Friday, December 30, 2011


Kindergarten News

Jan. 2-6


Upcoming Events
Monday, Jan. 2--Fluoride
Tuesday, Jan. 3—Library
Thursday, Jan. 5—Computers  
Friday, Jan. 6—Music/P.E.
Weekly Theme:
WINTER/
ANTARCTICA

Please ask your child to tell you his/her address, phone number and birthday!

JANUARY
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE NICE GIFTS, CARDS, AND REMEMBRANCES.  I APPRECIATE EACH OF YOU—YOU ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL!

Happy New Year!  I hope that you all had an enjoyable, relaxing Christmas break.  January will be a great learning time for us in kindergarten.   Your children are progressing nicely.  Thanks for your support at home. 

Please send back the December Reading Calendar filled out for the free pizza certificate by Monday, Jan 9th.  Remember our goal is 300 minutes a month.  (15 minutes, 5 nights a week.)  THIS MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES!

This week we will start a unit on Antarctica.  It will be exciting to learn about this strange and beautiful place.  We will also be reviewing skills in preparation for the next DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment, which begins next week.  These skills include:  letter recognition, beginning sounds of words, nonsense words (for example:  ig, xup, taf) and segmenting words (for example, the tester says, “Tell me each sound you hear in “hat” and the student would say h/a/t.  Each segment is timed for one minute.

Thanks again for all you do to help ensure your child is having a successful school experience.  You truly make a difference!

       
586-2850

Friday, December 9, 2011


Kindergarten News
Dec.12-16

Upcoming Events
Monday, Dec. 12--Fluoride
Tuesday, Dec. 13—Library
Thursday, Dec.15—Computers 
Friday, Dec. 16—Music/P.E.
Friday, Dec. 16—Classroom Christmas Party
Dec. 19-January 1—CHRISTMAS VACATION

Weekly Theme:
CUSTOMS/
TRADITIONS/
CHRISTMAS

Centers
We will have Centers this week but the morning class needs to start ten  minutes early because we will be “singing around the Christmas tree” as a school. 

DECEMBER
We are having a great time in Kindergarten!  I am excited about the progress each child continues to make.  I am enjoying each one of them.  Thanks for your help and support at home.
This week we will learn more about the December holidays celebrated in various cultures.
Please have your child continue to practice writing his/her last name.  This is one of the requirements on our next assessment and we have been practicing at school, but I just want to make sure each child has this mastered.  THANK YOU! 
If you are missing items that your child brought to school and has not returned, there is a Lost and Found in the room right next to the lunchroom.  The custodians will be taking any items not picked up to the Deseret Industries.  Please feel free to come and look for any lost items before Christmas. Just another reminder—please make sure that your children’s coats, jackets, hats, etc. have their names on them.  This helps with any confusion, especially if two coats look the same.
FOR OUR CLASSROOM CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION ON FRIDAY, WE ARE HAVING A ‘POLAR EXPRESS’ PARTY!  THE STUDENTS CAN WEAR THEIR PAJAMAS AND WE WILL HAVE LOTS OF FUN!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

586-2850

Friday, December 2, 2011


Kindergarten News
Dec. 5-9

Upcoming Events
Monday, Dec. 5--Fluoride
Tuesday, Dec. 6—Library
Thursday, Dec.8—Computers  
Friday, Dec. 9—Music/P.E.
Friday, Dec. 16—Classroom Christmas Party
Dec. 19-December 30—CHRISTMAS VACATION

Weekly Theme:
CUSTOMS/
TRADITIONS

Early Literacy Idea
Say a word and then ask your child to think or two or three words that rhyme with it.  For example: rock/sock/block/lock

DECEMBER
It is hard to believe that December is here already!  It is an exciting month for us at school. This week we will begin learning about customs and traditions of various cultures.  We will celebrate the diversity of holiday traditions from across the world. 
We have been focusing on “Interactive Writing”.  This is a process where the teacher and the students do some writing together and then the students write independently.  Other names for this include, “Kid Writing”, or “Invented or Progressive Spelling.”  As kindergarten children try to write words on their own, they are encouraged to 1) say the word slowly, 2) stretch out the word and listen for the sounds they can hear, 3) write down the sounds they know and 4) do their best.  Please encourage your child to write at home using these four guidelines.  It is o.k. if they do not spell each word correctly.  This process helps children develop an understanding of how sounds make up words.  Progressive spelling is not meant to be an “anything goes” approach.  Instead its purpose is to free kids to write.  When children depend on adults to help spell every word correctly, they are unable to express themselves freely.
  Please remember to send the November reading calendar back with your child for the free pizza certificate and as always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.  


