"A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank...but the world may be a better place because I made a difference in the life of a child." -- Forest Witcraft

May 19, 2012
Just a few reminders for next week

Monday is Jumpy Day : Time 10:30

Tuesday is Ice Cream party : Time 2:00

Wednesday is Breakfast with Dad: Time 7:30-8:15 (drop by anytime)

Wednesday is 2nd grade program : Time 9:00 (the whole school will be in there, but you may come if you need to use this time) and 2:00 (family time)

Thursday is last day: Dismiss at 11:00, we will have short program in the gym that morning.

Thank you so much for a great year, please come by and visit me anytime!

May 18, 2012
This year has gone by so quickly. I have enjoyed each and every day with your child. I hope that they will come back and visit me often. 

Please keep your child reading this summer. There are many opportunities for you as a parent to encourage them to read. Take them to the public library and sign them up for the summer reading program. Each child will be tested at the beginning of third grade on their reading fluency (speed) and how well they can retell what they read. You can help them keep them on grade level by encouraging them to read often.

Thank you for all of your wonderful gifts, notes, encouragement, and kind words this year. This has been a great class and I look forward to seeing them wear their cap and gown someday!

Have a great summer!

Upcoming events:
Field Day is Friday, May 18. Lunch will be at 10:55. We begin our field day at 12:30 until 2:30. 

Jumpy Day is Monday, May 21 at 10:30.

Breakfast with Dad is Wednesday, May 23 at 7:30-8:15 (drop by when you can)
Second grade program Wednesday, May 23 at 9:00 and 2:00

Last day is Thursday, May 24 and this is a half day

Friday I will be missing my students, Enjoy your summer and keep those students reading!

Field Day Information
You must send in your reservations to eat by May 11th. Please check the calendar page for the specific times for field day events! Please notice that our lunch is at a different time than normal, we will be eating at .  If you are planning to help with field day we begin at 12:30. 

May 9, 2012


The Breakfast and a book with Dad will be May 23rd. The time will be 7:30-8:15, it is a drop by and stay as long as you can type of breakfast.  Please come by and eat breakfast and read a book to your child. The other day that I have available is May 18th. If you need me to have it that day as well please email me. As of now I will only have it on May 23rd unless I hear from someone who needs the 18th instead.

Dads please plan to attend if possible.

May 8, 2012

Thank you for the wonderful surprise birthday party. I was so excited to see all of the parents and the student's faces! Thanks for the gift card and the many precious gifts. 
I love all of you and will miss you dearly as the year is quickly coming to an end.

May 7, 2012
This week we will have our last reading story and spelling test for the year. Please help your child study the words at home as well. We have a busy week at school, please check the calendar page for upcoming events.

Have a great week!

May 4, 2012
I was so blessed to share my Friday morning with all of the mothers, grandmothers and friends! Thanks again for sharing a little part of your day with us. The students had a great time. 

I plan to invite the fathers for Breakfast and a book with Dad at the end of the month. I sent an email today asking which date would be best for them. I may have to do it a couple of days so that each father can attend. It will be a drop in between 7:30-8:15. I hope each father can come and spend a few minutes with their child.

Have a great weekend and I will see you Monday.

Please check the calendar tab for upcoming events. 

May 1
Our Relay for Life will be Wednesday, May 2 at 1:30. Please send in all donations by tomorrow.  Students need to dress cool and wear tennis shoes!

We will be eating pizza in our room after the play on Tuesday! 


This Friday, May 4th is our Mother's Day breakfast.
Please plan to come from 8:15-8:45, if you need to send a grandmother  or another female in your place that will be okay. We will eat a light breakfast and give you with a small gift.

April 28
Well we did it, the students did great and did not get overwhelmed!
I am so proud of each one of them for their efforts on TCAP.

Please not the calendar and all the events coming up. We wrote them in our planners but new ones will be added when I become notified of them. These next 19 days of school are very busy.

You will want to plan on attending the 2nd grade program, it is our little send off to some great students.

Look for a field trip note on Monday, we want to celebrate with our reading buddies and do something exciting!

We will have a reading story and spelling test this week and next.

Have a great week.

April 25
We have TCAP testing all week!!!

April 24
Please take a moment beginning April 25th and cast a vote for CHS, they are trying to get a grant to build a sensory garden. See link below!

Is it possible to let the school system know that we are trying to get votes at Rack Room Shoes for a $50,000 school improvement grant for the sensory garden. Hopefullly folks would go to http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/200600/voteable_entries/48494389 and cast their vote.  Individuals can vote once every day until the end date of May the 7th. Thanks for your help.
Archie Crossland ERC Teacher, CHS

April 23

At Yates we want to know how you feel about your school and the programs provided. One way you can do this is by completing the Title 1 Needs Assessment.

