Week of 10/20/08

I apologize for an almost three week lapse in updates.  There wasn't too much to fill you in on and then, Boom!, chili dinner, recycling, Dr. Seuss art--it all caught up to me.

So here is the blast of updates.  First the "non-essentials":

Young Masters Art Workship

Make-up Picture Day

Rolling Hills Talent Show

Rolling Hills Walkathon

Reflections Workshop

Okay, these aren't actually non-essentials, but they are all-school announcements.  Flyers came home in the Wednesday folder.  If you have any questions, you can call the school office.  If you can't find your flyer, we might have some spares in the class.  If not, again, you can contact the school office.

Class-specific Announcements

Chili Dinner - 10/22

You will have all received the emails from Val who is coordinating this dinner for us.  It is so much fun.  The kids get to hang out and run around, the food is yummy, and it is an excellent community gathering time for us, in addition to the benefit of raising funds for our class.  The cost is $5 for per family.  A sign up for food/supplies to bring is on the classroom door as well as an envelope to collect money.  If you have any questions, please contact Val.

Recycling - 10/23

The money raised for recycling goes to our garden efforts.  The next pick-up day is this Thursday.  If you have any questions, contact Tamara.

Dr. Suess Art Theme

A bio on Dr. Suess came home with the Wednesday folders with resources on where to find out more about one of the most famous children's authors.  The art lessons for the next few weeks will be centered around Dr. Suess' unique style.

Parent Reading

Due to a change in schedule, parent reading is now three days a week, instead of two.  Please join us on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for this very important reading experience.

Parent Work Schedules

Allison is working on November's schedules.  If you have any special requests or changes in your schedules, please contact Allison as soon as possible.

Mini-class Tie-in

Rupali Vora has provided a list of books on India in connection with her mini-class.  You can find the list in the left sidebar.

Weekly Update, Friday, October 3rd

I've just posted the Brown Bag minutes and updated the calendar.  I also wanted to point out a couple of changes in the links.

I deleted the lunch menu link.  The process for accessing is different this year and it requires an ID and password.  You can get to the site by going to the school website and clicking on lunch menu there.

I added a Poetry for Children link.  This link takes you to a blog written by Sylvia Vardell.  She a Professor at Texas Woman's University and has authored several books on poetry and literature for children.

Brown Bag Meeting, October 1st

Here are the minutes to our first Brown Bag meeting of the year (which I COMPLETELY forgot about!!)  Thanks to Regina who is entering year three or four, I think, of being our minutes-taker.

 

• Parent Conferences – week of 10/13, sign up is on the classroom door.  During that week, there will be no school on Monday.  The remaining days will be a short schedule and all students (school-wide) will be released at 12:35.
• Chili Dinner Fundraiser for the K-3 Multiage will be held at the school on Wed 10/22.  Details regarding time and fee will be forthcoming.  The menu will include chili, cornbread, rolls.  Val Muir is coordinating.  Sign-ups for food items to bring will be on the classroom door soon.  This is a big fundraiser for our class (we made over $500 last year) and is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents and enjoy time with friends.    Thank you in advance to Greg Clisby and Jeff Burton for offering to help with the lighting.
• Walk-a-Thon is scheduled for 10/31 (this date might change, look for updates).  This is another big fundraiser for our classroom, as all monies raised in this school-wide event go directly to the child’s classroom.  Please consider donating.
• The teachers would like to thank all the parents for being on time with the kids in the morning.  This has been good for our school’s attendance.
• The 2^nd and 3^rd graders have started pod casting.  They are re-telling fairytales using garage band on the school laptops. 
• The K-yard – we need parents to continue to bring the K’s out to the K yard before school, for safety reasons.  When you are comfortable, you can leave them there (the yard is supervised starting at 7:45 a.m. and fully enclosed).  The teachers are not always around our classroom before school.  Also, the older students have been asked by the teachers to put their backpacks on the patio in the morning and then proceed to the supervised play area behind the school.  In order to send a consistent message, it’s important that all the children are in the appropriate supervised areas, rather than just being on the patio.  Thanks for your help with this.
• Halloween – it is a school-wide policy that there is no dress-up on Halloween.  Different schools in the district have different policies. 
• Recycling – next drop off date is 10/23 (please do not drop off any recycling until that day).  We recycle aluminum and plastic, anything with CRV on it.  Please have the items cleaned out and pre-sorted in a bag with your child’s name on it.  They can be left on the patio on 10/23.  If you are interested in helping to drop the items off after school, you are welcome!  This has been a big fundraiser for us as well (raised over $400 last year). 
• Reflections Competition – open to all students, this is a national competition.  Flyers have been sent home.  There will be a workshop on 10/21 in Mrs. Unland’s class.  The theme is Wow.

If you have any questions, please contact Laurel T. or Holly W.

Weekly Announcements September 30

READING STARTS TOMORROW!

 

1.  Remember to initial the sign-in sheet when you walk in(it should be right by the sink...it is divided into two clipboards...kinder/first grade and 2nd/3rd grade to speed things up...if you have more than one student in the class, your name is listed under the YOUNGER student.)

 

2.  Remember to keep younger siblings home.  We are really trying to keep the reading environment quieter/fewer bodies for the students that are in the class.  If you are interested in participating in a "tot lot swap" with other parents, contact Holly Wert.

 

BROWN BAG MEETING TOMORROW!

 

1.  Note the early time...11:30-12:00

 

HAVE YOU NOTICED THE "PARENT DESK"?

