October 2026

October 2026

Important dates: 

October 9 - No school 

October 12 - No school 

December 16 - Annual play performance 

Building Character Together at Pinnacle Prep 

 Our classroom culture is built on respect, responsibility, and community, where students feel safe taking risks, asking questions, and growing. 

Two school-wide mantras guide us: 

1.  Self-Growth & Daily Character: "Every choice I make shapes who I become. I choose respect, self-control, and kindness so that everyone can learn and grow." 

2. Community & Impact: "My words and actions matter to our whole room. I choose responsibility and respect to make our classroom a great place to learn." Each day, students live out our core values of family, service, and discipline through collaborative learning, service projects with real-world impact, structured routines, and positive reinforcement that celebrates effort and growth. 

 At home: Ask your child which mantra they're focusing on and how they helped someone learn this week. Thank you for partnering with us! 

  Mrs. Hill’s October Newsletter👻🎃🍁 

 Shooting Stars💫: My younger Stars have been practicing writing their name using proper letter formation and learning the letters and sounds of the alphabet. They have begun working on CVC words and how to stretch each sound into the next one until the word matches each picture. My veteran Stars continue to read passages fluently and answer questions that boost their comprehension. They are writing beautiful sentences and have really expanded their vocabulary! We are enjoying exploring various literacy work stations, as well...Remember to practice your sight words and sign off on Reading/Sight Word Logs at home Mondays-Thursdays... I’m so proud of their excellent effort! 👍 

Nebulas🌠 The Nebulas are doing an amazing job on our first novel study, "The Cricket in Times Square" by George Seldon. Please be sure to look through their binders to see how your child is progressing! Students are required to complete 2 pages of daily grammar practice in their Abeka books. We are already on our third unit of the Sadlier Vocabulary program! Book work is expected to be completed and turned in on Thursdays, and they will be assessed with a quiz on Friday (Spelling will be addressed here). Each student is updating their planner daily so they know what needs to be completed to be prepared for the following day’s lessons. I’m so proud of the lovely way the Nebulas have settled in, and their effort and hard work show! 📚 

 Comets ☄️ We are already halfway through our first novel study, "The Giver," by Lois Lowry! Meaningful Writing assignments are included with the novel, and they are also addressed in their daily grammar practice in their Abeka books. Please be sure to look through their binders to see how your child is progressing! The Sadlier Vocabulary program is going well, with book work due on Thursdays and quizzes on Fridays (parts of speech/spelling/correct word tense are expected). Each student is updating their planner daily so they know what needs to be completed to be prepared for the following day’s lessons. I am very proud of the strong work ethic that the Comets have shown so far—keep up the excellent work! 🤩 

 Supernovas💥 My Supernovas are already halfway through our first novel study, "Tuck Everlasting," by Natalie Babbitt. Students have begun working in “The Skilled Reader” on a daily basis. We have finished the third unit of the Sadlier Vocabulary program... Book work is due on Thursdays, and they will still have quizzes on Fridays (parts of speech, spelling, and using the correct word tense will be part of their grade). Each student is expected to update their planner daily, so they know what needs to be completed to be prepared for the following day’s lessons. Please be sure to look through their binders to see how your child is progressing! The Supernovas have impressed me so far with their positive attitude and attention to detail! 😊 

  News from the Science Lab: September 

 In Ms. Elizabeth’s science class, the Shooting Stars have been working on learning about organs in their bodies and what they do. Students have also learned more about what plants and animals need to live, and science tools like microscopes and scales. The Shooting Stars are doing great at drawing pictures of what we discuss and read about in class. Their tracing and handwriting are always improving as we continue practicing writing. 

 Our Nebulas are learning about plant and animal adaptations and biomes. Students are learning how organisms interact with their environments and other plants and animals around them. The Nebulas have enjoyed learning about carnivorous plants like Venus flytraps and their fun abilities to catch insects. Students have also learned more about physical defense mechanisms like claws and spines, chemical defenses like acid sprayed by some ants, and unique ways that plants prevent water loss like a waxy cuticle. 

 The Comets have learned how to read and construct their own dichotomous keys using different animals and plants. This skill has been helpful in their understanding of classifying organisms and identifying unique characteristics across multiple things. The Comets have also completed a plant dissection lab, where they were able to identify specific plant parts such as the corolla (petals), carpels (female parts containing developing seeds), and stamens (male parts containing pollen). 

