Schumacher Kindergarten

May 23, 2011

Where has the year gone?  Times flies when you are having fun and this has been a great year. 

While the year is virtually over, our work is not.  We will make good use of our time left together.

We will continue to practice decoding skills using word families and phonics tricks.  We have been and will continue to practice first grade sight words in addition to kindergarten sight words.  We will apply phonics skills to independent writing.

We will continue to practice addition and subtraction.  I am planning some fun shark subtraction this week.

It is Cobb County policy that the children DO NOT bring backpacks to school on the last day.  Lunches and/or snacks need to be contained in disposable containers.  This policy is a result of older children tossing debris out of bus windows on the last day of school.

School will be dismissed one hour early on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Therefore our lunch time has been rescheduled to 9:44 and our specials will be at 11:10.  We will have snacks in the afternoon.

We are planning to forgo the school lunch on Wednesday.  We will have pizza in our room instead.  We will eat at 11:45, right after our specials.  Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to donate juice boxes.  You can, of course, have your child eat the school lunch that day.  Just let me know if that is your preference.  Any snacks will be consumed in the morning, probably around our official 9:44 lunch time. 

2011-2012 Meet and Greet is Friday, August 12, from 8:00 until 10:00.  The first day of school is Monday, August 15. 

Thanks again for all your involvement this year.  Your participation in your child’s education makes a huge difference!

May 16, 2011

Welcome to the last full week of kindergarten1

The Spring Carnival was so much fun.  I enjoyed seeing some of you there on Saturday; I had to leave early so I am sorry to have missed those of you who came after noon.  The weather surely cooperated.

The big event this week is Field Day.  Here are a few reminders and tidbits:  Please slather your child will sunscreen before school on Wednesday.  We will come inside for water whenever necessary.  Children may bring water bottles, but I am not carrying them outside.  It is easier to come inside for a break.  They can get a quick drink from their personal bottles then if they prefer that to the water fountain.  The kindergarten field day color is red.  If your child has a red t-shirt, perhaps he/she could wear it that day.  Do not go buy one.  A Baker t-shirt or any other comfortable shirt will do; we have red bandanas to complete our ensembles.  Please, NO FLIPFLOPS, SANDALS, OR CROCKS.   Wear sneakers.  Our lunch is a little later that day; we are having hot sack lunches that we will eat in our rooms. 

Please make an opportunity to review addresses with your child.  Some children who knew them in February have forgotten them.  A quick review may be all that is necessary.

Children who have learned their sight words really improved at least an entire level in reading.  Thanks so much for your reinforcement at home.

We are finishing up our Ocean theme and end of the year details. 

Be aware that school will be dismissed at 1:30 5/24 and 5/25.  We will have lunch at 9:44 both days.  We have snack between lunch and dismissal.

Remember that we need postage if you want your child's end-of-the-year report card mailed to you.  You all returned the registration envelopes; some do not have the required 2 first-class stamps.  If you send the stamps in, I will immediately affix them to your envelope.

It's been a pleasure.  Thanks for all you have done for your children this year.  It's been a good one.

May 9, 2011

Happy Mother's Day

These next two weeks are the mad dash to the finish line.  We will be finishing up GKIDS assessment by Friday and then report card assessments the next week as well as reading level assessments. 

However, that does not mean that learning has been suspended while we analyze our progress.

We continue with reading groups, word decoding strategies, and sight word recognition.

In math the children interact with subtraction scenarios as well as practice addition facts.

The lima beans sprouted nicely.  The children brought them home last week.  I hope some of you will find containers to plant them in to see how big they might get.  We are still waiting for our flower seeds to sprout.  That should happen any day.

All library books are due back to the library by Friday, May 13th.  We will return them as soon as the children bring them back.  The media specialist has to do a complete inventory of the library contents.

Our school carnival is this Saturday, May 14th, from 11:00 - 3:00.  Be sure to purchase wrist bands ahead of time to get the better price.  Our carnival basket is fantastic.  A big thanks goes to our room parents and all who donated to the basket contents.  Another big thank you to all who have volunteered to send in cakes for the cake walk.  That is another of the favorite carnival events.

Field Day is Wednesday, May 18th, from 8:00 - 11:00 for kindergarten through second grade.  We appreciate all the volunteers who will man the stations.  The day will not be a success without your assistance.

Remember that on the last two days of school, May 24th and 25th, the children will be dismissed one hour early.  I think this is a money saving venture that accommodates high school bus schedules with finals.

Let's have another great week.

 

 

May 2, 2011

Welcome to the Merry Month of May! 

This week we will plant some flowers, look at the concept of subtraction, practice writing in specific genres. 

This Saturday, May 7,  Baker is hosting a Bike Rodeo from 10:00 - 1:00.  It sounds like fun.

The next Saturday, May 14,  is Baker's Spring Carnival from 11:00 - 3:00.  A lot of effort goes into this event and it is worth attending.

We have almost four more weeks of school.  I will be administering a lot of assessments for the GKIDS and then the report card. 

Whatever the children know regarding continent, country, state, county, and address will be what is reflected on the report card.  That assessment will be made the last full week of school.

Baker's Scholastic Book Fair continues through Thursday, May 5. 

The last day for students to check out library books is this Friday.  I am sure they all want another opportunity to pick a new book, so be sure they bring their current one back in sometime before Friday.

Children who purchased Mother's Day cakes will get to decorate them on Friday.  How exciting for them.

That's all the news I can think of for this week.  Thanks for checking the blog.