November 8, 2009
I woke up this morning thinking there was something I forgot to mention on the News Flash and then it hit me...Pajama Day! This Friday, the 13th, will be Spirit Day for kindergarten. Our little ones headed to the polls last Tuesday to vote on their Spirit Day choice: Hat Day, Sock Day, or Pajama Day. Pajama Day was the favorite, so we'll all roll out of bed wearing our pajamas on Friday! We have PE on Friday, so please make sure to send tennis shoes if your child has on slippers. If girls wear night gowns, please allow them to have shorts or tights on underneath.
Have a great Sunday!
November 7, 2009
Thanks to all that helped out and/or donated items for our 50's day. The decorations around our door and in our classroom were a hit. The kids had a blast and were so cute!
On to another week...
Just a reminder that Scholastic book orders are due this Monday, the 9th. Check out the "Club Shop" in the online section of our ordering page for books and various other things for all different grade levels that may be of interest to you. We'll have one more book order run before the winter break. If you plan to give some of the books as gifts, please let me know so we can set up a way to get them home without the kids knowing!
While we're on the subject of books, we've been working diligently on learning strategies to help us read independently and monitor comprehension. Our Reading and Writing workshop approach has morphed into "Reading and Writing Options" in which the kids have a little more choice in their daily activities of reading and writing. Independent books will come home this week, so celebrate along with your child as they show off their skills. Independent level books are designed to be relatively "easy" for your child to read so they are able to practice fluency (speed and expression) and build confidence. After reading with your child, please send the books back the next day if possible.
When your child is reading to you or you are reading to them, that's a great opportunity to mark down the time for our library reading program. Many students have expressed concern that their parents are unaware of how to get to the reading logs to document time. Our website has a link titled "Reading Program" where you can print reading logs and send them in when complete. The reading program is a great motivator for the kids since they receive prizes with each sheet turned in. I encourage everyone to participate as it sure brings a smile to their faces to see their reading progress and earn a tangible reward for their hard work!
We're working hard on not reversing numbers we write, which is a very common thing at this age. One of the homework sheets that is coming home this Tuesday is a handwriting number page. The number is written out for the students and there is a little gray box underneath for them to copy the number. Some of the boxes didn't print very well, so just wanted to give you a little guidance in case it is confusing.
Don't forget this Wednesday, November 11th, is an early release day. Students are dismissed at 12:45pm, so we'll be out on the porch a little earlier to beat the "big kid" crowd.
I will be on campus but in training all day Thursday, November 12th. Mrs. Kristi Lee will be our substitute for the day, so please call the office at 428.2100 should you need to reach her or me as I will have limited access to e-mail and phone.
Finally, I must beg for more hand soap again. It's amazing how much we've gone through, but I'm certainly not complaining since I want us all to stay healthy. If you are able to donate soap to our class we thank you kindly!
We are also in need of the cheapest hand held CD players you can find for our listening station. We've been fortunate to receive a couple of new ones this year (thank you!) but the ones from the past have met their match I'm afraid. If you are willing and able to donate a CD player we'd be grateful so multiple children are able to be at the listening station at once.
Thank you for all your hard work and support at home...we couldn't do it without you!
Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
November 1, 2009
For the record...I love when we get to "fall" back. I believe this is one of my favorite days of the year!
Don't forget that 50's day is this Wednesday. To make our day even more fun, we encourage everyone to dress in 50's attire. We still need the following things to make our day successful, so please let me know if you are able to help.
* 10 small apples
* 1 dozen donuts
* volunteers to work a station during our Sock Hop (1:45pm-2:30pm)
Report cards will come home on Tuesday. Please refer to the information inside the report card envelope to help you understand the grading system. Our report card has changed, so please do not become alarmed if you see that your child is marked at a "Level 1". This simply means at this time of year, direct guidance is given during most activities. Never fear...if I have any specific concerns regarding your child's performance I will always contact you.
This should be a great week - can't believe it's already NOVEMBER!
October 25, 2009
This week is Red Ribbon Week at Fern Bluff and each day your little one will have an opportunity to dress up for the events. Our counselor, Mrs. Suzanne O'Brien, will also visit the kids to discuss healthy and unheathly ways to care for your body. The following themes will be in place for the week:
Monday: Wear Red Day (Wear red to kick off the week!)
Tuesday: Backwards Day ("Turn your back on drugs" by wearing clothes backwards.)
Wednesday: Crazy Sock Day ("Sock it to drugs" by wearing the craziest socks you can find.)
