Newsletter April 30-May 4

It might feel like the first day of school again with the amount of notes in your child's backpack today.  It is that time of year!  Please make sure that you read all of the information about our upcoming field trips.

For the swimming field trip, we need at least four parents from our classroom to join us.  That means put on a suit and swim with the kids.  I especially need male volunteers from my classroom since I have so many boys and will not be able to accompany them in the locker room. Please let me know if you can help.

I hope that you saw the note about pictures of your child.  I take several pictures each year, and this year have decided to give you the option of ordering a CD of all of the pictures.  If you would like one, send $4.00 in an envelope with your child's name on it.  I will not take orders after Friday, May 18. 

We will be having a Reading Picnic in our classroom on the last day of school at 1:00.  Parents are invited and encouraged to come.  Put this on your calendar!! You can take your child home with you afterwards or they can stay until school is dismissed that day.

We have four more weeks left of school.  I will continue with spelling words for the next three weeks.  We will not have spelling the last week of school.  I have also told my students that I will give them 10 minutes in class to finish the math homework side of their worksheet.  So your child may not have math homework for the rest of the year either.  Ask them though, if they have any because if they don't use that in class time wisely they will still have homework.  All work will be due Friday, May 18th including the May Reading Record.  I will send that home with your child tomorrow.  Please continue to read with your child each night.  Our final DIBELS test will be this Wednesday, May 2.  I will contact you if I feel that we should meet after their scores are out.

Congratulations to Kason and Kaydence.  They are the newest members of our 100-book challenge club.  We have 14 more school days for your child to complete this challenge!

My Flat Stanley bulletin board is getting fuller each day.  Bryce's Flat Stanley visited his grandparents in Mountain Home, Utah.  We found out that Mountain Home only has one tiny store in the whole town.

All library books will be due, Thursday May 17th.  All of the students that have their books returned or have paid for lost books will receive a free book to take home.  Please help our librarian, we lose countless, valuable books every year.  Also, please make sure that your child has money in their lunch accounts.  They will not be allowed to charge lunches.

Wow, this was lengthy.  Happy Reading!

Newsletter April 23-27

Wow!  We are having perfect weather.  Perfect for learning about seeds, plants, and soil.  Today we dissected a seed and learned about seed parts.  We placed seeds in a bag with a wet paper towel, and in a few days hope to see some sprouted seeds.  On Wednesday, I plan on having my students plant seeds and then we will watch and see if a plant can grow without water, and or sunlight.

Today we had three Flat Stanley's come back.  Jazlyn's Flat Stanley traveled all the way to Pompano Beach, Florida.  Boston's Flat Stanley made it to Rapid City, South Dakota, and Morgan's visited Tucson, Arizona.  Thanks for taking the time with this.  This is an amazing geography learning experience.  The kids get so excited to share their Flat Stanley adventures with the class.

We practiced our First grade program today.  Remember that we are performing this Wednesday, April 25 at 10:00 and then again at 10:45.  It is about seven minutes long so make sure that you are on time or you might miss it.  The performance will be held in the gym.

Congratulations to Mr. Bryce!  He has read 100 books.  Actually he has read over 100 books.  I love the big smiles that my students have when they bring me their lists of books.  We now have 19 more school days to complete this challenge.  Remember that their picture will be submitted for the paper, and all of the students that read 100 books will be able to send off a balloon with a note in it saying that they read 100 books this year.

It is a privilege for me to teach your child!  I love first graders.  Happy Reading!

Newsletter April 16-20

Today we finished an art, writing and math activity on "How to blow a bubble".  On Friday, we all tried to blow a bubble and graphed our results.  Today we wrote a  "How to" piece on blowing bubbles, and finished with an art project.  We are continuing with our map unit this week.  It is taking longer than I anticipated.  Jagger's Flat Stanley was the first one to arrive back in our classroom.  His Flat Stanley visited Colorado Springs. 

I sent home April book orders today.  They will be due this Friday, April 20.  There are several wonderful non-fiction titles available this time.  Especially titles that will complement our unit on soil, seeds, and plants.

