October 30/20

Happy Halloween!  Thanks again to Avin, Seth, Alexa and Evan's families for sending in the snacks for our celebration!  The weather totally co-operated for our Thriller dance, the kids all did awesome.  I will forward the link as soon as I get it.  

Your child should have brought home their Christmas Art Card. I was very proud and excited with how well their Grinch pictures turned out!  Please return these to the school by next Friday, Nov. 6th if you want to purchase anything. Even if you don’t order please return the card as it will be included in your child’s memory book for this year.  

Reminders:

Monday, Nov. 2nd is Pajama Day!  

Thursday, Nov. 5th Retakes (please put a note in the planner if you've need a retake)

Friday, Nov. 6th Art Cards are due

All the students should now have a Reader's Workshop book (with a post-it on it) in their planner bag.  Please have your child practice it this daily over the weekend as we will be presenting them Monday and Tuesday.  Thanks for your support with this.  As you can see from the chart below - reading every day for 15-20 minutes is very important and can make a big difference long term! So whenever possible please try to cuddle up and read!!  I also sent home information about Raz Kids or A-Z reading which will allow you to get activity reports on your child's reading.  All you need to do is follow the directions as outlined on the sheet, giving them your email address. If you need help to do this please send me the note back or just email and I can do that for you.

The students and Mrs. Kriel made my day when they did a zoom meeting with me.  I got to see all their costumes!  It was strange and sad, as it was my first Halloween in my teaching career I haven't been at school.  

Hope you all have a safe and Happy Halloween!

October 22/20

Dear Families,

Hopfully you've been able to get out and enjoy some of this amazing fall weather!

As I'm sure you are all aware, there have been 3 nearby schools added to the Fraser Health list of school exposures (Allouette Elementary, Edith McDermott Elementary, and Maple Ridge Secondary).  It has been my experience that Scout troops, soccer teams etc. can often include children from a variety of schools.  I thank you for your continued support in keeping your children home if they are feeling unwell.  Your children have been very cooperative with the hand washing/sanitizing that we do numerous times a day and I keep the door open to improve air circulation but many of the health and safety protocals that are encouraged in the community are not expected/possible in schools.  

Div. 9 finally has two cool bulletin boards up that we want to share with all of you being you can't come in to see them!!  The students worked very hard on both of these art projects!

                          Our Self Portraits this year are perfect for 2020!!

    The students did an awesome job of making their hair out of leaves - don't they look great!

On Wednesday we had a exciting change to our schedule when we were invited to go to our forest which had been transformed into a pumpkin patch made by our grade 6/7 classes!  The students enjoyed running and counting all the pumpkins - 98 total!!  

Over the next week your child will be bringing an additional book home (with a Post-it) that we have worked on as a small group during Reader's Workshop.  Please have your child read this to you to practice nightly as in a couple of weeks their group will be presenting their book to the class.  

Thanks to Tatum and her mom for once again organizing our Scholastic plus volunteering to make some play dough for the class!  Neena and her mom are also making some play dough.  Your work and time is really appreciated!!  Speaking of Scholastic please note that Scholastic can be ordered online and it is delivered directly to your home.  The class still benefits from any orders as they will offer the class free books. 

Reminders and Information:

Friday, Oct. 23 - Pro D - no school for students

Wednesday, Oct. 28 - Pre-Packaged Individual SNACKS for our Halloween should be sent in please and thank you!  This is early so if needed I can purchase anything missing                                         Avin (chips), Seth (fruit snacks or Rice Krispie or Bear Paw, etc ideas)  Alexa (treats chocolate or candy), Evan (juice boxes). 

***PLEASE don't send additional treats for other students this year (due to the pandemic - we just feel this is safer!)

Friday, Oct. 30  - Halloween Celebration - students can wear costumes (easy to take on and off as they'll be going outside) 

Monday, Nov. 2 - Pajama Day (with Halloween plus the clock change we thought they'd need this!)

Thursday, Nov. 5 - Picture Retake Day (please write a note in the planner if you want your child to have retakes - then I can ensure that they will get them done).

A few more students have bought in headphones, please send some in asap if you haven't already done so.  

Due to the pandemic we are unable to send home book bags with the children.  You can access levelled reading materials on Raz Kids. Today I sent home a form with specific info about Raz Kids.  You only need to send in the bottom of the form only if you are having trouble accessing and inputing your information.   If you give them your email you'll receive progress reports directly from them.  Please let me know if you have any questions or difficulties.  

October 16th

Dear Families,

I hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend.  I was so thankful that we got some sunshine so we could spend some time outside in the beautiful fall weather!  

