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Archive for February, 2010

We have recently started a new incentive program in the classroom. The children can earn pennies for staying on task during work times, doing good deeds (like helping out a friend), and for positive behavior during transitions times (like cleaning up quickly, coming to the rug quietly, and lining up and walking quietly through the halls). At the end of the week, the kids get the chance to count their pennies and can choose to spend them on things like 10 minutes of extra choice time, a fancy new pencil, or a book (books we have gotten from Scholastic with bonus points and online orders!), or they can save them week to week to earn a larger prize like an extra recess for the class! After a few weeks, we will also add the option to donate your pennies to the current student council service project and trading pennies for nickels and dimes should they choose to save their money. Ask your child how many pennies they have earned each Friday and what they are choosing to do with their money.

This has probably been the “germ-y-est” year of my career! Not only have we had a lot of kids out each day this fall/winter but my family has been the sickest we’ve ever been! Let’s keep reminding our kids and ourselves to be diligent about hand-washing and tissue use. Speaking of tissues, we are out of tissues and running very low on disinfecting wipes. If anyone has a spare box or container at home that they would not mind donating, we’d love to have them.

Don’t forget to bring in your valentines tomorrow! And I hope everyone has a relaxing and restful vacation. While the beginning of the year always goes by fast, I find once we return from February break, time speeds up even more. I’m quite looking forward to spring arriving and the fun we will have now that the kids are growing and learning more and are capable of more here at school.

It was brought to my attention this morning that you do not have number tiles to go along with this week’s frog homework! I am sending home Primary Number Cards today in VIP’s that can be used with this game and kept for a number of other games the kids will play through this year (and first grade). Also, we had a number of kids out yesterday that might be wondering where the class list is for Valentine’s Day. It went home in VIP’s yesterday so you will get it when your child returns to school. I didn’t want to post names online. New calendar items posted on the calendar. Hope these things help!

Kindergarteners, please  bring  in  an  EMPTY  tissue  box! 

Valentine’s Day is coming this month and the children are going to need an empty tissue box to hold their valentine’s. I wanted to let you know a few weeks in advance so you can save the next box you empty and send it to school by February 10 so that they can be decorated before Valentine’s Day. Thank you very much!

Wednesday,  February 10 is the 100^th day of school! In Kindergarten this is a big deal! We will have a 100^th day celebration. We will read books and try to find collections of 100 items in our classroom.

The children have 100^th day homework due on Wednesday, the 10th. They will need to bring in a collection of 100 of something. The trick is it has to be something that they can carry themselves back and forth to school! Ideas of collections children have brought in the past are pompoms, pennies, even Lego’s.  The children need to be able to show how their set equals 100.  An easy way to do this is to group them by tens or fives. Objects can be glued down on poster board, wrapped in rubber bands, or in bags, etc. Any way that is easy for them to carry and to explain why they choose what they did and how it equals 100.  Be creative and have fun with them, it is quite a big deal to them to have been in Kindergarten for 100 whole days!  Thanks for your help!

 

Friday, February 12 we will be celebrating Valentine’s Day! We will be having a celebration in the classroom on that day. It has been a tradition in the past that the children make and bring in Valentine’s for all of the children in the class. I’m attaching a class list so that you and your child can be sure not to leave anyone out, as I’m sure no one wants hurt fe

elings when it comes time to open the cards. They can also make a valentine for their fifth grade buddy(ies). Helping your child make valentine’s is a wonderful time to watch your child’s writing in progress and to celebrate how wonderful it is that they are learning to write letters and friends names! Please send in the cards with your child on the 12^th and they will distribute them to their classmates. Also, I know that in the past many families have attached a lollypop or candy item to their valentines. This is NO LONGER ALLOWED at the Sheehan School. Any food item that comes in with the Valentine’s will be removed and thrown away before they are distributed. Thank you for your help!