Having a Great "Summer"?!

Hello!

This is THE ONLY picture I have of me this summer! lol

I hope you all are having a great "summer" despite the weather we have been having. I've been busy being a full time mom again to Jameson and Logan. I am once again the master at making a peanut butter sandwich in less than 60 seconds. :) Lots of trips to the zoo for us, a vacation to Lake Chelan and Sunriver and many trips to local parks have filled my summer.

I am already back  in the classroom unpacking and planning for the next crop of wonderful kids to walk through those doors.

I'd love to hear how everyone is doing so leave a comment below if you want! :) I'm also toying around with the idea of trying to get those who want to, to meet at a park in the next week or so for a play date before school starts again. Let me know if you're interested. I'll have my kids in tow but I'm sure they'd love to play with everyone!
Take care,
Mrs. Perry

Good-bye and THANK YOU

I know we're all a little sad. I am too. I have had such an amazing year. I will be the first to admit that the transition from 3rd to kindergarten was a little more surprising than I thought, but I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for having faith, believing in me and trusting in my abilities as a teacher that I would complete my transition into a kindergarten teacher.

You all have been so kind and helpful to me. I am truly blessed to have partnered with you this year to bring out the best in your child.

My goal as a teacher is first and foremost to provide an environment that is safe and secure for learning to occur and for my students to feel confident in making mistakes because only then will they open themselves up and take the risks necessary for real learning to occur. However, my bottom line and the way I judge if I have been successful is if I see my students smiling and happy. I want them to love learning and love school. Hopefully this is the way your child has walked away from kindergarten. If not, I apologize and know that in every instance I have had the child's best interest at heart and I have always tried my best.

As you move through this journey of eduction, remember to relax and enjoy your kids. They are precious. There will be ups and downs in their journey; there will be teachers they click with and ones they don't, but it's all valuable and important.

Finally, PLEASE keep in touch. Not just next year, but for years to come. A couple of years ago I heard through the grapevine that one of my former first grade students was graduating from high school and at his graduation he spoke about an activity that we did together so many years earlier. I love to hear these stories. :0) ....and when your child grows up to be that doctor, teacher or sushi chef...I hope they look back on their kindergarten year and have a smile on their face. They will be missed AND remembered by me.

I will continue to keep this blog active and post throughout the summer and beyond.

Have a wonderful summer and a GREAT first grade year.
~Mrs. Perry

Summer Ideas

Have you heard of www.pinterest.com? If not, you need to check it out. Warning: hours upon hours may pass by without notice once you log on to this site!

I have been "pinning" lots of ideas for the classroom and thought I'd pass on one of these gems that I found.


Take a trip to the beach. I recommend Lincoln Park in West Seattle. (there's a really cool bakery called The Original Bakery very close to there that is a must go to on your way to the beach). Find some great rocks. Wash them. Buy rub on letters at Michaels and transfer to rocks.

Then, spell the summer away! :)

Have fun!

Tshirt signing

If you didn't get a chance to have your tshirt signed at the party, bring it in on Tuesday and we will be signing them again.
Thanks!

Jury Duty - Day One

Well, jury duty day one was completely uneventful. I sat in the room for 8 hours. I felt like I was on an airplane and was so disappointed that when I walked outside at the end of the day I wasn't in Hawaii. If I have to sit in one place that long, I want a nice tropical paradise to be on the other side of it.

In King County, your service lasts a minimum of two days so I will be back there again today (Thursday). The good news is, apparently jurors don't work on Friday so I will definately be back at school tomorrow for our big celebration. Hooray!

Kindergarten Party Invitation

Here are the details on the party on Friday in case you missed them!

KINDERGARTEN
END OF YEAR CELEBRATION
All Kindergarteners and their parents are
invited to an end of the year celebration.
There will be games, temporary tattoos, t-shirt signing, and snacks.
Note: Please send your child to school with an extra t-shirt labeled with
their name so that all of their friends can sign them.
Date: Friday, June 10th
Time: 2:15 to 3:15 Location: Central Park
THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR THE KINDERGARTENERS
SO WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT BRING SIBLINGS.

