Week 9 Newsletter

Dear Parents and Friends,

Today begins the first day of VERY BUSY!  We begin this week with Red Ribbon Week.  While most people think of Red Ribbon Week as a week to say "No to drugs!", I am approaching the concept by teaching the children to maintain a healthy body.  The concept of "drugs" and "smoking" is too much for our little ones that I'd rather not open *that* can of worms.

This Wednesday is Picture Day make-up.  If your child was absent during Picture Day or you were unhappy with the photos that were taken, you have second chance to say CHEESE!  This Wednesday, October 26 is Picture Make-up Day.  Please dress in your nice uniform.

Also on Wednesday is Fun Run Money Collection Day.  If your child will be retaking his/her photo, please send them in their full uniform.  Your child can change in their Fun Run shirt after they have taken their photos.

We conclude this week with our Halloween festivities.  On Friday, the children may come to school wearing their Halloween costumes.  Please keep in my our Catholic identity by not having your child wear anything gory or violent.  If you are unsure, feel free to ask me or show me a picture.   It is also important for your child to have play clothes underneath their costume.  Your child will change after the parade before we participate in our Halloween games.

Next Thursday, Nov. 3,  is our school's Fun Run.  Unfortunately, I have taken a personal day off to celebrate my daughter's first birthday.  I promise to be at the Fun Run in spirit!
You all have received a permission slip asking if your child will participate.  I know the form that went home is confusing for some, but just to clarify, here is "the plan":

• At 11:30, children you do not use daycare will be dismissed. If your child will participate in the Fun Run, you are asked to bring your children back to the classroom by 3:15 p.m.
• At 2:45, children who attend daycare will be supervised by Ms. Gigi and turned over to substitute teacher at 3:15 p.m.  
• Parents who are fingerprinted may help with supervision.  Parents who are not fingerprinted may still attend and be spectators around the perimeter of the field.  
• All students will be dismissed from the classroom and NOT from the field.  This is for your child's safety.

Friday, Nov. 4 is a No School Day due to a faculty in-service.

I will be putting out the November Volunteer Calendar this week.  Feel free to start signing up.  E-mail me for your feedback - would you like me to put out a couple months at a time to sign up for volunteer days? Or would you rather have me put it out once a month for the following month?  I'm looking at the general consensus.  

I am looking for parents who are willing to speak to the class about their profession at some point during the year.   If you are interested in sharing your talents (yes, you are all talented!), please let me know and we can work out a date and time.  

This week's learning goals:

Theme:  Pumpkins, bats, our body part/skeleton (Red Ribbon Week), kindness 

Religion:  We are kind to each other; Sign of the Cross, Prayer before meals
Math - number 6, counting to 6, composing and decomposing numbers 0 to 6; sorting
Language Arts - Reading stories about our weekly theme; letter h and f
Science: pumpkins parts, bats as mammals, our body parts
Social Studies: taking care of our community/kindness


Have a great week!
Mrs. Paragas

Week 8 Newsletter

Dear Parents,

I apologize that this newsletter is getting to you a day late.  It's been a whirlwind the last 2 weeks with lots of personal events that took place.  As a first time mommy, I have never experienced having a sick, teething child.  Let's just say on and off fevers that lasted a week, crying and fussing multiple times at night and the only thing that soothe her was holding and rocking her to sleep at 3am!   My journey through mommy-hood has made me even more compassionate with you as fellow moms and dads to little ones.  So when you are running late or are having a rough day, please understand that I know what it feels like and I do understand.  I am with you on this journey.

Secondly, I contacted some of you to reschedule your conference due to the passing of my uncle.  Please keep my mom and her siblings, as well as, my uncle's wife and family in your prayers.  It truly has been a rough 2 weeks.

If for some reason you are unable to make your appointment, please send me an email and I will work with you to find a time to meet.

Next Friday is the Halloween event at school.  If you are willing to assist in the classroom, I can take a couple parent/grandparent helper.  For our Halloween event, the children may come to school wearing their costumes.  I advise that you have your child wear play clothes underneath so that they can change after the morning parade.

Trunk or Treat will take place in the afternoon/evening on Friday, Oct. 28.

Our Fun Run is coming up.  Our Golden Honey Bear poster is hanging on our door.  I hope you admire it as much as we do!  Students turn in their Fun Run envelopes every Wednesday.  The entire school can wear their Fun Run shirts each Wednesday.

Starting in the month of November, we will begin our Share Activity.  Each student will be assigned a day to share about a topic that will be provided.

This week's goals:

Theme:  Pumpkins

Religion - We are sheep, God is the Good Shepherd
Math - Numbers 5 and 6; Sorting by what items have in common
English/Language Arts - Reading stories about pumpkins, letters and sounds: b and h, writing the letter b and h
Science - Pumpkins and how they grow


Have a great rest of the week!

Mrs. Paragas

Week 8 Newsletter

Dear Parents,

I apologize that this newsletter is getting to you a day late.  It's been a whirlwind the last 2 weeks with lots of personal events that took place.  As a first time mommy, I have never experienced having a sick, teething child.  Let's just say on and off fevers that lasted a week, crying and fussing multiple times at night and the only thing that soothe her was holding and rocking her to sleep at 3am!   My journey through mommy-hood has made me even more compassionate with you as fellow moms and dads to little ones.  So when you are running late or are having a rough day, please understand that I know what it feels like and I do understand.  I am with you on this journey.

