January/February News From Room 148
Happy New Year!
Important Dates to Remember
January 19-Family Games Night 6:30-8:00
January 27-PA Day-No school today
January 31-Jersey Day
February 6-Everybody Share Day
February 9-100's Day
February 14-Red/Pink/White Day- Valentine
Celebration
February 15-Kindergarten Checklists home today
February 17-PA Day-No school today
February 20-Family Day-No School today Oshawa
Generals Hockey Game 2:05
February 29-Pink T Shirt-Anti-bullying Day
Raz-Kids
I sent home the letter and your child’s log in
information if your child has never been on or has not been on for a long
time. This reading online program is a great tool for children to use at home.
The books are all leveled and your child will move at their pace and their
level.
Book Bags
Your child may have brought home a burgundy/green
letter book bag this week. The letter explains what they are for. Please try
to return them Thursday so your child can have a new bag for the weekend.
Learn to Read Book Bags
Please keep reading!!! The results of the children
reading these leveled readers are showing!!!!!!! The expectation is that by
the end of SK, the children will be reading Level 4-6. This is a level C on
Raz-Kids. Grade one begins at Level D.
Snap Words/Letters
At this point in time all the children in the class
have either SNAP letters or SNAP words. Thank you for all your hard work at
home helping your child recognizing their letters/sounds and their sight
words. They are so valuable when learning to read.
Math
We are working toward our 100's Day in
Kindergarten. We have been tracking the days. February 9th will be Day 100. We
will be having some special activities on that day. In the classroom we are
working on recognizing a set of numbers without having to count. A good tool
to use for this is a dice because most children use dice for games. We
continue to work on AABB and AB patterns. Eg. AABB Snowman, snowman,
snowflake, snowflake AB snowman, snowflake, snowman, snowflake
Literacy Focus
These are our Learning goals for writing and
reading in Kindergarten. They are simple and we use the same goals at all
times so they are familiar to the children.
I CAN WRITE A SENTENCE- A sentence always begins
with an upper case letter and ends with a period. The words in between are
written in lower case. Don’t forget to leave spaces between the words.
I CAN READ- I will look at the pictures and point
to the words. I can use my SNAP words to help me. I can try to sound out a
word when I don’t know it.
First Term Checklist Reporting
In November we met with parents to discuss their
child’s progress at this point. On February 15th the Kindergarten students
will be bringing home their checklist.
Winter Clothing
The winter weather has finally arrived! We will let
you know if we are going to be playing outside in the snow and your child
needs their snowpants.
Literacy Link for your Child to Enjoy at Home
Starfall is a good literacy link that your child is
familiar with. There are many different directions to go within the site. Ask
your child to show you some of their favourites!!!!
http://starfall.com
Valentine’s Day-Tuesday February 14
We will be doing some special activities on
February 14th. A snack will be provided for the children that day. Please send
them a drink. If your child would like to share Valentine cards with their
friends, please have them sign their cards but do not put names of the
children on the front. It is much easier for your child to deliver their mail
to their friends if they can go along and pop a card in each bag.
Playdough
I am looking for someone to make the class fresh
playdough. If you would like to do this, please let me know.
Thank you Mrs. L. McGillivray
905-723-2944
December News from Room 148
Important December Dates
Dec. 2-All Prestonvale Trip money and forms due
today
Dec. 5-Everybody Share Day
Dec. 5-9: Food Drive Bring in your Kraft Dinner or
other non perishable food for the food drive
Dec. 6-Book orders due (please mark GIFT on the
order form if a gift)
Dec. 13-Kindergarten Concert 1:15 (for afternoon
class only) and 7:00 for all Kindergarten students (Santa cap for AM class and
reindeer antlers for PM students)
Dec. 15-Grade 1-8 School Concert 1:15 and 7:00
Dec. 21-PM class to the Tree Farm
Dec. 22-AM class to the Tree Farm
Dec. 23-Red and Green Day and 2:25 dismissal
Concert
Our December concert is Tuesday December 13th. All
the K classes will be performing with the Primary Choir, the
Junior/Intermediate choir, the French choir and the band. Please send in the
Santa hat if your child is in the morning class and if they are in the
afternoon class, please send in a set of reindeer ears. The concert will begin
at 7:00 pm. Please plan to have the children at our classroom at 6:45. The
children can be picked up after the concert from our classroom. Please be
patient as I will have both classes to dismiss.
