after we get back).

We will be starting our Solid Earth unit in January: rocks, minerals, erosion, weathering, volcanoes, earthquakes. As with our Environments unit, there will be lots of connections with this unit and our restoration project.

And so...thank you for a wonderful first (nearly) half of a year. Enjoy the break, and don't forget to encourage your child to do some reading!

Happy Holidays!

To Pam Allan (our awesome field trip driver coordinator), Wendy Buscaglia, Cal Dalrymple, Cathy Dial, Leesa Gendel, and Marina Obukhov: Thank you! Not only did you make sure we got out to the Barboni Ranch and back to Rancho, you did a wonderful job of helping and supervising students as they planted trees. We could not have done it without you. Despite a cold start (What water there was in the creek was covered by a layer of ice when we arrived!), the students, with Mrs. Dees' class, planted 65 native trees! The Bay Institute's S.T.R.A.W. staff, as always, were so organized and helpful that students were trained and hard at work right away. It was wonderful to see how seriously the students took the work. Students were enthusiastic and wonderfully diligent and energetic. They cooperated well in their teams, and carefully followed directions for planting each plant. They also got to experience water in a new way--I hope you got to hear about it! Not only will their work help prevent soil erosion and improve water quality in and around the creek, it will also help provide habitat for the wildlife in this ecosystem. I am very proud of the work that they did. This was the perfect culminating activity for our science unit on the environment.

Our wonderful room parents, Amy Sullivan and Kristin Van Weele, have sent out an email about our December holiday party (Friday, Dec. 18 1:45-2:50 P.M.). I'm hoping that everyone will be able to tap into the spirit of the season and contribute something that we can donate to Homeward Bound. The list of appropriate/requested items is in their email. It would be great if each student brought in a new pair of socks (or package of new socks), or any other item from the list that fits for your family. This is an entirely optional activity.

There have been reports that some of the students of room 11 have been using inappropriate language. I have not personally witnessed it, but I consider this a serious issue and would love for each family to have a chat about what is appropriate language and what is not. Swearing, of course, is always inappropriate. Saying hurtful things or teasing others is also inappropriate. The consequences for inappropriate language can be severe and can include suspension. At this point, I do not think it is a big problem, but the fact that it may be happening at all is disturbing. I know I can count on all the families of room 11 to help students understand what is acceptable and the consequences for unacceptable behavior. If you have any specific concerns, please contact me.

I know December can be a busy month (With children, is there ever a month that doesn't seem busy?), but it is still very important for students to get a good night's sleep every night. When students can hardly keep their eyes open and yawn throughout the day, it is hard for them to do their best work or learn effectively. Please help your child make the most of each school day by giving them the gift of enough sleep.

Enjoy the weekend!

Hopefully you heard about the ferry field trip yesterday. The students did a wonderful job of decorating the ferry, and then seemed to enjoy the trip to San Francisco and back. A map activity gave them the opportunity to locate such things as Angel Island. Students also got to write 2 descriptions of things they saw. All in all, a productive and fun day. We could not have done it without our drivers. Thanks to Mrs. Van Weele, Mrs. Sullivan, Mrs. Gendel, Mrs. Heard-Zeryny, Mr. Dalrymple, Mr. Flores, and Mrs. Obokhov. Thanks also to Mrs. Leonard and Mrs. Gala for coming along to help. The ferry the students decorated is the weekend ferry. It will begin running on weekends, beginning the weekend of Dec. 12-13, if you want to take the family for a ferry ride!

Our next field trip is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8. There is rain predicted for most of next week, so it is possible that the field trip will be postponed. If there are only occasional sprinkles, we will more than likely still go. I will let you know as soon as I know. We will plan on going, and hope for the best. We need the rain, but I'd love to have a rain-free day on Dec. 8th!

Students took the chapter 11 math test yesterday, and now it is on to division in greater depth. I appreciate all the hard work that many students have put into learning math facts, but do not let up if your child has not yet mastered them all!

Students are working on writing dialogue, especially on how to correctly punctuate dialogue. One of the many benefits of reading is that students get opportunities to see how different authors use dialogue to move the story in interesting ways. We will be working on how students can include dialogue in their own stories.

