1/2/10
Happy New Year!!
I pray that everyone had a restful and wonderful Christmas vacation. Time is
flying by and I can't believe we are halfway through the school year. Enjoy
the last weekend of your vacation and come back to school, ready to work hard
and to do your best.
12/16/09
Rose Llauget from Pregnancy Plus Medical came to thank the children for their
gifts and prayers. The children are really making a difference! Our visit
started with a special thank you card! Rose read a story called "Angel
Babies" and we realized the the baby growing in a woman's body also has a
guardian angel watching over it. She showed the children models of a
baby/fetus in three different stages of life. The children had many
questions...however "that one question" was never asked this year. Thank you
again, for supporting our Advent outreach project. We will continue to
collect money in our baby bottle throughout the year.
12/14/09
Last Friday we had a surprise visit from Santa. He read the 1st and 2nd grade
classes "The Night Before Christmas", answered many questions and gave us
candy canes. FYI, Santa loves whole milk and chocolate fudge cookies.
Last week we wrote a friendly letter to Santa. Over the weekend, I dropped
the letters into Santa's Mailbox in Macy's. For every letter received, Macy's
will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. To learn more, visit
macys.com/believe. Hopefully during the next few weeks, some of our children
will be receiving a very special letter from Santa.
11/30/09
Happy Advent! We are slowly easing our way into Advent. Since the Season of
Advent is a time of waiting, watching and welcoming, we are preparing our
classroom for Advent. Some of the activities will also be part of your own
preparations at home. We will all be preparing our hearts and our lives to
welcome Jesus. Our focus will be on sharing, helping, caring and praying.
Please read or reread the message dated 11/18/09.
Today we received a wonderful gift, that will begin a new tradition in our
1st grade. We have one of Santa's elf sitting right in our classroom!!! We
have named him Freddy. Freddy the Elf, watches for the children who have been
naughty or nice and reports back to Santa every night. BUT before going back
to Santa, he will make a "secret stop" at your house each night to check to
see how your child is behaving!! Please visit www.elfontheshelf.com for games
and fun.
11/18/09
Keep report card but sign and return the envelope. Please remember that your
child must attend our Thursday or Friday conference. Everyone is expected to
sign up to review your child's progress and set some goals.
Today we had the honor of meeting Prince Max of Austria. He spoke to us about
making the best out of what life gives us. Sometimes things that we go
through make us stronger.He wasn't with us long because he was running late
and we had to go to lunch.
Please keep watch for news about our Advent Baby Project. Today I contacted
Rose Loget from Pregnancy Medical Plus and asked what we could do as a class
to help the organization. She immediately mentioned their Baby Boutique and
told me how empty the shelves were.
These are the items that are in need.
* Newborn diapers, lightly used baby clothes (0-24 MO.),furniture, blankets,
baby lotion, shampoo and wash,baby wipes, formula and any other baby items.
Parents come to the Baby Boutique with their Santa's wish list for their baby.
Rose is planning to come to the school to visit the children and pick up the
items on Wednesday, December 16. Also, we will need several large boxes to
cover and decorate.
11/9/09
The Chili Cook Off was a huge success!! There was a nice turn out and lots of
delicious chili to sample. The ECC and Mrs. Greene's team came in 1st place
with Top Dogs coming in 2nd place. The 1st and 2nd grade children did a great
job showing off their artistic abilities with the little dogs that bordered
our banner. Thank you to all those who came and supported this event!!
Stop by the hallway bulletin board to see our "Loved Ones" display.
11/5/09
Today's Mass was wonderful! Thank you for helping to prepare your child for
their part. Tim had to take on one more part because of Treasa'a absence. We
celebrated with a party at Break.
11/4/09
Hooray for 1st graders and their parents!! We have won another cookies and
milk party. Olivia and Sammie Lee were the top collectors. Olivia graciously
gave her Boxtops to Sammie, which allowed Sammie to receive the gift
certificate!! Please continue to save for spring contest.
11/2/09
Our school Thanksgiving project will help supply to parish Thanksgiving
dinner. Our class has been asked to bring in stuffing, sweet potatoes and/or
turkey gravy. The drive will be between Nov.2-12.
Congratulations to Justin for being the winner of the Red Ribbon Week
Lifesaver guessing contest. He went home with 209 red lifesavers.
10/28/09
During the month of October, our 1st grade inventors created many useful
inventions for the future. These machines would make our life easier. We
invited our parents and several classes to our Invention Showcase. This gave
the children an opportunity to share their invention and also provided an
experience for public speaking.
Our first grade class chose the following inventions to share with you.
