March 11, 2011

The kindergarten class of 14 students has read 1007 train books so far this year. This is an all-time record and I am proud of each child for their effort to read daily. We will be enjoying a pizza party (time to be announced) in celebration of 1000 books read. Parents, thank you for inspiring, prodding encouraging, cajoling, and expecting your child to read. I know it takes much time and effort on your part, but it's so worth the time spent.

We have started a unit on health--taking care of our bodies. During this past week the children have read about the importance of exercise and water. We learned that exercise is good for our bones and muscles. Teacher Mayra and I have encouraged each child to drink a full bottle of water before lunch each day. I've been impressed by the effort that the children have made. I had to stop both Andrew and Kasi as they did laps the whole recess. Their heart muscles must be getting stronger after a collective 36 laps.

We have one more week of this quarter. I will be doing some testing next week. I will check to see if each child knows their address, phone number, and birthday. We worked on addresses as part of our theme during 1st quarter, but not all children mastered it at that time. Sometimes after the children have a better understanding of numbers, it's easier for them to memorize. Please review these items with your child at home.

For those children who have not yet mastered shoe-tying, we will be working on this skill right after Spring Break. If new shoes are being purchased, tie-shoes are a good investment. Your child will have lets of practice tying his/her shoes!

Looks like Spring is just around the corner! Looking forward to our peas sprouting soon in our newly finished planter box. Thanks to Christopher's dad for his hard work putting it in for us just in time for Spring!

Celebrations this week - Congratulations to Brent and Claudia!

Dates to Remember

March 21 to 25 - Spring Break! No School! The SWLC will be open for childcare!

April 4 - Visitation Day - 8:30 to 11:30 AM Kindergarten students visit 1 st grade and Pre-K students visit kindergarten.

Wow, what a special year this has been! I have been rewarded over and over as I have watched your children develop, mature, gain new skills, find joy in hard work, and give God the glory for their achievements. I am so very proud of each of your children! Thanks for teaming up with me this year to help your children succeed! God bless you with a wonderful summer of family fun and learning! Please keep reading each day with your child!

Celebrations - We have celebrated many times this week as each child has had at least one celebration and many have had several celebrations during this week.

Time keepers - Our newest time keepers are Mackenzie and Toby. They earned their watches on Thursday.

Keep in touch - During the summer keep me updated on your child's progress. I would love to hear of any leaps in character or scholastic development. Hearing of your child's progress is never a bother to me. I love each of your kids and will miss them tremendously through the summer. Your children will always be my children in my mind! Thanks again for sharing them with me this year!

Library Books - If you are pretty certain that you returned the books that came home listed on the note on Wednesday, please, let me know. The librarian will search the library for any missing books before charging you for any of them.

For what it's worth, here's my advice for the summer. Play, run, read, laugh, and work with your children daily. Include them in your life and watch them grow and develop as they revel in your love. Dicipline them when necessary, but don't despair in their lack of maturity. Challenge them to work on their weaknesses and encourage them to share their strengths with others. God bless each of you!

Only one more week! Too much to do, but the children are so ready for a break! Maybe I am, too. Being gone, on my part, for two days at the end of school is not ideal, but necessary this year. Teacher Mayra will be covering for me both Thursday and Friday of this week!

Mother Goose Storytellers - Thursday, 9:00 AM - So glad they could come back to tell stories this year. Thanks you to Alex' parents for sponsoring this event for us.

Library Books - If you still have a library book at home, please, return it as soon as possible, so the librarian can account for all the books before the end of the year.

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 2:9 - It is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.

Friday, May, 28 - 10:00 to 11:30 AM - Fun time with 3rd and 4th grade reading partners. Thanks to Rylee's parents for providing some blow up toys for the student's enjoyment. We are not planning for any water activities due to the weather. If you would like to help your child find a little gift to give his/her reading partner as a thank you for reading with him/her each week this year, it would be great!

Kindergarten time-keepers - Timmy and Rylee have officially become tellers of time. They earned an analog watch on which to practice this new-found skill.

Celebration this week for Jordan - He now knows how to write all his letters correctly. Congratulations, Jordan!

Summer packet available upon request! - If you would like to help your child keep up the skills they have learned this past year, ask me for a packet. I'd be happy to share some materials with you. News has it that what you don't use, you lose.

Last day of school, Friday, June 4.

Thanks for coming out to the program last night and bringing your kids. I was proud of their hard work and ability to concentrate through the performance. I'm really going to miss this group next year.

Water fun - Rylee's mom and dad have offered to bring their big blow-up water slides in to the school for the kids to use. We have not scheduled the day yet due to the unpredictable weather recently, but hope to be able to have them come next week! Thanks to the Oak family for sharing with us!

Clowning again! - After a long respite from any new shoe-tyers, we were blessed with Andrew's new skill last week. He is now an official shoe-tyer! Congratulations, Andrew!

Celebrations - Most of you got to enjoy seeing Mackenzie's celebration at the program! I would have enjoyed having a celebration for each child at the program, but time didn't allow! Each child deserves recognition for their achievements! These kids really work hard for these celebrations! Right now we have Daniel, Toby, and Claudia working on going across the monkey bars as their next goal. I don't have to prod them. They try again and again on their own and we get so excited together when they make a bit of progress. For some of them it's just a bit of fear of heights that is keeping them from being able to let go with one hand. For others it's the need to develop a bit more upper-body muscle. For each, it's a long process that requires patience and hard work! Alex just accomplished the monkey bar goal last week! You will find Alex out crossing the monkey bars daily now just for fun!