The holidays are close, but school goes on as usual. Thank you for continuing to make sure that your child gets enough sleep and is ready to learn every day when they come to school.

Have a great weekend!

I enjoyed the opportunity to speak with everyone during parent/teacher conferences. Thank you. As we continue on through the year, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about your student and their progress in fourth grade.

Just a reminder: We will be decorating one of the Larkspur ferries on Thursday, Dec. 3. Students started creating decorations on Friday, a colorful paper chain with their wishes for the community, the country, and the world. As we approach the holiday season, I'm pleased that we have this opportunity to engage in a community service project that students are excited about and that will bring a smile and perhaps a little joy to many beyond our school.

Second reminder: Our restoration field trip is scheduled for Tues., Dec. 8. I will send out the permission slip for this field trip on Monday, Nov. 30.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving break!

It is hard to believe that parent/teacher conferences are only about a week away. If you haven't yet sent in your confirmation I have sent home a reminder in this week's Friday folder. Please return the bottom portion of the form as soon as possible. Thank you.

I am sending home the next Scholastic order forms, but, as promised, I have set it up so families that would like to may order online. In addition to the books available through the flyers, those ordering online also have access to additional titles. I have printed out an introductory letter, with instructions, that is going home today in the Friday folder. To order online go to www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our class username is spry4 and our class password is room11. If you have any questions or problems, please contact me. Thanks.

I have been asked a couple of times this week for the information on how to access the online version of our math book. This makes me think that it might be helpful to provide that information again: www.eduplace.com/kids/hmcam. Our class username is rancho411 and our class password is ranchomath.

We are continuing to work on algebra concepts in math, and students seem to be getting more comfortable with variables and solving equations. Students will take the chapter 9 math test on Monday. Chapter 10 is much more concrete: multiplication. Students are expected to have mastery of all multiplication and division math facts to 10 by the end of third grade, and mastery to 12 by the end (hopefully well before the end) of fourth grade. If your child has not yet met the third grade standard, please spend time mastering the basic math facts. I will be testing them weekly on math facts, starting with multiplication.

We are getting close to finishing our first science unit, Environments. Students have been working on "I-Checks," which serve as the study guide for the upcoming science test. I'm planning to give the science test on Friday, Nov. 13.

We have been working on prepositions and prepositional phrases. Students need to have memorized the list of 40 prepositions by Friday, Nov. 13. They will be asked to recite them on Friday, and will have a language test focused on prepositional phrases.

Please help your child get at least 2 hours of reading completed each week outside of school hours. While most students met or nearly met October's AR goal, there are still students who are simply not reading. Research shows that reading comprehension is crucial to student academic success. The best way to become a better reader is to read. See me if you need book suggestions.

Reminder: there is no school next week on Wed., Nov. 11 because of Veteran's Day. It will be lovely to have a day off in the middle of the week, but it will also be a time of reflection for many of us, thinking about all the people who have made sacrifices and put themselves in harm's way for the rest of us.

Thank you for all the paper towels. We are set!

Enjoy the weekend!

Wow, Halloween...high energy day! Thanks to everyone who helped make our day festive, from the decorations to the yummy treats and fun activities! Children love Halloween!

Thanks to everyone who's let me know about their parent/teacher conference time. If you have not yet replied, or if you need to change your time, please let me know as soon as possible.

As you may have noticed, we have been focusing on algebra in math the last couple of weeks (and will continue to do so for a while). This can be very challenging for students who are still very concrete thinkers. We will continue to practice and discuss strategies so that eventually everyone will be more comfortable. Algebra can be so much fun; I think it is really important not to let children get discouraged. The most important concepts in these units are: 1) what a variable is and how a variable can be used, and 2) how you can use what you know about inverse operations (addition/subtraction, multiplication/division) to help you solve equations. We will continue to work on these concepts throughout the year.

Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help with our upcoming field trips. If you are willing to help and still have not contacted our field trip coordinator, Pam Allan, or me, please do so as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT CORRECTION FROM LAST WEEK'S NEWSLETTER:
In the paragraph about reading and AR goals, I mentioned a monthly goal of 15 points. THAT IS INCORRECT, and I apologize for not catching it (Thanks, Mrs. Dalrymple, for calling it to my attention). The AR goal for each month, beginning with the month of October, is 10 points.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you read something that doesn't make sense or if you have any questions. Thanks!

Enjoy your Halloween weekend! Don't forget to turn back your clocks this weekend. Enjoy that extra hour!

Thank you to all the parents who came to help out for our afternoon of Native American activities--it is wonderful to have extra hands! Hopefully your child came home and told you about the games and activities he or she participated in. We spent time at the end of the day last Friday using our rhythm sticks. Your children are wonderful percussionists!

Don't forget to get your paperwork in if you are planning to be a driver for one of our upcoming field trips: Dec. 3 to the Larkspur Ferry (community service--decorating the ferry) and Dec. 8 to the Barboni Ranch (watershed restoration project). I have a few parents signed up to drive to the ferry, but only one confirmed for the restoration project on Dec. 8. Please let me know, or contact our field trip coordinator, Pam Allan.

I'm sending home parent-teacher conference notices today. Please return the bottom portion by Wed., Oct. 28. Please let me know if your conference time doesn't work for you and we'll work together to find a better time.

As part of our environments unit in science, we've been learning about pollination and seed dispersal. Ask your child to sing the songs about pollination and seeds! (They will probably need the song sheet.) Our goldfish and pond snails are still keeping us company. We'll be trying to work with brine shrimp next.

Math facts--addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Need I say more?

Students are required to read at least 120 minutes each week, outside of school hours. In addition, each month, starting this month, each student is expected to reach the goal of earning 15 AR points by reading AR books and taking the AR quiz for each AR book read (almost every book they read has an AR quiz). So far this month 25% of the class has already met or surpassed that goal. Students who are making good use of silent reading time in the classroom AND who are reading at least 120 minutes each week outside of class should be able to reach the monthly goal. The number of points each student has earned for the month is posted weekly in the classroom (by District number, to offer some anonymity), so students can keep track of how close or how far away they are from the goal. Please encourage your child to be reading!

Thanks for all you do to keep your child on track and moving forward! Have a great weekend.

Sorry about the lack of a posting last week (and having to send a paper copy of the newsletter to everyone) but I was experiencing computer problems. I think the issue is now solved.

I have several dates to share with you--along with requests for your help:

1. Thursday, Oct. 15: Native American Afternoon. We'll be studying Indians of California, starting Monday. On Thursday we'll have some hands-on activities related to our studies. We'll be creating with colored sand, playing Native American games (including lacrosse), making "birdies" (a Native American hacky-sack made from cornhusks), creating our own petroglyphs, eating some foods California Indians might have eaten, and more! I need parents to help supervise the activities. We will be doing the activities from after lunch (1:05) until 2:30 P.M. Please let me know if you can help!

2. Thursday, Dec. 3: We have the opportunity to decorate one of the Larkspur ferries for winter holidays. We need parent drivers to get us to the Larkspur ferry by about 10:00. We'll decorate the ferry (with the other 4th grade classes) and then board the 11:10 A.M. ferry for San Francisco. We'll go to SF and come back (we don't have the opportunity to get off in SF), and then head back to Rancho. We can only do this if we have parent drivers, so please let me know as soon as possible if you are available and interested!

3. MOST IMPORTANT DATE! Tuesday, Dec. 8: This is the date for our watershed restoration project. We will be working on a creek on the Barboni Ranch (it is located out by the Cheese Factory, on the road out to Marshall). We'll be working with Mrs. Dees' fifth grade class. It will be an all-day trip. I need at least 7 parents who are willing to drive and stay for the entire day, to help supervise a work group for the day. It is great fun (although it can be tiring)! Anyone interested is welcome to come, but we must have at least 7 parent drivers. Please let me know if this is something you are willing to help with. See me if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend!

The students and I appreciate the parents who came to help with the California map activity on Thursday. It was great to have extra hands and encouraging words. The maps look great! We still have to label them, which we will do next week. I feel confident that the students are very clear about the four major regions of California!