586-2850

Monday, November 28, 2011


Kindergarten News
November 28-Dec. 2

Upcoming Events
Monday, Nov. 28--Fluoride

Tuesday, Nov.29—Library

Thursday, Dec. 1—Computers  

Friday, Dec. 2—Music/P.E.

Weekly Theme:
MONEY/

FINANCIAL LITERACY

Early Literacy Idea
Remember to encourage your child to write often!  Have him/her write letters, stories, make cards, etc. using a capital at the beginning, spaces in between words, and putting a period at the end.

  NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday!  Thanks again for sharing your wonderful children with me. 
Next week we will begin a unit on the December holidays celebrated in various cultures and will celebrate the diversity of holiday traditions.  If you have music, poetry, stories, etc. that are unique to your family or culture and you would like to come into the classroom and share them with the class any time before Christmas, that would be super!  Just send a note, e-mail, or call me and we will make arrangements.  THANKS!
As always, feel free to contact me anytime!  Have a nice week!


586-2850

Friday, November 18, 2011


 
Kindergarten News
November 21-25
 
Upcoming Events
Monday, Nov. 21--Fluoride
Tuesday, Nov.22—Library
Wed., Nov. 23-Fri., Nov. 25—Thanksgiving Break  


Weekly Theme:
THANKSGIVING
 
We will not have Centers this week because of the Thanksgiving Break Wednesday-Friday.  We look forward to seeing you the following week.  THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO HELP!  YOU ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!
 
NOVEMBER
    HOORAY, we made it to the end of the alphabet!  This is a great accomplishment for these little ones!  Make sure you look at their alphabet books and drawing books they will be bringing home.  They are so excited to show you their awesome work!  We will learn the sight words on, at.  We have been practicing writing last names.  Please reinforce the concept of using a capital letter at the beginning and then all lower case letters after that. 

Our writing of the numerals 11-20 is improving.  It is fun to see the progress and recognition of patterning with these numerals.  Have your child write these numerals for you.

Thank you for all you do to help with your child’s education!  Have a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!

As always, feel free to contact me anytime!  Have a nice week!

586-2850

Friday, November 11, 2011


Kindergarten News
November 14-18

Upcoming Events
Monday, Nov. 14--Fluoride
Tuesday, Nov. 15—Library
Thursday, Nov. 17—Computers
Friday, Nov. 18—P.E./Music
Nov. 23-27—Thanksgiving Break

Weekly Theme:
THANKSGIVING

We will not have Centers the week of November 21-25 because of the Thanksgiving Break on Wednesday-Friday.  We look forward to seeing you the following week.  THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO HELP!  YOU ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!
   
NOVEMBER
Thank you for your continued support at home.  It is great that the homework and reading books come back consistently.   You are wonderful parents.  It is exciting to see the progress your children are making!
Speaking of progress--The students are becoming great readers and writers!  We will finish up the letters and sounds this week.  They have completed writing some creative stories in their journals and they are stretching out the sounds in words quite independently. 
We have started to focus on recognizing and writing the numerals 11-20 and simple addition from 1-5.  We have also been learning about patterning and graphing. 
As the weather gets colder, please make sure your child’s names is on his/her coat or jacket so we don’t loose them or get them mixed up with another student.  If your child is missing one, the Lost and Found is located in the room next to the lunch room.
This week our PTA is sponsoring “Healthy Lifestyles Week”.  Please refer to the fliers and handouts that were sent home with your child on Friday for more information.  Our PTA is amazing and they do so much to support the students and faculty at South Elementary!
As always, please feel free to contact me anytime!  Have a nice week!