*Hannah Malkiewicz invented the “Pet Feeder”. This invention would feed 2
pets at the same time if they are next to each other. If you are away from
home or at home it will feed your pet for you. Hannah believes that you will
be able to purchase her invention at the pet store in the future.
*Megan Mullinix invented the “Itchy Scratcher”. This invention will scratch
your back for you. When you press one of three buttons it would dispense
itch relief cream, lotion or sun block. Meghan believes that you will be
able to purchase her invention at Target in the future.
*Courtney Watson invented the “Shoe tying box”. This invention would tie your
shoes if you don’t know how to. You put your shoe in the box and gloved
hands would tie your shoes. Courtney believes that you will be able to buy
her invention at Target in the future.
*Connor Womersley invented the “Peace Beam”. The invention would shoot down
a beam that would make people in war not get hurt. Connor believes that
anyone could purchase this beam at Target in the future.
*Grace McKaveney invented “Complete Buttons”. Some of the things this
invention will do include: control you TV, clean up spilled drinks and answer
your door. Grace believes that you will be able to purchase this item at
Target in the future.
10/27/09
Please plan to attend this year's Chili Cook-Off!! Mrs. Wommersley, Mrs.
Parsue and I promise you the most mouth watering chili you've ever had!! So
please come and vote for our team!!
10/9/09
This year we will be using SpellingCity.com in our classroom. Spelling City
is a website that helps students learn their weekly spelling words while
having fun at the same time. As a teacher, I will put up my weekly spelling
list on SpellingCity and your child can review the words and play games to
reinforce the learning process.
Simply go to www.SpellingCity.com, go to "Find a List" and type in Debbie
Crabtree. The lists will appear and your child can start using it to practice
his or her words.
At this point, we will continue to send home the Spelling Home Connection,
which will be used as an additional spelling grade.
*The children did a fine job "selling" their invention to their classmates.
We are inviting you to our "Invention Showcase" on Wednesday between 8:30-
9:00 AM.
Don't forget to make plans to attend Wednesday evening's Math Game Night. I
will be reviewing the routines that we will be using throughout the year and
we will also rotate through a few game stations.
The next Box Top Contest will end on Oct. 23, so start clipping those Box
Tops. A " Box Top sheet" will go home on Monday.
10/6/09
Well from what I heard, our class won the "Cookies and Milk Party" for
turning in 753 Box Tops equaling $37.65. Thanks so much!! Start saving them
for the next contest.
***FYI, since the Math Home Links (daily worksheets) require assistance at
home, the average grade will be a G if all work is complete and correct. An E
may be earned if your child does extra practice on the front or back of the
worksheet.
The inventions have been wonderful so far!! We have some very creative
inventors at Holy Family!! I would like to have a Invention Showcase some
time early next week. I will keep you informed.
Please check the Classroom Writings Link for some very creative Apple a Day
Couplets. We will have a writing from every child on the website by the end
of the year!!
10/1/09
Today we became scientists, as we explored what happens when a balloon
becomes negatively charged by rubbing it onto a head. Ask your child what
happened to the balloon when their positively charged hand was placed close
to the balloon. The balloon acted like a magnet. The balloon was even
attracted to Tim as he walked by!! :) We give Mia a big THANK YOU for the
extra balloons. The children had a ball!!
9/28/09
In honor of Johnny Appleseed/John Chapman, we had a apple tasting party. We
thought of many, varied and unusual words to describe an apple. We sampled
the Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and the Granny Smith. We voted for our
favorite apple and the sweet and tart Golden Delicious came out on top, with
the very, very tart Granny Smith coming in last. We also made homemade
applesauce with the apples that were sent in. Most of the children really
enjoyed the yummy snack.
Please see the fun alliterations the children made using their names.
(Classroom Writings)
Ou class collected 753 Box Tops, which equals $37.65. Thank you !!
9/21/09
Highlights delivered a box full of goodies for the children. Thank you for
your support!!
Congratulations to ....
...Justin for becoming our 1st Word Bird. Click on the Communication/Letters
Link: High Frequency Words Wks 1-29. When your child has mastered the 1st 150
words, please send in the signed word list.
...Nikki for turning in the Safari Reading Log. She has received the 1st
giraffe to color for our bulletin board! :)
HEADS UP!
In honor of Johnny Appleseed Day, we will be making homemade applesauce on
Friday. I am asking each child to bring in a peeled, cored and cut up apple
on FRIDAY. Throughout the day, we will enjoy the yummy smell of the apples
cooking in a crock pot. We wil enjoy our dish of applesauce as we watch our
movie last period.
9/18/09
Thank you for attending our Back to School meeting last week.
REMINDERS:
*Please send in $25 for our Classroom Activity Fee
*Please order from Scholastic by the end of next week.
