Christmas

We have been working on special Christmas gifts for our families and singing our songs for our concert.  We also focused on the letter Ii and the number 5 this week. Thank you to everyone who has sent back the Christmas tree family project! We have had many compliments on how great they turned out for our bulletin board.

Next week we will be making lots of decorations for our room which can decorate your homes over the holiday break. We will also be focusing on the letter Ss and the number 6.

Reminders:
-- We are doing a $5 gift exchange in our classroom on Dec 19th and 20th before the concert. Girls bring a "girl" gift and boys bring a "boy" gift. Please bring these in by the 13th and 14th. If this will be a hardship for your family this year, please let me know.
-- Our Dec. Families Being Involved event will be the 14th at 2:00 in the Stetsonville gym for those who signed up.
-- The PreK concerts will be Dec. 19th and 20th beginning at 9:30 in the MAES gym. There will be juice and cookies following the concert. You are able to take your child home with you after stopping by the room to collect their belongings. Please know that most students will be going home following the concert, if your child stays for the remainder of the day there are not any planned academics for the day.
-- No school Dec 24th-Jan 1st

Cookies & Christmas Trees

This week we started gearing up for the holiday season by talking about cookies and Christmas trees. We were even able to decorate and enjoy a cookie for filling the big shield in the lunchroom by making good choices at school. We also focused on the letter Cc and the number 4. Our Christmas song practice has been going very well, we hope you are able to join us on Dec. 19th or 20th at 9:30 in the gym for our Pre-K concerts. 

Reminders: 
--Dec. 14th is the next Family event-cookie decorating at 2:00 in the Stetsonville lunchroom/gym. Please be sure to send back the sign up slip so we have enough cookies for everyone joining us. 
--We are having a $5 gift exchange before our Christmas concerts. Girls bring a "girl" gift and boys bring a "boy" gift. Please have the gifts sent to school by Dec 12th or 13th. If this will be a hardship for your family this year, please contact me. 
--No school Dec. 24-Jan 1st. 

Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoys the extra days with friends and family. We have been very busy these last two weeks learning about turkeys, pilgrims, feasts, and what it means to be thankful. We have also been reviewing colors, shapes, and patterns. Last week we learned about the number 2 and letter Tt, this week we learned about the number 3. We also made pumpkin pancakes Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. The Wednesday class had a special treat, pumpkin pie with 3rd grade buddies for snack time. The 3rd graders were excited about making these pies on their own and being able to share them with our class!

We practiced our Christmas songs for the first time and will be continuing to do so until our concert on Dec. 19th and 20th at 9:30 in the morning. Invites were sent home which included a portion for you to sign and return letting us know your plans to take your child home with you following the program or if they will remain at school for the rest of the day. Please note, there is not going to be academics this day as the majority of students go home after the concert so do not feel your child will be missing out on anything if they do not stay here. Enjoy the extra time before Christmas!

Reminders:
--No school Nov. 22nd and 23rd for Thanksgiving
--December's FBI event: Dec. 14th at 2:00 in the Stetsonville gym/lunchroom. Please be sure to sign up by the deadline so we have enough cookies available for everyone to decorate.
--No school Monday, Dec. 24th-Tuesday, Jan. 1st

Scarecrows

This week was all about "Scarecrows". We practiced shapes and cutting skills with a few scarecrow projects and painted colored corn cobs. We also focused on the number 1 and the letter Hh.

We have been gearing up for Thanksgiving by talking about the things that make us happy and thankful. Our turkeys are getting full with the wonderful feathers our families have helped us decorate.

Report cards went home this week. If you have any questions, please contact me. Remember the goal is to have B's by the end of the year, we continue to work on our skills throughout the year!

Next week Monday and Tuesday, the Pre-K teachers are going to be at a conference so if you feel your student needs to be further prepped that there will be a substitute in the room, please feel free to continue the conversation about a different teacher helper being here.

Reminders:
--Our Nov. FBI event is on the 16th (8:00-9:00 M/W and 9:30-10:30 T/Th) for those who signed up for bowling at the Sports Page.
--Early Release: Nov. 21st-dismissal at 1:57
--No school: Nov 22nd and 23rd
--December FBI: cookie decorating in Stetsonville on Dec 14th at 2:00
--Pre-K Christmas Programs: 9:30 on Dec. 19th and 20th (more info coming soon)
--No school Dec. 24-Jan. 1st

Fire Safety

Our theme this week was "Fire Safety". We learned about the role of fire fighters, the type of gear they use, what we should do in a fire drill at school, what we might do if there was a fire at home, and made some fun crafts representing our theme. We also focused on the letter Ff. 

