Christmas

This week we have begun our three weeks of Christmas themed projects and activities!!! We have our classroom tree up and the students are excited to see there are presents starting to appear underneath waiting for us to exchange on the morning of our Christmas programs. We have started making our gifts for our families and friends as well. I hope you enjoy them! This week we also focused on the letter Ii and the number 5. Mr. Joe came to read a special story to us about all the animals Santa tried out before settling on reindeer to pull his sleigh. 

Thank you to everyone who has sent back their decorated Christmas tree projects. They look great in our hallway. If you haven't finished yet and still want to send it in, please do! We will add them to the board. :-) Another thank you to everyone who joined us for our Families Being Involved event this morning. The cookies looked delicious. :-)

Reminders:
--Our Pre-K Christmas programs are on December 21st and 22nd at 9:30. There will be cookies and punch following and be sure to stop by the room to pick up your child's goodies and gifts! You are welcome to take your child home with you following the program-most students do leave for the day. There will be no academic instruction following the program. 
--There will be no school for all students Friday, Dec. 23rd through Friday, Dec. 30th. Classes will resume Monday, Jan. 2nd.
--Our next Families Being Involved event will be on Friday, Jan. 27th -ice skating at the Simek Center. More info will come home in January. 

Cookies and Christmas Trees

This week our theme was "Cookies and Christmas Trees." We read about gingerbread men and talked about how trees can be decorated for Christmas. We made a shape cookie book, decorated gingerbread people, drew pictures of trees, and practiced our Christmas songs. We also learned about the letter Cc and the number 4. 

The next three weeks our theme will be Christmas! We will be making all sorts of wonderful projects and gifts for family and friends. We will also be talking about the letter Ii and number 5 next week. 

Reminders:
--We will be doing a $5 gift exchange in our class the morning before our Christmas program. A girl brings a gift for a girl and a boy brings a gift for a boy. If this will be a hardship for your family this year, please let me know as soon as possible. 
--Please be sure to send back the bottom portion of the Christmas Program invite so we can make arrangements for students after the program. Most students go home with someone following the program, but it is not required. There will be no academic instruction that day. 
--Our December family event is Friday the 9th for those who signed up. Be sure to bring a container to take your cookies home in. 

Thanksgiving

This week and next week our theme is "Thanksgiving." This past week we have made all sorts of turkey projects and decorations for your holiday gatherings. We talked about what it means to be thankful and appreciate the good things that we have. We also worked on patterning and learning about the letter Tt and the number 3. 

Next week is a short week for us! Early dismissal on Tuesday as well (1:52 p.m.) We will be having our pumpkin bar snack as well as having our first Christmas program practice. You might start to hear Christmas songs being sung at home soon. Before you know it we will be all set to perform for our families and friends in December!

Thank you to all of the families who came to our Families Being Involved event today at the the Sports Page Bowling Alley. It was a lot of fun! 

Reminders:
--Please be sure to send warm coats, mittens, and hats as the weather is getting colder now. Also, as a reminder: If there is snow on the playground-your child will need snow pants to play outside. Please be sure to label all of your child's outdoor gear. 
--We are working hard on our zippers. Please have your child practice zipping their coat independently-even latching their own zipper. 
--The next Families Being Involved event will be Dec. 9th at 9:00. Slips are due back by Tuesday of next week so we can be sure to have enough cookies ordered for our families that sign up. 

Scarecrows

This week our theme was "Scarecrows." We made colorful corn cobs and a fun shape scarecrow  as well as talked about what their job is in the field. We heard a few stories about silly and brave scarecrows too. Mr. Joe came in to read us a special story about a little scarecrow boy. We also focused on the letter Hh and the number 2. 

The next two weeks our theme will be "Thanksgiving." 

Thank you to everyone who came to the MAES Fall Festival last night! It was a lot of fun with games, prize drawings, and good food. 

Reminders: 
--The November Family event is on Friday, the 18th for those who signed up. 
--Early Release on Tuesday, November 22nd-dismissal at 1:52.
--No School: November 23rd through 25th
--The December Family event will be on Friday, December 9th at 9:00 a.m. More information will be in your child's folder next week.
--Pre-K Christmas programs are December 21st and 22nd at 9:30 a.m.

Night Time

This week our theme was "Night Time." We learned about the different animals that are awake throughout the night and also fun things we like to do at night. We made owls, raccoons, and a classroom book. We also learned about the number 1 and the letter Kk. We also had a great time with out pajama day on Wed./Thurs. with the rest of our MAES PreK friends while we watched Monsters, Inc.