*Turn in Box Tops and the Sunny D UPC labels.
Granparents Day was very successful. Thank you to those who "adopted" a child
at lunch!
Mr. Werner came for his 1st visit and told the children to do their best in
school.
HELP NEEDED! Mrs. Pardue is looking for a parent to help out with the 1st
graders during computer lab on Thursdays from 1:55 -2:45.
Please keep gold slips in your child's desk folder! :)
The Gospel Weekies/Promise will cost us $200 for the year. If you or a
grandparent are willing to sponsor or help cover the cost of this activity,
please give Sister Flo a call.
9/11/09
Does your family drink Sunny Delight?? We are collecting the UPC labels from
SunnyD products. The only UPC labels that are not valid are the individual
labels from the 11.3 oz and 6.75 oz bottles or the 8 oz and 12 oz cans. We
would like to collect 20 UPC labels to win a set of Scholastic books.
9/9/09
Thank you to those who were able to attend our 1st Readers Theater. The
children did very well and were very excited. I will try to arrange one
Readers Theater a trimester.
As grades are entered into the system, please refer to the Family Handbook:
Report Cards pg.20 for further information.
We have started the Box Top Contest, so be sure to start trimming,gluing onto
the ABC sheet and turn in for another one. The contest is over 9/25/09. First
graders certainly LOVE cookies and milk!!
9/3/09
We have changed the Readers' Theater presentation to 8:15 on Wednesday.
Please drop your child off, enjoy the school news and get ready to watch the
three little plays.
A few children still need to bring in a spare sock to be used on their
whiteboard.
9/2/09
Please feel free to join us tomorrow @ 8:30, for our 1st school liturgy and
remember that a week from tonight is our Back to School Night.
The children and I would also like to invite you Wednesday morning @ 8:30 for
a Reader's Theater presenting The Three Little Plays.
9/1/09
There has been some confusion about my email address. I made a change over
the summer. This is my current email address: debdc1954@yahoo.com.
The books read for the Safari Reading Club may come from home, book stores or
the library. The log should be filled out throughout September and turned in.
It is due Sept.30 or earlier. Those children finishing early will receive
another reading log.
Please think of us as you shop this weekend. We are currently out of snack
food. :)
8/31/09
On my website, please refer to:
*Everyday Math Unit Letters: Read Unit 1
*Communication/letters for the September 2009 "Back to School" letter.
Be sure to read ...lots of information!!
Keep gold slip(s) and envelope in the folder. Please keep Kindergarten folder
at home.
FYI, tomorrow is individual "Picture Day". Please return order form if
interested.
The Parent Meeting has been changed to 6:15-7:15 on Sept. 9.
If you did not return your child's Friday Folder or coversheet, please do so
by Tuesday.
8/27/09
We started our day with a classroom prayer service, thanking God for the nice
summer that he gave us. I surprised the children with a freetime period for
those who had turned in all work and had followed directions on their
Favorite Things paper.
Please pray for the Zawrotny family because Mr. Zawrotny's father passed away
this morning.
Sister requests that lunches should be packed with a napkin or two. :)
8/25/09
The first two days went very well. The children seem to enjoy 1st grade ...so
far!! Next week we will begin our Starfall Program.
Remember tomorrow is a full day. Please bring a lunch and drink for the rest
of the week. Bring PE clothes & tennis shoes on Friday.
Many children have turned in their summer reading logs and have
become "Doodle Bugs". Please send in completed logs for summer credit. My two
new friends may list the books that were read and turn them in as well.
8/20/09
Welcome to First grade!! The beginning of a new year is a special time for
all of us- students, teacher and parents.
Here are a several suggestions before we meet on Tuesday!
1. If at all possible, get a good night sleep!
2. Eat a good breakfast!
3. A Break snack will be provided the 1st day!
4. Bring the requested supplies.
5. Meet your classmates and teachers on the blacktop Tuesday morning!
6. Give kisses and hugs before your 1st grader goes into the building.
7. Dismissal is at 12:00.
8. Remember to check your child's Desk Folder for notes or assignments.
9. Check my website daily for homework.(Even the 1st day!)
*If you plan to help out in the classroom or drive on field trips, please
plan to attend the Safe Environment Training on 9/24 @ 6:30 at the school.
NUT(No Uniform Today) passes from last year may be used on Fridays until the
end of September.
***ALERT:
DUE TO SEVERE FOOD ALLERGIES IN THE CLASS, I AM REQUESTING THAT THE CLASS
CONTINUE TO BE A PEANUT FREE CLASS. THANK YOU!!
Please see my Wish List! :)
You will need to pick up 1 "book sock" for a math reference book.