We had a visit from our school social worker, Mrs. Weiler. She talked about following school rules, listening, and making good choices. She will visit us again later in the year as well. 

Thank you to all of the families who were able to attend our first Families Being Involved event today. The pumpkin carving went great!

Next Monday, we will have a Packer/Brewers T-shirt/jersey to help cheer on the teams as a whole school. Our theme will be "Hibernation & Migration". There will not be a Classroom News sent because of the short week. 

Reminders:
--No school for Pre-K Oct. 17th  due to Child Development Day for kids age 2-4 (not already in Pre-K)
--No school for all grades Oct. 18th and 19th due to parent/teacher conferences
--Vision and Hearing screenings will be done Oct. 22nd and 23rd. 
--Picture retakes are Oct. 23rd and 24th. Please send the original packet and a note if you would like your child's photo retaken. 
--Pajama Day will be Oct. 24th and 25th. We will still be going outside for recess so please either send your child wearing warm ones. ☺
--MAES Fall Fest will be Oct. 25th from 4:30-6:00 p.m. A note will be coming home this week to fill out and return so plans can be finalized. There will be a light supper served as well as games and prizes for the kids. 
--Pre-K fluoride will be given Oct. 29th and 30th for those who choose to do so. Forms will be sent home next week. Please fill these out completely and return them!
--Pre-K Halloween parties will be Oct. 31 and Nov. 1st. When thinking of a costume, please label parts with their name or leave some of the smaller parts at home for trick-or-treating. The costumes should fit over their school clothes, we will be doing a parade through the school. ☺

Leaves and Fall

This past week was all about "Leaves and Fall". We painted leaves and acorns. Our Halloween decorations got a head start too with our hand print jack-o-lanterns. We also talked about how different types of trees have different leaves and that they change colors in fall. We also focused on the letter Ll. 

This week our theme is "Fire Safety" and a focus on the letter Ff. 

Reminders:
--Families Being Involved (pumpkin carving) event October 12th for those who signed up. 
--No school for Pre-K October 17th, early release for other grades dismissal at 1:57
--No school for all grades October 18th and 19th
--Picture Retakes October 23rd and 24th-please send back the originals with a note if you want retakes done. 
--Pajama Day Oct 24th and 25th

5 Senses

This week our theme was "Our Five Senses". We were able to go on the Kuse trail to find out how we could use our senses in the woods. We saw deer trails and beds, birds, sap from a tree, and bird/duck houses. We heard crickets, birds, the wind, crunching over rocks, and construction. We felt a bumpy milk weed pod and the soft seed fibers on the inside. We also focused on the letter Yy and our cutting skills. 

Next week our theme is "Leaves and Fall" with a focus on the letter Ll.

Reminders:
-Our first Families Being Involved (FBI) event will be Oct 12th at 9:00 for those families who sign up. Please return the slip that went home this week if you intend to come so we can be sure there are enough pumpkins. 
-No school for PreK on Oct 17th-Child Development Day
-No school for all grades on Oct 18th and 19th
-Parent/Teacher Conferences are Oct 18th and (Oct 26th for my classes). Reminders about times will be coming home soon.

Apples

This week was all about apples! We learned about the life cycle of an apple tree, how there are different sizes, shapes, and types of apples, and even made applesauce in the classroom. Thank you to everyone who brought apples, we had enough for applesauce and sliced apples for snack and even a few left over for next week's snack. ☺We made our first real art projects of the year-a mosaic apple and a painted paper plate apple core. This week we also focused on the letter Aa and practiced long and short a sounds. 

Picture day went well, I will send the photo packets home as soon as we get them. Usually we have them in a few weeks. We also had our school expectations review with Mr. Miller (our principal). We saw there are big shields around our school that tell us the rules for that area and voice charts to let us know how loud we can be there. Our main expectations are respect, responsibility, safety, and fun. We can earn little shields for making great choices and doing extra special things for others and place these on the really big shield in the lunchroom. When this gets filled, the school has a celebration. This week we filled it and received Raider beads to help celebrate homecoming week!

Next week our theme is "Our Five Senses" and we will be focusing on the letter Yy. There is an early release day on Tuesday, Sept. 25th. Dismissal will be at 1:57. Please send a note with your child if they will be going home differently than their usual dismissal location. 