Next week our theme will be "Scarecrows."

Reminders:
--If you plan to attend our Families Being Involved event on Friday, November 18th please send back the sign up sheet (and money if you have extra bowlers) by next week.
--MAES is holding the PBIS Fall Festival on Thursday, November 10th from 4:30-6:00. There will be games, a picnic dinner, and prize drawings.
--Early Release on Tuesday, November 22nd.
--No School Wednesday, November 23rd through Friday, November 25th

Pumpkins and Halloween

This week our theme was "Pumpkins and Halloween." We learned about how pumpkins grow and how they can be turned into jack-o-lanterns. We made bats, spiders, and pumpkin projects. We also focused on the letter Jj. Our Halloween parade, "trick-or-treating" in the room, and Witch's Brew snack was a lot of fun! 

We had a visit from Ms. Weiler, our school's social worker, this week to talk about Halloween safety. She will be visiting with us a few more times this year to discuss other topics. 

Next week our theme is "Night Time" and we will be having a pajama day on Wed./Thurs. of that week. Your child can bring a stuffed animal on that day as well. Please be sure the PJ's are warm enough to wear outside or send a change of clothes as we will still be going outside for recess. 

Reminders:
--The MAES Fall Festival will be held Thursday, November 10th from 4:30-6:00. There will be games, a picnic dinner, and prize drawings. If you are planning on attending, be sure to send back the form that was sent home this week. 
--The next Families Being Involved event will be Friday, November 18th in the morning. We will be bowling at the Sports Page. More information will be sent home next week. 
--Early Release will be on Tuesday, November 22nd. Dismissal will be at 1:52
--No school Wednesday, November 23rd through Friday, November 25th for Thanksgiving break
--Pre-K Christmas programs will be Wednesday, December 21st and Thursday, December 22nd at 9:30. This is a short program followed by juice and cookies. You are welcome to take your child home with you after the program. More information will be coming home as it gets closer. 

Fire Safety

Last week our theme was "Fire Safety." We learned about firefighters, how they can help us, what it means to stop-drop-and roll, and what we would do in a fire drill. We also learned about the letter Ff and the sound it makes. 

We had our first Families Being Involved event on the 21st. The pumpkin carvings turned out awesome! Thank you to all of the families who were able to join us. 

This week our theme is "Pumpkins and Halloween." We will be learning about the letter Jj.

Reminders:
--Picture Retake days are Tues. and Wed. of this week. Please send back the original photo packet if you want retakes done. 
--Our Halloween party will be Wed. and Thurs. of this week. Please feel free to send a costume with your child to wear for the afternoon-we will change back to regular clothes for going home. If you choose to send a treat to share-please have it be store packaged so we can verify the ingredients (we have allergies to red dye #40 and dairy this year.) 
--Pajama day will be Nov. 2nd and 3rd during our "Night Time" theme. Your child can bring a stuffed animal this day too. Please be aware we will still go out for recess these days so please have your child wear warmer PJ's or send a change of clothes for recess. 

Hibernation and Migration

This week we talked about hibernating and migrating animals, why they need to move and where they might go. We did not have a letter to review since it was a short week for our Pre-K students. 

Next week our theme is "Fire Safety."

Reminders:
--Picture retakes will be Tuesday, Oct. 25th and Wednesday, Oct. 26th. If you want your child to take a new photo, please return the original photo packet that you received.
--We will be having our Halloween parties on Wednesday, Oct. 26th and Thursday, Oct. 27th in the afternoon. If you choose to have your child dress up for our mini class parade-please send their costume to school with them and we will change into them in the afternoon. If you choose to send a treat to share with our class, please send store packaged treats so we can verify the ingredients for our students with food allergies. 
--We will be having a pajama day on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd and Thursday, Nov. 3rd during our Night Time week. We will still be going out for recess these days so please send a change of clothes if the PJ's are not warm enough for outside. 
--Please be sure to label your child's lunch box, jackets, boots, gloves, rest time pillows and blankets,  etc. so we can be sure the right belongings go home with the right student. 

Leaves and Fall

This week we added to the fall decorations in our hallway by making painted leaves and acorns. We also made a special fall tree that will be coming home next week. Our first use of glitter paint this year was a hit. :-) We talked about how the weather was starting to change to cooler temperatures and how the trees are changing. Mr. Joe came to our class to read "Fox and the Falling Leaves." We also focused on the letter Ll and the sound it makes. 

