Heading Into Week Six!

Hello 1C Families!

I can't believe that we are starting week six of school! It's hard to believe that we have been hard at work for almost two months. Fall break is just around the corner!

As you have already realized, your children brought home their book bags this last Friday. We were able to level your readers and get their book bags started. Inside of the bag you will find a book and a log. Please have your child read the book and log the minutes they have read. Once they are fluent in this book then it can be changed out. It is important that not only are they reading the words but they are also comprehending what they are reading. So feel free to ask simple questions about what they've read, in order to solidify and strengthen those comprehension skills. If your child had a book bag last year, and it has not been sent in, please do so during the next book exchange. New students should have come home with a book bag on Friday.

We are reading Owl at Home and the children seem to be enjoying it. We have started our subtraction unit in math and will be working on those concepts. Our unit on Mesopotamia is coming to an end and will conclude on Friday. We will then be moving on to Ancient Egypt. This will begin next week. A very exciting unit that will take us up until the end of the semester.

Spike, our classroom dragon, made the journey home with our first student this weekend! I will showcase his first adventures on next week's Blog.

I hope that the new homework routine is working and is more manageable. Please keep the copy of the week's spelling words at home or safely in their green folders. This will be needed all week so that the words can be dictated and practiced.

I will be implementing my tutoring hours, beginning next week, September 19th. Tutoring is by invitation only. If I feel that your child could benefit from some extra time working on phonograms, Spalding, etc. then you will be receiving a note/email from me sometime this week. I have not solidified my days or times but I will provide tutoring two days per week, after school. If your student is invited, I will let you know the days and times. This tutoring is free of charge.


A few housekeeping items:
~ Please keep toys and stuffed animals at home. When brought to school they tend to interfere with the learning process and run the risk of getting lost or broken.
~ Please be sure that your child is getting a good night's sleep. We realize that, for some, this is their first time attending a full day of school. We work very hard and we have found that some are very sleepy in the afternoon. If possible, an extra hour or two at night, may help with the afternoon sleepiness.
~ Please empty your student's green folder as we send completed work home. If they aren't emptied on a regular basis, they tend to get too full and then papers start falling out and get mixed in with homework, etc.
~ The nurse is very busy and we cannot take children to her office for minor things like small cuts, consistent tummy aches without vomiting and general aches and pains. She has given us strict guidelines as to when it is appropriate to send children to her office. We have instructions on how to handle small issues in the class. This frees up her time to take care of children who are truly sick and need her attention. Children who require regular medications are sent without problem.
~ Now that the school year is calming down and we are getting into a nice routine, I hope that everyone is feeling comfortable and confident. If you do send me an email I will answer within 24 hours. I will check my email on Fridays before 4. In order to preserve my time with my family, any emails received after 4 on a Friday, will be read and answered on the following Monday.

Please see the weekly phonograms and a list of important reminders below.

Thank you and here's to a great week!

Phonograms for 9/12-9/16
e, h, I, j, k, l, m, n, p, oa, gu, ph, ough, oe, ey, igh, kn, gn, wr, ie

Important Reminders:
9/12- Spalding Information Night~ 6-7:30pm (Adults Only)
9/22- Singapore Math Information Night~ 6-7:30pm (Adults Only)
9/23- EARLY RELEASE