Weekly Updates

Hi Everyone, 

Wow..it is hard to believe that we entering the final week before March Break. Thank you to everyone who was able to make Parent/Teacher Interviews. It was so nice to chat about each child's progress and their next steps. Please read below for important updates this week:

Fundations

We will continue to work on Unit 10 in Fundations this week where students are learning to segment and blend up to 5 sounds in a closed syllable word. We continue to introduce new vowel teams which students are applying directly to their reading. This week we will learn the oa, oe, ow, ou, and oo vowel teams. Trick words introduced this week will be: any and many. I will send home a letter this week outlining the concepts covered in Unit 10 as well as optional practice activities.

Math Homework

A new math homework log was sent home for the month of March. A doubles fact sheet was previously sent home with students, providing a visual support to help students remember their double facts. It would be great if you could take a few moments in the evening to review the double facts with your child. These double facts become the basis for several addition strategies we will introduce over the coming weeks. Quick recall of double facts with answers to 20 will help to support the use of other addition strategies going forward.

Easter Seals Fundraiser

Throughout the next few weeks, West Royalty will participate in several fundraising opportunities for Easter Seals. Easter Seals is an organization that focuses on enhancing the quality of life, self-esteem, and self-determination of individuals living with disabilities. Below are a few special activities planned at West Royalty Elementary:

• March 4th and 12th: West Royalty Croc Jibbitz Sale: Students can purchase West Royalty Croc Jibbitz for $5.00. A photo of the WRES Jibbitz can be found in the school newsletter. 

• March 12th - Wacky Tack Day: Pay a donation to Easter Seals and come wearing your wackiest tackiest ouftit! Plaid, Polka Dots, Stripes, Camo, TyeDye, Mismatch Socks ... we can't wait to see your crazy outfits!!

• March 24-31: Candy Jar Guess: At noon recess, students can purchase ballots to guess how many candies there are in the candy jar. Ballots are $1.00 each.

• March 27th - Neon Dance: All students are encouraged to wear bright colors and we will have a school-wide dance party throughout the day. Students are asked to donate $2.00. 

• April 9th - Pie in the Face: Additional details coming soon!

Important Dates:

March 13th-Be Seen in green

March 12th-Wacky Tacky Day and Jibbitz Sale

March 16th-20th: March Break-No Classes

Have a great week!

Danielle

Hi Everyone, 

Welcome to March! The students had a blast celebrating the 100th day of school on Friday. It is a four day week due to parent-teacher conferences on Thursday evening and Friday day. Please read below for important updates:

Math Homework

A new math homework log will be sent home for the month of March. A doubles fact sheet was previously sent home with students, providing a visual support to help students remember their double facts. It would be great if you could take a few moments in the evening to review the double facts with your child. These double facts become the basis for several addition strategies we will introduce over the coming weeks. Quick recall of double facts with answers to 20 will help to support the use of other addition strategies going forward.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Thank you to everyone for signing up for parent-teacher conferences. Since appointments are scheduled in 15-minute blocks. I look forward to chatting with you all about your child's progress!

Fundations

We will be wrapping up Unit 9 in Fundations this week and completing our end of unit assessment. The focus has been on identifying and marking up closed syllables as well as learning the sounds of a variety of vowel teams (ex: ai, ay, ee, ea, ey, oi, oy).

Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair will run from March 2-6! 1A will have the opportunity to attend the Book Fair on Monday, March 2nd. If you are interested in having your child purchase a book at school, please ensure you send in money in a bag/envelope on March 2. A book fair flyer went home last week which will give you an idea of available books and prices. If there is a particular book from the flyer your child is interested in purchasing, it would be great if you could write down the name of the book and send it in a bag/envelope with your child's money. Family purchasing will take place Thursday, March 5th from 3:00 - 7:00 pm and Friday, March 6th from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm.

Easter Seals Fundraiser

Throughout the next few weeks, West Royalty will participate in several fundraising opportunities for Easter Seals. Easter Seals is an organization that focuses on enhancing the quality of life, self-esteem, and self-determination of individuals living with disabilities. Below are a few special activities planned at West Royalty Elementary:

• March 4th and 12th: West Royalty Croc Jibbitz Sale: Students can purchase West Royalty Croc Jibbitz for $5.00. A photo of the WRES Jibbitz can be found in the school newsletter. 

• March 12th - Wacky Tack Day: Pay a donation to Easter Seals and come wearing your wackiest tackiest ouftit! Plaid, Polka Dots, Stripes, Camo, TyeDye, Mismatch Socks ... we can't wait to see your crazy outfits!!

• March 24-31: Candy Jar Guess: At noon recess, students can purchase ballots to guess how many candies there are in the candy jar. Ballots are $1.00 each.

• March 27th - Neon Dance: All students are encouraged to wear bright colors and we will have a school-wide dance party throughout the day. Students are asked to donate $2.00. 

• April 9th - Pie in the Face: Additional details coming soon!

Important Dates:

March 3 - Learning reports sent home
March 4 - Croc Jibbitz Sale - Easter Seals Fundraiser

March 5 - Parent- Teacher Conferences (evening only)

March 6 - Parent- Teacher Conferences - No school

Have a great week!

Danielle

Hi Everyone, 

Welcome to the last week of February! 1A enjoyed last weeks Winter Wellness activities. We had our local MLA, Gord McNeilly run a fitness session and they spent some time outdoors sledding. This will be an exciting week with our 100th day celebrations. Please read below for important information about the week.

Math Homework - 100th Day of School

The 100th Day of School is fast approaching! We will celebrate this milestone in lots of different ways in the coming weeks.  As part of our February math homework, students are asked to create/bring in one collection of 100 items which we will display in the classroom and share with our classmates as part of the 100th day of school.  The February homework log dedicates a few dates to work on this little project but your child can complete this task at a time that best suits your schedule. Students can show their creativity and use items they have around the house such as fruit loops, stickers, beads, pasta noodles, etc. We have been working on grouping objects by 5's and 10's to make our counting easier. Please send in your child's 100 item collection by Monday, February 23. If you have any questions about this project, please don't hesitate to reach out.