Next week our theme will be "Hibernation & Migration." 

Reminders:
--Parent/Teacher Conferences are coming up. If the day and time that is scheduled do not work, please contact me to make other arrangements. 
--There will be no school for PreK on Wed. the 12th due to Child Development Day
--There will be no school for all grades on Thurs. the 13th and Fri. the 14th. 
--Our first Families Being Involved (FBI) event will be on Friday, October 21st at 9:00 for those that signed up. If you have not sent back the form stating your family would like to join us please let me know as soon as possible. We want to be sure that we have enough pumpkins on hand. 

5 Senses

This week our theme was "Our Five Senses." We we able to take our nature walk on Monday and Thursday of this week. There were able to see deer trails from the woods to the field, deer tracks, sap marks on trees, holes from woodpeckers on trees, holes of an animal burrow, and a Wood Duck home. We were able to hear crickets, birds, and a lawn mower/tractor. We were able to feel the wind blowing, moss, bark, grass, pine needles and dew on the grass. 

We also focused on the letter Yy and the sounds that it makes. The September Scholastic book orders have come in today. I will be sending them home Monday and Tuesday to those that ordered. Thank you!! I will be sending the October fliers later in the month. We had our first Early Education Reading Award book sent home this week. Each month we provide your child with a book that they are able to keep at home. I hope you enjoy reading these books with your child! 

Next week we will be exploring the theme "Leaves and Fall" and focusing on the letter Ll. 

Reminders:
-No PreK on Wed. October 12th
-No school all grades on Thurs. October 13th and Fri. October 14th
-Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for my students on Thurs. October 13th and
   Fri. October 21st. Reminder notes of the scheduled times will be coming home next week.
   If changes need to be made, please contact me as soon as possible. 

Apples

This week we talked all about apples-how they grow, what you can make from them, and the differences between the types of apples. Thank you to those who sent in apples. We were able to make some great applesauce! We also discussed the letter Aa and the sounds it makes. We also had school picture day. I will send the photos home when I receive them, there is a picture retake day in the near future. This was homecoming week for the high school and we were able to join the fun with dress up days. Later today there will be the parade and football game! 

Next week our theme will be our 5 Senses. If the weather cooperates with us we will be taking a nature walk on the Kuse Trail near our school on Monday and Tuesday-otherwise if it is raining we will go Wed./Thurs. Feel free to send mud/rain boots with your child. 

Reminder: 

-Parent/Teacher conferences are coming up in October. Reminder slips of the time slots you chose at open house will be sent home soon. 

-No school for Pre-K on Wed. Oct 12th

-No school for all students on Thurs. Oct 13th and 14th

Our First Week

Our first family project was sent home with your child this week. Please have everyone in your family help complete the Family Tree and please return it to school!

Our theme this week was " Welcome & Bus Safety." We learned about the rules for our school, classroom, and bus. We read the book The Kissing Hand and created a special project just for you. We also began working on our cutting skills, and started making new friends!

Next week our theme will be "Shapes." We will be working on shapes throughout the year but this coming week will be our big kick-off to the world of shapes! The children will be matching shapes, sorting and coloring shapes, making a shape train, creating a noodle shape, and singing/dancing to the shape hokey pokey. 

REMINDERS

*Remember to place some money in your child's lunch account if you have not done so yet. 
*Family Tree project due Sept. 14th or 15th
*When your child has a birthday or we celebrate a holiday it is fine to send a treat if you choose to. I do ask that the treats be store wrapped in the original package to verify ingredients. We currently have 15 children in the Mon./Wed. class and 16 in the Tues./Thurs. class. We do have allergies to lactose and red dye #40 in our classes this year, so please check the ingredient lists. 

Welcome

Dear Pre-K Families, 

I would like to welcome you to the Medford Elementary School and to my pre-kindergarten class!  I am really looking forward to meeting all of you at our upcoming open house!  The open house will be on Monday, August 29^th at 4:00-4:30 for the Mon./Wed. group and 4:45-5:15 for the Tues./Thurs. group. Upon arriving please join me in our classroom where I will have a short checklist of items for you to take care of before leaving.  You will be asked to fill out your child’s emergency contact information, make a deposit into your family's lunch/snack/milk account, confirm bus information, view the classroom and ask any questions you might have.  (Please come prepared to take care these items).  If you can’t make it you are welcome to come in on Thursday, September 1^st at 10:00 AM or 1:00 PM to complete the necessary paperwork before school begins.

