Mrs. Reinoehl's Homework Helpline

week of February 20 - 24, 2012

2012-02-17T06:00:00.001-08:00

Kindergarten News for the week of February 20 – 24, 2012

Please note that school will not be in session on Friday, Feb. 17 and Monday, Feb.20, due to the Presidents’ Day holiday and teacher in-service days. School will resume on Tuesday, Feb 21. It will be day 2 in our five day cycle. We will have music class.
Next week in phonics we will be covering the letter Dd. Instead of show and tell, we will have dinosaur presentations. In your child’s folder you will find an explanation of our dinosaur project and the dinosaur that has been assigned to your child. We will have our presentations on Friday, Feb. 24. Also, the next word list will be sent home today. Please continue to review the words each evening. I will be testing the children also on Friday the 24th of Feb.
In reading we will be enjoying the story “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. Our focus skill will be to identify the characters in the story.
In math class we will be counting by 10s using dimes, creating designs using different geometric shapes, reviewing the seasons of the year, and learn to read and create picture graphs.
Have a wonderful four day weekend!!

Week of February 6 - 10, 2012

2012-02-03T05:26:00.001-08:00

Happenings for the week of February 6 – 10, 2012
• This week in phonics we will be working with the letter E. We will be focusing on the short sound of e as in elephant or egg. We will also talk about the long sound of e, but will not focus on that until later in the year. Show and tell will be on Friday, Feb.10. Please send in an object with that either begins with that sound or has it in the name of the object. We will continue with our word list tests as well on Friday.
• In math, we are practicing identifying numbers 0 – 20 and also will be doing some measuring. We are also reviewing the calendar each day and reviewing time to the hour and the penny, nickel, and dime.
• In reading, our next story is called “My Lucky Day”. It is a fantasy story about a tricky fox and a very lucky pig. Our focus skill will be cause and effect.
February 6-10 is bully prevention week. Here is the schedule for the week:
Monday: Don’t Knock it, Sock it!—Wear crazy socks
Tuesday: Hats off for no bullying—Wear crazy hats
Wednesday: Be different—Wear crazy hair
Thursday: Show that you’re a Spartan—Wear Red or Blue
Friday: Show that you’re a team player—Wear your anti-bully shirt or spirit shirt
***Any time during the week students may wear their anti-bully shirt purchased from PTO

Just a reminder that Tuesday, February 14th will be our Valentine Party from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00. I sent home a list of students for your child to use to write out valentines. If you misplaced the list, please let me know next week so I can send a new one home.
Monday will be day 3 in our five day cycle. We will have gym class.
Have a great weekend!

week of January 23, 2012

2012-01-20T05:18:00.001-08:00

Kindergarten Happenings for the week of January 23 – 27, 2012

Next week in phonics we will be covering the letter z as in Zebra. For show and tell next week, I am asking each child to bring in a picture or small stuffed animal that could be found in a zoo. Some examples could be lions, tigers, elephants, zebras, giraffes, monkeys, polar bears, turtles, snakes, etc… We will have show and tell on Thursday and Friday as usual. The children did a great job on the state reports for the letter U. I would like to thank you for preparing your child for this.
In math, we are continuing to count by 10s, use dimes, and identify the smallest and largest numbers in a group. The 100th day is fast approaching also. We will be celebrating that with all kinds of “100” activities. Next week you will be receiving a letter with more information about the 100th day of school.
In reading, we read the story “Seeds” this week and we will be reading and discussing the story “Hyde, Clyde” next week. The story is about a chameleon that has trouble changing his colors. The focus skill is main idea.

• Report cards were sent home today. Please review your child’s report card and return it with your signature on the bottom.
• Please remember to continue reviewing our sight word list and weekly word lists

week of January 16 - 20, 2012

2012-01-13T04:56:00.000-08:00

Week of January 16 – 20, 2012

Please note that there is NO school on Monday, January 16 due to a teacher inservice. When school resumes on Tuesday, it will be day 4. We will have computer class with Miss Kraft. Also, the end of the second quarter is on Wednesday, January 18. Report cards will be coming home on Friday, January 20. Please review your child’s report card and sign and return it by the following Friday.
This week in phonics we will be covering the letter U. Instead of show and tell the students are asked to report on a state instead. The details of this assignment have been sent home on a separate paper. The name of the state assigned to your child has been stapled to the direction sheet. Thank you in advance for helping your child with this.
In reading we will be reading and discussing the story “Hyde, Clyde”. This story is about an iguana who has difficulty hiding himself among his environment. The focus skill for this story is context clues. We will also discuss plot, characters, and setting.
In math we will continue practicing our numbers 1 – 20. We will also practice counting by 10s and reviewing patterns.
Word list nine has been sent home today. Please continue to practice this list daily. The test for this list will be on Friday, January 20th. I am very pleased with how well the children have been doing on this.
Have a nice three day weekend!

week of January 3 - 6, 2012

2011-12-23T08:11:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten Happenings for the week of January 3 – 6, 2012

In phonics we will be working on the letter K. We will resume show and tell this week. Please send something in that begins with the sound of /k/ on Thursday or Friday. We will also have word list 7 test on Friday. Please make sure to practice the words at home.
In reading, we will be reading the story “See How We Grow”. Our focus skill we be compare and contrast as well as reviewing the sequence of the story.
In math, we are continuing to use the geoboards and practice creating some geometric shapes. We have learned shapes such as circle, square, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid, and parallelogram. We are also going to learning about the dime, practicing counting by 10s, and graphing.
When school resumes on January 3, it will be day 5 in our special class schedule. We will have art class.

Have a wonderful holiday and very happy New Year!!!!

Week of December 5 - 9, 2011

2011-12-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten Happenings for the week of December 5 – 9, 2011
In Phonics this week we will study the consonant Ff as in fish. We will have show 'n tell on Friday! Your child has studied the letters: Ll, Oo, Gg, Hh, Tt, Pp, Aa, Nn, Mm, Ii and Ss. S/he should recognize these letters and their sounds (short and long sounds for vowels). The new word list (5) will be coming home today and will be tested on Friday.
In Reading we will be starting the story,”Little Panda”. Our focus skill is comparing and contrasting likes and differences. We will also review the high frequency words I, my, have, a, is, we, for, like, little, and he.
In Math we will solve a problem by acting it out or drawing a picture. We will practice paying for items up to 10 cents with pennies. We will copy patterns and identify an AB pattern. On our December calendar students are learning to identify the shape-trapezoid!
Reminders:
• The K-2 Holiday music program will be held in the High School Auditorium on Monday, Dec. 12th beginning promptly at 9:30 a.m. everyone may attend. Students may dress in holiday attire but no hats, reindeer antlers, or jingle bells are permitted. Also no jean, t-shirts, or high heels!
• The NSHS rotary interact club is sponsoring a Christmas party for the district’s kindergarten students on Sunday, December 4. Santa will be there with gifts for the children. Please RSVP to Diane Lindenmuth @933-9020 or Emily Symons @ 205 – 7307. Snacks and refreshments will also be served.
• The PTO will have a “family fun night” on Friday, December 9 @ 6:00 p.m. It will be held at North Schuylkill Elementary School. Details are being sent home in your child’s folder today.
• Please make sure your child is dressed warmly for the cold weather. We will be playing outside for recess in the cold weather until we get a snow covering.

Monday will be day 5 in our five day cycle. We will have art class.

Week of Nov. 21 - 23, 2011

2011-11-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten Happenings - November 21 – 23 and November 29 – Dec.2, 2011
Thanksgiving vacation begins on Wednesday November 23rd!!! Students will be dismissed at 11:45 that day. There is no school for students November 24th-28th.
In phonics we will be reviewing the week of November 21 by using the letter tiles and practicing our sounds and blending. I will be sending home word list 4 before Thanksgiving break with the test being on Friday, December 2. Please take time to review this list each day as part of the daily homework. When we return from our break we will be covering the letter Ff. We will resume show and tell on Thursday, Dec. 1 and Friday, Dec. 2 with objects beginning with the sound of f.
In math we are continuing to work with the penny. We will also be working on telling time to the hour.
In reading we are finishing up unit 2 with the story "Whose Garden is it?” This story is about a garden and all of the inhabitants that feel the garden belong to them. We will review realism and fantasy as well as setting, characters, and sequence.
Next week we will be completing some Thanksgiving activities with our reading buddies. Monday will be day 3 in our five day cycle. We will have gym class. When we return from our Thanksgiving break on Tuesday, November 29 it will be day 1
Anyone who has not yet turned in his or her party money is asked to try and send in the $4.00 as soon as possible as the Christmas party will be here in only a few weeks.

We would like to thank all the parents who have been practicing buttoning and zipping jackets… This is a HUGE help in the classroom! THANK YOU!

Have a great weekend and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Week of November 7 - 11, 2011

2011-11-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

Newsletter for Week of November 7 -11, 2011

Report cards have been sent home on Friday, November 4, 2010. Please look over your child’s report card, sign and return by Thursday, November 10. If you would like to discuss your child’s progress with me please let me know a convenient time to do so. We can set up a conference in person, on the phone, or use email.
In reading we will be finishing the story "Animal Babies in Grasslands" and starting the next story called "Bear Snores On". This story is about a bear that sleeps right through a party that all of his animal friends have and when he wakes up is very sad. His friends have another party to include him. The focus skill on this story is to distinguish between realism and fantasy. We will also review main idea, setting, and characters.
**This week in Phonics we will be learning the vowel letter Ii and its short sound as in igloo and inch and its long sound as in ice. We will focus more on the short vowel sound. Please review sounds and writing of all letters learned so far. There will be NO SHOW and TELL next week. A second decodable reader titled Hop on the Mop was sent home a few days ago. Be sure to listen to your child read the story and discuss the questions on the back inside cover. Then add the story to the little library box that was sent home with #1 Hot, Hot, Hot. **Please review each night List 2 words. Please review the word list as part of the daily homework. The word list will be tested each Friday.
In math we will be discussing ordinal position of objects, story problems, and putting events in proper order or sequence.
Thank you to all of the parents who attended parent teacher conferences!
On Thursday, November 3 we had our Guidance Lesson on Personal Body Safety with Mrs. Clarissa Geary.
Friday, November 11th is an Act 80 Day. There is NO SCHOOL for students!
Please remember that we change the clocks this weekend so shorts may NOT be worn to school starting Monday. Thank you!
Monday will be day 4 in our five day cycle. We will have computer class!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Week of October 31 - November 4, 2011

2011-10-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

Week of October 31 – November 4, 2011

This week marks the end of the first marking period. All first quarter assessments are completed and will be available for you to look over on November 3 at the conference time ( 4 or 5 depending on which session you are attending). Please note that I have changed the conferences in my room from Tuesday, November 1 to Thursday, November 3 due to a conflict in my schedule. Also, as the letter stated that was sent home, this is not a one on one conference but an information session to explain our grading and the kindergarten report card. The report cards will be sent home on Friday, November 4. Please look over the report card and sign and return. If you would like a meeting ( phone or in person) to discuss your child’s progress or any other concerns, I will arrange a day and time to do that after report cards have been given. Thanks for your understanding.
This week in phonics we are going to be working on the letter M. Show and tell will continue on Thursday and Friday. Also, our first word list will be sent home. Please review this list as part of the daily homework. Children do not need to memorize the words, but should be able to sound out the words using their knowledge of the letter sounds we have covered so far. The only word that needs to be memorized is the sight word that is circled on the page. Again, thank you for working with your child on this. Each week a new list will be sent home and Friday the students will be tested on their ability to sound out the words.
In math this week we will be identifying numbers 0 – 9, sequencing events, using one to one correspondence and introduce the penny.
In reading we will be finishing the story "Animal Babies in Grasslands" and then moving right into the next story called "Bear Snores On". This story is about a bear who sleeps right through a party all of his animal friends and when he wakes up is very sad, so his friends have another party to include him. The focus skill on this story is to distinguish between realism and fantasy.
Monday, October 4, 2011will be day 2 in our five day cycle. We will have computer class. Have a wonderful weekend!

Week of October 24 - 28, 2011

2011-10-21T05:30:00.001-07:00

Happenings for the week of October 24 – 28, 2011
I would like to thank all of the parents who helped out at the Fall Festival on Thursday! Even though it was a cloudy and cool day, the children had a wonderful time. The day was well planned and very organized! I cannot thank all of you enough for all you do!
This week in phonics we will be working on the letter Nn. Show and tell will resume on Thursday and Friday. Please send in any object beginning with the “Nn” sound.
In math, we are continuing working on attributes of shapes. We have discussed triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles and review the number of sides and corners. We have grouped shapes by color, size, and shape. We will also be working with the numbers 1-10. We will put the numbers in order and learn to count backwards. We will also practice identifying a missing number in a set of ten numbers.
In reading, we will enjoy listening to the story “Armadillo’s Orange”. It is a story about an armadillo that makes his home near an orange. The theme of this unit is animal homes. Our focus skill is sequence and comparing and contrasting characters in this story and others.
This week will be Red Ribbon Week. Please review the NSE Newsletter for a list of activities for the week.
Friday, October 28th will be our Halloween party and parade. The party will be from 1:45 to 3:00 with the parade starting at 2:15. Any parents who have volunteered to help out (and have their clearances on file in the office) can come to the classroom at 1:45. Thank you in advance for help with the party.
First quarter assessments will be completed this coming week. Please review the letters we have covered (L, o, g, h, t, p, and a) and the sight words I, am, the, to, like, little, love, and have.
Have a great weekend. Monday will be day 4 in our five day cycle. We will have computer class.

Week of October 17 - 21, 2011

2011-10-16T19:09:00.001-07:00

Week of October 17-21, 2011

This week in phonics we will be working on letter A. We will cover the short sound and the long sound. We will not have show and tell this week due to the Fall Festival being on Thursday.
In math, we are continuing working on attributes of shapes. We will discuss triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles and review the number of sides and corners. We have grouped shapes by color, size, and shape. We will also be working with the numbers 1-10. We will put the numbers in order and learn to count backwards. We will also practice identifying a missing number in a set of ten numbers.
In reading, we have finished unit 1 and will begin unit 2 stories. Our first story in this unit is “Life in an Ocean”. The theme of all of unit 2 stories will be animal homes and environments. The skills we will be reviewing and /or introducing are setting, sequence of a story, and main idea.
The first scholastic book order was sent home in your child’s folder on Thursday. If you would like to order anything, please have your order and money in by Monday, October 24. This is totally optional.
Our Fall Festival will be held this week on Thursday, October 20. Please dress your children for the weather. Also, your child may wear their gym attire for that day.
Our Halloween party and parade is scheduled for Friday, October 28th at 2:15. If any parent has not contacted me and wants to help out at our party, please do so as soon as possible. Anyone who is a member of the PTO and has their clearances on file in the office is welcome to help out!
Monday will be day 4 in our five day cycle. We will have computer class.
Have a great weekend!

Week of October 10 - 14, 2011

2011-10-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

Happenings for the week of October 10 – 14, 2011
This week in phonics we are working on the letter Pp. We will have show and tell on Thursday and Friday. Please help your child find a small object at home to bring in that begins with the letter p. Friday, October 14 will be pajama day. Children are allowed to wear pajamas to school for that day. Please consider the weather when dressing your child as thin nightgowns will probably be too cool to wear as well as spaghetti straps on tops or sleeveless. Please have the children wear regular shoes or sneakers that day as well. We will have different P activities and a special treat that starts with the letter P as well.
In math we will be discussing ordinal position of objects, story problems, and putting events in proper order or sequence.
We began working on Kid Writing this week. Each day we worked in small groups writing stories. Once we complete several stories they will be sent home for you to keep and enjoy. It is exciting to watch your child grow as a writer!
In reading, we will be enjoying the story, “Dig, Dig, Digging”. Our focus skills for unit one are story setting, characters, and comparing and contrasting the story elements.
As the end of the first quarter is approaching, we will begin to assess the children on their knowledge of the letters and sounds we have covered in phonics including letter l, o, g, h, t, and p. We will test sight word knowledge on words I, am, the, a, my, little, and love. You may want to review these at home starting next week. Our math assessments will be based on the knowledge of patterns, shapes, number to 30 (reciting), and recognizing numbers to 10.
The next Fall Festival Meeting will be this coming Wednesday, October 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Mineshaft in Ashland. Also, any parent who is a member of PTO and has both clearances on file at the school can help out at the rest of our holiday parties. Any mom who would like to help plan and help out at our soon approaching Halloween party, please let me know. All willing helpers are appreciated!!!
Please note that Monday, October 10, the school lunch menu will feature a hamburger or cheeseburger. This day was originally scheduled as a teacher in-service day but has now been designated as a flood makeup day. Have a great weekend! Monday will be day 4 in our five day cycle. We will have computer class!

