Weekly Update

Hello Families,

I hope everyone has enjoyed their three day weekend.  I just got home from a weekend at the beach and lovely Labor Day Weekend wedding : )

 Week two of Kindergarten is in the books! Your students are doing a great job learning and practicing our daily routines.  This month we will really focus on our literacy centers so we can begin reading groups in October. Here's what we're getting into this week...

In Language Arts, we will: 
- practice rhyming

- preview books and discuss our purpose for reading 

- learn and practice new centers in preparation for reading group rotations

- learn the job of the photographer of the book and compare it to an illustrator's job

In Writing, we will: 

- participate in a variety of fine motor activities to get our hands strengthened for writing

- build writing stamina and independence

- add details to our pictures and begin to write words or letters to tell a story

- practice perseverance for "hard to draw" ideas

In Social Studies, we will: 

- discuss the meaning of friendship 

- complete direction following activities

- discuss the importance of sharing

In Math, we will: 

- practice 1-1 correspondence when counting (pointing to one object when counting) 

-define the word attribute

- sort by multiple attributes (color, shape, size) 

- count groups of objects to tell how many are in a set

- practice writing numerals

***Volunteers***

I would love to have you spend time with us in the classroom!  There will be information coming home about our mandatory volunteer training.  After you have completed this training we can set up a time for you to work with students, or help with teacher tasks!  We are also looking for parents to help with our ABC/123 team.  If you have an older child and you have already take the volunteer training you are welcome to begin volunteering!

***Thursday Folders***

Please sign and return Thursday Folders on Friday morning.  The competency scores serve as a weekly report that is returned in the folder.  If you have any questions about this please let me know!

***Pictures***

I had planned to upload some pictures to the blog today.  I have so many wonderful photos of the students practicing buddy reading, read to self, poetry and working together to build a rainbow!  I forgot my blog release forms at school : (  I will send you an email when I have added the photos. 

***Questions to ask your child***

Tell me about the Warm Fuzzy Jar….

What does it mean to have your clip on green or reach for the stars?

How can you earn HERO Slips?

What can you buy with your HERO Slips?

Tell me what buddy reading looks like….(knee to knee, elbow to elbow)

What is your favorite special?

Important Dates in September

• Tuesday, September 8 – Our first library book exchange (I believe students will bring a book home – Please send their library book back to school next Tuesday)
• Monday, September 14 - No School
• Wednesday, September 23  -No School
• Friday, September 25  -2 hour early dismissal (students leave at 1:25.)  Please send in a note if your child's transportation will change this day

Lastly, I just want to say that we have a wonderful group of students in our classroom!  I am already so impressed with their kindness and love for learning!  I’m looking forward to a wonderful year.  Thank you for all that you do!  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Ms. Grimes

Weekly Update!

Hello Families,

We have completed the first week of Kindergarten and I would say it was a huge success!  We have been very busy, as I'm sure your child has told you.  This is the first of our weekly updates for the year.  Every week we will be sending you an email of the lessons and activities we are planning for the coming week.  While things may change from day to day, the information we are sending is a rough outline of what we will be doing.  We will also put important dates and reminders as well.  I am posting this on the blog because I have not yet compiled an email distribution list.  I hope to have that done soon!  Here's what we're getting into this week...

In Language Arts, we will: 
- learn several new poems to practice fluency.  

- look at pictures and ask and answer questions about them.

- what do you see?

-what do you think?

-what do you wonder?

- learn and practice classroom routines to get ready for reading groups. 

- learn the jobs of the author and illustrator of a book. 

In Writing, we will: 

- participate in a variety of fine motor activities to get our hands strengthened for writing. 

- use pictures to tell a story. 

- add details to our pictures and begin to write words or letters to match. 

- practice proper letter formation to become efficient writers.

In Social Studies, we will: 

- learn about rules of our school and classroom 

- discuss symbols and identify them in our surroundings 

- learn symbols that are important to our country (ie- the American Flag)

- talk about similarities and differences between students in our class. 

- work together to create a product.

In Math, we will: 

- use math manipulatives (counters) in a safe way. 

- practice persevering when we're working on a difficult problem. 

- represent numbers in different ways by using counters and written numerals. 

- learn several math games and practice working in small groups. 

Important Information: 

***Water Bottle***

We take frequent (1-2-3 that’s enough for me!) drink breaks throughout the school day.  We have a water fountain in the classroom.  You can also send your student to school with a water bottle.  I just ask that it is water and that your student leaves it in the top of their cubbie.  Thank you in advance!!

