Thank you for taking the time to attend Parent - Teacher Interviews. The turnout was excellent! With the busy season of Christmas and its many special activities upon us, the month of December will go by extremely fast! We will be focusing on a variety of Christmas activities and prepare for the Christmas Concert. We will add the letters Tt, Rr, and Ss to our studies and focus on counting and sets from 1 to 5.
On Friday, December 17, we will be celebrating our classroom Christmas party. We have decided to do a gift exchange. The students have picked the name of a classmate with which to exchange a small Christmas gift (approximately $5.00). Please wrap the gift and mark who it is for and who it is from. We will open these on the morning of Friday, December 17. Please have this wrapped gift at school no later than Wednesday, December 15. Thanks so much! The kids love this!!
As well, we will participate in our school’s annual Christmas Turkey Luncheon on this day. Staff and students are treated at noon to a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and an afternoon of entertainment to follow. Dismissal time will be at 3:20 as usual. Children are encouraged to bring a plate, cup, and utensils in a plastic bag for this meal. There is no extra cost for this event. Only a snack will be needed for this Kindergarten day.
Our annual Christmas Concert will be on Tuesday, December 21. The concert will take place in gym at 1:30pm and again at 6:30pm. On this day, children will be dismissed right after the concert in the afternoon to go home with their parent/grandparent to give each child a bit of time to rest before he/she comes back for the evening performance. Children are asked to be in their classroom 10 minutes prior to the concert’s start for the evening performance.
School will begin again after the break on Wednesday, January 5, 2011.
If you have any questions or conerns, please feel free to contact me. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year! See you at the Concert!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
November Newsletter
October was an exciting month for students. They enjoyed bowling, attending Family Fun Night, and preparing for and celebrating Thanksgiving and Halloween! A big thank you goes out to all the parents who helped to supervise at the bowling alley and assist with the Halloween party! I appreciate your help so very much!
With the colder weather upon us, it is important that the children are dressed warmly for outdoor play. Please be sure to send your child to school with ski pants, mitts, and a hat, as well as a jacket. Even in colder weather, children still go outside to play for short and long recesses. Please mark all outdoor clothing (especially ski pants and mittens) with names. At school, the children are responsible for taking care of and hanging up their clothing. I am teaching the children to stuff their hats and mittens into the sleeve of their jacket. This is a good skill to practice at home too (providing things are dry!).
November’s topics will be Remembrance Day and Winter Fun. Using the Animated Alphabet program, we will learn about the letters Xx, Aa, Dd, Tt, Ss, and Rr. These letters will be combined with previous ones to create the words ox, ax, map, top, pot, stop, rat, and drum. The children will draw pictures of each of these words and use their knowledge of letters and sounds to "read" them. We will also post these words up on our classroom Word Wall and have opportunities to practice recognizing and reading them! We will finish up our study of Patterning this month.
Report cards will go out on Thursday, November 18th. Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place the following Monday, November 22nd between 3:45 pm and 7:00 pm, and Tuesday, November 23rd between 3:45pm and 7:00pm. I will work hard to keep each interview 15 minutes long. I will need to stick to this schedule closely, as I have a new family scheduled every 15 minutes, and some families will need to get to another interview within the school at a particular time. A note is coming home with your child for you to identify your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for times. I’ll try to pick your first … the sooner the form comes back to me, the better your chances of getting your first pick!!!! If you do not get a note sent home to you, and you would like a chance to meet, please feel free to email me, and we can set something up.
* There is no school on Thursday, November 11 and Friday, November 12 due to the Remembrance Day Holiday.
Also, there is also no school on Friday, November 26th due to a Teacher Professional Development Day.
* Our first classroom party has come and gone and the children appeared to have a great time! If you have not yet had an opportunity to send your $10.00 to school for party lunches, it is not too late to do so. We still have 2 more classroom parties to go. The money can be sent anytime now and the parents I‘ve spoken to seem to prefer this than make and bring food (which often works out to be more that $10.00 by the time your done)! Thanks so much!!
If you have any questions, feel welcome to contact me! See you on interview day!
With the colder weather upon us, it is important that the children are dressed warmly for outdoor play. Please be sure to send your child to school with ski pants, mitts, and a hat, as well as a jacket. Even in colder weather, children still go outside to play for short and long recesses. Please mark all outdoor clothing (especially ski pants and mittens) with names. At school, the children are responsible for taking care of and hanging up their clothing. I am teaching the children to stuff their hats and mittens into the sleeve of their jacket. This is a good skill to practice at home too (providing things are dry!).
