Catholics Come Home
Parish News Network

Liz Goldman

 

A message from Mrs. Goldman...
 
Catholic education has been part of my life since I was in 3rd grade!  I went to grade school at St. Hubert in Chanhassen, MN and began high school at Holy Angels in Richfield, MN before moving to WI during my sophomore year.  At that time, I started at Notre Dame Academy from which I graduated in 1994.  I went to college at St. Norbert and completed a double major in broad field social studies and history along with a certification in secondary education. 
 
In 1999, I began teaching at St. Matthew's in 4th grade and taught there until 2002.  During that time, I was also involved in Kids Care as a facilitator.  In 2002, I moved to Fairfax, VA where I taught 7th and 8th grade English and literature at St. Ambrose until 2006.  Three years ago, we returned to Green Bay and started facilitating Kids Care again and tutoring.  I was a long-term sub in 3rd grade for one year before moving up to Middle School.  I am currently the 8th grade homeroom teacher and I teach 7th/8th Literature and Language Arts as well as 8th grade Religion.
 
While teaching is very important to me, my favorite time is the time I get to spend with my husband Dave and our daughter Reese.  Dave is a "computer guy" and he specializes in computer security.  Reese is spending her time being an active 5 year old.  She is in Kindergarten at St. Matt's this year.  The other member of our family is our puppy Tilly.  When I have time, I love traveling (especially roadtrips), photography and scrapbooking. 


Contact information:

Email - lgoldman@gracesystem.org

School phone - 432-5223

 



What's new in 8th Grade?

Happy New Year!!

I hope that you all enjoyed some quality family time over the break. It is so exciting to start fresh in the New Year. I know that the coming months will be filled with bittersweet moments are your child gets ready for . . . Read More



2nd Trimester Service Hours

8th Grade Service (6th - 7th Grade Service - scroll down)

Participating in service is a wonderful way to live the gospel! When we remember our place in the world and our part in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, and . . . Read More



Middle School Book Club for 2nd Trimester

A date for the book club has not yet been set, but plan to have the book completed by mid-February.  Students who read and report on all four books will be invited to a Pizza Party.


St. Matthew Magic Book . . . Read More



What's going on in 7th Grade Literature and Language Arts

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

The 7th graders will be hard at work in 2012.  We are cozy in the classroom despite the cold and 17 minds are open to new ideas!  Continue reading to get a better idea of what is going on in Literature and . . . Read More



Good Search / Good Shop

To learn more about Good Search, copy and paste the url below into your browser and watch a short video on youtube about Good Search.  What are you waiting for?!?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rijmf7-kmi4

Read More



8th Grade - Musical Story

Dear 8th Graders,

You are about to embark on a new adventure that will hopefully help you become a better writer, more knowledgeable about music, and allow you to have some fun! The goal is to write a story that fits with a piece of instrumental music. This story . . . Read More



Good Search / Good Shop

December 5, 2011

Hello St. Matthew Families,

As a St. Matthew School parent and teacher, I'm always searching for ways to earn money for our school. Years ago I was introduced to Good Search, but I never took advantage of it the way I could and eventually stopped using . . . Read More



Middle School Reading List Options

Some students are coming to me with questions about what to read.  I have found several sources that offer good information.  The first link is an accelerated reading list and will offer good choices for students at or above the standard reading level.  Lexile.com offers reading lists based on . . . Read More





Homework Tips for Parents

7th and 8th grade students are submitting their first 5-paragraph essays of the school year this Friday. Please see the notes below for help on "helping" your child.

 

Parent involvement is a wonderful thing...but I want to be sure that what I'm grading is your child's work. So, . . . Read More



Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya

Packing List and Other Parent Information


WHAT TO BRING
The following list is for overnight experiences and is not exhaustive, but a guideline for what to bring. Please pack according to your needs and the weather.

Necessary Items:
Sleeping bag or . . . Read More



GoodSearch

This is going to be the easiest thing we've ever asked you to do!

We just signed up with GoodSearch.com and now every time you shop online or search the internet, a donation will be made to St Matthew Catholic Parish and School

Here's how:

GoodShop.com works with more . . . Read More



The Art and Ahhh! of a Suspense Short Story

7th Grade Literature

Halloween comes early for the middle school students of St. Matt's! After reviewing active reading strategies, the seventh graders kick off their literature class with a unit about suspense short stories. Along with studying plot and story elements, students will explore the techniques authors (and other . . . Read More



Darkness, Dreams, and Headless Horsemen: Short Stories of Colonial New England

8th Grade Literature

Halloween comes early for the middle school students at St. Matt's!  After reviewing active reading strategies, eighth grade students kick off their literature class with a unit about short stories of the colonial United States. Reading suspenseful works by Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan . . . Read More



Meet our new Student Teacher, Josie Karcz

A message from our student teacher, Miss Josie Karcz:

Hello St. Matt's students, family, and community! Thank you for the warm welcome I have received since joining the staff this fall. I have enjoyed meeting the families at open house, parent night, and even some community events, and the . . . Read More



Service Hours

Participating in service is a wonderful way to live the gospel! When we remember our place in the world and our part in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, and so on, we can become closer to Jesus.