URGENT!

Urgent School News

The Issaquah Police has informed us that there is police activity in our neighborhood and that all children need to be accompanied home by an adult. There may be limited access to roads around Grand Ridge, therefore you may need to park and walk to pick up your child. If you are unable to get to the school, please call a person on your emergency contact list to take your child home.

If you arrive by car, please park and go to your child’s classroom to check them out.

Important: We have not been instructed to go into lockdown

Boxes Needed

Our teaching assignments have been decided for next year and I will be moving to Endeavour Elementary to teach full day kindergarten. I will still teach Grand Ridge students, it will just be at a different building.

I am in need of boxes for this move. If you are able to send in any boxes that I can use to move all of my classroom materials in, I would be forever grateful!

Thank you so much,
~Mrs. Perry

Got Science?

Got science? The proposed new elementary science materials are on public display through June 8 at the Administration Building. Because of unprecedented state budget cuts, a community coalition—including the Issaquah Schools Foundation, PTSA, and chambers of commerce—is raising funds to bridge the gap so that the curriculum can be fully implemented next fall for every kindergarten through fifth-grade student. With two weeks left in the campaign, the coalition is still about $187,000 short of its goal (a target of $50 per elementary student). Learn more about how you can help.

THANK YOU!!

A big thank you to the PM class and the wonderful birthday surprise you gave me upon meeting you today. I certainly was surprised! I love the boquet of balloons; they brighten up the room so much! And the cookies...oh my. Those are officially my favorite cookie. :)
Thanks for making my afternoon so special!
~Mrs. Perry

Music Concert This Thursday!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Recently in music class the kindergarteners have started preparing for their concert Spring Into Summer. It is scheduled for Thursday, June 2^nd in the multipurpose room at Grand Ridge Elementary. Because we have six sections of kindergarten, there will be two performances:

9:30 a.m. Thomas, Lanham, Perry a.m.

3:00 p.m. Cooks, Dolen, Perry p.m.

If your student would like to practice at home, we have posted the lyrics on Ms. Badgley’s website at www.wix.com/abadgley/grand-ridge-music. The link is on the “concerts” page.

Attire for the concert is to wear bright colored summer clothes as follows:

· Boys can wear nice pants (no jeans or shorts) and a collared shirt

· Girls can wear a nice skirt, dress, or nice pants (no jeans or shorts) and a blouse

We look forward to seeing you at the concert!

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to email Ms. Ransom at ransomk@issaquah.wednet.edu

Ms. Ransom

Grand Ridge Music Teacher

Volunteer Tea

Calling all wonderful volunteers! Please come join us at the Volunteer Tea in honor of YOU!
***Please click on the invitation to read it better.

Scholastic Back Orders

I have a few back ordered books here from the last scholastic order and I can't remember who they belong to. Will you let me know if one of these titles is yours? Thanks!

Spring Is Here! A Story About Seeds
Rainbow Magic The Ocean Fairies Pack
It's Earth Day! (2)

THANK YOU!!

A LONG overdue thank you to everyone who made my teacher appreciation week so darn special. I seriously was spoiled rotten! From daily drinks and pastries to cute handwritten notes from the kids to a surprising shower of compliments hanging from the ceiling and MUCH MUCH more.

I have to admit that I did feel a little guilty accepting all of your appreciation because honestly, I have THE BEST job in the world and if there were no bills to pay I'd do it for free. I am so blessed to be able to partner with all of you to help each individual child reach their potential.

Here are a few highlights from the week.

REMINDER!

ABC Countdown:
Today is HAT DAY for AM and GRAPHING DAY (bring in a rock) for PM.

End of the Year Party

Brush off those party hats because kindergarten is going to have an end of the year party on June 10th from 2:15-3:15 at Central Park. This is a walking field trip and you have already signed your permission slips at the beginning of the year.

AM students will need to come back for this party. They can meet us in our classroom at 2pm. Parents of AM students are welcome to join us, but do not need to attend. AM kids will need to be picked up at the end of the day (3:38) if you are leaving them in my care.

More details to follow!

