Week of February 6th

This Week's Focus:

sight words:  is, how
now, you, are, what, with, me, come, my, we, go, see, a, I, the, like,  to, can, and
Phonics:  Qq and Zz

Phonemic Awareness:  phoneme segmentation, final sounds
Reading:
Reading Strategies:  make your finger match the word,
                                 look at the Pictures (Eagle Eye)
                                check the first letter of the word (lips the fish)
                                 stretch out the sounds in the word (stretchy snake)
Word Family: -ad family
Theme: 3 Pigs
Math: Solid and Flat Shapes
Student of the Week: 

Important Dates:
February 1-10:  Law Enforcement Appreciation bucket collection
February 14: Valentine Centers (parent help needed)
February 24:  Minimum Day
March 7: Family Reading Celebration 6-7pm at Cram

We Need:

We are OUT of snacks.  If you can grab some this weekend, that would be great!  We also need tissue.  We are down to our last box.  

Homework:
Thank you for supporting your child in the homework process.  You are helping to instill good habits that will help them be successful in future grades.
1.  One Minute Read:  Be sure to practice daily.  Instructions are clear on it.  Return in folder on Friday.  I'm really noticing the students who are improving in this!!  It makes a HUGE difference in their reading!
2.  Word Family Practice:  Instructions are on it.

Don't forget to have your child complete the Daily Homework, nightly reading, and sight word flash cards.

Don't forget that taking time to read TO your child is extremely important.  You model fluency and voice as well as spend valuable time with your little one!

Guided Reading:
If your child is reading at a level 2-3:  I can not stress the importance of learning their sight words in order to reach level 5 benchmark by the end of kindergarten.
Remember:
*Return book bag daily along with their Take Home Folder
There may be days when you see the same book come home.  Have your child reread the book and send it back the next day.

Law Enforcement Appreciation:
Our school will be giving back to our law enforcement.  Each class has a bucket and we are planning to fill it for out local law enforcement officers.   If you choose to participate, please have your child bring their item back to school any time between February 1-10th.  Buckets will be delivered to law enforcement on February 10, after school.  Thanks for your support!

Top Secret:
The staff is VERY excited about an upcoming event at Cram.  We will reveal the secret to students on Monday! It is a family activity that will be ongoing and its going to be fun!  It is a school wide activity and you are going to love it!  Keep your eyes and ears open!

3 Piggy Opera:

Your child may have mentioned a play we will be performing for you.  We will perform our 3 Piggy Opera play on March 10th.  That is a minimum day.  You won't want to miss it so mark your calendars.

Valentines Day:
We will celebrate Valentines Day on February 14th by having some Valentine centers and a valentine exchange.
Important:  In kindergarten, it is easiest if you and your child DO NOT put individual's names on valentines.  There are 24 students in the class and it's best to just send 24 of the same valentine's for them to pass out.
I would love parent help on this day from 9:30-11:10.  Let me know if you are board approved and available to help.  Thank you!

Week of January 30th

This Week's Focus:

sight words:  now, you, are
what, with, me, come, my, we, go, see, a, I, the, like,  to, can, and
Phonics:  Ww and Vv

Phonemic Awareness:  phoneme segmentation, final sounds
Reading:
Reading Strategies:  make your finger match the word,
                                 look at the Pictures (Eagle Eye)
                                check the first letter of the word (lips the fish)
                                 stretch out the sounds in the word (stretchy snake)
Word Family: -ag family
Comprehension Skills: inferring, making connections
Theme: penguins
Math: Numbers to 20
Student of the Week: Collin

Important Dates:
January 31:  Hundred Day
February 1-10:  Law Enforcement Appreciation bucket collection
February 14: Valentine Centers (parent help needed)
February 24:  Minimum Day

Homework:
*No share homework this week.  Be sure your child has a Hundred Day T-shirt to wear Tuesday.*
Thank you for supporting your child in the homework process.  You are helping to instill good habits that will help them be successful in future grades.
1.  One Minute Read:  Be sure to practice daily.  Instructions are clear on it.  Return in folder on Friday.
2.  Word Family Practice:  Instructions are on it.

Don't forget to have your child complete the Daily Homework, nightly reading, and sight word flash cards.

Don't forget that taking time to read TO your child is extremely important.  You model fluency and voice as well as spend valuable time with your little one!

Guided Reading:
If your child is reading at a level 2-3:  I can not stress the importance of learning their sight words in order to reach level 5 benchmark by the end of kindergarten.
Remember:
*Return book bag daily along with their Take Home Folder
There may be days when you see the same book come home.  Have your child reread the book and send it back the next day.