The open house will be a great opportunity for me to meet you and your child.  Upon arriving please pick up your child’s folder and checklist.  Feel free to explore the room, however, please let your children know that they WON’T be able to play with any of the toys as our time together is limited.  We will get to play with all of the fun toys on the very first day of school!  You are also welcome to walk around the school to help familiarize yourself and your child with its layout.

Your child will not need to bring his/her backpack during the night of open house but can bring his/her rest items.  (Remember that if the rest  items do not easily fit into the cubby space you will be asked to take them home and replace them with something smaller.  A beach towel and small travel sized pillow are recommended.)

I look forward to meeting all of you!

Bugs and Frogs

This week our theme was bugs and frogs. We were able to go to the school forest on Wednesday but due to the weather we were not able to go on Thursday. We have rescheduled to go on Tuesday of next week-weather permitting. Please feel free to spray for bugs prior to your child coming to school. There are a lot of frogs, tadpoles, animal tracks, dragonflies, and birds to look for. 

Next week is our last week of school! The June lunch menu came to us too late to send for the Wed. group, so breakfast on June 1st will be Strawberry Yogurt parfait, fruit choice, juice choice, and milk. Lunch on Wed. will be Homemade pepperoni pizza, garden salad, seasoned green beans, fruit choice, milk with hamburger as the alternate lunch. We will be making father's day projects this week and celebrating our last day by walking to the city park, playing on the playground, and having a picnic lunch. 

Reminders:
--No school, on Monday, May 30th 
--Last day of Pre-K Wed. June 1st and Thurs. June 2nd
--Last day of school for the district Friday, June 3rd-early dismissal at 1:22

Caterpillars and Butterflies

This week our theme was caterpillars and butterflies. We learned about the life cycle of butterflies and moths. We were able to take a nice walk on the Kuse trail this week. We saw a few butterflies, bugs, flowers, animal tracks, squirrels and we were invited to the Kuse's to see their pond and spring baby birds and chicks. 

This was our last week to check out library books. We will have one more library class yet for the year, please be sure to send back any library books that you have. If you are unable to find the book checked out to your child, please contact me so I can get you the replacement cost so they are able to check out books in kindergarten. 

Thank you to the parents who have sent back the end of the year survey. If you still would like to send it in, please do so. The information gathered helps us plan the upcoming year. 

Next week our theme will be Bugs and Frogs. 

Reminders:
--There will be no school on Monday, May 30th. 
--We are scheduled to go to the school forest this coming Wed and Thurs- if it is not raining. Please feel free to spray your child with bug spray BEFORE they come to school.
--On June 1st and 2nd we will be going on a walk to and from the city park. Please send your child in tennis shoes as this is a lot of walking for them and they will be playing at the playground for the morning. We will be having a picnic lunch. If you know that your child will not eat the lunch provided by the school: ham and turkey sandwich, chips, apple, carrots, cookie, milk/water-please let us know by the 25th and pack them a lunch in disposable packaging.
--Please send your child with their backpack for the last day of school!
--The school district's last day will be June 3rd, early release at 1:22. 

Farm

This week our theme was farm. We talked about the animals we might see at a farm and the things that they provide us with like food and materials for clothes. We also talked about the machines that we might see that help farmers with their crops as well as the buildings to house the animals and machines. We had a special visitor who shared a great story about the colors we see on farms (you will be seeing a copy of this book come home soon) and she provided us with a special yogurt parfait made from foods seen in the book. 

Next week our theme will be caterpillars and butterflies. We will be taking a walk on the Kuse trail on Wed. and Thurs. to complete a scavenger hunt as a PBIS reward. Please send rubber boots or older tennis shoes as it might be a little muddy in spots. 

Reminders:
--Next Tuesday, the 17th there will be an early release-dismissal at 1:52.
--Next week will be our last library book check out. Please be sure to send back library books, if you are unable to find the one that is checked out we can find out the cost to replace it.
--School forest trip on Wednesday, May 25th and Thursday, May 26th. Please feel free to spray your child with bug spray BEFORE they come to school. 
--No school on Monday, May 30th
--Park Field trip on Wednesday, June 1st and Thursday, June 2nd. Please send your child in tennis shoes on these days because we will be walking to and from the city park. This is their last day of school but they still should bring their backpack. 

