Newsletter January 27 - January 31

Can you believe how fast January has gone by?  If you remember me saying how it was a bit hard coming back after the Christmas holiday, but that the rest of the year would fly by--it happens every year!  I sent home SEP notices yesterday (which are next week), please return those ASAP so we can reschedule if necessary.  The best way to contact me to reschedule is through e-mail or REMIND.  I'll get right back to you and do my best to accommodate your request.  Remember that school dismisses every day next week for SEP's including Wednesday.  I look forward to meeting with all of you concerning your amazing child.

Here are this week's happenings and notices:

• Red PTA reading bookmarks were sent home after our last awards program.  Those are due by February 7 for a free cookie along with the Eagle award.  The PTA representative in our class for the awards said they will be strictly honoring that deadline so please get those in on or before February 7.  The next awards ceremony will be Thursday, February 13 at 3:00.  Notices will be sent home earlier that week.
• We will have a little Valentine's Day party on Friday, February 14 from 1:00-2:00.  We will decorate heart-shaped cookies and deliver Valentines to classmates.  If you signed up to help specifically with Valentine's day I will contact you by e-mail and ask for you to send something for help with the cookies.  If you would like to come and help that would be welcomed too.  We will decorate Valentine's Day bags in class--your child will NOT need to decorate and bring a box from home.  I have done this for the last few years and I think it's helpful for parents at home.  If you really want to decorate a box at home we could go that route also, but I want all students to have the same so if you really want to decorate at home let me know and if a majority feels that way I'll change it. Otherwise, when I send home a note about the party with a list of classmates for Valentines cards I will also ask for a small donation of 50cents to help cover the cost of the bags. I will send that note home next week so you can start thinking about or buying Valentine cards.  Right now we have 20 students in our class if that helps for early buying.  
• I just noticed on the PTA newsletter that Grandparents breakfast is February 4 from 8:00-8:40 in the cafeteria.  I'm surprised I haven't seen a note to send home about that yet, but will double check on the accuracy of that notice and let you know or send home a note when I receive it.
• The PTA is also sponsoring a Talent show on the night of Monday, February 24 at 6:00.  Sign-up notices will be sent home for that.  This is optional of course and talents are usually limited to 90 seconds or so.  
• In an effort to keep our PE experience safer the PE teacher and I have implemented a new plan of action.  In short, if students get "three strikes" in one day they will be sent to student support for that remainder of PE for that day.  If students get a strike or time out two days in a row (not three strikes you are out but two days in a row of inappropriate behavior or not listening to directions) then the following two times those students will go to student support instead of PE.  If students are continually in student support then an alternative for PE may need to occur--possibly going to PE with another class for example. 
• Last but not least in our learning we are almost done with Unit 4 in reading where we have learned all about r-controlled vowels, two-syllable words, and past-tense verbs along with writing several complete sentences using facts about a given topic.  This week we will write sentences about Groundhogs.  In math, we just completed unit 4 and started chapter 4 which concerns Addition and subtraction relationships so think the Fact families that I mentioned in our last newsletter.  Students will look at equations with missing addends or parts and will be able to figure out what belongs using their knowledge from addition and subtraction relationships.  For example 13 - ? = 7 students may count up from 7 to 13 to find the missing part.  They may use another subtraction fact 13 - 7 to get the missing part or use their knowledge of 6 + 7 = 13 to figure out the missing part.  We too are finishing up our unit on Early world civilizations.  Today we just learned about the sphinx from Ancient Egypt.  We will turn our studies to Animal Habitats and writing descriptive paragraphs in the next month.  

Whew!  That was long this time--please remember to turn in your SEP notice.

Have a nice Tuesday and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter January 13 - January 17

Today was our 95th day of school.  I sent home notes about our 100th day which is next Tuesday, January 21 today in your child's folder.  Please look that over.  That will be a  fun day in first grade.  I also sent home notices to those that will be receiving a PTA reading award this Thursday at 3:00 in my classroom.  Thanks for keeping up on reading every night; our only "homework" in first grade.  It's making a difference!

Here are this week's happenings:

• Dads and Donuts is this Thursday starting at 8:15 in the cafeteria.  Please send back the RSVP notice if your child and dad or grandma or male figure in their life can make it so the PTA knows how many donuts to order.
• I will send home another Scholastic book order this week.  I will place that order next Wednesday, January 22.  
• In our learning it's more of the same in reading..... two-syllable words, past-tense verbs, r-controlled vowels, writing multiple sentences on a given topic to prepare for paragraph writing, and Mesopotamia. In math we will start learning about fact families tomorrow (think; 3 + 5 = 8, 5 + 3 = 8, 8 - 5 = 3, and 8 - 3 = 5)
• Since coming back from the holiday I have had to remind students a lot about appropriate behavior in the classroom.  If you would please talk to your child about good behavior at school. Ask them where their clip was at the end of the day.  Today we talked about our classroom being a "kindness zone."  For the most part that is happening but reminders at home are helpful. 

Happy Monday Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter January 6 - January 10

Welcome  back after a great break!  I felt like it was just the right amount of time.  New take-home books were sent home today as well as a new January reading calendar.  December reading calendars are due by this Thursday for a little treat, Pizza Hut coupon and certificate.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Today we started "new" reading groups.  Most of my students have a new reading teacher or stay with me in my room now.  If you have questions about these groups please send me an e-mail.  We do the best we can at East to have small reading for ALL students regardless of reading level.  We also switched up our WIN groups ("What I Need" groups) in reading and writing today.  It's worked out that most of my students stay with me during this time, but rest assured wherever your child is during that time they are receiving instruction they need. 
• In math, we have moved back to subtraction strategies.  We will concentrate on the counting back strategy as we feel that this is the most beneficial for students to understand as they subtract, but we will also learn other strategies such as "using 10 to subtract".  In this strategy students will use their knowledge of 10.  For example:  13 - 9 =  4, students use their knowledge of 9 + 1 = 10 then count up 3 more to make 13, from 9 to 13 is 4 or 1  + 3 so 13 - 9 = 4.  This is showing the relationship of addition to subtraction.  Some students "get it" others it's just an introduction. 
• In reading we are still concentrating on decoding (sounding out) two syllable words and using the r-controlled vowels (ar, er, and or) in reading and writing.  We are reading from a non-fiction book and writing multiple sentences using facts.  By the end of this unit, students will be writing their first descriptive paragraphs based on information from the book.  
• We will have a 100th day celebration on January 21--the day after MLK break.  I will send home information about that day by the end of the week.  There is just a little optional at home project that student can participate in (most of them really like it and feel badly if they don't do it).  Students can also dress up like they are 100 years old that day.  Watch for information about that day to come home this week.  
• If you have any questions about your child's DIBELS scores I sent home please don't hesitate to contact me.  We can discuss that further during SEP week Feb. 3-7.  I just want you to get that week on your radar. School will dismiss at 2:30 every day that week. 

Happy Monday Reading,

Mrs. Armstrong