Don't forget: Rancho's Family Dinner is Oct. 2. See you there!

Reminder: each student is required to read at least 120 minutes a week, outside of the school day. Starting in October, the Accelerated Reader (AR) goal for each student is to earn at least 10 points. Good reading comprehension skills are crucial to a student's success in school. Please help your child by making sure that they are reading and understanding what they are reading. If you would like another copy of the handout from Back to School Night with specific suggestions about discussing books with your child, please let me know.

Great news--we now have access online to the student math book! This means that if you have access to the internet, you no longer need the DVD in order to have access to the entire student textbook through your computer. You must use our class username and password, however, to access the book online. Our username is rancho411, and the password is ranchomath. If you have the DVD, feel free to keep it until the end of the year or return it earlier, whatever works best for your family.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, contact me. Hope to see folks out at Stafford on Saturday, supporting the District! Have a great weekend!

Thanks to everyone helping with our Coastal Cleanup effort today. As we learn about the environment in our science unit, it helps to have those hands-on experiences in the real world to make the learning meaningful.

Reminder: Picture Day is Tuesday, Sept. 22. If you plan to buy pictures, please send the selection/payment envelope to school on Tuesday.

Second reminder: Wednesday, Sept. 23 is a minimum day. Dismissal is at 12:30 P.M. This is a special staff development day for teachers (looking at the new math adoption).

Classroom help needed: thanks to Carson's dad (who graciously agreed to cut the wood for us), students will be making their California maps in class on Thursday, Sept. 24, right after lunch (1:05-2:30). I would love to have 3-4 parents come help. Students will be gluing different kinds/colors of beans onto their maps to illustrate the 4 different regions of California. They will also label the major rivers, mountains, and cities. No geography expertise is needed, just the willingness to help keep things flowing. Please let me know if you can help.
*Anyone willing to help paint the 28 pieces of wood blue, before Thursday, please let me know.

Now that students have taken the AR leveling test, we have talked some in class about my expectations for them with regard to taking AR quizzes. Each student must take at least one AR quiz in September (most students have already taken several), just so they understand the process. Starting in October, the goal for each student is to earn 10 AR points each month. (They cannot earn 100 points in October and be finished with AR quizzes for the year.) This is possible for all students if they are doing all the reading outside of class that they are required to do (at least 120 minutes per week) and if they are making good use of silent reading time in the classroom. Student performance with AR quizzes is part of their reading comprehension grade. I will post their weekly point totals (by their District student number, so unless they share their that number with others, their point total will be for their information only), and send home a report after the end of each month.

In addition, it is my expectation that in order to have passed an AR quiz, they must score 80% or higher. Any points earned and awarded by AR (which awards a portion of the total possible points for some scores lower than 80%) will be honored. If you have any questions, please contact me. Although the school library is not yet open (We hope it will be soon though!), I have an extensive classroom library. In addition, the Novato Public Library is a great place to visit on a regular basis! If you aren't sure whether a book your child wants to read has an AR quiz or not, simply check at AR Book Finder. If you google it, it will pop up or, go to http://www.arbookfind.com.

Have a great weekend!

Correction to yesterday's newsletter: I was unable to print the individual results for the AR leveling test. As soon as I can, I will send those results home.

Our afternoon (1:30-2:30) of cleaning the Rancho campus and Arroyo Avichi Creek is only a week away (Friday, Sept. 18). I am still hoping to find 5-7 parents to help supervise groups. Please let me know if you can join us. Thanks!

Although we couldn't watch President Obama give his speech to students on Tuesday (something to do with the TV not being digital and how that affects what cable can deliver to my classroom), students did hear it. I had printed out the speech beforehand and read it to the students--not nearly as good as hearing the President himself deliver the speech! I think the students were able to understand and appreciate his message, and we used the speech as a springboard for writing goals for this trimester. We will continue to set goals throughout the school year.

