We had a wonderful first day of school!  I can tell that we will have a great year!

A few quick notes for you.

• Snacks should be packed outside of the lunch box.  We bring the lunch bin down right away in the morning and snacks packed in lunches are gone.
• We have a drinking fountain in the classroom so water bottles are not necessary.  IF your child drinks water for lunch, please pack it in the lunch box.  No need to purchase a smaller water bottle-just label it with your child's name and help them remember to put it in the lunch bin.
• Folders will go home on Monday.  We will be a few days behind on some school-wide flyers but the delay means we will have a chance to establish the routine.  Once folders go home they will go back and forth EVERY DAY.

I am working to upload some photos from today.  Thanks to Ms. Diehl, Evangelia's mom, for taking great snapshots this morning.  They will be available SOON!   (They are worth the wait since they are super-cute!)

The Night Before Kindergarten

This is it!  I am sure, like me, you are wondering where the summer went and how your child got to be so old?  Remember I am here to help you make this transition smooth and happy.  You lay out the first day outfit, charge your cameras, and update facebook.  I will take care of the rest.

We will have a great year together and I look forward to starting it tomorrow morning with all of you.  Remember you are welcome to join us for the first hour of Kindergarten.  It is an opportunity for you to see the morning routine.  We will be done with our activities shortly before 9:00.

One of our morning routines is taking lunch count.  I have linked the menu for the month on the left of this post for you to see.  If your child plans on ordering hot lunch at any point this year, it is a good idea to order one this week when we have extra help in the lunch room.

Thanks for being patient this week with almost daily updates on the blog.  Once we are all in a routine you should only need to check back weekly.

Kindergarten is Almost Here!

Kindergarten is Almost Here!

Kindergarten is here! I am sure, like me, you are excited and a little nervous about a new beginning!  Here are a few notes to help you navigate the classroom, the school and our routines.  It was great seeing so many of you at supply drop off!  What a treat to meet so many of you before the first day!

First Day

• I hope you can stay for the first hour of Kindergarten.  At dismissal we will follow our regular procedures.  
• If it is raining during the drop off in the morning, I will open my classroom door.  After the first day, if it is raining, you will drop your child off in the cafeteria.  
• I will have goldfish for snack in case you forget to pack a snack those first few days.  Going forward, your child will want a snack as we eat lunch rather late. 

Schedule:

• Opening Bell rings at 7:55.  We will go in at 7:57.  
• Lunch and Recess is from 11:45-12:40
• Closing Bell is 2:55.  Wednesday it is at 1:55.
• If you arrive after 8:00 please go to the office for a tardy slip.  
• If your child will be absent call the office.  Please let me know via email. 
• Please stay with your child until the bell rings in the morning.  Please arrive promptly for dismissal.  Children get nervous when they see all their friends leave and they are still waiting for a familiar face.

Communication:

• A folder will go home EVERY DAY with a daily report after the first week.  Please talk with your child every day about this report.  I will do my best to get these out on the first day using your child's supply folders.  However-my priority the first day is your children.  It may be the next day before this folder is ready to go home.
• I will update the blog weekly.  I will send you an email when it is updated.  If you prefer a hard copy, please let me know.  
• For day to day communication- email is best.  You can reach me at bparkinson@op97.org
• I will respond to your email within 24 hours.  It is hard for me to email during the day unless I have a planning period.  If you need to get a hold of me during the day please call the office. 708-524-3090

Health and Wellness

• We will have a snack each morning.  I will provide goldfish for the first few days.  After that (or before if you prefer) you should send in a snack for your child.  It is a good idea to have it labeled so there is no confusion.  We have allergies in the classroom.  Please talk with your child about NOT sharing snacks and lunches.  
• Our lunch is late so encourage your child to eat a hearty breakfast and pack a snack that has some staying power.  
• PLEASE TALK WITH YOUR CHILD EACH MORNING ABOUT WHAT S/HE WILL HAVE FOR LUNCH THAT DAY.  
• LUNCH CHOICES ARE: HOT LUNCH (school) or HOME LUNCH.  Milk is included in hot lunch.   IF YOUR CHILD HAS A HOME LUNCH they can order milk-but they need to know it in the morning. 
• NO NUTS in our classroom, but it is fine to have nuts in lunches as the cafeteria has a nut free table.  Please no peanut butter granola bars, no peanuts or nuts in snack mixes, etc.
• Plan on ordering a hot lunch once in the first two weeks when I will be in the cafeteria to help.
• No edible birthday treats.  More on that on curriculum night. (September 24.)
• I cannot give medicine.  Our school nurse, Ms. Jaime Strokosch will help you navigate medical forms.

Other Information

• I am looking for lots of great parent volunteers throughout the week.  There will be opportunities to work with individual students, help with projects, and help with keeping the classroom looking great.  Please consider signing up on curriculum night.
• Homework will start in a few weeks.  It will go home on Monday and should be returned on Friday.

9 days and counting!

Whew!  The countdown is on!  Let's keep this Kindergarten Party going for 9 more days!!!  

Tuesday:  Read and Relax day.  Kids can wear pajamas or other relaxing clothes.  Bring in a favorite book to read and - if you get this email in time - a towel to sit on inside and outside.  