Each trimester, 8th grade students are required to . . . Read More



Super Readers

Students in 7th and 8th graders will be required to read at least one book each trimester at his/her reading level.  Upon completion, there will be a one page sheet to fill out and then a meeting with me.

 

Super Readers
1 book = raffle ticket
5 books . . . Read More



Middle School Book Club

A message from Mrs. Buchholz:

Welcome to the inaugural year of the St. Matthew MAGIC Book Club!  The book club is an opportunity for students to discover a book, and discuss it with fellow students and teacher in an informal setting.  Our goal is to introduce students to different . . . Read More



9-11 Essay

Last year, students were introduced to the 5-paragraph essay writing.  Now, we are reviewing the process.  We began by discussing how to choose a topic that stems from the events of 9-11 and write a "big idea" question that will lead to a thesis statement.  Students then had to . . . Read More



7th Grade Research Essay

Has your 7th grader told you anything about Arlington National Cemetery or the Old Guard?  If not, be sure to ask.


In order to learn the process of research and writing a 5-paragraph essay, students have been learning about the Old Guard.  Each day, I teach a part . . . Read More



Do you know?

Mrs. Goldman's Contact Information
Email - lgoldman@gracesystem.org
(I check my email throughout the day as time allows)

Phone - 432-5223
(please leave a message and I will return your call during a prep period or after school)

Homework Policy
Homework is expected to be turned in complete . . . Read More



8th Grade Parent Letter

September 14, 2011

Dear 8th Grade Parents,

I have enjoyed the first days with this class! It has been wonderful to see the growth of the students I had last year and to meet our new student as well. I'm sure we will have a wonderful year!

There are . . . Read More



7th Grade Parent Letter

September 14, 2011

Dear 7th Grade Parents,

I have enjoyed the first days with this class! One of the great advantages of being in a school like St. Matthew is that even before we have students in our classroom, we know many of them from all school activities. It . . . Read More



American History Research Paper

The 8th graders are working on an American History Research Paper that will include a Social Studies grade for content and a Language Arts grade for their written work.  We are spending time in English class talking about how to write a paper (what to include, form, organization, conventions, . . . Read More



7th Grade Renaissance Paper

The 7th graders are working on a Renaissance project in Social Studies that complements their Shakespeare play "Taming of the Shrew."  Mrs. Wiliniski has handed out criteria and a timeline for the project.  Since the 5-paragraph essay will also get a Language Arts grade, the dates listed below will . . . Read More



Class of 2011 Presents....SNOW WHITE

The 8th graders have been working hard preparing to present a new twist on an old favorite Snow White.  The show, which was written by Tony Devaney Morinelli, has many of the characters we are familiar with; Snow White, her prince, the evil Queen, and of course, 7 Dwarfs, . . . Read More



Saint Reports

Our 8th graders are currently working on a Saint Report which will become part of their Journey Portfolios.  The report, based on a Blessed or Saint who was beatified or Canonized in the past 200 year, will introduce us to some more specific details about the lives of these . . . Read More



What is a Lexile Range?

The article below, from www.lexile.com, will hopefully help you understand your child's Lexile Measure.  Each child's range is taken from our Fall 2010 MAP scores.  I will be using the ranges to help your child identify books for their book report that would be challenging for them. 

To find . . . Read More



Animal Farm

George Orwell penned a brilliant allegory filled with satire when he wrote Animal Farm.  As the 8th grader students read this novel, we are also learning about the Russian Revolution and how the characters in the story and the story itself parallel the events that took place . . . Read More



A Christmas Carol

The 7th graders are getting into the holiday spirit through literature this year as we read Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol.  Following each Stave (what we commonly call chapters), the students are creating a single image comic.  In the comic, they will include one part of . . . Read More



Study Skills

I will be offering a Study Skills class on Monday afternoons from 3:10 - 3:30.  The class is for 7th and 8th grade students.  One technique will be introduced each week.  Thus far, we have worked on time management and organization. 

 

Coming up....identifying what content is important, notetaking, . . . Read More



Short Stories

The 7th and 8th graders have been reading a variety of short stories for literature class. In addition to being wonderful tales, these stories lend themselves to the study of literary concepts. Students had the responsiblitiy of noting the setting, characters, and plot for each story. Then, we dove . . . Read More



Fall Conferences

YOUR CHILD WILL BE BRINGING HOME YOUR

CONFERENCE TIME SHEET TODAY (Thursday, October 7).

 

Dear Middle School Parents,

 

We are looking forward to meeting with you next week to discuss your child’s progress . . . Read More



Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya

The 8th grade class just returned from Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya where they participated in team building and leadership activities.  When we met at the bus at 6:45 AM, the students and chaperones were enthusiastic, despite the down-pouring of rain. That positive spirit remained through the entire trip!

 

On Thursday . . . Read More



Helping with Homework...When to Get Involved and What to Do

7th and 8th grade students are submitting their first 5-paragraph essays of the school year this Friday.  Please see the notes below for help on "helping" your child.