Thursday: Crazy Hat or Crazy Hair Day ("Keep your head in the game" and wear the craziest hairdo or hat you can find.)
Friday: Take Pride Day (Wear your class t-shirt!) *No Halloween costumes, please!*
Also, as a heads-up, kindergarten will celebrate the 50th day of school on November 4th. All students are encouraged to dress in 50's attire. We'll do a lot of activities centered around halves (half way to the 100th day of school!) and fractions. There will also be a Sock Hop at the end of the day for our kids. We need a few people to help with decorations for the cafeteria, so please let me know if you are willing to help us in that manner.
Now that the weather is getting cooler and our kids are getting taller, I sent home everyone's change of clothes. Please switch out the clothes and place them back in your child's backpack when you get a chance. We'll house them in backpacks this time so make sure they don't take up too much backpack space so our folders and such fit nicely.
We had good intentions of visiting the computer lab this past week, but the Vision and Hearing Screening was scheduled in our spot. We'll try again this Tuesday!
I encourage you to participate in Fern Bluff's Direct Donation Drive put on by the PTA. 100% of the money raised goes to our school and is tax-deductible. The ends on November 13th.
Finally, I learned that some of the links on our classroom are hard to read due to font or color. If you are experiencing difficulty reading any part of our website, please let me know as everything shows up in the black or blue Georgia font on my end!
Have a great week and don't forget to participate in the Red Ribbon dress up days!
October 18, 2009
I hope you enjoyed this beautiful weekend of sunshine and cooler weather. Much warmer than our field day morning for sure! Thank you to all that came out to help and cheer on our field day stars. The kids seemed to have a lot of fun and were pretty worn out that afternoon!
This week we are going to the computer lab for the first time this year. We'll start with a discussion about the parts of the computer and then begin a fun program where the kids will listen to books. Listening to fluent reading is an important skill that helps build your child's own fluency (speed and expression) when reading.
The nurse will also conduct vision and hearing testing with all students on Thursday. No news is good news, but you will be notified if she feels your child's vision or hearing needs further examination.
In addition to teaching your little one, one of my responsibilities at Fern Bluff is that of Collaborative Teacher Leader for our school. I share this role with Ms. Amanda Matthews, a 4th grade teacher. On Wednesday, the 21st, I will be on campus but in other classrooms observing the great teaching that happens each day. Miss Sara Stewart will be the substitute all day. I will have limited access to email that day, so please call the office at 428.2100 should you need to reach Miss Stewart or me.
Miss Stewart will also accompany the kids to the porch this Thursday as I have a routine doctor appointment right after school. Should you need to reach her after 2:30pm, please call the office.
Don't forget to check the "What's Happening This Week?" link for weekly updates regarding our curriculum. We've been playing a little bit of "catch up" from all the illness, but we'll soon be back on track!
Have a fabulous week!
October 15, 2009
A few more field day requests for tomorrow! Please send an extra pair of shoes with your child in case we get super muddy outside. We're hoping the front of the school will give us a reprieve from the mud, but better to be safe and have something to change into. Also, if you have blankets you can bring for the picnic lunch tomorrow that would be great so we can be nice and comfy for lunch. We still plan to eat in the courtyard at 11:45am. See you tomorrow!
September 22, 2009
Hello on this first day of fall - my favorite season!
Just a reminder that t-shirt orders are due today. The orders will be placed promptly and I'm told the turn around time is quick! I would really like for everyone to have one, so please let me know if the cost ($6.00) is a concern and we will work something out.
If you're looking to connect with other Fern Bluff kindergarten children and parents, this Friday the 25th, would be a great time. There will be a Kindergarten Social at the park next to our school starting after pick-up time. Please contact Alexia Thex with any questions:
ajthex03@thexfamily.com.
I'm sad to miss it, but this week the children are studying all about family dynamics and who comprises their immediate and extended family. They'll also discuss roles that family members play as well as similarities and differences among families. Sorting objects by like attributes continues in mathematics, and writing and reading workshop are in full swing. The children are learning to write in their own personal draft books and learning how to plan for a story using pictures. The draft books are always fun to see so plan to make the Kindergarten Academic Night / Open House on October 6th so you may browse all the fun things we've been doing so far!
If you are able to help out with the Monday Workroom responsibilities I would tremendously appreciate it. Workroom volunteers gather on Monday mornings at 7:45am to do all the things that help make our classroom run smoothly and are truly my weekly saving grace! Many of the activities we do during the day are made by the help of these special volunteers which allows me to focus on more of the curriculum and instruction. If you are available during that time, please let me know!
