We're Off and Running ~ September 15, 2016

Post date: Sep 17, 2016 4:11:51 PM

It was wonderful to see all of you at Back to School Night. Thank you so much for coming!

We've had another really busy week jammed full of fun and learning! I'm guessing your little ones are tired this week! We had our first outdoor learning experience in the garden and had a great time learning about all of the plants that are growing there as well as the critters who live there. We got to harvest and taste some of the delicious fruits and veggies, and that was really exciting. Our 3rd grade buddies came to help us with a Literacy activity that we were doing and then we got to read books with them. We had our first fire drill and learned how to line up and quickly exit the building to go to our designated place outside.

We have now learned 3 heart words : I we love

We have been introduced to several different math stations and have had some time to do free exploration with the materials. Having this opportunity allows us to be a bit more focused and on task when we are using the materials for specific learning activities.

Our Apple unit is fully underway. In addition to learning about the apple life cycle we have been reading books about apples, singing songs about apples, reciting poems about apples, doing apple artwork and writing about apples. Next week we will do some sampling of different varieties and describing the different flavors we taste.

In math we continue to do some sorting and have been discussing the attributes (shape, color, size, etc.) that we can sort by.

Just a reminder that PICTuRE DAY is September 22nd. Order forms went home in Friday Folders the first week of school. Please be sure to send in your order form.

Also, we will be doing our MAPS assessment on the 22nd. The MAPS assessment is a school wide assessment that we use to gain information specifically for goal setting.

"Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) creates a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student’s learning level—precisely measuring student progress and growth for each individual." -

Our procedure for parents picking up their child at the end of the day (for walk-up pick ups) has changed! This is in an effort to reduce some of the congestion in the foyer and hallways and to make sure our kiddos get to the proper place safely. You are asked to come to the classroom between 3:10 and 3:15 to collect your child. We know this is a great opportunity for parents to visit with one another but we ask that you head out of the building to do your socializing so that our bus, after care and community school kiddos don't get lost in the chaos. We've had quite a few tears and worries little ones because of all of the traffic and confusion.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Kate