Secondly, I contacted some of you to reschedule your conference due to the passing of my uncle.  Please keep my mom and her siblings, as well as, my uncle's wife and family in your prayers.  It truly has been a rough 2 weeks.

If for some reason you are unable to make your appointment, please send me an email and I will work with you to find a time to meet.

Next Friday is the Halloween event at school.  If you are willing to assist in the classroom, I can take a couple parent/grandparent helper.  For our Halloween event, the children may come to school wearing their costumes.  I advise that you have your child wear play clothes underneath so that they can change after the morning parade.

Trunk or Treat will take place in the afternoon/evening on Friday, Oct. 28.

Our Fun Run is coming up.  Our Golden Honey Bear poster is hanging on our door.  I hope you admire it as much as we do!

Starting in the month of November, we will begin our Share Activity.  Each student will be assigned a day to share about a topic that will be provided.

This week's goals:

Theme:  Pumpkins

Religion - We are sheep, God is the Good Shepherd
Math - Numbers 5 and 6; Sorting by what items have in common
English/Language Arts - Reading stories about pumpkins, letters and sounds: b and h, writing the letter b and h
Science - Pumpkins and how they grow


Have a great rest of the week!

Mrs. Paragas

Week 7 Newsletter

Dear TK Family,

If you had a day off on Monday, I hope you enjoyed your Columbus Day off with some family time.  We need to enjoy every second with our family as each day is so precious.  I didn't realized how fast time really flies until I became a mom.  My first year as a mommy has gone by so fast that I am in complete disbelief that my little one is leaving "babyhood" and turning into a toddler (*tear*).  I just want to yell and say SLOW DOWN.  But instead, we all just have to enjoy every moment so that we don't miss a thing!

A couple household items:

• Don't forget to sign up for Parent Teacher conferences.  If you are unable to meet during one of the open time slot, let me know and we can schedule one at a different time.  Please e-mail me.
• The Fun Run is fast approaching.  Tomorrow is the first collection day.  Please turn in your Fun Run Envelopes to school tomorrow so that the money can be counted.  The envelope will be returned to you tomorrow.
  
  The TK Fun Run color is Gold.  This year, the Fun Run theme is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  We were asked to make up a name for our class with some type of made-up candy. Since our color is gold, I thought  about our class name to be the Golden Honey Bears - candy that sparkles with every bite!
• Progress Reports will be handed out during our conference.  I have been holding on to some of your child's work to share with you at our conferences.
• HOPE Food Drive - the can food will be collected tomorrow.  
• 8th Grade is collecting baby items to donate to a women's shelter.  If you have any used (or new) baby items such as clothes, bottles, strollers, etc,, the 8th graders will gladly accept them.  Let's not forget the moms, they are looking for toiletries, maternity clothes, and items that will help a mom in preparation for her baby.

This week's goals:

Theme: Seasons and Fall leaves

• Religion - we are all special and unique.  No two people are alike.
• Math - Review of numbers 0 to 5.  Number of the week 4 and 5.
• Language Arts - Lowercase l; Review of all alphabet letters; reading a book from left to right.
• Science - Seasons
• Social Studies - Fire Safety

Have a great week!

Mrs. Paragas 

My Promise to You...

I saw this today and thought I'd share it here.  There are many days at school where I wish your child's "light bulb moments" or "aha! moments" can be taken home in their folder to share with you.  So much learning takes place each and every day.  Your child has already accomplished so much in just a month in school.  Just know that some weeks your child may take home only a small stack of work to show off but a TON of hands-on learning happened at school!

My promise to you:  

Reminder

Don't forget to log on to Sycamore to sign up for your Parent-Teacher Conference.

Thank you!

Week 6 Newsletter

Dear TK Family,


Happy October!

Now that we have September training behind us, October begins "serious" TK!

Today, we went on our first trip to the Atrium of the Good Shepherd.  At the Atrium, your child will grow spiritually in a play-based environment.  Mrs. Ruth Bradley will take a few of the children at a time and share stories of Jesus.  A parent volunteer will help the children with supervision.

Tomorrow, I ask all students to bring in a real apple to "share" with the class.  Your child will participate in a group activity using the apples.

Beginning this week, we will begin our letter(s) of the week.  Each week, we will dedicated 1-2 letters to practice writing, recognizing, and sounds.  This week, we will focus of the lowercase t and the lowercase l.  Both of these letters share similar strokes making learning how to write the letters easier.  I ask that this week, you focus on "writing" from top to bottom.  You can practice this by having them use their body by point up above their head, while drawing a line down to their feet.  Have them say "top to bottom" as they make the motion of t and l.

Future Dates:

• Monday, October 10 - Columbus Day - No school
• Wednesday, October 12 - HOPE Food Drive Collection
• Wednesday, October 19 - Friday, October 21 - Parent Teacher Conferences
• Monday, October 24 - Friday, October 28 - Red Ribbon Week
• Friday, October 28 - Trunk or Treat; TK/K Halloween Event 
• Thursday, November 3 - Fun Run
• Friday, November 4 - No School - Teacher's Inservice

This week's learning goals:

Theme: Apples

• Religion - Jesus welcomes us to be his friends; Sharing
• Math - Review counting 0 to 5; writing 0-4; Attributes - colors, shape, size, how many?
• Reading/Language/Writing 
• Writing - lowercase letter t and l
• Read - stories about Apples and Fall; We read from left to right.
• Sounds - Tt and Ll
• Sight Words - "I" "a", "see"
• Science - Parts of an Apple
• Social Studies - Johnny Appleseed

Have a great week!

Mrs. Paragas