Getting Ready for Turkey Day!

We have been busy learning about Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, and Indians. I have really enjoyed seeing all of the "Tom the Turkey's". I know the kids are enjoying seeing them come in as well. Thanks for helping your child complete their project. I have taken a picture of each one to put in your child's portfolio that will be sent home at the end of the year.

Don't forget there is no homework until December 4th. Please keep reading with your child daily. I am sending out a weekly newsletter this week, but I will not be sending out another weekly newsletter (homework cover sheet) until then either.

Our Parkside Food Drive is under way. Feel free to send in non-perishable food items with your child between now and December 17th.

Student Success and Slippers is on December 3rd. It is a great event for the entire family. Children get to come to school that night dressed in their p.j.'s and with their favorite stuffed animal. They get to listen to stories and eat milk & cookies. Adults get to go to the gym and learn about our math curriculum and strategies to help your child be successful in math. I will be there to present the kindergarten portion to parents. Hope to see you there!

Our Winter Sharing Program is already less than a month away. All day kindergarten will be performing both at 8:30 (with 1st grade) and 1:35 (with 2nd grade). Please be respectful to all families by picking only one of the times to attend. We have limited seating and want to make sure everyone gets to see their special someone.

Have a fun and safe Thanksgiving next week!

Conference Week

This has been a very wacky week schedule week for us at school and I'm sure everyone at home as well. It has been great sharing student progress so far and I am excited to see the rest of my parents today.

I already have one student who turned in her "Tom the Turkey" in disguise. To the right you will find "Tom the Ballerina". What an awesome idea! I don't think this Tom will be eaten on Thanksgiving Day. I can't wait to see the rest of the turkey's. Remember, the Turkey Dressing Project is due next Thursday, November 19th. Of course I will gladly take them sooner.

You might be wondering why you sent in a one-inch binder at the beginning of the year. This is for your child's kindergarten portfolio. This is something I started about 4 years ago to show capture your child's progress throughout the year. I save student work and originals of writing samples and progress report/report card assessments. At the end of the year I send these home with your child along with a photo CD of the pictures I have taken of your child throughout the year. I think it is a neat keepsake and great way for you and your child to reflect on the progress they have made.

Don't forget, there is homework coming home today, but I will not be sending home any work next Thursday. This is to give your child and family a break for the holiday. I will be keeping the homework folder when it comes in next week. Any papers that the office sends home will go home in your child's backpack without the folder.

Welcome November

As the holidays are near, we get even busier than usual. Above are some marble art pumpkins from our Halloween Party and some raccoons from our art center. It is always fun to share student work. They work so hard!

Next week is conference week. Remember, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are early release days and Wednesday is Veteran's Day with no school. I am looking forward to seeing each of you again and sharing your child's progress with you.

Next week is also the Scholastic Book Fair in the Library. Our Librarian Ms. Lakin does a great job making the library match the theme of the book fair each year. Feel free to browse before or after your conference.

I am sending out a family project with homework this week. It is "Turkey Dressing". Basically, we are trying to disguise Tom the Turkey, so he doesn't get gobbled up on Thanksgiving Day. Please help your child out. I have a directions sheet and examples on the back of the directions sheet. I have included "Tom" and also a piece of construction paper to glue him to. You don't have to use the construction paper if you have something you would rather use.

We have been working with beginning sounds and rhyming sounds and are even starting to learn specifically about vowels. In Zoo Phonics we call these "The Hardest Workers". We have been learning about nocturnal animals too. While talking about bats we even had a discussion about mammals. We are learning so much!

See you next week.