Newsletter May 23 - May 27

I bet your children all get a wonderful nights sleep--we were all exhausted after our trip to the St. George Children's museum today.  Thank you so much to those parents who helped out today--we couldn't do field trips like that without help! 

We have had a wonderful year full of learning.  I have mentioned before how all of my students become "my kids".  I love that "my kids" are reading pros now.  I have had a wonderful year!!

Congratulations to the 100-book challenge kids:  Kollen, Jayleigh, Rieley, Gavyn, Nathan, Jessen, Tena, Jaiger, Logan, Aiden, Rylie, Nick, Sam, Rebecca, and Gavin!!!! We had a great reading picnic yesterday!  I was amazed at the amount of pizza that those little readers ate!  I had to send my husband back to Little Caesars for more :)  I hope that all of these students are here tomorrow (we've had a couple sick) so that I can take their picture and then submit it to the Iron County Today newspaper.  I will send an e-mail or text to those parents whose students will be in the newspaper informing you of the edition date.

Here are a few happenings this final week:

• Please continue sending your child's blue homework folder.  I keep getting notes to send home about summer activities and I don't want you to miss those.
• I sent home some 2nd grade math practice sheets yesterday.  These would be helpful to jumpstart math next year and also help with those "I'm bored" days.
• The reward movie will be this Thursday morning for all those that have returned their library books or paid the late fees.  The movie will be Cars and the PTA is providing popcorn. We will clean out our desks on Thursday so expect a full backpack that day.
• This Friday, school will dismiss at 2:30.  We will have a final video yearbook assembly in the morning.  Move out desks etc. then watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Mrs. Vogel's class. We are almost finished with the book :) If any of you would like to send treats for that movie we would welcome them. 

Have a wonderful summer!  Enjoy the warm sun and your beautiful children!!!

Newsletter May 16 - May 20

Our swimming field trip is tomorrow!  I have 27 super excited first graders.  I sent a detailed note home last week and have been giving information in this blog for week's so I won't go into detail again, but if you have any questions please feel free to contact me. 

Here are this week's happenings:

• We are continuing our regular schedule with reading in the morning.  We are working on final assessments with the CKLA reading program and will conclude that early next week.
• Take-home books were due last Friday.  Please return those ASAP!  I have a few students who need to return those.  I will send a note home with your child if you need to help look for a lost book.  Remember that all students must return both their take-home book and library book to attend the school movie next Thursday, May 26 (will be watching Cars).  
• We will go to library this week on Wednesday rather than our regular Thursday time.  We are switching our PE/Music/Computer time with third grade since we will be on a field trip during our regular time tomorrow.  Help you child remember to bring their books back on Wednesday so that they can get a free book that day and also attend the aforementioned movie.
• This Friday, May 20 is the last day to turn in any late or missing work.  I sent home a grade print out last week and I've only had a few parents respond.  I have I still have a few unnamed math homework packets unaccounted for.  THE MAY PTA READING CALENDAR IS DUE FRIDAY AND IT'S THE LAST DAY FOR OUR 100 BOOK CHALLENGE!!  So far, I have Kollen, Rieley, Gavyn, Nathan, Jessen, Tena, Aiden, Nick, Sam, Rebecca, and Gavin that have read 100 books.  Pizza will delivered for those that have read 100 books on Monday, May 23.  Lunch is on me that day so if your child usually brings a home lunch and has read 100 books then you won't need to pack one that day.
• We are learning about American History now.  We just recently learned about the Boston Tea Party, "The shot heard round the world", and Paul Revere. Our reading program is amazing--it assumes that first graders can handle extremely complex information.  They can and do!!
• Spelling words were sent home today.  The test will be this Friday.  Again, we will practice in class, but helping study those words at home is helpful. 
• Field Day is this Friday.  We will leave our classroom at 10:00, head up to Canyon park and walk the trail, then play on the park.  I haven't had any parents volunteer to  help fill up water balloons yet.  If that changes we'll have a water balloon toss also.  Let me know if you could fill up water balloons for our class :)
• The last week of school will be filled with activities.  We will go to the St. George Children's museum on Tuesday, May (all day).  Have a school wide movie on Thursday morning and on Friday after cleaning up our room we will watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (first version with Gene Wilder) with Mrs. Vogel's class.  We will have popcorn and lay on our newly desk-less classroom.  We are reading the book now and will be finished reading it before Friday.  We also hope to go over to the public library on either Monday or Wednesday.  They will fill our kids in about their summer reading program and  then we'll play at the park for a few minutes.  I need to call the library and set it up and will let you know if that walking field trip occurs. SCHOOL GETS OUT AT 2:30 ON FRIDAY MAY 27! Wednesday is regular early out schedule.  
• I will have my students walk past the lost and found pile before the last day, but if you know your child is missing a jacket or something please remind them to get that.  All unclaimed items will be donated.