Transportation and Mother's Day

This week we had two themes, Mother's Day and transportation. We made Mother's Day cards, a fun survey about our moms, homemade bee's wax lip balm, and a fun little bee. We went to the Taylor County Highway shop to see some of the vehicles used to keep our roads safe for travel-a tractor lawn mower, chip sealer, crack and pothole filler, grader, cold finishing roller, and a snow plow. We also talked about all the different ways we could go from one place to another-walk, hot air balloon, boat, train, etc. and that there are signs, lights, and rules to help keep us safe on the road too. 

A look back at last week: The elementary school collected more bags than last year! My classes collected 376 and the school as a whole collected 25,760. County Market will be bringing us watermelons for a special snack as a thank you for being so diligent in collecting bags to recycle.  

Also, one the hallway displays has been getting a lot of great comments. We read the story, " A House for a Hermit Crab" to go with our ocean theme that we had. It was about a little crab who had a plain white shell that he thought was too plain and so he set out to decorate it with new friends in the ocean. By the time the story was through he had been to a lot of fun places, met knew friends and decorated his shell and was now in need of a larger one because he had outgrown his. We talked about how this was like Pre-K. We have had a lot of different themes to learn about, letters and numbers too, and made new friends and have seen fun places but now our time is almost done in Pre-K and will be going on to kindergarten, so I had them decorate paper plates and had them be a hermit crab. :) SO FUN!!!! 

Reminders:
--Early Release on Tuesday, May 17th. Dismissal is 1:52
--No school on Monday, May 30th 
--School Forest Field trip on Wednesday, May 25th and Thursday, May 26th--feel free to spay your child with bug spray BEFORE they come to school as the woods is full of mosquitoes.
--Last day of PreK will be Wednesday, June 1st and Thursday, June 2nd. These are full days and please send a back pack and have your child wear tennis shoes as we will be walking to and from the city park. 

Oceans

This week and next week our theme is oceans. So far we have made fish from the story "Rainbow Fish", crabs, starfish, and jellyfish. Next week we will me making scuba divers and hermit crabs! We also had our last focus on letters with the letter Bb and our last focused review of numbers 1-10 with the number 10. We will continue to work on naming letters in random order-especially those in the student's names and practice with number sets, counting, and sequencing. 

You may have started hearing about plastic bags being collected. The Medford co-op/County Market is doing another plastic bag recycling challenge. Last year our school was able to collect 21,605 bags!! The winning class had 1,951. This year there are already a few classrooms that have several hundred bags brought in! If you would like to help out with this, please send the bags in with your student-they do not need to be pre-counted!! 

Reminders: 
--We will be taking a field trip to the Taylor County Highway Department on Wednesday, May 4th and Thursday, May 5th. Please send your student in older clothes as they might get a bit dirty. 
--Early Release Tuesday, may 17th, dismissal is 1:52
--School Forest Field trip will be Wednesday, May 25th and Thursday, May 26th. Feel free to spray them with bug spray before they come to school. The forest is very full of mosquitoes at this time.
--Park Field Trip will be Wednesday, June 1st and Thursday, June 2nd. We will be walking to and from the park as well as spending time on the playground there so please send your child in tennis shoes this day!

Seeds and Flowers

This week our theme was seeds and flowers. We learned how seeds come in different sizes, shapes, and colors as well as the plants they grow into. We made colorful flowers with paint and water color. We also reviewed the number 9 and the letter Uu.

This week was also the Week of the Young Child! We had fun with the Hairy and Company puppet show, the beach party potluck and dance, hearing a story from Mr. Joe who also brought a book donation from the Taylor County Literacy Council for each student. 

The neat names projects have been coming in and they look great! 

The next two weeks our theme is oceans. We will be having our last letter of the week "Bb" and review of the number 10. 

An update on the money raised for the Taylor County Humane Society-between all of the PreK classes we were able to raise $175.32. GREAT JOB and THANK YOU!!!

Reminders:
--Early Release for all students, Friday April 22nd
--We will be going on a field trip to the Taylor County Highway Department on Wed. May 4th and Thurs. May 5th in the morning.
--Early Release for all students, Tuesday, May 17th

Pets

This week our theme was pets. We had a field trip to the Medford Veterinary Clinic to see where a vet works and the types of things they can do to help keep our pets healthy. We also made several pet projects including Clifford the Big Red Dog, a snake, and a fish bowl. We learned what pets need and how to take care of them. 

Thank you to everyone who donated to our Pennies for Pets fundraiser! My classes were able to raise over $30. We will have a total number raised between the PreK classes soon. This money will be used to help the Taylor County Humane Society. 

We also learned about the letter Xx and reviewed the number 8. 

