Weekly Update

Hi Parents!

Hooray for cooler weather!  Hooray for rain!  Hooray for coffee, which pairs perfectly with cooler weather and rain!  

I finished administering the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) to the kids this week.  Can I just say?  WOW!  Based on where these amazing readers are starting, the sky is the limit by June!  With ALL beginning-of-the-year testing finished, I can finally say......Let's get this 1st grade party started!  :)  

Here's your weekly update...

I'm Writing a Blog Mini Series Next Week!
Next week, we'll study the various decoding strategies good readers use when they come to "tricky" words.  I will write a short post each day, in which I explain the strategy highlighted in school that day.  My goal is for you to have useful tools when helping your child read tricky words at home.  If you and I are employing the same language and the same "helping strategies", your kiddo's reading will just take off! Here's a preview of the strategy I'll highlight each day:

• Monday:  Think about the story.  Check the picture!
• Tuesday:  Look for chunks you know!
• Wednesday:  Look at the first letter.  Get your mouth ready!
• Thursday:  Look at the last letter.  Does it make sense?
• Friday:  Skip the tricky word, read on, and come back!

I'm excited about this!  Our entire Pinebrook team is always looking for ways to connect our instruction at school with what you're doing at home.  I look forward to your feedback about this "mini series"!  :)

Homework Begins Next Week:
On Monday, your child will receive his/her first written homework packet.  Actually, it's just one sheet of paper, but for some reason, I'm in the habit of calling it a "packet" and don't see myself changing!  What can I say?  I.  Am.  Old.  (womp, womp)  Anyhow, in an effort to make homework both meaningful and manageable, our 1st grade homework will be the same every week.  Students will be required to read (as usual) each night.  Students will be required to practice writing our weekly sight words one night.  This means the only change to your child's existing homework routine is the addition of written homework (the sight word practice) one night each week.  You choose the night that works best for your family's schedule! Homework packets will go home on Monday and are due back on Friday.  There's a much more detailed explanation about homework on the homework packet itself. Please read through it Monday and let me know if you have any questions.  For those of you looking for a little something "more", please refer to the "online resources" page of this blog for some extra practice and enrichment ideas.  *Please note that your child will write our weekly sight words in his/her agenda each Monday.  I will also post the sight words on my blog -- look to the right under my picture.

Scholastic Book Fair:

The Scholastic Book Fair will be held at school next week.  Students previewed the Book Fair on Friday.  Students who bring money may shop at the Book Fair next week during recess.  If your child plans to bring money for the Book Fair, please send the money in a sealed envelope marked with your child's name, my name, and "Book Fair" on the outside of the envelope.  If you would like to attend the Book Fair to shop with your child, our Family Shopping Night will be Tuesday from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm.  *Please note:  Book Fair purchases are optional.

First Grade Math Night:

First Grade Family Math Night is next Wednesday, October 5th from 6-7 pm in the Pinebrook cafeteria.  Come to play some fun math games, and leave with instructions for how to play at home.  Siblings welcome!

Shoe Tying!
Please help keep your child, our classroom, and our school safe by helping your child practice tying his/her shoes.  5 Puma Paws to any student who can demonstrate the ability to independently tie his/her shoes!  (Students may demonstrate during recess!)

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will begin to learn the many decoding strategies good readers use when they encounter tricky words.
• Writing:  We will continue learning the routines and procedures of Writer's Workshop as we explore the idea that "writing is just telling on paper".
• Math:  We will finish our first math unit about number sense, counting, and comparing and ordering numbers.
• Science:  We will talk about the relationship between the Earth, Sun, and Moon. 
• Social Studies:  We will talk about Fire Safety.

I will be out on Wednesday afternoon for an appointment.  Mrs. Burger will be in for me.  I will be at Math Night.

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

I hope to see you tomorrow at the Fall Festival! Jonah and I will be there. My husband, Leo, and my 13-year old, Savey, will be there if Savey's soccer game finishes in time.

Picture Day is Tomorrow!

