9/16/2022
​Hello Parents of a student in Mr. Zgonc’s Math class!
I have some information I wanted to pass along…looking back at this week I wanted to thank all that attended our curriculum night at Manatee.  We also completed our 1st session of FAST testing this week.  Here are some notes about both and other math items:

• Please check your child’s FOCUS regularly.  I put all Homework and Assessments into FOCUS the day they are due/taken.  Homework grades DO NOT count toward final report card grade.  They do have a place in the conduct area.
• Every missing homework gets a zero.  Once they make it up, they get partial credit.  They have until the end of the nine weeks to make them up.  PLEASE check the footnotes next to any zeros.  If it says ‘make up needed’ it was because they were absent, and they will receive a 100% if made up.  If it says, ‘not turned in’, they get partial credit.
• My website www.zgoncmath.com was talked about at curriculum night, but I wanted to highlight a few items. 
  • There is a section called “today’s game plan” that lists everything we did that day.  If you child is absent, please go there to see what we did.  This is also where I post the dates of any upcoming assessments.
  • There is a section called “notes” where I post all the notes we take.
  • There is a section called “lesson math videos”, this is great for reviewing any of the lessons.  It literally is a ~7-minute reteaching of the math lesson.  This is great for anyone that is absent from school that day!
  • There is a section called “homework” where I post all homework.
• FAST testing…first off this is all new to us☹.  From the little information that we were given, I can tell you that this first Math FAST test contained 36 items.  Those items were made up of questions they will know at the completion of 6th grade!  SO…although I have already told them this, please reassure your kids that by the time we take the May FAST (which will be the near identical test they took today), everything will be taught and mastered by them!
• We do take another FAST in January, which at that point, the students will have seen 70% of what is being tested.
• One skill that is vital to your child’s success this year is knowing their multiplication and division facts accurately and quickly.  Unfortunately, this year when I offered multiplication charts for the kids, I had to make extra copies there were so many that needed them!  So, to that point, I wanted to share a teaching aide that I used years ago with my own kids and students as well… it really seems to be a great way to learn them.  They are triangular flashcards that teach both division and multiplication.  Here is a link to them on Amazon, but I suppose you could make your own or find them somewhere else.  I once had about 20 of these sets’ years ago, but loaned them all out and am down to just one. https://www.amazon.com/Multiplication-Division-Three-Corner%C2%AE-Flash-Cards/dp/B0006HXTYG/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2SDWI8UKIIIAG&keywords=tar+Right+Math+Flash+Cards+triangle&qid=1663340160&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=tar+right+math+flash+cards+triangle%2Ctoys-and-games%2C68&sr=1-5

 
Thanks for absorbing all this information…if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.  Have a great weekend…mine already started on a high note with KC Chiefs victory!
Mr. Zgonc 

Upcoming Important Dates:
October 5th  Walk to school day!
October 7th  End of 1st nine weeks
October 10th  Student Holiday!
​October 14th  Fun Fall Festival
Science Fair Boards-grades 4-6
Science Fair is required for grades 4-6 this year and we will be selling the boards in the front office. The boards will also sold during your curriculum nights for $5 each, cash only.  
 
November 21 thru 25  Thanksgiving Break

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