Reminder:
-If dropping off your student before 8:00, please have them find our table in the lunchroom so we can all meet together before coming to the classroom. 
-Please be sure to send your child's white homework folder back with them each day. 
-Monday and Tuesday we will be taking a nature walk on the Kuse Trail, weather permitting. Old shoes or even mud boots are a great idea!
-P/T conferences are coming up soon, I will be sending reminder slips home with the day and time that you signed up for at conferences. If changes need to be made please let me know!

Welcome!

Hi everyone!

We are off to a great school year. We are working hard to learn our routines and expectations. We are also increasing our stamina for long school days with lots of projects and play time. This week our theme was "Shapes". We sang the shape hokey-pokey, drew them in the air, used our cutting skills to make a shape train. We will continue to focus on shapes throughout the year, please help your child learn to identify circle, triangle, square, and rectangle. 

Next week our theme is "Apples" and we will be making a special treat! Please send a baking apple (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or McIntosh) to school by Wed or Thurs so we have plenty of applesauce to taste. 

Reminders:

-Please send your child's folder back to school each day as we will be sending home practice sheets, important information, and projects completed by your child each day. 

-Please send a complete change of clothes in a bag labeled with your child's name if you haven't already. 

-Early Release on Tuesday, Sept. 25th-dismissal at 1:57. Please send a note if your child is going home differently than their day to day schedule. 

-No school for Pre-K on Wednesday, October 17th due to Child Development Day

-Parent Teacher Conferences are Thursday, October 18th and Friday, October 26th for my classes. If you have not signed up for a time please contact me to do so. Reminders of times will come home as it gets closer. 

-No school for all grades October 18th and 19th

Have a great weekend!

Caterpillars and Butterflies

This week our theme was "Caterpillars and Butterflies". We talked about the life cycle (metamorphosis) of a butterfly and how it is really close to that of a moth. Moths come out of a cocoon and butterflies come out of a chrysalis. We made painted butterflies, noodle life cycles, and played with bug/butterfly magnets, puzzles, stencils, and stamps this week too.

Next week is our final week of Pre-K. Our theme is "Goodbye Friends and Father's Day". We have been making special things for the father figures in our lives and will be sending those home next week. Feel free to open them early if you like. :-)

Reminders:
--Please do not send the bedding back for rest time. We are starting to clear out the classroom for summer.
--Your child still needs to bring their backpack both days this week as we will be sending home all of their belongings both days.
--City Park Field Trip: Mon/Tues. Please send your child with tennis shoes as we will be walking there and back. If you want them to have sunscreen on, please apply it before they come to school. We will be having a picnic lunch at the park: ham, turkey, and cheese sandwich, chips, fruit, carrots, cookie, milk/water. If you know your child will not eat this and you will be sending a lunch with-please let us know and be sure it is all disposable.
--Last day of Pre-K: Wed/Thurs
--Early Release: Thursday-dismissal is as 1:22.

Bugs and Frogs

This week our theme was "Bugs and Frogs". We learned about the life cycle of frogs and saw there are many different kinds of frogs in the world. We also talked about bugs having 6 legs, antennas, 3 body parts, and that they can be all shapes and sizes. We lucked out with the rain this week and were able to take our field trip to the school forest! Thankfully it was dry and not many mosquitoes. ☺ While we were there we saw tadpoles, fish, spider webs, dragon flies, butterflies, and all sorts of flowers. 

Next week our theme is "Caterpillars and Butterflies". 

Reminders:
--No School Monday, May 28th for Memorial Day
--All library books should be returned to school at this time. 
--City Park Field Trip: June 4th and 5th. Please send your child with tennis shoes as we will be walking there and back. If you intend on your child wearing sunscreen, please apply it before they come to school. We will be having a picnic lunch: ham, turkey, and cheese sandwich, chips, fruit, carrots, cookie, milk/water. If you know your child will not eat this and you will be sending a bag lunch that day, please let us know. Also note, it needs to be all disposable packaging. 
--Last day of PreK: June 6th and 7th. Please still send your child's backpack that day!
--Last day for the district: June 7th (Early release at 1:22)

Transportation

This week our theme was "Transportation". We had a lot of fun thinking of all the ways we could travel around to see different places in our world. We made airplanes filled with our classmates, helicopters, a traffic light, and practiced our sorting and number writing skills. 

