Welcome to the JK/SK website for your child's class this year.  I will post important information, copies of newsletters and useful websites.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to e-mail or call (519) 352-8252.

November 30, 2009

Welcome back! Check in every week for updates and news from our classroom!

Interviews are coming up at the beginning of December.  I will be available for interviews on Wednesday December 3rd and Thursday December 4th.  However, please note that the interviews will take place in my resource office on Thursday evening.  Your child will receive a checklist of what we are currently observing in the classroom and we will have the opportunity to discuss your child's progress.

Try to find words around the house or out in the community that start or have some of the sounds that we've been working on in them!  Please also practice with your child all of the letters that we have learned: s, a, t, l, m, i, e, c/k, r and n! 

In math we are counting objects and sorting numbers.  Practice writing, finding and identifying numbers around the house. 

We are continuing our exploration of space.  We are singing songs about the Earth and learning about the planets and stars!

Reminders: 

Library Day - Library day is every Monday.  Please remember to send your child's book back to school.

Milk Money/Tickets - If you would like your child to purchase milk at school, please put the money/ticket in the communication bag.  This makes it easier for me to locate them and I have the information prior to nutrition break. Thank you! :o)

Important News:

Snowsuit season is almost upon us.  Please practice with your child at home putting on coats, boots, mitts, hats, etc.  This will facilitate the process at school.  Thank you!

Just a reminder to label all your child's items and return the communication bag every day.  Also, please ensure your child has indoor shoes and a change of clothes for spills and muddy days.

 

Important Days:

Monday:

• Library Day
• DQPE

Wednesday:

• Music
• Phys. Ed.
  

 Friday: 

• DQPE
  
  

Strategies to Help Your Child Succeed:

• Talk to your child about their school day such as new words and favourite songs.
• Read to your child every day.  Although they are learning a second language, reading strategies transfer between languages and exposure to a wide variety of reading materials is essential to your child's education.
• Encourage your child's interests by providing reading materials on a variety of topics.  If they express an interest in a theme we are working on at school, you could provide additional materials about that topic.
• Include games involving daily mathematics in your home routines.  Counting, sorting, patterning are all things we do on a daily basis that we often don't count as "math" but are important skills for mathematical understanding.
• When you read to your child, make the experience interactive - ask questions about the story, the pictures, and what they think of the characters.
• Have your child predict outcomes in a variety of situations including during stories.
• Create a link between drawing and writing, and make sure your child always signs finished artwork.
• Inspire your child by examples of beautiful artwork in museums, galleries and books.
• If you go for a country walk, try collecting leaves of different shapes, looking for insects or signs of wild animals
• Around holidays, think about all the things that are different to home - buildings, clothes, food, customs, etc.

Lunch Breaks and Recess:

Our school schedule is on the balanced day, so students have two nutritional breaks instead of two recesses and a lunch break.  Your child will have two 20 minute periods to eat followed by 20 minutes of outdoor play time.  Our first break is at 11:15 and children will be encouraged to eat half of their lunch at this time.  Our second break is at 1:35.  

White and Chocolate milk is available at the first nutrition break for $1.  You may also purchase milk tickets at the office.  

**** Please Note *****

We have a number of children with severe peanut and nut allergies in the school.  We are a nut-safe facility.  Please do not send any items that contain peanuts, tree nuts or traces of nut oils to school.  Thank you so much!

Please check in often for classroom information, updates and helpful websites!

Useful Websites:

Starfall:http://www.starfall.com
This is an excellent English-language tool to help with reading strategies.

Games for K-2:http://funschool.kaboose.com/parent-teacher/k-2/games/

Dance Mat Typing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

French Language Games: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryfrench/index_flash.shtml