November’s topics will be Remembrance Day and Winter Fun. Using the Animated Alphabet program, we will learn about the letters Xx, Aa, Dd, Tt, Ss, and Rr. These letters will be combined with previous ones to create the words ox, ax, map, top, pot, stop, rat, and drum. The children will draw pictures of each of these words and use their knowledge of letters and sounds to "read" them. We will also post these words up on our classroom Word Wall and have opportunities to practice recognizing and reading them! We will finish up our study of Patterning this month.
Report cards will go out on Thursday, November 18th. Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place the following Monday, November 22nd between 3:45 pm and 7:00 pm, and Tuesday, November 23rd between 3:45pm and 7:00pm. I will work hard to keep each interview 15 minutes long. I will need to stick to this schedule closely, as I have a new family scheduled every 15 minutes, and some families will need to get to another interview within the school at a particular time. A note is coming home with your child for you to identify your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for times. I’ll try to pick your first … the sooner the form comes back to me, the better your chances of getting your first pick!!!! If you do not get a note sent home to you, and you would like a chance to meet, please feel free to email me, and we can set something up.
* There is no school on Thursday, November 11 and Friday, November 12 due to the Remembrance Day Holiday.
Also, there is also no school on Friday, November 26th due to a Teacher Professional Development Day.
* Our first classroom party has come and gone and the children appeared to have a great time! If you have not yet had an opportunity to send your $10.00 to school for party lunches, it is not too late to do so. We still have 2 more classroom parties to go. The money can be sent anytime now and the parents I‘ve spoken to seem to prefer this than make and bring food (which often works out to be more that $10.00 by the time your done)! Thanks so much!!
If you have any questions, feel welcome to contact me! See you on interview day!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
October Newsletter
Our first month of Kindergarten has passed by quickly and I have noticed a number of changes in the students. They are learning to become good friends and interact positively, they are learning about school routines and rules, and they are becoming more independent! Children have also become more comfortable in the school environment and are eager participants in all sorts of activities. At present, the Kindergarten students are learning to take care of outdoor clothing and library books, and to empty their book bags when they come in the morning. Please remind your child to set any notes or important papers on his/her table top first thing in the morning.
October themes will be Thanksgiving, Autumn, and Halloween. We will be learning about the letters O o, M m, X x, and the words pup, pop, mom, ox. I encourage you to put these letters (and the ones we studied last month -- U u, P p) on flashcards and ask your child regularly what the letter names are and what sounds they make. This will be part of my report card evaluation in November and I will begin testing near the end of October. You can then identify which letters and sounds your child may be having trouble with and give him/her extra practice at home in preparation for the report card. You may also want to put the words we study on flashcards and have your child practice “reading” these to you too, although word reading will not be part of Term 1 evaluation.
Coming home this month is a “Homework Calendar”. The work from this calendar will reinforce what I am teaching in the classroom. After your child has completed 4 activities from each week, your child may return the calendar back to me to choose an item from my “treasure box”. Each completed activity should be initialled by a parent, and the calendar will need your child’s name and parent’s signature on the bottom. Completing this calendar is optional! It simply transfers to home the things we are studying here! Good luck! We will not be studying the letters A a, D d and T t until November, so the calendar does not need to be returned at the end of October!
Other academic skills we will study at school this month include: say full name (first, middle, last), recognize the 8 basic colours, recite the alphabet, sort 3-D objects using a single attribute; identify, describe and reproduce patterns; predict and extend patterns, and create own patterns. Children are also working hard at printing their first name. I always tell the children that the first letter is a capital, and all the other letters that follow are lowercase (small letters). Feel free to practice all of these skills at home, as well. Name printing will also be part of my first report card evaluation.
Reminders:
1. Be prepared to dress your child warmly for outdoor play. Although the past week has been very warm, the weather will soon begin to change and noon hours outside can seem very long if a child comes to school without a jacket, socks, hat, or even stretch gloves on a cool fall day.
2. Library is always on Day 1. You may return library books on or before this day so that your child can sign out new books.
3. Our classroom will be bowling during the month of October. A note with more details regarding this will be sent home soon.
4. There is no school this month on Monday, October 11th due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Children will return to Kindergarten again on Wednesday, October 13th.
5. Early Dismissal this month is Thursday, October 14th . This is not a Kindergarten day.
6. Family Fun Night at our school is Thursday, October 7th from 6:30 - 8:00. Come out and join in our school fun and activities. You can also join your child for the book fair in the library!
7. Our Halloween party will be held during the afternoon of Friday, October 29th. The school parade will begin at 1:15 and our classroom party will follow. Another note will soon be sent your way sharing more details of our Halloween party. Come out to see all the great costumes for our Halloween parade!
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments please feel free to contact me.
Have a great month!
