September 28, 2018

Dear Families,

PLEASE remember to dress your student in play clothes, layers,  and boots/sneakers on Monday for our trip to Rocky Ridge Orchard. If you signed up to chaperone I am counting on you coming with us. You can ride the bus or meet us there. We are leaving right at 9:00.

 Thank you for those earbuds/headphones that came in this week. We will hopefully be starting next week with some guided technology practice.

Thank you to those who have helped to jump start the Harvest Hustle! I appreciate it~ 

In science we continue to learn about the life cycle of the butterfly. We currently have 10 caterpillars still munching and we have 4 in chrysalis as of this morning.  Hopefully they will become butterflies soon so we can release them for their flight to Mexico before the cold weather sets in! We have learned so much about the caterpillar life cycle!

Books Read: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Busy Spider, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, and many other Eric Carle favorites!

Animated Alphabet is our approach to phonemic awareness and spelling. The letters are taught through a multi sensory approach of music, dance, characters and signs which help the students hold onto that information. The characters we have learned this week were; Actress Annie and Daisy Dragon.

In math we are getting to know numbers 0-10, sorting, discussing a graph, using math manipulatives, using 5 frames, practicing with quick looks at collections of dots, finger counting, working with shapes and continuing our calendar routines. Our routines at calendar time include; counting to the calendar number of the day, weather observations, tracking the number of days we have been in school and days of the week. 

We are still learning about the Woolwich Way! The Woolwich Way is made up of 6 qualities that will help us to be the best we can be! (Courtesy- I can use good manners, Compassion-I can help others, Respect- I can treat others kindly, Honesty-I can tell the truth, Responsibility- I can take care of myself and my stuff, Quality- I can do my best even when things are hard)

Upcoming Events:

October 1- Field trip Rocky Ridge~If you signed up to chaperone I am counting on you to be there~ 

October 8- NO SCHOOL-Columbus Day 

October 12- NO SCHOOL- Professional Development Day

September 14, 2018

Dear Families,

Books Read: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, A Caterpillar's Wish, Butterfly Suits, I'm a Caterpillar, Butterfly Life Cycle and a variety of Eric Carle books. We ate a snack of red and green grapes that represented the caterpillar! Yum!!!

Animated Alphabet is our approach to phonemic awareness and spelling. The letters are taught through a multi sensory approach of music, dance, characters and signs which help the students hold onto that information. The characters we have learned about so far are; Polly Panda and Uncle Upton.

In math we are getting to know numbers, introducing attributes and sorting, multisensory counting, patterns and continuing our calendar routines. Our routines at calendar time include; counting to the calendar number of the day, weather observations, tracking the number of days we have been in school and days of the week. 

We are learning about the Woolwich Way! The Woolwich Way is made up of 6 qualities that will help us to be the best we can be! (Courtesy- I can use good manners, Compassion-I can help others, Respect- I can treat others kindly, Honesty-I can tell the truth, Responsibility- I can take care of myself and my stuff, Quality- I can do my best even when things are hard).

ITEM NEEDED: We will begin using our Chromebooks next week and each student is asked to provide either earphones or earbuds for use with or Chromebook time. If you haven't sent them in yet, please do.  I will place them  in an individual bag with your student's name on it. They will be kept at school for daily/bi-daily work.

We are headed to Rocky Ridge Orchard! Please sign and send the permission slipback with the $5 for the cost of doughnut, apple, and mini pumpkin. If you plan to chaperone you need to fill out the volunteer form from the office.

Upcoming Events:

October 1- Rocky Ridge Field Trip 

October 8- NO SCHOOL- Columbus Day

October 12- NO SCHOOL- Teacher Inservice

September 7, 2018

Dear Families,

It has been a very busy week. We are continuing our procedures and community building. We have enjoyed going to the different specials classes and meeting many new faces and doing fun activities. Today we traveled to library and we were able to sign a book out to take home. Please make sure it comes back by next Friday (or before) and that when it is not being read there is a safe place to keep it. One other detail I forgot to mention in my opening letter is that folders come home on Fridays with student's work from the week, this newsletter and other pieces of information.

