Ms. Gartrell's Kindergarten Class
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February 29- March 4

2/28/2016

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WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
Last week was certainly an exciting and busy week! The kids had a fun time sharing their 100 Day collections. Thanks for helping your child create his/her project. Another big thanks to those parents who came to help with 100 fruit loop necklaces! Last Friday, we said a bittersweet goodbye to Mrs. Dhaliwal. We wish her all the best as she awaits the arrival of her baby.

Our new phonics sounds this week are “j” and “oa” (as in goat). The Jolly Phonics Smartboard program (which I have been waiting for in the mail for quite a while) arrived last week! The kids and I are very excited to start using the program. Our class sharing for Read Around the Planet will be at 9:00am on Monday (as long as technology and the school Wifi cooperate for us). Please do not be late for school as we are teleconferencing live and arriving late will cause a big interruption in our very limited conference time. In Math, we are beginning to tell simple addition equations (aka: “math stories”) with objects, our bodies, pictures and numbers.

This week our “Healthy Living” unit will continue to focus on how to avoid spreading germs (proper hand-washing and personal hygiene), daily exercise, body parts and their function (e.g., skin, bones, muscles, heart, etc.). The kids loved the Sugary Drinks demonstration we did last week where we matched drinks to a cup with the equivalent amount of white sugar. We talked about looking for nutrition labels and how reading them can help us make healthy choices. The kids were amazed by how much added sugar was in fruit juice from concentrate, pop and slushies (the kids labeled these drinks as “once-in-a-while-treats” on their own :))! Consuming too much of these sugary drinks mean the kids' energy spikes quickly (“hyper” behaviour) and then crashes (“meltdowns, irritable behaviour”), shortly after. Canada's Food Guide recommends that children aged 4-8 years consume less than 10 teaspoons (40 grams/50 ml) of added sugar per day. This means one 200 ml 100% fruit juice-box contains HALF of a child's daily sugar intake and one can of 335ml pop contains 100% of their daily sugar intake! Sugary drinks “bump out” other nutritious beverages, contribute to higher caffeine intake, and a higher risk of dental cavities. When children fill up on sugary drinks, they consume fewer nutritious foods and beverages (especially milk) and risk deficiencies of essential nutrients. I have challenged the kids (and their parents too :) ) to “BUMP OUT” and/or limit SUGARY DRINKS at school by only bringing water, white milk or one 100% fruit juice box in their lunches. Thanks for your cooperation! I also really appreciate how respectful parents have been about promoting healthy snacks and treats by refraining from sending candy and sweets to school!

REMINDERS/HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:
* Please send a family photo for your child to display on our FAMILY WALL a.s.a.p. Your photo  will be returned to you at the end of the school year. :) 
* Return completed February Homework calendars to be entered in the prize draw later this week
* Hot Dog Lunch orders due March 8th
* Senor Froggy Lunch orders due March 11th

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
This week’s Star Student is Mason.

Monday – Library book exchange and- Read Around the Planet with Mrs. Gorman
Tuesday – Happy Birthday Lacey!
Wednesday - P.E. with Mrs. Gustafson
Thursday – Roots of Empathy visit with Wayne and baby Ava
Friday - P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic

UPCOMING EVENTS:
-March 11 - Term 2 Report Cards sent home
-March 21-April 1 -SPRING BREAK
-April 4th - Pro-D Day (No School)

FYI: -Kindergarten Open House (Student “Brag” Night) -TBA [most likely during the week of March 14-18. Mrs. Hyslop and I are waiting to finalize a date and time once Mrs. Dhaliwal’s position has been filled]

See everyone tomorrow!
Ms.Gartrell    
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February 22-26

2/21/2016

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WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
Wow, we have another week full of special events! Our new phonics sound this week is “ai” (as in snail), which is our first digraph (aka: “blend” - when two or more letters that make one sound). Our class sharing for Read Around the Planet (a special event where our class will get to teleconference with a school in South Carolina on Feb. 29th!) is focused on literacy. We will sing our Jolly Phonics songs, read the book “Alphabet Jive” and recite our February calendar poem.

