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Greetings Family!
Welcome to the 5th grade.
Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer soaking up the sunshine and feel refreshed to leap back into a new school year, full of possibility. My name is Miss Harris and I am passionate about upper elementary education and encouraging young minds to take ownership of their learning. My students are provided the tools necessary for college and career readiness. Fifth graders are at a development stage where they transition from more concrete to abstract thinking. I embrace and encourage this growth by upholding high expectations for learning and classroom community. In my class we strongly believe in our class culture and ability to persevere and grow our minds. A little bit about myselfI grew up in the Central Valley and moved to Santa Barbara for my undergraduate work. I graduated with my teaching credential from Westmont College in 2014. Throughout my time at Westmont, I worked in diverse school settings through my fieldwork placements, case studies, after-school program involvement, and as a private tutor. I spent my summers working full-time with 4th, 5th, and 6th graders as a counselor, program staffer, and Assistant Director at a summer camp. I love the great outdoors, cooking, painting, and songwriting. I am honored to be part of your family for this season! Your involvement is absolutely essential to the success of your student. I urge you to ask your student each day what he/she is learning and make sure your student is reading each night! A great way to do this is to incorporate reading into your evening routine! Look out for Scholarly Tips sent home the first week of school! Communication is key! Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions or concerns about your child. Id love to hear from you. Look out for biweekly newsletters and occasional notes home! Warmly, Ms. Harris pharris@westmont.edu

My mission is to embrace holistic education that empowers and equips young minds to seek progress in their communities upholding justice, equality, and grace for all.