Our classroom is becoming a community! Your children are feeling more comfortable with each other and with school every day. It’s fantastic! Our class is full of love!
My weekly newsletters are full of information, much of it is repeated from week to week so you don’t miss anything. I know you are busy. As a busy parent of two middle schoolers, I like having a newsletter to refer to in case I forget something, even if I’ve read it before. You can anticipate receiving the newsletters via email on Saturday or Sunday each week. If you’d like, you may view the newsletter and other happenings on the classroom blog page.
Reading
In reading, we worked on rhyming words, syllables, and parts of a book. We also concentrated on letters Aa through Dd, worked on our ABC drawing books, as well as letter sounds.
Your children have started learning the ABC’s in sign language. We have a song that goes along with the signs. Ask your child to practice A-D with you this week. You can find the entire alphabet on a printout attached to the curriculum night materials. If you could not attend curriculum night, the packet is in your child’s Friday folder. I noticed that some packets did not go home, as there was no Friday folder returned to send them in this week. If that includes yours, I will get them in the backpacks on Monday. Please return the folders so items can come home neatly in backpacks each week.
Math
Last week, we spent time counting, using a ten frame, and playing counting games with a partner. One to one correspondence was a critical focus as well as counting the number of items in a set and realizing that the last number counted is the number in the set.
Social Emotional
We read and discussed books about social skills. Listening and personal space were the main topics this week. Our class did a lot of practice and I think we’ve grown over the week. Your children are showing compassion toward one another as we navigate big feelings in the classroom. In addition, we had a Kelso’s Choice lesson with the school counselor (Miss Rebecca) about big problems vs. small problems and how to manage them.
We continue to work on routines, rules, and doing things the school way. Our classroom rules include:
- Follow directions the first time.
- Calm body, calm voice
- Stay with the group.
- Be kind.
Friday Folders
Friday folders came home on Friday. Friday Folders should be returned on Thursdays every week. Please place them in the black tub labeled “Class Mail” located by the door on top of the cubbies. Your child will receive a sticker on their folder each time they return it to school. Thanks for bringing them back this week. We had a 100% return!!!!
Curriculum Night, Thank You
Many thanks to families who were able to come out and witness my fast paced, packed with information presentation last Thursday. Whew! There’s always too much to share and too little time. If you could not attend, no worries, packets of information were placed in your child’s Friday folder.
***Please go over all of the materials in the packet. The MOST IMPORTANT sheets are the informational sheets about your child, parent survey and volunteer sign up information form. Return these forms ASAP so I can learn more about your child and how you’d like to help in the classroom. This information is critical to building a team relationship between school and home. I read every single one and refer to them throughout the school year.
Seesaw
I’m trying something new this year. You will find a sign-up sheet for Seesaw in the Curriculum Night packet. My hope is to use this application as a way to communicate with you about your student and for you to see their work as we move through our days at school. If everyone signs up, I will use it to send newsletters and updates to the whole group. Otherwise, I will mainly use it to share little bits of your child’s day with you (pictures, student work). My daughter’s teacher used it last year and it helped me to feel more connected to her classroom. I loved getting photos of my little lady as she navigated her day and I think you will enjoy it as well.
Classroom Wish List
At curriculum night, I had some classroom wish list items posted on little red and green apples on my easel. The items are books and handy classroom supplies. They are now located on the classroom door. Please consider donating an item or two if you can. All you need to do is pick an apple and take it with you, then do your magic. Many thanks to those who have already fulfilled a wish or two! If you would like to donate but are not able to come in to pick an apple, I am happy to make a suggestion to you from the list. Thanks again!
Pumpkin Patch Field Trip
We’ll be heading to Northern Lights Tree Farm on October 16th for our pumpkin patch field trip. I sent a permission slip home on Friday. If you would like to help chaperone, awesome! Get your background checks in ASAP. I usually have parents/chaperones meet at Edgewood in the classroom at drop off in the AM. Kids get nametags and are assigned to parent chaperones. Afterward, we load the bus and parents/chaperones meet us out at the patch. If you can chaperone, please let me know ASAP. Consider carpooling with parents to the farm.
