Thursday, February 11, 2010

February 11, 2010

February 11, 2010

Dear Families,

Jj week was a very jumbled week. We worked hard at getting our 4 reading lessons in and one math lesson. We will be moving some of our Jj activities into next week. Our centers were all Valentine’s Day related. Centers included counting and patterning with valentine m & m’s, conversation heart graphing, making a valentine, a valentine coloring paper, a valentine patterning paper, valentine bingo, and opening valentines.

Please send snow boots, pants, gloves/mittens every day! When we can, we will be going outside for the big recess!

THERE IS NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH.

The kindergartners are really improving in reading! It is obvious that many families are practicing at home. The boys and girls enjoy reading in school, and we hope that they are showing you all the booklets and papers that we are able to send home.

Next week we will be learning about the letter Xx. Sharing will be free choice because not many things begin with Xx.

Kindergarten Round Up is scheduled for the week of April 26th. KINDERGARTNERS WILL NOT BE ATTENDING SCHOOL DURING THIS ENTIRE WEEK! We are warning our families now so that arrangements can be made.

Have a great weekend!


Mrs. Owens and Mrs. Daugherty

Friday, January 22, 2010

January 22, 2010

January 22, 2010

Dear Families,

This has been a very crazy short week with YUCKY weather! This week when we were at school we learned about the letter Yy. The kindergartners made Months of the Year booklets. The boys and girls need to be able to say the months of the year in order for the next report card. Reviewing the months of the year at home would be really helpful! We are learning about dimes and counting by 10’s. Last week we started centers. During center time, the kindergartners rotate through 7 different activities. The children spent approximately 10 minutes at each center and moved when the timer rang. Centers included yahtzee, the dramatic play house, yachts and a yacht dot to dot, letter tiles, the rice table, blocks, and working on our months of the year booklets.

Next week we will be learning about the letter Dd. Sharing needs to be something that starts with the letter Dd. Next week we would like to turn the playhouse into a doctor’s office. If you have some doctor type items at home that we can use in our doctor’s office, send the items in. Please be sure that you write your name on everything that you want returned!

Keep working on those valentines! Valentines may be brought to school between Wednesday, Feb. 3rd and Thursday, February 11th. Our party will be on the 11th. We will be contacting volunteers to provide treats and napkins this week.

STRIPS! WE NEED READING STRIPS! KINDERGARTNERS HAVE TO RETURN THEIR REDHAWK READING STRIPS! EVERYTIME YOUR CHILD BRINGS IN HIS/HER STRIP, A PIZZA PIECE IS GLUED ONTO THEIR PIZZA IN THE HALLWAY. STUDENTS THAT READ AT HOME AND RETURN ALL 4 STRIPS EARN A PERSONAL PAN PIZZA AT THE PIZZA PALACE. NO STRIPS....NO PIZZA!

Please remember that our outside doors are locked at 8:30 each morning. If you bring your child to school late, then he/she needs to come in the main entrance by the multipurpose room.

Mrs. Daugherty and Mrs. Owens

Friday, January 15, 2010

January 15, 2010

January 15, 2010

Dear Families,

What a week! We learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and dictated two facts we learned about him on a paper. The kindergartners practiced buying kindergarten items using pennies and made Ee booklets. We finished the color word worksheet and the January calendar from last week. We made a list of animals that hatch out of eggs and learned about the four parts of an egg.

Next week we will be studying the letter Yy. Since there aren’t many things that start with Yy, kindergartners may bring in any free choice item. Since there is no school on Monday, January 18th due to teacher meetings, the Monday sharing people may bring their sharing item any day next week.

Some families are thinking about Valentine’s Day already. Children can choose to have a valentine for each child in their particular group or one for each child in the class. (This means that reds could give a valentine to only the reds, or the reds and the blues. The blues could give a valentine only to the blues, or the the blues and the reds.) Attached to this newsletter is the list of names for each group. We encourage children to start working on them early. Writing their own name 20 to 39 times takes a long time. Families can help write the students’ names that the valentines will be given to.

PLEASE SEND BOOTS, HATS, AND MITTENS EVERYDAY TO SCHOOL!!!!!! When the weather allows it, the students go outside for the big recess. We want to be prepared when that happens!

We have had a lot of colds and other sick bugs in the classroom. We try to keep germs spreading to a minimum, but that is difficult. We wash hands often, clean the toys, tables, and pencils, and encourage students to cough and sneeze into their elbows instead of their hands. You will be called to pick up your child if we believe that he/she is too sick to be at school. We hope that you understand.

We hope you can keep warm this winter weekend!