It's a simple, 10 question survey that is on-line.  Simply click on this link and let your voice be heard.  http://surveymonkey.com/s/3SXK2FK 

If you know of other families from Yates, please feel free to pass on this email.  Our goal is to hear from more than 200 families by May 4th. The results will be posted on the school's website (www.yatesprimary.weebly.com under the Family Involvement tab) in mid-May.  We know with your input we can achieve great things at Yates!
 
Thank you for your involvement.    

April 22, 2012
Don't forget that we will be serving free breakfast Monday and Tuesday until 7:55. 
Please try to serve your child a good breakfast this week and go to bed early so they will do their best on TCAP.
We will be testing all week in the morning. Do your best to arrive at school by 8 am so we can take a restroom break and be ready to test on time. Please encourage your child to do their best this week.

Thanks for the letters I will have them on their desk daily so they can read them before they begin.

April 19, 2012
Please tell us what you think about our school. This survey will be open until May 4th. Please click here http://surveymonkey.com/s/3SXK2FK
and take a quick 10 question survey. Thanks for your input!

Mother's Day Breakfast will be May 4th from 8:15 - 8:45

April 19, 2012
The deadline for Spring picture photos to be returned with the payment is April 30th.

April 16, 2012
We let the butterflies go free today, the kids were so excited!
Thanks for the oranges that you sent in to feed them while we had them in our care!

Don't forget no spelling words this week or next.  Look for homework in areas that we need to work on before next week.

April 14, 2012
We will not have a reading story or spelling words next week.  We will be reviewing for TCAP instead.
 
The following week (April 23-27) is TCAP week. Please make sure your child gets plenty of rest so they will do their best!

There will be free breakfast on Monday, April 23rd and Tuesday, April 24th for TCAP week. Please either take advantage of this or feed them something healthy at home. We will have a snack between tests but will begin promptly with our testing. If your child checks in late they will have to sit in the library until we have a break between tests so please try to get here by 8:00.

April 13, 2012

We collected more box tops than any other class in March! We had an ice cream party Friday!

April 12, 2012
Today we had 2 more butterflies emerge! We are now waiting on the last one.

Friday afternoon we will begin our Science/Social Studies rotation please do not check your child out early for the next 5 days.

Don't forget the Creative Discovery Math night is Thursday, April 12th from 6-8 pm in the gym.
Our mini Relay for Life will be May 2nd.

April 11, 2012
One of our butterflies hatched today! The students were so excited! Their teacher was too!

April 7
We will begin the Science/Social Studies rotation starting on 
Friday, April 13th - Friday, April 20th. The times are 2:10-2:50, please do not check your child out early. We will be covering important standards during this time.

April 5
In case the students have not told you we have 4 caterpillars who are in chrysalis form now. We are patiently waiting on our butterflies! I will keep a close eye on them over Easter and try to catch it on video if the emerge before Tuesday.

Some dates that I was given and thought you may want to write down:

April 12 - Last day of math groups
April 12 - Creative Discovery Night
April 20 - Last day of reading groups
April 23-27     TCAP 
May 1 - Going to see Beauty and the Beast
May 4 - Kindergarten registration
May 9 - Going to Ross to see Cinderella
May 18 - Field Day
May 21 - Jump Toy Day 
May 23 - Second grade program (Plan to attend)
May 24 - Last day of school (1/2 day)

April 4, 2012
Parents,
We have another trial website to view for the next month.

Thank you for your interest in Scholastic BookFlix, the online literacy resource that pairs fiction and nonfiction books to build a love of reading and learning in all children!  

Below please find information on how to access your 30-day free trial – 

To access your free trial please visit:

http://bookflix.scholastic.com/freetrial

Username: bkflix
Password: sleet

Your free trial will be active until 5/15/2012 . 

April 1, 2012

Good news the caterpillars are still caterpillars! I will bring them to school tomorrow!
A big thanks goes out to Mr. Shumaker who built us a raised garden today! We will be planting vegetables and flowers in it on Monday with our Kindergarten buddies.

We will be having math groups to focus on math skills that students are struggling with before TCAP (14 school days left until TCAP!) Please remember that groups last until 2:45.

Just a few dates to note: Wednesday, April 4 is picture day.
                                     Thursday, April 5 Zig Wajler is coming!
                                     Friday and Monday out of school.
                                     Thursday, April 12 is Discovery Museum night!
                                     April 23-27 is TCAP week.

March 27, 2012
Today our butterflies arrived! They are in the larva stage and will quickly go into the next stage. I hope they wait until April 2nd!

