Weekly Update

Hi Parents!

It's Teacher Workday, which means I'm typing this update in a pair of yoga pants, music in the background, and a cup of coffee sitting next to me.  #happyplace

Odds and Ends:

• Thank you for your hard work in helping your child prepare for the Book Character Parade!  I enjoyed the creativity of the costumes, and the kids looked so proud of themselves parading around the school.
• Thursday was a Team Planning Day for our first grade team, which means that although we were at school, we were holed up in the library planning for the upcoming quarter.  A few things were lost in translation between the substitute and me, so there are 3 items that didn't make it into the kids' Thursday folders.  I will send them home on Monday.  Please look for these documents:  Save the Date for the upcoming Fine Arts Experience, Dulles Storm Lacrosse flyer, and sign up for the Someone Special dance next Friday night.  I apologize for the omission of these documents.  If you require further information about any of them before Monday, please kindly email me.
• The delayed openings, Book Character Parade, and Student Holiday put us somewhat behind this week.  We didn't get to nearly half the things I planned, so next week's focus areas will be largely the same as this week's.
• I update the "Important Dates" section of this blog regularly.  Please be sure to check for upcoming events and other important dates.
• Our SCA (Student Council) is beginning its annual "Pennies for Patients" campaign on Monday.  The information will come home with your child on that day. 

Homework Update:

On Monday, your child will receive his/her first homework packet for the 3^rd quarter.  This packet includes a new Reading Response Menu, and a new expectation, namely that students will complete one session of Reflex Math each week (as opposed to Dreambox Math).  I will still expect students to complete one session of Raz-Kids each week.  These are not optional.  If computer-based homework is difficult to facilitate, please let me know and I will work with you to create an alternative assignment.

I do receive a report each week from both Reflex Math and Raz-Kids, which shows me whether your child logged his/her sessions. 

Please note the following:

• If your child does not complete his/her required session of Raz-Kids, he/she will read for 15 minutes during recess on the Monday following the week in which he/she did not complete Raz-Kids.
• If your child does not complete his/her required session of Reflex Math, he/she will practice math facts for 15 minutes during recess on the Monday following the week in which he/she did not complete Reflex.
• If your child does not complete his/her required sessions of either Raz-Kids or Reflex, he/she will read for 15 minutes during recess on the Monday following the week in which he/she did not complete Raz-Kids, and practice math facts for 15 minutes during recess on the Tuesday following the week in which he/she did not complete Reflex.

      Valentine's Day:

jj    Our class Valentine's Day party will be on Friday, February 12th from 11:15 - 12:45 in our classroom. All families are welcome to attend.  If your child would like to exchange Valentines with classmates, please remember that you may NOT attach food to the Valentines.  Pencils, tattoos, stickers, etc. are great substitutes.  If your child is handing out Valentines, please ensure he/she has one for every student in the class.  I sent the class list and food permission slips home in your child's most recent Thursday folder. Please kindly send the food permission slip back as soon as possible.  If you volunteered to donate something to the party, thank you!  You may send those items in whenever you'd like.  You may also send your child's Valentine cards any day this week, and I'll hold them until the party on Friday, when they will hand them out.

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

Reading:  We will identify the main idea in stories we read.
Writing:  We are finishing our How-To writing
Math:  We will continue our Geometry unit.
Social Studies:  We are finishing learning a little bit about the history of the USA.

As always, thank you for your support at home.  Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Enjoy the weekend!  I heard on the radio this morning that the average adult consumes 6,000 calories on Super Bowl Sunday.  Enjoy the game!  (or commercials!)