Week of October 3 - 7, 2011

2011-09-30T05:10:00.001-07:00

Kindergarten Happenings week of October 3 – 7, 2011

Next week in phonics we will be learning the letter Tt. We will have show and tell on Thursday and Friday as usual. Please send in an object beginning with the letter T.
In math, we are going to be having our second assessment. The children will be asked to count orally as far as they can up to 100. These assessments help us see strengths and /or weaknesses in math skills we are using. We will also be working on ordering numbers 1 – 5, naming shapes by color, shape, and size, describing the relative position of objects, and matching a number care (1-5) to a set of objects.
We will begin the story Julius in Reading. Continue to read at home and practice the high frequency words I, am, the, little, to, a, of, and you; practice rhyming and counting syllables in words and identifying the letters from Aa-Zz.
Please note that the children each have a mailbox at school in our classroom. All papers to go home throughout the day are put in their mailboxes. At the end of the day, the children take the papers out and place them into their folders. The papers therefore are not organized in each side of the folder. Please go through the folder each night and any papers that have been completed and checked can be kept at home. Again, homework has been completed each night by most of the students so I thank you for working on this with your child. They are all doing a great job with the homework!
Please note that the school store is opened each Monday for kindergarten students. The store is opened before the first bell rings in the morning. There are erasers, pencils, rulers, highlighters, folders, and some small toys for sale. Children have to shop at the store before the first bell rings. I just wanted to clarify what the store sells and when it is opened to clear up any confusion you may have about this. The store is run by the PTO.
Please note, the next Fall Festival meeting will be Wednesday, October 5 at 6:00 p.m. at the Mineshaft in Ashland.
Monday, October 3 will be day 4 in our five day cycle. We will have computer class.
Have a nice weekend!!!!!!

Happenings for the week of September 19 - 23, 2011

2011-09-15T13:03:00.001-07:00

This week in phonics we will work on the letter Gg. We will continue with show and tell on Thursday and Friday with the focus on objects having the beginning sound of g. We will also read and enjoy a classic story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" and take turns acting out the characters using some stick puppets.
In math, we have just completed our first assessment on shapes. We are moving into the next group of lessons which will be covering sorting objects by color; using words like inside, in front of, behind, and outside to describe position, and also will be describing shapes by the number of sides and corners.
In reading, we are going on to our third story titled, “Plaidypus Lost”, The children will enjoy listening to this story about a stuffed toy that gets lost. The focus skill will be to identify the sequence of the story.

In science, we are continuing our study of trees. We will talk about the parts of a tree and the changes some trees go through during the seasons.

It's Fall Festival time! There will be a planning meeting in the North Schuylkill Elementary Cafeteria on Wednesday, September 21 at 2:00 for anyone interesting in planning and/or working at our kindergarten fall festival which will be held on October 20th. The meeting may run until the end of the school day. Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to help out with this special event for our kindergarten students and their fourth grade reading buddies!

Monday will be day 4 in our five day cycle. Our special class will be computer class with Ms. Kraft. Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!

Week of September 12 - 16, 2011

2011-09-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

Happenings for the week of September 12 – 16, 2011
Next week in Phonics we will be working on the Letter “O”. We will focus on the short vowel sound as in octopus. We will briefly discuss the long sound as well but focus more on it later in the year. Thursday, September 15 and Friday, September 16 will be show and tell once again. Students should bring in an object with the short sound of O or even the long sound. It can also be a picture or a drawing. Please make sure whatever your child brings in it is able to fit in their book bag. Thank you for your cooperation with this.
In math, we are working on one to one correspondence. We will match up objects and compare which group is larger/smaller using our manipulatives.
In reading, we are going on to our second story titled, "Fix It Duck". The children will enjoy listening to the main character "Fix It Duck" trying to fix things for his friends. The focus skill will be to identify the setting of a story.
In science, we began our unit on Trees. We took a walk and picked out a class tree and discussed how the tree will change throughout the year as the seasons change. Next we will discuss the main parts of the tree and draw and label a tree.
This week behavior charts will start to come home. Please look over your child’s behavior chart each day. We are trying to all stay in the green area of our traffic light. If your child was in the yellow area during the day, that means they received many warnings about proper behavior (usually sitting in their seats, keeping hands to themselves, talking out, being kind to each other etc…). If a child comes home with the red area of the traffic light colored in, I will write a brief note explaining what occurred. Please be assured that most children DO stay in the green area and that this is just to help them learn proper behavior in school. I would also like to thank you for your support with this in advance.
I would also like to thank you for having your child complete their homework. Everyone has been doing a great job with this.
Have a great weekend. Please note that Monday will be day 4 in our five day cycle. We will have computer class!

September 1- 9, 2011

2011-09-02T04:45:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News…
Congratulations! You made it through the first week of Kindergarten!
**There will be no School on Monday due to the Labor Day Holiday. Enjoy the long weekend.
Tuesday, September 6th will be Day 1. Our special class will be library. Please check your special classes’ schedule. Remember students will need sneakers for gym class Day 3.
**Next week we will be learning the letter Ll as in lion, lemonade, and licorice. Please review the letter and sound with your child at home. On Thursday, September 8h, Kindergarten will have a Luau from 9:30-10:50. Students are asked to dress tropical: bright colors, floral prints, Hawaiian shirts, etc… More details will be sent home next week..
**We will begin “Show and Tell” next week too. Please help your child to find an item or two around the house that begins with the /l/ sound to share with the class. Please keep in mind- - - the items should not be valuable and should fit into a brown paper bag or your child’s school bag. Our show and tell day will Thursday and Friday. Please send in the show and tell item on Thursday of each week. Thanks in advance for your cooperation with this.

**I’m sure the children have been telling you bits and pieces of our day. If you have any questions, please ask. The following is a general outline:
• We begin each day with the calendar, month, and days of the week.
• We have a morning message each day.
• We count the days of school and learn about place value.
• We do patterning with shapes, numbers, and letters.
• Kid Writing will begin in a few weeks. This will take some time to develop. The students work on an activity while I work individually or in small groups with those doing Kid Writing.
• We are starting our math series, Saxon Math this week.
• Saxon Phonics is where we learn our letters and sounds of the week. We have started and will continue next week with letter Ll.
• We will work on developing our handwriting skills both in class and at home with homework.
• Snack time is from 1:15- 1:30.
• We have Literature/Story Time and Predictable charts and will make class books.
• Lunch is from 10:50 – 11:30 daily.
• Recess is 12:30 – 1:00 daily.
• We will use FOSS Science units and lessons and will explore trees, small animals, paper, and wood.
• We will do Theme-related activities such as seasonal items, science, social studies, health, art activities, and special projects.
• .

**Please continue to check your child’s communication folder daily and if you haven’t already returned all the school forms and necessary paperwork, then please return them as soon as possible.
*** Please remember to pack a snack with your child each day. It may help if you “brown bag” and label snack on one bag and “lunch” on the other if they are packing. I have a feeling that some children may be eating their snack with their lunch and then have nothing left. Also, if your child is a buyer, they still need a snack and drink!

**I hope your child has enjoyed his/her first week and is looking forward to returning on Tuesday.
Thanks!!
Mrs. Reinoehl

Week of May 9 - 13, 2011

2011-05-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

This week in phonics we will be working on the rule when a vowel is followed by a consonant and a silent e, the vowel is long such as in words like make, hope, made, dive, etc.. We will not have show and tell due to our busy schedule in preparing for graduation and end of the year testing. We will, however, have word list 24 test this week. I have been posting the list if you wish to use it for practice, but the students are doing a great job using their phonics skills to read the words.
Kindergarten testing will be this week. We are scheduled for the test on Monday. The students are asked to list as many words as they can. To identify all of the letters and their sounds, and to break apart a word and tell how many sounds make it up.

In math we are going to be working on some subtraction stories. We will be doing some basic measuring using non-standard objects, and practicing symmetry.
In reading, we are on the story "On the Move". This story is a realistic fiction story about ways people can travel. Our focus skill will be "main idea".
This week students from the high school involved with TAT ( Teens against Tobacco)will visit our school for "Kick Butts Day". They will be working with our elementary students on activities that teach about the importance of avoiding tobacco products.
Field trip permission slips were sent home Friday, May 6. Please sign and return the form as soon as possible. There is also a lunch form sent home if you would like to order a school lunch for your child for that day. Details about the lunch are on the form. There is also a detailed letter about the field trip being sent home with the permission slip.
Monday, May 9 will be day 4 in our four day cycle. We will have computer class.
Have a great weekend!

Week of May 2 - 6, 2011

2011-05-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

This week in phonics we will be working on the digraph "oo" as in tooth and hook. There will not be show and tell this week. We will also continue our word list tests. We are currently on list 23.
In math we are learning about solid shapes such as the cone, sphere, cylinder,etc.. We are also going to be reviewing numbers 11 - 30 and practicing basic addition and subtraction.
In reading, we are on the story "the Little Engine that Could". We will be reviewing the plot of the story and also characters.
Kindergarten end of the year testing will begin soon. Students will be asked to write as many words as they can during a timed period. They will need to show knowledge of all the letters and sounds. It may be a good idea to practice writing words at home.
The end of the year is quickly approaching. Some dates to keep in mind are as follows:

Monday, May 23 - kindergarten graduation held at NSHS auditorium at 6:30 pm
Thursday, May 26 - field trip to the circus in Hershey ( details to come)
Friday, May 27 - carnival here at NSE

Have a great week!!!!

Week of April 18 - 21, 2011

2011-04-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News for the week of April 18 – 21, 2011

• This week in phonics we will be working on digraph sh as in shark, shoe, shell, shy, shine, etc... Due to this being a short week, we will NOT have show and tell this week. We WILL have a word list test on Thursday. We will be testing word list 21. Again, I will post the list on my blog but I will not be sending home the lists anymore. The assessment on this list shows me how well your child can blend the sounds into the words.
• In math, we are continuing working on the quarter, dollar, penny, nickel, and dime. We are also going to continue reviewing all of the numbers from 0 – 30 as well as matching equivalent sets of numbers and identifying larger numbers and smaller numbers.
• In reading, our next story will be “Mayday, Mayday”. This is a realistic fiction story about a plane that needs rescuing from the Coast Guard. Our focus skill will be cause and effect.
• This week we will have a special program called “Brain show Mania”. This program is a big hit with the children and is performed like a game show. It is a lot of fun while it also teaches some facts about science, math, etc... A big thank you to the PTO for providing this for us.
• Thursday, April 21 will be our Easter party. The party will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. We will have an egg hunt outside and then come in for a small treat. Let’s hope for a nice warm and sunny spring day!
• We will not be having school on Friday, April 22 and also on Monday, April 25 for our Easter break. When we return from our break, we will be beginning working hard preparing for our graduation ceremony coming up at the end of May.

Monday will be day 3 in our four day cycle. We will have gym class so please remember sneakers! Have a wonderful weekend!

week of April 11 - 15, 2011

2011-04-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

Happenings week of April 11 – 15, 2011

This week in phonics we will be covering the digraph “ck” as in duck. We will have show and tell this Friday. Please send in an item for show and tell that has the digraph ck in it (such as a toy truck, duck, something with “luck”, or perhaps a hockey puck). We will also have another word list test at the end of the week. I will not be sending home the word lists at this time. However, I will have them posted on my blog if you would like to practice them. The children are doing a fantastic job and are showing signs of readiness for first grade.
In math we will be practicing the numbers 11-20. We will also be sorting coins and working with the quarter and the dollar. We will continue with tangrams and practice slides, flips, and turns.
In science we have finished wood and paper and are moving on to a unit on animals.
In Reading we have finished unit four and will begin unit five and will begin with the story Max Takes the Train. Our focus skill will be realism and fantasy.
Our Easter party will be held on Thursday, April 21 from 9:30 to 10:30. We will have an egg hunt and a small treat and a craft. If you have your clearances on file here at school, and you are interested in coming in and helping out, please send in a note to let me know. Thank you in advance for all of your help.
Next Monday will be day 2 in our 4 day cycle. We will have music class.
Have a nice weekend =)

week of April 4 - 8, 2011

2011-04-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News for the week of April 4th- 8th

Please note that graduation pictures are this week, April 7. Please send money to school either before or on April 7. The children should wear a white collared shirt if possible since that is all that will show from under the gown. Every child’s picture will be taken for the group picture, so we would appreciate if you would dress your child appropriately, even if you are not purchasing pictures. The pictures will be taken in the morning and there is no scheduled make-up day, so please try to have your child in school that day.
We have finished learning all of the letters. We will continue learning new things about letters! Next week we will learn the long vowel rule. (If a vowel is not followed by a consonant, the vowel is long and it is coded with a macron. Examples are: a, hi, me so)
In math we will be learning about tangrams , identifying largest and smallest shapes, identifying and covering half of a shape, paying for items using pennies, nickels , dimes or a quarter.
We are continuing to learn about wood and paper in science. The children are really enjoying this!
In reading we will read a story called Abuela by Arthur Dorros. This is a fictional story and we will focus on the comprehension skill of setting.
Report cards have been sent home for the third quarter. We are now in the last marking period and the time will fly by until the end of the year! If you have questions or concerns about your child’s report card or their progress, please call the school or write a note.
Our field trip will be on May 26th and we will be going to The Ringling Brothers Circus in Hershey! It will be a great day!
We really enjoyed the wedding of Q and U and hopefully everyone will remember that Q and U are stuck like glue!

Monday will be day 1 of our four day schedule. We will have art class.

2011-03-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten Happenings Week of March 28 – April 1, 2011

This week we in math we will be using tangrams and also continuing to work on patterns, money, and graphing.
In reading, we will be reading a story called “If You Could Go to Antarctica”. This an informational story to teach the children about this cold place. Our focus skill is classifying and categorizing.
In phonics, we will be learning the letter q and its sound as in queen. We will be learning that q is always written with the letter u. We will be having a “wedding” of the letters as a fun way to help us remember the two letters being together. A separate letter has been sent home explaining this. The wedding will be taking place on Friday, April 1. On Thursday, March 31 we will have “Queen for a Day”. The girls of the class may wear a dress and crown for the day if they wish. The boys will have to make a special effort to treat all the girls royally for this day. There will not be show and tell this week. Word list 18 has been sent home. The test for this list will be Thursday, March 31. This will be the last week that I send home the word lists. Starting with word list 19, I will be assessing the students ability to decode and blend the words using their phonics skills with no home preparation.
Report card testing is being completed and report cards will be sent home soon. Please review the report card and sign and return it the following week. A copy of the results of the third quarter test will also be sent home for you to review. Most children have done a fantastic job and are showing all signs of readiness for first grade.