---

March 25, 2012
Have a wonderful Spring Break!

March 21
I have included the pen pal blog address, http://mrsphillipsblogpals.weebly.com/ on the student link page.

March 21, 2012

Parents,
Please do not check your child out until 3:00 unless absolutely necessary. We are having lots of students check out early and they are missing their guided math group time. This is the time when they are in a class with 10 or less students and they are getting on level math instruction. We have math groups Mon-Thurs each week on a different skill. 
The week before TCAP they will be participating in a Science and Social Studies fair during this time. I think it is a great learning time and many students are missing this opportunity. Thank you for understanding.

March 19If your child is interested in Social Studies and Science this website is pretty neat and we have a free trial until 4/15/2012. I would suggest Ecosystems, Experiments, Continents, U.S. Government, American 
Indians, Westward Expansion, and Space.
You may want to watch the disasters one with them and explain. The Extreme Nature is interesting but, if they are weary of weather use caution on this one.
http://trueflix.scholastic.com/
Username is truflix   Password is ice

March 18

Report cards go home Monday, March 19th.
Spring Break begins March 26th

Your child will be bringing home their Science workbook after Spring Break for homework each week. Please complete the pages assigned each week and return them on Friday so we can check them.

March 18
I updated the calendar tab with upcoming events. Check it to see what is coming up.

March 16
Your child should have brought home their Topic 16 paper test on Friday. Please review and correct any items they missed, we will be taking the computer test next week. If your child checked out early the test is in their mailbox and they will bring it home on Monday.

We are counting down the days until TCAP and trying very hard to get all the standards in by April 23rd! Please do not check your child out early unless it is necessary for an appointment. We are in math groups until 2:45 and your child is getting on level math help during this time.

TCAP week is April 23-27th. We will be looking for volunteers to bring in snacks for us during this week.

I need some volunteers to help with Science/Social Studies activities. We will begin on April 13th and will do these every afternoon from 2:00-2:40 until April 20th. If you can help please let me know. 

We only have a few more weeks of reading groups as well, please read your assignment nightly and return books each day.  

March 12
Your child should have math homework on telling time, these pages are due on Friday.  
We start our new reading groups tomorrow, these are based on their running record information. Please make sure your child reads their book nightly.
Study this week's spelling words in the way that works best for your child.

The vocabulary words and definitions should be discussed at home and we will also cover them at school also.

March 9
Your child has a blue form explaining the procedure for a tornado warning during school hours.  Please read this notice so that you will understand the procedure that we will be following in the future.

March 6
We need lots of help with telling time.  
The standard is : Read and write time up to five-minute intervals. Use strategies to estimate time and solve problems involving elapsed time in hour and half-hour intervals. 
Please help your child at home with this since we will be moving on to temperature in the next few days. I will try to review time as I can however, they need reinforcement at home as well.

The book fair is online for a few days, if you cannot get to the school to purchase books you may access the fair from this website: http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/yates I have entered a wish list on the website if you are interested in buying a book for our classroom. 

March 5-9 there will not be reading groups as we are doing running records!

March 3
Thank you for being so understanding on our Friday adventure. We began the day reading Dr. Seuss stories and having a great parade.

We did take our regular spelling test however, with all of the excitement we did not re-test on last week's words. We will do that on Monday.

We are in need of snacks, please check your child's planner and make sure you are not responsible next week. We also need items for the estimation jar. 

Don't forget there will be a mini book fair Thursday and Friday this week. The cheapest book is around $4.50 so they will not be able to buy anything if they do not bring at least this amount.  The chili supper and auction will be Friday night. I hope you plan to come and bid on our Snack Attack basket and the fleece blankets.

Have a great week and I hope to see you Friday!

March 1
We have had a great time reading, listening to parents read, and celebrating Dr. Seuss this week!

Please help Mrs. Shumaker fill the Snack Attack basket for the auction. We are also making fleece blankets to be auctioned off. Thanks to Mrs. Walker for putting the names on them and Mrs. Senn for helping us tie them up.  

There will be a mini book fair on Thursday and Friday March 8 & 9th.
The cheapest book is $4.38 so if you plan to buy your child a book send in at least this amount.

Some of the students are having trouble telling time to the five minute. If your student is having trouble please review their worksheets and help them at home as well.

Have a great weekend and check the photo pages next week for Dr. Seuss photos!

February 29
Remember that box tops are due Friday March 2nd.

Some students will need to take a re-test on their prefix spelling words from last week. Please study and I will give it along with this week's words on Friday.