586-2850

Friday, November 4, 2011


 
Kindergarten News
November 7-11
 
Upcoming Events
Monday, Nov. 7--Fluoride
Tuesday, Nov. 8—Library
Thursday, Nov. 10—Computers
Friday, Nov. 11—P.E./Music
Nov. 23-27—Thanksgiving Break
 
Weekly Theme:
Native Americans
 
Early Literacy Skill
Magnetic letters are good for word play.  Let your child make words using the letters.   Salt, sand, rice, etc. are also fun to use when tracing letters and words with a finger.
 
NOVEMBER
       Happy November!  Thanks again for sharing your wonderful children with me!  We have a super group and each child is progressing and contributing to our class. 
      We have been focusing especially on literacy skills.  The students should know the letters and sounds from A-U.  Please ask your child often      to tell you each of these letters (both upper and lower case) and the sound each one makes.  They should also be able to write each one in capital and lower case form.  We have learned the following sight words:  me, see, I, can, like, look, my, here, go, up, run.  Reviewing these at home is once again a bonus for your child. 
      Our math skills are improving as well.  We are practicing counting out loud to 50 and writing the numerals 0-10 correctly.  Other math skills are being incorporated throughout each day as part of the kindergarten curriculum. 
      Social skills are also a pertinent part of kindergarten.  Ask your child about using their “flexible brains” and not being a “topic twister”.
      Have a nice week and as always, please feel free to contact me any time!

586-2850

Friday, October 28, 2011


Kindergarten News
October 31-November 4
 
Upcoming Events
Monday, Oct. 31—Classroom Halloween Party
Monday, Oct. 31--Fluoride
Tuesday, Nov. 1—Library
Thursday, Nov. 3—Computers
Friday, Nov. 4—P.E./Music
 
Weekly Theme:
Geography/
Mapping
 
Remember our reading goal is 15 minutes a night/five nights a week.  Please read to your child and have him/her read to you!  The “Take Home Library” books and the “Three books in the bag” are great resources to use in helping to achieve this goal!
   
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
We are excited for our classroom Halloween party.  THANK YOU to the mothers who have volunteered to do this!  Remember we are not allowed to wear costumes, but if your child wants to wear orange and black, that would be great.
We will re-assess your child soon on the skills that were given when we met individually in August. Here is a list of skills that each child needs to know:
·      Recite alphabet
·      Spell name out loud and recognize name
·      Distinguish between words and letters
·      Write first name correctly
·      Recognize and write numbers 0-10 with no reversals
·      Count out loud to 10
·      Identify square, circle, triangle, rectangle
·      Identify the 8 basic colors
It will be exciting to see their growth!  Each child is progressing
and I appreciate your support at home, especially with the consistent reading!
As always, please feel free to contact me any time!
        
 
586-2850

Monday, October 24, 2011


Kindergarten News
October 24-28

Upcoming Events
Oct. 24—Fall Recess/Harvest Holiday  (NO SCHOOL)
Oct. 25-28—Red Ribbon Week
Tuesday, Oct. 25—Library
Thursday, Oct. 27—Computers
Friday, Oct. 28—P.E./Music
Monday, Oct. 31—Classroom Halloween Party
Weekly Theme:
Halloween/Review

Remember our reading goal is 15 minutes a night/five nights a week.  Please read to your child and have him/her read to you!  The “Take Home Library” books  are  great resources to use in helping to achieve this goal!

OCTOBER
I hope you have enjoyed your long weekend.  Wow, we just finished the first quarter of school!  Time certainly flies by.  It is exciting to see the growth of each student!  Your help and support at home is greatly appreciated!

We will be doing some fun Halloween activities and reviewing the many things we have learned since school started.  Also, this week is our Red Ribbon Week and I wanted to remind you of the activities happening for your children.  Of course dressing up is optional.
Tues.—I’m a jean-ius, I’m Drug Free (wear levis)
Wed.—Hairs to a Drug Free Life (crazy hair day)
Thurs.—Follow Your Dreams, Don’t Use Drugs (pajama day)
Fri.—I can, you can, we all can, be drug free—(wear red)

If you want your child to participate in the reflections contest, please refer to the light blue handout that was sent home with your child or call ShaLiece Corry (586-2162) or LaRae Heaton (586-6724) for more details or questions.

As always, please feel free to contact me any time!
586-2850