Thank you to everyone for their well wishes this week. The surgery was a success and I am resting comfortably. I can't wait to be back next week though!
Enjoy the rest of your week!
September 13, 2009
Happy rainy weekend! It's been so nice to have an "excuse" to stay indoors. Although we played outside in the rain quite a bit too!
We enjoyed visiting with grandparents during lunch on Friday and look forward to meeting more on Monday. Our lunch (brunch) time is from 10:35am-11:05am.
Please make sure to check your child's red folder for an important note regarding next week. I will be out for 2 weeks starting Wednesday...specifics are in the note.
Now on to details for the week...
Wednesday is a 12:45pm early release day. Our dismissal process remains the same on these days so we'll see you on the porch as normal...just a little earlier.
Book orders are due by Wednesday, September 16th. You may order online or send in the paper order form marked with your child's name.
A note went home on Tuesday regarding our class t-shirts. The order forms are due on September 22nd with cash ($6.00) being the only form of payment accepted. Please let me know if cost is an issue as I would like for every child to have a t-shirt.
Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 6th. Our Parent Academic Night / Open House will be that evening at 6:00pm. If you are a Fern Bluff veteran you will find this night to be a little different than in the past. Our time together will start in the cafeteria from 6:00pm-6:30pm for an overview of the kindergarten curriculum and guidelines for the year presented by all the kindergarten teachers. At 6:30pm you are invited to come back to our classroom for an Open House where you may browse the room, see your child's work samples, and review your child's individual progress report. This progress report serves as the old "conference form" we've used in the past. At that time if you have any additional questions or concerns regarding your child's progress you may e-mail me, request a phone conference, or request to meet with me on Monday, October 12th.
This week we continue discussing important beginning Reading & Writing procedures and will begin writing in our first writing folders. We'll also begin a discussion of "HOW do we read?" Community helpers is the hot topic in Social Studies and sorting by different attributes is our focus in mathematics. It's sure to be a fun week!
Now a rainy quote to end on...
"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain."
- Author Unknown
Have a great week!
September 8, 2009
I hereby declare all weekends should be 3 days long. There's just enough time to be productive yet relax a little too! However, it's always nice to return to a routine. Our little ones did a fabulous job adjusting to a Tuesday that felt like a Monday!
A few things to note for this week and beyond (in random order!)...
Illness abounds at Fern Bluff! In an effort to be fair and not penalize those that stay home when they are sick, our school will not have the coveted "Perfect Attendance" award this year. We've been very fortunate in our classroom to not have too many illnesses, so thank you for keeping your little ones home if there is any sign of sickness on the horizon. For your convenience, you may report an absence online via the Fern Bluff webpage under "Parent Resources".
It's helpful to have everyone arrive at school on time so lunch choices can be made and important announcements heard. Starting this week, tardies will be counted if students are not in our classroom by 7:45am when the last bell rings.
We have P.E. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. For safety, please be sure to send tennis shoes with your child on these days so they may participate in all activities.
Every Friday green Poetry folders will come home with the "Poem of the Week" inside for you to read with your child. Please place the poem inside the brads of the folder each week. You will also find books we've read together in the pocket of the folder. After reading these with your child, please place them back into the pocket of the folder so they find their way back to school and in your child's personal book box to return to during reading time.
Please do not place lunch money checks, order forms, notes, etc. in the green or yellow folders as I may not check those until later in the week. The blue Tuesday folder is the best place to return things to school, but if you need to get something to me any other day, please send in a separate envelope or note that your child can hand to me when the get to school.
Thank you to Gommy, Ryan's grandmother, for making our Y-U-M-M-Y gingerbread cookies that made Friday a hit! We searched high and low for those sneaky gingerbread men and finally found them reading in a very cozy spot in the library! Now that we've had a library orientation, our officially library day will be each Wednesday. We'll head there tomorrow for a story from Mrs. Dalton, our librarian, and then next week we'll be ready to check out books.
This week we continue our discussion of the importance of reading and writing and will begin talking about everyday procedures during Reading and Writing Workshop. We are also experimenting with primary & secondary colors and learning about what it means to be a classroom community of learners. We're busy!
I encourage everyone to read the information that was sent home about the RRISD Parent Summit on Saturday, September 26th, from 8:00-4:00pm. The event will be held at the RRISD Performing Arts Center and is FREE with childcare and lunch provided...can't beat that! I've heard it's something you won't want to miss. Please contact Mrs. Holly Stueve, our Fern Bluff Parent Support Specialist, at 428.2195 with further questions.