Books Read: The Little Engine That Could, Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, I Like Myself, A variety of Pete the Cat stories

In math we are getting to know numbers, introducing attributes of shapes, sorting, graphing birthdays, and our calendar routines. Our routines at calendar time include; counting to the calendar number of the day, weather observation, tracking the number of days we have been in school and the days  of the week.

 Many reading and writing assessments have taken place these first few days of school. We will begin a more structured approach to reading and writing beginning next week. 

Next week we will begin to be scientists and use our observation skills to watch our caterpillars grow-and grow-and grow! We have ordered some monarch caterpillars in the mail and they should arrive any day now.

We are learning about the Woolwich Way! The Woolwich Way is made up of 6 qualities that will help us to be the best we can be! (Courtesy- I can use good manners, Compassion-I can help others, Respect- I can treat others kindly, Honesty-I can tell the truth, Responsibility- I can take care of myself and my stuff, Quality- I can do my best even when things are hard)

Upcoming Events!

September 13~ Picture Day and Open House at 5:30
October 8- Columbus Day-No School
October 12-Professional Day- No School

August 31, 2018

Hello!

WOW! What a fantastic first three days of Kindergarten! I am so impressed by the way we are blending together as a community. We are learning our schedule, classroom expectations and how to be a good friend. 

All of the students will be assessed this week and next in the areas of reading, writing, and math. These assessments are fun for them and act more as a game then stressful work. I know they have been tired and hot this week when they came home, but know that they have spent 3 days adjusting to a new schedule and a whole new life. Exciting!

You have noticed a flurry of paperwork coming home. Please take time to fill it all out and send it back to me. Having updated addresses, telephone numbers and other important information is the key to keeping your child as safe as I possibly can. Thank you!

The best way to get in touch with me is through email at ssample@rsu1.org. I check my email a few times a day and I will do my level best to get back to you as soon as I check it. I feel like too much information is better than too little.

Our specials are: Monday-Art

                           Tuesday- PE (if you haven't sent in sneakers to keep at school, please                                                   do)

                           Wednesday- Guidance

                           Thursday- Music

                           Friday-Library (Please help your child keep his/her library book in a safe place and enjoy spending time reading with them.) Books are due back the following Friday.

I will try to add to this blog each week as well as when there is any special event going on. When I receive your paperwork about publishing pictures, I will know who I can and cannot publish on this blog. Paper copies will come home as well. Folders come home on Fridays. 

REMEMBER: NOTES for bus and pick up changes. The more information the better!

                  LUNCH is difficult. Help your child know what they are doing for lunch! From home? School ?

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Sarah~

July 12, 2018

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer up to this point with lots more fun and adventure to come! I thought you might like to have an overview of what our school day is going to look like and what supplies you will need as you enter Kindergarten.

School begins at 8:40 am every day except Wednesdays. All schools in RSU1 have a late start on Wednesdays and we begin that school day at 9:40 am. The end of our day is 2:50pm.

The bus schedule is usually in the newspaper in August. If you have any questions about busing, please contact our front office.

We have a snack in the morning and again at the end of the day. Please send in healthy snacks and drinks in a lunchbox labeled with your child's name. Breakfast and lunch are available every day.

PLEASE make sure I know where to send your child at the end of the day. If there is a change of plans for after school please send a note, send me an email or call Betsy at the front desk. My main goal is the safety of your child. Please help me do that!

Supplies:

***Back pack (labeled with name)
*** lunch box (labeled with name)
*** pencil box or pouch
***(thick)markers and 2 glue sticks
***a 2-pocket folder for home/school communication (labeled with name)
*** head phones (for use with Chromebooks. We find the head phones stay better than ear buds- but that is up to your family to decide) (labeled with name)
***a pair of sneakers that will stay at school and only be used for P.E.
In the past, some parents have sent a change of clothes in for those unforeseen mishaps. If you do this, a large ziplock bag labeled with your child's name works very well.