Next week our theme is Seeds and flowers. We will be learning about the letter Uu and reviewing the number 9. This coming week is also Week of the Young Child. There will be more information coming home about the different events and special dress up days. 

Reminders:
--Our next Families Being Involved event is Thursday, April 14th from 5:00-6:00. Those that signed up will be enjoying a beach party themed potluck dinner and dance. 
--Pre-K Registration for those eligible for PreK next year will take place this coming week as well as 3:30-5:30 on Thursday, April 14th.
--Early Release Friday, April 22nd, dismissal is 1:52

Easter and Spring

The past two weeks we have been focusing on Easter and spring. Ironically this was when we used our first snow day of the school year. I hope everyone enjoyed the extended Easter break. We made a lot of fun spring projects including windsock chicks, colorful eggs with chicks in them, and bunnies. We also reviewed the letter Ee and the number 7. 

Next week our theme is Pets. We will be be learning about words that start and end with Xx and reviewing the number 8. This coming week we will be going to the Medford Veterinary Clinic to learn how they help our pets, and even farm animals. We are also holding a fundraising event to help out the Taylor County Humane Society. Thank you to those who have donated their spare change to Pennies for Pets! We will be collecting through this coming Thursday. 

Only 9 more weeks to go!

Reminders:
--Report cards will be coming home this coming Wed. and Thurs. If you have any questions about them, please feel free to contact me. 
--The week of April 11th is Week of the Young Child. There will be a flyer coming home with all of the fun events being held at school and in the community. 
--Our next Families Being Involved event is Thursday, April 14th at 5:00. The RSVP for the potluck dinner was due this week. If you still want to join us, please send this form back as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly.
--Early Release on April 22nd. Dismissal is 1:52

St. Patrick's Day

Our theme this week was St. Patrick's Day. The students in other rooms had set traps, but no luck in catching a leprechaun. We did have a visit from one who was in search of gold but we tricked him with our art projects and he gave us "leprechaun gold". We also focused on the letter Qq and reviewed the number 6. 

For the next two weeks our theme will be Easter and spring. We will be focusing on the letter Ee and reviewing the number 7. 

Reminders:
--We have our Families Being Involved event this afternoon at the high school gym at 1:30 for those who signed up. 
--There will be no school Friday, March 25th through Tuesday, March 29th due to Easter and teacher inservice.
--Our next field trip is scheduled to visit the Medford Veterinary Clinic on Wednesday, April 6th and Thursday, April 7th in the morning. 
--The Week of the Young Child is coming up soon! There will be dress up days and fun family events scheduled during the week of April 11th. 
--The next Families Being Involved event will be a pot luck dinner and dance on Thursday, April 14th from 5:00-6:00. A sign up slip was sent home this week. 

Zoo

This week we talked about zoo animals. We made some really fun projects including: a zebra, monkey, tiger, and giraffe. We focused on the letter Zz and reviewed the number 5. 

Next week we will be learning about leprechauns and St. Patrick's Day. We will focus on the letter Qq and review the number 6. 

Our school district website has been updated and refreshed with a new look. A handout was sent home to help explain where you can links to important information. 

Reminders:
--With the changing weather it is important to send your child with the appropriate gear. Our playground is soggy from the melting snow, so rain boots are a great idea! As of today, snow pants were not required but boots still are required whether it is rain or snow boots.
--The next family event is Friday, the 18th for those that signed up to swim at the high school. More information will be sent home to those families on Mon./Tues.
--There will be no school Friday, March 25th-Tuesday, march 29th due to Easter and teacher inservice. 
--Our Vet Field trip has been scheduled for April 6th and 7th in the morning. 

Dr. Seuss and Rhyming

This week was all about Dr. Seuss and the silly stories and characters that he has made. We read several stories of his and made Cat in the Hat faces and Thing 1 and Thing 2. We continued to work on our rhyming skills by making a class book and playing rhyming games. We also focused on the letter Rr and reviewed the number 4. 

A special thank you to Mr. Joe, our director of Student Services and Special Education, for coming to read to us again this month. The kids loved his silly voices for the characters in the story Cat in the Hat, especially the fish! 

We had our school wide beach day celebration during our lunch time this week for filling our big shield in the commons area. Thank you to all the family and friends who joined us for this event. 

Next week our theme will be zoo animals and we will focus on the letter Zz and the number 5.

