Newsletter October 1 - October 5

Welcome to October and SEP week!  I have enjoyed meeting with several of you today and will enjoy meeting with the rest of you over the next couple of days. This will be brief as these days of conferences get long and I want to get home 😀

Here are this week's happenings:

• The September Reading calendar is now due.  I will give a treat, certificate, and a free Pizza Hut pizza coupon to those students that turn their calendar in by this Thursday, October 4.  October calendars were sent home today.  Thanks to those that are faithfully helping their child read and turn in their take-home book everyday.  This is so important--keep it up!!
• We won't have library this week because of the Book Fair that is occupying the library.  Students can turn their books in anytime before next Thursday (out next library day).
• We will be having two field trips this month.  One is to the Robinson Family Pumpkin Patch on Wednesday, October 17.  We will leave East at 9:45 and return by 11:00.  The cost for this field trip is $1.00 (all students will be able to pick out a pumpkin).  The next field trip is the following day, Thursday, October 18.  We will be walking to SUU to visit both the SUMA art museum and Frehner Museum of Natural History.  We will walk to SUU and arrive at 1:00 and return a little after 3:00.  I would love to have volunteers come with us on these field trips.  It's helpful to have extra adults.  If you would like to come with us please let me know (e-mail or remind is the best way to let me know). 
• We are making "apple head" witches for Halloween.  Please send an apple with your child by Friday, October 5.  It doesn't matter what color or size, but the bigger the better.  
• I will send home Scholastic book orders by this Friday.  Those will be due next Friday, October 12.  This best way to order is online using our classroom code.  
• In math we will have our unit test on Subtraction this Wednesday, and start our unit on Addition strategies on Thursday.  
• Today we learned about the long /a/ sound and how a and e work together to spell that sound (think cake, name etc.).  We will continue to work on the long vowel sounds and how to read and spell them throughout this unit.  
• In listening and learning we compared and contrasted Tom Thumb and Thumbelina and tomorrow we will add another version from Japan called Issun Boshi.  I am amazed by the insightful answers my first graders give when we discuss the similarities and differences in these stories. 
• Next week (October 8 - 11) all of the first grade teachers will be attending a four day conference in Salt Lake. If you need me for anything you are always welcome to send me an e-mail or remind.  I will check that daily while at the conference.  We will still have sight word soldiers that week, reading groups, library etc.  and my substitute will still have the students responsible for their own behavior by filling out behavior charts everyday. I have never missed that many days of school in a row--and frankly I'm not sure how I will handle being away from my class for so many days. 
• Next Friday, October 12 is Fall picture retake day.  Let me know if you want your child to have their picture retaken otherwise I won't send them.  Only those that desire retakes will have a second shot taken. 

Thanks again for making time to visit with me this week.  Even though the week is long I look forward to this week and meeting with parents and students.

Happy Fall and Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong