Back to School Night

Typically, after meeting parents on "Back to School Night," I begin thinking about all the things I forgot to say and information that I most likely neglected to mention. I most likely will be adding some of this information to the blog in the coming weeks.

I wanted to thank all of you that were able to make it tonight and it was a pleasure meeting each of you. I look forward to working with you to assure your child's academic success.

If you were unable to attend this evening, please feel free to set-up a time to meet with me to go over the information I presented. You may email me at grosscha@wcboe.k12.md.us or call the school at 301-766-8321. For those who didn't attend, I will be sending home a packet with your student. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Again, it was great to meet you and I'm excited about the upcoming year!

Sincerely,

Mr. G

Book Review: Backbeard and the the Birthday Suit

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Backbeard the Pirate, the "hairest pirate who ever lived!" You may find him sailing upon his ship, The Five O'Clock Shadow, or at your local men's store trying on the latest fashions. Wherever you find Backbeard, you are sure to discover laughter.

Author Matt McElligott offers up a hilarious pirate story in Backbeard that is completely unique. Backbeard is a stinky pirate that decides he needs to clean up his act. He is so stinky that even his trusty parrot quits! Backbeard is then forced to replace "Polly" with a most unlikely farm animal. Backbeard goes forth to literally redefine what it means to be a pirate.

Backbeard and the Birthday Suit boasts amazing illustrations, appealing characters, and very funny vocabulary. I highly recommend this book to teachers for a wonderful read aloud and to students for some laugh-out-loud fun!

Keep Reading,

Mr. G

About Mr. G

As I enter into my 10th year of teaching elementary school, I can recall many common questions that students ask me about myself and my job. For me, it's important that my students realize that I have a life of my own and that I really don't live, eat, and sleep at the school building! The following are common questions that students ask and my answers. This should be a fun way to get to know your teacher! Enjoy!

How old are you?

I am 31 years old. And before anyone asks, no, I wasn't alive when large dinosaurs roamed the earth...

When is your birthday?

I was born on November 3rd, 1976 in Fairmount, West Virginia. Spare me the WV jokes!

What is your favorite color?

Blue

What is your favorite sport?

Ice hockey is my favorite sport and I enjoy watching numerous teams that include The Washington Capitals, the Detroit Red Wings, and the New York Rangers.

Are you married?

Yes, I am married to my beautiful wife, Danielle.

Do you have any kids?

Yes, I have two beautiful daughters, Emma Isabella and Lily Opal. The green bear that you see above is from my oldest daughters favorite cartoon, Boz the Green Bear Next Door.

If you are interested in learning more about Boz, click here: http://www.bozthebear.com/about/overview.asp

Emma and I visit this site often!

What is your favorite food?

A Cheeseburger (and fries!)

What is your favorite cartoon?

That is a tough one for me to answer. Many of the cartoons I enjoy are from when I was a child. Examples would be Masters of the Universe, Hong Kong Phooey, and The Amazing Spider-man.

Why are you a teacher?

I became a teacher mainly because I didn't have a very positive experience when I was in school and wanted to do my best to make learning meaningful, but fun and engaging. That is all just a fancy way of saying, "I don't want school to be boring for my students!"

Why do your play the guitar in your classroom?

Well, the most obvious reason is that playing guitar is fun! I have also found that when children sing words they are trying to learn, they usually catch on fairly fast! Keep watching the blog for some of our classroom's songs!

Do you play guitar in a band?

No, I do not. I have led worship at my local church in the past and I also sing with my wife.

Do you like SpongeBob SquarePants?

No, I do not. I know that many people (adult and child alike!) love him, however, I just don't get it!

I will most likely update this section throughout the year so keep checking back! If you have a question, please email me at grosscha@wcboe.k12.md.us and I'll be sure to answer!

Sincerely,

Mr. G