Hello Parents!

A friendly reminder that tomorrow is Picture Day!  Below is a recap of some important information to help you with your picture order.  Thank you!

All About School Pictures:
Fall pictures will be taken tomorrow, September 30th.  This will be a day for individual pictures only; a whole-class picture will be taken in the Spring.  Following are some guidelines to help facilitate your picture order / purchase:

• If possible, please order your child's pictures online.  It's the fastest, easiest, and most convenient way to order your child's pictures.  If you order online, you do not need to send anything to school with your child on Picture Day!
• If you are not ordering online, please fill out the payment envelope, enclose your payment, and send it to school on picture day.  Your payment envelope must include your child's name, my name, your "look" (or background) selection, and your payment.

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

I hope you've been enjoying the cooler weather.  The kids are talking about apple picking, the sun is setting earlier, and the stores are full of Fall decorations.  Our family is enjoying sitting by the fire pit while preparing to "tuck in" for the winter.  I love this cozy time of year!

Please Subscribe to My Blog!

If you were directed to this post by a link in an email, please take a moment to subscribe to my blog by entering your email address in the box to the right that says "follow by email".  You will receive a confirmation email to verify your subscription. Please clink the link in the email to verify your email address.  You will then receive an automatic notification each time I've published a message.  Please don't skip that important last step -- you MUST verify/confirm your email address to be subscribed.  ***Please note:  At the end of September, I will no longer send an email to notify you of content on the blog.  You must be subscribed to receive classroom news and updates.***

Please Sign Up for a Conference!

Parent / Teacher conferences will be held at the end of the first quarter.  I am using Sign Up Genius to schedule conferences.  You can sign up for a conference time by clicking HERE.  If you are unable to attend a conference on one of the dates / times listed, please send me an email to make alternate arrangements. 

RAZ-Kids, Dreambox Learning, and Reflex Math:

RAZ-Kids, Dreambox Learning, and Reflex Math are web-based programs that allow your child to practice reading (RAZ-Kids), math skills (Dreambox Learning), and math fact fluency (Reflex Math).  I sent home your child's log-on information for these learning platforms yesterday. Please allow your child to explore these fun and valuable learning tools!

Important Information About School Pictures:
Fall pictures will be taken Friday, September 30th.  This will be a day for individual pictures only; a whole-class picture will be taken in the Spring.  Following are some guidelines to help facilitate your picture order / purchase:

• If possible, please order your child's pictures online.  It's the fastest, easiest, and most convenient way to order your child's pictures.  If you order online, you do not need to send anything to school with your child on Picture Day!
• If you are not ordering online, please fill out the payment envelope, enclose your payment, and send it to school on picture day.  Your payment envelope must include your child's name, my name, your "look" (or background) selection, and your payment.

Next Week is a Hat Drive and Spirit Week:
In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Pinebrook will host a hat drive next week to benefit Ellie's Hats Foundation, which distributes new hats to children who have lost their hair due to childhood cancer treatment.  Please consider donating a new hat during our hat drive.  We will also raise awareness through a school-wide Spirit Week.  Themes for each day are:

• Monday:  Pajama Day
• Tuesday: Twin (Buddy) Day
• Wednesday: Wear a Hat
• Thursday:  Mismatch Day
• Friday:  Wear Gold / Yellow 

First Grade Math Night:

Please mark your calendar for our First Grade Family Math Night on Wednesday, October 5th from 6-7 pm in the Pinebrook cafeteria.  Come to play some fun math games, and leave with instructions for how to play at home.  Siblings welcome!

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about retelling stories and making connections when we read.  I will begin administering the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) to determine your child's current independent reading level.
• Writing:  We will continue learning the routines and procedures of Writer's Workshop as we explore the idea that "writing is just telling on paper".
• Math:  We will continue learning the routines and procedures of Math Workshop as we explore number sense and counting.
• Science:  We will talk about our 5 senses, the 4 seasons, and the relationship between the Sun, Earth, and Moon.  

