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5th Grade Team
 

Hello and welcome back to school! I hope you had an incredible Summer filled with fun and adventures. My name is Mrs. Schiff, and I am delighted to write to you as your child’s Math, Science, and Social Studies teacher. We're going to learn, explore, and grow together in our wonderful classroom.

 

A little about myself: I have been married for 23 years and have lived in Libertyville for 25 years. I have four children: Amanda, who has been married for almost three years now; Olivia, a Junior at Indiana University Kelley School of Business; Ty, a Freshman at Arizona State University; and Audrina, who is in 6th grade here at SJCS.

 

Throughout my 14 years at St. Joseph Catholic School, I have been furthering my education. I earned my Education degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2019. Last year, I assumed the role of 5th - 8th grade Middle School Resource Teacher and worked with students who hold ISP’s and 504 plans. I am currently working towards earning my Special Education credential as well.

 

As this new school year starts, I will work closely with each student to ensure their success. During my time as the 5-8 Resource Teacher, I gained a strong understanding of the Middle School Math, Science, and Social Studies curriculum. I will continue to work closely with these teachers to ensure the 5th graders are prepared for 6th grade.

 

I am grateful for your trust and support as their teacher. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

 

Many Blessings!

 

Also, I have created a new Amazon wish list of items that will help grow our library of knowledge, improve my new way of teaching math, and ensure that each student continues to grow and learn in many different ways. We will also be learning study skills, and I need supplies from my wish list to make this happen as well. Any donation is greatly appreciated. The link is here or under the Amazon tab on the side. Thank you!

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share

 

 

Posts

Monday, September 15, 2025 Homework

Math- pgs 85 & 86 and extra reteach worksheet if not finished in class (Today we learned about prime factorization. We took composite numbers and broke them down to prime number factors. Example: 36 = 18 x 2 = 9 x 2 x 2 = 3 x 3 x 2 x 2...so the prime factorization for the number 36 is 2 x 2 x 3 x 3)
 
Science - only for Bubis homeroom - read pgs 29 - 33 in the book and answer all the questions if not finished in class (I only had Miss Bubis' class for Science today, and then my class will learn this same lesson tomorrow. Today, we learned about mixtures and solutions... Example: a mixture is like a fruit salad that can be picked apart and separated again...a solution is when you dissolve something into a liquid and cannot separate it again with a strainer or something.)
 
Social Studies-  Iroquois, Cheyenne and Pocahontas packet and answer all the questions if not finished in class AND weekly D.O.G. is due by Friday  (Today we continued our journey with Native Americans and learned about a few different tribes. Questions to ask: What river is in the area where the Iroquoian languages were spoken?... It was the Hudson River. The Cheyenne tribe calls themselves the Tsitsistas. What does this translate to?... It stands for "the people".  Who was Pocahontas the daughter of?... Pocahontas was the daughter of the powerful Algonquian chief Powhatan.)

 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

  • We will have our first field trip to The Grove in Glenview on Wednesday, November 5th. We will see LongHouses from the Native Americans and talk about Pioneers—all lessons we will have finished learning by then. Permission forms will come home sometime in October, and Room moms will be asking for volunteers soon, too. I can't wait for this extra enrichment for the students.
 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

9/15/25 to 9/19/25 Week at a Glance

Math : Chapter 2 - Multiply Whole Numbers (one lesson per day)

  • Lesson 1 - Prime Factorization (Learning objective: We will find the prime factorization of numbers)
  • Lesson 2 - Prime Factorization Numbers (Learning objective: We will explore patterns in the prime factorization of numbers)
  • Lesson 3- Powers and Exponents (Learning objective: We will use powers and exponents in expressions)
  • Lesson 4 - Multiplication Patterns (Learning objective: We will use basic math facts and patterns to multiply multiples of 10, 100, and 1,000 mentally)
  • We will also do an in-class Check My Progress worksheet to see how everyone is doing thus far on the lessons taught

Science: Chapter 1 on the Properties of Matter (one lesson per week)