 The Supernovas have become more comfortable talking about chemical reactions. Students also participated in a slime lab where they visualized how simple glue polymers can be combined with borax solution to display a net-like complex polymer forming. Students also better understand how some synthesized alloys or polymers can withstand different harsh situations like high temperatures, radiation, or pressure. The Supernovas are also beginning their dive into energy and physics. 

Ms. Jaya 

The Shooting Stars: The Shooting Stars successfully completed a unit on Place Value, learning how each digit in a number has its own place and value. They practiced writing numbers in standard, expanded, and word form and learned to round numbers. Next, students will begin a unit on Time and Money, where they will learn to identify parts of a clock, read and write time using analog and digital clocks to the nearest 5 minutes, match analog and digital clocks, and connect daily routines with A.M. and P.M. Some of our Shooting Stars will continue practicing writing and counting numbers as they build a strong foundation in math. We will also continue practicing addition and subtraction facts to build fluency and confidence. 

Nebulas: The Nebulas completed a unit on Place Value up to the Billions. They practiced writing numbers in standard, expanded, and word form, and comparing and ordering larger numbers. Students also learned about different coins and bills, practiced making change, compared and rounded amounts, and strengthened their problem-solving skills through estimation and addition and subtraction. Students are now working on a unit on Multiplication and Division, where they will practice multiplying and dividing larger numbers and estimating their answers. They will also continue practicing their math facts to build fluency, accuracy, and confidence. 

Comets: The Comets completed a unit on Decimal Place Value, Exponents, Decimal Operations, Expressions and Equations, and Problem-Solving. They also practiced multiplying and dividing decimals, solving problems using exponents and scientific notation, and applying PEMDAS to evaluate expressions. Next, students will begin a unit on Number Theory and Fractions, where they will explore prime and composite numbers, find the greatest common factor (GCF), and determine the least common denominator (LCD). Some students will also begin a unit on Integers, where they will learn to compare and order integers and practice adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers. 

SuperNovas: The Supernovas worked on Expressions and Equations, exploring order of operations, equations and inequalities, and operations with equations. They are now beginning a unit on Integers, where they will focus on comparing and ordering integers and practicing addition and subtraction with integers. Some Supernovas learned to simplify variable expressions and equations and solve equations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Students will now begin working on Multi-Step Equations and Inequalities, where they will practice solving two-step equations and inequalities, combining like terms, working with parentheses, and solving equations and inequalities with variables on both sides. 

Mrs. Willfong 

Supernovas We kicked off the school year diving into Texas geography and foundational map skills, learning how to read keys and navigate our home state's distinct regions. Our next unit turns toward early history as we begin exploring Native American culture and early settlers, examining how indigenous peoples and early communities lived and adapted to the land. 

Comets The Comets spent their first unit learning about U.S. geography, collaborating on a hands-on project to build a complete United States map piece by piece, state by state! Now that our geographic foundations are set, we are looking back in time to study the earliest Americans and early European settlers, uncovering how communities formed across North America. 

Nebulas Our first unit explored early humans and ancient societies, where students looked at the role of historians and how they analyzed ancient artifacts, understood historical evidence, and discovered how we piece together the past. We are now diving into the Stone Age, specifically technological innovations of the era, and then eventually going into the early human migration patterns. 

Shooting Stars Foundational literacy remains our core focus, with daily reading and writing comprehension, supplemented by reading activities, sight word practice, and motor skill development. Alongside that, we explored state and national pride through our study of significant symbols, including the American and Texas flags. With autumn right around the corner, our next thematic unit will explore the changing seasons, observing weather patterns, seasonal shifts, and different fall writing activities.

      

Reminders about Mrs. Willfong’s homework: 

To help keep routines consistent and predictable, here is an overview of our weekly rhythm:

- Mondays: Students receive a weekly homework booklet focusing on the specific writing and grammar skills we are practicing in class. 

- Throughout the Week: The packet includes all necessary reading and background summaries for the week's topic; no outside research is required. 

- Fridays: We complete an in-class paragraph writing assessment based directly on the weekly focus.

Tip for Success: Students are strongly encouraged to bring their completed brainstorms and comprehension questions to class on Friday! Having their notes on hand helps them stay organized, feel confident, and ensure all required components are included in their final piece. If you ever have any questions, thoughts, or need support, please feel free to reach out anytime. Thank you for your continued partnership and encouragement! Thank you for your continued partnership and support!