Mrs. Daugherty and Mrs. Owens

SOME UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:
February 1 - 2:00 dismissal and conferences from 4 - 8 p.m.
February 4 - Conferences from 4:30 - 8:00 p.m.
February 5 - No School - Comp Day!
February 11 - Valentine’s Day parties (We think!)
February 12 - No school due to professional development meetings!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

December 18, 2009

December 18, 2009

Dear Families,

This week we worked on the letter Zz. We learned about zebras, made Zz booklets, and wrote the beginning and ending sounds on a zoo animal worksheet. The kindergartners journaled about their favorite zoo animals. We continued to work on evaluations for the report cards. The boys and girls need to know or be able to do the following for their report cards: addresses, birthdays, days of the week, phone numbers, count to 50 (100 would be even better!), identify a penny and its value, identify the letters we have learned so far Aa, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu and Zz. The boys and girls need to be able to associate sounds to the consonant letters, identify the numbers 0 - 16, identify left and right, and count objects to numbers between 0 - 18.

THERE WILL BE NO SHARING NEXT WEEK!

Many boys and girls need new glue sticks. We have been gluing a lot, and many glue sticks have run out of glue!

We will NOT be going to the Traer nursing home this year. We have missed a bunch of school and are behind in some of our work.

School parties will be on Tuesday, December 22nd! Don’t forget about the grab bag gift! School will be dismissed one hour early on Wednesday, December 23rd!

Christmas break will begin on Wednesday, December 24th and end on Sunday, January 3rd. We will see the kindergartners again on Monday, January 4th! Notice the sharing list at the bottom of the sheet! When we return will will be learning about the letter Cc. Sharing for the week of January 4th should start with the letter Cc.!

This will be the last newsletter of 2009. We will NOT send a newsletter home next week

Have a great holiday season!

Mrs. Owens and Mrs. Daugherty
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January Sharing Schedule

January 4 - 8: An item that begins with the letter Cc
January 11 - 15: Free choice (Ee week)
January 18 - 22: Free choice (Yy week) Monday kids may bring their sharing item a different day this week because the kids don’t have school on Monday, January 18th.
January 25 - 29: Something that starts with the letter Dd

Friday, December 11, 2009

December 11, 2009

December 11, 2009

Dear Families,

Uu week this year was very unusual. Having school for only a couple of days really makes things crazy! We were able to do all four of our Saxon Reading lessons for Uu and some evaluations. Other plans are being pushed into next week’s lesson plans. Hopefully these snow days are our last ones of the school year!

During the winter season please make sure that you remain aware of the weather. It is helpful to pay attention to one of the radio stations or tv stations for early dismissal, late starts, or closings. Families sent back notes concerning early dismissal plans. Hopefully we do not have to use them again!

Next week we will be studying the letter Zz. Sharing should be an item that begins with the letter Zz. If you are struggling for an idea, think about a zoo animal.

Next week is the elementary Christmas program. It is Wednesday, December 16th at 1:30.

Earlier we contacted the families that were chosen to supply our classroom with napkins and treats for the Christmas program. We are very lucky because so many of our families filled out the volunteer sheets at the beginning of the year, and many families volunteered to do many things. We try to spread out the volunteer fun throughout the year to as many families as possible, so we contact new families for each party. Because of the fantastic number of families that volunteer, we probably will not get to use each family. If you did not hear from us, you get to relax this holiday season. You may be contacted for the next party.

Shopping in the elementary Christmas store will be next Wednesday, December 16th. If you want your child to participate, send money. In the past, items cost between 25¢ and $1 with some bigger items priced at $5.

Our classroom Christmas party will be on Tuesday, December 22nd. Remember, boys bring a grab bag type gift for boys, and girls bring a grab bag type gift for girls. The price limit is $2.

Don’t forget that school is dismissed early on Wednesday, December 23rd. Town students will be dismissed at 2:20, and bus students at 2:25.

We hope that you weekend is wonderful!

Mrs. Daugherty and Mrs. Owens

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

November 12, 2009

November 12, 2009

Dear Families,

During Ff week we learned about fish and reviewed fall. Fall booklets were read in class, colored, and brought home. There are 2 pages of homework at the back of those booklets. If your child completes those pages, then a sticker can be earned. November necklaces were colored and put together. The kindergartners learned about frogs and how they grow from eggs to adult frogs.

Next week we will be studying the letter Rr. Sharing next week needs to be an item that begins with the letter Rr.

This year families may sign up for early dismissal or late start alerts. These alerts may go to cell phones or computers. It is easy to sign up for this service. Go to the North Tama website, click on the Snowcap Weather/Emergency Alert Registration link and follow the directions. It would be great if families signed up.