Next week our theme will be "Bugs and Frogs". 

Reminders:
--Our last FBI event is May 18th, at 9:30-Paw Patrol Story Time at the Simek Library
--School Forest Field Trip: May 23rd and 24th in the morning. Mud boots or old shoes are encouraged, if you would like your child to wear bug spray-please apply it to them prior to coming to school. Usually there are a lot of mosquitoes!
--No school on May 28th-Memorial Day
--City Park Field Trip: June 4th and 5th. Please send your child in tennis shoes as we will be walking there and back. We will have a picnic lunch that day as well: ham,turkey, and cheese sandwich with chips, carrots, a fruit, cookie, and milk or water. If you know your child will not eat this-please let us know that you will be providing a lunch that day. If providing a lunch, it needs to be disposable as we will not be bringing lunch boxes there and back. 
--Last day of PreK: June 6th and 7th. Please send a backpack with your child on this day. 
--Last day for the district: June 7th: Early Release at 1:22

Mother's Day

This week was all about the Mother figures we have in our lives. Thank you to all the special things you do for us! I hope you enjoy the gifts your child has made. ☺

We also had a field trip to Huey's Hideaway Children's Museum. The kids had a great time exploring all the different stations they offer. It was a great time to interact with another class too as we had 2 classes on each level at a time. If you haven't visited there as a family, I encourage you to check it out!

Next week our theme will be "Transportation". 

Reminders:
--Early Release: Wednesday, 16th-dismissal at 1:52. 
--Final FBI event (Paw Patrol Story Time): Friday, 18th at the Simek Library-starting promptly at 9:30
--No School: Monday, 28th-Memorial Day
--School Forest Field Trip: 23rd and 24th. Please dress your child for the woods, mud boots or old shoes are great! Please spray them with bug spray prior to arriving at school if you choose to have them use it.
--City Park Field Trip: June 4th and 5th. Please send your child with tennis shoes as we will be walking there and back.
--Last Day for PreK: June 6th and 7th. Please still send a backpack with on this day!
--Early Release: June 7th-dismissal at 1:22

Farm

This was a busy week! Our theme was "Farm". We learned about the various animals that might be found on a farm, what things we can get from a farm, the job of farmers and the equipment they use to help keep the farm running. We made some really fun projects too-muddy pigs, fuzzy sheep, painted cows, and colorful chickens! Our letter of the week was Uu. This week we also completed our PreK literacy screener. More information about results will be shared at the end of the year with report cards. 

We had a great time at the MASH barn. The high school students did a great job handling the animals and sharing fun facts. 

Next week our theme will be "Mother's Day". We also have a field trip next week to Huey's Hideaway Children's Museum the 9th and 10th in the morning. 

Reminders:
--Tonight 4-6 pm! Barns and Books at the Simek Recreation Center- a free family event with science, technology, reading, engineering, art, and math activities as well as visiting the barn. Following this event is the drama department's production of Charlotte's Web.
--Family Science Night being hosted at the Simek Library Thursday, May 10th 6-7:30pm
--May's Families Being Involved event will be May 18th at 9:30. The Simek Library is hosting Paw Patrol Story Time. Slips are due back this Wed and Thurs. 
--Early Release-May 16th, dismissal at 1:52
--Field Trip to the School Forest May, 23rd and 24th in the morning-returning before lunch. PLEASE spray your child with bug spray before they come to school as the woods are very full of mosquitoes. Also, a great day for mud boots or old tennis shoes! 
--No school Monday, May 28th for Memorial Day
--Field Trip to the City Park June, 4th and 5th in the morning. We will be walking there and back so please send your child in tennis shoes. We will be having a picnic lunch this day at the park. 
--Last Day for PreK June 6th and 7th. Your child will still need to bring their backpacks on these days. 
--Early Release for all grades on June 7th, dismissal at 1:22.

Seeds and Flowers

Last week our theme was "Seeds and Flowers". We learned about the life cycle of plants, the parts of plants, and looked at how different seeds can look from one another. We also focused on the number 10. 

We had a lot of fun with the Week of the Young Child events. Lots of students participated in the dress up days, we had a lot of laughs with the Harry and Company Puppet Show, and enjoyed a fun fruit pizza snack. Thank you to all of the families who were able to join us for our Families Being Involved Beach Party and Dance. We had a very good turn out with families registering their incoming PreK students that night as well. 