We celebrated Admissions Day on Sept. 9, with "golden" orange slices served on blue napkins (California's colors are blue and gold--Go Cal!). Happy Birthday California! Your child can tell you the year California became the 31st state to join the Union. We also recognized Constitution Day on Thursday, marking the 222nd anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. We are very fortunate to live in this wonderful (although currently budget-challenged) state, and this amazing country!

Please send in your pink directory forms as soon as possible. Lots have come back already, so thank you! And, speaking of recent flyers, I hope everyone is planning to come to the Family Dinner on Oct. 2. It is a very fun evening! We have received a few contributions for our classroom basket, but need more. Any donations will be happily accepted.

We are marching along academically. Chapter 3 in the math book covers estimating--a very useful skill. The key concept for estimating is that it involves 2 steps: first, round the numbers and second, do the calculation. The answer to the calculation is the estimate. The goal is to understand the process, and to use the correct terminology in a mathematics context, understanding that rounding is not the same as estimating but a step in the process. It would be great to talk to your child about ways in which you use estimating in your daily life.

I will begin giving math facts timed tests next week, covering addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts (I'll add in division later). Each timed test will cover only one operation. The 3rd grade standard is that all students have mastered addition and subtraction facts, as well as multiplication facts to the 10s. In 4th grade, they are expected to master multiplication and division facts to the 12s.

Students took the Accelerated Reader leveling test this week, and the results for your child are in this week's Friday folder. Now that everyone has their baseline reading level, we'll talk in class about what the AR goals will be for each student for each month. This will be part of their reading comprehension grade. I'll give you more information after we have discussed it in class.

Mr. Ceresa has graciously volunteered to help with preparing the wood for our California maps. Thank you! Once the wood is ready, I'll schedule our "California Map Day." I'll need volunteers to help, as students glue on different colored beans to create a map showing the regions, major rivers, and largest cities of California.

Have a great weekend!

We are beginning to settle into our routines in class. I have, however, already changed one classroom policy. We will no longer be using bathroom passes. Instead of giving me a bathroom pass when a student needs to use the restroom, he/she will simply sign out on the list by the door. I think it was just too fun for some students to use them (2-4 times a day--clearly not working as they were only given 12 for the entire trimester). On a related note, some students seem to be having a very hard time remembering to get drinks and to use the restroom during recesses. My expectation is that no one should need to use the restroom within the first 20-30 minutes after a recess (several students have been going within 5-10 minutes). Please help your child understand that the best time to use the restroom is during recess. Students who leave during the first 20-30 minutes back after recess are typically missing key instructional time.

As I mentioned last week, the class will be participating in the Coastal Cleanup effort on Friday, Sept. 18, after lunch (1:30-2:30). If you can help by joining us that day (I'd love to have 5-7 parents), please let me know, either by sending me an email (sspry@nusd.org) or sending in a note. Thanks!

I have sent home the DVD-ROM of the math book to everyone who requested one. If you change your mind some time later in the year and decide that you would like one, just let me know. And, if you received one and find that you aren't using it, feel free to return it to me at any time.

Students took their first Accelerated Reader tests this week. The District is still in the process of setting a few things up, however, so students cannot yet take the leveling test. As soon as we can take it we will, and I will send home the results. At this point I am not asking students to focus their efforts on any particular kind of book or any specific reading level, but each student should be taking AR tests regularly on the books they are reading independently. (Remember, at least 120 minutes each week at home!)

Students will take the chapter 2 math test next week. They took their first "official" math quiz (the first one that counts for a grade) today, as well as the first language quiz. We finished Stone Fox, and they did a wonderful job of writing their own next chapter. We read the first story in the reading textbook and worked on writing a summary. We have also been using quick writes in their writing journals to focus on descriptive writing. We are continuing to work on latitude (the lines run east to west but measure distance north or south of the equator) and longitude (the lines run north to south but measure distance east or west of the prime meridian). We'll continue to work on general geography concepts and then turn our focus to California. As part of our science unit, students will begin setting up classroom terrariums next week.