***Forms***

If you have not already done so, please be sure all of your back to school forms have been turned in.  We are especially looking for emergency cards and health forms.  If you need new forms or have any questions about this, please let me know. 

***Blog***

I will be making weekly blogs posts (at least that's my goal), and I invite you to check those out!  I post  pictures on the blog of the fun activities we have done (only of students who have given me permission to do so).  There is a link to the website/blog at the bottom of this email, in the signature.  Please check it out!  

***Specials*** 

We will have regular specials every day.  I will put the schedule below.  Please make sure your child wears sneakers on P.E. day so they can fully participate with the class.  

Monday-  P.E and Music  

Tuesday- Art

Wednesday- P.E.

Thursday- Music

Friday- Art

***Granola Bear***

Granola Bear (our class stuffed animal) will begin going home with friends this week.  Directions are inside of Granola’s bag.  Please return him on Monday morning and have fun!!  I can’t wait to see the pictures!

I hope you all have a great week!  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me. Thank you!

Quick Note

Hi families,

I hope everyone is ready for a fun first week of school!  It was brought to my attention that one of the documents I sent home stated that we have P.E. on Mondays and Fridays.  We have  P.E. on Mondays and Wednesdays and we ask that students wear sneakers on P.E. days for safety reasons.  I apologize for the confusion.  I would typically send this note in an email but I don't have everyone's email address yet.  If you have any questions, please call or email me.  I'm looking forward to a great week in kindergarten!

Ms. Grimes 

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Here is our Back to School Night video in case you missed it! This video features our Kindergarten kiddos from last year!

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Jaime Grimes. This coming school year will be my fifth year teaching Kindergarten at Whittier Elementary School. I was born and raised in Frederick, Maryland. I went to Hood College and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. I am currently pursuing a  Master's Degree, at Hood College. I am studying Curriculum and Instruction. This year will be my 2nd year as the mentor for new teachers in our building. I'm very excited to continue in this leadership role.I love dogs (I have a little 5 lb dog named Emma – which my kids will hear all about), being outside and sightseeing!  I am getting married this June – I will probably have the kids call me Ms. Grimes until the following school year : ) I am one of five wonderful kindergarten teachers this year. My teammates are fabulous and any one of us will be more than willing to answer questions and support your student and family in any way! Whittier is a great community and we are so lucky to have your student in Kindergarten this year. Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year. I'm looking forward to another wonderful year at Whittier Elementary! As the school year progresses, please check out our classroom blog for updates. I will use the blog a lot this year (take a look at the posts from last year!). I give families a weekly, Sunday update on curriculum, goals, pictures and special events. During the first week of school, I will send home a permission slip detailing whether or not you would like your child's picture, name, etc., featured on the blog. Please take time to consider this, the blog is not private and anyone may access it. Thanks, and once again, we are so excited to have your student at Whittier!

**Please note that our specials, library and academic schedule will be updated this week**

**Join us for Back to School Night, Thursday, August 20th at 5pm**

**Join us for an ice cream social, Thursday, August 20th from 5:30 - 6:30 pm**

**If you have any questions about our staggered start kindergarten schedule, please contact the office or your classroom teacher**

Thank you,

Ms. Grimes 

Our last update

Hello Families,

Well, here we are... down to the last week of school.  We are trying to review all of the content we can and get our brains ready for first grade!  As we wrap up the year, here are some dates and reminders for the end of the year festivities... 

DATES TO REMEMBER-

Friday June 12th- Ice Cream Social forms are due

Wednesday June 17th- Grade Level Awards (Kindergarten is at 10:35)

Thursday June 18th- 9:15- Move up day! 

     10:30- Flag Lowering

     10:45- 5th grade clap out

     LAST DAY OF SCHOOL- 2 hour early dismissal!

Thursday June 18th- 4:15- Kindergarten Ice Cream Social at Cobblestone Park

REMINDERS-

***Ice Cream Social***

Please turn in your ice cream social forms by Friday June 12th.  We want to be sure we have enough ice cream for everyone who wants it, so a head count would be great!  We hope to see you and your family there! 

***Reading Group Books***

Check your house for reading group books and send them back to school as soon as possible.  We have to get them put away and counted for the end of the year inventory.  

***Library Books***

And while you're looking for little books, please check around your house for any stray library books.  They were due last Friday.  If you have a book that you can't find, please let me know and I can put you in touch with Ms. Dattoli, our librarian.  

***Grade Level Awards***

Every grade will be having a small awards ceremony to recognize the strengths of each of our classmates.  Kindergarten's grade level awards will be on Wednesday June 17th at 10:35.  We hope you can join us! 