I believe that is all for now...except a thought for the week on friendship as we begin a great year together!
"Friendship is like the relation between hands and eyes. It's like when the hand gets hurt, the eye cries, and when the eye cries, the hand wipes its tears."
- Unknown
Have a great week!
August 30, 2009
We have one successful week under our belts! I look forward to many more this year.
Please be on the lookout for a permission slip in the Tuesday folder this week. Our kindergartners will be hunting down gingerbread men all week long in an effort to learn more about our school layout and the jobs of important staff members. On Friday the kids will enjoy a special homemade treat, but in order to participate I will need a permission slip from everyone. Shh - it's a surprise! More information to come on Tuesday...
In addition to the permission slip, you will find a request to send in your child's favorite book on Wednesday. This week we are discussing the importance of reading as well as some of the 5 W's of reading (WHO reads? WHY do we read? WHAT do we read? WHERE do we read?) We'd like to get to know some of our classmate's favorite books and share them with everyone, so look for more information on Tuesday as well.
Please refrain from sending an snugglies (animals, blankets, pillows, etc.) with your child for rest time. We want to spend as much time resting as possible now that school is in full swing!
Appropriate behavior is extremely important for learning to occur at school. On Friday I talked with the little ones about our behavior system and how it works in our classroom. We're all learning the boundaries of kindergarten and Mrs. Vandermeer's classroom, so this week I gave ample positive reinforcement, re-directs, and reminders when necessary. Tomorrow I will start expecting a little bit more in regards to behavior and we will begin to use the behavior system as needed. Everyone starts on a "Green" day and if rules are broken (after reminders) they will move through the colors of the behavior system - yellow, orange, red, and blue. If your child happens to move to "Yellow", please do not worry too much as that's usually all they need in order to correct the behavior. I will write in your child's behavior folder and send it home that day anytime they move to "Orange" or beyond. I will contact you specifically with any recurring behavior concerns. Thank you for your support at home with behavior so our students know we're all working together to help them learn as much as possible.
Homework this week is from our handwriting program, Handwriting Without Tears. Please read through the information in the homework folder about the program. The homework sheet focuses on making small, deliberate strokes with the pencil while holding it with the correct grip, a 3 finger grasp (thumb, pointer, middle finger). No need to color the sheet this time as the main focus is on adding the tiny details to each picture as you will see on Tuesday.
I think that's about it - lots of information, I know!
Finally, a thought to ponder as you venture into a new week...
"Do all the good you can and make as little fuss about it as possible."
- Charles Dickens
Have a great week everyone!
August 25, 2009
We made it through our first day with flying colors! We had a busy day of learning the ropes at Fern Bluff and everyone did a great job. Give yourself a huge pat on the back for a successful drop-off time this morning. The kindergarten hallway won't be nearly as crowded and scary as the week goes on. By Friday we're all dragging in!
Just a few things to note as we start this year...
Please make sure to read the contents of the blue folder tonight and return it tomorrow. There is an important note regarding bringing a teddy bear to school. If your child does not have a teddy bear at home, no worries, as any animal will do! Please make sure this is an animal your child is willing to part with for a few days as they will be having a "sleep over" at school until Friday.
As you all know, it is H-O-T outside. We have a water fountain available at all times in our classroom, as well as water fountains in the hallways, but it is still hard for our little ones to stay hydrated. Water bottles are encouraged to keep our brains functioning at top speed!
Please send a small, healthy snack with your child each day. It would be helpful for snacks to be separate from so your child doesn't get them confused. The front pocket of the backpack is a great place for snacks.
Rest time is an important part of our day, but it is also a short time. After this first week, please refrain from sending any snugglies (animals, blankets, pillows, etc.) with your child in order to give plenty of room for folders and such in the backpack and to allow our brains to absorb as much rest as possible.
In the bottom left section of our classroom website is an "email" link. It would be super helpful to me if you would send me an email with "Group" in the subject line...no need to write anything in the contents unless you want to. I will be forming a class email group and this will ensure everyone's address is correct.
Also, check out our "Reading Opportunities" link to sign up to read to us!
Finally, please make sure your little one gets plenty of rest these first few weeks of school. It is a tough adjustment for everyone (including me!), so don't be surprised if you see a few tears this week and next week. Our day is structured and becomes highly academic fairly quickly, so early bedtimes are strongly encouraged.
Thanks for a great start to our year...have a great week everyone!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------