This week our theme is "Pets". 

Reminders:
--We are having our plastic bag collection/competition. Please send any you would like to recycle to school with your child.
--MAES is hosting a STEM Fair to showcase technology and science exploration and highlight the summer opportunities in our community April 26th 4:00-6:00. A light supper will be provided. 
--PreK is completing a literacy screener the week of April 30th. My class will be testing on Wed/Thurs of next week. 
--We will be walking to the MASH Barn May 2nd and 3rd in the morning.
--We will be going to Huey's Hideaway on May 9th and 10th in the morning.

Oceans

The last two weeks we have been learning all about oceans and the animals that live in and near them. We have made rainbow fish, crabs, starfish, jellyfish, sharks, and scuba divers.We also focused on the letter Oo and reviewed the numbers 8 and 9. 

We have been working hard on letter recognition by playing ABC bingo. This skill will be graded for 4th quarter and is a big portion of our literacy screener that will take place during the week of April 30 for PreK. Please continue to focus on the letters in your child's name but then continue on with the remaining upper and lowercase letters as they master those. Thanks for all you do to help your child be successful in school!

We will be collecting any donations through the end of the month in honor of Autism Awareness Month. The funds collected will be split between Taylor County Autism Support Group, The Village Inclusive Playground, and Project Lifesaver. 

We will also be collecting any used plastic bags from April 20-27th that you do not need at home. The recycling project is done in collaboration with County Market/Medford Cooperative.  Last year 39,949 bags were collected at our school! 

Reminders:
--Spring Picture Day is Wednesday, April 18th. Please note, if your child is a T/Th student you will need to provide transportation to and from school for that day.
--Early Release, Thursday April 19th-dismissal at 1:52. 
--Next week is Week of the Young Child. We will have various activities and dress up days for the week to help celebrate. 

--April's Families Being Involved Event is Thursday, the 19th from 5-6 pm for those that have signed up. You can arrive a little before 5 with your dish to pass so we can set up the food to begin serving at 5:00. The dance portion will begin roughly 5:30. 

--MAES is hosting a STEM Fair Wednesday, April 18th from 4-6 pm. This event will highlight students' exploration into science, technology, engineering, and math. It will also be a time to preview some of the opportunities that will be available this summer. A light walking tacos luncheon will be provided during this time as well. If you have not returned the sign up sheet please do so-only 1 from each family is needed if you have multiple students at MAES.

  

Easter and spring

This week and next our theme is "Easter and spring". This week we made chicks in eggs, bunny/ducks, and our Easter bags. We had a visit from a class of 1st graders who shared their skateboard stories they have been writing. Wednesday and Thursday we enjoyed a special trail mix while watching the movie "Hop" with Ms. Marsha's and Ms. Brittany's friends. We focused on the letter Ee and reviewed the number 7. 

Next week we will focus on the letter Bb. 

Reminders:
--No School: Thursday, March 29th due to teacher inservice
--No School: Friday, March 30th due to Easter break
--There will be school on Monday, April 2nd as this will be used to make up our 3rd snow day. 
--Spring Picture Day: Wednesday, April 18th. More info will be coming-if your child is a T/Th and you want pictures, you will need to bring them to and from school that day for their photo as they only come to our school 1 day. 
--Week of the Young Child is coming up in April. There will be events at school and in the community to celebrate.
--April's FBI event: Thursday, April 19th 5:00-6:00 p.m. Potluck dinner and dance!

St. Patrick's Day

This week our theme was "St. Patrick's Day" and we were visited by a leprechaun named Larry! We didn't see him but he left us a piece of gold because we tricked him without even knowing it. He saw all of the rainbow projects and pots of gold and leprechauns hanging in the hall. He sure did leave our room in a mess though while searching for real gold. You might hear the other grades talking about setting traps in their classrooms...lots of excitement this week!

We also focused on the letter Qq and reviewed the number 6.

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

Reminders:
--No school on Thurs. March 29th due to teacher inservice
--No school on Fri. March 30th due to Easter break
--THERE WILL BE SCHOOL ON MONDAY APRIL 2nd--the school board has announced it will be used as a make up day for the 3rd snow day that we had this year.
--

Zoo

This week was FILLED with zoo animals!! We made zebras by rolling marbles, giraffes with patterns and finger paint, playful monkeys, alligators that helped us count to 10, and fierce tigers. We focused on the letter Zz and reviewed the number 5. 

