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