Please let me know if you have any questions!  I welcome your feedback.

Happy Friday!

Box Tops Due Tomorrow

Hi Parents,

The first Box Tops collection is tomorrow!  This is a friendly reminder to please send your Box Tops for Education to school with your kiddo tomorrow.  If you don't have the sheet sent home in June, please just put them in a Ziploc bag or envelope, and label them with your child's name.

Thank you!  

All About the DRA

Hi Everyone,

I've had many questions about reading, reading levels, and testing.  I touched on the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) at Back to School Night, but following is some information for you to reference regarding this assessment, which we administer to help determine your child's independent reading level.

We administer the DRA to all students in September and May, and to certain students in January, to measure their independent reading levels.  Our goal in September is for the students to come to us reading at a DRA Level 3.  Our goal in January is a Level 10.  Our goal for them to leave in May is a DRA Level 16 or higher. DRA levels go up by 1's from 1-4, and then by 2's from 4-20, and then by 4's from 20 on.  So, the levels are:  1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28, 32, etc.  I don't know why the levels skip count in this way, but they do!  

The DRA tests primarily for 3 things:  decoding, comprehension, and fluency.  Decoding refers to whether the student accurately reads the words that are printed on the page, as opposed to saying words that aren't there. For example, if the word is "come" and the child reads it that way, he/she has correctly decoded the word because he/she said the word that is printed.  If he/she says "came", then he/she did not correctly decode the word.  Of course, the first step to reading is knowing the words on the page, therefore decoding is assessed.

Next, the DRA tests comprehension...does the student understand what the story is about, as demonstrated by the ability to make predictions about the text and orally retell the story without looking back at the book?  We look for the student to retell the story with little to (ideally) no prompting, by naming the major story events in sequence using characters' names, and by providing as much detail as possible.  Many people think that if their child correctly decodes the words in a book, the child can "read" the book, but of course we know that reading is not only decoding, but understanding what is read too! 

The DRA tests whether a child can make connections to the text.  Does the story remind the student of something that's happened in his/her life, something he/she has seen in the world, or of another book he/she has read?  Can the student identify the author's message or purpose for writing the story?

Finally, the DRA tests the child's fluency...his/her ability to orally read the story with appropriate phrasing and expression, and attention to punctuation.

If you would like to know the DRA level of a particular book, you can go to the following website:

http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/

This Scholastic Book Wizard will tell you the DRA level of almost any book out there.  Just be sure to click the circle next to "DRA" above the white box in which you type the title of the book, otherwise you will get the reading level for other leveling systems.  Scholastic has an app you can download that does this same thing.

Please know that none of this information is meant to overwhelm you; instead, I believe we can work together more effectively when we all know this information.  The skills we assess using the DRA are ALL the skills we already practice (or will be practicing) in school, and are the same skills you will practice (or may already be practicing) at home.  The DRA language in this e-mail is simply a more formal presentation of all the skills the students are already (or will be) practicing!  

So....how can you help?  READ, READ, READ,!!!!  READ EVERYDAY, NOT JUST ON SCHOOL DAYS!!!!!  Read to your child, read with your child, have your child read independently!  If you are in a time crunch and must choose between our paper homework packets and reading, PLEASE ALWAYS CHOOSE READING!!!  Have your child read out loud to you to practice fluency, and have your child retell the book to you using the characters' names and as many details as possible.  Talk about favorite parts, making connections, and what would happen if the story extended beyond the last page.  I can not overstate the importance of this, and you will most likely get plain old "sick and tired" of hearing me say it!  

Your child will take the DRA all the way through 5th grade.  Please keep this e-mail for future reference, and please let me know if you have any questions!  I have read and reread it, and hope it makes sense, but it's early and my coffee cup is empty!  

Finally, and most importantly, please know that your kids are amazing, smart, wonderful 1st graders.  Thank you for all you do to support their individual learning, and our classroom as a whole!