  • We ask ourselves, What are mixtures and solutions? 
    • What are the properties of matter?
  • Learning Objective:
    • Students will investigate the properties of solutions and will provide evidence for whether mixtures can be separated based on the properties of their parts.
  • Important vocabulary words for the week: mixture, solubility, and solution
  • We will be doing a Mixture & Solution packet as well this week
  • Thursday, we have our weekly Words to Know Quiz…they are allowed to use their books every week on these quizzes
  • Friday is the Rosary Launch/Spirit Run, so we are just going to a fun Riddles packet to end the week with some fun

Social Studies: Lesson 1 - Native Americans and their land

  • On Monday, we will do a packet on the Iroquois, Cheyenne, and Pocahontas tribes
  • On Tuesday, we will do a packet on Native American Myths, Customs, and Traditions
  • On Wednesday, we will do a Native American Movement packet
  • Learning Objective on Native Americans:
    • Students will be able to identify the diverse cultures and geographic locations of various Native American tribes, comparing and contrasting their unique traditions, social structures, and relationships with the land while understanding the historical impact of colonization on their communities
  • On Thursday, we will look at our weekly Scholastic News magazine and discuss it as a whole group, and then in table groups
  • On Friday, we will work on a packet explaining what Social Studies is, if time allows us to do so due to the Rosary Launch/ Spirit Run
  • Weekly D.O.G. (Daily Oral Geography) will be passed out on Monday as well - due on Friday

*Please note that The Week at a Glance is very broad. Please check my nightly Edlio posts to read about what we specifically did in class that day.*

Friday, September 12, 2025 Homework

Math- None (They worked so hard on iReady Math yesterday, that today I allowed math games to be played for a brain break. We will start Chapter 2 math fresh on Monday.)
 
Science - None (Today, we read an article about whether smart device apps are free. This was very eye-opening to the students, as many thought they were and missed many of the tricks they sell you on these fun app games. As parents, I'm sure we are all aware of these "free games." Then, they answered questions based on the article.)
 
Social Studies-  None (Today, we read about the Patriot Act, which was established after the attacks on 9/11/01. Ask your child to tell you some fun facts about this packet.)

 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

  • We will have our first field trip to The Grove in Glenview on Wednesday, November 5th. We will see LongHouses from the Native Americans and talk about Pioneers—all lessons we will have finished learning by then. Permission forms will come home sometime in October, and Room moms will be asking for volunteers soon, too. I can't wait for this extra enrichment for the students.
 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Thursday, September 11, 2025 Homework

Math- None (We started iReady Math testing today. We will discuss all results at parent-teacher conferences in October.)
 
Science - None (We are ahead in Science, so we also continued Math iReady testing during this period.)
 
Social Studies-  D.O.G. is due by Friday. (Today, we continued to work iReady Math in all subjects, but tomorrow we will read about the Patriot Act, which was established after the attacks of 9/11/01.)

 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Wednesday, September 10, 2025 Homework

ALL students need headphones/earbuds for school. So many are missing them and we use them almost daily. We also start iReady on Thursday and they need their headphones/earbuds for this assessment. Thank you!
 
Math- None (Today, we took our first Math test. The students did a great job! There is no homework for tonight. We will start the iReady Math diagnostic tomorrow, so please ensure a good night's sleep and a great breakfast.)
 
Science - None (Today we did our weekly lesson 3 check quiz...students are allowed to use their books, and I let them know the pages to use)
 
Social Studies- None, but weekly D.O.G. is due by Friday. (Today, we honored and respected September 11th by learning about it with an age-appropriate packet. Ask your child to tell you some fun facts they learned today.)

 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 Homework

ALL students need headphones/earbuds for school. So many are missing them and we use them almost daily. We also start iReady on Thursday and they need their headphones/earbuds for this assessment. Thank you!
 
The food pantry collection is this Wednesday, September 10th. The 5th grade is in charge of donating Hamburger Helper, but any donation is much appreciated. I really appreciate any help you can provide. 
 
Math-Practice Test 1A worksheet only (Today, we worked on the practice test together in class, and then they received another practice test as homework. They will have done the practice test at least three times before the actual test. The Math test is TOMORROW! They will be overly prepared.)
 