February 24
Don't forget next week is Dr. Seuss week:
Monday - We will decorate our door and eat an upside down cake.
Tuesday - Crazy hat day
Wednesday - Pajama day
Thursday - Crazy sock day
Friday - Dress up as your favorite book character (any book not just Dr. Seuss characters) and bring the book if you have it.
The parade will be at 9 am.

February 21
Please remember that we wrote our spelling words on last week's spot so look there to study them.

We still need someone to make us an upside down cake and someone to read us a Dr. Seuss book. If you are interested please email me.

February 14
Thanks for all the help with the party today! Look at our photos with the Queen of Hearts on the photos page. 

Remember students do not come to school Feb. 16 - 20. See you on Tuesday!

February 12
We will not be testing on spelling or reading this week due to the short week for students. I have placed the spelling words on the blog for you to begin studying for the test that will be on Feb. 25th. You will notice there are more homophones/homographs included again this week.  Please make sure they can spell them and know their meanings.

We are testing on Math Topic 13 (measurement) on Wednesday, please review the paper test that was sent home last week and make sure your child understands what they missed. 

The Valentine party will be Tuesday at 2:00 if you would like to attend. Thank you Mrs. Shumaker and all of those who have sent in money to make it a success.

If you would like to read to our class on Dr. Seuss week please email me we have two parents that have volunteered so far!

Mark you calendars for March 9th, this is our Chili supper and Spring auction. We are making two crafts for the auction so plan to bid!

 

February 9
We are going to review Topic 13 on measurement and re-test on Wednesday, Feb. 15th. Please review their paper test and help them understand why they missed the problems that they missed.

Most students need to work on estimating and using non-standard units to measure (such as paper clips and connecting cubes). They also need to know how big a cm, inch, foot, and meter is.

February 8

Dr. Seuss week is February 27 - March 2

We would like to have some parents or grandparents come in and read a Dr. Seuss book to us. If you would like to come in please email me days and times that you could come in.

We will also wear crazy socks that week and dress as our favorite book character for the parade on Friday. Please be thinking of what character your child will want to dress up like.

Don't forget to log your minutes of reading on your Six Flags form to get a free ticket. It is due on February 24th.

February 3
We had a great week! In math we are learning to measure things with standard and non-standard items such as paper clips, etc.  

We planted seeds with our reading buddies (Mrs. Whitlock's class).

We learned about adverbs and are beginning to work on homophones and homographs. Ms. Gaby has asked students to hunt for words that are homophones or homographs. We will crown a king and queen to the boy and girl who brings in the most words by February 15th.  

The homework packets are already in your child's cubby so make sure they complete them and return them on Friday. 

We will not have reading or math groups Tuesday or Wednesday next week. 

The Valentine party will be February 14th at 2 pm.  If you plan to send in cards or goodies make sure every child gets one.  We plan to have ice cream with all the toppings! Please help the room mothers when they contact you.

We still need dry erase markers if you have not sent any in yet.  

Ms. Gaby will be leaving Feb. 15th we have enjoyed having her in our class. 

Enjoy your weekend! 

Feb. 2
Your student will be bringing a class list home today for the Valentine's  party. If you send in cards please make sure you send in one for each child in our class. I have some extra cards if you need them. The party should be at 2 pm on Feb. 14th. 

Thanks to the parents who have sent in dry erase markers. We are still in need of more markers if you could please donate one package for us!

February 1
December and January box tops are due Friday. The pink form for box tops being brought home today is due March 2nd.

January 31
Please return the yellow technology survey this week. It went home on Monday with your child.

Homework sheets went home Monday as well. Don't forget homework is due each Friday. 

January 28
Please notice that for the first two spelling words they will need to know what each word means and be able to use them properly in a sentence.

January 27
We are working on fractions in math. The next topic in math will be measurement. Math groups will be focusing on counting money.

In language arts and reading we are studying fact, opinion, plot, theme, summarizing, adjectives and adverbs.

Remember that yearbook orders were due this week. They will be taking orders until Feb. 1st but that is the last day. No extra books are being order to purchase at a later date.

January 20
We had a great time celebrating the 100th day of school.
We will be studying fractions in math next week.
We will working on adjectives and adverbs as well.
In reading we will study plot, theme and summarizing.

The homework will continue to be based on what your child needs to master!

Group photos are Thursday, January 26th. 

Thursday, January 26, is Literacy Night. There is a PTO meeting at 6, and the reading program will be immediately following.

January 19
Parents as I posted on January 11th, tomorrow is the 100th day of school. We would like to celebrate by wearing shirts with 100 items on them. If you can decorate a shirt that would be great. We will also do activities in the classroom with 100 items as well.

