March 2, 2007

“March 2, 2007”

Dear Families,

The weather this past weekend and the forecast for the rest of the week sounds crazy so we are sending this newsletter home VERY EARLY! Some of the activities listed may not get to happen because we may have to concentrate on getting the most important work accomplished.

We know that a lot of families are displaced right now. If we have to get out of school early tomorrow, Wednesday, February 28th, we won’t know how to contact many of our families. You need to be ever vigilant about the weather and school closings right now. If you can provide us with a phone number where you can be reached in case we do get out early, that would be very, very, very helpful!

During Pp week we acted out the story The Three Little Pigs. They liked hearing Mr. Foster read The Principal’s New Clothes and The Principal from the Black Lagoon. We learned about the Presidents. Thursday was Dr. Suess’s 102nd birthday, and we celebrated by working on a Cat in the Hat activity with the fourth graders. Centers included painting, the Pizza Palace, giant floor puzzles, a pet paper, pattern blocks, and legos.

This week we did not learn a new word. We did review the words we already learned. We did work in the workbooks at sounding out easy short vowel words. The booklet Mud Fun was read and sent home. Do not panic if your child seems to take longer to learn the words. Each child learns at a different pace, and some children need to practice more than others. We will keep working here at school. It does help if you keep practicing at home. There is homework this week. Check it out!

Next week we will be studying the letter Kk. For sharing boys and girls need to bring something that begins with the letter Kk.

Remember that Kindergarten Roundup is scheduled for the week of April 23rd. The current kindergartners will not be coming to school at all that week so that we can get to know the future kindergartners and their families. Please mark your calendars!

We have a few children with summer birthdays that would like to celebrate their birthday during this school year. If you have one of those children, we can arrange a day for them to celebrate. It is a big deal to them because they get to be the leader that day and have the birthday song sung to them. Let us know in a note if your family would like to pick a day. We like to arrange these ahead of time so that we don’t put two on the same day!

We hope that your weekend is perfect!

Ms. Howard, Mrs. Owens, Mrs. Herink

February 23, 2007

February 23, 2007

Dear Families,

This has been quite a week! The kindergartners learned about quarters. Any extra practice with recognizing money and their values at home would be beneficial. We also discussed George Washington because his birthday was February 22nd. During the week we talked about quiet animals, practiced counting to 75, and practiced listening and following directions on a paper that looked like a quilt. We learned the new word do and read the booklets I Am Sam. (We also completed LAST Tuesday’s work!) Centers included word bingo, a coloring sheet, dominoes, a quiet animal paper, books and magazines, and the vet clinic. This week the kindergartners worked on the internet. They read a book and played learning games at www.starfall.com. Families are welcome to visit this site at home or the public library.

Please remember that the students get out of school at 12:20 on Tuesday, February 27th! Families that were scheduled for Tuesday conferences on February 13th will have their conferences at the same times on Tuesday, February 27th.

Lately we have had many boys and girls forget their library books on Monday. We need your help in getting the books here on time so that families can enjoy a new book each week.

Next week we will be learning about the letter Pp. Sharing needs to be an item that starts with the letter Pp.

Next week we are turning the dramatic play center into a Pizza Palace. Families are welcome to send pizza items to school. Please put your child’s name on anything you want returned home.
We have a few children with summer birthdays that would like to celebrate their birthday during this school year. If you have one of those children, we can arrange a day for them to celebrate. It is a big deal to them because they get to be the leader that day and have the birthday song sung to them. Let us know in a note if your family would like to pick a day. We like to arrange these ahead of time so that we don’t put two on the same day! “

Attached to this newsletter are two pieces of homework, the regular Qq homework and a sentence paper. Please read the sentences several times, and sign the paper. Send it back for a sticker. Notice the advanced warning about the future sharing schedule!

Mrs. Herink, Mrs. Owens and Ms. Howard
_________________________________________________
February 26 - March 2: Something that starts with the letter Pp
March 5 - 9: Something that starts with the letter Kk
March 12 - 16: Something that starts with the letter Gg
March 19 - 23: Something that starts with the letter Bb
March 26 - 30: Free choice sharing (Xx week)

February 15, 2007

February 15, 2007

Dear Families,

Vv week has been a very busy and a very short week! We talked about President’s Day. Two new words were introduced. The words were have and me. Two new booklets were read this week and sent home. They were entitled The Tan Cat and We Fit. (Because of the snow day we may NOT get to The Tan Cat until next week.) In math we practiced counting by 5’s to 100. We will be working with nickels. Counting by 5’s is a tougher skill, and any extra practice at home would be very appreciated!

The Tuesday evening conferences have been rescheduled for Tuesdsay, February 27th. THE STUDENTS WILL GET OUT AT 12:20 ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH! After these February conferences there are no more scheduled conferences for this year. If you have a question or concern, please contact us. We can set up a time to meet with you.