Field Trip Ending Time

We will arrive back at school around 2:45. This is still considered a regular school day for both AM and PM kindergarteners. AM/PM kindergarten releases in June a day earlier than the rest of the school because each class is using that 'last day' hours today on the field trip by going all day.

Each child is expected to return to school ON THE BUS with all of us and stay until the end of the day (3:38). HOWEVER, if you would like to go to the office and check your child out early, you may do so.

PLEASE do not just take your child. I am responsible for accounting for ALL children this whole day. I have been on field trips in the past where parents have mistakenly taken their child from the field trip directly or when we returned to school without going through the proper procedure and I can tell you, that put a few gray hairs on my head!

Thank you for your understanding. Looks like a sunny day!
~Mrs. Perry

Field Trip Information

Here are some reminders for the field trip on Thursday.
-Dress for the weather. It might be raining.
-Pack a sack lunch. Something that can be completely thrown away.
-Arrive at school on time (9:05) in the classroom. We will board the bus promptly at 9:30.
-No cameras, cell phones or extras for the kids. The performances do not allow bags of any kind in the performance hall.
-Here is a link to the festival http://giantmagnet.org/

End of Year Assessment

Dear Families,
The kindergarten team is getting ready for assessments in June. We formally assess the students three times a year so this will be our third formal assessment. The results of this assessment (as well as other work samples i.e. student journals) will be on the report card in June. These are the concepts that will be assessed:
o Can they write their first & last name using upper & lowercase letters correctly?
o Can they recognize all upper & lowercase letters?
o Do they know all of the letter sounds?
o Can they read and write the sight words? (the, a, my, that, and, I, is, said, we, are, you, have, to, me, go, do, for, he, she, has, with, was, not, see, of)
o Can they sound out 3-letter words?
o Can they write all upper & lowercase letters correctly (using lined paper) from memory?
o Can they recognize rhyming words and produce their own?
o Are they able to isolate the sound they hear at the beginning of a word?
o Can they write using letter sounds (best-guess spelling)?
o Can they write from top to bottom?
o Can they count by 1’s from 1-100?
o Can they count backwards from 20-0?
o Can they count by 2’s from 2-40?
o Can they count by 5’s from 5-100?
o Can they count by 10’s from 10-100?
o Can they write numbers 1-30 (out of order)?
o Can they show a teen number using bundles of 10 sticks and one or more single sticks?
o Can they exchange 1’s for a bundle of 10 and 10’s for a bundle of 100?
o Can they read numbers 10-30?
o Can they split a collection of objects into half?
o Can they compare and order numbers up to 20 using flashcards?
o Can they identify a penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and dollar bill?
o Can they identify tools for measuring temperature (thermometer), time (clock), weight (pan balance), and length (ruler)?
o Can they identify a triangle, square, circle, rectangle, sphere, and cube?
o Can they identify shapes that have line symmetry?
o Can they extend, describe, and create (ab, aabb, aab, etc.) patterns?
o Can they count & sort a group of objects?
o Can they sequence the life cycle of a frog and plant?
o Do they listen and follow directions?
o Do they respond to verbal and non-verbal clues in situations?
o Do they show respect to adults and peers?
o Are they on task during work times?
o Do they contribute appropriately during classroom activities?

PM class Volunteers Needed

We now have enough volunteers for our AM class. We are two chaperon's short on the PM class. If you are able to chaperon from the PM class, please email me ASAP! Thanks!

Recess Problems

We have been having a string of complaints with some of the play that is happening at the AM recess. I have told the kids they are no longer allowed to play ANY chasing games or "fighting pretend bad guy" games.

Some of the students involved in this type of imaginative play are taking it too far and are making other kids in the class uncomfortable. I have asked all the kids in the class to report to me if this play continues at recess.

Please have a conversation with your child about things they can do at recess time that do not involve pretend fighting or chasing. There is a huge big toy with slides and bars, ball, and hulu hoops they can play with.

Thank you for your support in this matter. We want all kids to feel safe and happy at recess time.
~Mrs. Perry

ABC Countdown PM Class

ABC Countdown
This year we are counting down to the last day of school. The activities planned for each day are listed below. I hope everyone participates in our special countdown celebration!