Right after Thanksgiving the boys and girls will be writing letters to Santa. They will be dictating their ideas to a teacher to be typed on the computer. We would like them to have 3 or 4 ideas of gifts they would like to receive. These letters will be mailed to Santa, and they may appear in the Traer Star Clipper. Please discuss Christmas ideas with your child so that we can type these letters quickly and easily. In next week’s newsletter there will be a form for families to fill out that will help us get these letters done without going too crazy. Families also get to let Santa know how the boys and girls have been good/helpful at home.

Speaking of Christmas, many families are beginning to think about the elementary Christmas party and the gifts that the kids exchange. We ask that the boys buy a gift for a boy and the girls buy a gift for a girl. We will have a “grab bag” type of gift exchange. The amount that can be spent on the gift is $2. Boys and girls that want to donate any food or hygiene items to the local food pantry are welcome to bring those items into school, too.

Our kindergarten parents in the past have been very generous when remembering the teachers at Christmas time. An idea that we learned from Pied Piper is that instead of buying the teacher a gift, families could choose instead to purchase a gift for the room. We have a few ideas for items that we would like for the classroom: markers to be used in our writing center, glue sticks, stickers, disposable cameras, baby dolls, doll clothing, larger trucks and tractors, dry erase markers, monetary donation for elementary field trips, and games (see the teachers for ideas). If you need any ideas, just ask one of us. Of course, families may handle this matter however they desire.

Also in regards to Christmas, the date for the elementary Christmas program is Wednesday, December 16th. It usually begins at 1:30 in the gym. The fifth and sixth grade bands will play first, and the kindergartners will follow them. Following our songs, families will have a choice of whether to have their kindergartner sit with them for the remainder of the program or watch the rest of it with Mrs. Owens and Mrs Daugherty. Watch for more information about the program closer to December 16th.

Please remember that school will be dismissed at 2:20 on Wednesday, November 25th for Thanksgiving vacation. There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, November 30th due to teacher meetings. School will resume on Tuesday, December 1st at the normal time.

We know that the cold and flu season is upon us. Please remember that if your doctor prescribes a medication that has to be taken at school, THE DOCTOR and THE PARENT (yes both) need to write the directions down for the nurse. (This means 2 notes are required.) The prescription medication MUST be in the original container from the pharmacy. Families might want to ask for 2 containers when filling the prescription; one for school and one for home. The nurse cannot administer any medication without both notes. Cough syrup needs to have a doctor’s order to be given in school. (If your child is constantly coughing, he/she should really stay home.) DO NOT SEND COUGH DROPS TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR STUDENT! Parents are welcome to come to school and give medicines to their own children. Please contact the school nurse or us if you have any questions.

The North Tama football team plays on Friday, November 14th at 10:30 in the Unidome in Cedar Falls. If they win, they will play for the state championship on Friday, November 20th at 2:05. If they win, then the extended school day plan goes into effect, and we will have no school on Friday, November 20th.

Go Redhawks!

Mrs. Owens and Mrs. Daugherty
Copies of the newsletter can be found at the following internet address:
http://ntknews09.blogspot.com
or through the North Tama website.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

November 6, 2009

November 6, 2009

Dear Families,

While studying the letter Ss we learned about spiders and sharks. The kindergartners pretended that some Super Socks gave them special powers. In their journals they told the teachers what super powers the Super socks gave them. The kindergartners learned the following blends this week: sl, st, sn, sp sm, and spl. The boys and girls have 5 new flashcards. These high frequency words can be sounded out, but reading is easier if they can remember it quickly without having to sound them out each time. Cut these flashcards apart and practice them OFTEN! We took a fall walk on Friday. (If the weather cooperated.)

Next week we will be studying the letter Ff. For sharing please send something that starts with the letter Ff.

We have noticed that some of the boys and girls are still in need of new crayons. You may replace them with boxes of 16 or 24 crayons. Check with your kindergartner to see if the glue stick needs to be replaced also.

Thanksgiving is coming up! School will be dismissed early on Wednesday, November 25th. Students that walk home or are picked up are dismissed at 2:20. Bus students are dismissed at 2:25. There will be no school on Thursday, November 26th or Friday, November 27th.

As the weather starts turning colder we must think about boots, snowpants, hats, mittens, and coats. Please make sure that your child is prepared for cold, wet weather. Please put your child’s name in every piece of outerwear brought to school.

Have a nice weekend!

Mrs. Owens
Mrs. Daugherty