The kindergartners are really improving in reading! It is obvious that many families are practicing at home. The boys and girls enjoy reading in school, and we hope that they are showing you all the booklets and papers that we are able to send home.

Next week we will be learning about the letter Qq. Sharing will be free choice because not many things begin with Qq. There is no school on Monday, February 19th because of President’s Day.

Please remember to have your child return the Redhawks Reading slips on the assigned return dates. If you forget to send it, please send it with your child as soon as possible. We are keeping track of how many boys and girls reach the assigned goal. Kindergartners that do not return the slips may not get to participate in several fun activities at the end of February.

Kindergarten round up is scheduled for the week of April 23rd. KINDERGARTNERS WILL NOT BE ATTENDING SCHOOL DURING THIS ENTIRE WEEK! We are warning our families now so that arrangements can be made for the students.

Have a very nice four day weekend!

Mrs. Owens, Ms. Howard, and Mrs. Herink

February 9, 2007

February 9, 2007

Dear Families,

Rr week has been a really busy week! The kindergartners learned to read the words are and to. Flashcards have been attached to the newsletter. Please practice these often! They read and brought home 3 little booklets. This week we stressed that in order to read words, your eyes have to actually see the words. (Many during class aren’t always paying attention to where we are, they are looking around the room!) The students heard the story The Runaway Bunny and made their own little bunnies that told where they would go if they could run away. We learned about rainbows. Our centers included learning about rabbits, building words, Abraham Lincoln puppets, working with rice, number bingo, and books and magazines.

Next week is Vv week. Sharing should be an item that starts with the letter Vv. (Think about Valentine’s Day.) The Friday sharing kids may bring their item any day next week. Remember there is no school on Friday, February 16th or Monday, February 19th. School is dismissed early on Tuesday, February 13th. School is dismissed at 12:20. Please mark your calendars!

We would like to turn the dramatic play center into a vet clinic. Families may send items suitable for a vet clinic to school. Ideas are stuffed animals, stethoscopes, cloth bandages, plastic syringes without the needles, pet supplies, etc. Please write your child’s name or initials on everything!

Conferences are scheduled for next week. If you find that your conference time does not work, please call us at school so that we can reschedule!

Please remember to have your child return the Redhawks Reading slips. If you forget to send it on the assigned day, please send it with your child as soon as possible. We are keeping track of how many many girls and boys reach their reading goal each week and turn in the slips. We have charts hanging in the hallway, and we write each student’s weekly reading total on them. Remember, boys and girls that do not read at home, fill out the slips, and turn them in DO NOT participate in the fun activities scheduled for the end of the month. These children stay with Mr. Foster.

Please include extra clothes in your child’s backpack. Our supply of extra clothes is dwindling because many families are not sending the extra clothes back! Please check for these extra pants, shirts, sweatshirts, socks, and undies.

Have a really nice weekend! Keep reading!

Mrs. Owens, Mrs. Herink, and Ms. Howard

February 2, 2007

February 2, 2007

Dear Families,

Yahoo! The kindergartners learned to read you and my. These two words are attached to this newsletter. Cut them apart and practice often! The boys and girls worked really hard on Months of the Year booklets. We want the boys and girls to be able to say the months of the year in order, and this book helps them practice. On Thursday and Friday we briefly talked about Ground Hog’s Day. Centers included putting yellow objects in the appropriate box according to beginning sound, Yahtzee, rolling yellow dice and counting on, yellow yachts, coloring our Redhawks Reading posters that will be put in the hall, and decorating our valentine sacks.

This week’s extra homework works with rhyming. Please do this homework with your kindergartner. Stickers will be given to those that return finished homework sheets.

Next week we will be learning about the letter Rr. For sharing the boys and girls need to bring in something that starts with the letter Rr.

We have been doing a lot with glue sticks again. Please check with your student on the condition of his/her glue stick.

Earlier this week we sent home a Redhawks Reading note and record sheet. Remember, we want kindergartners to read at least 10 minutes each day outside of school. Families are welcome to read more than the goal amount. Refer to the Redhawks Reading note if you have questions. As you finish recording the minutes you read at home on the appropriate strip on the chart, cut the strip off and send it to school. Please make sure that your child’s name is on the strip.

Valentines may be brought to school now. Our party will be on Wednesday, February 14th. We contacted volunteers to provide treats and napkins for it already.

The 4-H Carnival will be held here at North Tama on Saturday, February 3rd. The Tama County 4-H clubs serve a meal and plan fun games for the kids. There is a minimal fee for the games, and the meal tends to be reasonably priced. Families may eat from 5:30 - 8:00. Games can be played from 6:00 - 8:30.

Have a great weekend! Try to stay warm!

Ms. Howard, Mrs. Owens, and Mrs. Herink