Thank you so much to those parents who have helped over the past month with creating a 100 T-shirt, running 100 day math centers and bringing treats for Valentine’s Day! The kids and I greatly appreciate your support in and out of the classroom! :D
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK:
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
This week’s Jolly Phonics sound/letters is “J”. In Printing, we will continue with “Center Starting Capitals”: A, T and I . The students are continuing to improve with printing their FIRST AND LAST names properly each morning. We ran out of time to do a few 100-Day Math activities last Wednesday, so we will finish those up this week.
In Social Studies, we will focus on “Pink Shirt Day” (Weds. Feb 28 - students are encouraged to wear a pink shirt) and it’s message of TOLERANCE and ACCEPTANCE. We will talk about the importance of these words and create a class book about what acceptance sounds like, feels like, and looks like.
This week we will continue our “Healthy Living” theme and brainstorm things that keep us healthy. We will focus on healthy eating habits and nutrition (specifically the 4 food groups, serving sizes, and “Eat a Rainbow”- eating a balanced diet). Next week, we will discuss how to avoid spreading germs (proper hand-washing and personal hygiene) and keeping our bodies safe using the Be Safe! program. The Be Safe! program was developed by the Canadian Red Cross. I completed teacher training for this program and I am excited to use this up-to-date resource again this year. The program uses child-friendly, age-appropriate resources (music, posters, stories, Trusty the puppet) to focus on developing personal safety, body ownership, and preventing child sexual abuse. These learning outcomes tie directly in with the BC Kindergarten curriculum requirements. I understand this is a very sensitive topic to speak about with young children, if you would like further information about the program please let me know and I can send home a detailed parent information booklet. After 2-3 subsequent lessons, I will send home a brief parent-page that summarizes what was discussed in class. This information will give specific topic points which you can review and reinforce with your child at home. If you do not want your child to take part in these brief lessons (7-8 x 20-minute lessons), please contact me immediately. If a child does not participate in the classroom lessons, it is expected the family will cover the content on their own at home.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
Monday –
Tuesday –Roots of Empathy with Wayne and Baby Maisie
- February Scholastic orders due (reminder: cheque or online orders only)
Wednesday – Library with Mrs. Bond
- P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic
- Subway lunch
- Pink Shirt Day (wear a pink shirt to encourage tolerance, acceptance and kindness -aka: Anti-bully day)
Thursday – P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic
Friday - P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic
REMINDERS/HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Here’s to a great week!
-Ms. Gartrell
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK:
- 100 Day Fashion Show with Ms. Quast’s Gr.1s (who dressed up like they were 100-years old) was fun and hilarious!
- 100th Day of Kindergarten - special math centres with parent helpers (THANKS to those 3 helpers!), fruit-loop necklaces, 100 Headbands, certificates from Zero the Hero himself and his sister, Zeroina! (our wonderful Principal and VP dressed up and I didn’t even have to beg them ;D)
- Learning the catchy song “When Two Vowels Go Walking” (...”the first one does the talking” - like in “bOat”)
- “Overflowing” each Busy Bee’s bucket by writing a Valentine about what each of us appreciates/likes/thinks he/she is good at/makes him/her special
- Playing the “Magic C Capitals” game in our printing books with letters: C, O, Q and G
- Learning about last week’s Star Student’s hockey and soccer talents
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
This week’s Jolly Phonics sound/letters is “J”. In Printing, we will continue with “Center Starting Capitals”: A, T and I . The students are continuing to improve with printing their FIRST AND LAST names properly each morning. We ran out of time to do a few 100-Day Math activities last Wednesday, so we will finish those up this week.
In Social Studies, we will focus on “Pink Shirt Day” (Weds. Feb 28 - students are encouraged to wear a pink shirt) and it’s message of TOLERANCE and ACCEPTANCE. We will talk about the importance of these words and create a class book about what acceptance sounds like, feels like, and looks like.
This week we will continue our “Healthy Living” theme and brainstorm things that keep us healthy. We will focus on healthy eating habits and nutrition (specifically the 4 food groups, serving sizes, and “Eat a Rainbow”- eating a balanced diet). Next week, we will discuss how to avoid spreading germs (proper hand-washing and personal hygiene) and keeping our bodies safe using the Be Safe! program. The Be Safe! program was developed by the Canadian Red Cross. I completed teacher training for this program and I am excited to use this up-to-date resource again this year. The program uses child-friendly, age-appropriate resources (music, posters, stories, Trusty the puppet) to focus on developing personal safety, body ownership, and preventing child sexual abuse. These learning outcomes tie directly in with the BC Kindergarten curriculum requirements. I understand this is a very sensitive topic to speak about with young children, if you would like further information about the program please let me know and I can send home a detailed parent information booklet. After 2-3 subsequent lessons, I will send home a brief parent-page that summarizes what was discussed in class. This information will give specific topic points which you can review and reinforce with your child at home. If you do not want your child to take part in these brief lessons (7-8 x 20-minute lessons), please contact me immediately. If a child does not participate in the classroom lessons, it is expected the family will cover the content on their own at home.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
Monday –
Tuesday –Roots of Empathy with Wayne and Baby Maisie
- February Scholastic orders due (reminder: cheque or online orders only)
Wednesday – Library with Mrs. Bond
- P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic
- Subway lunch
- Pink Shirt Day (wear a pink shirt to encourage tolerance, acceptance and kindness -aka: Anti-bully day)
Thursday – P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic
Friday - P.E. with Mrs. Brkovic
REMINDERS/HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:
- Ensure your child keeps his/her toys at home (we have plenty of toys in our classroom already!)
- FEBRUARY FAMILY PHOTO WALL - Please send a family photo as soon as possible
- Return report card envelopes (as I will be needing them to send home term 2 reports in March)
- Students need to STAY OFF THE SNOW/ICE PILE, to use sidewalks and crosswalks (NOT WALK THROUGH PARKING LOTS), and to leave ALL SNOW ON THE GROUND (no throwing snowballs) BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER SCHOOL
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- March 15 - Monster Theatre Show at Parkcrest (part of the Art Starts fee from the fall)
- March 16 - Term 2 report cards sent home
- March 19-23: SPRING BREAK (No school)
- March 26 - School re-opens
- March 30 - Good Friday (No school)
- April 2 - Easter Monday (No school)
Here’s to a great week!
-Ms. Gartrell