Newsletter May 9 - May 13

We just finished our second of two reading tests today.  I will send those results with your child by the end of the year (I usually send home grades, reading results and teacher assignments in a big envelope the last week of school).  If your child scored below benchmark on the DIBELS test we are required to send that information to your home.  Our reading specialist will send letters home to those students that scored below the end of the year benchmark.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Spelling words were sent home today.  They emphasize the three spellings for the long /a/ sound (ai, ay, and a_e).  The test will be this Friday.  We will practice these words in class, but helping your child study these at home is helpful.
• The last day for take-home books is this Friday, May 13.  Please keep reading those with your child until that date.  If your child has lost their take-home book the charge is $5.00 to replace the book.
• We took our Chapter 11 math test today.  We will start Chapter 12 tomorrow.  Chapter 12 continues with two-dimensional geometry.   We will be learning about equal and unequal parts, sides and vertices (angles) on two-dimensional shapes, and fractions (halves and fourths).  Again, I will not send home a Chapter 12 math packet home as homework, but rather we will complete those practice sheets in class.  I plan on finishing and testing on Chapter 12 on Friday, May 20.
• All missing work is due on Friday, May 20.  I will send home a grade print out tomorrow (Tuesday, May 10).  Please look over that and let me know if you notice any discrepancies.  I probably have 10 math packets without names on them for example.   
• Our Swimming field trip is coming home next Tuesday, May 17.  A note is coming home tomorrow (again Tuesday) giving details or answers to questions you may have.  Please read over that!!
• Field Day is Friday, May 20.  The first grade classes will walk up to the Canyon Park, walk part way up the walking trail, play on the park and have a water balloon toss.  In order to have the water balloon toss, we could use some parents to help supply and fill up water balloons for that day.  If you could help us by filling up those balloons (in advance) let me know.   If you would like to walk up the trail with us or come to the park you are more than welcome to join us.  The school lunch that day is a BBQ.  We all sit outside and enjoy a BBQ together.  If you child normally eats a home lunch that day you may want to consider school lunch instead.
• On Thursday, May 26 all K-2 graders will be watching a movie in the morning.  In order to attend that movie, all library books, take home books and lunch accounts must be paid for or returned.  Please help your child return all of their books or pay the appropriate fine, and make sure that their lunch account is paid.  
• We have 9 more school days until the 100 book challenge complete.  I  have a couple of students that have read well over 100 books--yay!!  We will have our "reading picnic" (pizza) the following Monday for those that have accomplished that reading goal!  I will let you know which newspaper edition your child's picture will appear in (only if they read 100 books). 

I'm always amazed how fast every year goes!!!  Once your child is in my class they are in my heart forever. 

Happy Reading!!

May 2 - May 6

I can't believe that I just wrote MAY!  I am  so excited as I see the progress that my students have made.  Today I noticed, as morning work was being completed, how easy it was for most students to read the directions themselves and complete the assignment.  That's one plus about teaching first grade--the growth is so noticeable! Thank you for the  notes that I have received at the start of Teacher Appreciation Week (that isn't a hint).  I love teaching and appreciate all of your sweet children.

Here are this week's happenings:

• The April PTA reading calendar is now due!  I will give out certificates and a small treat for those that have that calendar returned by this Friday, May 6.  After that, I will still give credit for reading, but the certificate and treat will not be attached. The May calendar has been sent home.  It will be due on May 20. 
• We are cruising through Chapter 11 in math about 3-dimensional shapes.  The math packet for Chapter 11 will be due next Monday, May 9 and we will test that same day.  Chapter 11 will be our last math packet homework of the year.  We will work through Chapter 12 until the last week of school.  I want all work to be turned in by May 20 so I will use the math homework sheets as morning work instead of sending the packet home for homework. Yes, you are welcome!
• The last day for take-home library books will be May 13.  Please return all books by then, or pay the lost fee of $5.00 to Mrs. Scholes in the office.  That means that we have two more weeks of take-home books counting towards your child's grade.  Remember that each day of reading counts for 5 points. 
• The last day for Library books is Thursday, May 19.  I sent home yellow late notices yesterday.  Please help your child find their missing books or pay the fine by May 19.  All students that have returned both of their library books or paid the appropriate fine will be able to pick out a free book from Mrs. Clark, our librarian, on our library day (again May 19).  
• If you want to order Scholastic books (I sent home a packet of fliers last week) please do so by tomorrow, May 4.  
• I haven't received all of our field trip permission slips back yet.  I asked for those to be returned by April 29 so that I could get a lunch count to our lunch manager.  If your child hasn't returned their slip yet, I counted them as ordering a school lunch.  Thanks to those that sent the money along with your permission slip.  We need to pay the swimming pool and the carousel fee before we go so that money needs to be turned in by May 13.  I have 5 helpers for swimming (that is enough), but I still need two more helpers to go with us to St. George for the Children's museum trip on May 24.  Please consider helping us and send me an e-mail. If you want to still go swimming we will take any that want to help.  Thank you!!!
• We having spelling words this week.  Those new words were sent home yesterday (Monday) and the test will be this Friday.
• We are continuing our study on Animal Habitats.  I think the "favorites" so far have been the Arctic Tundra and Ocean and the Amazon Rainforest.  We will finish that Unit this week and move onto "A New Nation: American Independence" for the remainder of May.
• Our final DIBELS test is this Thursday.  Please help your child perform their best by helping them get a good nights sleep.  If they are sick, please keep them home as there is a make-up week for just that eventuality.  

Happy Reading!! We have 17 more days until the 100-book Challenge is complete.