Science - only for Schiff homeroom - read pgs 23 - 27 in the book and answer all the questions if not finished in class (I only had Miss Bubis's class for Science today, and then my class will be tomorrow for this same lesson. Today we learned about the states of Matter again...liquid, gas, and solid... Example: Is butter a solid? Yes. What is butter after being placed in the microwave?...it goes from solid to liquid.)
 
Social Studies -  Native Americans in Different Regions packet and answer all the questions if not finished in class. Weekly D.O.G. is due by Friday  (Today, we worked on a packet called Native Americans in Different Regions. We started talking about this last week in our textbooks, but we will dive deeper into each region starting next week. Today's lesson was an overall region packet.)

 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Monday, September 8, 2025 Homework

ALL students need headphones/earbuds for school. So many are missing them and we use them almost daily. We also start iReady on Thursday and they need their headphones/earbuds for this assessment. Thank you!
 
The food pantry collection is this Wednesday, September 10th. The 5th grade is in charge of donating Hamburger Helper, but any donation is much appreciated. I really appreciate any help you can provide. 
 
Math-Practice Test 1A worksheet only (Today, we worked on two review pages in class, and then they received a practice test as homework. The test will be on Wednesday. We will do the practice test at least three times before the actual test. The Math test is on Wednesday! They will be overly prepared.)
 
Science - only for Bubis homeroom - read pgs 23 - 27 in the book and answer all the questions if not finished in class (I only had Miss Bubis's class for Science today, and then my class will be tomorrow for this same lesson. Today we learned about the states of Matter again...liquid, gas, and solid... Example: Is butter a solid? Yes. What is butter after being placed in the microwave?...it goes from solid to liquid.)
 
Social Studies - MesoAmerica packet and answer all the questions if not finished in class, and weekly D.O.G. is due by Friday  (Today, we worked on a packet on MesoAmerica. Here are some questions to ask...Where is Mesoamerica located?... It stretches from present-day Mexico to Central America.  What products are indigenous to Mesoamerica?... Avocados and Cocoa Powder to make chocolate are indigenous to MesoAmerica.)

 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

September 8 to September 12, 2025 Week at a Glance

Math: Chapter 1 - Place Value (one lesson per day)
  • On Monday, we will do review pages in the classroom and our first practice test
  • On Tuesday, we will do a second practice test together in the classroom and third will be given for homework
  • On Wednesday, we will have our first Chapter 1 Math Test,  but by now, they will have done the practice three times to be ready
  • On Thursday, we will start iReady Math, and it will most likely continue into Friday...please have headphones/earbuds and get some good sleep the night before

Science: Chapter 1 on the Properties of Matter (one lesson per week)

    • We ask ourselves, What are solids, liquids, and gasses? (we started a little of this last week in preparation)
      • What are the properties of matter?
  • Learning Objectives:
        • Students will observe and measure properties of states of matter and will identify phase changes.
  • Important vocabulary words for the week: gas, solid, and liquid
  • We will be doing a few different packets on Matter as well this week
  • Thursday, we have our weekly Words to Know Quiz…they are allowed to use their books every week on these quizzes
  • Friday, we will have a BrainPop assigned on Matter to watch and answer questions about the video

Social Studies: Lesson 1 - Native Americans and their land & September 11th history

  • On Monday,  we will focus on Mesoamerica with packets as an extension of learning on Native Americans
  • On Tuesday, we will focus on the Native Americans and their land with packets as an extension of learning about Native Americans
  • On Wednesday, they will do a packet about September 11th
  • On Thursday, we will read about the Patriotic Act and work on a packet on it
  • On Friday, they will watch a BrainPop video on September 11th that I assigned and answer the quiz questions that go with the video
  • Weekly D.O.G. (Daily Oral Geography) will be passed out on Monday as well - due on Friday

*Please note that The Week at a Glance is very broad. Please check my nightly Edlio posts to read about what we specifically did in class that day.*

Friday, September 5, 2025 Homework

ALL students need headphones/earbuds for school. So many are missing them and we use them almost daily. We also start iReady next week and they need their headphones/earbuds for that testing. Thank you!
 
