Weekly Update

Hi Everyone,

Today marks the end of our first quarter.  The school year is passing quickly!  I am so pleased with our little classroom family, and with the growth the kids are making.  Have I told you I think your kids are the BEST?  😊 

Thanksgiving Plate:
In yesterday's Thursday folder, I sent home a note about Thanksgiving, along with a "plate" for your child to decorate with things he/she is thankful for.  We will use the decorated plate for an in-class project.  Please help your child decorate his/her plate with pictures of things he/she is thankful for.  The plates will go through the laminator, so please use only flat decorations.  Please send the decorated plate back to school by Monday, November 13th.  If it is finished sooner, you may send it sooner.  Thank you!

Homework Change:
Due to our short week next week, we will not have new sight words or written homework.  When homework resumes on November 12th, we will have a new homework routine.  The kids will no longer use the orange homework journal (they may keep these at home to use as they choose).  Instead, I will send a homework packet home on Mondays.  Completed homework packets will be due on Fridays.  Each day's homework will include reading for 15-20 minutes, along with a worksheet to review our words of the week or other previously learned concepts.  I will continue to give a words of the week spelling test on Fridays. Your child will receive a completion grade for homework.  Detailed homework instructions will be included on the cover page of each week's homework packet.  

Pinebrook Veteran's Day Program:
Please read the following message from the Pinebrook office regarding our Veteran's Day Program:

Calling All Veterans!

You are invited to participate in Pinebrook's Veteran's Day Celebration

At Pinebrook Elementary, we love to celebrate and honor our families, especially those who have served or are currently active in the military. We would be honored to have you join us and share your stories with two classrooms of students (parents and extended family military members welcome) for our Veteran's Day Celebration to be held on Monday, November 12^th from 8:00am-10:15am.

Schedule of events:

8:00 – 8:25 Veterans check in at the front desk and proceed to the library

8:30 – 9:10 Program Begins / Veteran's share their story with two different groups of students

8:30 – 8:50 First Session

8:50 – 9:10 Second Session

9:15 – 9:30 Photos of Veterans with their students

9:30 – 9:45 Pinebrook Veterans Day Parade

9:45 - 10:15 Juice, Coffee, Bagels for Veterans

Please RSVP through Google Forms at the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqCiNfjx6aXv_q4WjfRByUFiPoHjSvdiT40rKpP8KQuSPdag/viewform   

Turkey of the Year:
Turkey of the Year voting continued today, and will go on for the next few Fridays! Your child must read to vote for the staff member he/she would like to see come to school dressed in a turkey suit.  One hour of reading equals one vote. Each Friday, please sign and return that week's voting slip.  If you lost the voting slips, please write a note to indicate how many hours your child read during the previous week, sign it, and send it to school on Friday. 

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will finish our Word Detectives unit, in which we learn strategies for solving tricky words.
• Writing:  We will begin our  "How to" writing unit.  This is writing in which we teach our readers how to do something.
• Math:  We did not finish our fractions unit this week due to our Halloween celebration.  We will finish it next week.
• Social Studies:  We will learn about the significance of Veteran's Day and prepare for our Pinebrook Veteran's Day celebration. 

It's been a delight to visit with so many of you at conferences.  Thank you for taking time to talk with me about your child's progress!  Thank you for being vested in your child's social, emotional, and educational development.

Don't forget...the kids don't have school Monday or Tuesday due to Teacher Work Days.  Enjoy the long weekend!