Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Wow!  What a fun field trip yesterday!!  I'm sorry for blowing up your phones with pictures, but there were so many great moments to pass along.  I hope your child shared all about our fun!

Here's your weekly update...

Math Practice Books:
I am sending home 2 math practice books today.  They are shrink wrapped, and will provide your child additional review with all our 1st grade math concepts. These books are for at-home use only; they do not need to be returned to school. They are a great resource to use for summer review and preparing for second grade!  :)

End of Year Literacy Testing:
I am about to begin our end-of-year literacy testing.  Please be sure your child is reading every day...weekends included.  Your child should read out loud to practice decoding and fluency, and then practice retelling the story in sequence using characters' names and providing as many details as possible.  Ask your child to make a connection to the story.  Ask about the author's message...What is the author trying to teach us in the story?  Ask your child to identify his/her favorite part and state why.   

First Grade Music Program:
The students are busy practicing for our First Grade Music Program, which will be held on Tuesday, May 14th at 8:30 am in the Pinebrook gym.  Please mark your calendar!

Spring Pictures:
If your child had his/her individual picture taken last month, I sent it home Wednesday. Please follow the enclosed directions if you would like to purchase any of the portraits.  If you do not wish to purchase any pictures, please return all the pictures to school with your child.

I am out next Tuesday and Friday:
I will be out next Tuesday and Friday for a training and doctor appointments, respectively.

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will explore characters in fiction stories.
• Writing:  We will begin our poetry unit.
• Math:  We will continue our Time unit.  We will discuss the concepts of a.m. and p.m., read schedules, and explore elapsed time.
• Social Studies:  We will work on a super secret project for the moms. :)

Please reach out with questions, comments, or feedback.  

I am going to a recognition banquet tonight to celebrate my nomination as LCPS Teacher of the Year.  It is a "black tie optional" event to be held at the Belmont Country Club.  I am so excited to get dressed up and go, but I am also afraid I will fall asleep at the table!  There's no tired like "teacher tired" on a Friday!  We'll head to Kings Dominion on Saturday and get Winston out for some socializing on Sunday.

Enjoy your weekend!

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Happy Friday!  It's hard to believe we have made it to Spring Break!  Truth be told, I'm kinda limping to the finish line.  I am hoping to get my pep back after a few days home with my boys.  Before we have a week off from school, here's your weekly update.

Spring Break Reading Incentive:
The kids have made a "Bucket List" Spring Break reading incentive.  If they complete and return this signed bucket list on April 22, 2019, I will give 5 Puma Paws.  :)

Field Trip:
We are excited for our field trip to Leesburg Animal Park on Thursday, April 25th.  Please watch the weather and help your child dress appropriately and comfortably.  Your child should wear sneakers, and pack a disposable lunch. Sunscreen and/or bug spray should be applied at home.  We are unable to apply these things at school.  

Homework Update:
There will be no written homework the week of April 22nd.  Please be sure to read!

First Grade Music Program:
The students have begun to practice for our First Grade International Music Program, which will be on Tuesday, May 14th at 8:30 am in the Pinebrook gym. Please mark your calendar!.  

Project Based Learning Update:
Our class has started a learning project we're calling "The Great Crayon Rescue". We are exploring ways to reduce the number of crayons that end up in landfills each year by reusing or recycling our old crayons.  The kids are loving this project.  Please ask your child about it!

End of Year Literacy Testing:
I can't believe I'm about to type this, but I am...Our end-of-year literacy testing will begin in May.  This means we are at the most critical part of our entire instructional year, as we make our final push toward our testing dates. Please be sure your child is reading every day...weekends included.  Your child should read out loud to practice decoding and fluency, and then practice retelling the story in sequence using characters' names and providing as many details as possible.  Ask your child to make a connection to the story.  Ask about the author's message...What is the author trying to teach us in the story?  Ask your child to identify his/her favorite part and state why.  I truly cannot overstate the importance of your child not only reading everyday, but discussing what he/she read!  

Last Call for Pinebrook Yearbooks:

Pinebrook yearbooks are on sale now!  Yearbooks may only be purchased online. To purchase a yearbook, go to ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter school code 7561119.  You will be prompted through the order and payment process. The deadline to order a yearbook is April 28th.  You must pre-order a yearbook if you would like your child to receive one.  

Focus Areas for the Week of 4/22-4/26:

• Reading:  We will continue our reading unit, "Meeting Characters and Learning Lessons."
• Writing:  We will continue our narrative writing unit. We will continue to focus on editing our writing for mechanics, punctuation, and proper sight word spelling.  We will also begin exploring poetry and poetry writing.
• Math:  We will continue our Time unit.  We will practice telling time to the hour and half hour.
• Science and Social Studies:  We will continue our project based learning unit in which we think of ways to impact the environment by reducing the number of crayons that we throw away each year.  

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

Our family is headed to NY for the first few days of Spring Break to visit family, then back home to continue our house projects. I'll miss the kids!!  Enjoy your Spring Break!!  

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Happy Friday!  I'm sorry I missed Career Day!  I know the kids enjoyed hearing about different professions to wrap up our Career Week!  :)

Report Cards:
Your child's Quarter 3 report card is available for viewing today by logging into your ParentVue account.  If you have difficulty logging into your account, or do not yet have access to ParentVue, please contact Mrs. Sciortino in our school office at 703.957.4325.

Field Trip:
Please see last week's Thursday folder for information about our 1st Grade field trip to Leesburg Animal Park on April 25th.  Please return your child's permission form and payment as soon as possible and no later than next Friday, April 12th.  *Please note - The original date was listed as April 19th, which is the Friday of Spring Break.  I apologize for the error.  Please send permission forms back by next Friday, April 12th.* 

Spring Break Travel Notification:
Spring Break is coming!  There is NO school for students from Monday, April 15th thru Friday, April 19th.  School resumes Monday, April 22nd.  If you plan to get an early start on travel, and your child will be absent in advance of Spring Break, please kindly notify both the office and me in advance.  You may use the online absence notification found HERE. If you plan to pick your child up early on Friday, April 12th, please use the online early dismissal notification found HERE.  I will send home a Spring Break reading incentive next week. 

Yearbooks:

Pinebrook yearbooks are on sale now! Yearbooks may only be purchased online. To purchase a yearbook, go to ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter school code 7561119.  You will be prompted through the order and payment process. The deadline to order a yearbook is April 28th.  You must pre-order a yearbook if you would like your child to receive one.  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will continue our unit, "Meeting Characters and Learning Lessons:  A Study of Story Elements".
• Writing:  We will talk about fiction writing and story elements.
• Math:  We will continue our Time unit.  We will discuss units of time such as second, minute, and hour.  We will practice telling time to the hour and time to the half hour.
• Science / Social Studies:  We will begin a project called "The Great Crayon Rescue".  We will talk about what happens to crayons when we throw them away and how we can avoid filling our landfills with crayons.  This project will align with several of our Science and Social Studies standards related to citizenship, responsibility, civic duty, reducing, reusing, recycling, and man made and natural resources.

Please let me know if you have questions, comments, or feedback about anything written here. 

We have started to repaint and redo some rooms in our house, so the next several weekends will find me in paint clothes with a brush in my hand!  Enjoy your weekend!