May 19, 2006

May 19, 2006

Dear Families,

We read our last colorful booklet of the year. Hop With a Hog should have come home with your child earlier this week. We recommend that you read these booklets numerous times during the summer so that your student can remember the words we learned this year. We continued to work on report card evaluations. We enjoyed meeting all the guests. The boys and girls did a nice job of performing in the little show. Attached to the newsletter are the recipes for the no bake cookies the students made on Wednesday.

Do not forget that on Wednesday, May 24th, we have our annual track and field day. If it is rainy on May 24th, then track and field day will be on May 25th. Our May 24th events are the sack race at 12:30, the 50 yard dash at 12:45, and the tug-of-war at 1:00. When all the events are over, families may pick their child up at the child’s room. They will have backpacks and folders to pick up and take home. Please put sunscreen on the children at home and send some to be put on later. While we are outside participating in track and field day we like to have the children stay with the class instead of walking around with their families. It is easier to keep track of 37 students that way. Since we are not out at the track and field day all day, we DO NOT want beach towels or water bottles sent to school with the kindergartners!

The kindergartners and third graders are performing at Traer’s nursing home around 1:00 on Monday, May 22nd. We hope to walk to the nursing home with the third graders. If the weather is yucky we will take a bus.

On Thursday, May 25th, the last day of school, we get out of school at 1:35. Please mark that on your calendars!

Kindergartners have the opportunity to earn three special awards at the close of the school year. One of the awards is called Outstanding Attendance and is given to the children who missed two days or less this school year. Children receiving this must also not have been tardy more than twice. The other two awards were academic awards. An award is given to the children who can correctly count to 100, and one is given to the children who can correctly name all of the letters of the alphabet, both capital and lower case. Children who do not receive any of these three awards WILL receive an award which recognizes their particular strengths. This way all children will receive at least one award. The awards will be handed out on the last day of school (unless track and field day has to be switched!). Watch the Traer Star Clipper for your child’s name! We give the newspaper a list of award winners.

Next week we get to go into the elementary computer lab to work on the internet. We will work on reading at a site with the address www.starfall.com. The boys and girls have gone to this site in the kindergarten classroom and really enjoyed working at this free site.

THERE WILL BE NO SHARING NEXT WEEK!

Laurie Schafer came into the kindergarten classroom to promote the summer reading program that is taking place at the Traer Public Library. The summer reading program will take place during the month of June on each Wednesday afternoon. The summer reading program activities begin at 1:00. Check out the Traer Star Clipper and the Traer Public Library for more information.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Herink, Mrs. Owens

April 28, 2006

April 28, 2006

Dear Families,

Can you believe that we have less than 25 school days together? The kindergartners are working hard on report card evaluations. We have been practicing our letters on fill in the blank sheets. Next week the kindergartners will write all the letters, capital and lowercase, on a fill in the blank type of worksheet. We learned our 2 new words: of and not. The students read 2 booklets that they took home. We hope that the boys and girls are reading these booklets to and with their families! Centers included May Day baskets, Mother’s Day cards, dominoes, playdough, working with our favorite math manipulatives, parquetry and pattern blocks, and reading books.

We have been working on our Grandparent/Guest Day songs. If you did not fill out the bottom portion of last week’s newsletter for Grandparent/Guest Day, please do so and send it back with your kindergartner after their “round up vacation”. We need to know how many people are coming so that we can arrange for enough chairs and make enough cookies. If people do not return slips, then people may be standing and starving.

Next week is “round up vacation”. Do not send your kindergartner to school. Any kindergartner that shows up will be sent home. Kindergartners will return on Monday, 8th. Kindergarten students could visit the Traer Public Library on Wednesday or Thursday for a story and an activity! Feel free to check this out! While on “vacation” kindergartners could review coins and their values, practice reading our sight words, count to 100 by ones, fives, and tens, and review birthday, address, phone number, etc.

Our annual track and field day will is scheduled for Wednesday, May 24th. (If it is raining, we will have it on Thursday, May 25th.) When all the events are over, kindergartners are allowed to go home with their families. A schedule of events and their times will be sent home with your child. Our last day of school is Thursday, May 25th. The boys and girls are dismissed early; 1:35 for town students and 1:40 for bus children.

The boys and girls brought home a Mother’s Day gift in a white sack. If something would fall off the gift, or if the gift comes apart, just use some glue on it.

Please watch the weather reports and dress your kindergartner appropriately. It is okay to send a light jacket and a heavier coat on days that you are not sure about the temperature. We’d rather have them a bit warm than freezing!

Have a safe and fun weekend!

Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Owens, and Mrs. Herink



___________________ will bring ________ people on (Kindergartner’s name) (number)

Thursday, May 19th and/or __________ people on Friday, May
(number)
20th.