Math- None (Today, they worked on a packet putting decimals from greatest to least or least to greatest. This was a great extension lesson on what we learned this week, and they turned in whatever they finished... no homework for the weekend.)
 
Science - None (Today, we did our lesson 2 quiz. They are allowed to use their books, and I gave them the four pages they needed to look at to find their answers.) 
 
Social Studies - None  (Today, we did a packet of First Native Americans, Native American Terms, and Native American Customs in class. Ask your child to tell you a remarkable fact they learned from this packet.)
 

Looking Ahead

  • Picture Day is September 8th. All students took a flyer home today, allowing you to pick a package and pay online before Monday. Students can wear anything they like that is school-appropriate; it does not need to be a school uniform. 

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Thursday, September 4, 2025 Homework

ALL students need headphones/earbuds for school. So many are missing them and we use them almost daily. We also start iReady next week and they need their headphones/earbuds for that testing. Thank you!
 
Math- None (Today, I assigned a few IXL lessons that retaught what we had been learning from last week and the past couple of days. All students had to reach 100% to move on to the next lesson I provided.)
 
Science—States of Matter packet, if not finished in class (Today, we did a packet going deeper into the States of Matter and providing examples of liquid, solid, and gas.)
 
Social Studies - read pgs 58 - 68 in the textbook and answer all the questions, if not finished in class (Today, we continued our learning of Native Americans and their lands/regions. We read about the Southwest region, Plateau region, Great Plains region, Eastern Woodlands, and Southeast region AND why they were chosen as areas to live in by the Native Americans. For example, the Algonquins lived in the Eastern Woodlands. They used the trees to build their homes, called wigwams. They hunted for deer and used the deer hides for clothing. They kept warm by wearing capes made of turkey feathers.)
 

Looking Ahead

  • Picture Day is September 8th. All students took a flyer home today, allowing you to pick a package and pay online before Monday. Students can wear anything they like that is school-appropriate; it does not need to be a school uniform. 

  • Curriculum Night is for parents only on September 18th @ 6 p.m. - I can't wait to show you all the fantastic things we will be doing in Math, Social Studies, and Science this year in 5th grade! 

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Wednesday, September 3, 2025 Homework

Math- Comparing Decimals packet, if not finished in class (Today, we extended our practice of greater than, less than, or equal to with decimals...examples: 3.42 = 3.420 or 59.6 > 5.96z.)
 
Science-  Changes & Conservation packet, if not finished in class (Ms. Bubis's class read what we did yesterday, learning how Matter can be described...by color, mass, volume, etc... Example: What are two physical properties of the textbook we use?... It's rectangular, with a smooth cover, many different colors, etc... BOTH classrooms received a Changes and Conservation in Matter packet that they also worked on in groups as an extension lesson on Matter.)
 
Social Studies - read pgs 48 - 57 in the book and answer all the questions, if not finished in class (Today we continued our learning of Native Americans and their lands/regions. We read about the Northwest Coast regions and the California-Intermountain region, and why they were chosen as areas to live in by the Native Americans. For example, the Pomos tribe lived in the California-Intermountain Region and made beads from seashells they found. They put beads on cords and made necklaces. They also made baskets from grasses and bark from trees nearby. )
 

Looking Ahead

  • Picture Day is September 8th. Students can wear anything they like that is school-appropriate; it does not need to be a school uniform. 

  • Curriculum Night is September 18th @ 6 p.m.

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Homework

Math- pgs 47 & 48 and 53 & 54 from the textbook (Today, we focused on place value, meaning when given a number. We also focused on place value, which means when given a bigger number. Example: we worked on decimals with whole numbers today...3.527. We wrote them in standard form and word form. The word "and" represents a decimal when writing. We also wrote decimals in expanded 45.324 = 40 x 1 + 5 x 1 + (3 x 1/10) + (2 x 1/100) + (4 x 1/1000). We also learned greater than, less than, or equal to with decimals...examples: 3.42 = 3.420 or 59.6 > 5.96z.)
 
Science- Schiff ONLY - None (I only had my class for Science today, and then Miss Bubis' class will be tomorrow for this same lesson. Today we learned how Matter can be described...by color, mass, volume, etc... Example: What are two physical properties of the textbook we use?... It's rectangular, with a smooth cover, many different colors, etc...)
 