January 13
Don't forget we are out of school on Monday. I am putting the spelling words on the blog today so you can get a head start on studying!
We are working on fact and opinion so if you get a chance ask your child to tell you some facts and opinions this weekend!

Have a great long weekend!

January 11
Yearbooks are on sale until January 25th. They will not be available past that date. Please return your form asap.

The 100th day of school is January 20th. We would like to celebrate by wearing a shirt with 100 items on it. You can add stickers, spots, buttons, etc. We have done this in the past and the students love it!

Group pictures will be taken on January 26th.

Don't forget we are out of school on Monday, January 16th!

January 9

Parents,

Homework will be a little different for the rest of the year. Your child will be bringing home skills that they still need to practice. Most students are at a different place when it comes to mastering standards and doing homework that meets their individual needs will help them master each skill.

We are studying geometry, fact/opinion, adjectives, life cycles and so much more this week!

We are also excited to have a student teacher in our class until the end of February.

I have added some additional links if your child is looking for great websites! There is now a parent link page and a student link page.

Merry Christmas! See you on January 5th.


Thanks to all of the parents who helped with our party.

December 12

Library books are due tomorrow.


We plan to make gingerbread houses on Wednesday from 12:15-12:45. If you could please send in candy to decorate the houses. Thanks for all your support on our crafts and the party! 

The Christmas party will be Friday at 9:30.

December 11
If you are looking for something to do during our Christmas break the Creative Discovery Museum is open to the public for free on Wednesday and Thursday December 21 and 22! There are also lots of links that are fun and academic on the links tab above.  

December 9
I have missed being at school for the last three days. The Title I conference was wonderful and I learned so much. The students were very well behaved which makes a teacher proud!

The last day to return books to the library is December 13th.

We will not have a reading or spelling test this week. We will be busy working on assessments and Christmas activities.  If you can send in graham crackers or candy for our gingerbread houses please email me.

Check out our photo page!

Enjoy your week!

The students had a great time at the Nutcracker ballet today. Ask them about their favorite part!

Homework will go home tomorrow and is due on Friday.

December 5
We will begin studying adjectives in Language Arts this week.

In reading we are will be comparing and contrasting.

Our math skills include estimating sums and differences, adding and subtracting money with two digits, and problem solving. Please check your child's work and help them correct items they miss.

We will also be looking at the past in Social Studies. If you have an old artifact (such as a rotary dial telephone, etc) please send it in for us to discuss. We would love to guess what it was used for and how it has changed over time.

Don't forget we are going to see the Nutcracker today and our Christmas program is Tuesday night at 7:00. Wear Christmas colors, shoes that will not slip, and something with a pocket.

Have a great week!

December 2
The week of Dec. 5-9 will be the last week of the year we will check out in the library.
Please check out the links pages and other pages on the blog since I have updated them recently.

November 30
Parents,
Don't forget about our Christmas program on December 6th. Students should wear Christmas colors and wear something with a pocket. They may wear pants if needed. Make sure their shoes are not slick since they will be standing on risers. 
We completed our Dibels testing this week (reading) and your child should have their words per minute in their planner. The goal for December is 68 words per minute.
We are taking our test on subtraction with regrouping on Thursday and will continue to add, estimate, and subtract for the next math topic.
We are working on verbs in Language Arts.
The students have been working on Cause and Effect in reading.
Ask your student about our new friend Birdie!

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your family time.

November 17
Thank you to the parents and family members who ate lunch with us today.

We will not have a spelling test or a reading test next week. We are only here for two days.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and spend time with your family.

November 14
Thanks for donating money we won the One for Books and helped 8 students get a book that cannot afford one!
This week: We will be reading Rosa and Blanca, a story about sisters.
In math we will continue working on adding and subtracting with two numbers with and without regrouping. Please work with your child if they are having trouble with this skill.
In Language Arts we will be studying verbs.
The Thanksgiving menu is Thursday, Nov. 17th if you plan to attend. I heard from about 10 families. We plan to take our trays and eat in the classroom since there is not enough room in the cafeteria for everyone.

November 11
The book fair is next week. I checked it out today and it looks great! Thanks to the parents who sent in money we won the One for Books campaign. If you would like to order books via the website here it is:
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/publish/yates
I hope you can stop by this week. The cheapest book is $4.27 with tax if you plan to send in money. There are no erasers, pencils, etc. so they will only be buying books this year! Tuesday is build-a-book night from 6:00-7:30 (You must pre-order the kit to attend). Breakfast with books is Wednesday from 7:30-8:15.

November 9th
Parents we will be having our reward party on Friday, Nov. 11th. The students voted to have a game day. This means they can bring their favorite game or DS to school. I recommend to bring only one game to play since DS games can be lost easily. They must keep it in their backpack until game time. Please remind them that they should not get it out on the bus or in the gym. Remember test day is Friday!