October themes will be Thanksgiving, Autumn, and Halloween. We will be learning about the letters O o, M m, X x, and the words pup, pop, mom, ox. I encourage you to put these letters (and the ones we studied last month -- U u, P p) on flashcards and ask your child regularly what the letter names are and what sounds they make. This will be part of my report card evaluation in November and I will begin testing near the end of October. You can then identify which letters and sounds your child may be having trouble with and give him/her extra practice at home in preparation for the report card. You may also want to put the words we study on flashcards and have your child practice “reading” these to you too, although word reading will not be part of Term 1 evaluation.
Coming home this month is a “Homework Calendar”. The work from this calendar will reinforce what I am teaching in the classroom. After your child has completed 4 activities from each week, your child may return the calendar back to me to choose an item from my “treasure box”. Each completed activity should be initialled by a parent, and the calendar will need your child’s name and parent’s signature on the bottom. Completing this calendar is optional! It simply transfers to home the things we are studying here! Good luck! We will not be studying the letters A a, D d and T t until November, so the calendar does not need to be returned at the end of October!
Other academic skills we will study at school this month include: say full name (first, middle, last), recognize the 8 basic colours, recite the alphabet, sort 3-D objects using a single attribute; identify, describe and reproduce patterns; predict and extend patterns, and create own patterns. Children are also working hard at printing their first name. I always tell the children that the first letter is a capital, and all the other letters that follow are lowercase (small letters). Feel free to practice all of these skills at home, as well. Name printing will also be part of my first report card evaluation.
Reminders:
1. Be prepared to dress your child warmly for outdoor play. Although the past week has been very warm, the weather will soon begin to change and noon hours outside can seem very long if a child comes to school without a jacket, socks, hat, or even stretch gloves on a cool fall day.
2. Library is always on Day 1. You may return library books on or before this day so that your child can sign out new books.
3. Our classroom will be bowling during the month of October. A note with more details regarding this will be sent home soon.
4. There is no school this month on Monday, October 11th due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Children will return to Kindergarten again on Wednesday, October 13th.
5. Early Dismissal this month is Thursday, October 14th . This is not a Kindergarten day.
6. Family Fun Night at our school is Thursday, October 7th from 6:30 - 8:00. Come out and join in our school fun and activities. You can also join your child for the book fair in the library!
7. Our Halloween party will be held during the afternoon of Friday, October 29th. The school parade will begin at 1:15 and our classroom party will follow. Another note will soon be sent your way sharing more details of our Halloween party. Come out to see all the great costumes for our Halloween parade!
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments please feel free to contact me.
Have a great month!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
September Newsletter
Welcome to Kindergarten! The children are excited to be attending school and are looking forward to learning some interesting bear facts, as well as the rules and routines of school! I would like to point out that our Kindergarten classroom has a blog site. Here you will find a copy of our monthly newsletters, a calendar to keep you posted on school and classroom happenings, links to Kindergarten games that reinforce skills we are practising in class, and a place I can add quick updates and reminders. I encourage you to visit this site on occasion. Your child will enjoy sharing our classroom games with you!! The address for this blog is: http://mrslippaikinderblog.blogspot.com/.
Our topic for the month of September will be Bears. We will be learning bear chants and songs, listening to bear stories, completing bear crafts, going on bear hunts, and celebrating our first month of school with a Teddy Bear Picnic! Children will be invited later in the month to bring one of their teddy bears to school for the day to join in a variety of math and literacy activities. Weather permitting, the children and their teddy bears will play a variety of games and enjoy a teddy bear snack outside on our picnic day. If the weather is poor we will be spreading our blanket down on the classroom floor and enjoying a snack in our room. Look for a teddy bear picnic invitation to come home a bit later in the month.
Throughout the month of September the children will also be learning about school routines and rules. As well, they will practise printing their first name using a capital letter to start and small letters to follow. Children will also work toward recognizing and naming colours and letters in the alphabet. Our classroom will be using the Animated Alphabet Program which uses stories, songs, and motion to reinforce the letters and sounds studied. We will be learning about the letters Pp, Uu, and Oo this month, and how these letters make the words pup and pop. All curricular areas of study are incorporated into activities related to the topics covered.
Students will also learn about and put into practice Social Skills. These skills include: following directions, listening to others, and using a quiet voice. Our school Counsellor will be coming into our classroom to provide examples and help us practise these skills.
Our first unit in math this year is Exploring Patterns. Our focus will be on sorting objects, comparing sets, and identifying, describing, and reproducing patterns. Children will have a variety of experiences to work hands-on with objects to achieve curriculum outcomes. Two pages of information have been added to our classroom newsletter to help further explain our new math curriculum and suggest ideas to further enrich your child at home!
Reminders:
1). Early Dismissal does not fall on a Kindergarten day this month.
2). Please return library books each Day 1 so that your child may choose new books when visiting the library. The maximum number of books out at any one time is three.
3). Identify any important notes to your child that should be handed in to me, and remind him/her to set them at his/her spot on the table in the morning. I, too, will remind the children to pass along any important messages right away in the morning.