100th Day Celebration

Since today is a storm day, the 100th Day of School celebration will take place on Friday, February 27. The students are encouraged to dress like they are 100 years old as part of our celebration. Students can be creative with this and do not need to go out and buy a costume. A notice was sent home in their homework bags today outlining the celebration and some helpful ideas. Thank you for your support to make these milestones in our classroom exciting! 

Parent Teacher Conferences

A reminder that the online booking platform for Parent-Teacher Conferences will be available for bookings starting February 16th at 9am. I look forward to chatting with you all about our child's progress!

Fundations

We will continue with Unit 9 in Fundations this week where students are learning about closed syllables. A closed syllable ends in a consonant and only has one vowel. The vowel in a closed syllable is short, as in the word "math" or "cat". Students will learn to differentiate between closed and open syllables. We will continue to review vowel team sounds (ai, ay, ee, ea, and ey) which students will gain familiarity with when reading.  

Important Dates:

February 25 - Pink Shirt Day. Staff and students are encouraged to wear pink to bring awareness to bullying.

February 26 - 100th Day of School Celebration

March 3 - Learning reports sent home

March 5 - Parent- Teacher Conferences (evening only)

March 6 - Parent- Teacher Conferences - No school

Have a great week!

Danielle

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! We kicked off our week with a Valentine's celebration at the end of the day - there was lots of excitement as students enjoyed sharing a little token with their classmates! Please read below for important information about upcoming events, activities, and celebrations: 

Sledding

Students in 1A will go sledding for their Phys. Ed. class on Thursday, February 19. Please check your child's homework bag for a permission form that was sent home last week regarding the sledding activity. Students without a signed permission form will not be able to participate in sledding. Please ensure you specify whether or not your child will be wearing a helmet. If your child's form indicates they need a helmet, you will need to send one in with them on Thursday as helmets are not provided by the school.

Math Homework - 100th Day of School

The 100th Day of School is fast approaching! We will celebrate this milestone in lots of different ways in the coming weeks.  As part of our February math homework, students are asked to create/bring in one collection of 100 items which we will display in the classroom and share with our classmates as part of the 100th day of school.  The February homework log dedicates a few dates to work on this little project but your child can complete this task at a time that best suits your schedule. Students can show their creativity and use items they have around the house such as fruit loops, stickers, beads, pasta noodles, etc. We have been working on grouping objects by 5's and 10's to make our counting easier. Please send in your child's 100 item collection by Monday, February 23. If you have any questions about this project, please don't hesitate to reach out.

100th Day Celebration

Assuming we have no storm days between now and then, the 100th Day of School celebration will take place on Thursday, February 26. The students are encouraged to dress like they are 100 years old as part of our celebration. Students can be creative with this and do not need to go out and buy a costume. A notice was sent home in their homework bags today outlining the celebration and some helpful ideas. Thank you for your support to make these milestones in our classroom exciting! 

Parent Teacher Conferences

A reminder that the online booking platform for Parent-Teacher Conferences will be available for bookings starting February 16th at 9am. I look forward to chatting with you all about our child's progress!

Fundations

We will start Unit 9 in Fundations this week. Students will be taught the rules for identifying a closed syllable. A closed syllable ends in a consonant and only has one vowel. The vowel in a closed syllable is short, as in the word "math" or "cat". Students will also be introduced to some vowel team sounds (ai, ay, ee, ea, and ey).  The trick words for this week are: say and says. An information letter outlining concepts covered in this unit and optional practice activities was sent home. 

Important Dates:
February 19 - 1A Sledding for Phys. Ed

February 20 - Winter Wellness Day → School-wide fitness session in the gym.

February 25 - Pink Shirt Day. Staff and students are encouraged to wear pink to bring awareness to bullying.

February 26 - 100th Day of School Celebration

March 3 - Learning reports sent home

March 5 - Parent- Teacher Conferences (evening only)

March 6 - Parent- Teacher Conferences - No school

Have a great week!

Danielle

Hi Everyone, 

I hope you had a lovely weekend! We have a 4-day school week this week with no school on Friday but we certainly still have lots happening in 1A. Please read below for this weeks important highlights:

Valentine's Day

On Thursday, February 12th, 1A will have the opportunity to exchange little Valentine's Day cards. This is entirely optional but I do ask that if your child participates, they respectfully include a card for each child in the class. We have 18 students in our class. A list of student names was previously sent home in your child's homework bag.  A reminder that any food items sent to the school must be peanut and nut free.

Math Homework - 100th Day of School

The 100th Day of School is fast approaching! We will celebrate this milestone in lots of different ways in the coming weeks.  As part of our February math homework, students are asked to create/bring in one collection of 100 items which we will display in the classroom and share with our classmates as part of the 100th day of school.  The February homework log dedicates a few dates to work on this little project but feel free to have your child complete the task at a time that best suits your schedule. Students can show their creativity and use items they have around the house such as playing cards, stickers, beads, pasta noodles, etc. We have been working on grouping objects by 5's and 10's to make our counting easier. Please send in your child's 100 item collection by Monday, February 23. If you have any questions about this project, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Sledding

Students in 1A will go sledding for their Phys. Ed. class on Thursday, February 19. Please check your child's homework bag for a permission form that was sent home on Friday regarding the sledding activity. The permission slip must be completed and returned for your child to be able to participate in sledding. Please indicate whether or not your child will be wearing a helmet. 