“The Gift of Giving”
This is the season when we give to people we care
about. I am very fortunate to be able to spend time with the children in my
classes. I have my family, my health and a job that I love. Having that is a
gift in itself. At this time of year there are so many who are not as
fortunate as I am. If you are thinking about gifts, please take the time to
give a gift to others. Take some time to explain to your child how special
they are to be able to share with others. The Food Drive is going on the week
of December 5th to the 9th. Send me a note and let me know how your family
shared with others that are less fortunate at this special time of year. What
a wonderful gift!!!! Let’s fill some buckets this holiday season!
ishing you and your family a happy and healthy
holiday season and all the best for 2012!
Mrs. L. McGillivray
905-723-2944
November News from Room 148
Important November Dates:
Nov. 7-Everybody Share Day
Nov. 11-Remembrance Day Assembly 9:10
Nov. 14-After school and evening interviews (Mrs.
McGillivray only)
Nov. 17-After school and evening interviews
Nov. 18- Morning interviews
Nov. 30 Crazy Sock Day
Kindergarten Reporting-November 2011
The Kindergarten students do NOT get a progress
report or a report card at this point in time. Parents are invited to come for
an interview to discuss the progress their child is making in Kindergarten up
to this point. Our children will bring home a checklist in February and a
report card in June. Please send your November request letters back as soon as
possible so we can schedule your interview and let you know when it will be.
Siblings will be arranged close together on the 17th and 18th in order to
avoid two trips to the school.
Weather
Our beautiful fall weather is coming to an end and
we are looking ahead to some colder weather. There are days when the gym is
closed and we have gym. On these days the class will be going outside. Please
make sure your child is dressed for the weather. A warm coat, hat and mitts
are usually enough to keep the children warm until the really cold weather
comes and we need snow-pants.
Looking ahead to the end of Senior Kindergarten
By the end of SK, the expectation is that they will
be reading at a Level 6. In order for you to have some idea what that level
looks like, you can go on Raz-Kids and go into the Bookroom to Level C which
is the end of Kindergarten and Level D is the beginning of grade one. This
information is not to scare you but to make you aware of where we are headed.
Some children are there already, some are well on the way and others will not
be ready. It is important to do everything we can to get them ready. Having
your child on Raz-Kids, working on their snap words, reading nightly with them
using their Learn to Read books or just snuggling up with a book will all help
to prepare them. Thank you for all that you do at home to support your child’s
learning at school.
“It takes a village to raise a child.” You are the
most important part of the village!!!
“Fill a Bucket”
If your child comes home talking about filling a
bucket it is because we heard a story this week about how we all have an
invisible bucket. Our bucket gets filled when we feel good about ourselves and
our bucket empties when we don’t feel good about ourselves. We are working
toward making sure everyone in our classroom has a full bucket!!! Kind words
and deeds are important to everyone!
Math
We continue to work on ordinal numbers, counting to
30 and beyond, patterning, sorting, and ordering objects by size.
Language
JK’s are working on letter/sounds. To date we have
introduced them to Pp, Uu, Oo, Mm, Xx and Aa. Sk’s are working on words and
sentences. We have talked about some common punctuation as well-the period,
comma and exclamation mark. Jk students are being encouraged to print their
name. Many will attempt it but some just say, “I can’t.” This is something we
welcome you to practice with them at home. Once they get it, they get it and
it is something they will own forever.
We are finishing up our Apple unit. We had lots of
fun and learned so many things about apples. Ask your child about apple
colours, the life cycle of the apple, parts of the apple, things that we can
make with apples and the name of the place that apples grow!
Mrs. L. McGillivray 905-723-2944
October News from Room 148
Literacy Thought
“Prereaders’ letter knowledge is the single best
predictor of first-year reading achievement” (Miriam P. Trehearn, Specialist,
Kindergarten and Early Literacy)
The Kindergarten years are important for building
children’s letter and sound awareness. This gives them the ability to build
language and become readers. The experiences that children bring to school are
just as important as the experiences they have at school. You can help your
child at home by: -reading to and with them -pointing out letters and the
sounds they make -play with rhyming words -pointing out print in the
environment (read signs)
October Show and Share-ME COLLAGE
I am asking the children to create a collage for
their October Share. We will present them to the class the week of October
24th. I will send more information/instructions and the sheet home in early
October.