Social Studies - Native American Sioux packet if not finished in class (Today, we continued our learning of Native Americans and their lands/regions with a fabulous packet of text and questions.)
 

Looking Ahead

  • Picture Day is September 8th. Students can wear anything they like that is school-appropriate; it does not need to be a school uniform. 

  • Curriculum Night is September 18th @ 6 p.m.

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

9/2/25 to 9/5/25 Week at a Glance

Math : Chapter 1 - Place Value (one lesson per day) 

  • Chapter 1, Lesson 5 - Understand Place Value (learning objective: Understand place value in decimal numbers. We’ll use whiteboards and charts to help us.)
  • Chapter 1, Lesson 6 - Place Value through Thousandths  (learning objective: Read and write decimals in standard, expanded, and word forms.)
  • Assigned IXL’s - S8H, AET, and YUX
  • Math Review packet on decimals

Science: Chapter 1 on the Properties of Matter (one lesson per week)

  • We ask ourselves, What are the properties of matter?
  • Learning Objective - 
    • Students will use their basic properties to compare and contrast solids, liquids, and gasses.
  • Important vocabulary words for the week: mass, temperature, and volume
  • We will be doing a few different packets on Matter as well this week
  • Friday, we have our weekly Words to Know Quiz…they are allowed to use their books every week on these quizzes

Social Studies:

Lesson 2  - Native Americans and Their Land

  • Answer the essential question: How did Native Americans adapt to different environments in North America?
  • Learning Objective -
    • Trace the migration routes of Native Americans in North America
    • Summarize key features of the four environments
    • Identify ways in which the Inuits adapted to their Arctic environments

Lesson 3 - Native American Cultural Regions

  • Answer the essential question: How and why did Native American cultural regions differ?
  • Learning Objective -
    • Identify, compare, and contrast seven Native American cultural regions.
    • Analyze artifacts to identify which ones Native Americans may have used as they adapted to each region
  1. We will work on a couple of different Native American packets this week to extend our learning

*Please note that The Week at a Glance is very broad. Please check my nightly Edlio posts to read about what we specifically did in class that day.*

Friday, August 29, 2025 Homework

Math- None (We are ahead in Math pacing, so I gave each student a Scholastic News magazine. I am incorporating it into my weekly lessons for Social Studies and occasionally Science. This week, the article was called "A Helping Hand". It was a fascinating read with questions and activities that went along with it.)
 
Science- None (Today, we did our first open-book quiz, a Quiz on Lesson 1)
 
Social Studies - None (Today, we finished reading about the Native Americans and their land in our textbooks. Then we had a little fun with a Textbook Scavenger Hunt to get to know our books. This was not easy for them, but they tried and worked hard. They had to look up publishers, copyrights, specific definitions in the glossary, how many lessons each unit has, etc...)
 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is September 18th @ 6 p.m.

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!

Thursday, August 28, 2025 Homework

Math - None (Today, we reviewed lessons 1 - 4 with a Check My Progress in the textbook and an extra worksheet. They are all working so hard, and I love it!)
 
Science - Phases of Matter packet and answer all the questions if not finished in class (We went over the phases of Matter. They had to read the packet and answer some comprehension questions. Some questions to ask - How are the particles of a solid arranged?...They are tightly packed. What happens to a gas as it loses heat energy?...It becomes a liquid.)
 
Social Studies - read pages 32 - 41 (skip page 36) in the textbook and answer all the questions if not finished in class, and weekly D.O.G. is due by Friday  (Today, we started to read about Native Americans and their lands. I asked them to pay attention to the different tribes and how different their traditions are from each other. They also focused on Native Americans and the Environment around them....grasslands, mountains, deserts, and arctic ice fields.)
 

Looking Ahead

  • Curriculum Night is September 18th @ 6 p.m.

  • Rosary Launch and Spirit Run is September 19th

 
If anyone would like to donate wish list items to our classroom, please use this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RS691H76HBK0?ref_=wl_share
Thank you all so much in advance for your continued support. It truly makes a difference in our school community!