Important Dates:
February 12 - Red and White Day to celebrate Valentine's Day

February 13 - Professional Learning Day - No school.
February 16 - Islander Day - No school.
February 19 - 1A Sledding for Phys. Ed

February 20 - Winter Wellness Day

February 25 - Pink Shirt Day. Staff and students are encouraged to wear pink to bring awareness to bullying.

Have a great week!

Danielle

Hello 1A Families, 

Welcome to February! It is hard to believe we have entered the month of Februaryt. Please read below for important updates this week:

Valentine's Day

On Thursday, February 12th, 1A will have the opportunity to exchange little Valentine's Day cards. This is entirely optional but I do ask that if your child participates, they respectfully include a card for each child in the class. We have 18 students in our class. I will send home a list of the names of students in our classroom this week.

100th Day of School

The 100th Day of School is fast approaching as today was the 87th day in Grade 1! We will celebrate this milestone in lots of different ways in the coming weeks. The final date for our 100th day celebration may fluctuate due to potential weather related school closures. Please keep an eye out for future information on classroom activities connected to the 100th day of school.

Fundations

We are continuing to work through Unit 8. The focus is on blends and r-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur). Trick words introduced so far are: could, would, and should. Please continue to read and spell trick words with your child at home. This practice helps students to strengthen their trick word knowledge and supports application when reading and writing. 

Winter Reminders

With the cold weather upon us, it is important that students are appropriately dressed for outdoor recess. Children will go outside most days unless it is raining heavy or the temperature (including wind chill) is below -20 degrees. Please ensure students have hats, mittens, and snow pants for outdoor playtime. An extra pair of mittens in their backpack may also be helpful incase they get misplaced or wet during first recess. In addition, please check your child's extra change of clothes bag that was provided in September to ensure appropriate clothing items for this season are included. This can stay in their backpack to be used incase of accidents, wet clothing, etc. Having the appropriate outdoor clothing makes for a much more enjoyable recess for the students!

Important Dates

Feb 13th: Professional Learning Day- No School

Feb 16th: Islander Day- No School

Have a wonderful week!

Danielle

Hello 1A Families, 

It's hard to believe we are into the last week of January! As we begin to prepare for Term 2 assessments, it's amazing to reflect on the growth students have made over the last few months both personally and academically. I am very proud of all their hard work and I hope they are as well! Here is what is happening in 1A this week:
 

Fundations

We completed our Unit 7 assessment on Monday and will start Unit 8 today. In this unit, we will begin by learning about consonant blends. A blend is two consonants together in a word that each make their own sound. You’ll hear both sounds, but they blend together to be smooth! (ex: slip, brag, mask, etc.) Blends can be at the beginning of a word (ex: stop) or at the end of a word (ex: pest). An information letter for Unit 8 including optional practice activities will be sent home this week. 

 
Penguins

We are continuing with our unit on penguins this week, where we will be learning new and interesting facts about penguins through a variety of different research tools. If your child has any penguin books they'd like to bring in to add to our classroom library (fiction or nonfiction), please send them in with their names on the inside front cover. This will ensure that they are returned to their owner.

Valentine's Day

On Thursday, February 12th, 1A will have the opportunity to exchange little Valentine's Day cards. This is entirely optional but I do ask that if your child participates, they respectfully include a card for each child in the class. We have 18 students in our class. I will send home a list of the names of students in our classroom this week.

Winter Reminders

With the cold weather upon us, it is important that students are appropriately dressed for outdoor recess. Children will go outside most days unless it is raining heavy or the temperature (including wind chill) is below -20 degrees. Please ensure students have hats, mittens, and snow pants for outdoor playtime. An extra pair of mittens in their backpack may also be helpful incase they get misplaced or wet during first recess. In addition, please check your child's extra change of clothes bag that was provided in September to ensure appropriate clothing items for this season are included. This can stay in their backpack to be used incase of accidents, wet clothing, etc. Having the appropriate outdoor clothing makes for a much more enjoyable recess for the students!

Important Dates

Feb 13th: Professional Learning Day- No School

Feb 16th: Islander Day- No School

Have a wonderful week!

Danielle

Hello Everyone, 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! It sure looks like a winter wonderland. The students will enjoy playing in the snow today. Please read below for important updates for the week:

Fundations

We are into our third week of Unit 7 in Fundations. We are now focusing on adding suffix s to words with a "ng" and "nk" glued sounds- thanks, rinks, honks, lungs are a few sample words. Trick words introduced so far in Unit 7 are: why, by, my, try, two, put. The students will be introduced to too, very, also, some and come this week.

Penguins

Over the next two weeks, we will be exploring penguins. If your child has any penguin books they'd like to bring in to add to our classroom library )fiction or nonfictiopn), please send them in with their names on the inside front cover. This will ensure that they are returned top their owner.

Math Game

Students had a math game listed on their homework log for Monday, January 19th. Although we didn't have school on Monday due to the snow day, I will send home a copy of the game incase students are interested in playing it at home. 

Important Dates

Feb 13th: Professional Learning Day- No School

Have a wonderful week!

Danielle

Hello Everyone, 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I am so impressed with how quickly the students settled back in to the classroom routines and expectations of 1A. The jar is quickly filling up.Please read below for important updates for the week:

Fundations

We are into our second week of Unit 7 in Fundations. We are now focusing on glued sounds ending in "-nk" such as pink, bank, honk, junk. Trick words introduced so far in Unit 7 are: why, by, my, try, two, put. 

Winter Reminders

Winter is here! It is a good idea to discuss with your child their dismissal plan in the event of an early closure. I have my list ready to go based on the information you provided in September; however, it always goes smoother if they are aware of their early closure plan. Please review this with them to refresh their little minds. In addition, appropriate clothing for outdoor play is needed. Children will go outside most days unless it is raining heavy or the temperature (including wind chill) is below -20 degrees. Please make sure your child is ready for the weather by sending hats, mittens, coats, and snow pants to school each day.