4). Please remember to inform your bus driver any time your child will not be riding the bus (either a.m. or p.m.)
I look forward to a great year together! Please feel free to call anytime you have questions, concerns, or comments. As well, I have included my email address if you would prefer to email me.
Enjoy your Kindergarten year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Lippai
Our topic for the month of September will be Bears. We will be learning bear chants and songs, listening to bear stories, completing bear crafts, going on bear hunts, and celebrating our first month of school with a Teddy Bear Picnic! Children will be invited later in the month to bring one of their teddy bears to school for the day to join in a variety of math and literacy activities. Weather permitting, the children and their teddy bears will play a variety of games and enjoy a teddy bear snack outside on our picnic day. If the weather is poor we will be spreading our blanket down on the classroom floor and enjoying a snack in our room. Look for a teddy bear picnic invitation to come home a bit later in the month.
Throughout the month of September the children will also be learning about school routines and rules. As well, they will practise printing their first name using a capital letter to start and small letters to follow. Children will also work toward recognizing and naming colours and letters in the alphabet. Our classroom will be using the Animated Alphabet Program which uses stories, songs, and motion to reinforce the letters and sounds studied. We will be learning about the letters Pp, Uu, and Oo this month, and how these letters make the words pup and pop. All curricular areas of study are incorporated into activities related to the topics covered.
Students will also learn about and put into practice Social Skills. These skills include: following directions, listening to others, and using a quiet voice. Our school Counsellor will be coming into our classroom to provide examples and help us practise these skills.
Our first unit in math this year is Exploring Patterns. Our focus will be on sorting objects, comparing sets, and identifying, describing, and reproducing patterns. Children will have a variety of experiences to work hands-on with objects to achieve curriculum outcomes. Two pages of information have been added to our classroom newsletter to help further explain our new math curriculum and suggest ideas to further enrich your child at home!
Reminders:
1). Early Dismissal does not fall on a Kindergarten day this month.
2). Please return library books each Day 1 so that your child may choose new books when visiting the library. The maximum number of books out at any one time is three.
3). Identify any important notes to your child that should be handed in to me, and remind him/her to set them at his/her spot on the table in the morning. I, too, will remind the children to pass along any important messages right away in the morning.
4). Please remember to inform your bus driver any time your child will not be riding the bus (either a.m. or p.m.)
I look forward to a great year together! Please feel free to call anytime you have questions, concerns, or comments. As well, I have included my email address if you would prefer to email me.
Enjoy your Kindergarten year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Lippai
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Welcome to Kindergarten at P. J. Gillen School! I am very excited to begin a new school year and I am looking forward to growing and learning with your Kindergarten child. I hope this blog will serve as a way for us to better communicate with each other. Our first day of Kindergarten will begin on Monday, August 30th. Parents will join their child for an hour of activities and information. Each parent/child group will come at their own special time.
I look forward to seeing you on Monday! Enjoy your last few days of summer holidays.
Mrs. Lippai
I look forward to seeing you on Monday! Enjoy your last few days of summer holidays.
Mrs. Lippai
Thursday, June 3, 2010
June Newsletter
The 2009- 2010 school year has passed very quickly and our Kindergarten children have grown, changed, and learned so much! They are familiar with school routines, have learned how to make and maintain friendships, achieved more independence, and are mastering a variety of Kindergarten skills. I have enjoyed teaching your child and I will miss him/her very much as he/she passes into Grade One. I would like to thank each parent for his/her help throughout the year in any big or small way, whether it be for those important show and tell items that needed a parent’s assistance, coming in to our classroom to offer your time and talents, or simply working with your child on a variety of skills at home! Your presence was a gift and your support of our Kindergarten program here at our school is appreciated!
June is going to be a very busy month for the Kindergarten children (and their teacher!). Much of the month will be spent preparing for our Graduation Ceremony. We will be practising songs and poems to dazzle you! We also look forward to our leaf cutter bees hatching this month and we will begin to learn some interesting facts about plants as we grow a special something of our own!
In addition, we will begin to learn some new skills with our Reading Program. The information you need is on the reading folder package. As well, flashcards and a note inside the flashcard bag will guide you. Read and have fun! Children will not be evaluated in reading for their June report card.
Important Things To Note
1). The Kindergarten children will be swimming twice (weather permitting) during the month of June. These dates are: Wednesday, June 16 from 2:00 - 3:00 and Tuesday, June 22 from 2:00 - 3:00. We will walk to the pool on these days. Children are asked to bring $5 each to help defray costs. Please feel welcome to come and watch your child swim at this time if you wish!
Each child will need to bring a swimsuit and towel in a bag to school. Please be sure to have bag and towel labelled with your child’s name. You may also want to send some extra dry clothes and a hair brush!