Week of March 7 - 11, 2011

2011-03-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

Happenings for the week of March 7 – 11, 2011

On Friday, we had visitors from Bloomsburg University who came to read a Dr. Seuss book and do a book related activity. We also had a special guest reader in the afternoon, Miss Prushinski, our guidance counselor. We really appreciate their visit and thank them for making our Read across America Day great!
This week is NIEW (Newspaper in Education Week). Please remember to look in the want ads for my ad Students who bring in the ad will receive a little treat.
This week in phonics we will be working on the letter J. We will resume show and tell this Friday. Please help your child find something that begins with the letter J. We are also continuing with our word lists. Our test will be on Friday, March 11.
In math we are going to be working on counting by 5’s. We will discuss the nickel and practice using them. We will review the dime and the penny. We are also going to be continuing practicing AB, ABB, and ABC patterns. We will do a bit of graphing as well.
In reading, our next story is called “My Lucky Day”. It is a fantasy story about a tricky fox and a very lucky pig. Our focus skill will be cause and effect.
Monday will be day 1 in our four day cycle. We will have art class.
Have a great weekend!

week of Feb. 28 - March 4, 2011

2011-02-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

Happenings for the week of Feb 28 – March 4, 2011
On Friday, March 4 we will be celebrating Dr. Seuss birthday and “Read across America Day”. We will have guests from Bloomsburg University coming to our class to read a Dr. Seuss book and do an activity. That afternoon we will have a guest reader visit as well to read another Dr. Seuss story.
In phonics we will be learning about the letter V. Word list 14 has been sent home in your child’s folder and I will be testing this list beginning on Thursday, March 3. We will NOT have show and tell this week due to our Dr. Seuss Day activities.
In reading, we have finished up unit 3 and will have our unit 3 benchmark assessment test. We will begin unit 4 with the story “Bunny Day”. Our focus skill will be sequencing.
In math, we are learning about comparing shapes using words like shortest or shorter, taller, tallest, longer, longest, etc... We will also be practicing with the numbers from 10 – 20 and reviewing patterning.
Please note that the week of March 7 – 11 is Newspaper in Education Week. If you subscribe to the Republican, please take time to check out the want ads each night that week to find “ads” from myself and other teachers from our school.
Monday, Feb. 28 will be day 4 in our four day cycle. We will be having computer class.
Have a great weekend!

week of Feb. 22 - 25, 2011

2011-02-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

Happenings for the Week of February 21- 25, 2011
Please note that school will not be in session on Monday, Feb. 21, due to the President’s Day holiday. School will resume on Tuesday, Feb 22. It will be day 4 in our four day cycle. We will have computer class.
Next week in phonics we will be covering the letter Dd. Instead of show and tell, we will have dinosaur presentations. In your child’s folder you will find an explanation of our dinosaur project and the dinosaur that has been assigned to your child. We will have our presentations on Friday, Feb. 25. Also, the next word list will be sent home today. Please continue to review the words each evening. I will be testing the children also on Friday the 25th of Feb.
In math, we are going to be comparing objects by length and ordering them from shortest to tallest and tallest to shortest. We will also be reviewing the AB and ABB patterns.
In reading, we will be finishing our story “Hyde, Clyde” about an iguana. We will also be wrapping up Unit 3 and will take an assessment of basic reading skills at the end of the week.
Scholastic book orders have been sent home this past week. If you would like to place an order, please send it in by Friday, Feb. 25th. We are also collecting money until the end of February to benefit the local animal shelter that was destroyed by fire. If you have any spare change and would like to donate, please send it in with your child by the end of February. Thank you to all of you who have already sent in a donation.

Happenings February 4 - 11,2011

2011-02-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

Happenings February 4 - 11,2011

Beginning February 7 - 11, 2011, we will have Anti- Bully week. Please refer to your handout that was sent home to find out all of the activities that are planned to help continue to make our school bully free.
In Phonics we will continue focusing on the letter C. We will also add the letter E to our letters for next week. For next week's show and tell your child can bring in any object that begins with the letter c or e. Show and tell will be on Friday as usual. Word list 11 will be sent home on Feb 4. The test will be next Friday, Feb. 11. Please take time to review this list, it is most important that your child can use their knowledge of letter sounds to read each word than memorization. Thank you for working with your child on this.
In math, we are using a balance scale and estimating how many items weight more or less. We are using words such as heavier, lighter, and equal. We are also going to be working with ordinal numbers and practicing position words such as first, second, third, etc... Review of numbers 1 - 20 will also be included in this week's math lessons.
In reading, we are moving on to the story "Farfallina and Marcel". This story is about a young gosling and a caterpillar who meet and become friends. when each of them seem to have disappeared, the other friend is sad until one day they meet again and have changed and grown. Their friendship continues and they are happy again. This story focus again on how things grow and change, sometimes the change is very dramatic as in a butterfly or a goose. The focus skill for this story is plot, which basically is telling the beginning, middle, and end of a story.
Monday, February 7 will be day 2 in our four day cycle. Our special class will be music.

week of January 24 - 28, 2011

2011-01-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

Happenings Week of January 25 – 29, 2010

• Next week we will continue with Chapter 7 in math. We are practicing counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s as well as working with our hundreds chart. We are only a few days away from the 100th day in which we will have some special activities planned.
• In phonics we will be learning letter Zz next week. For show and tell next Friday I am asking each child to bring in a stuffed animal or picture of an animal that could be found in a Zoo along with a fact or two about that animal.
• In reading, we are starting a new story called “See How We Grow”. Our focus skill will be cause and effect and also practicing the letters Dd and Kk.
• Report cards were sent home today. Please review your child’s report card and return it with your signature on the bottom.
• Please remember to continue reviewing our sight word list and weekly word lists.

Week of January 18 - 21, 2011

2011-01-13T13:12:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten Newsletter for week of January 17 – 21, 2011

• In phonics, we will be learning about the letter Uu and its short vowel sound as in umbrella. On Friday, we will be having our State presentations. Each student was sent home the name of a state to tell about (3 facts and a picture or two). We will be doing this instead of show and tell.
• In reading, we are starting a new story called “See How We Grow”. Our focus skill will be cause and effect and also practicing the letters Dd and Kk.
• In math, we are continuing to practice using dimes and pennies. We are counting by 10s. We are also continuing to review and work on the AABB patterns.
• The third marking period will begin on Wednesday, January 19th. Report cards will be coming home on Friday, January 21. Please sign and return the report card after you review it.
• There will be no school on Monday, January 17th in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. School will resume on Tuesday, January 18th. Tuesday will be day 3 of our four day cycle. We will have gym class.

Week of January 10 - 14, 2011

2011-01-07T06:32:00.001-08:00

This week we will be learning about the letter Bb in phonics class. We will continue with show and tell on Friday for letter B. Word list 8 test will be on Friday, Jan 14. Please continue to review the word list each day.
In reading, we are going to be reading the story, Little Quack. a duckling who learns to be brave and swim in the pond with his siblings. Our focus skill will be plot.
In math, we are continuing to use the geoboards and practice creating some geometric shapes. We have learned shapes such as circle, square, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid, and parallelogram. We are also going to learning about the dime, practicing counting by 10s, and graphing.
Dibels testing is also going on this week. Our class we be tested during this week by the reading department. The dibels tests show strengths and weaknesses in phonetics and early reading skills.
We are also going to be starting a science unit about wood and paper. We will study the different types of wood and what they are used for. We will get to see samples of each type and make our own particleboard.
Thank you again for working together with me to make this year a success for your child. I appreciate that the homework is being completed and the traffic light discipline papers are reviewed with your child at home. I am very pleased with the progress the children have made so far this year.
Monday, January 10 will be day 3 in our four day cycle. We will have gym class.

Have a great weekend!!!

Week of December 20 - 23, 2010

2010-12-17T05:32:00.000-08:00

Next week we will be review our letters in phonics. We will NOT have a word list test. I will be sending home the next word list to study and the test for that list will be Friday, January 7 ,2011. The next letter we will study when we return from our Christmas break will be K.
In math we will continue using geoboards, work on problem solving, reviewing our numbers next week.
In reading, we will not start a new story. We have just finished unit 2, so we will have a unit 2 assessment test next week. When we return from our break, we will start Unit 3.
I have been sending home the homework for two days at a time Monday - Thursday. You may complete both days' homework on one evening or break it up and do only the work for the assigned day. Thank you for helping your child complete their homework. They are all doing a great job with it.
Next Monday, December 20 we will be having "Polar Express Day". Everyone can wear their pajamas to school. We will be serving hot cocoa and cookies and enjoying the book and video "The Polar Express". Please make sure your child wears appropriate shoes to school and if you wish, they may bring slippers to wear during the activities.
On Tuesday, the North Schuylkill High School Band will come and perform Christmas music for us and on Wednesday, December 21, we will have our Christmas party from 2 - 3:00. We will be having an early dismissal on Thursday at 11:45 as we begin our break for the holidays.
Have a wonderful Christmas holiday!!!!

week of December 13 - 17,2010

2010-12-10T05:49:00.000-08:00

Next week we will work on the letter R in phonics. We will have show and tell for letter R on Friday, December 17. We will also have the test on word list 6. I am very proud of how well everyone is doing on their words. Keep up the good work!
In math we are working on comparing objects by weight ( mass), identifying a missing piece in a matrix, describing the relative position of objects, and exploring and using a geoboard.
In reading we are finishing up unit 2 with the story "Whose Garden is It?". This story is about a garden and all of the inhabitants that feel the garden belongs to them. We will review realism and fantasy as well as setting, characters, and sequence.
This week we will be busy with Christmas activities. Monday is our Christmas music concert at the high school. It will be performed in the auditorium on Monday at 9:30 am. Santa is also due to visit our classrooms that day. On Thursday we are getting a visitor from the post office to pick up the letters to Santa and make sure they are delivered to the North Pole in plenty of time before Christmas. If you have not sent in your child's letter to Santa, please be sure it is sent in by early next week ( Wednesday at the latest). We are also going to be doing other Christmas activities throughout the week.
Our Christmas party is gong to be Wednesday, December 22 from 2 - 3:00 p.m. If you are interested in helping out at our party and you have your clearances on file, please send me in a note. Thank you in advance to those who are willing to help out.
Next Monday will be day 1 in our 4 day cycle. We will have art class.
Have a great weekend!

Week of December 6 - 10, 2010

2010-12-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News for the week of December 6th – 10th

In Phonics this week we will study the consonant Ff as in fish. We will have show 'n tell on Friday! Your child has studied the letters: Ll, Oo, Gg, Hh, Tt, Pp, Aa, Nn, Mm, Ii and Ss. S/he should recognize these letters and their sounds (short and long sounds for vowels). The new word list ( 5) will be coming home today and will be tested on Friday.
In Reading we will be starting the story, “A Bed for the Winter”. It is a story about a mouse that is in search of a bed for the winter. Our focus skill is to identify the sequence of the story. We will also review the high frequency words I, my, have, a, is, we, for, like, little, and he.
In Math we will solve a problem by acting it out or drawing a picture. We will practice paying for items up to 10 cents with pennies. We will copy patterns and identify an AB pattern. On our December calendar students are learning to identify the shape-trapezoid!
Santa’s workshop will be open again this week. If you would like your child to shop they still will have an opportunity to do so on Wednesday, December 8.
Following is some important information about upcoming events happening this month. The fundraiser pick-up will be on December 8th from 3-8pm. The Christmas concert for grades K-2 will be on December 13th at 9:30am. There will also be a PTO meeting on that evening at 6:30 in the school cafeteria.
The PTO sponsored movie night is tonight. (December 3rd) The PTO sponsored K-2 dance is on December 10th. The party sponsored by NSHS Interact will be on December 12th. Please respond to the e-mail address that was on the invitation that your child received..
Monday will be day #4 on our rotation schedule. That means your child will have computer class.

November 22 - December 3, 2010

2010-11-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

In phonics we will be reviewing the week of November 22 by using the letter tiles and practicing our sounds and blending. I will be sending home word list 4 before Thanksgiving break with the test being on Friday, December 3. Please take time to review this list each day as part of the daily homework. When we return from our break we will be covering the letter Ss. We will resume show and tell on Friday, Dec. 3 with objects beginning with the sound of s.
In reading we will be finishing the story "Animal Babies in Grasslands" and then moving right into the next story called "Bear Snores On". This story is about a bear who sleeps right through a party all of his animal friends and when he wakes up is very sad. so his friends have another party to include him. The focus skill on this story is to distinguish between realism and fantasy.
In math we are continuing to work with the penny. We will also be working on telling time to the hour.
Next week we will be completing some Thanksgiving activities with our reading buddies. Monday will be day 1 in our four day cycle. When we return from our Thanksgiving break on Tuesday, November it will be day 4.
Have a great weekend and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Week of November 8 - 12, 2010

2010-11-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

Newsletter for Week of November 8 – 12, 2010

Report cards have been sent home on Friday, November 5, 2010. Please look over your child’s report card, sign and return by Friday, November 12. If you would like to discuss your child’s progress with me please let me know a convenient time to do so. We can set up a conference in person, on the phone, or use email.
Please be aware that snack time is about 15 minutes in the afternoon usually around 1:30. The amount of food brought in by some children has been growing into a small meal. A small snack is all that is needed. Some children are bringing up to four different things for snack and are unable to eat them or finish any of them. One or two small snacks are all that is necessary. A drink is fine too if you wish to send one. However, we do have a water fountain in the classroom so you do not need to feel that a drink must be sent along as well. Thanks for your support with this!
This week in phonics we are going to be working on the letter M. Show and tell will continue on Friday. Also, our second word list will be sent home. Please review this list as part of the daily homework. Children do not need to memorize the words, but should be able to sound out the words using their knowledge of the letter sounds we have covered so far. The only word that needs to be memorized is the sight word that is circled on the page. Again, thank you for working with your child on this.
In math this week we will be identifying numbers 0 – 9, sequencing events, using one to one correspondence and introduce the penny.
In reading, we will enjoy listening to the story “Amradillo’s Orange” . It is a story about an armadillo that makes his home near an orange. The theme of this unit is animal homes. Our focus skill is sequence and comparing and contrasting characters in this story and others.

Monday will be day 4 in our four day cycle. We will have computer class.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

week of November 1 -5, 2010

2010-10-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday will be parent conferences. Please note that instead of individual conferences, I will be holding an informational session about the report card. The session will last about 20 minutes and will be held at 4:00 and again at 5:00. As I stated in the letter sent home earlier this week, I do not have time to have an extended conference for every student in the 2 hour time frame on Tuesday, November 2, so I will see any parents after the information session that I am able for a few minutes to answer any particular questions or concerns you may have. After report cards are sent home, conferences will be set up on an as needed basis. Report cards will be sent home on Friday, November 5.
This week in phonics we will be working on the letter Nn. Show and tell will resume on Friday. Please send in any object beginning with the “Nn” sound. Also, today the first word list. Please review the word list as part of the daily homework. The word list will be tested each Friday.
In math, we are continuing working on attributes of shapes. We have discussed triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles and review the number of sides and corners. We have grouped shapes by color, size, and shape. We will also be working with the numbers 1-10. We will put the numbers in order and learn to count backwards. We will also practice identifying a missing number in a set of ten numbers.
In reading, we have finished unit 1 and will begin unit 2 stories. Our first story in this unit is “Life in an Ocean”. The theme of all of unit 2 stories will be animal homes and environments. The skills we will be reviewing and /or introducing are setting, sequence of a story, and main idea.

Have a great weekend! Monday will be day 3 in our 4 day cycle. We will have gym class!

week of october 25 - 29, 2010

2010-10-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

The children had a wonderful time on our pajama day! We ate pancakes, painted, made paper bag puppets, read stories, and made paper plate mummy masks! What a great way to reinforce the letter P. This week in phonics we will be learning about letter a. We will NOT have show and tell on Friday since it is the Halloween parade and party.
Our Halloween party and parade is scheduled for Friday, October 29th at 2:00. If any parent has not contacted me and wants to help out at our party, please do so as soon as possible. Anyone who is a member of the PTO and has their clearances on file in the office is welcome to help out!
In math, we are continuing with shapes and their attributes.

We are also finishing assessments for report cards. The assessments cover the basic phonics and math skills that we have covered so far this year. Report cards are scheduled to come home the second week of November. Parent conference information will be coming home within the next few days.
Thank you for all of your support and have a great weekend! Monday will be day 2 in our 4 day cycle. We will have music class.