We also had our school wide PBIS celebration-Beach Day...even with snow outside everyone seemed to enjoy the thoughts of warm beaches inside. Thanks to all of the parents who were able to join us!

Mr. Joe came to read us one of his favorite Dr. Seuss books, Cat in the Hat. The kids loved his silly voices for the fish and Cat. The Literacy Council also provided us with a book this week, If You Give a Moose a Muffin. I hope you enjoy sharing that story with your family! 

Next week our theme is "St. Patrick's Day". 

Reminders:
--Our next FBI event will be March 16th from 1:45-2:45 at the high school pool for those that signed up. Slips are due back next Mon/Tues-please be sure to include how many people will be swimming so we can have enough life guards. 
--Quarter 3 ends  March 28th-report cards will go home April 3rd and 4th. Please continue to work on name printing, identifying letters and shapes with your child. 
--NO SCHOOL- Thursday, March 29th due to teacher inservice
--NO SCHOOL- Friday, March 30th-Monday, April 2nd due to Easter Break-classes resume Tuesday, April 3rd
--Week of the Young Child is coming up the week of April 16th, more information of fun events at school and the community will be coming soon!

Dr. Seuss

This week was all about "Dr. Seuss". We read and heard several of his silly stories with all sorts of made up words. We reviewed what it takes to make rhyming words and practiced real and nonsense rhyming pairs. We had a visit from Dr. Sally and Dr. Ben from Gelhaus Dental. They talked about making healthy food choices and how to take care of our teeth. We also focused on the letter "r" and reviewed the number 4. 

Reminders:
--The cultural fair is tomorrow from 10:00-3:00 at the High School--it is free to visit!!!
--Beach Day Lunch PBIS school wide celebration will be Monday and Tuesday of next week for PreK, all others will be Tuesday. Please feel free to send your child with "beach" clothes to change into and a towel to sit on for lunch. 
--Our next Families Being Involved event (swimming at the new High School pool) will be March 16th, more info coming soon!
--Our April's FBI will be April 19th 5-6:00 pm at MAES. Potluck dinner and dance-more info coming soon! 

Nursery Rhymes

This week we listened to all sort of nursery rhymes-both through song and stories. We are starting to really focus on what makes words rhyme. This is a pre-reading skill for children. We will continue to focus on this throughout the remainder of the year. Please take time to rhyme with your child (even nonsense words count) and point out pairs of rhyming words while reading stories with your child. We also focused on the letter Nn and reviewed the number 3 this week.

Next week our theme will be "Dr. Seuss". Can't wait to hear Mr. Joe share one of his favorite Dr. Seuss stories with the class-Cat in the Hat!

Thanks to all of the families who were able to join us for our February Families Being Involved event at Huey's Hideaway Children's Museum. It was my first time there and I have to say I was very impressed with the quality and variety of areas offered for exploration. The kids had a great time too!

Reminders:
--Next week we will have a visit from Dr. Sally Nazer and Dr. Ben Gelhaus. They will be teaching us about dental health.
--Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences will be Thurs. March 1st from 3:45-6:30. Please remember that these are only scheduled for those requested by the teacher or parent. 
--Currently there will be No School Thursday, March 29th-Monday, April 2nd due to teacher inservice and Easter Break. **We have used more than our allotted snow days however and we have not heard if Easter Monday will still remain as a day off. 

Games

This week our theme was "Games". We learned how to play lots of new ones and re-play some of our favorites. We practiced being a good sport, taking turns, waiting patiently, as well as reinforcing skills like 1 to 1 correspondence, color recognition, shape recognition, using a spinner, memory skills, and fine motor movements. On Wed. and Thurs. we had the chance to play games with 4th grade buddies! Everyone had a great time. :-) 

We also focused on the letter Gg and reviewed the number 1. 

Next week our theme will be "Valentines".

Reminders:
--Mon and Tues of next week we will be cheering on Team USA by wearing USA gear or red,white, and blue to help celebrate the Olympic ceremonies at MAES.
--Our Valentine's Parties will be Wed. and Thurs. of next week. Please note it is not required to send Valentines or treats but if you do, please address them "To my friend- from ___" We have 13 students on M/W and 10 on T/Th. Also, note we do have students with berry allergies in our classes this year if you are sending an edible treat.
--Early release Thurs. Feb. 15th-dismissal at 1:52.
--No school Fri. Feb 16th.
--Feb. FBI event is Fri. Feb 23rd at Huey's Hideaway Children's Museum 9-11:00. Information will be coming home next week. 
--Spring Parent/Teacher conferences will be Thurs. March 1st from 3:45-6:30pm. Due to limited time, these are only for those students either requested by the teacher or parent. Information will be coming home next week. 