Learn to Read Books
The Sk students will be bringing home a Learn to
Read book in a baggy the first week of October. These books are to be used at
home. Please read the book with your child and have them try reading it back
to you. Please send the books back on Day 1 and I will send home a new book
either that day or Day 2.
Important Dates
October 3-Everybody Share Day
October 4-Class Photos Outside
October 5-Individual Student Photos
October 12- Book Orders due today
October 31-Orange/Black/Costume Day with special
activities/snack
Change of Clothing
There are still a number of children who do not
have a change of clothing in their bag or in their cubby. Please send in a
change of clothes in a ziploc bag with your child’s name on it.
End of the School Day Pick-Up
There will be days during the year when I am not
dismissing the children and there will be another staff member or a supply
teacher. On these days the children will not be dismissed until you come down
to the door to let the teacher know who you are picking up. This is to ensure
the safety of your child. The paperwork for who can pick up will be available
to the teacher in the classroom. If there is any doubt, a phone call will be
made from the office. Thank you for your understanding. Safety First!!
Snack
Please send:
-fruits
-vegetables (no dips)
-applesauce -raisins
-goldfish crackers(NO other crackers)
-cheese
Classroom Website
Please check the class website for
updates/information after the calendar has come home. I try to update daily
and things change as the month goes on.
http://teacherweb.com/ON/SirSamuelSteele/MrsMcGillivray/ap1.aspx
It can also be accessed through the school website.
http://sirsamsteele.ddsbschools.ca/
Mrs. L. McGillivray 905-723-2944
Welcome to Junior/Senior
Kindergarten-September 2011
Welcome to Kindergarten!
My name is Lynn McGillivray and I will be your
child’s junior/senior Kindergarten teacher. I am thrilled to be a part of this
exciting time in their lives. I have been teaching Kindergarten at Sir Sam for
a number of years. I am married and have two sons. I enjoy spending time with
my family at our cottage and I love to read and to cook. I hope this
newsletter will answer many of the questions that come about during the first
few weeks of school. If not, please let me know.
Welcome
For some of your children it is the first time they
will be in school and others are returning to us for senior kindergarten. We
also have some students new to the school for senior kindergarten. This is an
exciting time for your child. It can also be a time of transition and some
children have difficulty adjusting to being at school. Even though the program
is a half day one, you may find that your child will be tired when they come
home from school. That is to be expected. Please make sure you let me know if
your child is having any difficulty adjusting and we can work together to make
this a positive experience for them.
Allergy Information
We have children in our classroom who are allergic
to nut/nut products. Thank you for helping to keep our children safe by not
sending in nuts or anything containing these items.
Snack Information
We have a snack half way through the
morning/afternoon at school. This is a time for your child to sit with their
friends and enjoy a snack. In Kindergarten at Sir Sam we ask that children
only bring fruits and vegetables for snack. We have a number of children in
Kindergarten with allergies and keeping the snacks to fruits and vegetables
(no dips please) provides a safe place for everyone. All fruits and vegetables
as well as raisins and applesauce are great choices. PLEASE DO NOT SEND IN
CANDY TYPE SNACKS SUCH AS FRUIT SNACKS, REAL FRUIT BARS OR FRUIT ROLL UPS etc.
A small snack and drink are best. A refillable container, with a good lid or
straw, filled with water or juice works well for their drink. Please do not
send in juice boxes as they are messy for everyone.
Student Information Sheet
Please fill out the student information sheet and
return it to school asap. These sheets are confidential and only seen by me.
They provide me with phone numbers etc in case I need them in the classroom.
Magic Soap
Before we have our snack we use “magic soap” on our
hands. (antibacterial hand sanitizer) We go through a lot of bottles during
the school year. I am asking the kindergarten students to bring in a small
bottle. We use them one at a time.