Please check your child's planner Tuesday to see what they made on their math test for Topic 7 (subtracting 2 digit numbers).

November 4
Don't forget no school tomorrow for students and Sunday is the day to turn your clocks back one hour.

Keep sending in One for Books donations. This is a great way to explain to your child ways to help those in need. Every child at Yates will receive a book from the book fair by using the funds collecting from this event which will assist students who cannot afford one. The book fair is November 14-18 during school hours.

We are continuing to work on adding and subtracting with and without regrouping (borrowing for those of us that don't remember regrouping).
Please help your child if they are having trouble with this skill.

We will have math groups on money next week. Your child should be able to count coins up to $1.00. Please continue to work on this at home as well.

We are writing friendly letters to our pen pals in Florida. We mailed them and hope to get a response soon. 

Cody moved to Florida so we are down to 18 students now. We will miss him but hope to get an address so we can write to him as well.

We need a parent helper on Tuesday and Thursday from 11-11:30 if you can volunteer.

November 1
We have a 4 day week this week so I am asking that you turn your homework in on Monday. The students who have been turning their homework in will be treated to a homework club party next week!

We are reading Dear Juno this week. It is a story about a little boy writing a letter to his grandmother. Ask your child who they wrote to this week. Hint for them: They go to school in Florida!

We will continue to learn strategies on how to subtract this week. Your child may have practice problems in their planners if they are struggling.

Math groups begin today from 2:15-2:45 on Mondays-Thursdays. Your child will be placed in a group based on their test scores for each specific standard. This week will be place value, number order, and comparing numbers.  

Spelling test and reading test will be on Thursday due to a short week.

Thank you for all of your support on our Smurf pumpkins. We won the Facebook favorite and earned $175.00 to use in our classroom. 

Have a great week!

October 24
Enjoy your Fall break and I will see you on October 31st!
Math groups will begin on November 1st at 2:15-2:45, please do not check your child out early during this time!

October 21
We had a great time this week estimating and counting seeds in our pumpkins. We also began writing letters to our pen pals in Florida. Thanks again to the parents who sent in pumpkins and to Mrs. Senn for helping the students paint pumpkins for the Bank of Cleveland contest.

October 19
Thanks to the parents who have been in for their conference already. I have a few more to go then, I will have met with all of my parents. It is very exciting to speak with you about your child.

Just a reminder your turkey is due on Friday.

The Cleveland Banner is coming by tomorrow to do an article on our cool chairs!

We are being engineers tomorrow by constructing trash robots!

We are decorating pumpkins to enter in the Bank of Cleveland contest. There will be a party that the students can attend on Thursday, October 27th from 4:30-6:00 at the downtown Bank of Cleveland. It is always lots of fun to look at the winners and see all of the other pumpkins that were submitted. If you are not out of town please try to come by. Thanks to Mrs. Senn who has worked very hard with the students to make the pumpkins.

Have a great Fall break and I look forward to seeing the students after a week of rest.

 

October 16
Don't forget picture retakes are Tuesday and your decorated turkey is due by Friday!
We are working on adding two numbers with and without regrouping in math. 
We will be reading Pearl and Wagner and studying verbs.
In science we are learning about forces and motion. 

October 14
Hope to see you at the Fall Festival tonight! 5:30-7:30

October 12
Students brought home a long A sheet yesterday, they are find words with the long A sound and paste them on this sheet. Their goal is to fill in the entire sheet.  

Parent conferences began yesterday, thanks for being patient if the parents before you go over their 20 minutes. I will try to stay on schedule. 

Don't forgot that your turkey is due the Friday before Fall Break.

October 8
We will be having 20 spelling words this week to try and catch up from last week.  We will be reading Turkey for Thanksgiving. The reading skill this week is drawing conclusions. I will send home a turkey for you and your child to decorate. Please do not use food items to decorate because it will be hanging in the hallway and may attract pests.  The project is due October 21st, the Friday before Fall Break.

We have completed our math topic on money. Please continue to help your child if they cannot count mixed coins to $1.00.

We will have parent conferences for the next two weeks. I will let you know when your conference is scheduled by sending you an email. 
Have a great week!

October 2
We will change our schedule a little this week since we will only be at school for 3 days. Thursday we will be going to Red Clay so we will not have a spelling test. We will still study the skills in this week's story but will not test on spelling or comprehension. We will be completing some assessments for the report card so please make sure your child attends if possible.
Have a great week and I will see some of you Thursday at Red Clay!