May 10th
Art Day- Create a special ABC book.
May 12th
Bus Day – ride the bus to Seattle for our field trip.
May 13th
Color Day – Wear your favorite color for our color review day.
May 16th
Did you know? - Bring in an interesting fact to share with the class.
May 17th
Estimation Day – Lots of jars filled with various objects. Can you estimate how many in each jar? .
Favorite snack day – bring your favorite individual snack today!
May 19th
Graphing Day –bring in a special rock and we will graph: colors, size, texture, etc.
May 20th
Hat Day – Wear a hat in the classroom.
May 23rd
Ice Cream Bars
May 24th
Joke Day – write or type out an appropriate joke to share in the class joke book.
Kindness Day – Show extra kindness to fellow Grand Ridge friends.
May 26th
Letter of the Week Review Day
May 27th
Memory Day – Make a class book of our favorite Kindergarten memories.
May 31st
N umber Day—How many different ways can you count to 100?
Outside Day – spend extra time outside today.
June 2nd
Play Day – bring a board or card game to share.
June 3rd
Quiet Day – who will be the quietest student in our class?
June 6th
Racing Numbers– How many numbers can you write in a minute?

June 7th
Sing Along- We will sing some of our favorite kindergarten songs.
T-Shirt Day – Wear your favorite T-shirt to School.
June 9h
Uplift someone day – give compliments to each other.
Vegetable Day – Bring a vegetable to share with classmates while watching a Video.
June 10th
Walk – We will take a walk around the Grand Ridge grounds.
EXciting surprise!
June 13th
Year End Clearance Day – We will be cleaning and clearing out our room. Clean up tables and the room.
June 14th
Zip Up Your Backpacks and Have a Terrific Summer. Last day of school!

ABC Countdown AM Class

ABC Countdown AM
This year we are counting down to the last day of school. The activities planned for each day are listed below. I hope everyone participates in our special countdown celebration!

May 10th
Art Day- Create a special ABC book.
May 11th
Banana Day - bring a banana for snack!
May 12th
Color Day – Wear your favorite color for our color review day.
May 13th
Did you know? - Bring in an interesting fact to share with the class.
May 16th
Estimation Day – Lots of jars filled with various objects. Can you estimate how many in each jar? .
May 17th
Favorite snack day – bring your favorite individual snack today!
May 18th
Graphing Day –bring in a special rock and we will graph: colors, size, texture, etc.
May 19th
Hat Day – Wear a hat in the classroom.
May 20rd
Ice Cream Bars
May 23th
Joke Day – write or type out an appropriate joke to share in the class joke book.
May 24th
Kindness Day – Show extra kindness to fellow Grand Ridge friends.
May 25th
Letter of the Week Review Day
May 26th
Memory Day – Make a class book of our favorite Kindergarten memories.
May 27st
N umber Day—How many different ways can you count to 100?
May 31st
Outside Day – spend extra time outside today.
June 1nd
Play Day – bring a board or card game to share.
June 2rd
Quiet Day – who will be the quietest student in our class?
June 3th
Racing Numbers– How many numbers can you write in a minute?

June 6th
Sing Along- We will sing some of our favorite kindergarten songs.
June 7th
T-Shirt Day – Wear your favorite T-shirt to School.
June 8h
Uplift someone day – give compliments to each other.
June 9th
Vegetable Day – Bring a vegetable to share with classmates while watching a Video.
June 10th
Walk – We will take a walk around the Grand Ridge grounds.
June 13th
EXciting surprise!
June 14th
Year End Clearance Day – We will be cleaning and clearing out our room. Clean up tables and the room.
June 15th
Zip Up Your Backpacks and Have a Terrific Summer. Last day of school!

URGENT! CHAPERONS NEEDED!

Here's the update on our chaperon situation. As of right now, we only have 1 confirmed chaperon for AM and 0 confirmed chaperons for PM.