 

This year we have a "parent desk" located by the couches behind the pond rug. Holly has put together a "parent jobs" binder that we need returning parents help with...if you were responsible for one of the "parent jobs" for last year, could you add to the binder under your tab?  We are hoping to build a reference binder for this year, (and years to come).  You can just add "how to" notes in your section, and if applicable, fill out the "event" form to help newcomers.  It is just sitting on the desk, so when you are working, take a peek and see if you can add to it.

--Also, we are compiling a list of "usual tasks" for parent workers that we are hoping to just tape to the desk.  These will be things that more or less "always" need working on, so if there is some down time when you are working your shift, go to the list!  If the teachers have other projects they need you to work on, they will ask.

 

 

Have a great week!

Laurel

A letter to our parents from Laura and Lauren

Dear Parents,

It's been a great start to the school year! Now that the parents involvement is under way, we want to provide you with the necessary tools to make your participation as successful as possible.

We encourage you to attend...

A Literacy Inservice & Question and Answer Session, on Tuesday, September 23rd, from 3:00-4:00 in the classroom

This is the time when we show our new families--

*what parent reading looks like
*how to work with kids in the classroom
*our philosophy in action and more!

For anyone who wants to learn, we will also show you how to make hardcover books for the kids.

Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday.
Laura & Lauren

Back-to-School Night Recap

THINGS TO TURN IN SOON:

The Fullerton District's INFORMATION FOR PARENTS handbook has several forms in the middle (between the two green sheets) that need to be filled out and returned. I believe you need to do ONE PER STUDENT.

Mary B. has typed up a great list of everything you need to be a parent driver--if you think you might even want to do it once, it would be good to get it done now so you can just mail it in instead of having to do the whole "trip to the DMV" thing. There are several copies of things you need. Once you've completed the paperwork, contact Mary B. and let her know whether you are someone who wants to be a regular driver or on the "occasional" driver list.

OTHER HAND-OUTS

We were given both:

a) Class Calendar (for Sept.--note picture day on 9/22, first miniclass on 9/26, etc.)--Jane is the contact person for this one, and

b) Parent Work Schedule Calendar (for Sept.)--Alison C. is the contact person.

Check the class roster for errors--be sure to look at addresses/emails under all your kids if you have more than one in the class! (Corrections can be sent to Mary B... see info above)

The packet from the teachers includes a list of parent jobs, and a description of our READING PHILOSOPHY (includes tips on how to help beginning readers), and practice--exposing kids to "holiday," "just rights"--where most of their time should be spent...just a few words per page they don't know--and "challenges," and some ideas on how to maximize those "teachable moments" for math (setting the table, sorting laundry,cooking,etc.) and some fun games.

CLASSROOM TIDBITS

Thematic Units this year: 

Fairytales

California Coastline

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (the play)

Mammals

BIGGEST DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR: Formalizing our reading homework. It has always been our policy to read each night anyway...the difference is that the 2nd and 3rd graders will now be asked to keep a record of it. A weekly packet will be sent home for parents to note that their child has done the weekly reading.  It is not necessary to record WHAT the kids have been reading.

Lauren said that she may send home a little math as needed...but anticipates that not to happen too often.

Expectations for parents in the classroom: We are "supports" to each child's education...which means...

a) be an extra pair of hands

b) extra help for individual kids (encourage them to think/produce for you--not just sign off--ask leading questions, don't just give the answer, etc. --using what you know about that student's level as your intuitive guide of course!)

c) What if a student is "off-track"? Ask self-reflective questions like "How do you think you're doing?" "Do you need to make another choice?"--other discipline situations refer to the teachers in order to maintain consistent expectations.--leave it up to them!

Don't forget that P.E. is on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the kids need to be wearing appropriate shoes....

MINI-CLASSES

For 1st-3rd graders... usually about 5 weeks in a row on Friday afternoons. You commit to four, planned, forty minute sessions, and then there is a "presentation"/product day on the 5th session.

For kinders... Carol  and Lauren S. are coordinating...probably 1,2,3 sessions around 10 or 11 a.m.--contact one of them if you are interested in teaching a kinder mini-class.

Week of September 17th

Hi there everyone,

Here are the weekly announcements:

NO SCHOOL TOMORROW -- YEA!!!

School pictures are on Monday. A flyer with package prices was sent home in the Wednesday folder. Even if you do not plan on buying a picture, still send your child to school dressed for a picture. ALL the kids will get their picture taken for school id, yearbook, class composite (Is that right?) picture.

Fundraising packets also came home on Wednesday.  (I'm sure you couldn't miss them--they're HUGE!)  The turn in date is September 29th.  Don't forget to check out the online ordering option.

It's Carnival time!  The Rolling Hills annual carnival is Friday, September 26th.  Once more, a flyer went home in the Wednesday packet.  This year there will be wristbands sold for the games.  If I am reading the flyer correctly, wristbands will allow participation in all games.  Tickets will still be available to purchase food items.

Parent Drivers.  We ran out of parent driver forms at Back-to-School night.  If you need one, please let me know.  You can leave a comment here or email me at pbogan @ pacbell dot net.  I'll make sure you get a set of forms ASAP.

Parent Work Schedule.  Alison is working on the October schedule.  In consultation with the teachers, they are reworking the number of parents working in the classroom each day.  If you have any questions or changes in your availability, please contact Alison ASAP.

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I'm off to update the class calendar now!!!

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