 

Parent involvement is a wonderful thing...but I want to be sure that what I'm grading is . . . Read More



Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya

WHAT TO BRING:

Necessary Items:

leeping bag or several warm blankets/pillow

Outdoor clothing that is durable and can get a little dirty.

Socks Underwear

Rain gear

Sweatshirt Insect Repellant (lotion)

T-Shirts

Towel

Toilet articles

Long pants

Flashlight

Water bottle

Hiking boots or sturdy shoes (closed toe)

. . . Read More


Additional Notes to 8th Grade Parent Letter

Hello again!

First, I would like to change the location for our meeting next week.  Instead of meeting in the 8th grade classroom on Tuesday, September 14 at 6:30 PM, we will meet in the school office.

The other VERY IMPORTANT topic that I neglected to put in the . . . Read More



How do you pick at book at the appropriate reading level?

1st Trimester Book Reports

Resources for finding books at your reading level:
www.lexile.com
• Click on "Tools" and select "Find a Book"
• In the section labeled "I don't know my reading level" select your current grade and the best option for you
• Enter appropriate criteria (genre . . . Read More



8th Grade Book Report - Historical Fiction

1st Trimester Book Report
American Historical Fiction

Each student is required to complete one book report per trimester. Presentation of the book reports for 1st trimester will be on the following Thursdays: 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, and 11/11. Each student must sign up for your date of choice . . . Read More



7th Grade Biography Book Report

1st Trimester Book Report
Biography or Autobiography

Each student is required to complete one book report per trimester. Presentation of the book reports for 1st trimester will be on the following Fridays: 10/8, 10/13 (WEDNESDAY), 10/22, 11/5, or 11/12. You must sign up for your date of choice by . . . Read More



8th Grade Parent Letter

September 8, 2010

Dear 8th Grade Parents,

I have enjoyed the first days with this class! It has been wonderful to see the growth of the students I had last year and to meet the new students as well. I'm sure we will have a wonderful year!

There are . . . Read More



7th Grade Parent Letter

September 8, 2010

Dear 7th Grade Parents,

I have enjoyed the first days with this class! It has been wonderful to see the growth of the students I had last year and to meet the new students as well. I’m sure we will have a wonderful year!

Normally, I . . . Read More



8th grade Musical Story

Dear 8th Graders,

You are about to embark on a new adventure that will hopefully help you become a better writer, more knowledgeable about music, and allow you to have some fun!  The goal is to write a story that fits with a piece of . . . Read More



St. Baldricks

MANY THANKS to the wonderful support to St. Baldricks.  I'm so pleased to announce that in just 2 days, I exceeded my goal of raising $2500 and as checks continue to come in, I'm now over $3000! 

The event was awesome!!  It was great to sit with students and . . . Read More



Writing to Music

In addition to writing the perfect 5-paragraph essay, students need to be able to complete creative writing assignments.  A great way to do this is to invoke your sense when writing. 

The 8th graders are taking on this challenge.  In the coming weeks, they will choose a piece of . . . Read More



The Outsiders

S.E. Hinton's first novel, The Outsiders, is the current selection we're reading in 7th grade.  The novel, which was written when Hinton was just 15 explores the separation of social classes in a high school.  It is a story that was written based on the author's own . . . Read More



Kids Care to Host Family Game Nights During Holy Week

We're having a PARTY!!

Our Kids Care Club was recently awarded a grant through Hasbro and we have received over 100 games and toys.  It is our responsibility to use these generous donations to raise money to purchase tents for Haiti.  Hasbro will match every dollar that we (and . . . Read More



Mrs. Goldman is SHAVING her hair!

I'm putting my vanity aside and having my hair shaved off this Saturday in honor of children with cancer and in particular for Miranda. BUT, the catch is I'm putting a bounty on my hair - $2,500.00! Please consider making a donation to help children with cancer. I know . . . Read More



Conference Schedule for Mrs. Goldman

 

 

Monday, 3/15

4:00     Conference

4:10     Conference

4:20     Conference

4:30     Conference

4:40     Conference

4:50

5:00

5:10

5:20

5:30

5:40

5:50

6:00

6:10     Conference

6:20

6:30     Conference

6:40

6:50

7:00

7:10

7:20

7:30

 

 

 

Tuesday, 3/16

4:00     Conference

4:10     Conference

. . . Read More


Mrs. Goldman's Schedule

 

 

Monday

 

Tuesday

 

Wednesday

 

 

Thursday

 

Friday

8:10

. . . Read More


Study Skills

Let's face it, students are given a lot of information!  Having the information is one step, but just as important is knowing what to do with the information.  So, the 6th graders are taking a break from reading novels and working on STUDY SKILLS!  During this unit, students will . . . Read More



Narrative Poetry

The 7th grade just put on a marvelous performance of Wildcat Katie Brown! Each student played a part on stage and many students helped in other aspects as well.  I am so lucky that there are several dancers in the class who were able and willing to choreograph two . . . Read More



To Kill a Mockingbird

The 8th graders are currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird.  The novel, set in the 1930s, explores many great issues including getting the whole picture before judging.  One of my favorite quotes (one that all 8th graders need to know) is "You never really understand a person . . . Read More



 

Back