Behavior:
We are now in our 2nd half of kindergarten and just as more learning is expected this semester to ensure your child is ready for the vigorous first grade program, we also expect more in terms of behavior.  We are looking for more self-control and maturity to take place this second half.  I announced last week that any student who ends the day on yellow or orange will not be shopping at the store on Friday.  Their behavior can also effect whether or not they earn free choosing time on Friday.  I am teaching/reinforcing that their choices will have consequences.  I appreciate your support in this and hope you will ask to see your child's stamp daily.  There are days when I "miss" giving stamps and you are welcome to message me if you have a question.  

Law Enforcement Appreciation:
Our school will be giving back to our law enforcement.  Each class has a bucket and we are planning to fill it for out local law enforcement officers.  I will give your child a small strip of paper indication one desired item to put in the bucket.  If you choose to participate, please have your child bring that item back to school any time between February 1-10th.  Buckets will be delivered to law enforcement on February 10, after school.  Thanks for your support!

Top Secret:
The staff is VERY excited about an upcoming event at Cram.  We are keeping it a secret for now and will slowly reveal clues this week for the students!  It is a school wide activity and you are going to love it!  Keep your eyes and ears open!

3 Piggy Opera:

Your child may have mentioned a play we will be performing for you.  We will perform our 3 Piggy Opera play on March 10th.  That is a minimum day.  You won't want to miss it so mark your calendars.

Valentines Day:
We will celebrate Valentines Day on February 14th by having some Valentine centers and a valentine exchange.
Important:  In kindergarten, it is easiest if you and your child DO NOT put individual's names on valentines.  There are 24 students in the class and it's best to just send 24 of the same valentine's for them to pass out.
I would love parent help on this day from 9:30-11:10.  Let me know if you are board approved and available to help.  Thank you!

100th Day:
We will celebrate our 100th day of school on Tuesday! We are asking all kindergarten and TK students to create a 100th day t-shirt and information on this is in the take home folder this week.  

Week of January 23rd

This Week's Focus:

sight words:  what
with, me, come, my, we, go, see, a, I, the, like,  to, can, and
Phonics:  Ll and Uu

Phonemic Awareness:  phoneme segmentation, final sounds
Reading:
Reading Strategies:  make your finger match the word,
                                 look at the Pictures (Eagle Eye)
                                check the first letter of the word (lips the fish)
                                 stretch out the sounds in the word (stretchy snake)
Word Family: -ap family
Comprehension Skills: inferring, making connections
Theme: penguins
Math: Numbers to 20
Student of the Week: Ashton

Important Dates:
January 27:  Minimum Day
January 31:  Hundred Day
February 14: Valentine Centers (parent help needed)

Homework:
*Given the new additions to homework, I made a note on the front of your child's homework if they were missing a piece.  Also, Share Homework continues to be a part of weekly homework.
We will have a few added components to our weekly homework.
1.  One Minute Read:  Be sure to practice daily.  Instructions are clear on it.  Return in folder on Friday.
2.  Word Family Practice:  Instructions are on it.

Don't forget to have your child complete the Daily Homework, nightly reading, and sight word flash cards.

Guided Reading:
Remember:
*Return book bag daily along with their Take Home Folder
There may be days when you see the same book come home.  Have your child reread the book and send it back the next day.

Book Orders:

Scholastic book order forms will come home in Folders on Tuesday.  You can click the "Book Orders" tab to find a link to order on-line.  Please place orders before Monday.

3 Piggy Opera:
Your child may have mentioned a play we will be performing for you.  We will perform our 3 Piggy Opera play on March 10th.  That is a minimum day.  You won't want to miss it so mark your calendars.

Valentines Day:
We will celebrate Valentines Day on February 14th by having some Valentine centers and a valentine exchange.
Important:  In kindergarten, it is easiest if you and your child DO NOT put individual's names on valentines.  There are 24 students in the class and it's best to just send 24 of the same valentine's for them to pass out.
I would love parent help on this day from 9:30-11:10.  Let me know if you are board approved and available to help.  Thank you!

100th Day:
We will celebrate our 100th day of school on January 31st.  We are asking all kindergarten and TK students to create a 100th day t-shirt and information on this is in the take home folder this week.  

Week of January 16th

This Week's Focus:

sight words:  with
me, come, my, we, go, see, a, I, the, like,  to, can, and
Phonics:  Hh and Kk

Phonemic Awareness:  phoneme segmentation, final sounds
Reading:
Reading Strategies:  make your finger match the word,
                                 look at the Pictures (Eagle Eye)
                                check the first letter of the word (lips the fish)
                                 stretch out the sounds in the word (stretchy snake)
Word Family: -an family
Comprehension Skills: inferring, making connections
Theme: snow
Math: Numbers to 20
Student of the Week: Rielyn

Important Dates:
January 16:  No school MLK Day
January 27:  Minimum Day
January 31:  Hundred Day
February 14: Valentine Centers (parent help needed)

Homework:
*Given the new additions to homework, I made a note on the front of your child's homework if they were missing a piece.  Also, Share Homework continues to be a part of weekly homework.
We will have a few added components to our weekly homework.
1.  One Minute Read:  Be sure to practice daily.  Instructions are clear on it.  Return in folder on Friday.
2.  Word Family Practice:  Instructions are on it.

Don't forget to have your child complete the Daily Homework, nightly reading, and sight word flash cards.

Guided Reading:
I assessed all students reading levels last week and your child will begin bringing home a book bag with a book at his/her instructional level.  A level is printed on the back of the book.  Our goal is to reach a level 5 or above by June.  You can help your child be successful with this by consistently practicing the One Minute Read, practicing Sight Word cards, and allowing your child to reread his/her book from her book bag at least one time nightly.  I can't express enough the importance of sight words at this level.
Remember:
*Return book bag daily along with their Take Home Folder

Book Orders:

Scholastic book order forms will come home in Folders on Tuesday.  You can click the "Book Orders" tab to find a link to order on-line.  Please place orders before next Monday.

3 Piggy Opera:
Your child may have mentioned a play we will be performing for you.  We will perform our 3 Piggy Opera play on March 10th.  That is a minimum day.  You won't want to miss it so mark your calendars.

Valentines Day:
We will celebrate Valentines Day on February 14th by having some Valentine centers and a valentine exchange.
Important:  In kindergarten, it is easiest if you and your child DO NOT put individual's names on valentines.  There are 24 students in the class and it's best to just send 24 of the same valentine's for them to pass out.
I would love parent help on this day from 9:30-11:10.  Let me know if you are board approved and available to help.  Thank you!

100th Day:
We will celebrate our 100th day of school on January 31st.  We are asking all kindergarten and TK students to create a 100th day t-shirt and information on this is in the take home folder this week.  

Week of January 8th

Hello everyone!  Hope everyone had a wonderful vacation and blessed holiday!
I'm looking forward to getting back into routine and I am missing your little ones!  We are beginning our second trimester of kindergarten and it's going to be a fun one!  Take note:  there are a few added components to homework beginning this week.  It is important to help develop good homework habits early.  When your child moves on to first grade, they will have consequences for not completing all their homework.

This Week's Focus:

sight words:  me
 come, my, we, go, see, a, I, the, like,  to, can, and
Phonics:  Jj and Ee

Phonemic Awareness:  phoneme segmentation, final sounds
Reading:
Reading Strategies:  make your finger match the word,
                                 look at the Pictures (Eagle Eye)
                                check the first letter of the word (lips the fish)
                                 stretch out the sounds in the word (stretchy snake)
Word Family: -at family
Comprehension Skills: inferring, making connections
Theme: Martin Luther King Jr
Math: Numbers to 20
Student of the Week: I will choose on Monday

Important Dates:
January 16:  No school MLK Day
January 27:  Minimum Day

Changes in Homework:
We will have a few added components to our weekly homework.
1.  One Minute Read:  Be sure to practice daily.  Instructions are clear on it.  Return in folder on Friday.
2.  Word Family Practice:  Instructions are on it.

Don't forget to have your child complete the Daily Homework, nightly reading, and sight word flash cards.

Guided Reading:
I will be working on assessing all students individual reading levels over the next few weeks.  I will be placing students into groups according to these levels.  Remember, our goal is to have all Kinders at or above a level 5 by the end of the year.  I will communicate your child's current level to you within a few weeks.

Week of December 12th

This Week's Focus:

sight words: 
come, to, my, we, go, see, a, I, the, like, can, and
Phonics:  Oo and Xx

Phonemic Awareness:  phoneme segmentation, final sounds
Writing: Writing 1-2 sentences
Reading:
Reading Strategies:  make your finger match the word,
                                 look at the Pictures (Eagle Eye)
                                check the first letter of the word (lips the fish)
                           stretch out the sounds in the word (stretchy snake)Comprehension Skills: inferring, problem/solution
Theme: Polar Express
Math: Size and Position
Student of the Week: 

Important Dates:
December 1-13th: Toy Drive (donations go to children in this community)
December 12-16:  Penguin Patch store
December 12: parent/teacher conferences in cafeteria
December 16:  Minimum Day (kinder only) 
December 16:  Christmas Centers/Holiday Performance at 10:30

Parent Conferences:  

  I am holding several conferences that day, back to back.  Please plan to arrive a few minutes early.  I am sorry, but I will not be able to run over your time slot if you are running late.  I look forward to meeting with you!