Week of October 18 - 22, 2010

2010-10-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank all of the parents who helped out at the Fall Festival on Thursday! Even though it was a rainy day and the festivities were held indoors, the children had a wonderful time. The day was well planned and very organized! I cannot thank all of you enough for all you do! If any parents who have clearances are interested in planning the Halloween party, please jot me a note. The party basically consists of planning a snack, drink, and a game or two. Even making a simple craft would be great. Any parents who would like to help at this or any other party, please let me know by note or email.
This week in phonics we are working on the letter Pp. We will have show and tell on Friday. Please help your child find a small object at home to bring in that begins with the letter p. Thursday, October 21 will be pajama day. Children are allowed to wear pajamas to school for that day. Please consider the weather when dressing your child as thin nightgowns will probably be too cool to wear as well as spaghetti straps on tops or sleeveless. Please have the children wear regular shoes or sneakers that day as well. We will have different P activities and a special treat that starts with the letter P as well.
In reading, we will be working on the story "Julius". This is a story about a pet pig who may be messy but is still loved by his family. Our focus skill this week will be to identify the characters of a story.
In math we will be discussing ordinal position of objects, story problems, and putting events in proper order or sequence.
As the end of the first quarter is approaching, we will begin to assess the children on their knowledge of the letters and sounds we have covered in phonics including letter l, o, g, h, t, and p. We will test sight word knowledge on words I, am, the, a, my, little, and love. You may want to review these at home starting next week. Our math assessments will be based on the knowledge of patterns, shapes, number to 30 ( reciting), and recognizing numbers to 10.
Monday will be day 1 in our four day cycle. We will have art class. Have a wonderful weekend!

week of oct. 11- 15

2010-10-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
There will be NO School for students on Monday, October 11 (Columbus Day) and Tuesday, October 12 due to a Teacher In- Service and an ACT 80 day. School will reopen on Wednesday.
Wednesday will be Day 2 on the school rotation schedule. Students will have music class on Wednesday.
Due to the short school week we will not start a new Phonics lesson. We will review all letters learned. (l, o, g, h, & t) Please take some time to review at home too! There will be NO show and Tell either. Practice with the letters l, g, o, h, and t. Students should be able to read words made from these letters such as log, lot, hot, hog, got, go, and tot.
We will begin the story Julius in Reading. Continue to read at home and practice the high frequency words I, am, the, little, to, a, of, and you; practice rhyming and counting syllables in words and identifying the letters from Aa-Zz.
In Math we will be identifying, describing and comparing triangles and squares and describing the position of objects and working on AB patterns.
Thursday, October 14th (rain date Friday 10/15) will be the Kindergarten Fall Festival. Any parents or grandparents who have clearances on file in the office are invited to help. Volunteers are needed so please contact Dana Oravitz --danao2@verizon.net / 874-2031 if available to help. Set up will begin at 7:30. All activities will be outside (weather permitting), so please check the weather and dress your child accordingly. Please NO SHORTS and send a jacket as needed! Boys and girls are to follow the dress code (NO JEANS). Sneakers are a must for gym class! The Fall Festival is planned for the morning and afternoon with breaks for lunch, and special classes. Students will also get to spend most of the time with their 4th grade Reading Buddies!
Anyone who has not yet turned in Fall Festival and Party money is asked to try and send it in as soon as possible. The parents who are planning the Fall Festival and Halloween party will need to shop for supplies and goodies. Thank you for your cooperation.
REMINDERS:
• October Scholastic book orders will be due on Wednesday, Oct. 18th for anyone interested in ordering this month.
• NSE PTO clothing sale orders and money are also due on Wednesday, Oct. 13th.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Week of October 4, 2010

2010-10-01T03:41:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten Happenings Week of October 4 – 8, 2010

There will be a Fall Festival meeting immediately following the PTO meeting on Monday, October 4, 2010. The PTO meeting is held here at NSE.
Next week in phonics we will be learning the letter Tt. We will have show and tell on Friday as usual. Please send in an object beginning with the letter T.
In Reading, we are going to be reading the story “Miss Bindgergarten takes a Field Trip”. Miss Bindergarten is a kindergarten teacher who takes her class to different places in the community such as a bakery, post office, library, fire station, and park. Our focus skill this week is “classify and categorize”. We will discuss how things in the story are alike and how they are different.
In math, we are going to be having our second assessment. The children will be asked to count orally as far as they can up to 100. Assessment results from the first assessment and this one will be sent home this week. These assessments help us see strengths and /or weaknesses in math skills we are using. We will also be working on ordering numbers 1 – 5, naming shapes by color, shape, and size, describing the relative position of objects, and matching a number care (1-5) to a set of objects.
Please note that the children each have a mailbox at school in our classroom. All papers to go home throughout the day are put in their mailboxes. At the end of the day, the children take the papers out and place them into their folders. The papers therefore are not organized in each side of the folder. Please go through the folder each night and any papers that have been completed and checked can be kept at home. Again, homework has been completed each night by all of the students so I thank you for working on this with your child. They are all doing a great job with the homework!
Please note that the school store is opened each Monday and Tuesday for kindergarten students. The store is opened before the first bell rings in the morning. There are erasers, pencils, rulers, highlighters, folders, and some small toys for sale. Children have to shop at the store before the first bell rings. I just wanted to clarify what the store sells and when it is opened to clear up any confusion you may have about this. The store is run by the PTO.
Have a great weekend! Monday will be day 1 in our four day cycle. We will have art class.

Week of September 27, 2010

2010-09-28T04:59:00.000-07:00

In phonics this week, we are learning about the letter H. On Friday, October 1 we will have "Hat day". Students can wear a favorite hat to school.
In reading we are reading the story "Plaidypus Lost". This story is about a beloved stuffed animal that keeps being lost and returned again. The focus skill this week is sequence. We will discuss the order of events in this story as well as previous stories.
In math, we are sorting and classifying objects by color. Later in the week, we will graph objects as well.
Everyone is doing a great job with homework. Thank you to all parents who are working with your children on completing their homework.
In addition to Friday being "hat day" in kindergarten, our school is having a kickoff event for our the Olveus Anti-bullying program. We are focusing on positive behaviors and helping children deal with negative bullying behaviors.
Have a great week and beginning of fall season!

Happenings for the week of September 20 - 24,2010

2010-09-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

This week in phonics we will work on the letter Gg. We will continue with show and tell on Friday with the focus on objects having the beginning sound of g. We will also read and enjoy a classic story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" and take turns acting out the characters using some stick puppets.

In math, we have just completed our first assessment on shapes. We are moving into the next group of lessons which will be covering sorting objects by color; using words like inside, in front of, behind, and outside to describe position, and also will be describing shapes by the number of sides and corners.

In reading, we are going on to our second story titled, "Fix It Duck". The children will enjoy listening to the main character "Fix It Duck" trying to fix things for his friends. The focus skill will be to identify the setting of a story.

In science, we are continuing our study of trees. We will incorporate a study of apples into this. If possible, I would like each student to bring in an apple to school on Monday. We will sort all the apples we get by color, size, etc.. We will graph the apples by type and we will get to taste test different kinds. Friday we will culminate this study by making applesauce as a special treat!

It's Fall Festival time! There will be a planning meeting in the North Schuylkill Elementary Cafeteria on Monday at 2:00 for anyone interesting in planning and/or working at our kindergarten fall festival which will be held on October 14th ( rain date of Oct 15). The meeting may run until the end of the school day. Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to help out with this special event for our kindergarten students and their fourth grade reading buddies!

Monday will be day 3 of our four day cycle. Our special class will be gym class. Please remember to send your child in wearing their sneakers! Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!

Happenings for the week of September 13 – 17

2010-09-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Happenings for the week of September 13 – 17, 2010

Next week in Phonics we will be working on the Letter “O”. We will focus on the short vowel sound as in octopus. We will briefly discuss the long sound as well but focus more on it later in the year. Friday, September 17 will be show and tell once again. Students should bring in an object with the short sound of O or even the long sound. It can also be a picture or a drawing. Please make sure whatever your child brings in it is able to fit in their book bag. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

In math, we are working on one to one correspondence. We will match up objects and compare which group is larger/smaller using our manipulatives.

In reading, we are finally starting our first story called “The Little School Bus”. It is a repetitive story about a group of animal characters traveling to school and back. Our focus skill will be to discuss what a character is and to name the characters of the story. We also cover a bit of additional phonics during this time and will briefly discuss letter A – F.

In science, we began our unit on Trees. We took a walk and picked out a class tree and discussed how the tree will change throughout the year as the seasons change. Next we will discuss the main parts of the tree and draw and label a tree.

This week behavior charts will start to come home. Please look over your child’s behavior chart each day. We are trying to all stay in the green area of our traffic light. If your child was in the yellow area during the day, that means they received many warnings about proper behavior (usually sitting in their seats, keeping hands to themselves, talking out, being kind to each other etc…). If a child comes home with the red area of the traffic light colored in, I will write a brief note explaining what occurred. Please be assured that most children DO stay in the green area and that this is just to help them learn proper behavior in school. I would also like to thank you for your support with this in advance.

I would also like to thank you for having your child complete their homework. Everyone has been doing a great job with this.

Have a great weekend. Please note that Monday will be day 2 in our four day cycle. We will have music class!

Week of September 7 - 10, 2010

2010-09-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News…
Congratulations! You made it through the first week of Kindergarten!
**There will be no School on Monday due to the Labor Day Holiday. Enjoy the long weekend.
Tuesday, September 7th will be Day 2. Our special class will be music. Please check your special classes’ schedule. Remember students will need sneakers for gym class Day 3.
**Next week we will be learning the letter Ll as in lion, lemonade, and licorice. Please review the letter and sound with your child at home. On Friday, September 10th, Kindergarten will have a Luau from 9:30-11:00. Students are asked to dress tropical: bright colors, floral prints, Hawaiian shirts, etc… More details will be sent home next week..
**We will begin “Show and Tell” next week too. Please help your child to find an item or two around the house that begins with the /l/ sound to share with the class. Please keep in mind- - - the items should not be valuable and should fit into a brown paper bag or your child’s school bag. Our show and tell day will be every Friday.

**I’m sure the children have been telling you bits and pieces of our day. If you have any questions, please ask. The following is a general outline:
• We begin each day with the calendar, month, and days of the week song.
• We have a morning message each day.
• We count the days of school and learn about place value.
• We do patterning with shapes, numbers, and letters.
• Kid Writing will begin in a few weeks. This will take some time to develop. The students work on an activity while I work individually or in small groups with those doing Kid Writing.
• We are starting a brand new math series, Saxon Math this week.
• Saxon Phonics is where we learn our letters and sounds of the week. We will start next week with letter Ll.
• We will work on developing our handwriting skills both in class and at home with homework.
• Snack time is from 1:15- 1:30.
• We have Literature/Story Time and Predictable charts and will make class books.
• Lunch is from 10:50 – 11:30 daily.
• Recess is 12:30 – 1:00 daily.
• We will use FOSS Science units and lessons and will explore trees, small animals, paper, and wood.
• We will do Theme-related activities such as seasonal items, science, social studies, health, art activities, and special projects.
• .

**Please continue to check your child’s communication folder daily and if you haven’t already returned all the school forms and necessary paperwork, then please return them as soon as possible.
*** Please remember to pack a snack with your child each day. It may help if you “brown bag” and label snack on one bag and “lunch” on the other if they are packing. I have a feeling that some children may be eating their snack with their lunch and then have nothing left. Also, if your child is a buyer, they still need a snack and drink!

**I hope your child has enjoyed his/her first week and is looking forward to returning on Tuesday.
Thanks!!
Mrs. Reinoehl

Week of May 24 - 28, 2010

2010-05-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
**In Phonics next week we will be working on digraph ch as in cheese and digraph ee as in sheep. Continue to practice all digraphs, combinations, and letters learned. Show and Tell will be Friday. Please send in an item with your child that begins with the digraph ch and/or if possible. Thanks for your participation and help.
**In reading we will be reading the story “This is the way we go to School”. It is a story about how children around the world go to school. Our focus skill is drawing conclusions.
**In Math we have been working on the concepts of addition and subtraction. Please review numbers and counting to 100. Children also need to be able to identify numbers to thirty.
**Monday, May 24th will be the PTO Carnival. This is a day of fun and games put together by the PTO. Please dress your child for the weather and apply sunscreen as needed. Students should wear sneakers and clothes for outdoor activities (No dresses or skirts please!)
** Graduation is Tuesday, May 25th at 6:30 p.m. in the North Schuylkill High School auditorium. Please have your child there by 6:15. When the ceremony is over please report to the gymnasium to return the caps and gowns (the tassel is yours to keep).
Have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. Monday will not count as a day in our six day cycle due to the carnival. Tuesday will be day 3. We will be having music class.

Week of May 17 - 21, 2010

2010-05-14T10:11:00.001-07:00

Happenings Week of May 17 – 21, 2010

In math we are finishing up our chapter on Subtraction. This is our last chapter in the book. For the remainder of the year, we will review skills that we have learned.
In reading, we will continue unit 5 with the story “On the Move”. This is a realistic fiction story about traveling to different places in different ways. Our focus skill this week will be main idea. The main idea is what the story is about and what the writer wants us to know from the story.
In phonics we will be learning about the cvcv rule in words. This is the rule where when we have a silent “e” on the end of the word the vowel says its name. These are words like cake, rode, hope, bike, fire, cube, etc... We will resume show and tell this Friday. The children can bring in any object that has a long vowel sound or has the sound of any of our digraphs such as oo, sh, or th.
This week we will be walking over the to the high school to watch the spring chorus program being performed by our 4th, 5th, and 6th grade choral and band members. It is sure to be a wonderful program and great musical treat.
This week we will be having a special visitor. Mr. Groody, our county sheriff will be coming to talk to the children and children will be having an opportunity to be fingerprinted so that parents can have their children’s fingerprints on file.
There are extra yearbooks available if anyone would like to purchase one. The cost is $15.00. If you would like one and would like to pay by check, please write checks out to North Schuylkill Elementary School.
Monday will day 4 of our six day cycle. We will have art class.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Week of May 10 - 14, 2010

2010-05-07T06:23:00.001-07:00

Happenings for the Week of May 10 – 14, 2010

Our field trip will be this Wednesday, May 12. Please remember to send your child to school with a bagged lunch and a drink. Children should wear sneakers that day, no flip flops or sandals and also should wear their blue NSE t-shirt. If there is rain the morning of the 12th, or if you are unsure of the status of the trip, please call the office after 7:00 am. If the weather does not cooperate than the trip will be postponed until May 19th. Please also make sure your child is in school on time that day as we are leaving as soon as the buses arrive in the morning.
Next week in phonics we will be working on digraph oo as in hook and tooth. With the field trip being on Wednesday, we will not have show and tell on Friday. Next week we will be testing on our sight word list so please continue to review that list.
In reading, our story this week will be “The Little Engine that could”. This week we will be reviewing the plot, which in kindergarten is identifying the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
In math, we are finishing up our chapter on subtraction. This is our last chapter in the kindergarten math book. For the remainder of the year, we will review and practice the math skills we have learned throughout the year.
Just a reminder that Kindergarten graduation is May 25th at 6:30 pm in the North Schuylkill High School Auditorium.
The school carnival is Monday, May 24th. If you would like to volunteer your time that day, please contact the PTO.

Have a wonderful weekend and Mother’s Day!

week of April 26 -30,2010

2010-04-23T05:03:00.000-07:00

We are moving right along in math. We will be finishing up our chapter on addition this week and move onto subtraction. We will be completed our textbook most likely by the middle of May and then will continue to practice skills in math needed for first grade.
In reading, our next story is called "Mayday, Mayday". The story is about rescue vehicles. Our focus skill will be cause and effect.
In phonics we will be working with digraph sh as in shark. Show and tell will be on Friday, April 30. Please send in an item that begins with digraph sh.
As May is approaching quickly I wanted to remind everyone of some important upcoming events. Our field trip to Lake Tobias is scheduled for May 12. We have a rain date of May 19. A detailed letter will be coming home several days before the trip with specifics. Graduation is going to be May 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the NSHS auditorium. We have begun practicing our songs and the students are sure to put on a wonderful program. School carnival is scheduled for May 24. If you have not done so, please return the form indicating whether or not your child will be ordering the school lunch that day or bringing in their own.
Monday will be day 1 in our six day cycle. Our special class will be library class.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Week of April 19 - 23, 2010

2010-04-16T05:03:00.000-07:00

Happenings Week of April 19 – 23, 2010

· In phonics we have now covered all of the letters of the alphabet. We will now focus on digraphs, combinations, and blends. This week we will be working on Ch as in cheese. We will continue with show and tell on Friday. Please send in an object that has the /ch/ sound. I would like to thank all parents who have encouraged participation in show and tell each week. I hope for more children to bring in items to share with their classmates.
· In math, we are working on addition. We are using words such as “in all” and “all together” to join groups. We are introducing the children to the + (addition) sign as well as the = (equal) sign in writing some simple addition stories.
· In reading we have finished unit 4. We will take unit 4 assessment and begin unit 5 this week. Our first story in this unit will be “Max Takes the Train”.
· This week we will have graduation pictures taken. Our day to have them taken will be Wednesday, April 21. Please send your child in wearing a white collared shirt if at all possible so that the group picture looks consistent. A white polo shirt is fine if you are able. If you are purchasing photos, an information sheet was sent home earlier. Our photographer is Mike’s Photography in Frackville.
· This week we will also have a personal safety program on Tuesday, April 20. Ms. Clarissa Geary will be coming in to present this program.
· Monday will be day 2 of our 6 day cycle. We will have computer class.