2). Kindergarten Graduation will take place in our school gym on Monday, June 28th. It will begin @ 9:30a.m. and end at approximately 10:15a.m. Our school year will officially end at this time and children can go home with their parents. There is plenty of room for grandparents and special friends to attend as well.
3). Report cards will be handed out to the children on Thursday, June 24th after their last full day of school!
4). Our last library day is Friday, June 18th. All library books should be returned for the summer by this date.
5). Class Lists will soon be finalized for next year and your child will meet with their Grade One teacher on Thursday, June 24, 2010. Supply lists for Grade One will be found in the envelope containing your child’s report card.
Once again, it has been a pleasure to teach your child and have the opportunity to get to know you and your family. I hope everyone has a terrific summer and I look forward to seeing you all at Kindergarten Graduation. If you should have any questions, please feel welcome to contact me.
Best wishes for a warm and relaxing summer break!
June is going to be a very busy month for the Kindergarten children (and their teacher!). Much of the month will be spent preparing for our Graduation Ceremony. We will be practising songs and poems to dazzle you! We also look forward to our leaf cutter bees hatching this month and we will begin to learn some interesting facts about plants as we grow a special something of our own!
In addition, we will begin to learn some new skills with our Reading Program. The information you need is on the reading folder package. As well, flashcards and a note inside the flashcard bag will guide you. Read and have fun! Children will not be evaluated in reading for their June report card.
Important Things To Note
1). The Kindergarten children will be swimming twice (weather permitting) during the month of June. These dates are: Wednesday, June 16 from 2:00 - 3:00 and Tuesday, June 22 from 2:00 - 3:00. We will walk to the pool on these days. Children are asked to bring $5 each to help defray costs. Please feel welcome to come and watch your child swim at this time if you wish!
Each child will need to bring a swimsuit and towel in a bag to school. Please be sure to have bag and towel labelled with your child’s name. You may also want to send some extra dry clothes and a hair brush!
2). Kindergarten Graduation will take place in our school gym on Monday, June 28th. It will begin @ 9:30a.m. and end at approximately 10:15a.m. Our school year will officially end at this time and children can go home with their parents. There is plenty of room for grandparents and special friends to attend as well.
3). Report cards will be handed out to the children on Thursday, June 24th after their last full day of school!
4). Our last library day is Friday, June 18th. All library books should be returned for the summer by this date.
5). Class Lists will soon be finalized for next year and your child will meet with their Grade One teacher on Thursday, June 24, 2010. Supply lists for Grade One will be found in the envelope containing your child’s report card.
Once again, it has been a pleasure to teach your child and have the opportunity to get to know you and your family. I hope everyone has a terrific summer and I look forward to seeing you all at Kindergarten Graduation. If you should have any questions, please feel welcome to contact me.
Best wishes for a warm and relaxing summer break!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
May Newsletter
The month of May is here and it’s hard to believe that our school year will soon come to a close. We look forward to our trip to Binscarth to watch the Willie Wonka play on Wednesday, May 5. Hopefully the weather will warm up and we won’t need to dress for snow! If you have any questions or concerns regarding the trip, please feel free to contact me. Otherwise, as long as your child has a bag lunch for the day, all should be well.
We will continue with our study of “The Sky” until part way through the month, at which time we will shift our focus to “The Garden”. We will learn about what plants need to sprout and flourish, and the stages of growth a plant follows. In addition to this, we will be hatching out Leaf Cutter Bees. We will discuss the important role bees have in the growth and development of plants!
We will soon complete our study of the alphabet. Our last letters to study are Ww, Vv, Qq, Yy, and Zz. We will continue to review all other letter names and sounds each day. To further enrich what children have been learning about letters and sounds, our Kindergarten class will soon begin to learn to read! Shortly after the Victoria Day long weekend your child will bring home a “Reading Folder”. There is a note attached to the folder explaining how this program will work. Your child will bring home a “book bag” inside the folder. You and your child can read these books using the suggestions on the folder note. Your child will then return the “book bag” to school the next Kindergarten day and exchange it for a new one. Although it is not an expectation that your child read in Kindergarten, and I will not be evaluating him/her in reading, this is a wonderful activity that excites and motivates! Have Fun!
The following is a list of skills we will be working on in preparation for the June report card: counting to 100, number recognition to 10, recognizing all uppercase and lowercase letters, knowing all letter sounds, printing all letters (a-z), printing first and last name, and working independently. Please feel free to practise these skills at home with your child. You could even “test” them yourselves to see what they already know! As well, I am still encouraging children who have not yet received a “Shoe Lace Tying Certificate” to keep practising to tie at home. When this task has been mastered and your child can show me, he/she will receive a certificate and pick from the prize box. I cannot stress how important this skill will be for your child, and it is most easiest learned one on one with a parent at home, and with a reward from me!!!
