November 28-Dec 2

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and reflected on the many blessings you have. Thank you for coming and supporting your child during their performance on Monday. I know many had to sacrifice time from work, but these moments pass quickly and before you know it, your child is grown! A special thanks to the parents that helped set up, clean up and prepare costumes and food. Many hands went into a very successful performance. Please take time to thank Mrs. Hansen for her hard work in preparing the students with song and her efforts in writing the script for the pageant. Our school is blessed to have such talent working with our children.

It's hard to believe we are getting ready for the "Countdown to Christmas", but it's true! We only have 3 1/2 weeks of school and so much to accomplish in this short amount of time. Report cards will be sent home before Christmas break this year, so we need to make sure we stay focused on our reading, math and writing skills while celebrating and anticipating the holiday season. Please make sure your child is in attendance daily, as it is difficult to make up assessments and projects (we have many!). I also have hopes for the class to present some "mini Christmas plays" for the kindergarten students and parents. Please check your email daily, as I will most likely have some last minute thoughts, needs and information for the class throughout this month. I also will need LOTS of parent support in the classroom to do assessments, sight word drills, reading/math support groups for students, prepare for the plays and do Christmas ornaments and gifts. What a busy month!! Please let me know if you can volunteer at least once this month. With only 18 days, if every parent comes in once we will have all the help we need!

Homework: Every night listen to your child read, review sight words, practice the spelling words and look for opportunities to use math. Our math will be focusing on measurement this month, providing perfect opportunities for learning while wrapping gifts, baking, and budgeting Christmas shopping.

Some deadlines coming up and reminders for you:

• If you participated in the Wahooz activity calendar, please return them this week.
  


• The Book It Pizza Hut calendar for November is due at the end of this week.



• Please send in 1-2 wire hangers for an art project we will be doing this week.



• We need mini candy canes for the Christmas Parade/float



• Progress reports are available through Skyward Family Access on Monday, November 28

November 14-18

Thanksgiving is almost here! I am looking forward to our Thanksgiving Pageant on Monday, November 21st. Mrs. Hansen has put so much work into this program and it MY highlight of first grade! Be sure to mark your calendars for 9:30 and bring your cameras!! You won't want to miss it! Remember to send in your item for our Thanksgiving feast this week.

We will be making Pilgrim and Indian costumes on Wednesday. If any family has pheasant feathers for our headbands and would like to donate them, I am sure the students would love to have REAL feathers. I could use some extra hands on Wednesday as we take on necklaces, vests, headbands and hats! I could also use a parent to cut out the Indian vests and have them ready for Wednesday.

I hope you are finding the homework more meaningful and less stressful. Remember that first grade homework consists of reading, counting and spelling! As our schedules get busier during the holiday season, take every day learning opportunities to reinforce these skills. They are all around us: shopping, cooking, driving, sending out cards, etc.

November 7-11

Homework is similar to last week. Read every night for 10-15 minutes, include the bookring in that time, sight words and any other reading for entertainment. Math activities are at your discretion. Some of the best counting activities are quite simple. Use your imagination. We are focusing on counting and number sense. There were some suggestions sent home in the homework folder. Spelling should be reviewed every night. We are focusing on the /sh/ sound and the /ar/ sound with 5 sight words.

This years theme for the PTA Reflections Program is : "DIVERSITY MEANS..."
Students may submit works in any of the following categories: Literature, Photography, and Visual Arts. Entries must be submitted by November 14,2011. I hope to see many of my students participate this year. If you did not get the entry form, please stop by the office to pick one up.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for November 21st. We will be presenting the "First Thanksgiving" music pagaent at 9:30 followed by our traditional feast in the cafeteria. Invite the whole family to come!

Dress in red, white and blue on Friday to honor our Veterans!
Have a great week!