Quilt Update - We have completed tying the quilt with lots of square knots. Some of the children became avid square knot-tyers. Thanks to Timmy, Mackenzie, Jordan, and Brent for their hard work tying the quilt. Grandma Betty is now binding it and will return it to our classroom by next Tuesday. We are looking forward to using the quilt in circle time. We still would like to find someone local to share it with at the end of the school year. Let me know if you know of someone that needs such a well-loved quilt.

No School - Memorial Day, May 31.

Last day of school - Friday, June 4. The ASB is planning a fun day for the student body on this day.

May 27 and 28 - I will be away from school. I am flying with my mother out to my nephew's highschool graduation in Maryland. Mayra will be covering my class. We have some interesting things planned for the two days I'll be gone!

What a great week we've had in kindergarten! Our quilt is almost done! We are hoping to display it at the program on Thursday! Our trip to the playground of dreams was truly a "dream" with responsible, happy children and lots of parent help. We've celebrated lots of accomplishments this week, too!

Playground of Dreams - Thanks to Shana, Andy and Arthur's mom, and Heather, Jordan's mom, for driving for us! I'm glad that Brendan's mom, Bonnie, and Claudia's mom, Bobbie Jo, and Toby's mom, Tiffany, all came to help watch kids and enjoy the day with us. What fun!

Program, Thursday, May 20 at 6:30 PM - This program has been called the Elementary Closing Program in the past, but has been scheduled earlier this year to avoid the hectic end-of-the-year rush! The kindergarten children will be performing several items at the program. I am so proud of each of their accomplishments this year! They have worked hard! Invite grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles to attend and support your child! If you can, bring a small plate of cookies or finger fruit to share at the reception!

Memory Verse: John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself. That where I am there you may also be.

Celebrations this week - Congratulations to Alex, Brendan, and Toby! They each have accomplished one of their goals this week!

Clown - Andrew has now joined the group of shoe-tying clowns. On Thursday, he looked pretty special in his clown suit and painted face. Congratulations, Andrew!

Library Books - The children will no longer be checking books out on Wednesday. Please return any library materials that your child has checked out. I will be sending notes home next week letting you know if our records show any unreturned materials. Let us know if you think our records are wrong. Our librarian will search the shelves for any materials that you think you have returned. Thanks for working with us to get all library materials returned!

Summer Daycare - Our daycare will not be in operation yet this summer, but if you have daycare needs, please talk with Mayra Soltero at the school. She is attempting to coordinate summer care for those of you who need it. Talk to her as soon as possible, as she is currently making plans for the program.

God bless each of you with a great week-end!

Hope you each enjoyed the beautiful week-end we had! What a blessing to all of us mothers! I enjoyed some time with my boys on Sabbath with church and a picnic lunch, and a wonderful hike in the Blue Mts. with my husband! Sunday was spent with my mother, planting flowers in her garden! Oh the joys of life!

May 20, Elementary Spring Concert - Please reserve this date! The kindergarten class will be performing at 6:30 that evening. There will be refreshments following the program!

Picnic at the Playground of Dreams - Wednesday, May 12 - That's this Wednesday. Sorry for the late notice. The picnic food will be provided: Sandwiches- peanut butter and jelly OR cheese, chips, carrot sticks, and juice. We will be making homemade ice cream for dessert. Anybody that is free that day from 9:00 to 12:00, please join us! The more the merrier! Please sign the permission slip at the bottom of this note!

Quilting still in progress - We are tying the quilt this week. Some of the children have been motivated to learn to tie square knots. If anyone would like to come and lend a hand, you are welcome. Thanks to Grandma Betty, the quilting frame is set up in our classroom!

Clown in the making - Andrew has past the tying test, but is practicing on tying consistency! I expect him to be the clown this week! He is so very close!

I hope each of you has a great week! Thanks for all your support throughout the year!

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I give my permission for _______________________ to go to the Playground of Dreams picnic on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

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Happy May Day to each of you!

Teacher In-Service Day - Friday, May 7! No school for children! It's my turn!

Celebrations this week - Congratulations to Timmy and Makenna for reaching their goals!!

Quilt update - Thanks to all of you that shared your quilts this past week! Our classroom quilt was sewn together by Grandma Betty Parrs on Thursday. Grandma Betty was kind enough to bring her sewing machine into the classroom and let us be involved in the process. She will come back to the classroom next Thursday to let the kids be involved in putting in the batting and backing the quilt. We continue to keep our eyes and ears open for the right person or family with whom to share our quilt!

April store is closed - much to our dismay! It has been so much fun watching the children work hard in order to purchase a certain item. Some of the children's understanding of numbers has taken a leap during April.

Insects in May - We will be studying about insects and bugs. Our caterpillars should be arriving this week-end. Thanks to Mackenzie's family for providing us with a butterfly house and the coupon for the caterpillars. This insect unit is always a favorite with the children!

God bless each of you with a safe and happy week-end!