Reminders:
--The family project for March, the rhyming chart, is due this coming Monday and Tuesday. We look forward to seeing all of the rhyming combinations that you think of!
--The next Families Being Involved event will be Friday, March 18th. More information will be sent to the families that signed up for swimming.
--There will be no school on Friday, March 25th -Tuesday, March 29th, due to Easter break and teacher inservice. 
--MAES is hosting a Science Night on Tuesday, March 15th from 3:30-5:30. Information was sent last week. 

Nursery Rhymes

This week our theme was Nursery Rhymes. We have read several different ones trying to find the words that rhyme with each other. We also worked on making up nonsense rhyming words to strengthen our concept of similar endings of words. We also focused on the letter Nn and reviewed the number 3. 

Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences are on Thurs. the 3rd from 3:45-6:30. Please remember these are only for those requested by the teacher or parent. If I did not request a conference with you then we have either already discussed the concerns in a recent meeting or I do not have any concerns at this point and your student is on track for the remainder of the school year and we do not need to have a formal meeting scheduled. I am willing to meet outside of this day if needed or we can do email exchanges or phone conferences. If you have scheduled a meeting with me that I did not request and would rather change to just emailing/phone call about any concerns you have please let me know. 

Next week we will be talking all about Dr. Seuss! This is a fun week with Cat in the Hat projects and lots of silly stories. We will also be focusing on the letter Rr and reviewing the number 4. 

***The Simek Library in Medford is hosting a special celebration for Dr. Seuss' birthday on Tuesday, March 1st from 6:30-7:30. There will be a readings from local children's heroes (a fireman, policeman, financial advisor, and doctor), songs, and a special treat with the Cat in the Hat.

Reminders:
--We have our Feb. Families Being Involved Event is this afternoon at 1:15 in the Stetsonville gym for those who signed up to come watch a movie with us. 
--We will be having our school wide PBIS celebration this Wed. and Thurs. During our lunch (11:20-11:50) on those days we will be having a beach party. Feel free to dress up in beach attire, no swimsuits though please! 
--MAES is hosting a Science and Technology family night on March 15th from 3:30-5:30. The goal is to provide parents with information on the kids of technology we use, provide interactive play time, and showcase the 3rd and 4th graders projects from the optional science fair. There will be a light meal, so be sure to fill out the form that was sent home so we can have enough food!
--The next FBI event for March is on Friday, the 18th. The sign up slips are due this Wed. and Thurs. to be sure that we can have enough lifeguards at our swimming event at the MASH pool. 

Games

Last week our theme was Games. We had the chance to play a variety of games with our high school buddies on Wed. and Mrs. Mildbrand's 4th grade class on Thurs. We talked about how it is important to take turns, follow the rules, be a good sport about winning and losing, and to have fun while playing games. We also focused on the letter Gg and reviewed the number 2. 

I hope everyone enjoyed their early release and extra day off from school!

Reminders:
--The students at MAES filled the big PBIS shield and so we are having a beach party themed lunch in March. PreK will be having our beach party lunch on Wednesday, March 2nd and Thursday, March 3rd. More information will be coming soon.
--The next Families Being Involved event is Friday, Feb. 26th at Stetsonville Elementary. Sign up slips are due this week. 
--Parent/Teacher Conferences are being held Thursday, March 3rd. These are only for those requested by the teacher or parent. 

Valentine's week

This week was all about Valentine's and showing our friends and families that we care about them. We talked about how we can make others feel good by being nice to them, saying nice things, giving hugs and high fives, and sharing toys and stories with them. The students also made Valentine decorations, a panda made of hearts and a love bug where we talked about symmetry. We also focused on the letter Vv and reviewed the number 1. 

We had a visit from Dr. Sally and Dr. Ben from the Gelhaus Dental Clinic! The students learned about the importance of brushing and flossing their teeth, knowing which food and treats are better for our teeth than others, and what to expect at a visit to the dental office. The Gelhaus Dental Clinic generously donated goodie bags to each student too! What a great Valentine's treat. :-)

Thank you to the families that created special valentines for residents at a local nursing home. This is something that truly brightens their day. 

Next week we will be having games as our theme and discussing rules for playing games with friends. There will be a fun games session where we get to play various games with our high school buddies and 4th graders. We will also be focusing on the letter Gg and reviewing the number 2. 

Reminders:
--Early Release on Thursday, Feb. 18th. Dismissal is at 1:52
--No School on Friday, Feb. 19th
--The next Families Being Involved event will be Friday, Feb. 26th at SES. More information will be coming home this week

Dinosaurs 2

This week we continued our theme of dinosaurs. A special thank you to the Broadway Theatre for helping us enjoy our very first field trip of the year! The students really enjoyed watching Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and having our popcorn and drink treat. We also focused on the letter Oo and the number 10.

