Tracy Elchyshyn » Welcome to Room 14

Welcome to Room 14

Welcome to a new 2024-2025 school year! I hope everyone had an amazing summer. For those of you who may not know me, my name is Tracy Elchyshyn. This is my 31rst year teaching in LAUSD. I am married and have a wonderful 18 year old daughter named Maggie. I sincerely love my career. I believe students learn best when they are having fun, so I try to make each day an exciting new adventure in learning by using tons of manipulatives, games and authentic literature. My grade level partner and I, along with our incredible PTO, have been planning many exciting things for this coming year. We will be beginning the year with diagnostic assessments to see what each student has mastered and what the class, as a whole, needs assistance with. If you have any particular areas of concern at any time during the year, please feel free to reach out to me via email [email protected] or the REMIND app.

Your Homework-

  • To join the REMIND app please text 81010 (that's the phone number you type in) and then text this message "@calabash14" and press send. PLEASE PLEASE put your child's name in when you sign up. I highly suggest both parents/guardians join. This app is the primary way I communicate with all my families. 
  • ​Parent Questionnaire - A digital questionnaire (google form) for parents to complete is accessible from the course Schoology page. https://forms.gle/RvKyeLSRQ3B11auFA 
  • One of our favorite Calabash yearly traditions is to feature a baby picture and kinder photo for a culmination video. Please email ([email protected]) the following 2 photos to us in jpg format, and put your child's name in the subject line. We ask that all photos be sent by Friday, 8/30. Please note that photos should be solo (i.e. not with siblings, friends, teachers, etc). Please send candid photos, not school portraits.

Class news

    • Water Bottles - Students will be able to  drink from their water bottles in class (water only please).
    • Lunch boxes - Due to limited storage space, lunches will be kept in student backpacks.
    • School Supply List - It is posted on the course Schoology Page, on the Calabash school website and behind this note.
    • Back to school night- On August 28th from 6-7
    • Homework- Each night (starting August 19th), students will have 30 minutes of reading.  They will be assigned a class book and need to complete a dialectical journal (see separate attachment) and 30 minutes of math homework. Please make sure students take care of these class books and return them in the same condition they were given.  The dialectical journal and book need to be brought in daily. To understand why 30 minutes of reading is so important, please read the article I posted on our school website. The math homework will be from our Eureka Succeed math page that correlates to the lesson we did in class. Keep all math homework at home (yes really) until the end of the module. 
    • Classroom Economy- We will be learning about economics in fifth grade and as such we will be building a classroom economy.  Students will be working toward earning “Scholar Dollars.” More information about this program will come soon. 
  • Fifth Grade Contract- Please read and review the attached fifth grade contract with your child.

Together, I know this is going to be an amazing year!