September 29
Thank you so much for coming and enjoying our classroom! We had lots of fun sharing with you.  Remember that box tops are due tomorrow!
If you plan to go to Red Clay with us let me know by tomorrow.
Thanks again for supporting your student!

September 28
We had a great time today watching the Energize Guys and tasting different flavors of milk. (Thank you to the parents who sent in milk and syrup!) Make sure you look at the photos page for fun pictures of our activities.

We will travel to Lee University tomorrow to see Robin Hood. Don't forget to let me know if you plan to attend the Red Clay field trip by this Friday. I also need to know if you plan to eat a hot dog with us. 

We began studying money this week and many students cannot count mixed coins up to $1.00. Please help your child with this life skill!  

Box tops are due Friday. 

Hope to see you tomorrow night at Open House! Your child will be your tour guide of our classroom and the school.

September 22nd
Thank you for all of the items that you have sent in this week! Don't forget that Open House is next week (Sept. 29th) as well as our field trip to Lee University. Please plan to come with us to Red Clay on October 6th.  Ask your child what they bought at the Second Grade Market today. We are earning play money to count and spend!

September 19th
Please help your child collect soil from your yard and place in a small baggie. Bring the soil in by Friday.  We are studying soil and the different materials that make it up!

September 18, 2011
This week we will be reading Ronald Morgan. We will be studying proper nouns and contractions. In math we are working on place value, number order, and word problems. Please encourage your child to bring his/her reading group book home and read each night. 
Ms. Taylor's last day is Friday. We will miss her.
Watch for a permission slip for an upcoming field trip to Lee University that will need to be signed and returned.

The afternoon computer lab begins this Monday. The time is 3:15-6:00. This is a great opportunity for your child to get extra time on Successmaker!
 

September 14, 2011
The students did a great job this singing around the flag pole! Thank you for remembering to wear red, white, and blue. Reading groups are going well so far. We have a parent to help us from 11-11:30 most days. If you are able to volunteer please email me. The moon phase homework sheet is due. If you have not sent yours in please send it in this week.  Don't forget to sign your child's planner daily and clean out the section that says keep!

Sept. 10, 2011
Reading groups will begin on Monday, September 12th. Your child should bring home a book to read Monday-Thursday. Please listen to your child read nightly and sign their book log.  We will be reading Tara & Tiree this week. It is a great story about two dogs who work together.
Please remember to help your child clean out their STAR notebook daily and sign their planner.

Sept. 7, 2011
Your child should bring home their reading (DIEBELS) report today. Please review it so you will know how they are doing. Reading groups begin on Monday, September 12th.

September 3, 2011
Parents,
Next week we will be reading The Strongest One. I will begin teaching starting on Wednesday. Ms. Taylor will complete her two weeks of teaching on Tuesday. She has done a great job with the students.  Please remember to sign your child's planner daily. The students need to continue practicing their addition and subtraction math facts at home.  We will be taking a field trip to Lee University on September 29th to see the play Robin Hood. There is not enough room to take parents but there will be other chances later in the year. Please mark October 6th on your calendar. We are going to Red Clay for a school wide field trip.

Have a safe long weekend!

August 31, 2011
Parents,
DON'T FORGET TOMORROW IS PICTURE DAY! Tomorrow I will be handing back their math pre-tests for Topic 2. Please help your child correct the ones that are marked wrong and return them. Today we took a timed quiz with addition and subtraction facts, and we are making progress, but could also use some practice. Last week, we sent one home for your child to practice with. I will send another one home along with the ones that we completed today. Please work with your child so they can complete all the facts within one minute.
PICTURE DAY IS TOMORROW!
Thanks!

August 30, 2011
Parents,
Please check your child's planner. Number 15 on their spelling words is danced. The worksheet we did in class yesterday accidentally had a different word for number 15. The words on the blog are correct. Today we talked about the desert, and made crafts that go along with our story for the week, "A Walk in the Desert." I have added a picture slide show of their work under the "pictures and video" tab. Check them out! Help your child remember to get their planner signed, we want everyone to have a chance at the treasure box on Mondays!
Thanks!
Ms. Taylor

August 29, 2011
Hi Parents!
First, you all have sweet children! I went home sick on Friday, and came back to school today with the sweetest "get well" letters. It was wonderful! This week's spelling words are posted under the "Spelling" tab. Be sure you are studying the right list throughout the week. We will be talking about different types of habitats, and I will be sure to post pictures of the different crafts your child will create this week. Please do your best to sign your child's planner every night. If they get your signature on all the days of the week they can go to the treasure box on Mondays!
Thanks!
Ms. Taylor