Important Dates

Feb 13th: Professional Learning Day- No School

Have a wonderful week!

Danielle

Hello Everyone, 

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that you had a wonderful holiday and were able to relax and spend some time with loved ones.  I was so excited to see 1A walk through the door this morning. We will be spending the day getting back into a routine. Please take a quick look below for important information:

Fundations

We will be starting  Unit 7 in Fundations this week. During this unit,  students are introduced to additional glued sounds.A glued sound is one in which letters have their own sounds but they are difficult to separate. I will be sending home the  parent package today which explains the content of Unit 7 as well as optional at-home activities.  During the first week of Unit 7, students will be introduced to the following glued sounds: ang, ing, ong and ung .  

Homework
Homework is back up and running this week. Please ensure that your child's homework folder is being returned to school so that their new homework does not get lost in transition. 

Winter

Winter is here!! It would be a good idea to discuss with your child what an early closure would look like. I have my list ready to go from the information you provided me back in September; however, it always goes smoother if they are in agreeance with me. Please review this with them to refresh their little minds.

Important Dates

Feb 13th: Professional Learning Day- No School

Have a wonderful week!

Danielle

Hi Everyone, 

It's hard to believe we are into our last week before the holiday break! The excitement is beginning to grow as we approach closer to Christmas. We will be trying to keep our routine as normal as possible in the classroom but we will certainly be sprinkling in some fun holiday activities throughout the week. This will be the last weekly update until January. Please take a quick look below for important information:

Fundations

We will be wrapping up Unit 6 in Fundations this week. This will be the last unit we complete before the holiday break. We will start off Unit 7 in Fundations when we return in the New Year. I will send home a parent package the first week in January which explains the content of Unit 7 as well as optional at-home activities. 

Homework
Given the busyness of the holiday season, there will not be any homework this week. We will return to our regular homework routine in the New Year. 

Small Moments

The students had a wonderful time celebrating their writing accomplishments on Thursday at our "Storyteller's Cafe". They enjoyed some hot chocolate while they shared their stories with their classmates in small groups or on the big screen with our class microphone. Lots of excitement! We had a chance to check out another Grade 1 classes stories as well and left some compliments to other writers. The students will be taking their finished writing products home in their homework bags this week. They were very proud of their little books so please take some time to celebrate them at home and explore their writing pieces! 

December Spirit Days

West Royalty will be having some themed days in December to celebrate the holiday season. As always, these theme days are entirely optional and are just a fun way to bring some holiday cheer into the classroom. Below is a schedule of the spirit days:

• Tuesday (Dec 16) - Red & Green Day

• Wednesday (Dec 17) - Jersey Day

• Thursday (Dec 18) - Holiday Sweater Day

• Friday (Dec 19) - Pajama Day

 
Important Dates:

December 16 - Red & Green Day

December 17 - Jersey Day

December 18 - Holiday Sweater Day

December 19 - Pajama Day and Last day of classes before Holiday Break

Thank you for all of your support and dedication throughout the past four months. I truly feel blessed to work with such a wonderful group of students and parents. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may your new year be filled with love, happiness, and smiles. Happy Holidays!

Danielle

Hi Everyone, 

We only have 10 school days remaining in the 2025 year - WOW! It will be an exciting week with 1A's holiday concert taking place on Tuesday and a writing celebration on Thursday. The students are looking forward to sharing their holiday performance with family! 

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Tuesday and Thursday

Music- Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Library- Tuesday and Thursday

Fundations

We are continuing with Unit 6 in Fundations where we are learning about the suffix -s (ex: dogs, ships, backs). Students are encouraged to identify the base word first (i.e. the word without the suffix), sound it out, and then add the suffix. They are grasping this concept quite well. Fundations trick words for this week are: who, what, when, where, there, here. 

Small Moments Writing
Students have been working hard over the last few weeks crafting many true stories about things that have happened in their lives. They've focused on telling their story in small steps and bringing their stories to life by making their characters move, talk, and feel. Students will choose their favorite story from their collection this week to publish. We will spend a few days editing our story and adding a cover page and author page. We will then take some time on Thursday to celebrate their hard work with a "Storyteller's Cafe". Students will get to enjoy sipping on some hot chocolate while sharing their stories with their peers.

Dental Forms

The Preventative Dental Program with Public Health is taking place at West Royalty Elementary. Please take a moment to fill out the NEW Dental online consent form, as soon as possible for your child. Here is the link: http://healthpei.ca/dentalconsent

Additional information about the Dental Program was provided in the November Newsletter.  

Food Drive - A Note from our Grade 4 Team

The grade four and four/five classes are organizing a non-perishable food, personal hygiene and infant care item drive to support our greater school community. We will be collecting items between December 1st and 13th. The classes are really excited about this initiative and want to show what a difference can be made when people come together for a great cause. Welcome donations would include things like non-perishable food items: (cans, pasta, cereal, sauces, etc.), as well as any personal hygiene items: (deodorant, shampoo, bodywash) and infant care items: (diapers, wipes, formula, pouches). We really appreciate your support in making this drive a success!

December Spirit Days

West Royalty will be having some themed days in December to celebrate the holiday season. As always, these theme days are entirely optional and are just a fun way to bring some holiday cheer into the classroom. Below is a schedule of the spirit days:

• Monday (Dec 15) - Holiday Hat Day

• Tuesday (Dec 16) - Red & Green Day

• Wednesday (Dec 17) - Jersey Day

• Thursday (Dec 18) - Holiday Sweater Day

• Friday (Dec 19) - Pajama Day

 
Holiday Concert

1A's December Holiday Concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9th at 11:30am in the Multipurpose Room. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend the performance - I look forward to seeing you there! Please note, if there is a snow day on Tuesday, the concert would then take place on Wednesday, December 19th at 11:30am.