Parents with table saws: I'm hoping to find a parent willing to cut up thin plywood into smaller pieces that students can use to create maps of California. I will pay for the plywood with my classroom funds, and give you the dimensions I need. If you are willing to help, please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

It was great to see so many parents at Back to School Night. Thank you for coming. Parents are a big part of what makes Rancho a successful school, and I welcome your interest, involvement, and suggestions. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year.

You will find a form in this week's Friday folder concerning the newsletter (online or paper copy). Please return the completed form by Thursday, Sept. 3. You will also find a form for the Houghton Mifflin eMathBook. If you would like to have the math book on DVD-ROM, please return the signed form and I will send the DVD home with your child.

As noted in the Back to School packet, the class will take walking field trips periodically to the creek behind Rancho--to help clean up the creek and to make observations or participate in activities related to the fourth grade science standards. You will find a field trip permission form in this week's Friday folder covering these periodic walking trips. The one field trip permission form will cover the entire year. I will let parents know when we plan to visit the creek throughout the year. You are always welcome to join us on these short treks.

As I mentioned last night, students will be participating in the California Coastal Cleanup effort on Friday, September 18. Students spend about an hour at the end of the day (1:30-2:30 P.M.) cleaning the creek behind Rancho (Arroyo Avichi Creek) and the school campus. Students will document what they find, estimate the weight of the collected trash, and brainstorm ways to keep the environment clean. Students will work with partners (makes documentation easier). I would love to have at least 5 parents join us so that I can break the class into small groups. Please let me know if you can help out. Check out http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/coastweeks/coastweeks.html for a list of special activities throughout the state related to exploring California's coastal resources.

Thank you for returning the parent survey form. Feel free to send it back in the Friday folder on Monday or whenever you complete it. Thanks also for completing and returning the classroom volunteer form. If you are interested in driving for any of the class field trips, please plan to complete and return the District driver authorization forms as soon as possible. It can take up to 2 weeks for the forms to be processed. (You can find the forms online by going to http://do.nusd.org, click on "About NUSD" and then click on "District forms" to find the driver authorization form.)

We have been focused on place value, to the hundred millions place, in math. Students will have their first math test, on the first chapter, next week. They will take a practice test the day before, which they will then be able to take home to help them study for the test. We will begin daily language practice next week (grammar, useage, conventions). Students will take a related test about every 2 weeks based on the daily practice work. In addition, we have begun our study of geography. Ask your child to explain how latitude and longitude are essential to finding the absolute (exact) location of anywhere on Earth. We will finish reading Stone Fox next week, and begin using our reading textbook. Also, we will begin our study of the environment (the first of 3 FOSS science units for 4th grade) next week.

Again, I thank you for all you do for your child and for our school. I look forward to a productive year for all students. Have a great weekend!

Welcome!

Dear Room 11 Families,
Welcome to 4th grade! I hope everyone had a great summer break and is feeling rejuvenated. While it is hard to believe (even for me!), it is once again time to reestablish school routines. It will be a great year--focusing on writing and learning about the great state of California, in addition to the usual math, reading, science, music (learning to play the recorder), and P.E. (2-45 minute P.E. periods each week). We will also participate in a watershed restoration project and, hopefully, raise some trout in the classroom. I look forward to meeting everyone on August 20th!

Useful items you may want to purchase for the school year:

• pencils--you'll need 2 #2 sharpened pencils for your own use each day. Consider getting a mechanical pencil. I recommend a .9mm lead pencil if you press down hard when you write or a .7mm lead pencil if you don't.
• individual pencil sharpener--please do not get a battery-operated sharpener.
• erasers
• glue stick
• markers (there will be markers to share available in class)
• small pencil box
• binder with dividers--a great way to stay organized!

Items I recommend you have available for your use at home:

• wide-ruled binder paper
• pencils, erasers, colored pencils/crayons/markers
• 12" ruler, with both metric and standard measurement scales
• protractor and compass
• dictionary, atlas, and thesaurus
• library card--visit the Novato Public Library regularly!

In an effort to reduce the use of paper, I provide my newsletters online here, at http://rancho4-11.blogspot.com. Once the school year begins, it will also be available by going to the Rancho website, going to the staff directory, and clicking on my name.

Here's to a wonderful year of discovery and learning!