As the year goes on, we will need other supplies (Lysol wipes, tissues, paper products) but I will address those needs as we progress through the year!

We will be having a bus run on Thursday August 23rd @ 10:00am. We will all meet at school and the children will ride the bus, go to their classroom and visit the cafeteria for a snack. They can bring their supplies on that day if it would make the backpack a little lighter! I hope you all can make it!

If you need to contact me:
ssample@rsu1.org
or
(207) 443-9739
or
mrssampleskindergarten.blogspot.com

April 27, 2018

Dear Families,

Books Read: A wide variety of weather and spring books

If any of you are out and about this weekend and come across any frog eggs we would love to have some in our classroom! Thank you~

During writing time they are; writing in their how-to books as well as a short narrative time to share what we did over April vacation, visualizing places and people to write about, adding words (letters) to their pictures, rehearsing what they want to say about what they wrote, taking turns sharing their ideas and writing with partners, adding spaces between words and punctuation at the end of a sentence, going back into their writing pieces and revising what they have written by changing or adding to what they wrote and continuing to build up their confidence as writers.  

Animated Alphabet is our approach to phonemic awareness and spelling. The letters are taught through a multi sensory approach of music, dance, characters and signs which help the students hold onto that information. We have been writing words and sentences using our characters and this week we met The White Whale and Zachary and Zena Zebra. We only have 2 characters left in this program!

In math we are working with two digit numbers, measurement, addition and subtraction practice, counting and number recognition, solving number stories, and continuing our calendar routines. Our routines at calendar time include; counting to the calendar number of the day, weather observations, tracking the number of days we have been in school and days of the week.

We are learning about the Woolwich Way! The Woolwich Way is made up of 6 qualities that will help us to be the best we can be! (Courtesy- I can use good manners, Compassion-I can help others, Respect- I can treat others kindly, Honesty-I can tell the truth, Responsibility- I can take care of myself and my stuff, Quality- I can do my best even when things are hard)

Upcoming Events: 

May 16 & 17 NO SCHOOL FOR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ONLY (kindergarten screening for next year~wow~)

May 28 Memorial Day- No School

June 18 Last Student Day- 1/2 day

March 23, 2018

Happy Spring Everyone!

This past week has been a whirlwind trying to finish last minute assignments and assessments. Your children have been amazing with our changes in schedule and activity. I am proud of them all and am encouraging all of you to please sign up for a conference with me next week! If you are unsure how to use the online system, please call the front office. They will add you in!

There is a pair of snow pants missing...size 7- Roebuck & Co bib snow pants. If they inadvertently ended up at your house, please send them back in~ Also, any spare clothes children have worn home that belong to the school please return them as well. This is a great time of year to put out a reminder about spare clothing. Spring is very messy and if I have no spare clothes left students have to sit in wet and uncomfortable clothing. I am sending home all clothing before April vacation.

TOYS have worn out their welcome at school. It has been a trying last few weeks as toys are coming in more and more frequently. Bigger and louder and really distracting. We need to please keep all toys at home for the remainder of the year. We may have a "toy day" that the children may earn but I will tell you that the week before it happens. Please help me...keep ALL toys at home.

Supplies: Thank you for sending in markers for your student. If you haven't, please do or if it is a hardship, please let me know. Also...if anyone would like to donate a package of plastic Easter eggs I would REALLY appreciate it. I need a few packs so any would be welcomed! They will not be returned so if they are special Easter bunny eggs please keep them! Thank you so much!

Upcoming Events:
March 23- Report cards home
March 29 & 30- Parent/ Teacher conferences. 1/2 Day of school
April 16-20- April Vacation
May 16 & 17- NO SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN ONLY (Screening for next year's class-oh my!)