Kindergarten Update 9/3 - 9/6

Hello Kindergarten Families,

It was so nice to see all of you at Back to School Night . I hope that all of your questions were answered.  Please don't hesitate to email me if you have any more questions. 

Here is what's going on in Kindergarten next week:

Language Arts: We will introduce the new Word of the Week: “the”.  Word Wall Words are words that must be memorized and cannot be sounded out (also known as “sight words”).  It would be helpful for your child to create their own Word Wall at home (or just use flashcards) to help your child read, memorize and write these words daily until they have been mastered. Next week, we will read 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?’ and students will identify all of the “see” words in the book.  Also, students will choose a classmate’s name and write “I see _______ (name of that classmate).

Handwriting Focus Letters:   M,m, N,n, Rr. These letters are a combination of “straight line letters”, like we focused on last week, combined with what we call “Rainbow Letters” which are the lowercase letters (h,m,n,r) that curve in a rainbow shape.  Some students still need to practice writing their names with an uppercase first letter and the rest of the letters being lowercase.  Please spend time helping them with this every day until it is mastered so they feel confident writing their names easily.  I will be sending home a practice sheet with their name. 

Math: We will continue to study patterns, counting with our “Counting Collections” and identifying/writing numbers 1-5.  We will begin math workshops this week.  We will have a variety of games that will teach number recognition. . 

We are excited to have parent volunteers beginning on September 16.  As a reminder, if you are interested in volunteering in our classroom, you will need to be fingerprinted and have a TB test.  If you have already done this in the past for our district and our school has record of it, you will not have to do it again.  Please ask the office for more information and to get the Volunteer form ASAP. Look forward to seeing you soon! 

We are still in need of a Room Parent. Room Parents at Rio help to organize classroom parties as well as assisting with our classroom auction project and other classroom events.  Sometimes this role is more fun with a group of parents that want to share the job.  

I sent home many papers at beginning of the year from our district that need to be returned.  Thank you if you have all ready completed and returned your forms. If you haven't already,  please go through those packets and sign and return papers stating you know about emergency medical treatment, photography consent form, and voluntary participation student accident/health insurance. Please remember to get fingerprinted and TB test done.  Also, there is a driver form that needs to be filled out and returned with license and car insurance.

Our district provides free and reduced breakfast or lunch to our students. If you are interested in receiving this service, please contact food services through the district office.

I hope you have a relaxing long weekend with your families,

Ms. Werner

Aug. 26-30

Hi Kindergarten Families,

Here is what’s going on in class next week:

Handwriting: This past week, we focused on writing “straight line letters”: I,i, L,l and, T,t.  Next week, we will focus on letters H,h , V,v and X,x.  While helping your child write letters at home, please remind them that letters always start at the top and go down. Students are also practicing how to write their name correctly- beginning with a capital letter first and followed by all lower case letters. We will teach them to think of a “Big Momma Duck (capital letter) with a line of Little Baby Ducks (lowercase letters) following”. Please reinforce these skills at home with DAILY handwriting practice if needed.

Math: We will focus on the concepts of number recognition, counting and writing numbers 0-5 correctly. We are also focusing on shapes and patterns.

Phonemic Awareness/Art: We will continue our “Nursery Rhyme” theme.  The students are enjoying these rhymes and art projects and are having fun coming up with their own silly rhymes as well!

Sight word for the week:  a, see

If you are interested in applying for the Free or Reduced Lunch program please go to the Food Services Department at the District Office.  Applications are available on the PVUSD website. 

Beginning Weekly….

On Wednesdays and Fridays, our students get to visit our school’s computer lab to use academic programs that support what we are studying in class.  Also on Wednesdays, students will visit our school’s library to listen to books read by our school’s librarian "Mrs. Lowe".  Kinders do not check out books until first grade.  

Back-to-School night is Thursday, August 29th at 6:00 P.M.  This is a child-free night!  You will learn about the curriculum we use and sign up for centers and volunteering opportunities. I will be going over ways you can help at home too! 

Please remember to read with your child every night.  You can also keep track of our weekly word wall word to review at home.  

Also, I will be sending out our first scholastic book order.  You can order books throughout the year using my scholastic code that is on my blog.  I will only be sending out book order forms every other month.  Once I send out the order form, you can either go online and order or send me back the order for me to send in.  I give you about a week to order and the date will be posted on the order form.

Reminder: We have food allergies in our class.  If your child only eats nuts, please contact me but we will be a nut free classroom.  

Thanks,
Ms. Werner

Reminders:
Back to school night: Thursday, August 29th at 6:00 P.M.

First Field trip: Wednesday, October 2.  We are going to Gizdich Ranch. (Please get your finger prints and TB test results at the district office and driver forms ASAP)

Labor Day: Monday, September 2. NO school

August 14 - 23

Hi Kindergarten Families!

Our first 2 days of Kindergarten have been a huge success! I am SO impressed with the easy transitions your children have made.  As parents, you have all done an amazing job at raising confident, independent, and respectful children and you should all be very proud of them!

We use a school wide program called "PBIS" Positive behavior interventions and supports.  This is a framework for teachers and students to use to create a safe environment from the beginning of the year.  Our whole school is using this approach to teach positive behaviors. We are all using the same guidelines in classrooms, hallways, on playgrounds, bathrooms, cafeteria, etc.  You will see these signs posted around the school.  This is intended to decrease the negative behaviors and less bullying behaviors by implementing what is the appropriate behaviors.  I will talk more about this at Back To School Night.

Next week we will continue to focus on building a caring classroom community by learning each other's names, singing songs, playing games, doing fun art projects and most importantly learning and reviewing our classroom rules and procedures.

We will begin our "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" theme which focuses on the letters and sounds of the alphabet through themed books and art activities. We will begin daily practice of our Zoophonics program which also focuses on letter names/sounds. Lastly, we will begin a short unit of familiar Nursery Rhymes to practice rhyming and segmenting of simple words. We will do some fun Nursery Rhyme art projects and practice that tricky skill of cutting with scissors. :)

REMINDER: Beginning on Wednesday, August 28th, every Wednesday, the morning drop-off routine will be changing. All kindergarteners will go directly to the upper playground (the primary yard) before school begins instead of to their classrooms. We will continue to practice this routine with the students so they fully understand the playground safety rules and know where to line up. Our yard duties and teachers will be supervising every morning beginning at 7:30. 

Each week we will send you an email to update you on all of the fun and exciting things going on in our class.  Please make sure you have sent in the transportation form that gives us all your contact information.  Our blog has the same information.  If you prefer to NOT be on this weekly email list, please let us know and we will remove you from it. If you prefer a different email address please let us know that as well.

Please remember to send your child's "Homework Folder" (the plastic folder that was provided on the first day of school) EVERY day to school in your child's backpack. We use this every day to send school work and important information home to you.  Also, if your child is going home differently than their regular routine, please send a written note in their homework folder so we can make sure everyone gets home safely.

Have a great week!

Ms. Werner

Important dates: 

Back to School night   Thursday, August  29th at 6:00-6:30 (No children event)Please be on time because we will start our talk at 6:00.

No school on Monday, September 2.