We need 5 chaperons per class in order for our classes to go on this field trip. Please let me know asap if you are able to chaperon ($24.45) on this trip.
Thank you!
~Mrs. Perry

Seattle Center Field Trip

Next Thursday May 12th is our field trip to the Seattle International Children's Festival. Most of the field trip forms have been sent in but there are a few still out. I need all money to be turned in by tomorrow. The office needs to deposit the money and pay for the buses and festival.

We are in need of 2 more chaperons for the afternoon class. Right now our numbers are 1 adult to five children. If we have two more volunteers that would make the numbers go down to 1 adult to 3 children which is much more manageable when touring the Seattle Center.

Please let me know by EMAIL if you are able to chaperon. You would need to pay $24.45 admission fee and would be able to ride the bus with us. Joy of joys, I know. :)

I'm looking forward to this enriching and fun afternoon!
~Mrs. Perry

May Scholastic Order

The May Scholastic book order will only be available online. Please go to the Scholastic site to view the books. The deadline for the May order is May 13th.

After School Movie

Our next After School Movie is coming soon! Join us in watching Yogi Bear (PG) on either May 11th or May 18th!

· Movie: Yogi Bear (PG)

· Fee: $10 checks only (no cash)

· Dates: (pick one)

o Wed. May 11th 1:15pm-3:30pm--Permission Slips Due by noon on Thursday, May 5th

o Wed. May 18th 1:15pm-3:30pm--Permission Slips Due by noon on Thursday, May 12th.th



Volunteers are always welcome! One child's complimentary admission per Parent Volunteer.

Updates

First of all, what happened to our sunny weather?! I was so hoping that I would be standing out at Grand Central greeting you all this week in beautiful sunny weather. Darn!

I have a few updates so bare with me on this post. It will contain a lot of unrelated material.

Field Trip: Going home today (tomorrow for AM) is the field trip permission slip. These were supposed to go home Friday but because of my absence, they did not get home. On the letter, it says to return your chaperon interest by today. Just ignore that timeline. Just return it at your earliest chance. The payment date is listed as Wednesday which would be great if you could make it, but I'll accept payments until Friday.

Screen Free Week: This week is screen free week which I'm sure you've read about in the Grizzly Growl. Feel free to participate in this but because we don't attend lunch we will be informally tracking our progress.

Binders: If you have not sent in your child's binder, please do so asap. Thanks!

Snacks: Our extra snack supply is running low again. If you can spare to send in any extra snack for those who forget, that would be great. :)

Stanford Scores: If you have questions about your child's Stanford scores, please contact me.

After/Before School Expectations

Just a friendly reminder that while on campus, students need to be following school rules. Please make sure your child is not walking/playing in the barked areas, not climbing on the fences, walls or other structures in Grand Central. I would feel so horrible if one of the students were injured.

Thank you for your help in enforcing these expectations while on school campus.

~Mrs. Perry

Poetry Binder Request

If you have been in our class lately you will notice a difference! Our classroom layout has changed and so has our reading time activities.

One of these changes is each week the kids will be using a poem to help them learn to read. We use these poems in many ways. However, we need a place to keep our poems. I am requesting that each child bring in a 1 inch binder in which they will keep their poems in. If you are able to send in an extra, that would help those who cannot purchase one. If you are unable to get one, I'll make sure your child has one.

Please send these in by this Friday.

Thank you!

Environmental Print Collections

As we head into Spring, we will be adding some new components to our reading program. One of these is to use environmental print to help us learn how to read.

Environmental print are words that you see in our environment. For example, street signs, magazine covers, band-aid boxes, coffee cups, etc. Occasionally I will be requesting some environmental print be sent into the classroom so we can use it to help us learn to read.

We will be using environmental print to help us with phonics work, sorting and also making books. I will post on here when we need a certain category of environmental print. Then I would like you to send it in within a week or two.

The first category of environmental print I am requesting is: BREAKFAST

While you are eating your breakfast in the morning please be on the look out for environmental print! Example could include cereal boxes, egg cartons, oatmeal bags, bread bags, syrup labels, doughnut boxes, fruit stickers, etc.

Please send these in when you find them. Perhaps collect them over the break and send them in a Ziploc bag!

