Dear Parents and Families, September 5th 2019 We have really enjoyed getting to know your children. Our class is made up of fourteen students-eight girls and six boys. Everyone seems to be adjusting well to our classroom and routines. Your children have made it through the first two weeks with flying colors. The children have been very cooperative and eager to learn. Please feel free to send in a water bottle so they have water available to sip throughout the day. The students have been learning routines such as walking in a line, unpacking their belongings, buying milk and school lunch, recess and dismissal procedures etc. The children have been participating in fire drills and lockdown drills. We have read books, sung songs, played games, and made pictures. During these first few weeks, my main goal was to help children feel comfortable in our classroom and throughout our building. Next week, we will begin Unit 1 in Readers Workshop. The unit is called “We are Readers” and the focus is to help young children develop their identities as readers. Most children at this age “read” by remembering the story and using the pictures. During Readers Workshop, students have the opportunity to try to retell the stories that I have read to them by looking at the pictures and remembering what happened. I will be introducing eight sight words (I, like, a, is, me, the, be, we) for students to find and recognize in books. We gradually introduce eight sight words a month. Eventually (months from now) as children become proficient at recognizing sight words, then they begin to read words. We have talked about the cover of books, the titles, and the authors. Students can answer questions about the stories read to them. When you read with your child, it would be helpful to track the print from left to right and ask your child what they think will happen next. The children will be learning to make predictions to stories. In Writers Workshop, students are learning to write their names on the top of the page and draw what their thinking. For most students, teachers write down their ideas and students may write out a label on their pictures. Students will work towards writing down a letter that represents a sound they hear. We have talked about the alphabet and have explained that each letter has a corresponding sound. Students are not expected to know the corresponding sounds for each letter (this fall we will concentrate on identifying the letters and their corresponding sounds). The following letters will be covered in the next few weeks: t, b, f, n, m, i, u, c, o, a, and g. Focus will be placed on forming lower case letters. In the next week or so, we will be talking about writing names using an upper case letter and lower case letters. This takes time if your child is writing their name in all capital letters. In September, the following math concepts will be covered. Lessons will include counting to 100, positional words (above, under, below, beside, in front of, behind, next to). We will also introduce the concept of measurement so that students can determine which object is smaller, larger, heavier, lighter, longer, shorter, taller and so on. We provide many opportunities for students to count orally during calendar time and while taking attendance. In the next few weeks, I will be meeting with students individually and giving assessments. I will be asking students to identify upper and lower case letters and checking to see if they can give the corresponding letter sound. This takes some time to meet with each child separately. This information will help guide my instruction to meet individual students’ needs. I will be sharing this information with you during our October parent/teacher conferences. I look forward to seeing everyone on Curriculum Night. Have you completed the PTO directory information form ? This form includes your contact information that will be published for all KES families. This is how families contact other families for play dates and birthday party invitations, etc. See you soon! Kathy Sullivan with Mrs. Maio Important Dates to remember: Sept. 10th-Voting in the school-Lunch will be in the classroom. Sept. 11th-Curriculum Night-6:00-6:45 in kindergarten & first grade classrooms. 6:45-7:15 whole school presentation in AP. 7:15-8:00 in second & third grade classrooms. Sept. 18th-School Picture Day-information will be sent home separately to families-Lunch in the classroom. Sept. 24th-PTO Meeting at 7:00 in library. Sept. 27th Minimum Day for students-dismissal at 1:05. Oct. 4th-First Friday Family Read at 9:00-9:30-Come read with your child. Oct. 9th-No School-Yom Kipper. Oct. 14th-No School-Columbus Day. Oct. 16th-Minimum Day-dismissal at 1:05. Oct. 23th -Minimum Day-dismissal at 1:05-Parent Teacher Conferences. Oct. 24th –Minimum Day-dismissal at 1:05-Parent Teacher Conferences. Oct. 29th-PTO Meeting at 7:00 in the library. Oct. 31st –Halloween Parade (2:00)-information will be sent home separately to families. Nov. 1st –Beautification Day-information will be sent home separately. Come help spruce up our school yard.
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