Important Dates:
December 9 - 1A Holiday Concert @ 11:30am

December 15 - Holiday Hat Day

December 16 - Red & Green Day

December 17 - Jersey Day

December 18 - Holiday Sweater Day

December 19 - Pajama Day and Last day of classes before Holiday Break

Have a wonderful week!

Danielle

Hi Everyone, 

Wow...can you believe it is December already? We have a fun-filled month ahead. Please take a moment to read important updates of what is happening in 1A this week:

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Music- Tuesday and Thursday

Library- Monday and Friday

Outdoor Clothing:As we approach the end of November and temperatures begin to drop, please ensure you are sending your child to school with the appropriate clothing items for outdoor recess. It is helpful to have students store a spare hat and mittens in their backpacks incase of unexpectedly cold days. If you haven't sent in a spare set of clothing, please do so as soon as possible. With all of the rain, the playground is quite wet and muddy. 

Fundations:We completed our Unit 5 check-in on Friday and will begin Unit 6 in Fundations this week. This unit focuses on suffixes. Students will learn how to identify a base word and read/spell words with the suffix -s. The new trick words introduced this week will be: are, were.
 

Black Bags: Please make sure that your child is taking their black communication bags to school every day. I do send work home with them and other important items from the office. If your child doesn't have their bag,  then these items are placed in your child's backpack and can get lost in transition. Thanks!

Dental Forms: The Preventative Dental Program with Public Health is taking place at West Royalty Elementary. Please take a moment to fill out the NEW Dental online consent form, as soon as possible for your child. Here is the link: http://healthpei.ca/dentalconsent. Additional information about the Dental Program was provided in the November Newsletter.  

Concert: For parents to be able to plan ahead, Mrs. Zinck has announced that 1A's December Holiday Concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9th at 11:30am in the Multipurpose Room. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend the performance - I look forward to seeing you there! 

December Spirit Days

West Royalty will be having some themed days in December to celebrate the holiday season. As always, these theme days are entirely optional and are just a fun way to bring some holiday cheer into the classroom. Below is a schedule of the spirit days:

• Monday (Dec 15) - Holiday Hat Day

• Tuesday (Dec 16) - Red & Green Day

• Wednesday (Dec 17) - Jersey Day

• Thursday (Dec 18) - Holiday Sweater Day

• Friday (Dec 19) - Pajama Day

Food Drive:  A note from our Grade 4 Team

Hi West Royalty Families!

The grade four and four/five classes are organizing a non-perishable food, personal hygiene and infant care item drive to support our greater school community. We will be collecting items between December 1st and 13th. The classes are really excited about this initiative and want to show what a difference can be made when people come together for a great cause. Welcome donations would include things like non-perishable food items: (cans, pasta, cereal, sauces, etc.), as well as any personal hygiene items: (deodorant, shampoo, bodywash,) and infant care items: (diapers, wipes, formula, pouches). We really appreciate your support in making this drive a success! 

Important Dates

Dec.9th- Holiday Concert

Dec.19th- Last Day of Classes

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Danielle 

Hi Everyone, 

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend parent-teacher conferences this past week. It was great to be able to meet to discuss your child's progress this term. I look forward to watching you child continue to grow as a learner as we enter into the second term of grade 1.  Please take a moment to read important updates of what is happening in 1A this week:

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Tuesday, Thursday

Music- Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Library- Thursday

Outdoor Clothing:As we approach the end of November and temperatures begin to drop, please ensure you are sending your child to school with the appropriate clothing items for outdoor recess. It is helpful to have students store a spare hat and mittens in their backpacks incase of unexpectedly cold days. If you haven't sent in a spare set of clothing, please do so as soon as possible. With all of the rain, the playground is quite wet and muddy. 

Fundations:We are starting Unit 5 in Fundations this week.  This unit introduces the glued sounds /am/ and /an/. I will be sending the parent information home with your child today.

Picture Retakes:  Picture retakes will take place on November 26th. If you would like your child to have a picture retake, please send me an e-mail no later than Tuesday, November 25. Students will only get a picture retake if they were absent on the original day of school pictures or if you have e-mailed me to indicate your child needs their photo taken. 

Concert: For parents to be able to plan ahead, Mrs. Zinck has announced that 1A's December Holiday Concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9th at 11:30am in the Multipurpose Room. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend the performance - I look forward to seeing you there! 

Important Dates

Nov. 26th-Picture Retakes

Dec.9th- Holiday Concert

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Danielle 

Hi Everyone,

It is another short week in 1A. I am looking forward to our upcoming Parent Teacher Conferences. It is always so nice to celebrate student learning and talk about next steps. Please read below for important updates for the upcoming week.

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Tuesday, Thursday

Music- Monday, Wednesday

Library- Tuesday, Thursday

Fundations: We will be wrapping up Unit 4 this week with our unit assessment planned for Thursday. Students will then move into Unit 5 where we look at the glued sounds /am/ and /an/. I will send home an information letter for Unit 5 next week. 

Book Fair: 1A will have the opportunity to attend the Book Fair on Tuesday, November 18th. If you are interested in having your child purchase a book at school, please ensure you send in money in a bag/envelope on November 18th. A book fair flyer went home last week which will give you an idea of available books and prices. If there is a particular book from the flyer your child is interested in purchasing, it would be great if you could write down the name of the book and send it in a bag/envelope with your child's money. Parents will also have the opportunity to visit the book fair during parent-teacher conferences on November 20th from 3:30-7:00pm and November 21st from 9:00am-12:00pm. 

Picture Retakes:  Picture retakes will take place on November 26th. If you would like your child to have a picture retake, please send me an e-mail no later than Tuesday, November 25. Students will only get a picture retake if they were absent on the original day of school pictures or if you have e-mailed me to indicate your child needs their photo taken. 