Thanks for your help with this activity!

Report Cards

Look for report cards coming home today. Just a note about the comments on the cards. Comments are only given for 2s or below. They only allow us something like 39 characters to say what we need to so if they come across bluntly, I apologize. They are all written with love and kindness in mind. :)

There are not conferences with this round of report cards but if you are not understanding something or have any questions feel free to contact me!

Thanks for another great trimester!

News

Summer school registration is now open for elementary school students.

• Elementary Summer School is for current first through fifth graders who would like to get a jump-start on next year’s learning. The program also provides remedial assistance over the summer. Classes are held on weekdays from July 5 to July 29, 9AM to 12 PM, at Clark Elementary School. Tuition is $375 and applications are available in your school office or on the District website.


• Summer Computer Camp is for current fourth and fifth graders. Students will learn how to use a camera, how to film correctly, and how to transfer video into the computer. They will learn the fundamentals of video production and editing and how to use still pictures and video to make a movie. Their final project will be to produce a DVD. Summer Computer Camp runs weekdays from July 11 to July 22, 9:30 to 11:30, at Clark Elementary School. Tuition for this two-week program is $225 and applications are available in your school office or on the District website.


Grand Ridge Nights at Red Robin

The Issaquah Red Robin is helping our 5th grade raise money to cut the cost of Camp Colman! Join us Monday, March 28th and 20% of your ticket will be donated to Grand Ridge. Contact Nancy Castonguay at tenkcast@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Thank you!

Lost and Found items to be donated March 31st
Have you been wondering where your child’s favorite coat, sweatshirt or hoodie could be? How about their lunch box or water bottle? You might want to check the ever-growing Lost & Found located at the bottom of the main stairwell. We have a wonderful team of volunteers who do their best to return labeled items, but you could really help by checking the L&F if you think your child has lost something. Also, please make sure all clothing and lunch boxes, etc. are clearly labeled. Unclaimed items will be donated to charity March 31st.

Grizzly Gear…last chance!!
Your snazzy Spring line of Grizzly Gear is now available!We are offering t shirts, pajama bottoms, embroidered fleece zip-ups and umbrellas. Please click over tohttp://www.grandridgeptsa.org/grizzgear.html for ordering information. Orders due March 28th! This will be your last chance to order gear this school year.

Early Dismissal

Please remember that today school ends at 11:18 for AM kinders! See you soon!

Scholastic Book Order

New Scholastic book order form is coming home. The deadline is April 1st. The class activation code is: GTRP8

Science Fair

Our class will be touring the science fair displays on Wednesday March 16th from 9:30-9:45. PM kids are welcome to join for the touring but parents must remain with them.
Thanks!

Did You Know...

...that it's Thomas Jefferson on the nickel and not George Washington? Well, I didn't and now neither do your kids. Ooops! Those darn wigs make them all look the same!

I'm here to humbly admit that I taught your kids that George Washington was on the nickel and not Thomas Jefferson. I only realized this today when I was reviewing my lesson.

Just another example of how I freely model mistakes for your children. Yes, you're welcome. I'm glad to do it. :)

I'll set the record straight next time I see them.

Music Concert

Kindergarten Music Performance: “Spring into Summer”


Performance: June 2nd Thursday at 9:30am
Thomas, Lanham, Perry AM
June 2nd Thursday at 3:00pm
Cook, Dolen, Perry PM

Job Charts

Job charts go high tech! Thought you might find this interesting...
Job Chart

FYI on Kissing in Kindergarten

It has come to my attention that there has been some kissing in kindergarten! (Don't laugh!!) Apparently in the AM class there has been a game called (remember not to laugh) "Kissy, kissy" going on at recess. It has been reported to me that this is a chasing game where you try and not get kissed. I talked with the kids and told them along with marriage not being allowed in kindergarten, kissing is also not allowed. We talked about how someone would feel if they got kissed and they didn't want to be but weren't brave enough to say stop.

Perhaps brainstorming non-chasing games would help your child be better able to make a better choice at recess. We will also discuss this in class.