Wednesday:  Picnic and Play in the park. Kids can dress like Super Heroes this day.  If you have not already done so, please look at the sign up genius. 

http://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/60b0c4cabaf2da64-rehm/921501

Thursday:  Team Shirt Day.  Also,  ALL LIBRARY BOOKS ARE DUE!!!  

Friday:  Unique Day-we will draw self portraits.

14 More Days!

Reading:  We did a few assessments this week as we wrap up the trimester.  We did assessments on asking and answering questions and on identifying main idea and details.

Writing:  We continue to work on adding events to narrative stories.  This week we will work on fiction writing.

Math:  We are working on writing and identifying larger numbers.  We are also assessing fact fluency and writing number sentences.

Science:  We are looking at the life cycle of butterflies, plants, frogs, and fish!

ABC Countdown for this Week

M: Math and Movie Day
N:  Note Day
O:  Outside day-dress for the weather, but we may move it to Thursday if it is cold/rainy
P:  Princess Day-Girls dress like princesses and make the rules
Q:  Be Quick!  It's Olympic Day-Dress for being outside and in PE shoes


May 18th-Oak Park Public Library presentation (day)
May 22-Olympic Day (day) Parent Teacher Softball Game (night):  Click link for info
May 27th-Kindergarten Picnic and Play at Rehm Park (day)
June 2 (NEW DATE)- Walking Field trip to the Oak Park Conservatory:  I need at least one adult to join us for this trip.  If we get two adults we will probably stop at Rehm and have our recess there.  We are hoping for a 10:45 tour but it has not been confirmed.

June 5th- Last day of School

On our way to the Young Athletes event
 with our buddies from Mrs. Sak's class

We had a GREAT first week of our alphabet countdown!  Thanks to all of you for remembering so many details.  May is a busy month around Irving!

Reading:  We read a lot of books about plants and seeds.  We are practicing figuring out unknown words using pictures and word clues to help us.  the students did a great job figuring out the meaning of the word seedling.

Writing:  We are working on using transition words like first, next, then, and last in our writing.  The students are working on narrative stories that have more than one event.

Math:  We continue to work on decomposing teen numbers.  We are also working on naming numbers in different ways.  During calendar we are practicing writing two digit numbers and counting on from a given number to solve an addition problem.

Science:  Our classroom is full of spring life!  Seedlings will go home today and our caterpillars are forming their chrysalis.

ABC Countdown for next week:

Monday:  Hat Day!
Tuesday:  Ice Cream Day!  (We will have popsicles in the K pod with our friends.)
Wednesday: Jokes-send in a joke!  I love a good Kindergarten Joke!
Thursday:  Boys dress like kings!
Friday:  Lunch outside.

May 14th Art Fest-This is the culmination of a year's worth of Music, PE, Art, Spanish , Technology and Poetry!  It is a great evening event! 
May 18th-Oak Park Public Library presentation (day)
May 22-Olympic Day (day) Parent Teacher Softball Game (night):  Click link for info
May 27th-Kindergarten Picnic and Play at Rehm Park (day)
June 2 (NEW DATE)- Walking Field trip to the Oak Park Conservatory:  I need at least one adult to join us for this trip.  If we get two adults we will probably stop at Rehm and have our recess there.  We are hoping for a 10:45 tour but it has not been confirmed.

June 5th- Last day of School

Don't forget that book talks start next week.  Be sure to help your child choose a great book to present to the class.  If at all possible, send the book in with your child on the day of the talk.

Poetry Break:
Your child should have come home with a copy of a poem mostly memorized.  Keep practicing this poem with your child for Irving's annual poetry celebration.  Every child in the school memorizes a poem and walks around to different classrooms during library time to present the poems.  We all love a little poetry break!

If your child loves the poem, encourage them to come back for Art Fest on May 14th.  They can walk around and be a traveling poet and recite their poem for anyone who needs a poetry break.  There are also musical performances, visual art displays, technology art projects, and spanish games.  The culminating event is a poetry slam.  Flyers are going home today for kids who want one last chance to perform a poem or song or rap.  They can perform in the poetry slam.  (This does not need to be the poem that was sent home, but it can be.)

Fitness Week

NATIONAL SPORTS AND

FITNESS WEEK

May 4th - 9th

Monday- Ball and Rope Day - bring your favorite ball                             and/or jump rope to school and use it during                           recess.

Tuesday- Healthy Heart Day - wear red and bring a                               healthy snack to lunch.

Wednesday- ACES - 10:55 -11:10am

                     All children exercising simultaneously.

Thursday- Sports Hat Day - wear your favorite sports hat to school and bring a water bottle to use if you have one.

Friday- School Spirit Day - wear Irving school clothing or anything with red and white in it and make sure to get at least 10 hrs. of sleep tonight.

Saturday- District 97’s Annual Fun Run

              8:00 am at Lindburg Park.

May 6th Kindergarten Orientation-Do you know any incoming Kindergartners?  Tell them about this opportunity for them to see the Kindergarten classrooms!  
May 8th Young Athlete's Field Trip in the morning
May 14th Art Fest-This is the culmination of a year's worth of Music, PE, Art, Spanish , Technology and Poetry!  It is a great evening event!
May 22-Olympic Day (day) Parent Teacher Softball Game (night)
May 27th-Kindergarten Picnic and Play at Rehm Park (day)
June 1- Walking Field trip to the Oak Park Conservatory

June 5th- Last day of School