Dinosaurs 2

This week we continued with "Dinosaurs" as our theme. We had a lot of fun on our first field trip! Thank you to the Broadway Theatre for opening up for us to visit. 

We also focused on the letter Mm and the number 10. Next week our theme will be "Games". 

Reminders:
--Next week Tuesday and Wednesday, Mrs. Lang's 2nd graders are hosting a Smencils sale to benefit the humane society. Scented pencils will be $1.00 each with a variety of scents available. The sale will be from 8:00-8:25 both days while supplies last. 
--Report cards for 2nd quarter have gone home this week. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Keep in mind the goal for PreK is to have mostly B's by the end of the year!
--February's Family Project has been sent home. We look forward to seeing the Valentines your family creates for the local nursing home residents. 
--Our Valentine's Party will be Feb. 14th and 15th in the afternoon. Your child may bring in cards or treats, but it is not required!! 
--Early Release Thursday, Feb. 15th-dismissal at 1:52
--No School Friday, Feb. 16th
--February's, FBI event will be the morning of Feb. 23rd at Huey's Hideaway Children's Museum--more info coming soon. 

Dinosaurs

Last week and this week our theme is "Dinosaurs". We had fun making skeleton dinos from noodles, paper plate dinos with watercolors and practiced drawing a few in our journals. We focused on the letter Dd and #9 last week and this week our focus is on Mm and the #10. 

We will be taking our first field trip this Wed./Thurs. Thank you to everyone who has already sent back their $4 to cover the popcorn and drink. :-) Looking forward to a fun time!

Thank you to the families who were able to join us for our Jan. FBI event at the Simek Center. Everyone looked like they had a lot of fun on the ice! 

Reminders:
--Our Valentine's Parties will be Feb 14th and 15th. If your child wants to bring a valentine for the class it is fine but not required. There are 13 students in our M/W class and 10 in our T/Th class. There are students with allergies to berries in our classes this year, so please keep this in mind if sending an edible treat. 
--Early release on Thursday, Feb. 15th, dismissal at 1:52.
--No school Friday, Feb. 16th
--February's FBI event will be the morning of Friday, Feb. 23rd. We will be going to Huey's Hideaway Children's Museum. More info will be coming soon!

Snow and Snowmen

This week our theme was "Snow and Snowmen" and we made all sorts of different kinds with a variety of materials-paint, glitter, plates, labels, paper, and blocks. The kids really enjoyed getting outside for recess this week to play in the snow too! We also focused on the letter Ss and number 7. 

The end of 2nd quarter is coming up soon and we are rechecking skills for both 1st and 2nd quarter. If you have any questions about the grades you see on your child's report card, please ask! A skill that will be checked soon is knowing the letters in your child's name in a random order. Naming letters, as well as printing their name, are great skills to work on throughout the school year. 

Next week our theme will be "Arctic Animals".

Reminders:
--No school on Friday, Jan. 19th due to teacher inservice
--January's Families Being Involved event (ice skating) is Jan. 26th. Sign up slips are due next week! 
--Our first field trip is coming up Jan. 31st and Feb. 1st. We will be going to the movie theater, more info will be coming next week.

Winter Clothes

Welcome back! It was a very cold Christmas break, but I hope that you were able to still enjoy it with family and friends. This week we talked about "winter clothes" and how important it is to bundle up. We also focused on the letter Ww. 

Next week our theme will be "Snow and Snowmen". The end of 2nd Quarter is coming up soon, we are continuing to recheck skills from 1st quarter as well as the new skills for this quarter. One skill that is great to keep working on at home is writing your child's first name. It helps to have a proper pencil grip -using the thumb and pointer finger to pinch the pencil. Be sure to remind your child to start with a capital letter followed by all lowercase and beginning their letters in the sky/above the line rather than working from bottom/line up. 

Reminders:
--No school Friday, Jan. 19th due to teacher inservice
--January's Families Being Involved event is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 26th in the morning. We will be ice skating at the Simek Center. 
--Our first field trip will be Wednesday, Jan. 31st and Thursday, Feb. 1st. We will be going to the Broadway Theatre.