Weekly Update

Hi Everyone,

Many thanks to those of you able to attend our ABC's of Thanksgiving yesterday. The kids love having you visit the classroom, and I appreciate the time you take from your busy schedule to validate their efforts by attending our programs.  

We have a short week coming up, and then 5 wonderful days to spend with family and food! Here's what you need to know for next week's short week and the week after....

Quarter 1 Report Cards:
A friendly reminder that Quarter 1 report cards were issued Wednesday.  If you've not yet done so, please log into your ParentVue account to view your child's report card.

Thanksgiving Travel:
If your child will be absent next week, and / or leaving early on Tuesday, please kindly notify both the office and me in advance.  For absences, you may use the online absence excuse found on the Pinebrook homepage, or by clicking HERE.  For early dismissal, you may use the early dismissal form found on the Pinebrook homepage, or by clicking HERE.

School Picture Retakes:
School Picture Retakes will be Monday, November 20th.  Picture retakes are for students who were absent on picture day, or students who paid for a picture package and would like to have the photos redone.  If you believe either of these apply to you, please send me a message and I will give you all the details about picture retakes.

No Written Homework Next Week:
There will be no written homework next week due to our short week.  PLEASE READ!  Remember...reading isn't homework...reading is LIFE.  :)

Thanksgiving Reading Incentive:
I sent home a Thanksgiving reading incentive in yesterday's Thursday folder.  The kids can earn lunch in the classroom for completing this reading challenge and returning their signed form on Monday, November 27th.  If everyone completes the challenge and returns the form, we'll earn extra recess too!  Please let me know if you have any questions about this reading incentive.

Scholastic Book Fair:

The Scholastic Book Fair will be held at school the week of November 27th. Students will preview the Book Fair on Tuesday.  Students who bring money may shop at the Book Fair during recess the week of November 27th - December 1st.  (Please do NOT send money Tuesday...this is only a preview day.)  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 Wednesday, November 29th from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm.  I'll send a reminder home about the Book Fair next weekend.

Timeline Project:
I sent home your child's "Look At Me Now" Timeline Project in yesterday's Thursday folder.  Please review the information in the letter and let me know if you have any questions.  Timeline projects are due no later than Monday, December 4th. If your child has his/her Timeline project completed before that date, feel free to send it in early.

I Am Out on December 1st:
I am taking a personal day on December 1st to complete some Holiday preparations for my family.  I will remind the kids the day before.  :)

Focus Areas for the Coming Short Week (11/20-11/21) AND the Week of 11/27 - 12/1:

• Reading:  We will continue our Word Detectives Unit. We will summarize stories using the summary frame known as "Somebody-Wanted-But-So".  You can use this summary frame with your child at home too!  After your child reads a book, ask:  "Who is the Somebody in the story?"  (it's usually the main character);  "What did he/she want?";  "But what happened?" (this is the problem);  "So what did he/she do?"  (this is the solution).  We will also talk about the Author's Message in stories we read...what life lesson does the author want us to learn from this story?
• Math:  We will review our addition strategies as we finish our addition unit. We will begin our subtraction unit, in which we explore subtraction as the reverse of addition, and learn strategies for quickly solving subtraction facts.
• Social Studies:  We will finish our Long Ago and Today unit.  We will begin our Economics unit.  We will explore the concepts of wants and needs, goods and services, and consumers and producers.

As always, I welcome your questions, comments, and feedback.

Happy Thanksgiving!  As I count my blessings, your sweet kiddos, you, and the support you offer each day are surely at the top of the list.