August 24, 2011
Hi Parents!
We had a great day today at school! Ask your children about "Skittle Behavior" and our new favorite game, the subject/predicate game. This week we are also making our own constellations in our work stations. Please don't forget to keep up with your child's homework for the week, and remind your child to put their name on all their papers.
Thanks!
Ms. Taylor

August 22, 2011
Dear Parents,
I (Ms. Taylor) started my "full time" two weeks today in Mrs. Phillips classroom. Mrs. Phillips is stepping back for the next two weeks to allow me to fulfill my required hours for Lee University. I am grateful for the opportunity and very excited about the coming weeks! Your child's routine will continue as normal as far as homeowork and daily activities. Today, your child brought home their homework for the week, as well as their spelling words. The words for this week are posted on the blog in case your child was absent today or didn't get all of the words for some reason.
I look forward to the next few weeks!
Thanks!

August 22, 2011
Parents please have your child write their name on their spelling homework. We have 3 pages without a name on them.
Thanks!

Dear Parents,
The PTO wants your email address to notify you of school happenings and events.  If you do not want me to give your email to the PTO, let me know ASAP!

Moon Phase website: http://www.moonconnection.com/current_moon_phase.phtml

August 18, 2011
The students did pretty good on their math test today. The computer test will read it to them so please encourage your child to use the audio feature since it is not a reading test.  Please continue to look at the papers your child brings home and correct items together. You do not have to return them to school but this is a great opportunity to help them understand why they missed an item.  

Ms. Taylor will be teaching for the next two weeks starting Monday. I will encourage her to update the blog as much as possible.  

Have a great weekend!

August 17, 2011
We took a pre-test in math today on Topic 1 (addition & subtraction). We were not very excited with our results. I sent the test home for them to correct and return. They will take a similar test tomorrow on the computer.  Please help them correct their mistakes and figure out what they did wrong. 

If your child goes to bed before the moon comes out you may look at the moon on the way to school or when they get up. We looked outside today at 8 a.m. and the moon was very bright and easy to see.

Please don't forget to sign your child's planner each night and check their behavior color.

August 16, 2011
Your child brought home a moon phase calendar on Monday. Please assist your child in filling this out each day. This is a great project to help them understand the phases of the moon.
Each student made a solar picture today with the help of parent volunteers! Thanks to the parents who helped by sending in items or painting with the students. 
Ms. Taylor will be teaching some this week and for the next two weeks. Please remind your child to be on their best behavior as she learns what it is like to be a teacher.

Have a great week!

August 15, 2011
Your child's reading ability was tested last week. I wrote their wpm (words per minute) in their planner today. Please encourage your child to read daily to increase their fluency. I will let you know when reading groups begin.

August 14, 2011

This week we will be studying the following:
Math: Addition and subtraction lessons will continue. We will be taking timed math tests on addition and subtraction. If you do not have flash cards I would get some or make some and practice daily. We will also study multiplication as repeated addition.
Reading: We are reading "Exploring Space with an Astronaut", focusing on main idea and details. We will also study space to go along with this story.
Spelling: The spelling pattern this week is long vowel patterns. Some parents have asked for harder words so, I will begin to list them on the same page as the regular words if they are available. If your child is studying the harder words please write this in their planner so I will know. They are still responsible for the regular words as well. 
Grammar: We will study subjects this week.
Behavior: We are working on when to talk and when to be quiet. Please remind your child that if an adult is talking that is the time to be quiet.

Please don't forget to sign your child's planner daily and check for any teacher notes as well as  their behavior color for the day!
We are looking forward to a great week!



August 10, 2011
The Scholastic order is due on August 19th. Please make your checks out to Scholastic.
Every child has a binder now thank you to all of the parents for purchasing them!


August 8, 2011
Today your child brought home a homework sheet in their binder. It is due on Friday.

August 7, 2011
We will begin our first story on Monday. In the story, Iris and Walter, we will study communities and how they change. In math we will look at addition and subtraction for a couple of weeks. I am very excited about our new math curriculum! If your child has homework it will be placed in their S.T.A.R. binder.

If you have not purchashed a 1 inch binder please do so, it will help keep their papers together.  Please sign your child's planner nightly and look to see what color they ended the day on.

August 4, 2011
Our first day of school was great! We pumped up our chairs and made new friends.

We are so glad to begin this year. Don't forget to return your papers if you did not return them today.  Remember  to send a watter bottle with your child and wear tennis shoes for gym tomorrow.

August 1, 2011
Parent night was such a success, thanks to all 15 families that came out! Can't wait to see the kids on Wednesday!



Parent night is Monday, August 1st at 5:30. Please meet in the gym first. This meeting is for parents only please.

Supplies should be brought to registration on Wednesday, August 3 between 8 and 10 a.m.