Entry/Exit Information
It is part of my job to provide a safe place for
your children while they are at school. In order to help me do this I ask for
your assistance and understanding. When you bring your child to school at 8:55
or 12:40 I will meet them at the Kindergarten entry/exit door. Please do not
bring your child into the school and to the classroom unless they are late and
the doors are locked. If you are dropping your child off late, please stop by
the office and let Mrs. Kirton know that your child is here and she will sign
them in and give you a late slip. This saves a phone call home from the office
during attendance checks. Safety of our children is important. If you are not
going to be able to pick up your child and someone else will be doing the pick
up, please let me know or call the office and they will pass along the
message. If we are not aware of a change in pick up for your child, we will
make a phone call to confirm who is picking up your child before we let them
leave the building. Should you be running late, please call the office and let
them know so your child does not get anxious about why you are not there. I
will take your child to the office and they can be picked up from there. If
you need to pick up your child early, please go to the office and let them
know and they will call our classroom and let us know that you are here and we
will send your child down to meet you. Safety First!
Shoes/Clothing Information
Please send in a pair of indoor running shoes with
your child that can be left at school. This ensures that we have clean shoes
to wear in our classroom and to the gym. Shoes that your child can put on and
take off will make their life a little easier. Please put their name or
initials on the shoes. I would ask that you send in a change of clothes in a
that can be left in their cubby or in the bottom of their school bag. It may
save you a trip to the school if they are needed. We often get involved in
what we are doing and accidents can and do happen.
Library/Gym Visits Your child will visit Mrs.
Clumpus, our librarian once a week. Library days will be marked on the monthly
calendar. She will explain to the children the importance of choosing and
returning their library book. They have to return the book they have in order
to get a new one. Our class will go to the gym twice a week as well. These
dates will also be marked on your child’s calendar. A large L for Library and
G for gym will be marked.
Show and Share
Once a month, usually the first Monday of the
month, we have an Everybody Share Day. This is the day when your child can
bring something from home to share with their friends. Please do not let your
child bring toys/special things from home at other times. These items get
lost, broken or may disappear. Please check the calendar for these special
days. We also have a class share that goes home and your child will be
assigned a day to bring back and present their share.
September Share will be a brown paper bag filled
with 5 items that are special to your child. More information will come home
with the brown bag. These are meant to be fun and not stressful!!!
Monthly Calendar
Sir Sam is on a five day cycle. This means that our
library and gym days will not be the same each week. They will be marked on
the calendar. It will be important for you to keep the classroom calendar
handy so dates can be checked. The monthly calendar will show the days we come
to school, library day, gym days and any other special activities that will be
happening in our classroom. Please use the calendar to refer to during the
month. The monthly newsletter will be posted on my website. If important
things come up after the calendar goes home, and they often do, I keep the
classroom web site up to date daily and I also post things in the window
outside the classroom.
Classroom Web Site
http://teacherweb.com/ON/SirSamuelSteele/MrsMcGillivray/
Scholastic Book Orders
You will see a monthly Scholastic book order form
in your child’s mail baggy. These books are excellent books, age appropriate
and reasonably priced. If you would like to order books, please fill out the
form on the back of the order form and send it back to school by the date on
the back of the form. Books usually arrive within a very short period of time.
Cheques should be made out to Scholastic Canada. If you would like to order
books as a gift for your child, mark that on the order form and I will make
sure that you get the books in a sealed envelope.
Mail Baggies
Your child will being home a Ziploc baggy with
their name on it. This will be used as their mail bag for communication
between home and the school. Please take time to read what is in the mailbag.
Please send the mailbag back to school after you have emptied it so it can be
filled and sent home again.
Kindergarten Teaching Team
Our Kindergarten team this year is Mrs. Rasmussen
who is teaching a morning and an afternoon JK class and Mrs. Draband who is
teaching a full dayJK/SK program Tuesday and Thursdays. I have a morning and
an afternoon JK/SK class.
Communication
There is a lot of information in this note. It can
be very overwhelming. Routines in Kindergarten happen very quickly.
Kindergarten is a very exciting time. With your support and encouragement your
child is going to have a wonderful year. I look forward to making this year a
fun, safe and happy learning experience. If you have questions or concerns,
please do not hesitate to call the school. If you leave a message I will get
back to you as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and
support. Working together, we can make this year a wonderful one!
Mrs. L. McGillivray 905-723-2944