So Begins a New Nine Weeks

To celebrate the end of the first nine weeks, Room 115 got a new seating arrangement and a new box  of crayons.  The students went from eight crayons to twenty-four.  Something about a new box of crayons makes the day brighter.  Can you believe your child's Kindergarten year is twenty-five percent over?   Time needs to slow down!

Let's clear up some attendance issues:
There will be an early release date on Friday, November 9.  All MPS schools are releasing 2 hours early for professional development. Blount will dismiss at 1:10 pm on Friday, November 9.  Contact me if you have any questions about this.

There is no school on Monday, November 12 in observance of Veteran's Day.

The Thanksgiving holiday is only three days this year.  There will be school on Monday, November 19 and Tuesday, November 20.  Thanksgiving holidays from school will  be Wednesday, November 21 - Friday, November 23.  NOTE:  The new reading log that will be in binders this week shows the Thanksgiving holiday as the entire week.  Don't use the reading log for attendance. Just remember that Thanksgiving holidays don't start until Wednesday, November 21.

This is Red Ribbon Week to celebrate being Drug Free.  The conversations in Room 115 during Red Ribbon Week will focus on keeping our bodies healthy and making healthy choices.  The school has a different theme each day this week to celebrate Red Ribbon.
 Monday:  the class will make red chains to celebrate that we are drug free.
Tuesday:  wear crazy socks and slippers to "sock it to drugs and slip into good character."
Wednesday:  wear your favorite hat to say "hats off to not using drugs."
Thursday:  wear sunglasses to demonstrate "we are too cool to do drugs."
Friday:  wear your favorite team's t-shirt/jersey to show that we "team up against drugs."

We begin a new nine weeks on Monday.  We rotate to Coach Grant so I will not be taking the children to the playground for the next three weeks.  We will continue with our 10 minute running before lunch.

This week we will be investigating the letter Ww as in "worm in a wagon."  The word wall words will be:  eight, to, do, am.  For something fun this week, try having conversations with your child as if every word begins with the letter w.  For example:  Wappy Wirthday wo wou.  Your child will laugh plus it is excellent oral language development for your child to manipulate sounds.

We've been working a lot with the number ten.  Since ten is the foundation of our number system, ten is a very important number.  Last week, we practiced and practiced making different number combinations that equal ten.  We will be revisiting this over and over again this nine weeks.


Thank you for supporting the Just Give campaign.  Please turn in all money by Thursday, November 1.  If the PTA meets their goal there will not be any fundraisers for the remainder of the year.

On Tuesday, I will send home a sheet for you to write down the phone number you want your child to learn.  I do not make the child learn the area code for local numbers but will require it for long distance numbers. Please return on Wednesday.

Monday is library day and Italian Ice for$1.00.  Please return poetry journals so that we can learn a new poem.

Last week, a spider named "Pepper" came to visit our classroom. We've been learning spider facts all month.  We would love for you to help us surprise the children with our first Crafternoon of the year this Friday, October 26.  We are celebrating the book Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk.   We have everything planned and organized.  All we need you to do is come and spend the afternoon with us from 1:45-3:00 (1:10 if you want to help us decorate.)  We ask that you smile, laugh and encourage us.  Contact me or the room parents for more information.

Report cards will be issued on Thursday at 3:10 pm.  I cannot release report cards until 3:10.

Continue to work on the reading homework sheets.  Last Wednesday I sent home a sheet on smooth blending words (not saying sound by sound but sounding out without taking a breath/pause.)  Revisit that sheet several times over the next few days.  Reading sheets should be coming home every day. Let me know if they are not making it home.  Thank you for reinforcing the learning of your beginning reader.

I snapped this photo last week from  my reading chair as I was helping a small group of beginning readers. I love that an impromptu story time was taking place - complete with an audience.   My desire is that your child leaves Kindergarten with a passion for reading. I would say that we are on our way to that goal.

Thank you for loving our classroom.  I appreciate your support. Contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. 


Upcoming events:
10.25  Report cards are issued at 3:10
10.26  Rooom 115's Crafternoon  1:45-3:00
10.29  Chappy's Spirit Night
10.30  Kindergarten field trip to the pumpkin patch
11.1  Just Give campaign ends
11.9  Blount dismisses at 1:10 pm for teacher professional development
11.12  No school in observance of Veteran's Day
11.21-23  Thanksgiving Holidays (no school on Wed., Thurs., Fri.)