 

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Many thanks to those of you able to attend Back to School Night!  If you were unable to attend, please check your child's backpack today for the information I distributed.  The day after Back to School Night, I always feel like we have officially settled into our year.  All of our Back to School events are finished, the supplies are in, the paperwork is in...and it's time to look forward!  Here's to a year of growing readers!

Meantime, here's your weekly update:

Please Subscribe to My Blog!
If you were directed to this post by a link in an email, please take a moment to subscribe to my blog by entering your email address in the box to the right that says "follow by email".  You will receive a confirmation email to verify your subscription. Please clink the link in the email to verify your email address.  You will then receive an automatic notification each time I've published a message.  Please don't skip that important last step -- you MUST verify/confirm your email address to be subscribed.  ***Please note:  At the end of September, I will no longer send an email to notify you of content on the blog.  You must be subscribed to receive classroom news and updates.***

Please Sign Up for a Conference!
Parent / Teacher conferences will be held at the end of the first quarter.  I am using Sign Up Genius to schedule conferences.  You can sign up for a conference time by clicking HERE.  If you are unable to attend a conference on one of the dates / times listed, please send me an email to make alternate arrangements. 

Sound of the Week:
Next week, we will begin Sound of the Week.  Each week, we'll work in school to focus on a specific sound and the correct way to spell the sound when doing written work, or in recognizing that spelling when reading a tricky word.  Some children are very successful in learning and correctly using this information.  For others, it's an important exposure to a sound and spelling pattern they'll become comfortable with in the future.  Each week, your child will glue some information into his/her agenda about our sound of the week.  While there is no formal homework related to sound of the week, I encourage you to look for the spelling pattern when reading, and to help your child apply it in his/her writing. We'll begin next week with the short vowels, and progress to long vowels from there.  

RAZ-Kids and Dreambox Learning:
RAZ-Kids and Dreambox Learning are web-based programs that allow your child to practice reading (on RAZ-Kids) and math (on Dreambox Learning).  The programs are self-paced, can be done anywhere, and are designed to meet your child at his / her level of academic readiness.  The rosters for these programs must be updated every school year.  I am in the process of assembling my class roster, and verifying the students' user names and passwords for these programs.  Access to these programs may not be available for the next week to 10 days as I finish this process.  I will communicate the log-on information to you as soon as I finish.  ***Please note:  If your child used either RAZ-Kids or Dreambox Learning last year, I am transferring your child's account to my class.  He/she will NOT lose any progress made on either of these programs.  Your child's user name or password may change, but progress will NOT be lost.

First Grade Math Night:
Please mark your calendar for our First Grade Family Math Night on Wednesday, October 5th from 6-7 pm in the Pinebrook cafeteria.  Come to play some fun math games, and leave with instructions for how to play at home.  Siblings welcome!

Box Tops for Education:
Once again, our school will be collecting Box Tops for Education.  This year, any class that collects at least 1,000 Box Tops will earn a popsicle party!  Please help our class earn a popsicle party by clipping those Box Tops!  The first collection is Friday, September 23rd.

Library Books:
Please help your child remember his/her Library books each Tuesday.  

Wear Black Monday:
Sunday is Mr. Thiessen's birthday.  It's a big one.  We are having a little fun at school by wearing black on Monday.  Please help your child wear something black to school Monday.  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about making predictions when we read.
• Writing:  We will continue learning the routines and procedures of Writer's Workshop as we explore the idea that "writing is just telling on paper".
• Math:  We will continue learning the routines and procedures of Math Workshop as we explore number sense and counting.
• Science:  We will answer the question:  What Is a Scientist?
• Social Studies:  We will learn about Johnny Appleseed.

I hope you have a relaxing weekend and can enjoy the cooler weather.  Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns!  

Back to School Night and Parent / Teacher Conferences!

Hi Parents,

A quick mid-week check in for a couple of items...