PLEASE RETURN THIS BY MONDAY, MAY 8TH.

April 21, 2006

April 22, 2005

Dear Families,

The boys and girls continued to practice reading numbers between 26 - 100 and reviewed the numbers 0 - 25. This week we learned 3 new words: has, with, was. The students read 2 booklets: A Big Bug and A Pet for Ken. This week the students decorated two invitations for Grandparent/Guest Day, and they were sent home with the children. If your family needs more, please let us know. If a kindergartner doesn’t have a grandparent that is able to visit either of those days, feel free to invite an adult friend of the family. Centers included coloring Earth Day booklets, yellow objects, #11 - 30 number bingo, a missing letter worksheet, the pattern evaluation, and the flower shop.

Please remember the “Round Up Vacation” that the kindergartners get from May 1st through May 5th. The boys and girls will return from their “roundup vacation” on Monday, May 8th.

Soccer sign up is in the lunchroom on Tuesday, April 25th from 4:00 - 6:00. Parents of new soccer players need to bring in a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a small picture of the child. The soccer fee is $55. Teams will be decided at the end of May, and the teams will start playing in the fall. Soccer players also play next spring.
Boots are no longer needed at school. They only need to return if we were to receive more snow.
Please fill out the bottom of the note concerning Grandparent/Guest Day. We need to know when people will be attending and how many people will be attending. If it doesn’t matter which day the guest attends, please let us know. That way if we have an overabundant number signed up for one day we can ask some guests to come on the other day.

Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Owens, and Mrs. Herink



___________________ will bring ________ people on (Kindergartner’s name) (number)

Thursday, May 18th and/or __________ people on Friday, May
(number)
19th.

PLEASE RETURN THIS BY MONDAY, MAY 8TH.

April 12, 2006

April 12, 2006

Dear Families,

During this week the students made Alphabet Books with the keywords on each page. Looking through this book this summer will help the boys and girls practice their sounds and remember the keywords. We read another booklet. It is called A Pup and a Cat. The kindergartners looked at numbers between 26 and 100 and practiced saying them. We practiced filling in the missing numbers on a worksheet, and this time the numbers went backwards!

During sandal weather, please send extra socks with your kindergartner so that they can wear them with their gym shoes to gym class. Please send a sweatshirt or jacket to school. When we go outside for the very first recess, it tends to be a bit cool.

Please send a picture of your kindergartner to school. We will be making a special project with them so the picture will not return home in its original form.

Remember that the students do not have school Thursday, April 13 - Monday, April 17. That is Spring Break. School will resume on Tuesday, April 18th. During break it would be great if students would review birthdays, phone numbers, addresses, days of the week, months of the year, counting by tens and fives, counting to 100 by ones, and identifying coins and their values. Reading is also a terrific idea!

Have a wonderful spring type five day weekend!

Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Owens, and Mrs. Herink

April 7, 2006

April 7, 2006

Dear Families,

We learned about the letter Zz this week. Now we know all the letters, and we will continue working on reading words! We painted zebras and made Zz booklets. Days of the week were reviewed by making little booklets. Zoos and zoo animals were discussed. We learned that s and h put together make one sound, and we learned the word she. Each child planted a zinnia or zucchini in a milk carton. These future plants are in the greenhouse across from our room. The plants will be sent home later, after they have had a chance to grow. Other activities this week included playing word bingo, “building” a zoo, working with nickels, and listening to a zoo book on a tape.

Sharing for the rest of the year is free choice. Because next week is such a short week, we will NOT have sharing.

On April 12th the students are dismissed ONE HOUR early. They will not have school April 13th - 17th because of our spring break. Boys and girls will return on April 18th.

Kindergartners will have the week of May 1st - 5th off because of kindergarten round up. They will return on Monday, May 8th.

****We need a snapshot or school picture of every kindergartner for an art project in May. We would like you to send the picture as soon as possible! These will be used in a project so they will not be returned to you.****

Grandparent’s Days are scheduled for Thursday, May 18th and Friday, May 19th. Grandparents may attend either of those days. Official invitations will be decorated soon and sent home.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Owens, and Mrs. Herink

March 31, 2006

March 31, 2006

Dear Families,

We have enjoyed working on the letter Xx this week. (Can you believe that we have only 1 letter left to learn?) The kindergartners made x-ray books and read the booklet Pug. The numbers 0 - 30 were reviewed. We learned one new word this week, he. This week we worked more on the short e sound. On Tuesday we went to Farmers Savings Bank. Centers included tangrams, a coloring activity, butterflies, working with Smarties, bingo, legos, and music on a tape.

Next week we will finish learning about the letters in the alphabet. Sharing needs to be an item that begins with the letter Zz. If you are having trouble thinking of a Zz item, think about the zoo. After Zz week, sharing will be free choice for the rest of the year.

