Weekly Update

One more week till our break!! Hope you are staying warm with the cold weather!!

Info to Know

• Yule Forest field trip is rescheduled for this week, Wednesday, December 16. Please be sure to check the weather to dress appropriately. Also, be sure to pack a lunch in all disposable containers.
• Winter Music concert: Monday @ 9 am--the girls may wear holiday sweaters or dresses with closed toed, flat shoes; short reception (10-15 minutes) will follow in the classroom
• Friday will be our Polar Express Day! Please see the flyer in your little darling's clear folder for further info. If you have the Polar Express video, please let us know.
• Puppetry Arts field trip permission and money MUST be turned in by the due date, Wednesday, December 16 in order for tickets to be purchased.
• Chinese book checkout is only on Wednesdays. Only one book may be checked out at a time.
• The Middle School Butterfly Club is sponsoring a toiletry drive. If you have items to donate, please send in by Friday.

Academic Update

This past week we learned about Kwanzaa and Byram! We made kinaras, mekakas, zawadi, and painted pictures of mazao. We were so thankful to Mrs. Tanyildiz for coming and teaching us about Byram. Through our learning we are really starting to notice similarities in many celebrations!! We continue to learn about letters and sounds and sight words. Also in math we used attribute blocks for sorting, practiced more word problems, and started our party planning.

Next week we will conclude our IB unit. We will learn about Christmas, read How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Polar Express, complete our unit assessment, and make gingerbread men. We will also continue to plan and then execute our party.

Classroom News

• Thanks to Mrs. Tanyildiz for being a guest speaker in the classroom to teach us about the Turkish celebration of Byram! Thanks also for the special treats!
• Thanks to the Caldas family for arranging for our Hanukkah speaker! Ms. Abby was awesome and we all loved our dreidels.
• If you would like a winter break packet, in addition to the homework calendar, please let me know.
• Please check the writeboard for needed items for making gingerbread cookies and our holiday party on Friday.

Weekly Update

News to Know

• Yule Forest Field Trip, Tuesday, December 8--please be sure you pack your little darling a lunch in all disposable containers; also dress in layers appropriate for the weather!!
• Noon dismissal, Thursday, December 10
• Book Fair, December 7 -11, Media Center
• Winter Concert, Monday, December 14 @ 9 am Multi-Purpose Room--followed by short reception in the classroom -- see note below
• Ms. Post would like for the girls to be recognized for all of their hard work in preparing for the concert. I will be hosting the parents in the classroom for a short reception following the concert. If you would like to donate reception items, please let me know.
• IB Parent Night, Wednesday, December 15, time TBA---more info to come

Academic Update

• This past week we continued our IB unit, Cultural Celebrations! This week we studied the celebration of Hanukkah. We learned the symbols of the celebration, how to look at a menorah to see what night was being celebrated, how to make and eat latkes, the meaning behind the celebration, and how to dance the traditional dance, the hora. It was a fun-filled week of learning.
• Next week: Kwanzaa, Byram
• Sight word testing will be on Monday....we didn't have a chance on Friday...

Classroom News

• Thanks to Willow's dad for making our beautiful, new Poetry Box to store all of our large poems!!
• Thanks to all who have been donating your items and time to our celebrations!! They wouldn't be possible without everyone's help!!
• If you placed a book order online with Scholastic and you would like your books to be a surprise, please let me know and we will make arrangements!

Weekly Update

My, oh, my! How out of sync and irregular our school schedule has been!! Thanks to all for toughing it out and trying to be on top of it all. Thanks to those who came to conferences!! It was nice to share and discuss all of the things that all the girls do so well! I will not blog before the holidays unless absolutely needed....so have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving break!