Week of April 12 - 16, 2010

2010-04-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Happenings Week of April 12 – 16th, 2010
Please review and return your child’s report cards by Friday, April 16th. If you have any concerns, please contact me so we can review it in more detail.
We will be moving into our next chapter on addition. You can practice addition at home by having your child add two groups of objects. For example, you may have 5 pieces of cereal plus 2 more pieces of cereal and have your child count and tell how many in all. After addition, we will be moving on to subtraction which will end the kindergarten math curriculum for this year.
In phonics, this week we will be covering the long sound in all of our vowels. Friday we will resume show and tell, please send in any object that has a long vowel sound in its name.
In reading, we are going on to the story Abeula, which means grandmother in Spanish. This story is about a girl who goes on an imaginary adventure with her grandmother visiting all the places in a city. Our focus skill will be to review the setting of a story.
Next week we will be enjoying a long distance learning program about the senses. Be sure to ask your child about this. We will be having this program on Thursday afternoon.
Next Monday will be day 3 of our six day cycle. Our special class will be music.
Have a relaxing weekend!

Week of April 5 - 9, 2010

2010-04-01T05:41:00.001-07:00

Kindergarten Happenings Week of April 5 – 9, 2010

This week we will finish up Chapter 10 in math. Our next chapter will be on addition.
In reading, we will be reading a story called “If You Could Go to Antarctica”. This an informational story to teach the children about this cold place. Our focus skill is classifying and categorizing.
In phonics, we will be learning the letter q and its sound as in queen. We will be learning that q is always written with the letter u and we may even attend a “wedding” of the letters as a fun way to help us remember the two letters being together. On Wednesday, April 7 we will have “Queen for a Day”. The girls of the class may wear a dress and crown for the day if they wish. The boys will have to make a special effort to treat all the girls royally for this day. There will not be show and tell this week.
Report card testing is completed and report cards will be sent home on Friday, April 9. Please review the report card and sign and return it the following week. A copy of the results of the third quarter test will also be sent home for you to review. Most children have done a fantastic job and are showing all signs of readiness for first grade.
Monday, April 5 will be day 4 of our 6 day cycle. Our special class will be art.
I wish all of you a very Happy Easter. Enjoy the beautiful weather!

Week of March 30 - April 1, 2010

2010-03-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

In phonics this week we will be working with the letter W and its sound. On Tuesday, we will be having Wacky Hair Day. Students may come to school sporting a wacky hairdo. Use your imagination with this, even wigs will be permitted. We will have some fun with Water on Wednesday and so some experiments.
In math we have been working on Chapter 10. This chapter focuses on graphing information using picture and bar graphs as well as using tally marks to gather information.
In reading, this week's story is Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Our focus skill this week is character. We will be discussing the characters of this story as well as some others from past weeks.
This week we will also be having our Easter party. We will be having our party on Thursday, April 1 from 10:00 am to 11:00. We will be having an egg hunt, a few snacks, and a game or craft.
We have begun third quarter report card testing. We are testing on each child's knowledge of all the letters and sounds we have covered this year as well as other skills such as rhyme, number knowledge, patterns, and money ( penny, nickel , and dime).
Monday, March 29 will be day 6 in our six day cycle. We will have book exchange.
Have a great weekend!

Week of March 22 - 26, 2010

2010-03-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

Happenings Week of March 22 – 26, 2010

· Next week we will be working on the letter Xx as in fox and x-ray. Students will go on a treasure hunt throughout the building to find the “X” that marks the spot of their hidden treasure! How exciting!!! There will be NO Show and Tell.
· In math we are going to be finishing up Chapter 9 on Measurement and beginning Chapter 10 on graphing. We will be working with tally marks and creating graphs based on “data” we collect.
· In reading, we will move on to our next story “One Little Mouse”. Our focus skill will be “sequence”. We will work on retelling the story in proper sequence. We will use words like first, second, next, last.
· Next week we will also be working on third quarter report card testing. We will be asking students to blend words, read letters, sight words, and numbers. The students will also be asked to identify the coins penny, nickel, and dime and tell their value. You may want to review the pink sight word paper and also review coins at home.
· Monday will be day 1 of our 6 day cycle. We will have library class.

Have a great weekend! Happy spring!

Week of March 15 - 19, 2010

2010-03-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten Happenings Week of March 15 – 19, 2010

· This week in phonics we will be finishing up the letter Vv and practicing the letter Jj as well. Please continue to practice the weekly word lists as well as the sight word paper. Show and tell will be Friday, March 19. Students can bring in objects beginning with letter V or J (or both).
· In math, we are working on Chapter 9, measurement. We are using nonstandard objects to measure things such as connecting cubes and paper clips. We are using words such as taller, shorter, longer. We are arranging objects from shortest to tallest and tallest to shortest. We will be also using words such as heavier and lighter and more than and less than.
· In reading, we will start the story “Lucky Day”. This story is about how a piglet tricks a fox from making him his meal. The focus skill we will be working on is cause and effect.
· Please note that Thursday, M arch 18 will be spring pictures. Please remember that all students need to follow the dress code that day.
· Some parents have inquired about upcoming events such as graduation and field trips. Graduation is set for the morning of May 26. The field trip to Lake Tobias will be May 12 with a rain date of May 19th. Details about that will come next month. I am not sure of the number of chaperones we will be able to take along at this point, so that information will be upcoming as well.
· Monday will be day 2 in our six day cycle.
Have a great weekend. Remember to “spring” forward!

March 8 - 12, 2010

2010-03-04T04:58:00.000-08:00

In phonics, we will finish up letter Dd and start on letter Vv. For show and tell on Friday March 12 , I am asking each student to do a presentation on a dinosaur. The presentation should include a picture of the dinosaur and a few simple facts about it. The facts may include the size of the dinosaur, whether or not it is a meat or plant eater and any other interesting information your child may want to share. A great resource to use is enchantedlearning.com.
In math, we have finished up the chapter on time and money. We will move into chapter 9 , measurement.
In reading, we have finished Unit 3 and are beginning unit 4. Our first story is called "Bunny Day". The theme of this unit is adventures and this story is about what adventures take place in Bunny's day from breakfast to bedtime. The focus skill of this story is sequence.
Monday , March 8 will be day 3 of our 6 day cycle. We will have music class.
Have a great rest of the week and weekend.

Think Spring!

week of Feb. 22- 26, 2010

2010-02-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

This week in phonics we will be covering the letter Y. Show and tell will be on Friday as usual. Please help your child find an object to bring in that either begins with Y or is even the color yellow.
In math we are going to be continuing working on money. We have been practicing counting pennies, nickels, and dimes. Nickels seem most difficult for the children so you may want to review the three coins, their value, and practice counting coins at home. We are also going to be practicing reading time to the hour on analog clocks and digital clocks.
In reading we are starting a new story called "Hide, Clyde". This story is about a chameleon and how he has difficulty changing his coloring to match his surroundings. We will be discussing animal camouflage and habitats this week. We are also going to be focusing on figuring out the main idea of a story.
This week we will begin Monday with day 2 of our 6 day cycle. We have computer class.
Have a great week!

Week of February 16 - 19, 2010

2010-02-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

This week we will be continuing working on letter E in phonics. Show and Tell for letter E will be on Friday, Feb. 16. In math, we are working with the penny, nickel, and dime. In reading, we are continuing the story "Seeds".
The Valentine party that was scheduled for last Friday, Feb. 12 has yet to be rescheduled. I have not heard anything from Mr. Jones regarding the rescheduling of the party. As soon as I am made aware, I will update the blog and send home a letter as well.
I hope everyone was able to relax during this most unexpected break. I am counting down the days until spring!
Tuesday will be day 4 of our six day cycle. We will have art class. Gym class will be on Wednesday barring we have no more snow days this week. UGH! Have a great week!

happenings week of Feb. 8 - 12,2010

2010-02-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

Happenings for Week of February 8 – 12, 2010

· In math, we are going to be starting chapter 8 on Money and Time. We will be working with pennies, nickels, and dimes. Since most children are familiar with quarters, we will also talk about that coin as well. We will work on time to the hour and discuss analog and digital clocks.
· In phonics we will be working with the letter E. We will be focusing on the short sound of e as in elephant or egg. Show and tell will be on Friday, Feb. 12. Please send in an object with that either begins with that sound or has it in the name of the object. We will continue with our word list tests as well on Friday.
· In reading, we will be reading and discussing the story “Seeds”. We will talk about how seeds change into plants and relating it to our other stories which have focused on the changes that take place in certain animals as well as humans from birth to adulthood. We will be learning to draw conclusions based on the information we have.
· Next Friday will be our Valentine’s Day party in the afternoon. If your child is bringing in valentine cards for the class, please send them in on Friday and we will exchange during our party.
· Monday will be day 2 of our six day cycle. We will have computer class.
Have a nice snowy weekend!

Happenings Week of Feb. 1 - 5, 2010

2010-01-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday we will be celebrating our 100th day of school. Students can dress up as if they were one hundred years old. Use your imagination! We hope to see lots of little "old" people in school on Wednesday. Please also remember to send in 100 objects in a small baggie or container. Some ideas could be small candies, cereal, pretzels, buttons, cotton balls, q-tips, uncooked pasta, etc...
In phonics this week we are learning about letter C and it's sound as in cat, car, cake. Show and tell will be on Friday and will be focusing on letter C. Please help your child find any small object or objects to bring in and show on Friday. We will also have our word list test on Friday. Please also continue to review the list of sight words sent home last month.
In reading, we are going to be continuing discussing the plot of a story. This week our story is called "Farfallina and Marcel". The main characters are a goose and a caterpillar who during their friendship change their appearance as they grow. We will take this opportunity to discuss metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
In math, we will be finishing up chapter 7 on counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's.
Monday will be day 3 of our six day cycle. Our special class will be music.
Have a great week!

week of January 25 - 29, 2010

2010-01-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

Happenings Week of January 25 – 29, 2010

· Next week we will continue with Chapter 7 in math. We are practicing counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s as well as working with our hundreds chart. We are only a few days away from the 100th day in which we will have some special activities planned.
· In phonics we will be learning letter Zz next week. For show and tell next Friday I am asking each child to bring in a stuffed animal or picture of an animal that could be found in a Zoo along with a fact or two about that animal.
· In reading, we are starting a new story called “See How We Grow”. Our focus skill will be cause and effect and also practicing the letters Dd and Kk.
· Report cards were sent home today. Please review your child’s report card and return it with your signature on the bottom.
· Please remember to continue reviewing our sight word list and weekly word lists.
· Please remember to follow the dress code. Shirts need to have a collar and no jeans are allowed. Thank you very much for your cooperation in this matter.
· Monday will be day 4 in our 6 day cycle. We will be having art class.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Week of January 18 - 22, 2010

2010-01-19T08:39:00.000-08:00

Happenings Week of January 18 – 22, 2010

· In math we will be starting chapter 7. We will work on number patterns, using the hundred charts and learning to count by 5’s, 10’s, and 2’s.
· In reading, we will be continuing with our story “Little Quack”
· In phonics, we will be learning about the letter Uu and its short vowel sound as in umbrella. On Friday, we will be having our State presentations. Each student was sent home the name of a state to tell about (3 facts and a picture or two). We will be doing this instead of show and tell.
· The third marking period will begin on Thursday, January 21. Report cards will be coming home on Friday, January 22. Please sign and return the report card after you review it.
· There will be no school on Monday, January 18th in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. School will resume on Tuesday, January 19th. Tuesday will be day 6 of our six day cycle.

Week of January 11, 2010

2010-01-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

Happenings Week of January 11 – 15, 2010

· In math we will finish up Chapter 6 on numbers 10 to 30. Our next chapter will focus on number patterns and counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s.
· In phonics our letter next week will be letter Bb. Show and tell will be on Friday, January 15. Please have your child remember to bring in an object that begins with the letter Bb.
· In reading we will be finishing up the story Little Panda and we move on to the next story Little Quack.
· Next week we will be having our second quarter test on the skills covered so far this year. We will be asking the children to name all of the letters we have covered so far ( L, O , G, H, P, T, R, F, S, I, A, M, N, K, and B). They will need to identify the capital and lowercase form of those letters and give the sound ( for vowels it is the short sound only). We will also be asking them to sound out words, give examples of rhyming words, and read the sight words we have covered so far ( the, to, I, a, little, like, was, have, are, my, of, from, for, is, we, he, love, and said). We will have the children count up to 30. The testing will begin on Monday, January 11.
· Please note that there will not be a PTO meeting this month. Meetings will resume in February.
· Due to the two hour delay, Monday will be day 1 of our six day cycle. We will have library class.

Have a wonderful weekend. Stay warm!

week of January 4, 2010

2009-12-23T09:38:00.001-08:00

Happenings for week of January 4 – 8, 2010

In reading we will be finishing up Unit 2 and beginning Unit 3. We will complete an assessment test on Unit 2.
In phonics we will be working on the letter K. Boys will get to be “King” for a day. The girls will have to treat the boys like kings for one day. Boys will have to do the same for the girls when we study the letter Qq and the girls get to be queens. We will have show and tell on Friday, January 8. Please have your child find an object that begins with the letter K or even the sound of k. We will also have our next word list test on that day. Please continue to review the letters and sounds we have learned so far.
In math we will be continuing practicing using the numbers 10 -30.
When we return to school on Monday, January 4 it will be day 3 of our six day cycle. We will have music class.

Week of December 21 - 23, 2009

2009-12-21T04:54:00.000-08:00

We will not be starting a new letter in phonics this week. A new word list will be sent home today for the children to study over the Christmas break. We will test on this word list on January 8.

In math , we are going to continue working with numbers 10 - 30.

In reading, we will finish up our story "Whose Garden is It?" . We will be finished with Unit 2 after this story as well. We will then complete an assessment test on the skills we have covered. the results of this test will be sent home in January.

Tomorrow the children can wear their pajamas for our "Polar Express Day". We will get to watch the video and drink hot cocoa in preparation for Christmas. If your child would like to bring a pair of slippers , they may do so but for their safety please have them bring them in to put on in the classroom.

I would like to wish all of you a very Happy holiday and best wishes for a wonderful 2010!

Week of December 14 - 18, 2009

2009-12-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

Week of December 14 – 18, 2009

This week we will be focusing on the letter R in phonics. Friday will be show and tell for letter R and the test on our weekly word list.
In reading, we are finishing up the story A Bed for the Winter. We have learned about where animals such as squirrels, bears, insects, and mice find shelter from the cold of winter. Our focus topic for this week in reading has been to focus on the sequence of events in the story. The letter that we reviewed in reading has been the letter I. Next week we will read the story Whose Garden is it? We will talk about the animals that live in or near a garden. We will review what makes a story a fantasy story versus a story that is realistic.
In math, we are finishing up chapter 5 on shapes. We will be having a test on this chapter this week.
Please remember that Monday, December 14 will be day 2 in our cycle. We will have computer class.
Next Thursday, December 17 the North Schuylkill Elementary Chorus will perform at the High school auditorium at 7:00 pm. Come out and listen to our talented singers and musicians and get in the Christmas spirit!
Have a great weekend!

week of December 7 - 11, 2009

2009-12-04T09:21:00.001-08:00

Kindergarten News Week of December 7 – 11, 2009

This week we will continue Chapter 5 in Math. We will work on symmetry and basic fractions and will wrap up the chapter next week. In Phonics, we will be focusing on the letter Ff as in fish. We will continue to drill our sight words and our word list. Friday will be our quiz on the word list and also show and tell for letter Ff. In reading, we are finishing our story Bear Snores On. We have been reading stories that are make believe and using the word fantasy to describe this type of story. The children know that although these stories are fun to read, animals that talk and do things like people are make believe stories. Our next story in reading is called A Bed for Winter. Our focus skill of the week will be sequence.
Please remember that next Thursday, December 10 will be our Christmas music program. It will be held at the high school auditorium at 9:30. Children are allowed to wear any holiday attire that day.
Please remember if you are planning on having your child attend the Christmas party at the Ashland Hospital to send in your response.
There will be a holiday gathering on December 11 from 6 to 8 pm here at NSE cafeteria. There is a $2.00 admission charge and there will be snacks and drinks available for a small charge. There will be games, music, and a visit from Santa. If you would like more information please contact PTO officers.
Monday will be day 5 of our six day cycle. Please remember to wear your gym attire and sneakers. Have a great weekend!

week of December 1 - 4, 2009

2009-11-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving break as we enter the Christmas season.
We will be shopping at Santa’s shop on December 2nd from 9:00 to 9:45 and make-ups for people who are sick, forgot someone or forgot their money will be on December 8th from 1-2:00. This is optional but very cute! Papers and a money envelope should have come home already.

