Classroom Needs

We are in need of a few items for our class.  If you can help out we would appreciate it.

*tissues (cold season  is already here)
*Lysol wipes
*playdoh
*"found" items for our art station (empty cardboard rolls, old greeting cards, extra buttons, scrap material, anything that you find in the house and are thinking of  throwing away) it is amazing how creative the kids are!

Thanks for your support!

October Home Reading Program

Yesterday your child came home with a reading log for the month of October.  Please read a book together each night and then record the book in the log.  Reading to your child is one of the best gifts you can give them.

It's Okay To Make Mistakes

This is a book we read today by Todd Parker.  We want the kids to understand that making mistakes is o.k. as that is how we learn.   This book was a good way to introduce this idea and talk about  how our class is a safe place to try new things, take risks and not be afraid to try.

Home activities with your child

There are a few things you can do at home with your child that will reinforce what we are doing in school.

1.  Make sure they can identify and print the letters in their first name (JK) and first and last name for SK.

2.  When reading have your child count the words in a sentence.   This helps children understand that letters make up words and words create a message.

3.  Practice the alphabet with your child, focusing on the sounds that the letters make.

4.  Read with your child every day. This is one of the most important things you can do for your child. 

5. Let your  child practice using scissors.   Remind them that their thumb should point to the sky when cutting.

Thanks

Thanks so much for coming out to curriculum night last week.   As mentioned I am posting the benchmarks.  Year 1and Year 2 refers to JK and SK respectively.

Family Photos

Please send in a photo of your family for our Family Tree wall.  I know we took photos of the Jk's and their parents during the interviews, but if you would like to send in another photo that includes all family members, that would be awesome.

Our Library day is every Monday. Please return books each Monday

First Full Week

We had a great first week of school!  The children are settling in and learning the class rules and routines and they are getting to know their classmates.  There has been the occasional tear or "I miss my mommy", but for the most part, the kids are adjusting well.  If they are feeling a little sad, we tell them to put their palm of their hand to their cheek and feel the love of mommy and daddy.  This comes from the book "The Kissing Hand", which we read last week.   At home you can kiss their palm and remind them to put their hand on their cheek if they are missing you!

Last week the kids printed their names and began working on their self-portraits.  We will have them displayed on curriculum night when you come in.

We had two fire drills last week and the children did a beautiful job!  We are required to have 3 in the fall and 3 in the spring, so there will be one more very soon.  We prepared them for it by reading a book about fire drills and then we practiced before the actual drill so that everyone knew what to do.  They were awesome at lining up quietly, walking single file and remaining quiet during the whole drill.  We were very proud of them!

Your child might be talking about how they styled Mrs. Harrison or Miss Araujo's hair this week.  That is because we have changed our drama centre into a hair salon.  The children are loving "washing", "colouring" and "styling" each other's hair.  Don't worry, they don't use actual combs or brushes (lice precaution)  they just pretend.  The drama centre provides your child with the opportunity to learn the following:

• imagination and role playing
• to work cooperatively with peers
• to communicate ideas with others
• to take turns, share and use kind words
• to learn about people in their community
• to nurture and care for others
• to tidy up when finished playing

Looking forward to another great week!

International Dot Day

Today was International Dot Day, a day to celebrate the courage to create and collaborate.  We read the book The Dot by Peter  Reynolds, which is a story that encourages self-expression and artistic experimentation.  As a class we created a dot collage  using sponges, mini-mops and bingo dabbers.  The children had a blast! Who knew making dots could be such fun!

Great Beginning

We had a great first two days last week!  All the children settled in quickly and enjoyed exploring the classroom, meeting new friends and reconnecting with old friends.  We have 28 students this year, 15 SK's and 13 JK's.  Miss Araujo and I can already tell that we have an awesome group of students!  Please make note of some important dates below.  As mentioned in the interviews and the September newsletter, most information pertaining to the class will be posted on the blog, so please bookmark it.

Tues. Sept. 15th:   International Dot Day, wear polka dots if you have them.
Wed. Sept. 16th:   PICTURE DAY
Fri.   Sept. 18th:    Pizza order forms and money due
Mon. Sept. 21st:   Family Package of forms due
Thrus. Sept. 24th: Curriculum Night @ 6:30 pm in the gym, followed by classroom presentations


Reminders:  Please send in an extra set of clean clothes in a labelled Ziploc bag to keep in your child's cubby in case of an accident (bathroom, food or water).
Please send in a pair of indoor shoes that your child can leave in their cubby.  Please remember no laces as children this age cannot tie shoes so it becomes a safety issue.

Thanks so much!

Class schedule