Concert: For parents to be able to plan ahead, Mrs. Zinck has announced that 1A's December Holiday Concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9th at 11:30am in the Multipurpose Room. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend the performance - I look forward to seeing you there! 

Important Dates

Nov.18th-Book Fair and Learning Reports sent home

Nov. 20th - Parent-Teacher Conferences (evening)

Nov.21st - Parent-Teacher Conferences (all-day) - No School 

Nov. 26th-Picture Retakes

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Danielle 

Hi Everyone,

It is another short week in 1A. The students spent some time last week learning about Remembrance Day. We made poppies and delivered Thank You letters to our local Veterans. Please read below for important updates for the upcoming week.

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Wednesday, Friday  

Music- Thursday

Library- Wednesday

Fundations: We will continue to work through Unit 4 in Fundations with a focus on bonus letters. We will introduce the glued sound /all/. Students will learn that when tapping the /all/ sound, they use one tap with two fingers because the sound is "glued" together. We will introduce the following trick words this week: you, your, they and I. It is beneficial for students to review these new words and previous trick words as part of their nightly homework routine. Being able to recognize trick words independently will allow students to make gains in their reading and writing. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on November 20th (evening) and November 21st (all day). The online booking platform can be found on the school website. The booking system will close on November 12th. I look forward to seeing you all and chatting about your child's progress! 

Book Fair: 1A will have the opportunity to attend the Book Fair on Monday, November 18th. If you are interested in having your child purchase a book at school, please ensure you send in money in a bag/envelope on November 18th. A book fair flyer went home last week which will give you an idea of available books and prices. If there is a particular book from the flyer your child is interested in purchasing, it would be great if you could write down the name of the book and send it in a bag/envelope with your child's money. Parents will also have the opportunity to visit the book fair during parent-teacher conferences on November 20th from 3:30-7:00pm and November 21st from 9:00am-12:00pm. 

Picture Retakes:  Picture retakes will take place on November 26th. If you would like your child to have a picture retake, please send me an e-mail no later than Tuesday, November 25. Students will only get a picture retake if they were absent on the original day of school pictures or if you have e-mailed me to indicate your child needs their photo taken. 

Concert: For parents to be able to plan ahead, Mrs. Zinck has announced that 1A's December Holiday Concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9th at 11:30am in the Multipurpose Room. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend the performance - I look forward to seeing you there! 

Important Dates

Nov.18th-Book Fair

Nov. 20th - Parent-Teacher Conferences (evening)

Nov.21st - Parent-Teacher Conferences (all-day) - No School 

Nov. 26th-Picture Retakes

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Danielle 

Hi Everyone,

I hope you enjoyed the first weekend of November and the extra hour of sleep we gained when clocks rolled back!  We only have three school days this week due to the PEITF Convention. Please take a few moments to read through the reminders for this upcoming week. 

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Tuesday  

Music- Monday and Wednesday

Library- Library

Fundations: We will begin Unit 4 in Fundations this week and an information letter will be sent home on Monday. This unit introduces students to reading and spelling words with bonus letters. Bonus letters are f, l, and s and are letters that are doubled at the end of a word when followed by a short vowel (ex: miss, tell, buff). Students will learn that although these words have an extra letter, the bonus letter does not make a sound (ex: miss has 4 letters but only 3 sounds). 

Homework: Although it is a short week, I will still be sending home our nightly reading homework to maintain a consistent routine. Students can spend Monday night reading all of the sentences once. On Tuesday night, students can read all the sentences again and choose one sentence to illustrate their comprehension. Since it is now November, a new monthly math sheet will be included in students homework duotangs this week. I appreciate your continued support with nightly homework. The additional practice at home helps to reinforce the concepts we are learning in class.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on November 20th (evening) and November 21st (all day). The online booking platform can be found on the school website and will become available for bookings on Monday, November 3rd at 9am. The booking system will close on November 12th. I look forward to seeing you all and chatting about your child's progress! 

Important Dates

Nov. 6th and 7th- PEITF Convention- No School

Nov.10th-No Classes

Nov. 11th-Remembrance Day- No School

Nov. 20th - Parent-Teacher Conferences (evening)

Nov.21st - Parent-Teacher Conferences (all-day) - No School 

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Danielle 

Hi Everyone,

Wow...it is hard to believe that we are entering the last week of October. We have been spoiled with warm temperatures this Fall; however, there has been a shift in temperatures the last few days. Please ensure that your child is coming to school dressed for the cooler temperatures.  We have an exciting week ahead. 

Please read below for important updates. 

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Monday and Wednesday,Friday 

Music- Tuesday, Thursday

Library- Monday and Wednesday

Fundations: We will be wrapping up Unit 3 this week with our end of unit assessment scheduled for Thursday.

Homework: I appreciate the time you are taking at home to help support your child's learning. This week, students will take home a math game as part of their weekly homework. The math game can be found in their yellow homework folder. You will need dice to play this game. If you do not have dice at home, you can find virtual dice online.If you have any questions, please let me know.

Orange and Black Day: All students in K-2 that attend West Royalty are invited to come to school dressed in orange and black on Friday. 

Book Fair

West Royalty is excited to host the Scholastic Book Fair from November 17th - November 21st. Students will have an opportunity to visit the Book Fair at a scheduled time and date during school hours. Parents will also have the opportunity to visit the book fair during parent-teacher conferences on November 20th from 3:30-7:00pm and November 21st from 9:00am-12:00pm. 

Mrs. Read, our librarian, is looking for volunteers to help support with the Book Fair during the week of November 17-21. If you are interested in volunteering, please use the following link to sign-up for a volunteer time slot: Volunteer Sign-up Sheet. 

Our Classroom: Please take some time to visit the "Our Classroom" tab to see some of the activities in action from last week. 