In Math, we will be doing many things focused on 100. Our
100th DAY OF KINDERGARTEN is THURSDAY - bring your 100 collections and posters to school on Thursday. Please help your child organize the objects into groups of 10. This makes sharing and counting the projects much easier (and efficient time-wise). We now have 3 parent volunteers for our 100th day activities between 10:30-­11:50 am on the 25th. Thanks so much!


This week our “Healthy Living” unit will continue to focus on healthy eating, daily exercise, body parts and their function (e.g., skin, bones, muscles, heart, etc.). We will also read numerous books about acceptance, tolerance and bullying to connect with PINK SHIRT days. Parkcrest will have 2  “PINK SHIRT DAYS” this week, TUESDAY (for a Kindness/Nicaragua Project assembly) and WEDNESDAY (official Pink Shirt Day).  

REMINDERS/HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:

  • Please send a family photo for your child to display on our FAMILY WALL this week. Your photo will be returned to you at the end of the school year. :)  
  • Scholastic Book Orders for our class - due Feb. 26th (Scholastic orders are a great way for classroom teachers to earn coupons for purchasing new books for our class library)
​
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
This week’s Star Student is Jadeon.
FYI: Kindergarten registration for the 2016-2017 school year at Parkcrest begins this Monday.

Monday – Library  
Tuesday – Anti-Bully/Kindness/Nicaragua Project Assembly (WEAR A PINK SHIRT)
Wednesday – Pink Shirt Day (WEAR A PINK SHIRT in support to encourage tolerance, acceptance and kindness -aka: Anti-bully day)
                  -  P.E. with Mrs. Gustafson
Thursday – 100th Day of Kindergarten! (Bring 100 collection to share with the class)
Friday - PIZZA LUNCH
               - Roots of Empathy visit with Wayne (rescheduled due to 100th Day)

​UPCOMING EVENTS:

-February 29th - Read Around the Planet with Mrs. Gorman
-March 21-April 1 -SPRING BREAK
-April 4th - Pro-D Day (No School)

See everyone tomorrow!
Ms.Gartrell
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February 15-19

2/14/2016

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I hope you all had a Valentine’s weekend filled with love! The kids had a wonderful class Valentine’s Day celebration on Friday. Thank you to everyone who donated items for us! :)

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
Reminder that it is another 4-day school week due to Friday 19th being a Professional-Development Day.


Our new letter this week is Bb. The students have been working on identifying the initial letter sound they hear. We will begin focusing on using “inventive spelling” (sometimes we call it “kid writing”) where students try to print all the prominent sounds they hear in a word (e.g. apple = apl). In Math, we will begin continuing to 100 by 5s (as the kids are quite capable by 10s). Zero the Hero also brought us a new math game called Fruit Basket last week. This week our “Healthy Living” unit will focus on nutrition, specifically the 4 food groups, serving sizes, and “Eat a Rainbow” (eating a balanced diet).

Notices about 100s day were sent home at the beginning of February. As a refresher, I attached the same info. below. Please make sure to complete a 100 collection or poster with your child and send it to school on Thursday February 25th, our 100th Day of School. The project can be as simple or complex as you like. If you happen to be stuck for ideas, Pinterest is a helpful place to look! :)

100th DAY OF KINDERGARTEN – Students are encouraged to create a collection of 100 with anything they like (preferably objects that are easy to transport to and from school). Some favourite collections are 100 pasta noodles, coins, toothpicks, stickers, cereal, or beads. Please have your child group the objects in groups of 10 and label 10, 20, 30, etc. before bringing the collection to school. I would suggest making a poster display or storing the objects in ziplock bags, an empty egg carton or tupperware containers, etc. Students can bring their collections to school on the 25th when we will have a fun-­filled day of 100 activities and games.