We will be having a Kindergarten Graduation once again this year. The date for the graduation will be Monday, June 28, 2010. Children will come to school at their regular time (9:00) and the graduation ceremony will begin in the gymnasium at 9:30. The presentation will be approximately 45 minutes long. Parents and guests are welcome to attend. The school day for Kindergarten will end after this time and children will go home with their parents. Summer holidays will officially begin! More information regarding this occasion will be sent home in June!
* Reminder* We will be using a small, clean glass jar with lid and a small gift bag that the jar will comfortably fit inside for Friday, May 7. If you have not yet sent these items, please send them next Kindergarten day. Be sure your child’s name is on both the jar and bag. We will be needing these for our Mother’s Day gifts!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
We will continue with our study of “The Sky” until part way through the month, at which time we will shift our focus to “The Garden”. We will learn about what plants need to sprout and flourish, and the stages of growth a plant follows. In addition to this, we will be hatching out Leaf Cutter Bees. We will discuss the important role bees have in the growth and development of plants!
We will soon complete our study of the alphabet. Our last letters to study are Ww, Vv, Qq, Yy, and Zz. We will continue to review all other letter names and sounds each day. To further enrich what children have been learning about letters and sounds, our Kindergarten class will soon begin to learn to read! Shortly after the Victoria Day long weekend your child will bring home a “Reading Folder”. There is a note attached to the folder explaining how this program will work. Your child will bring home a “book bag” inside the folder. You and your child can read these books using the suggestions on the folder note. Your child will then return the “book bag” to school the next Kindergarten day and exchange it for a new one. Although it is not an expectation that your child read in Kindergarten, and I will not be evaluating him/her in reading, this is a wonderful activity that excites and motivates! Have Fun!
The following is a list of skills we will be working on in preparation for the June report card: counting to 100, number recognition to 10, recognizing all uppercase and lowercase letters, knowing all letter sounds, printing all letters (a-z), printing first and last name, and working independently. Please feel free to practise these skills at home with your child. You could even “test” them yourselves to see what they already know! As well, I am still encouraging children who have not yet received a “Shoe Lace Tying Certificate” to keep practising to tie at home. When this task has been mastered and your child can show me, he/she will receive a certificate and pick from the prize box. I cannot stress how important this skill will be for your child, and it is most easiest learned one on one with a parent at home, and with a reward from me!!!
We will be having a Kindergarten Graduation once again this year. The date for the graduation will be Monday, June 28, 2010. Children will come to school at their regular time (9:00) and the graduation ceremony will begin in the gymnasium at 9:30. The presentation will be approximately 45 minutes long. Parents and guests are welcome to attend. The school day for Kindergarten will end after this time and children will go home with their parents. Summer holidays will officially begin! More information regarding this occasion will be sent home in June!
* Reminder* We will be using a small, clean glass jar with lid and a small gift bag that the jar will comfortably fit inside for Friday, May 7. If you have not yet sent these items, please send them next Kindergarten day. Be sure your child’s name is on both the jar and bag. We will be needing these for our Mother’s Day gifts!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Friday, April 9, 2010
April Newsletter
Our main theme this month will be "The Sky". We will learn interesting facts about constellations, rainbows, clouds, planets, our moon and sun, and the aurora borealis (Northern Lights). April is also Dental Health month and the children will be learning about the importance of keeping their teeth clean and the best ways to brush and floss. We will study the letters Nn, Ii, and Ee and continue exploring Geometry and Measurement in math with a focus on the concepts: longer, shorter, empty, full, less, more, smaller, bigger, almost the same, heavy, heavier, light, and lighter. We have also been participating in a variety of "mental math" games and math games using manipulatives. We will continue to play these at school this month, as well!
Reminders:
1). There will be Early Dismissal on Thursday, April 15th, 2010 @ 12:10.
2). The Hot Lunch for the month of April will be Chinese Food from Mei's. This needs to be pre-ordered before April 16th, and will be delivered on April 21st. The order form can be found at the back of the School's April Newsletter.
3). Library will contiue to be each Day 1 of the school cycle. Library books are due back on this day.
Once again, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me!
Reminders:
1). There will be Early Dismissal on Thursday, April 15th, 2010 @ 12:10.
2). The Hot Lunch for the month of April will be Chinese Food from Mei's. This needs to be pre-ordered before April 16th, and will be delivered on April 21st. The order form can be found at the back of the School's April Newsletter.
3). Library will contiue to be each Day 1 of the school cycle. Library books are due back on this day.
Once again, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
March Newsletter
The month of March is now upon us and we are looking forward to warmer days. During the month of March we will be participating in a number of activities, finger plays, and crafts to prepare for and celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Easter. The children are encouraged to wear green to school on Wednesday, March 17th!