1.  A friendly reminder that Back to School Night is TOMORROW.  I'll offer 2 information sessions in our classroom -- one at 6:30 and one at 7:30.  I will be presenting the same information in both sessions, so you do NOT have to attend both....choose the one that better fits your schedule.  If you are unable to attend Back to School Night, I will send home the information with your child.  I don't share anything at Back to School Night that I don't share on the blog, so while I strongly encourage you to attend, please be assured that if you simply can't make it, you'll still be able to access the information I present.

2.  Parent / Teacher conferences will be scheduled at the end of the first quarter.  Tomorrow, I will send out a Sign-Up Genius so you may sign up for a specific date and time.  Conferences are 20 minutes in length.  If you are not able to come to one of the days/times listed on the Sign-Up Genius, please send me an email so we may make alternative arrangements.

Looking forward to seeing many of you tomorrow!

Weekly Update

Hi Parents!

Sometimes short weeks feel like long weeks, but this one flew by.  I think the kids are settling into the year.  On the whole, I am quite pleased with how quickly they've picked up on classroom routines and procedures.  With those foundations in place, we are ready for a year of great learning!

Please ask your child about our Patriot Day ceremony at the flag pole this morning. We honored those who lost their lives on September 11th, and all service members and first responders who keep us safe.  It's never lost on me that for our kids, September 11th is part of history, but for those of us alive on that day...well, our hearts continue to weep at the memories.  Truly, we will never forget.

Here's your update for the week:

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Back to School Night:
Back to School Night will be Thursday, September 15th at 6:30 pm at school.  Please come to ask questions, and to learn important information about our school and classroom procedures.  

Believe Kids Fundraiser:
Our PTA has kicked off its biggest fundraiser of the year.  I sent home the Believe Kids fundraising packet in yesterday's Thursday folder.  Please kindly consider participating in this fundraiser to help our PTA reach its financial goals this school year.

Thursday Folders:
Please empty your child's Thursday folder each Thursday and return it to school on Fridays.

Breakfast:
Please be sure your child is eating breakfast each day.  Most of the kids start telling me they're hungry around 9 am, and our lunch isn't until 10:34.  Thank you! 

Class Directory:
I have prepared a class directory.  If you do NOT want your child's information (name, address, phone number, your name, and your email address) published in our class directory, please kindly send me an email today.  I will remove your child's information before I distribute the directory.

Specials Update:
Please remember to send your child with sneakers for P.E. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Library books are due back each Tuesday. 

Lunch:
Our lunch time is from 10:34 - 11:04.  You are welcome to eat lunch with your child any day, and you may bring your child lunch purchased from a restaurant (think places like Subway, Panera, or Chick-fil-A). If you'd like to eat lunch with your child, please sign in at the school office and meet us at the cafeteria at 10:34.  Please plan to say goodbye to your child in the cafeteria at the end of our lunch period as our instructional day resumes right after lunch.

Water Bottles:
First graders are a thirsty bunch.  Please feel free to send a water bottle to school with your child each day.  Please send a reusable bottle.  Please do NOT send water bottles with twist off tops for classroom use...the kids have a very difficult time getting the caps on straight and those bottles typically spill.

Volunteers needed!: 
I am in need of parent volunteers to help me stuff Thursday folders and prepare materials.  While our school does not have school-wide Thursday folders, I continue to use this communication tool.  It's super helpful to have a parent stuff the folders because I can't always get to it during the course of a Thursday.  I am also in need of parent volunteers to help me with copying and materials preparation.  If you can help stuff Thursday folders on Thursdays after 11:30, or if you can help with copying and materials preparation anytime during the week, please send me an email.  

Important Dates:
Please check the "Important Dates" section of this blog for upcoming events.  I will highlight some events in my weekly update, but you can find a complete list in the "Important Dates" section.

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will learn about the "5 Finger Rule" for choosing "just right" books.  We will begin Book Shopping, which is the process of choosing just right books for our Independent Reading Bags.
• Writing:  We will begin establishing the routines and procedures of Writer's Workshop.
• Math:  We will begin establishing the routines and procedures of Math Workshop.
• Social Studies:  We will talk about rules necessary to keep our classroom and school community happy, healthy, safe, and productive.