Important Dates

October 31st: Dress in orange and black day (No costumes)

Nov. 6th and 7th- PEITF Convention- No School

Nov.10th: No School

Nov. 11th-Remembrance Day- No School

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Danielle 

Hi Everyone,

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We are back to a regular 5 day week. Please read below for important updates. 

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Music- Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Phy.Ed- Tuesday, Thursday

Library-Tuesday

Fundations: We wrapped up Unit two last week and we completed our end of unit assessment. This week in Fundations, we will continue moving through Unit 3, which focuses on teaching students to read and spell with common digraphs. A digraph is when two consonants stick together to make one sound (ex: wh, ch, sh, th and ck). I will send home a Unit 3 Information letter and suggested activities if you are looking for some additional practice at home. This week's trick words are: to, into, we, he, she, be, me. 

Battery Blitz: We have started our school's Battery Blitz where students can bring in batteries that families want to dispose of. If you are sending them in, please ensure that the batteries are placed in a sealed ziplock bag.

Halloween Dance:  The Halloween Dance will take place on Friday, October 24th from 6:00-7:30. All students must be accompanied by an adult. The cost is $5 per person. An order form was sent home last week. Please send in ticket orders as soon as possible. Tickets will not be sold at the door. 

School Pictures:  A QR code was sent home in your child's black homework bag on Friday. The QR code is how you will be able to access and order your child's photos. 

Apple Picking: We are scheduled to go Apple Picking on Monday, Oct.20th. The weather is looking great! I am looking forward to our first field trip. If yo have not sent in your child's signed  permission form, please send it in on Monday morning. If we do not have a signed permission form, your child will not be able to attend.  

Our Classroom: Please take some time to visit the "Our Classroom" tab to see some of the activities in action from last week. 

Important Dates

October 24th: Halloween Dance (6pm-7:30pm)

October 31st: Dress on orange and black day (No costumes)

Nov. 6th and 7th- PEITF Convention- No School

Nov. 10the: No School

Nov. 11th-Remembrance Day- No School

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Danielle 

Hi Families,

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone was able to enjoy some time with family and friends this weekend. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday on Monday, we have another four day week. Please take a moment to read below for important weekly updates:

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys Ed- Wednesday and Friday

Music- Tuesday and Thursday

Library- Thursday

Halloween Dance

The Halloween Dance will take place on Friday, October 24th from 6:00-7:30pm. All students must be accompanied by an adult. The cost is $5 per student. Funds will go towards supporting the Core French program here at West Royalty School. An order form was sent home in students' homework bags on Monday. Please send in ticket orders as soon as possible. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the door.

Field Trip - Apple Picking

All Grade 1 classes will be visiting a local farm to learn about apples and enjoy some apple picking! The field trip will be on Monday, October 20th(Rain date: October 22). The cost is $6 per student. A permission form will be sent home this week with more details - please keep an eye out for the form in your child's homework bag.

Battery Blitz

We have started our school's Battery Blitz where students can bring in batteries that families want to dispose of. If sending some in, please make sure that these items are placed inside sealed plastic/ziploc bags before putting them inside of kitbags.

Fundations

We are moving right along with Unit 2 in Fundations. Students are getting lots of exposure to tapping sounds which helps them when reading and spelling new words. This week's trick words are: is, his, of. A copy of these words were sent home in the Unit 2 letter for Fundations. It is great to practice these words at home as it helps students to master reading and writing trick words.

Important Dates: 

October 17 - Fall School Pictures for Grade 1 students

October 20 - Grade 1 Field Trip - Apple Picking 

October 24 - Halloween Dance (6:00-7:30pm)

Have a great week!

Danielle 

Hi Families!

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I look forward to hearing about everyone's weekend on the carpet this morning. We have a 4 day week this week, as teachers will be taking part in Professional Learning. Please read below for important updates.

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys Ed- Tuesday and Thursday

Music- Monday and Wednesday

Library- Tuesday and Thursday

Fundations: Unit 2 was launched last week and an information package was sent home. Just a friendly reminder, the package is optional. During Unit 2,  we will teach/review how to tap and blend consonant/vowel/consonant (CVC) words to read and spell (ex: sat: s-a-t).Students will also be introduced to trick words this week. These are words that often do not follow the conventional rules and patterns of spelling. Frequent exposure and practice with trick words will help strengthen students' ability to apply their knowledge of trick words when reading and writing. The trick words this week are: the, and, a

Homework: Thank you for your support with our first week of homework. I enjoyed going through the students folders on Friday and seeing their illustrations. Just a reminder that Homework goes home on Monday and is expected to be returned completed on Friday. 

Battery Bliss: We have launched our Batter Blitz collection at West Royalty. An information card will be sent home with your child today. 

Our Classroom: Please take some time to visit the "Our Classroom" tab to see some of the activities in action from last week. 

Important Dates:
October 10 - Professional Development Day - No School
October 13 - Thanksgiving - No School
October 17 - Fall School Pictures for Grade 1 students

Have a great week!

Danielle

Hi Everyone,

It's hard to believe our first month in Grade 1 is already complete and we turn the calendar over to October this week. I am so proud of 1A. It can be a big transition getting used to their new classroom routines and expectations and they have all worked hard at settling in. Please read below for this week's highlights:

Homework

We are excited to have our homework program up and running this week. Creating a love for reading is important for nurturing lifelong learners, and we are committed to creating a safe space where your child can learn, grow and develop a passion for literacy.

For reading homework, you will find weekly sentences that are aligned with the skills taught in class (e.g., letters taught, short a sound in words, vowel teams, etc.). Encourage your child to read these sentences independently, but be available to support them if they get stuck on a word. We have included an instruction sheet called 1.2.3 Draw in your child’s homework folder that explains your child's nightly reading routine. We spent last week practicing our homework routine during reading time so students should be familiar with the process. 

For math homework, you will find a numbers chart and number line to help support math activities at home throughout the year. A monthly math sheet will be included in their homework folder with quick review activities to complete each night. 