We will wrap up our topic of "Healthy Habits" this month and shift our discussions to the season of Spring. We will study the letters Bb, Cc, and Ll. We will also continue to review all other letters studied so far in preparation for report card evaluation.
We will begin a new unit in math this month entitled, "Exploring Geometry and Measurement". A parent information sheet is attached to the hard copy of this newsletter along with some suggestions to reinforce these concepts at home. In addition to this, please practise counting to 50 at home with your child. If your child can do this well, count higher! We like children to be able to count to 100 by the end of Kindergarten. If this is easy for your child, try having him/her count backwards. This is a bit more challenging!
A number of children are still trying to remember their telephone number and birth date. If your child has not yet brought home his/her certificate, please spend an extra few minutes each day going over this information with your child. It is so very important that each child knows these facts, and it is part of my Term 2 report card evaluation.
Early dismissal this month is on Thursday, March 11th at 12:10, Day 5. There is no school on Friday, March 19th, and our second report card will go out to families one week later on Friday, March 26th. As well, the Scholastic Book Fair will be visiting our school on March 22nd and 23rd. A letter will be sent home to each family informing you of what day and time your child's class will be visiting the Book Fair. Look for that within the next week or so!
Be sure to check out some of this month's new links to games and activities on this blog. Each of theses activities support some of what we are learning and playing here at school! Have fun!
Have a great month! Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Mrs. Lippai
We will wrap up our topic of "Healthy Habits" this month and shift our discussions to the season of Spring. We will study the letters Bb, Cc, and Ll. We will also continue to review all other letters studied so far in preparation for report card evaluation.
We will begin a new unit in math this month entitled, "Exploring Geometry and Measurement". A parent information sheet is attached to the hard copy of this newsletter along with some suggestions to reinforce these concepts at home. In addition to this, please practise counting to 50 at home with your child. If your child can do this well, count higher! We like children to be able to count to 100 by the end of Kindergarten. If this is easy for your child, try having him/her count backwards. This is a bit more challenging!
A number of children are still trying to remember their telephone number and birth date. If your child has not yet brought home his/her certificate, please spend an extra few minutes each day going over this information with your child. It is so very important that each child knows these facts, and it is part of my Term 2 report card evaluation.
Early dismissal this month is on Thursday, March 11th at 12:10, Day 5. There is no school on Friday, March 19th, and our second report card will go out to families one week later on Friday, March 26th. As well, the Scholastic Book Fair will be visiting our school on March 22nd and 23rd. A letter will be sent home to each family informing you of what day and time your child's class will be visiting the Book Fair. Look for that within the next week or so!
Be sure to check out some of this month's new links to games and activities on this blog. Each of theses activities support some of what we are learning and playing here at school! Have fun!
Have a great month! Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Mrs. Lippai
Sunday, January 31, 2010
February Newsletter
February is upon us and we will soon wrap up our Ocean theme. We will change our focus this month to the topics of Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day and Friendship. We will also continue to discuss "Healthy Habits" this month.
We have completed our study of letters Jj, Hh, and Kk, and we will move on to learn about the names and sounds of Gg, Ff, and Bb. I encourage you to review all letters studied at home with your child. Ask them often, "What letter is this?", "What sound does it make?". I will soon be testing them in this area for our second report card.
We will continue working with numbers 1-5 during this short month. Children are continuing to count, create sets, show a number in two parts (2 fingers on one hand and 3 fingers on another is a way of making 5, and so is 4 fingers on one hand and 1 finger on the other ... you get the idea!), and recognize at a glance and name arrangements of 1-6 objects or dots (play dice games for practise!). As well, practise counting to 50 with your child. Often children have trouble making the transition to the numbers 20, 30, 40, and 50. We will continue to practise printing numbers 1-5.
Many children are beginning to receive their birthday certificate and telephone number certificate as a reward for memorizing this information. If your child does not soon bring this item home, it will be because he/she does not yet know this information and will need extra practise at home. Knowing this is also a part of our second term report card.
We are continuing to learn to tie shoe laces in our classroom. Each child who learns to tie his/her shoes before the end of June earns a shoe tying certificate and a trip to our classroom treasure box! If you could spend a little time at home practising this skill too, that would be great!!!
VALENTINES PARTY
Our Valentine's party will take place on Friday, February 12th. Students may bring Valentine cards beginning Wednesday, February 10th to exchange with their classmates, if they wish. Party munchies will be provided and served in the morning for snack! I have attached a list of the children's first names in the classroom to the hard copy of our newsletter. This should help you when filling out Valentines!
WINTER BREAK
There will be no school for Kindergarten from Monday, February 15th, to Friday, February 19th, inclusive. Our first day back after the break is Tuesday,
February 23rd.