More details to follow…
Scholastic Book Orders
Please feel free to order online with our class code NQZD6 at any time. It is written on the front of the Scholastic Reading Club flyer sent home last week. I typically wait two weeks to place orders so we can group items together if possible. Your orders help our class earn points for free books to enrich our classroom library. I will place an order next Friday (September 27th). Please place your orders by that date.
Homework
“Your” homework is to read to and with your child and for your child to read to and with you. That will look different for each child in our class. Log the minutes you read with each other each day, initial, sign and return at the end of the week. You decide what is best for your child to practice at home.
There are many great resources for academic skill practice available. See the links below:
Starfall
PBS Kids
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/games/preschool-kindergarten/pbs-kids-games/
ABC Ya
http://www.abcya.com/kindergarten_computers.htm
Snack
Thank you for packing healthy snacks for your child to enjoy at school. This really helps your kiddos make it through the day when the afternoon tummy rumbles set in. A little snack helps them to stay focused until dismissal. To make transition to snack easier for your child, please have them place their snacks in their cubbies each day, separate from their lunch. With nut allergies in the room, it is important that the students keep their lunchboxes away from worktables if they have any type of nut product in their lunch.
Water bottles are welcome. Please label them with your child’s name. We ask that your child keep their water bottle in our water bottle bin and have a drink as needed throughout the day. There is a water fountain available outside the classroom door as well.
Fun Run
The Fun Run is Thursday, October 3rd. Kindergarten has been asked to dress in pink. Try to find some kind of pink flair for the big day. Let me know if you need any assistance. We want to be able to easily identify the kiddos in our class as they are running around the track. Please be sure to send your child to school in active wear and sneakers so they are comfortable. Also, pack a water bottle with their name on it so they can have it ready to go at the hydration station. Packets will come home next Friday. Gather your pledges and get ready to run! All proceeds help fund and support Edgewood Elementary.
Housekeeping
Please be sure to label your child’s outdoor clothing, backpacks, and lunchboxes. It will make it easy for your belongings to make their way back to your child if they get lost at school.
Dismissal
You are doing a fabulous job making sure to wave good-bye to me at pick-up! Great work, families!!!! Dismissal can be a bit crowded outside the Cedar Quad. We will continue to release students a few minutes early so they have a little more time to find you at the end of the day. I ask students to stand outside the quad doors against the West wall with me when they are released. When they find you, they must find me to let me know and give me a little wave good-bye. When I see them with their adult, I will let them go. This way, I know they are safe and on their way home. The first graders will be pouring out shortly after, so let’s work together to get your little ones on their way quickly and safely. Ms. Judy will bring bus riders to the bus, and the YMCA and Eco Village will pick up classmates that go to aftercare.
Communication
I love your notes!!! For those who haven’t noticed, there is a communication notebook on top of the cubbies by the door. Please leave me a note if there is something that you want to let me know for the day. Maybe your child woke up and isn’t feeling quite right, something is bothering them, there is a transportation change, or you just want to tell me to have a fabulous day. I will take a peek at the notebook after I get all the students settled in. You can also email me any time at leduc_r@4j.lane.edu I will likely get to your message after school has ended, but I will get back to you as soon as I can. It may be in the evening after I get my family settled for the night. Thanks for understanding!
Volunteer Opportunities
We are getting into a rhythm of doing things “the school way”. I like to know where the students are at academically and to establish a relationship with each one before volunteers begin in the classroom.
If you can volunteer, please be sure to fill out the volunteer background check form available in the office. We can’t have you until you are cleared.
Healthy Classroom
When your child is sick, please refer to the 4j guidelines for attending and returning to school. We sanitize the surfaces in the room on a regular basis to prevent germs from spreading. Please encourage your child to cover their cough and to wash their hands regularly, especially after using the bathroom, after using a tissue, and before eating.
Upcoming dates:
October 3rd Fun Run 1:30pm
October 16th Northern Lights Tree Farm Field Trip
October 10th No School In-service day
October 11th No School State In-service Day