​When you learn a new skill, how do you know that you have become an expert? For the students in Ms. Nirschel's 4th-grade class, the answer is easy: "when you can teach it to someone else."

In 4th-grade, solving division problems is one of the exciting new math skills that students learn and master over the course of the year. Not only have the students in class been practicing the skill of computing long division problems, but many of her students are now experts in solving long division problems. They have moved beyond knowing how to independently solve a problem to be able to teach someone else how to solve a problem.

Last week, several experts taught their friends how to solve a problem. Equipped with a pencil, paper, and a lollipop (for some excitement), the students demonstrated that are ready to call themselves long-division experts.

​During Lent 2020, we shut down, and our students were no longer able to participate in Mass in the Church. In order to remain connected to the Mass, we offered a live-streamed Mass all last spring. This school year, we celebrated our weekly Mass in Mr. Krautscheid's classroom, and our students were able to live-stream the Mass and receive Jesus in the Eucharist too.

Last Friday, we were able to begin our Easter season with Mass in the Church! While we cannot fit the entire student body in the Church, we were able to bring 3 grades to Mass. Grades 4, 6, and 7 participated in the joyous celebration. Over the coming weeks, all our students will be able to celebrate Mass in the Church.

We continue to follow all our mitigation protocols because safety is critical, but my heart was bursting with joy to see our children in the pews. Alleluia!

Last month, our 5th-grade students culminated their research and persuasion unit on whether or not humans should eat bugs, a practice called entomophagy.

As part of their research, the students learned about the benefits and dangers of eating bugs by watching videos, reading articles, and participating in class discussions. The students learned that bugs were high in protein and good for the environment because of the way they are raised compared to other protein sources like beef. They also learned that people have eaten bugs for thousands of years. On the other side of the argument, the students discovered that some bugs could make people sick. Some students also recounted that "bugs had lives too!"

Students were ultimately asked to write an essay defending whether or not people should eat bugs.

Regarding the debate for whether or not bugs tasted good, Mrs. Tucker provided the students with the opportunity to try crickets. If students wanted to try crickets, they could try crickets Tuesday morning. Mrs. Tucker provided "original" flavored crickets as well as spicy and ranch-flavored crickets to taste. Many of the students tried the crickets, and a few students even stated that they "needed to re-write their essay because bugs were good!"

If you would like to know whether you should try a bug, I highly recommend speaking with a 5th grader