I am looking for 1-2 more parent/grandparent volunteers to help out with 100 day activities between 10:30-­11:50 am on the 25th. If you are able, please sign up on the Parent­-Volunteer sheet (outside our classroom door) or send me a note in your child's agenda. Thanks for your help! :)

REMINDERS/HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:
- Please send a family photo for your child to display on our FAMILY WALL. We will be learning about families toward the end of February so I’d love to start collecting photos soon :) 

- Feb. 15th -Papa John’s Pizza orders due. Pizza will be delivered Feb. 26

- Scholastic Book Orders for our class - due Feb. 26th (Scholastic orders are a great way for classroom teachers to earn coupons for purchasing new books for our class library)


THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
This week’s Star Student is Blaike.

Monday – Library
 and P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic (rescheduled due to Pro-D)

Tuesday
–

Wednesday
– P.E. with Mrs. Gustafson

Thursday
– Roots of Empathy visit with Wayne

Friday - Pro-D Day (No School)


UPCOMING EVENTS:
- February 23rd - Anti-Bully/Kindness/Nicaragua Project Assembly (students are encouraged to wear PINK)

- February 24th - Pink Shirt Day (wear a pink shirt to encourage tolerance, acceptance and kindness -aka: Anti-bully day)

- February 25th - 100th Day of Kindergarten

- February 29th - Read Around the Planet with Mrs. Gorman


See everyone tomorrow!
Ms.Gartrell


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February 9-12

2/8/2016

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I hope you all had a wonderful Family Day and long weekend. Wow, well whatever infection/virus/illness I had, certainly knocked me down last week. After numerous days of antibiotics and a lot of extra sleep, I am now beginning to feel like I’m somewhat recovering :(. I’m very thankful Mrs. Gustafson and Mrs. Dunn were able to teach the kids while I was away. Please remember that if your child is sick, he/she needs to stay at home to recover and prevent the spread of germs. That being said, I am hoping to be back at school tomorrow. I am aware quite a few families have requested to have email updates, rather than blog updates; however, I do not have the list of email addresses here at home, so an email update will have to wait until later this week or next.

We have an exciting 4-day week with Young Peoples Concert (YPC), a visit from Zero The Hero, and Valentine’s celebrations! Hopefully everyone has had a chance to start making their Valentine’s “mailbox”. On Friday, the students are encouraged to wear red or pink. The primary students will have an option to attend the school dance during the lunch break. We we have our class Valentine’s celebration after the dance. If you have not had a chance, but would like to donate a treat to our party, please see the sign-up sheet outside our class door.  
​

Our new letter this week is Ff. In Math, we will have another visit on Wednesday from Zero the Hero on our 90th day of school! We will begin our monthly theme about Healthy Living & Healthy Hearts (positive/caring relationships, family, nutrition, exercise, parts of the body) this week too. Before I post this week’s Star Student...I’ll have to double-check who Mrs. Dunn sent everything home with! :)

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK:

TUESDAY:
- 9:20am Library Book exchange
- 
we will attend our second Young People’s Concert. The buses will depart the school at 12 pm. The students will have an early lunch and outdoor playtime so they are ready to go at noon.

WEDNESDAY:
- 10:30am - Kindergarten Dental Screenings
- 
Visit from Zero the Hero. Remember to work on your 100 collections at home so they are ready to share February 25th!
- P.E. With Mrs. Gustafson

THURSDAY:
- Valentines-themed literacy and math activities
- Roots of Empathy visit with Wayne

FRIDAY:
- P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic
- bring back Valentine’s mailbag this morning!
- If you are donating treats to our Valentine’s party, please bring them to our classroom by recess.
- 
PAC Cookiegrams will be delivered today
- School Valentine’s Dance (primary students can go to the dance after they finish eating their lunches)

​REMINDERS/HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:
  • Feb. 9-12th  -"Change for Change" coin drive for Nicaragua Project
  • Feb. 15th -Papa John’s Pizza orders due. Pizza will be delivered Feb. 26.
  • Feb. 26th - Scholastic Book Orders for our class due (Scholastic orders are a great way for classroom teachers to earn coupons for purchasing new books for our class library)

UPCOMING EVENTS:
-February 19th - Pro-D Day (No school) 
-February 24th - Pink Shirt Day 
-February 25th - 100th Day of Kindergarten

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