Thanks for your understanding!
~Mrs. Perry
(okay, you can laugh now!) :)

Winter Assessments

Dear Families,
The kindergarten team is getting ready for assessments in February/March. We formally assess the students three times a year so this will be our second formal assessment. Our third assessment will be done in June. The results of this assessment (as well as other work samples i.e. student journals) will be on the report card in March. These are the concepts that will be assessed:
o Can they write their first & last name using upper & lowercase letters correctly?
o Can they recognize the upper & lowercase letters? (n, a, d, s, m, i, t, c, o, f, r, p, l, u)
o Do they know the sounds each of those letters make?
o Can they read the sight words? (the, a, my, that, and, I, is, said, we, are, you, have, to, me, go, do)
o Can they sound out and read 3-letter words?
o Can they write the upper & lowercase letters correctly (using lined paper) from memory? (n, a, d, s, m, i, t, c, o, f, r, p, l, u)
o Can they retell a familiar story in their own words?
o Can they make predictions using the title, cover, and pictures of a book?
o Can they write using letter sounds (best-guess spelling)?
o Do they capitalize the word “I” in their writing?
o Are they using detail and color in their drawings?
o Can they recognize rhyming words and produce their own?
o Are they able to isolate the sound they hear at the beginning of a word?
o Can they count by 1’s from 1-30?
o Can they count backwards from 10-0?
o Can they count by 5’s from 5-50?
o Can they count by 10’s from 10-50?
o Can they write numbers 10-30?
o Can they read #’s 10-30?
o Can they order #’s 1-10 using flashcards?
o Can they identify a triangle, square, circle, and rectangle?
o Can they identify shapes have line symmetry?
o Can they extend, describe, and create (ab, aabb, aab, etc.) patterns?
o Can they count & sort a group of objects?
o Can they identify the four seasons and different kinds of weather?
o Do they listen and follow directions?
o Do they respond to verbal and non-verbal clues in situations?
o Do they show respect to adults and peers?
o Are they on task during work times?
o Do they contribute appropriately during classroom activities?

A Shout Out

I just wanted to take a minute and say a heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every one of you. Not only are your children some of the MOST thoughtful, sweet children I've ever had the pleasure to work with, you (parents and grandparents) are such a huge help for me! From all the volunteer hours you put in here at school and at home to the unsolicited snacks that you donate to make sure each child doesn't go hungry to your wonderful sense of humor that you indulge me with when you come in my classroom.

I feel so blessed to be a part of your child's life and hope that they are enjoying their kindergarten experience. So THANK YOU again for all you do for me. I think about it ALL the time and sometimes forget to mention how much it means to me.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Swedish Fish

The AM and PM classes are in need of a donation of a Costco sized bag of Swedish fish. I have an activity that goes along with Dr. Suess's book, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, that requires Swedish fish. It is an adding activity. If you can donate a bag, (one for AM one for PM) please comment below or email me and I'll add the comment for you. I need the donation by Friday.

Thank you!

Ice Cream

HERE'S THE SCOOP!! Or two scoops, or possibly three!! Join us at Ben & Jerry's Tuesday March 15th and help our 5th graders raise money for Camp Colman. For every scoop, sundae, shake, smoothie or waffle cone you enjoy, Ben & Jerry's will donate 20% of your total purchase. What'll it be? Phish food, Fossil Fuel, Americone Dream, Cherry Garcia....YUM!

Shamrock

Today your child will be bringing home a shamrock coloring sheet. If they want, they can color it with lots of different colors and return it to school by Friday. Please cut out the shamrock, glue it on the green piece of paper, then trim it again so there is a green border. We will hang them up in our classroom. This is an optional activity.

Popcorn Makes a Comeback

Popcorn is Back!
It is time to enjoy the smell of popcorn in the air once again.
Don’t forget to bring in your quarters and buy a bag or two of delicious popcorn.

Hat Day

In honor of Read Across America, Grand Ridge is having hat day tomorrow. If your child wants, they can wear a Dr. Suess or other silly hat. In fact, they can just wear any kind of hat tomorrow!

I'll be wearing one too! :)