Next week we will be focusing on Valentine's Day and Dental Health, the letter Vv and reviewing number 1. 

Reminders:
--Valentine's Party will be the 10th and 11th. If you choose to send valentine's or treats for your child to share, please address them "To my friend From ___." We have cherry, apple, honey, strawberry, and red dye #40 allergies.  
--Our family project for February is due Mon./Tues. so we can be sure the nursing home residents get their specially made valentine's in time for their celebrations. 
--Early Release: Thursday, Feb. 18th
--No school: Friday, Feb. 19th
--Our next Families Being Involved event will be Friday, Feb. 26th at 1:15 in Stetsonville-more information coming home next week. 

Dinosaurs

This week our theme was Dinosaurs. We talked about how there used to be dinosaurs a long time ago and that they came in all sizes and types. We made some fun skeleton and paper plate dinos. We also focused on the letter Dd and the number 9. 

Next week we will continue our dinosaur theme and we will be taking our first field trip! If you have not sent the $3 to cover your child's popcorn and drink, please do so as soon as possible. We will also be focusing on the letter Oo and number 10. 

Reminders:
--Our Valentine's Party will be Feb. 10th and 11th in the afternoon. You may send valentines and treats if you like but it is not required. Please address valentines, " To my friend." Please remember if you send treats that we have allergies to red dye #40, honey, cherries, apples, and strawberries. 
--Early Release Thursday, Feb. 18th
--No school Friday, Feb. 19th
--Our next Families Being Involved event will be Friday, Feb. 26th at the Stetsonville Elementary. 

Arctic Animals

This past week we talked about arctic animals. We made penguins and walruses. We did activities with polar bears too. We also focused on the letter Pp and the number 8. 

This week and next week we will be talking all about dinosaurs! This week the focus will also be on the letter Dd and number 9.

Reminders:
--We sent information about our field trip last week, please return the envelope with $3 for your child's snack and drink at the theater. This is due Wed. and Thurs. of this week.
--Our valentine's party will be Feb. 10th and 11th. Information will be coming home today. 
--Early release on Feb. 18th
--No school on Feb. 19th

Snow and Snowmen

This past week we talked about snow, how it forms, and what happens when it gets warm. We also talked about snowmen and had that chance to make several different kinds of snowmen. We also focused on the letter Ss and the number 7. 

Today we had our January FBI event at the Simek Center. The kids seemed to really enjoy ice skating this morning! Thanks to all the families who were able to join in the fun. 

Next week out theme will be Arctic Animals. We will also be focusing on the letter Pp and number 8. 

Reminders:
--There will be no school for all grades on Friday, Jan. 22nd due to teacher inservice
--Book orders are due back this coming Wed. and Thurs. If ordering online please use the code MDBF8 to attach it to our class. If ordering by check, please make them out to Scholastic. 
--Report cards will be coming home at the end of the month, please contact me if you have any questions about them
--We will be taking our first field trip to the Broadway Theatre on Feb. 3rd and 4th. More information will be sent home this coming week. 

Winter Clothes

Welcome back from Christmas break! We have gotten right back into the swing of things. Thank you to everyone for sending your child with the right gear for playing outside in the new snow. This fit in perfectly with our theme for this past week of "Winter Clothes." We talked about the things we need for recess: snow pants, boots, winter jacket, hat, and gloves/mittens. We talked about how the thin stretchy gloves are gloves but are not the best for recess because they are thin and get wet from the snow very quickly and not always dry by our second recess. We made fun Snowy Day people from mitten shapes, worked on a few graphing activities with winter clothes, and practiced our coloring skills. We also focused on the letter Ww and the number 6. Please continue to work with your child on the zipping of his/her own coat independently. We would like to add more students to our Zipper Club!

Next week we will be talking all about snow and snowmen, the number 7 and the letter Ss.

Reminders:
--If you have not sent back the Hat Project page that focuses on the first letter of your child's name, please do so. We are making classroom books with these.
--Please send back an extra set of clothes for your child if you haven't already. These come in very handy in the event of an accident or spilled milk/lunch.
--Our next FBI event is Friday, Jan. 15th for those who sign up. Slips are due back this coming Monday/Tuesday.
--There is no school for all grades on Friday, Jan. 22nd due to teacher inservice.
--We will be taking our first field trip in February during our theme of dinosaurs! More information will be coming home soon.