I value your partnership and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I am are here to support you and your child every step of the way.

Fundations

As of this week, we will have reviewed the letter formation and sound for all letters of the alphabet and will wrap up our first unit of Fundations. Students will complete a Fundations assessment on Wednesday and we will begin Unit 2 on Thursday. I will be sending home an information letter with students on Thursday that will outline skills covered in Unit 2. 

Important Dates:
September 29 - Orange Shirt Day at WRES to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - No School
October 10 - Professional Development Day - No School
October 13 - Thanksgiving - No School
October 17 - Fall School Pictures for Grade 1 students

Have a great week!

Danielle

Hi Families!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I look forward to hearing all the long weekend stories during our morning meeting tomorrow.

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys.Ed- Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Music- Tuesday and Thursday

Library- Monday and Friday

Fundations: We will be wrapping up Unit 1 next week and will have our first Unit assesmment. Please watch for the Unit 2 Welcome letter, which will be coming home in your child's black homework bag next Monday. Just a reminder that the activites suggested in the letter are optional. 

All About Me Bags: Thank you to everyone for sending in your child's "All About Me Bags". If you haven't yet sent it back in, please send in asap. The students will be sharing their bags with their classmates this week.

File Work: Each student has  their own file in which they keep their work for the week housed in. You may have noticed this work has been sent home in your child's black bag. I will continue to send their corrected work home every Friday so that you can see some of the work your child has been completing while in class. This work does not have to be returned to school. 

Star Jar: Congratulations to 1A for filling the Star Jar. We had a great day Friday celebrating in our pjs.  

Terry Fox Run: The school's Terry Fox Run takes place on Thursday, September 25th at 2pm. Students are asked to donate a toonie. Alternatively, students/families can donate on our Terry Fox fundraising webpage: https://schools.terryfox.ca/WestRoyaltySchool

Our Classroom: Please take some time to visit the "Our Classroom" tab to see some of the activities in action from last week. 

Important Dates

September 25th: Terry Fox Run

September 30th: No Classes (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)

Have a great week. 

Danielle

Hi Families!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I look forward to hearing all the weekend stories during our morning meeting.

Thank you to everyone who was able to come to Meet the Staff Night. I enjoyed meeting you all and having the opportunity to chat about our year. For those who were not able to make it, I look forward to meeting you in the near future. Until then, I have linked my slideshow highlighting important information. Meet the Staff Slideshow 

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Music- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 

Phys. Ed- Tuesday and Thursday

Library- Thursday

Headphones and Change of Clothes: Just a reminder to please send in a set on inexpensive headphones. Also, If your child has not yet brought in a change of clothes, please send them in as soon as possible. 

All About Me Bags: We have been spending time getting to know one another and building relationships in 1A. As part of getting to know one another, I have placed an "About Me" activity in your child's black homework bag for this week. Once the activity is completed, please send it back in and your child will have a chance to share with their classmates. All items sent in from home for the activity will be returned back home with your child 

Star Jar: You have may heard that we have a "star" jar in our classroom. The students are working hard to fill our star jar. The students place a star in the jar once a positive moment is highlighted in our classroom- it could be someone sounding out a tricky word, our classroom demonstrating excellent classroom routines, a student being kind to one another ect. Once it the jar is filled, we will be having a PJ day. Please watch for a further update as I predict it will be filled in the near future. Yay, 1A! Keep up the great work. 

Notes from the Office: Terry Fox Run/Walk Our school Terry Fox Run/Walk is fast approaching. It will take place at 2pm on Thursday, September 25th (rain date: Mon, Sept 29th). We ask students to bring in a $2 donation or more if they wish to. If any families wish to donate online, the foundation has provided the following link to our fundraising page:

schools.terryfox.ca/WestRoyaltySchool 

Our Classroom: Please take some time to visit the "Our Classroom" tab to see some of the activities in action from last week. 

Important Dates

September 25th: Terry Fox Run

September 30th: No Classes (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)

Have a great week. 

Danielle 

Hi Families!

Happy Monday! We had a great first two days of grade one. We are learning lots of new routines, building friendships and getting to know each other. We will spend this week continuing to practice routines and establish classroom and school expectations. The kindness and respect that 1A has shown me over the last two days makes my heart smile. We are going to have a great year together!

Here's what's happening in 1A:

Phys. Ed- Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Music- Tuesday and Thursday

Library- Wednesday and Friday

Student Information Forms: A package of student information forms were sent home last week in your child's black communication bag. Please review and update forms and return the forms back to school by Tuesday, September 9th. 

Haedphones and Change of Clothes: Students will have a technology period during the 6 day cycle where they will engage in learning activities on a school chromebook. It is beneficial to have a set of inexpensive headphones so that all students can focus on the task at hand. Please send these in with your child this week and I will store them in the classroom. Also, a friendly reminder to please send in a change of clothes in the ziplock bag that was sent home last week.This will ensure that your child has a set of clean clothes to change into incase an accident occurs throughout the school year. 

Meet the Teacher: Meet the Teacher is scheduled for this Tuesday. The evening will start in the big gym at 5:45. The evening will be divided into two sessions to allow families to visit multiple classrooms. The first session will be held at 6:00pmand the second session will be held at 6:30. I look forward to meeting you all. 

Notes from the Office: Terry Fox Run/Walk Our school Terry Fox Run/Walk is fast approaching. It will take place at 2pm on Thursday, September 25th (rain date: Mon, Sept 29th). We ask students to bring in a $2 donation or more if they wish to. If any families wish to donate online, the foundation has provided the following link to our fundraising page:

schools.terryfox.ca/WestRoyaltySchool 

Important Dates

September 9th: Meet The Teacher (Begins at 5:45: session 1 6:00/session 2 6:30)

September 30th: No Classes (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)

Have a great week. 

Danielle