Halloween is soon approaching so we have been thinking about how we can have holdiay celebrations in the classroom this year while still following the health and safety guidelines. We decided the safest way would be to assign each of you one holiday and for you to bring pre-packaged individual items (enough for the whole class 17 in total).   To assign your item/party,  I just went down the class list and gave each family a number. 

Halloween  - PLEASE SEND IN BY WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28TH

Costumes can be worn to school on Friday, Oct. 30th but should be easy to take off and on as they still will be going outside at recess and lunch and I wouldn't want their costumes to get ruined.  

1) Avin - Chips 2) Seth - Fruit Snacks/Rice Krispy Squares (store purchased only)/Bear Paws etc

3) Alexa - Treats (Chocolate or candy) 4)  Evan - Juice Boxes

Christmas 

1) Niki- Chips 2) Tyson - Fruit Snacks/Rice Krispy Squares (store purchased only)/Bear Paws etc

3) Ryan - Treats (Chocolate or candy) 4) Landon - Juice Boxes

Valentines

1) Neena - Chips 2) Brody - Fruit Snacks/Rice Krispy Squares (store purchased only)/Bear Paws etc

3) Natalie - Treats (Chocolate or candy) 4) Sukhraj - Juice Boxes

Year End

1) Chase - Chips 2) Caleb - Rice Krispy Squares (store purchased only)/Bear Paws etc

3) Ryder - Treats (Chocolate or candy) 4) Tatum - Juice Boxes 5) L.J. - Fruit Snacks

I will be sending a reminder prior to each of the holidays plus a date for you to send them to the school so that I can purchase whatever hasn't come in to ensure everyone has the treats.   Thank you so much for your support with this!   I'll also put a poster of this Celebraton Snacks in the classroom window!

Other Information and Requests...

If anyone would be willing to make up a big batch of Play Dough for the class that would be really appreciated.  Please email me if you are able to help out - thanks in advance.  

We only have a few sets of headphones (or ear buds) in so far so if you please send them in asap.  We use these for both Reader's Workshop and at times math stations.   

For additional home reading practice I have put the link for Raz Kids on the blog, please follow this and your child's password is their name with a capital letter.  Then go to Book Room, Leveled Books and then will have a variety of book choices and options (the children should know how to do this as they do it during Reader's Workshop).

Reminder that next Friday, Oct. 23 is a Provincial Pro-D Day so there is no school for students.  

Have a great weekend!

Oct. 9 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Your child has brought home a special turkey centre piece for your Thanksgiivng Dinner table and a sheet about what they are thankful for which I have asked them to read with you.  Also this weekend if possible, try the Gratitude Scavenger Hunt which is in their Poetry Books.  Enjoy it's the perfect time of year to be grateful!

Just as a reminder most days I check my email at home between 7-7:30 and then often don't have a chance to check again until 3 - 4 pm,  so if you need to get ahold of me please email earlier or write a note in your child's planner to let me know about appointments, etc.   I don't want to miss important information or for you to expect something that I don't know about.  I will try my best though to return emails asap. 

Thanks to those that have sent in a ziplock bag of small leaves, if everyone could please send them in early next week that would be great as we plan to use them for our art on Friday. 

Reminders:  Many of you have completed all of these but if you haven't please try to do so asap! *planner $7.00 * school supplies - labeled headphones, sketch pads *walking permission and media forms

Below is Brody's invention for social distancing!!  Very Creative :) 

o,

Div. 11 will be going to the forest most Monday and Wednesday afternoons.  Please ensure that your child has appropriate clothing and footwear as we will be going out rain or shine!  

We did an Outdoor Scavenger hunt on Wednesday which the children really enjoyed.  

Hope you all have a wonderful 'Covid style' Thanksgiving!  Be thankful and safe!!

October 2/20

 Wow it is October!  Enjoy this beautiful weather this weekend! 

It's definitely fall and the leaves are turning and falling.  Could everyone please collect 15-20 leaves that your child could use for an art project.  These leaves will be used as hair so NOT the large ones. Please put the leaves in a ziplock bag and bring to school.

Please note that I sent Scholastic home last Friday. I've had a few questions from parents so just wanted to remind you that you use this class code number   RC250266    BOOKS WILL BE DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME!

Reminders:

1) Green Verification forms should be checked, signed and returned to school 

2) Planners paid on portal or send in cash - $7.00

3) Consent Form - walking and media forms please complete on the portal 

Last Friday when the children had to stay in for lunch because of the bear in the neighbourhood they want to show what they were up to!! 

We've been busy making patterns!  Div. 11 is making some very creative, complex ones.  Ask your child to explain what the core of a pattern is.  Look for patterns in nature and around your home and name them!