Report cards went home this week. Conferences are not scheduled for this quarter. If you have a question or concern about your child’s report card, you are welcome to set up a conference.

Grandparent’s Day has been scheduled for Thursday, May 18th and Friday, May 19th. Grandparents or special adult friends are invited for a short program and delicious snacks. Grandparents may come either of those days. Families can schedule one set to come one day, and one set to come another day. Both sets of grandparents may come on the same day. Official invitations will go home later.

Please help your child get his/her library book here on Mondays. It is harder to get new books on Tuesdays because the teachers are busy working with the students.

Remember, it is always a good idea to have an extra shirt, pair of pants, and underwear in the backpack or in a sack that is kept in the cubby. Boys and girls dump milk on their clothes, fall in the mud, and have bathroom accidents. If your child does have a problem here at school and needs different clothes, we do have extras. These borrowed pieces of clothing need to be washed and returned as soon as possible!

Since the weather can be so inconsistent during the spring, it is hard to know how to dress children for school. It is fine to put cooler or warmer clothing in their bags and have them change if necessary. Please send jackets or sweatshirts to school. When we go out for a morning recess the temperature tends be cooler. If it is warm enough to go outside without coats, then coats are left in cubbies.

Have an exciting weekend!

Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Owens, Mrs. Herink
___________________________________________________________
May Dates to Remember
May 1st - 5th- Round Up! Kindergartners have the week off.
May 18th and 19th - Grandparent’s Day
May 25 - Last day of school (for now!)

March 24, 2006

March 24, 2006

Dear Families,

This week we were busy learning about the letter Bb. The kindergartners talked about what they would like to do when they get bigger. We also learned about bears and made Bb booklets. We read two more booklets: Tom is Sick and Fun in the Sun. The kindergartners learned the word for. Centers included making balloon booklets, bead bracelets, bingo, journaling, building with mega blocks and Lincoln Logs, books, and the dramatic play house.

Check with your child on the condition of his/her glue stick and crayons. Many need replacing, and we have very few borrowing glue sticks left!

Our brief spring break will be around the Easter holiday. Students will be dismissed ONE HOUR EARLY ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12TH. There will be no school for students on Thursday, April 13th. (The teachers get to have meetings that day.) Spring break continues on Friday, April 14th and Monday, April 17th. We will return together on Tuesday April 18th. While home for spring break, boys and girls could practice reading, identifying pennies, dimes, and nickels and their values, counting by tens, and counting by fives.

We now have officially scheduled Grandparents/Guest Days on the calendar. The dates are Thursday, May 18th and Friday, May 19th. Kindergartners may invite their grandparents to school during the afternoon on one of those days for a short program and refreshments. If your kindergartner does not have a grandparent that can attend, then any grown up guest will be fine. More information and official invitations will be sent home later.

Tuesday, March 21st was the end of the third quarter of school. It is hard to believe that there is only one quarter left! We continued to work on report card jobs. Report cards will come home on Tuesday, March 28th.

Next Tuesday, March 28th, the kindergartners get to go to Farmers Savings Bank. While there the boys and girls will learn about the different jobs bank workers do.

Next week we learn about the letter Xx. Not many items start with Xx so sharing is free choice.

Have an beautiful weekend!

Mrs. Herink, Mrs. Howard and Mrs. Owens

(Mrs. Howard has a new home phone number. She can be reached at 478-2844.)

March 16, 2006

March 16, 2006

Dear Families,

We had a great week learning about the letter Gg! (However, we are grateful it is gone!!!) We read and learned about St. Patrick’s Day. Mary McLean, one of our school’s secretaries, read the book called Mary McLean and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade to us. The kindergartners learned the word go and read the booklet Nap in a Lap. We finally officially learned the sound for Ee. The boys and girls had a great time reading and acting out the story The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The students made Gg booklets. We did not have centers this week since we don’t have school on Friday.

Don’t forget about the Fine Arts Festival tonight, March 16th! A note about this event went home earlier this week.

The third quarter will end on Tuesday, March 21st. We have been working on evaluations for the report cards. Report cards are scheduled to go home on Tuesday, March 28th.

Next week we will begin learning about the letter Bb. Sharing for next week should be an item that starts with the letter Bb.

Many families are wondering if snowpants and boots are still needed. We do need snowpants and boots when there is snow on the ground. We need boots if there is mud on the ground. If unsure, send the boots. We will have the students wear the boots if needed. If they do not need to wear the boots, then the boots just stay on the red rug. That is not a problem.

Families may still send in stuffed animals to be donated to children that have to stay in the hospital. Many stuffed animals have already been donated!

We hope you have a good weekend!!!

Mrs. Herink
Mrs. Howard
Mrs. Owens