Mrs. Packer's Newsletter August 18 - August 22 Dear Parents, We had a great first week!! We were very busy learning the expectations of our classroom and school while having fun getting to know each other and making lots of new friends. I can already tell we are going to have a wonderful year together! On Monday, our classroom will be getting a new full-time aide. YEAH!! Her name is Ms. Russell and I look forward to welcoming her into our classroom family this week. She is a recent Elementary Education graduate and we are so lucky to have her with us for the year!! Also on Monday, I will be sending home an order form for a classroom T-shirt. Please return the order form back to me by this Friday, August 22nd. On Wednesday, I will be sending home a hard copy of our classroom handbook. Please look it over and bring it with you to our Parent Orientation on August 28th at 7:00. At that time, we will discuss the handbook and answer any questions that you may have regarding the handbook and the logistics of our classroom. Flash Card Fridays will begin this week! I will be sending home your child's flash card baggie on Friday. It will contain three words that you will practice reading and spelling with them at home. Please return the baggie on Monday with the flash cards. New words will be added to the baggie each week. We will also begin sending home the Family Journals this week. They will come home every Friday as well and will need to be returned on Monday. Please help your child dress comfortably and appropriately for school. We will begin our PE rotation on Wednesday and your child must wear tennis shoes to be able to actively participate. And remember, flip-flops are not allowed at HES. Thank you! Please continue to help your child memorize his/her lunch number within the first couple weeks of school. He/She must know this number when going through the cafeteria line. The class will earn a special reward once all children can recite their lunch number to me. And just to clarify... when sending notes, lunch money, or signed documents to school, always send them to me in your child's clear Take Home Folder and NOT the White Wednesday folder. Thank you! Here are some tips to keep in mind when packing your child's daily snack... Make it healthy... research shows that a healthy snack will give your child a brain boost while sugary snacks will make them feel tired. Make it small... too much snack takes longer to eat and if it fills them up too much, they won't be hungry when it's time to eat their lunch. Limit the mess... It takes time away from our day if we have to wash hands or scrub tables afterwards - so the cleaner, the better! Limit the choices... please send only one snack a day. No drinks, please... we have a water fountain right outside our door. Perfect snack ideas... apple slices, banana, cup of fruit (without the juice), goldfish, pretzels, graham crackers, etc. Important Reminders: Click Here to download a printable version of this week's Newsletter. Always check our online Calendar for Updates! Please be sure to visit our classroom website at the beginning of every week to read the newsletter. This will help you prepare your child for the week’s happenings. Please send all notes, money, etc. to me in your child’s plastic Take Home Folder. When you send in lunch money, please put it in a sealed Ziploc bag or envelope labeled with your child’s name and lunch number. If at any time you have questions, please call me at 228-2228 x116 or send me an email. I also welcome you to send me your comments anonymously throughout the year by using the Feedback page under the “Contact” link on the home page. If you ever need to change your child’s afternoon transportation, please send me a note in their take home folder or call the front office. If you send me a note, it must include the date, your child's full name, the transportation change, my name, and your signature. Please do not leave these changes on my voicemail or email as I usually only check voicemail and email once the school day has ended. Thank you! Our Related Arts Schedule Monday Music Tuesday Music Wednesday PE Thursday PE Friday PE Please make sure your child dresses appropriately for their Related Arts Class. (i.e. tennis shoes for PE, dress for mess in Art, etc.) Our Week at a Glance Calendar Each day during our calendar time, we will discuss how we use math in the real-world. We will cover topics such as the date, days in/left in school, counting, place value, money, tally marks, graphing, seasons, temperature, and weather. Writing Workshop This week, we will begin launching our Writer’s Workshop by discussing what this time in our classroom looks like and sounds like. We will also begin learning how to choose a topic, sketch it, and then write a tiny bit about it by labeling what we draw. Shared Writing Shared writing occurs when the whole class comes together to write a single piece. This week, we will write lists using our names, things in our classroom, places in our school, and school helpers. Reading Workshop We will learn how to take care of books, how to put books away, and how to find books in our classroom. Shared Reading We will read the book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and will complete activities each day to go along with the story. This story is a great kick-off to learning our ABCs. Word Study This week, we will learn the letters Mm, Ss, Bb, Rr, and Aa. We will also learn three words that will be added to our Word Wall: and, the, and to. These words will come home on Friday for Flash Card Fridays. Please practice spelling and reading these words over the weekend and return the baggie on Monday. We will add new words to the baggie each week. Math Workshop This week the students will explore with math manipulatives. Math manipulatives are objects such as color tiles, pattern blocks, geometric blocks, and bear counters. These objects are used to help us with various math concepts. Community Building Mrs. Hammons, our school counselor is visiting the students and teaching them about I-Care Cat and his I-Care Rules. I-Care Cat is a puppet that Mrs. Hammons uses to teach 5 rules. They are... 1. We listen to each other. 2. Hands are for helping, not hurting. 3. We use I-Care language. 4. We care about each other's feelings. 5. We are responsible for what we say and do. We will also continue to build our classroom community this week by participating in activities that will help us get to know each other, as well as teach us how to accept our differences and share with one another. Let's Have a Great Week!