In phonics we will continue with the letter Ss and show and tell will be on Friday as usual. The letter after Ss will be Ff. I will also test word list 4 on Friday.In math we will begin chapter 5 and learn about flat or plane shapes, solid shapes, symmetry, and how some shapes roll or slide. In reading we will continue the book Bear Snores On. Our next book will be called A Bed for the Winter. Many children are becoming wonderful readers already!!
Please note, we do not exchange gifts among the children for Christmas. Sometimes that question comes up because some of the upper grades do exchange! We have found that some children get upset with what they get and it causes a problem. Your child may want to get a very small dollar store gift for their reading Buddy. Keep in mind some children have 2 buddies. Ask them who their buddy is-----they should know by now!
December 1 will be day one of our 6 day rotation! Have a great week!

Week of November 23 - 25, 2009

2009-11-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten Newsletter Week of November 23- 25, 2009

In math we have finished up chapter 4 and will be moving right along to Chapter 5, Geometry and Fractions. In this chapter we will be learning the plane (flat) shapes and the solid shapes. We will find out which shapes can roll , slide, and stack. We will also talk about parts of a whole such as one half of an object or one fourth of an object. You can help your child at home with this by having them find objects shaped like cylinders, cones, cubes, etc…
In reading we are finishing up our story called Animal Babies. We compared and contrasted baby animals to their mothers. We talked about the setting and the main idea of the story. We reviewed the letter P as well as sight words: I, am, little, we, have, you, my, the , a, and like. In phonics we have focused on the letter I and it’s short sound as in inch. Next week we will start the letter s and finish it after Thanksgiving break.
Next week we will celebrate Thanksgiving with some activities and a little feast on Wednesday. We will also read some Thanksgiving stories and poems.
Have a great Thanksgiving!

week of November 16 - 20, 2009

2009-11-13T11:33:00.001-08:00

Kindergarten News

**This week in Phonics we will be learning the vowel letter Ii and its short sound as in igloo and inch and its long sound as in ice. We will focus more on the short vowel sound. Please review sounds and writing of all letters learned so far. There will be NO SHOW & TELL next week. A second decodable reader titled Hop on the Mop was sent home last week. Be sure to listen to your child read the story and discuss the questions on the back inside cover. Then add the story to the little library box that was sent home with #1 Hot, Hot, Hot.

**Please review each night List 3 words. Test will be on Friday!

In Reading we will be reading and discussing the big book Animal Babies. We will focus on learning about the setting of a story and the main idea. We will also practice the learned high frequency words; have, is, a, I, the, and little, we, my and like.

**In Math we will be finishing Chapter 4 Numbers 6-10. Keep practicing counting sets and identifying and writing numbers correctly. (The test for this chapter will most likely be on Wednesday.) The next chapter will be Geometry and Fractions. Students will learn to recognize and name geometric shapes and equal parts.

**We will begin preparing for “Thanksgiving”. Students will learn about the first Thanksgiving, will make pilgrim and Native American costumes, and will begin to learn a poem or song for the holiday. We will make some turkeys and will also discuss being “thankful”. The students will even get to use a Native American name for a day!!!

**Thank you to all the parents who attended the parent/teacher conferences on Tues. and Thurs. Your interest and support in your child’s education is important to your child’s success!

**If you haven’t returned your child’s report card, then please sign and return it as soon as possible.

Monday, November 16th will be day 5 on the special classes’ schedule. Don’t forget library books for Tuesday’s book exchange!

Week of November 9 - 13, 2009

2009-11-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten Newsletter for the week of November 9th – 13th
Next week we will be having our parent-teacher conferences. Please contact me asap if you returned a form and didn’t receive a conference date. I sent these time confirmation notes home on Friday. You can call me at any time to schedule a conference. It doesn’t have to be held this week. (874-3661 ext. 3239)
Please return your child’s report card in the folder it was sent home to you after you sign it. Thank you!
In math we’ll be working on sets of ten, more filling in missing numbers on number lines and in ascending and descending lines of numbers. We will work with the numbers up to 10.
In phonics we’ll be learning more about the letter Mm. Show and tell will be on Friday. Please let me know if you did not get word list 2 and you can practice it until Friday. We’ll be working on hearing and identifying the initial and final sounds heard in words. Also we will play a game to rhyme words. We will unblend words and count the sounds. Lastly, we will begin a new take home story. It is called Hop on the Mop! Look for it at the end of the week. Your child may grow a mustache on Friday!
We will begin a new book this week in Reading. It is called Armadillo’s Orange. It is an animal fantasy book about what lives in an orange grove. We will be working with the letter Ss in this story. Many children are familiar with this sound, but confuse it with Cc. We will discuss proper nouns, setting and sequence. Please continue to practice the high frequency words that were sent home on fish.
It’s hard to believe that the first marking period is over and it is less than 3 weeks until Thanksgiving. We will be learning about The Pilgrims and Native Americans until Thanksgiving.

week of November 2 - 6, 2009

2009-11-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
This coming week we will be learning the consonant letter Nn as in nest and nut. Please continue to review all the letters we have learned so far. Show and Tell will be on Friday, November 6, 2009. Please find something that begins with the letter Nn.
In reading we are beginning Unit 2. The theme of unit 2 is Animal Live Here we will be reading stories that focus on animals’ homes. Our first story in this unit is called Life in an Ocean in which we will learn about the ocean environment and also compare and contrast different things living in the sea.
In Math we will be working on Chapter 3: Numbers 0-5. Please review the concepts of MORE, FEWER, and EQUAL and practice counting objects with sets of 0-5 with your child at home.
Since the weather will be getting cooler, we ask that the boys and girls practice at home putting their coats on themselves and zipping/buttoning them. We often spend a lot of time struggling with coats and zippers at this time of the year. Thanks for the help!
**Just to let you know, Parent Conferences will be scheduled for Tuesday, November 10th and Thursday, November 12th. Notes, with further details regarding conferences, will be coming home in your child’s folder.
**Tuesday, November 3rd is Election Day. Don’t forget to VOTE!
**This weekend ends Daylight Savings Time. Remember to turn your clocks back one hour. (Spring forward—Fall back!)
Just a reminder:
Anyone who has not yet turned in his or her party money is asked to try and send in the $4.00 as soon as possible.
Have an Awesome fall weekend!!!

week of October 26 - 30, 2009

2009-10-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
· Next week in Phonics we will be learning the vowel letter Aa as in apple and acorn. We will focus on the short vowel sound. Show and tell for letter Aa may be a bit of a challenge—do your best! Students should also work on learning their home address.
· In Math we will be working on Chapter 3: Numbers 0-5. Please review the concepts of MORE, FEWER, and EQUAL and practice counting objects with sets of 0-5 and writing the numerals with your child at home.
· For Reading we will be finishing the story Dig, Dig, Digging and our first unit of stories. Please review recognizing capital and lowercase letters from Aa to Zz and the high frequency words; I, am, the, little, to, and a.
· We began working on Kid Writing this week. Each day we worked in small groups writing stories. Once we complete several stories they will be sent home for you to keep and enjoy. It is exciting to watch your child grow as a writer!
· Since the end of the marking period is approaching we will begin testing of the 6 letters and sounds learned in phonics (Ll, Oo, Gg, Hh, Tt, and Pp), the high frequency words learned in Reading and phonics (those listed above and also including: of, from, you, and love), recognizing and producing rhyming words, copying, extending, and creating patterns, identifying the 4 basic shapes- square, circle, triangle, and rectangle, identifying and writing the numerals 0-5 and counting orally from 1-20.
· Next week the students and teachers will be recognizing Red Ribbon Week. The themes for Monday and Tuesday are as follows: Monday, Oct. 26th – “Turn your back on drugs” (Wear your clothes backwards) and Tuesday, Oct. 27th – “Sock it to drugs” (Wear crazy socks) On Monday, Diane Rowlands from Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol Program will be coming to give a presentation to the students. There will also be a coloring contest, with winners being announced on Friday, Oct. 30th!
· Friday, October 30th will be our classroom Halloween parade and party from 1:30-3:00. The parade will begin at 2:00pm. Students will parade in the upper bus loop. All are welcome to come to see the children parade. Parents who are helping and have clearances on file will be able to enter the building for 1:00. Parties will end by 3:00. Your child should NOT wear his/her costume to school! Please send the costume to school in a bag with your child’s name on the outside. Students will get dressed in costumes with the help of teachers and homeroom helpers. Keep in mind students will be dressing at school, so keep the costumes as simple as possible; (No spraying hair at school, or a face full of make-up at school)
· Since many boys and girls will go trick-or-treating next week, we ask that students do not bring candy for snacks at school and limit extra candy in lunch boxes too. Thanks for your cooperation!
· Thank you to all the parent helpers who helped with the pajama party. It was PERFECT! Your help was greatly appreciated; without you we couldn’t have had such a successful and fun day!!!

Week of October 19 - 23, 2009

2009-10-16T05:41:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News

Next week we will be learning the consonant letter Pp as in pig, pink, and pumpkin, and to celebrate we will have a Pajama Party on Friday, October 23th from 9:00-11:00 am. Students are asked to wear their pajamas to school. Robes and slippers are optional, however we ask that students wear sneakers or shoes to school and change into slippers after they arrive (due to outside recess and possible inclement weather). Please continue to review the letters we have covered at home using the letter tiles. However, please keep the letter tiles in your child’s folder to come to and from school as we also use them during our phonics lessons.
We will continue chapter 3 in Math by practicing numbers 0 -5. We are also comparing two groups of objects and using words like more and fewer.
In reading we will be finishing up our story Julius and moving on to our last story of unit one, Dig Dig Digging. Our focus skills for unit one are story setting, characters, and comparing and contrasting the story elements.
Next week we will begin our writing program titled Kid writing. Several times during the week we will work in small groups writing stories. Once we complete several pieces I will send home your child’s writing for you to keep and enjoy. It is very exciting to watch the children grow into writers!
Next week school store will begin. The children can shop on their way into school so if you would like your child to shop you may want to have their money in an easily accessible place in their book bags. Some examples of items for sale are pencils, erasers, rulers and small trinkets. Most items cost anywhere from 25 cents to one dollar. Kindergarten’s day to shop at school store will be Monday morning.
Please note that Monday will be day 3 of our six day schedule. Have a wonderful weekend!

Week of October 12- October 16, 2009

2009-10-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

Happenings for week of October 12 – 16, 2009

· No school for students on Monday, October 12 and Tuesday, October 13 due to teacher in-service days. Enjoy your long weekend.
· We will be having our fall festival next Thursday, October 15. Please remember to dress your child appropriately for the weather.
· Next week in math, we will wrap up our chapter on patterning and moving on to chapter 3. We will be working with numbers 0 to 5.
· Due to the short week, we will not be introducing a new letter in phonics but will review the letters we have covered. We will continue with the letter P the week of October 19 so stayed tuned for some fun P activities.
· On Friday we will be watching a brain show mania assembly. This is a game show type assembly that is always a hit with the students.
· Wednesday will be day 6 in our schedule. Have a wonderful long weekend!

Week of October 5 - 9, 2009

2009-10-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
In the upcoming week, we will be learning Tt as in tent, tail, and tie. . Take some time to find items at home that begin with the letter Tt sound! Also, boys and girls are asked to learn their telephone numbers. Please practice at home! Our theme for the upcoming weeks and October will be Fire Safety. We have many activities planned to teach the students about fire safety such as; videos, stories, and art projects. Don’t forget to ask your child what he/she has learned!
In reading we will continue talking and rereading our story “Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten. The focus of this story is about visiting places in our community such as a baker, fire dept., library, etc... We will be discussing differences and similarities that we see in each place the class visits.
We will continue with Chapter 2: Patterns in Math. Try to find patterns around your home. Students should even try making patterns with colors, shapes, and objects. Some ideas include using buttons, Lego blocks, fruit loops, m&m’s, skittles, etc…
The Kindergarten Fall Festival will be held at the school on Thursday, October 15th. Parent and grandparent volunteers who have the necessary clearances are welcome and needed to help the homeroom moms with this fun-filled day! Please contact your child’s teacher and show proof of updated clearances, and we will be glad to have you join in the festivities!!!
Parents are encouraged to check out your teacher’s BLOG for homework and important information for the week. You can access each teacher’s blog by going to the NS website at www.northschuylkill.net and clicking on Elementary School; then drop down to Homework Helpline and click on the teacher’s name. This should take you directly to each teacher’s blog. (The blogs will be updated at least once a week on a Monday.)
Monday, October 5 will be day 1 on our special classes’ schedule

Week of September 28 - October 2, 2009

2009-09-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News

~In the upcoming week we will be learning the letter Hh as in hat, hippo, and horse. Letter Hh is a consonant. As part of our study with the letter Hh we will have a “Hat Day” on Friday, October 2nd. Students are asked to wear a favorite hat, a funny hat, or even a homemade hat. You can be creative with this if you want! Students will be able to wear the hat all day—we do just ask that students do not share hats. Show and Tell will be with items that begin with the /h/ sound. Check your schedule and start hunting!
~Our theme for next week will be “APPLES”. We are asking that each student bring in an apple on Monday, September 28th. The apple can be any size, color, or kind. Each day of the week we will use the apples for sorting, graphing, and/or tasting! We will celebrate Johnny Appleseed’s birthday on Friday –October 2nd. We have all kinds of apple activities planned. It should be a sweet week!
~In Math we will begin learning about patterns in Chapter 2. Try to find patterns around your home. Students should even try making patterns with colors, shapes, and objects. Some ideas include using buttons, lego blocks, fruit loops, m&m’s, skittles, etc…
~In reading, we will continue with the story Plaidypus Lost and begin the story Miss Bindergarten takes a Field Trip. This book will teach about community cooperation and a community based field trip!
~We have been practicing writing our first names. Please watch your child as he/she is writing. Be sure to check if letters are beginning at the top, not the bottom and also guide him/her to use the lines when forming the letters. Thank you!
~Box tops for education, Turkey Hill Moo lids and Campbell’s labels will be collected at the end of each month. If you have any at your home, then please send them to school with your child. The box tops, lids and labels help our school to earn extra money and the homeroom with the most collected each month will receive a treat from PTO!

Monday will be Day 2 on our special classes’ schedule.
Have a Great weekend!

Week of September 21- 25,2009

2009-09-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News

Next week in Phonics we will be learning the letter Gg and its sound as in goat. Please review the sounds and how to write the letters we have already learned. We will have Show & Tell for Gg on Friday please remember to send in your child’s show and tell object. It should be something that can easily fit into their backpacks.

Please check your child’s daily behavior chart. Your child should get a stamp each day for good listening and behavior. If your child does not receive a stamp I will write a short note to let you know why. I appreciate your support in reinforcing the need for good listening and behavior each school day.

We’ve have been working on Chapter 1: Sort and Classify in Math. We have been learning about positions such as over and under and left and right. Please review pages that come home each day. The Chapter 1 test will be coming up this week. We will then continue on with Chapter 2 : patterns.

We have already completed three weeks of school and many students are familiar with their bus numbers, however, we are asking that students continue to wear their bus tags or at least be sure to have them handy inside their backpacks. If your child has lost his/her bus tag then please write your child’s name, the teacher’s name, the bus number your child rides to and from school, and any other information you would like to include (address, phone #, child’s destination, etc…) on an index card or piece of paper and place it inside your child’s backpack. This will be very helpful for teachers on bus duty and for any substitute teachers or bus drivers. Thank you for your support!

Parents, please check folders daily and remove all “KEEP” items. It becomes difficult to handle folders with too many papers inside (both for the students and teachers). Please check each day for homework papers. Please help your child complete both sides of the paper unless otherwise stated or if one side is crossed out. Return homework in the return to school side of the folder. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

Have an Outstanding Weekend!