Have a great break! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Lippai
We have completed our study of letters Jj, Hh, and Kk, and we will move on to learn about the names and sounds of Gg, Ff, and Bb. I encourage you to review all letters studied at home with your child. Ask them often, "What letter is this?", "What sound does it make?". I will soon be testing them in this area for our second report card.
We will continue working with numbers 1-5 during this short month. Children are continuing to count, create sets, show a number in two parts (2 fingers on one hand and 3 fingers on another is a way of making 5, and so is 4 fingers on one hand and 1 finger on the other ... you get the idea!), and recognize at a glance and name arrangements of 1-6 objects or dots (play dice games for practise!). As well, practise counting to 50 with your child. Often children have trouble making the transition to the numbers 20, 30, 40, and 50. We will continue to practise printing numbers 1-5.
Many children are beginning to receive their birthday certificate and telephone number certificate as a reward for memorizing this information. If your child does not soon bring this item home, it will be because he/she does not yet know this information and will need extra practise at home. Knowing this is also a part of our second term report card.
We are continuing to learn to tie shoe laces in our classroom. Each child who learns to tie his/her shoes before the end of June earns a shoe tying certificate and a trip to our classroom treasure box! If you could spend a little time at home practising this skill too, that would be great!!!
VALENTINES PARTY
Our Valentine's party will take place on Friday, February 12th. Students may bring Valentine cards beginning Wednesday, February 10th to exchange with their classmates, if they wish. Party munchies will be provided and served in the morning for snack! I have attached a list of the children's first names in the classroom to the hard copy of our newsletter. This should help you when filling out Valentines!
WINTER BREAK
There will be no school for Kindergarten from Monday, February 15th, to Friday, February 19th, inclusive. Our first day back after the break is Tuesday,
February 23rd.
Have a great break! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Lippai
Monday, January 25, 2010
Just a quick note to let everyone know that tomorrow (Tuesday, January 26th) there will be a cookie sale. Mrs. Nagy's grade one class has baked cookies to sell in an effort to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims. The cookies will be sold over the noon hour for a dollar each (they are nice BIG cookies!). Be sure to send a loonie to school with your child if he/she would like to purchase a cookie.
As well, I just want to remind everyone that there will be no school on Friday, January 29th, 2010. Kindergarten children will not return to school again until Tuesday, February 2nd (Groundhog Day). The February school newsletter will go home with Kindergarten children tomorrow.
Have a great evening!
Mrs. Lippai
As well, I just want to remind everyone that there will be no school on Friday, January 29th, 2010. Kindergarten children will not return to school again until Tuesday, February 2nd (Groundhog Day). The February school newsletter will go home with Kindergarten children tomorrow.
Have a great evening!
Mrs. Lippai
Friday, January 22, 2010
Today was a very exciting day for our Kindergarten classroom! We finally received our long awaited dual-touch, interactive SMARTboard! It was installed first thing this morning and by this afternoon we were taking turns and playing a number of math games on it. The children were very excited! We are all looking forward to using our SMARTboard each Kindergarten day for a variety of learning activities.
We also had a shoe-lace tying lesson this afternoon. I have asked the children to practise tying laces at home with their parents. When your child is able to tie laces he/she will receive a special shoe lace tying certificate, his/her name on the shoe lace tying wall, and he/she can choose a prize from our classroom Treasure Box! I encourage you to work with your child at home on this skill. I work on it with them a bit at school, but with so many students, it is difficult to spend a lot of time with each student working on this skill. It is one of those things that takes a lot of practise to get good at! Good luck!
As well, we are working on reciting our birthdate and telephone number. Take time to review these things too. They will be part of your child's Term 2 report card.
Have a good weekend.
Mrs.Lippai
We also had a shoe-lace tying lesson this afternoon. I have asked the children to practise tying laces at home with their parents. When your child is able to tie laces he/she will receive a special shoe lace tying certificate, his/her name on the shoe lace tying wall, and he/she can choose a prize from our classroom Treasure Box! I encourage you to work with your child at home on this skill. I work on it with them a bit at school, but with so many students, it is difficult to spend a lot of time with each student working on this skill. It is one of those things that takes a lot of practise to get good at! Good luck!
As well, we are working on reciting our birthdate and telephone number. Take time to review these things too. They will be part of your child's Term 2 report card.
Have a good weekend.
Mrs.Lippai
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Kindergarten children having been working with the math vocabulary words "more","fewer", and "as many as". Children have brought home a math sheet with eight dogs on it which can be used to explain these ideas to family members at home. I have encouraged children to use small items such as marshmallows, fruitloops, or some other small object that could be placed next to each dog to demonstrate and explain these math vocabulary concepts. If you have a few spare moments, have your child show and explain to you. This will give you an opportunity to check for your child's understanding. Good Luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