Penguin Patch Store

  This is a PTSA fundraiser that will allow your child to shop and pick out some special gifts for family members.  I will take students to the shop on Tuesday.  I will not be able to take them at a later date in the week so please plan to have your child's money to me before Tuesday. 

Holiday Performance

The Kindergarten students will perform some special Christmas songs to celebrate the season for you!  All are invited!  Parents, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles etc.  No need to be board approved for this.  Our performance will start at 10:30 in the cafeteria.  Please allow plenty of time to park and get to the cafeteria on this day.  This day will be a minimum day for kindergarten students only.  If you have older students, they will be on regular schedule this day.  All kindergartens will attend school from 7:45 to 11:30.  Parents who attend the performance will be able to take their children home from the classroom door immediately following the performance.  This will be a treat you won't want to miss!  

Holiday Surprises

Please send these before Thursday

I am asking each student to send in 24 small trinkets to share with the class for the holidays.  These may be small toys, pencils, erasers, small candies.  We will be filling small stockings with these trinkets so please be mindful of their size.  These can be brought to school any time over the next few weeks.  

Holiday Centers

We will be having our holiday centers on December 16 before the performance.  I would love parent help on this day.  You can plan to stay from 7:45 until the performance.  You will have plenty of time to head over and find space to enjoy the performance.  All volunteers in the classroom must be board approved.  Please message me if you'd like to help on this day.    

Share Homework

No share homework this week 

Week of December 5th

This Week's Focus:

sight words:  come
to, my, we, go, see, a, I, the, like, can, and
Phonics:  Dd and Rr

Phonemic Awareness:  phoneme segmentation, final sounds
Writing: Writing 1-2 sentences
Reading:
Reading Strategies:  make your finger match the word,
                                 look at the Pictures (Eagle Eye)
                                check the first letter of the word (lips the fish)
                           stretch out the sounds in the word (stretchy snake)Comprehension Skills: inferring, problem/solution
Theme: Gingerbread Boy
Math: Size and Position
Student of the Week: Onaie

Important Dates:
December 1-13th: Toy Drive (donations go to children in this community)
December 6:  Fall fundraiser pick up
December 12-16:  Penguin Patch store
December 12: parent/teacher conferences in cafeteria
December 16:  Minimum Day (kinder only) 
December 16:  Christmas Centers/Holiday Performance at 10:30

Parent Conferences:  

Parent/teacher conference times came home Wednesday.  If you have not yet confirmed with me, please do so asap by returning the bottom portion of the notice.  I am holding 24 conferences that day, back to back.  Please plan to arrive a few minutes early.  I am sorry, but I will not be able to run over your time slot if you are running late.  I look forward to meeting with you!

Penguin Patch Store

  This is a PTSA fundraiser that will allow your child to shop and pick out some special gifts for family members.   I will be  sure the students make it over to the store.  

Holiday Performance

The Kindergarten students will perform some special Christmas songs to celebrate the season for you!  All are invited!  Parents, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles etc.  No need to be board approved for this.  Our performance will start at 10:30 in the cafeteria.  Please allow plenty of time to park and get to the cafeteria on this day.  This day will be a minimum day for kindergarten students only.  If you have older students, they will be on regular schedule this day.  All kindergartens will attend school from 7:45 to 11:30.  Parents who attend the performance will be able to take their children home from the classroom door immediately following the performance.  This will be a treat you won't want to miss!  

Holiday Surprises

I am asking each student to send in 24 small trinkets to share with the class for the holidays.  These may be small toys, pencils, erasers, small candies.  We will be filling small stockings with these trinkets so please be mindful of their size.  These can be brought to school any time over the next few weeks.  

Holiday Centers

We will be having our holiday centers on December 16 before the performance.  I would love parent help on this day.  You can plan to stay from 7:45 until the performance.  You will have plenty of time to head over and find space to enjoy the performance.  All volunteers in the classroom must be board approved.  Please message me if you'd like to help on this day.  

I will send out a message of some items I need for the holiday centers.  Thank you in advance for your willingness to donate items.  

Share Homework

Write one to two sentences about Christmas.