I wanted to make you aware of two activities that we will be having at the end of May.  One is swimming at the Aquatic Center on May 18.  This will be our Field Day activity.  In order for this to work, we need at least four parents from our classroom to come and swim with us.  Yes, I mean put on your swimming suit and get in the water.  The other is our Reading Picnic the last day of school, May 25, at 1:00.  I will send more information home on these two activities.  I just wanted to let you know now so that if you needed to make  arrangements at work.

Several children are coming to school before 8:30.  Please do not bring your children to school before 8:30.  They will not be supervised.  I use that time for prep and sometimes I am in meetings.  Please read the following letter from Mr. Burton regarding this matter:

A note from the Principal

Dear Parents,

I would like to ask for your support in helping us address the issue of students arriving at school too early.  We ask that students not arrive earlier than 8:30 AM.  This allows for appropriate supervision for the students and ample time for teachers and staff to prepare for the day.  I would like to express my appreciation to you for your willingness to support us with this issue. 

Sincerely,

Steve Burton

Principal, East Elementary

 

Thanks for all that you do for your child's education.  Happy Reading!

Newsletter April 9-13

Welcome Back!  I hope that you all had a nice Spring Break--mine was glorious! We only have seven weeks left of school, or now 34 days left.  I have seen so much growth in my students.  Please keep reading each night with your child.  Remember our 100-book challenge.  We have 30 more school days for your child to reach that goal.  Ask them where they are and set a goal to reach 100 books. Congratulations to Jazlyn!!  She the second student in our class to reach the 100-book mark!

Next week, we are going on another walking field trip to SUU for Bard's Birthday Bash.  This is a fun activity.  Last year, we participated in the maypole activities, we "jousted", were able to watch a comedy improv group, and of course had cake for Shakepeare's birthday.  I sent home the permission slip today.

I hope you  have seen the Flat Stanley assignment and sent it somewhere outside of Cedar City.  When your friend or family member sends it back, have your child bring it back and we will highlight where their Flat Stanley visited.

Today we learned about spheres and cones and did some fun "jelly bean" math activities.  We even enjoyed a cone with a sphere of ice cream in it! I plan on finishing up with our map unit this week, so that we can move onto plants and life cycles for the remainder of the year.

Just a reminder that on April 25th the first grades will be performing a the awards assembly.  We will perform at 10:00 and 10:45, but remember the first graders receive their awards at 10:00.  Speaking of awards, if  your child really wants to earn more Eagle tickets through AR tests, you are welcome to come with your child and use my computer after school.  AR tests cannot be done at home.

Even though a break was great, I was happy to see your children today.  They are a fun bunch to teach!  Happy Reading!

Newsletter April 2-3

April Fool's Day sure brought us some cold weather.  We are still planning on our Easter Egg hunt for tomorrow, April 3.  We may have to modify our plans though, and have it here on the school grounds.  If you haven't sent plastic, candy-filled eggs yet, you can still send them tomorrow.  Thanks to those that have sent them already. I could still use a volunteer to help hide the eggs.  Please contact me if you could help tomorrow at about 1:30.

  We will not have spelling or sight words this week.  I will send home a new list when we all get back on April 9.  The March reading record is now due.  I sent home the April reading record with your child today. Your child will not have math homework over the break, but please try and squeeze in some reading!

Mr. Burton asked me to inform you that if you are interested in requesting a teacher for next year, those requests are due by April 16.  The forms are in the office.

For the school awards assembly on April 25, all of the first grade classes are performing.  We will do a few songs centered around Earth Day.  You are welcome and encouraged to come.  The performance times are at 10:00 and 10:45 that day.  The 10:00 assembly is where the AR awards are presented for first graders.

Congratulations to Boston he was our March Catch the Vision award winner!  He is a wonderful student and friend!

Have a wonderful, safe, and hopefully warm Spring break.  I am finally posting some pictures of our class, make sure you scroll down to see them!  We are having fun in First Grade!

Hooray for Boston--he has read 100 books!

Dr. Seuss' birthday activities.

We loved our baby chicks.

Happy 100th Day of School!

We wrote "How to Catch a Leprechaun" stories