Week of September 14 - 18, 2009

2009-09-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten Happenings

Kindergarten Newsletter
We have finished our second week of school and the students are adjusting very well! We also learned to recognize and write the letter “L” this week. The students enjoyed showing their “L” items from home for show-and-tell and they really enjoyed our Luau Party on Friday!!!
Our letter for next week is “O” as in octopus. The show-and-tell schedule for the letter “O” will be the same as this past week.
In Math we will continue to work with positional words like above, below, over, under, in, out, left, and right. We will also be learning to sort objects by color, shape, size, and kind.
Monday September 14 will be school picture day. (FYI: Money is due at the time of pictures!)
Book Fair will also take place next week, September 14 - 18. Information will come home in your child’s folder. Parents will be able to shop or browse with their child on Monday 4 p.m. - 6 p.m if interested.
Monday will be Day 4 on your child’s special class schedule.
Thank you for all of your cooperation!!!

week of Sept. 8 - Sept. 11, 2009

2009-09-08T05:24:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News…
Congratulations! You made it through the first week of Kindergarten!
**There will be no School on Monday due to the Labor Day Holiday. Enjoy the long weekend.
Tuesday, September 8th will be Day 6 and on Wednesday we will begin with Day 1 again. Please check your special classes’ schedule. Remember students will need sneakers for gym class Day 5.
**Next week we will be learning the letter Ll as in lion, lemonade, and licorice. Please review the letter and sound with your child at home. On Friday, September 11th Kindergarten will have a Luau from 9:30-11:00. Students are asked to dress tropical: bright colors, floral prints, Hawaiian shirts, etc… More details will be sent home next week.
**We’ve begun Ch. 1 in Math. We’ll be working on positional words like under, over, above, below, in, out, left, right, etc. Please review practice pages that come home in your child’s folder.
**We will begin “Show and Tell” next week too. Please help your child to find an item or two around the house that begins with the /l/ sound to share with the class. Please keep in mind- - - the items should not be valuable and should fit into a brown paper bag or your child’s school bag. Our show and tell day will be every Friday.

**I’m sure the children have been telling you bits and pieces of our day. If you have any questions, please ask. The following is a general outline:
· We begin each day with the calendar, month, and days of the week song.
· We have a morning message each day.
· We count the days of school and learn about place value.
· We do patterning with shapes, numbers, and letters.
· We do an analogy or “thinking puzzle” some days. The boys and girls have to see how the items are related and make the connection to fill in the missing link. This is something new and hopefully it will be challenging for students. Please ask your child to share this with you daily and review the analogy.
· Kid Writing will begin in a few weeks. This will take some time to develop. The students work on an activity while I work individually or in small groups with those doing Kid Writing.
· Saxon Phonics is where we learn our letters and sounds of the week. We will start next week with letter Ll.
· We are starting a brand new reading series this year.
· We will work on developing our handwriting skills both in class and at home with homework.
· Snack time is from 1:45-2:00 daily.
· We do all kinds of graphing activities and Math pages from our series, Harcourt.
· We have Literature/Story Time and Predictable charts and will make class books.
· Lunch is from 11:15-11:50 daily.
· Recess is 11:50-12:25 daily.
· We will use FOSS Science units and lessons and will explore trees, small animals, paper, and wood.
· We will do Theme-related activities such as seasonal items, science, social studies, health, art activities, and special projects.
· We will continue with “ME STEW” until each child has had a chance to share with the class. Don’t forget to send in items for the ME STEW pot for your child’s scheduled day.

**Please continue to check your child’s communication folder daily and if you haven’t already returned all the school forms and necessary paperwork, then please return them as soon as possible.
*** Please remember to pack a snack with your child each day. It may help if you “brown bag” and label snack on one bag and “lunch” on the other if they are packing. I have a feeling that some children may be eating their snack with their lunch and then have nothing left. Also, if your child is a buyer, they still need a snack and drink!

**I hope your child has enjoyed his/her first week and is looking forward to returning on Tuesday.
Thanks!!
Mrs. Reinoehl

Week of August 31- Sept. 4, 2009

2009-08-31T02:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Kindergarten! This week we will be learning the routines of school. Please remember to check your child's folder each day and return any papers that need to be returned. We will have a snack break in the afternoon. Please send in a healthy snack and drink for your child each day. It is helpful to keep your child's snack separate from their lunch if they are a packer.

We will begin something called "me stew" this week. Each day two children will bring in a few small items or pictures from home to talk about. This is a great activity for everyone to get to know each other better. I will send home a short note explaining this along with an assigned date for your child to bring in their items.
Have a great week!!

week of May 26 - 29, 2009

2009-05-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
*Next week in Phonics we will be learning the Rule vc’/cv (vowel consonant, consonant vowel) as in napkin, after, and number. When we have a word with two vowel sounds we have to separate the word into syllables. We look for a vowel pattern and when we have vccv we divide the word between the consonants. The first syllable is usually accented so we can read it correctly. For example: nap’/kin af’/ter num’/ber
*Thank you to all the PTO and the parents who helped with the Carnival last Friday. It was a FUN time for all!!
*Students who went on the field trip on Wednesday to Lake Tobias (Bernosky, Piatt, Potts, and Tarantelli) had a wonderful time. The weather was great and the animals WILD!!! Thank you to all the chaperones who went along and helped make the day a success.
*Kindergarten Graduation will be held in the High School Auditorium on Friday, May 29th beginning at 9:30. Doors will open @ 9:00am—NO EARLIER! The program will begin at 9:30 sharp so please keep that in mind and allow for time to park and find a seat. There are no reserved seats or a limit to the number of guests per student, therefore, Seating is on a first come first serve basis! There will be light refreshments served afterwards.
~If you are planning a special afternoon for your child after graduation please be sure to sign your child out. We will have a sign out sheet available at the High School to avoid the hassle of coming back to the elementary school. Keep in mind the program will end before our scheduled lunch time.
~If your child has a sibling in another grade and you would like him/her to attend the Kindergarten program, then you must send a note with him/her to allow them to be released from his/her class, and he/she will need to be taken to the high school with you. Kindergarten will be transported separately.
~A Kindergarten Graduation DVD of photos taken throughout the year will be shown at graduation. Copies will be available for sale at graduation. If you are interested in purchasing a DVD, the cost will be $10. It will be CASH and CARRY that day. (Please NO checks!)
*There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, May 25th due to the Memorial Day holiday.
*Report cards will be given to your child on the last day of school, June 2nd. Anyone not in school will be considered absent and report cards will be in the office for parents to come and pick up.

Week of April 27 - May 1

2009-04-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News

v Next week in Phonics we will be learning the two sounds of digraph oo as in the words hook and tooth. Please review digraphs ck, sh, and voiced and unvoiced th. We will not have Show and Tell.

v In Math we will be moving on with Chapter 12: Subtraction. We will learn to subtract objects from a larger group of objects. We will also learn to read and complete subtraction sentences. Students will “take away” to find out “how many are left?”

v FYI: Any boys and girls involved in tee-ball and are a part of a team are discouraged from wearing their team baseball caps to school. It has been said that players will not be allowed on the field without their team caps, and we do not want to have any hats lost or left at school on game days.

v We are approaching the end of the year testing for kindergarten. Each child will be tested by the Reading teachers. Children will need to write a dictated sentence, recognize, write, and give the sound of every letter of the alphabet, be fluent in phonemic segmentation, be able to provide a word that begins with every letter of the alphabet, and be able to use a word in a sentence. Please try at home to work on some of the areas to be tested to ensure that your child is fully prepared.

v Field trip permission slips are being sent home in your child’s folder. Please complete, sign, and return the permission slip form as soon as possible. Kindergarten will be traveling to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in Halifax on either Wednesday, May 13th (rain date Thursday, May 14th) or Wednesday, May 20th (rain date Thursday, May 21st) depending on your child’s homeroom. **Just a reminder: Students will need to wear their red North Schuylkill T-shirts on the field trip—so be sure you have it ready.

Other Upcoming Dates:
Carnival Day – Friday, May 15th
Memorial Day/ No School – Monday, May 25th
Kindergarten Graduation – Friday, May 29th @ 9:30 am

week of april 20, 2009

2009-04-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
~Next week we will be focusing on the two sounds of digraph th. It makes a voiced (vibrating) sound as in feather and an unvoiced sound as in thimble. This is difficult so going over daily worksheets to review would be helpful! Please continue to practice writing and reviewing sounds with your child at home. For Show and Tell your child can bring something that contains either or both of the digraph th sounds.
~In the upcoming week we will be talking about the environment to prepare for Earth Day on April 22nd. Earth day is a day to remember to take care of our planet by keeping it clean. We will discuss the important rule that tells us to “reduce, reuse, and recycle” and how following this rule can make a difference! Perhaps as a family you could plan a special Earth Day project for at home in your neighborhood!
~We will continue in Math with Chapter 11: Addition. Take some time to practice adding two sets or groups together to find “How many in all?”
~DIBELS testing will begin on Monday and continue through the month. All students in grades K-6 will be tested for the last time this school year.
~Even though spring has arrived, we do have several weeks of school remaining. Students need to try and stay focused on their schoolwork and to continue to do their best. Let’s try to finish the school year with lots of effort and good behavior!!!

Week of April 14 - 17, 2009

2009-04-14T05:38:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
Next week we will be learning the digraph sh as in shark and ship. We will try to have Show & Tell with items containing the digraph sh anywhere in the word. Please continue to practice all letter sounds at home!
In Math, we will be moving on with Chapter 11 Addition. Discuss with your child what skills he/she is learning and for extra practice review the completed work sent home each day.
School will be closed for Spring Break on Thursday, Friday, and Monday. Doors will reopen on Tuesday, April 14th. It will be Day 6 on the special classes’ schedule. Please remember library books or sneakers as needed.
Thank you to all the homeroom helpers who helped with the Easter Parties and Egg Hunt on Monday. It was really fun and EGG-citing!!
Teacher Appreciation Week will be May 4-9. Nomination forms are being sent home in your child’s folder. Students can nominate their favorite teacher to win a Fairlane Village Mall prize package! Students will need to tell who their favorite teacher is and why, and they will get the chance to win a prize package—one for them and one for the teacher whom they have nominated! Additional forms can be obtained in the mall office or online at www.shopfairlanevillage.com Deadline for entry is April 24th. **Completed forms can be returned to the mall office, where they will be displayed beginning May 4th. Entries must be on the provided nomination form to be eligible. Winners will be announced May 11th.
As part of the spring season and our FOSS Science curriculum, Kindergarten will be learning about Living Things and Animals. Over the next month, we will be getting a close up look at Goldfish and Guppies, the life cycle of the painted lady butterfly, and maybe even some worms or insects!

Week of April 6 - 8, 2009

2009-04-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News

Next week in Phonics we will be reviewing the letters and sounds of all the vowels and consonants and the phonics rules learned so far this school year. Please take some time to practice at home too!

Next week we will have “Easter Egg Show & Tell”. With the Easter holiday coming next week, students’ show and tell can be anything they can fit into a plastic Easter egg. Eggs will be sent home with your child. Boys and girls should be prepared to give clues for the class to guess “what’s inside” the eggs!

The Easter Party will be held on Monday, April 6th from 12:30 to 2:00pm. There will be NO school for teachers and students Thurs., April 9th, Friday, April 10th and Monday, April 13th. On Wed., April 8th there will be a two hour early dismissal for students.

Kindergarten graduation pictures will be taken in the morning Tuesday, April 7th for Mrs. Tarantelli and Mrs. Potts, and afternoon for Miss Leibig and Mrs. Reinoehl’s classes and on Wednesday, April 8th in the morning for Mrs. Bernosky and Mrs. Piatt, and afternoon Mrs. Borden/Mrs. Jones’ classes. Envelopes were sent home with portrait package information. If interested in purchasing pictures, then please return the money before or on the day of pictures. **Each child will be photographed as part of a class photo even if a package is not purchased, so please plan on your child wearing a WHITE COLLARED SHIRT and girls, no hairstyles on top of your heads or hair accessories, because you will be wearing graduation caps and gowns! Girls will be wearing red gowns w/ blue hats and boys will be wearing blue gowns with red hats.

FYI:
*Report cards are to be signed and returned as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher.
*When we return from the holiday break on Tuesday, April 14th, we will be on Day 6 of the special classes’ rotation schedule.

week of march 30 - April 3

2009-03-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News

Next week in Phonics we will learn the digraph ck as in duck. Show & Tell can be any item that has the digraph ck as part of the word (for example; truck, black, chicken, etc…). Please follow your classroom schedule.

Tuesday is the last day of the month and it will be the last day for the Pizza Hut Book It program for this school year. Any completed March calendars should be returned by next Friday, April 3rd. Pizza coupons will be sent home at the time they are returned. Thank you for your participation and Congratulations to those students who met their reading goal each month from October through March!

On Thursday, April 2nd Kindergarten will take part in a “Teddy Bear Clinic”, and volunteers from the Pottsville Hospital will be visiting our Kindergarten classes. Students are asked to bring a teddy bear to school that day. (If a teddy bear isn’t available, then any stuffed animal will do; preferably one with an arm) One per child is all that is needed.
Reminder: Kindergarten Physicals will also be held on Thursday, April 2nd.

The Easter vacation has been revised. There will be NO school for teachers and students Thurs., April 9th, Friday, April 10th and Monday, April 13th. On Wed., April 8th there will be a two hour early dismissal for students. Due to the changes and scheduling of graduation pictures our Easter Party will be held on Monday, April 6th from 12:30 to 2:00pm.

Kindergarten graduation pictures will be taken in the morning Tuesday, April 7th for Mrs. Tarantelli and Mrs. Potts, and afternoon for Miss Leibig and Mrs. Reinoehl’s classes and on Wednesday, April 8th in the morning for Mrs. Bernosky and Mrs. Piatt, and afternoon Mrs. Borden/Mrs. Jones’ classes. Envelopes were sent home with portrait package information. If interested in purchasing pictures, then please return the money before or on the day of pictures. **Each child will be photographed as part of a class photo even if a package is not purchased, so please plan on your child wearing a WHITE COLLARED SHIRT and girls, no hairstyles on top of your heads because you will be wearing graduation caps and gowns! Girls will be wearing red gowns w/ blue hats and boys will be wearing blue gowns with red hats.
FYI: Kindergarten Graduation will be held on Friday, May 29th @ 9:30 am! Please mark your calendars.

The 4th and last marking period has now begun—less than 45 school days left until summer vacation!!
Report cards will be sent home on Tuesday, March 31st. Please sign and return them as soon as possible.

Week of March 23 - 27, 2009

2009-03-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News

· Next week in Phonics we will be learning long vowel sounds: /a/ as in acorn; /e/ as in equal; /i/ as in icicle; /o/ as in overalls; and /u/ as in unicorn.
There will be NO Show & Tell.

Kindergarten Physicals will be held on Thursday, April 2nd . Please be sure to return your purple form for the nurse if you haven’t done so already. **Note: Not all students received purple forms.

· The 3rd marking period will end on Wednesday, March 25th. It is hard to believe that starting Thursday, there will be only 45 more days of school left until summer vacation!!! Report cards for the 3rd marking period will be sent home on Tuesday, March 31st.

· On Monday, March 23rd and Thursday, March 26th Kindergarten will visit the Bronx Zoo via Distance Learning Videoconference in the LGI room. Boys and girls will learn about how some animals move and how and what they eat. Be sure to ask your child what he/she experienced!!!

FYI: Monday through Thursday mornings next week the Kindergarten teachers will be taking turns visiting the Child Development Center in Ft. Springs to meet the boys and girls who will be attending Kindergarten next year at NSE and to help transition students to Kindergarten. Substitute teachers will be covering the classes for the morning. Please remind your child to be on his/her best behavior. Thank you!

week of March 16 - 20, 2009

2009-03-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten News
· Next week we will be learning the letter Qq as in quilt. The girls will finally get to be Queens for a Day on Wednesday, March 18th! We will learn about combination “qu” too. The boys and girls may even be invited to participate in a special wedding ceremony for Q and U!

· For Show and Tell we will try something a little different, we will try a Question and Answer time. Students are asked to be prepared to ask a classmate, the whole class, or the teacher 2 questions. We are hoping students learn question words and learn to ask questions rather than “tell stories”. Please follow your class schedule!

· In Math, we will be starting Chapter 10: Data, Graphing, and Probability. Boys and girls need to keep identifying the coins; penny, nickel, and dime, and know each coin’s value, and to be able to tell time to the hour. Also, keep practice counting to 100 for our end of the marking period testing.