***Move up Day***

On the last day of school, your child will find out who their first grade teacher is, and will get the opportunity to spend some time in their classroom with their friends for next year.  This is an exciting opportunity for our students, so make sure you ask them about it when they get

home!  

***Kindergarten Memories***

Next week, students will bring home several work books and folders they have worked on throughout the school year.  Be on the lookout for poetry journals, writing folders, math journals and pictures!  I have saved many of their writing samples this year.  I wanted to make sure I had what I needed for their portfolio.  I will send home a manila folder with all of their writing from quarter 1 – quarter 4.  Take time to look at their progression in writing!  It is amazing!  I’m so proud of each and every one of my students!

***Kindergarten Registration*** 

We need your help!  If you know anyone who has students ready to enter Kindergarten in the fall, please remind them to register for Kindergarten next year!  Even if they are currently in Pre-K, they still need to register.  Thanks for your help with this!  :)

Thank you so much for all you have done to support your child in Kindergarten this year.  It has been a wonderful year.  The progress that has been made this year is absolutely remarkable!  I have enjoyed being your child's Kindergarten teacher this year.  I hope you have a great last week of school, and a fun and safe summer! 

Having some fun during our Warm Fuzzy Bubble Party!

Can we just take a minute to look how much these kids have grown!! October 2014 

The Week Ahead...

Hi Families,

Welcome to June and the last three weeks of the 2014-2015 school year! I am taking a 5 week class at Hood, so getting this to you on Sunday has been difficult!  Busy, busy, busy bee!!

Below is the focus for the week: 

In Language Arts, we will:
*  Read graphic novels looking specifically at text features: speech bubbles, bolded words, sound words, action words and captions. 

*  Review short and long vowels 

In Social Studies, we will: 

* Explore what it means to be a good citizen. 
* Discuss goods and services.
* Learn about choices we have as consumers and how we pay for things that we need or want. 

In Writing, we will: 

*  continue to focus on using correct punctuation and capitalization in our writing. 

*  Identify punctuation and capitalization mistakes in our own writing and the writing of others. 

*  Write a letter to our future first grade teacher explaining why we would be a good student for them to have!

In Math, we will: 

* Review different ways to make a number, using manipulatives, tens and ones, number sentences. 
* Continue learning about tens and ones when looking at teen numbers. 

* Play games to move forward or backward from any given number.  

Important Events to Remember...

***Homework and Reading Logs***
May homework and reading logs are due on Monday, June 1st. This was the last month for homework and reading logs. The Kindergarten team will review homework and reading logs before returning them. Students who completed these activities will be rewarded with a free ice cream cone from Dairy Queen! Thank you for supporting your child's education!

***Library Book Exchange***

All books are due on Friday, June 5th.  If you need to pay for a book that was lost, please let me know and I will send your information to Ms. Dattoli.  

***Reading Groups***

Although the year is winding down, we will still hold reading groups regularly; however, as we have to turn in all the little books back to the book room, you won't be see as many little books coming home in reading group baggies.  Students will participate in a lot of games for reading groups, and reading books from my own collection.  Please check and see if you have any little books floating around your house.  If you see any, please send them back to school so that all books can be counted and returned to their home.  Thanks for your help with this!  

***Warm Fuzzy Jar***

We filled our warm fuzzy jar!  We will vote on our reward tomorrow!

***Whittier Carnival***

Thank you to all families that came out for an evening of fun at Whittier's annual carnival. I had the pleasure of seeing many of you.  Thank you for supporting technology at our school. Due to our hard work and fundraising, every classroom is slated to have a smart-board next year :-)

***Kindergarten Concert***

On Friday, June 5th students will be preforming in their first choral concert at Whittier. We invite all family members to come and celebrate their child's hard work. 

***Year Books***

I would love to write a special note in each child's yearbook.  I sent all the yearbooks home so that parents could see that they had been delivered, and to check to make sure the order was correct.  You may send your student to school with their yearbook if you would like it be signed by friends and teachers.  If you send their yearbook back to school, please write your child's name somewhere on the book so we know who it belongs to. I am giving students time in the morning and the afternoon to collect signatures.  Thank you!

 

Dates to Remember: 

Tuesday, June 2nd: Whittier's Annual Talent Show
Wednesday, June 3rd: Fourth Quarter Ends
Friday, June 5th: All Library Books Due
Friday, June 5th: Kindergarten Concert at 2:30

Have a great week! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.