I welcome your feedback!  Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

I hope you have a relaxing weekend.  Soccer starts in our house!  I am looking forward to watching my older son play while soaking up the last days of summer.

A Few Reminders for Tomorrow!

Hi Everyone,

A quick check in to let you know that tomorrow morning we will have our Patriot Day Ceremony at 8:05 at the flag pole outside the front of our school.  We will mark Patriot Day by remembering those who died on September 11th, and by honoring all service members and first responders who keep our country safe.  If possible, please help your child dress in any combination of red, white, and blue tomorrow.

Your child brought home his/her Thursday folder today for the first time.  Please empty this reusable folder completely and return it to school tomorrow.  If your child loses his/her folder or does not return it to school, I do NOT have extras to give. 

Tomorrow is Friday, which means ice cream is available for sale in the cafeteria.  Please refer to last Friday's weekly update for complete information about Ice Cream Fridays.

Please let me know if you have any questions!  Thank you!

Weekly Update

Happy Friday, Everyone!

We made it through our first full week of school.  I wonder if the kids are as tired as me?  While I try to make the first week fun and interesting, there are times when rules and procedures are downright boring.  I have to talk a lot, and the students have to be quite attentive.  As such, the kids really learned the nuts and bolts of our classroom this week.  Next week we'll refine some procedures, and add a few details to the procedures learned this week.  We'll continue to get to know each other as we build our classroom community.  On that note, I am impressed and thankful with how beautifully the kids are getting along.  They're including each other during recess, introducing themselves to each other, and are a very social bunch.  :)

Here's some important information for you to know.  Please read through to the end.  It's a lot this first time around...

Please Subscribe to My Blog!
If you were directed to this post by a link in an email, please take a moment to subscribe to my blog by entering your email address in the box to the right that says "follow by email".  You will receive a confirmation email to verify your subscription. Please clink the link in the email to verify your email address.  You will then receive an automatic notification each time I've published a message.  Please don't skip that important last step -- you MUST verify/confirm your email address to be subscribed.

Class Directory:
I have prepared a class directory.  If you do NOT want your child's information (name, address, phone number, your name, and your email address) published in our class directory, please kindly send me an email by Friday, September 9th.  I will remove your child's information before I distribute the directory.

Important Dates:
Please check the "Important Dates" section of this blog for upcoming events.  I will highlight some events in my weekly update, but you can find a complete list in the "Important Dates" section.

Specials Schedule:
I sent a paper copy of the Specials Schedule home in your child's Open House / Welcome Folder.  However, to recap, our Specials Schedule is as follows:

• Monday:  Music and PE
• Tuesday:  Library
• Wednesday:  PE and Computer Lab
• Thursday:  Music and Art
• Friday:  PE and SEARCH / Guidance

Please ensure your child wears sneakers to school on our PE days.

Back to School Night:
Back to School Night will be Thursday, September 15th at 6:30 pm at school.  Please come to ask questions, and to learn important information about our school and classroom procedures.  A more specific schedule will be published closer to the date. Please watch your email; Mr. Thiessen or our school office typically communicates this important information.  I will update it here when I have it.

PTA Volunteer Welcome Coffee:
The Pinebrook PTA will hold a Volunteer Welcome Coffee on Friday, September 9th at 8:35 am in the Pinebrook Cafeteria.  Please come find out how you can volunteer with the PTA.  Younger children are welcome!  

Shared Reading Poetry Bags:
Today, I am sending home a gallon-sized zip top bag with with your child.  The bag is labeled "My Shared Reading Poems", and contains our first Shared Reading poem of the year.  Shared Reading is a time for the students to orally read and/or sing songs, poems, and informational texts.  Students practice fluency, intonation, and other good reader skills.  As a class, we discuss elements of the text...rhyming words, punctuation, grammar, etc.  Each week, your child will bring home a copy of the text we read that week.  I'm sending the bag home so your child has a place to keep all of his/her poems.  It does not have to come back to school, and if you have a folder or other filing system you'd like to use, please do so!  I encourage you to have your child regularly reread his/her poems...to you, to him/herself, to a sibling, a stuffed animal, a pet, etc.  This is a wonderful opportunity to practice fluency, sight word recall, and many other good reader skills.  