· Monday is a scheduled Act 80 day for teachers. There will be NO SCHOOL for students.

· Tuesday is St. Patrick’s Day -- Don’t forget to wear something green. It could be your lucky day!!!

· Below are the tentative dates for the Kindergarten Field Trip and Kindergarten Graduation:
Field Trip to Lake Tobias:
**Wednesday, May 13th (Rain date Thursday, May 14th ) -- Borden, Leibig, and Reinoehl
**Wednesday, May 20th (Rain date Thursday, May 21st) --
Bernosky, Piatt, Potts, and Tarantelli
Please note that not all of Kindergarten will go on the field trip on
the same day.
Kindergarten Graduation:
**Friday, May 29th -- beginning promptly at 9:30am at the High School Auditorium. (All Kindergarten classes)
Friday, March 20th will be the first day of Spring. Yahoo!

Week of March 2 - 6, 2009

2009-03-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News

~Thisweek we will be working on the letter Xx as in fox and x-ray. Students will go on a treasure hunt throughout the building to find the “X” that marks the spot of their hidden treasure! How exciting!!! There will be NO Show and Tell.

~In Math we will be starting Chapter 9: Measurement. We will learn to measure how long objects are, how heavy different objects are, and compare how much different containers hold. We will also continue to practice money using pennies, nickels, and dimes, using a calendar and telling time to the hour.

~Monday is Read Across America Day in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday. We will be reading some great books and making some fun things to go along with the stories. We are also having a special guest reader visiting our classroom. On Friday, February 27th some students from Bloomsburg University visited our classrooms to read Dr. Seuss books and did a follow up activity with the students. Be sure to ask your child about their visit!

~February Pizza Hut Calendars will need to be returned thisweek. March will be the last month for the Pizza Hut Book-It Program this school year. Try to read at least 5 times per week throughout the month to earn your last pizza coupon!

~Newspaper in Education Week is a program sponsored by the Pottsville Republican & Herald to promote interest in the newspaper in our schools. It will be starting on Monday, March 2nd and continue through Friday, March 6th. Be sure to read the additional notes sent in your child’s folder. **Teacher Ads will be found in the classified section Monday through Friday, and the “I’m a Reader” contracts will need to be returned the following week.

Week of February 23 - 27, 2009

2009-02-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
**This week we will be learning about the consonant letter Jj and its sound as in jump and jar. Please continue practicing writing and identifying all the letters we have learned so far. Instead of the usual Show & Tell we are asking that students tell a joke to the class rather than show a Jj item. If you do not know a joke, you could do an internet search for kids’ jokes and riddles, look for a joke book at the library or local bookstore, or check out the Mini page jokes in the newspaper. Be prepared to laugh your way through the week!
**In Math we will continue working on Chapter 8; Money and Time. Students will be identifying the coins penny, nickel, and dime and the values of each, and telling time to the hour and using a calendar. Continue to work on counting in patterns of 1’s 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s.
**Just a reminder: February Pizza Hut Calendars are due back at the end of the month. March calendars will be enclosed in your child’s folder next Friday. (March will be the last month for this program this school year.) Happy Reading!!!
**Newspaper in Education Week will be coming up the first week in March. Please look for papers next week explaining the planned activities.
**Don’t forget to brush and floss your teeth at least 2 times a day! Your smile is counting on you!!!

Week of February 17 - 20, 2009

2009-02-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

· The letter we will be working on in Phonics this week will be Vv and its sound as in vest and Valentine. Show & Tell will follow your classroom schedule. Keep practicing letters, sounds, and blending sounds into words.

· In Math we will be working on Chapter 8: Money and Time. Practice with the coins penny, nickel, and dime and begin practicing to tell time to the hour.

· The “Kindergarten has Heart” Family Fun Night on Wednesday, February 11th was a big success! Close to 80 families attended and hopefully got in the mood to talk about their feelings. The winners of the $25 movie certificates (compliments of the NS teachers) were the families of Jada Fidler and Marcella Troutman and the door prize winners were Molly Lapachinsky, Nevaida Rau, Kody Schell, Zachary Schrag, Michael Sterner, Annabelle Workman, and Tessa Heiser. Congratulations!
Thank you to all who participated.

· Thank you to all PTO homeroom helpers for helping with the Valentine’s Day classroom party on Friday. Students had a LOVEly time. It was SWEET of you to volunteer! XOXO
Happy Valentine’s Day!

week of February 9 - 13,2009

2009-02-09T03:29:00.000-08:00

Letter Dd and its sound as in dog will be our focus in Phonics this week. We will not have Show & Tell, but in its place we will be giving our dinosaur reports. Please follow your classroom schedule! **Details and information about the reports were sent home in your child’s folder.
§ In Math we will be working on Chapter 8; Money and Time. Students will be learning to identify the coins penny, nickel, and dime and the values of each. Please continue to practice counting to 100 by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s, and writing numbers correctly to 30.
§ Friday, February 13th @ 1:30 we will have our Valentine’s party. Anyone who has not yet turned in his/her $4.00 party money is asked to send it in as soon as possible. Also, remember to bring your valentines to school one day next week and don’t forget to include all the students in the class so no one has hurt feelings. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
§ February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Please encourage your child to brush his/her teeth at least twice a day and to practice good dental health habits.
§ Monday night @ 6:30 there will be a PTO meeting in the school cafeteria. All are invited and encouraged to attend.
§ “Kindergarten has Heart” Family Fun Night will be held on Wednesday, February 11th from 6:00-7:30pm in the school cafeteria. Anyone who plans to attend and has not yet responded, should do so as soon as possible so refreshments and supplies can be prepared. Let’s all get in the mood for some FUN

week of February 2 - 6,2009

2009-02-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

Monday, Feb. 2nd is Groundhog’s Day—check to see if Phil sees his shadow and whether or not there will be 6 more weeks of winter or an early spring!
Tuesday, Feb. 3rdth is our 100th day of school! We will be looking forward to seeing the boys and girls look like they are 100 years old!! Don’t forget a collection of 100 too!
· Wednesday, Feb. 11th is the Kindergarten Family Fun Night, “Kindergarten has Heart”, from 6-7:30pm in the NSE cafeteria. Parents, students, and teachers will have the opportunity to spend an evening together playing games and learning about feelings and emotions. Light refreshments will be served. There will even be door prizes and a chance to win movie tickets for 2 lucky families. Please return your pink form by Tuesday, February 3rd, so refreshments can be ordered and materials and supplies prepared.
***Please note that this is NOT the PTO sponsored “Fun Night” (originally a dance) scheduled for Friday, February 13th. ***
There may have been some confusion with notes sent home and the two events being held in the same week

Week of January 26 - 30, 2009

2009-01-25T18:33:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
~~In Phonics this week we will be learning the vowel letter Ee with its short sound as in elephant and egg. We will be focusing on the short vowel sound. We will try Show and Tell, so start looking for an item to share!
~~In Math we will continue with counting to 100 using a hundred square. Please practice at home counting orally to 100 by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s and 10’s.
~~Monday, February 2nd is our tentative 100th day of school! We are looking forward to a day filled with “100” activities. Students are asked to dress as if they were 100 years old and to bring their own bagged collection of 100 items to school. (A detailed note is being sent home explaining our activities for the 100th day.)
~~Homeroom parents have begun planning for the Valentine’s Day party, so please send in your child’s party money as soon as possible. We have asked for $4.00 to cover the cost of the Valentine’s and Easter parties.
~~Kindergarten is planning a Family Fun night on Wednesday, February 11th for Kindergarten students and their parents/guardians. Our theme is “Kindergarten has Heart” and we will be doing various activities relating to feelings and emotions. Parents are asked to complete and return the bottom portion of the pink note enclosed in your child’s folder, so refreshments and supplies can be purchased and plans completed. Thank you!
~~Report cards were sent home Friday, January 23rd. Parents are asked to sign and return the bottom portion. Review, sign, and return the report card as soon as possible.

week of January 19-23,2009

2009-01-18T12:53:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
· This week we will be learning the letter Cc with a /k/ sound as in cat and candy. We will learn the K & C Spelling Rule. The rule is that we spell the /k/ sound with the letter k when the sound is followed by the letters e, i, and y. We spell the /k/ sound with the letter c when the sound is followed by the letters a, o, u, and any consonant. For example:
K before e, i, or y
keg kid milky
C before a, o, u, or any consonant
cat cot cup clip
We will have letter Cc Show and Tell so start looking for your Cc item to share with the class!
· There will be NO SCHOOL for the students on Monday, January 19th due to a teacher in-service day. Students who have book exchange or gym class on Tuesday are reminded to bring their library books or wear sneakers.
· Our 100th day is just ten school days away!!! Please practice counting from 0-100 and watch for a 100th day newsletter with more information about our celebration.
· Report cards will be sent home on Friday, January 23rd. Please sign and return as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns please contact your child’s teacher.
· Since we are half way through Kindergarten we are asking that each student practice tying his/her shoes. This is a skill that we would like to see your child master before first grade. Remember, Practice Makes Perfect!

Week of January 12- 16, 2009

2009-01-11T15:09:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
This week in Phonics we will be learning the consonant letter Zz as in zebra and zoo. Show & Tell will continue this Friday.

In Math, we will finish work on Chapter 6: Numbers 10-30. Please practice counting numbers and sets, using ten frames, and identifying and writing numbers; especially eleven, twelve, and the “teens”.

Monday, January 12th will be the monthly PTO Meeting @ 6:30pm. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend. Students have received their red North Schuylkill Elementary T-shirts as a gift from the PTO! Students are welcome to wear their shirts for Spirit days and as often as they like, however we are asking that parents keep in mind the T-shirts will be needed for class field trips and possibly some other school activities. Please keep them on hand for such events! (Keep in mind that if your child’s shirt is lost or damaged, parents will be responsible for purchasing a new one.)

Just a reminder: The Dress Code Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13th @ 6:30pm. Please plan to attend!

· The second marking period will be ending this week and we will be testing. Students will be asked to write correctly their first and last names, numbers 0-10, and capital and lowercase letters learned (a, b, f, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, and t). They will need to identify letter sounds, numbers 0-10, count orally to 30, basic shapes, and rhyming words. Students will be asked to blend 2, 3, and 4 letter words and read some learned high frequency sight words. Please take some time to review these skills with your child. Report cards will be sent home some time the following week.

Congratulations to all students who successfully completed their United States’ reports! We are so proud of you. It was a fun and educational way to learn about some of the states in our country. Thank you to all the parents who helped “prepare” the children for their first oral report.

Monday, January 12th will be Day 4. (Please check your child’s special classes’ schedule.)

week of January 5- 9, 2009

2009-01-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

In Phonics, this week we will be working on the vowel letter Uu and the sounds of /u/ as in umbrella and unicorn. We will focus on the short vowel sound like up, under, and uncle. Please continue to review all letters learned and blending 2,3, and 4 letter words. We will NOT have Show & Tell; instead we will be doing reports on some states of the United States. Students will be showing and telling some information about an assigned state as part of an oral report and research project! (More information will be found in your child’s folder.)
· In Math we will continue with Chapter 6: Numbers 10-30. Please practice counting numbers and sets, review using ten frames, and identifying and writing numbers; especially eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fifteen. We will also be starting Chapter 7 which focuses on counting up to 100.

Monday will be day 6 in our rotation. We will have book exchange. Tuesday will be gym class so please remember to wear sneakers or send them in to wear.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and is ready to get back to learning.

week of December 15-19, 2008

2008-12-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News

~Next week in Phonics we will be learning the letter Bb and its sound as in boys and bells. Start looking for your Show & Tell!
~In Math we will be working on Chapter 6: Numbers 10-30. The names for 11, 12, 13, and 15 may be harder for your child to remember since they do not contain the familiar number names one, two, three, and five. Try to review them often.
~The school Christmas Concert, grades K-6, will be held on Monday, December 22nd in the high school auditorium. All are invited to attend. The program will begin @ 9:30 am.
~The classroom Christmas parties will also be held on Monday, December 22nd from 1:30-3:00 pm. *Please note the change from Tues., December 23rd due to an early dismissal for students on Tuesday, 12/23.

Week of December 8-12, 2008

2008-12-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
**Next week we will be learning the consonant letter Kk as in kite and kangaroo. On Tuesday, December 9th the boys will be “Kings for a Day” and the girls will have to be extra nice to the boys that day! (Girls will be returned the favor when we learn the letter Q for queen.) Start looking for your Show and Tell for the letter Kk.
**In math we will finish Chapter 5: Geometry and Fractions (solid and plane shapes, symmetry, and equal parts for one half, one fourth, and a whole). Please review at home.
**Please remind your child to keep up with his/her schoolwork and behavior. With the excitement of the holiday approaching, students need to remember school is not finished yet! Thank you for your support.
**The NS High School Rotary Interact Club is sponsoring a Christmas Party for the district’s Kindergarten students on Sunday, December 14th from 2-4pm @ the cafeteria of St. Catherine’s Medical Center. Please return your responses (from the bottom of the invitation sent home before the Thanksgiving break) no later than Wednesday, December 10th .
**Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to be Santa’s helpers for the PTO Santa’s Shop. The students really enjoyed shopping!! (Kindergarten will be able to shop again, as needed, on Wednesday, December 10th from 12:30-3:00. The shop will close on Friday, December 12th.)
** The monthly PTO Meeting will be held on Monday, December 8th @ 6:30pm in the school cafeteria. All are invited to attend!
**December is a busy month! Be sure to check your monthly school calendar for dates and times of upcoming holiday events!!

week of December 2 - 5, 2008

2008-12-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
· In Phonics we will be learning the letter Rr and its sound as in rabbit and radio. This is our 13th letter so we will be half way through the alphabet! Please continue to review all letters and sounds learned so far, and follow your classroom schedule for Show & Tell.
· We do not have school on Monday, December 1st. School will reopen on Tuesday, December 2nd. Tuesday will be Day 6 for special classes—just a reminder to bring library books for book exchange.
· In Math we will continue working in Chapter 5: Geometry and Fractions. Please review solid and plane shapes.
· Just a reminder, Santa’s Shop will be here the week of Dec. 2nd through Dec. 12th. Kindergarten is scheduled to shop first on December 3rd and 4th (see schedule below), with an extra date of Wednesday, December 10th from 12:30-3:00, if needed. If your child is shopping, please secure any money in an envelope and return it on the day he/she will shop.
December 3rd December 4th
9:00-9:45 Bernosky 9:00-9:45 Reinoehl
9:45-10:30 Borden 9:45-10:30 Tarantelli
12:30-1:15 Leibig
1:15-2:00 Piatt 1:30-2:00 Potts

week of November 24 - 26

2008-11-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten News
** Next week we will continue our Thanksgiving Theme and will celebrate our own Kindergarten Thanksgiving. Each class of Kindergarten students will watch Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving and have a “Thanksgiving Snack”.
Thank you to Boyer’s and Redner’s grocery stores for donating brown bags for the Kindergarten to make Indian vests.
**Since we have a 3 day week next week we will be reviewing in Phonics. Keep practicing letter and sound identification and blending 3 and 4 letter words. There will be No Show & Tell next week!
**For Math, we will learn to recognize and identify different geometric shapes such as; cone, sphere, cylinder, and cube. We will also learn about equal parts. Try to review plane shapes (circle, square, triangle, and rectangle) and solid figures and find objects around your home that are these shapes!
**Wednesday, November 26th will be our last day of school before the holiday break. There will be NO SCHOOL on Thursday, Friday, and Monday, November 27-December 1st. School reopens on Tuesday, December 2nd.
**Santa’s Shop will be here the week of Dec. 2nd through Dec. 12th. This is an optional program for your child to buy Christmas gifts for the special people in his/her life. Each class has a day and time to shop. Kindergarten is scheduled to shop first on December 3rd and 4th (see schedule below), with an extra date of Wednesday, December 10th from 12:30-3:00, if needed. If your child is shopping, please secure any money in an envelope and return it on the day he/she will shop.
December 3rd December 4th
9:00-9:45 Bernosky 9:00-9:45 Reinoehl
9:45-10:30 Borden 9:45-10:30 Tarantelli
12:30-1:15 Leibig
1:15-2:00 Piatt 1:30-2:00 Potts
Monday will be Day 3 on the special classes’ schedule.
Have a Fantastic weekend!