Lunch:
Our lunch time is from 10:34 - 11:04.  You are welcome to eat lunch with your child any day, and you may bring your child lunch purchased from a restaurant (think places like Subway, Panera, or Chick-fil-A). If you'd like to eat lunch with your child, please sign in at the school office and meet us at the cafeteria at 10:34.  Please plan to say goodbye to your child in the cafeteria at the end of our lunch period as our instructional day resumes right after lunch.

Water Bottles:
First graders are a thirsty bunch.  Please feel free to send a water bottle to school with your child each day.  Please send a reusable bottle.  Please do NOT send water bottles with twist off tops for classroom use...the kids have a very difficult time getting the caps on straight and those bottles typically spill.

Volunteers Needed:
I am in need of parent volunteers to help me stuff Thursday folders and prepare materials.  While our school does not have school-wide Thursday folders, I continue to use this communication tool.  On Thursdays, I will send a reusable envelope (but I call it a "folder") home that contains school and classroom news and notices, along with your student's graded work.  You should empty the folder completely and return it with your child each Friday.  It's super helpful to have a parent stuff the folders because I can't always get to it during the course of a Thursday.  I am also in need of parent volunteers to help me with copying and materials preparation.  If you can help stuff Thursday folders on Thursdays after 11:30, or if you can help with copying and materials preparation anytime during the week, please send me an email.  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about how to use our classroom library, and how to choose books that are a "just right" fit for us.
• Writing:  We will complete an All About Me book, and complete our Fall Writing Sample.
• Math:  We will continue learning how to use our "Rise and Shine" binders...Rise and Shine binders contain students' Morning Work.  The binders review and reinforce calendar, counting, place value, and sight word skills.
• Social Studies:  We will continue building our classroom community as we explore the qualities of a good citizen in our school, our community, and our world.

Okay.  I think that's everything on my list, but I apologize in advance if I've forgotten something. Please let me know if you  have any questions, comments, or concerns.  

Enjoy the long weekend!  We've all earned it!

Friday Lunch and Ice Cream

Hi Everyone,

A quick check in to let you know that our cafeteria offers ice cream for sale on Fridays only.  Tomorrow will be the first "Ice Cream Friday."  The kids can purchase ice cream with their school lunch, or they can purchase just ice cream to go along with their packed lunch from home.  (They can also purchase a school lunch only with no ice cream.)  Please be sure to let your child know if he/she has permission to purchase ice cream; I expect the kids to know this information when they come to school.  Students purchase ice cream the same way they purchase lunch...you may place money in your child's lunch account via www.myschoolbucks.com or by sending a check to school made out to "Loudoun County Public Schools."  Please place the check in a sealed envelope with your child's name and my name on the front.  Please be sure your child's student i.d. number is on the memo line of the check.  The cost of ice cream is deducted from your child's lunch account. 

A word of caution about Friday's lunch...lines tend to be very long in the beginning of the school year.  Many students buy lunch on Fridays. (It's pizza day!  And what parent wants to pack lunch on Friday?  Not me!)  The line moves slowly as the kids are still practicing how to select their food and how to put their student numbers into the cafeteria computers.  The 30-minute eating period tends to be closer to 10 or 15 minutes.  While I'm not trying to discourage you from having your kiddo purchase lunch, please understand he/she may not actually have time to eat everything purchased.  It may be to your child's benefit to wait a few weeks before buying lunch on Friday.  I've found that the extended lines don't seem to affect those students buying just ice cream to go along with their packed lunch from home - more so the kids buying a school lunch with or without ice cream.

Phew!  That's a lot of information about pizza and ice cream, isn't it?  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

I'll be back tomorrow with my (first) regular weekly update.  Until then....

....BUT A GREAT WEEK!  :)