Info to Know

• Today's homework packet covers the holiday break. There will be no additional homework sent next week. Please keep the red folders at home and return them on Monday, November 30. On that day you should return: November's homework calendar, November's Book It recording form, and the Thanksgiving Family Project.
• Parent Info meeting tonight @ 6:30 pm in the MPR
• Chinese Book checkout will be on Wednesdays. Please send the Chinese book back each Wednesday to get a different book. If your little darling hasn't checked out a book, let us know and we will get you a permission slip to do so.
• LUNCH FORMS ARE DUE TOMORROW!!
• Fridays are IWIA School Spirit days. Students may only wear a school spirit shirt or uniform shirt with jeans. This will be enforced as part of the uniform policy.
• Yule Forest permission slips are due on Tuesday, December 1. If you have lost you copy, please let us know....we will send a replacement.
• Scholastic flyers came home today! Books make a great holiday gift. If you would like these books to be kept a secret, let me know! Online orders of $10 from each flyer will receive a free book (up to $5) for your little darling to choose! What a great deal!! And online orders get the class free books too!! See the link.....user: pkokpride.....password: wearereaders
• The Butterfly Club will be selling "Thankful Grams" during lunch on the 18th - 20th. The cost is $2.00 for each goodie bag.

Academic Update

• Last week we discussed the Hindu celebration of Diwali. We learned the reason for the celebration (the return of Rama from rescuing Sita), many of the traditions of the celebration (decorating homes with rangoli, diyas, gift giving, and house cleaning), and where and who celebrates it. Dr. Hormes came to share her Diwali experiences with us!! It was really neat! We played a dice addition game, strengthened our word-attack skills, and worked on rhyming skills.
• This week we are learning all about Thanksgiving. Most of the girls seem to have a knowledge base of how it is celebrated now, so we will explore the origins of the holiday and culminate our learning with a re-enactment of the first feast with Mrs. Kraften's and Mrs. Barnes' classes next Tuesday. You should have a note for a small donation for your little one to bring for that feast. We will be cooking on Monday and Tuesday and then feasting on Tuesday afternoon. If you can volunteer, please let us know.... Also, we will decorate our door with "I Care" messages to demonstrate our self-respect and respect for others in response to a lesson taught by Mrs. Frederick with the book I'm Sorry, learn the Top It game, create a turkey glyph (a picture to convey information), and work with the letters Xx and Ww!

Classroom News

• Check your little darling's folder for their donation for our feast....if you have questions or concerns, please contact us as soon as possible. If you can volunteer, let us know!
• Bank Day was sponsored last year by Chase Bank. Students could open a savings account and deposit money weekly into the account. If you think that you and your P.Chick would be interested in this service, please let me know. If there is a valid interest, we can look further into starting this again this school year.

Ooops!

Ooops! We forgot to send Poetry Notebooks home on Friday! Please review the poem with your P.Chick, sign, and return.

Also, check out the pics from our Panola Mountain Field Trip on the Snapfish account! If you don't know the login info, please email me directly for this info!

Here's looking forward to a great week!!

Weekly Update

News to Know

• Report cards were in your little darling's clear folder on Friday. Please keep the original copy. Sign and return the second pink stickered copy.
• Thanks to Mr. Cook for copying our Chinese CDs! The checkout system will begin in the upcoming week!
• There is no school on Thursday, November 12 or the following Monday, November 16!
• Don't forget to send in your money and permission slip in an envelope for our Yule Forest field trip.

Academic Update

• We began our new IB unit, Cultural Celebrations, this past week! We began discussing why do people celebrate, what do they celebrate, and what is a tradition.
• Next week: Diwali, teen numbers, graphing, and games, and the letter Oo

Classroom News

• Thanks continue to go out to all of our classroom volunteers! We really appreciate and love all of the help and support inside and outside of the classroom.
• HELP! We are in need of a Poetry Box! We would love to have a wooden box to hold the large posters of our weekly poems. If you are handy and willing, please contact Mrs. P. Kok for details.
• Please discuss the proper usage of markers with your P. Chick! We seem to get a bit artistic on our bodies with them?!?!

Weekly Update

News To Know

• Please keep the bottom portion of the weekly progress reports only returning the signed top portion. This is full of important information for you to know!
• Reader Challenge update: Thanks to those who signed up! I am so excited to see all of those who are up for the challenge! Mrs. Kraften will be contacting you via email with further information. Copies of the reports can be downloaded via our blog activities links.
• Scholastic order deadline has been extended until Monday afternoon @ 3:30pm
• On Friday, in your little one's green folder (fingers crossed), there should have been a sheet of pumpkins. The objective for this assignment was to have the pumpkins placed in order based on their capacity. This was assessed and is an example of an assignment used to assess your child's knowledge of a standard. It is recorded into the GKIDS database. GKIDS is the Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills. It is standard based. If they have mastered the standard, there was a check on the assignment. If there is still room to grow, there was a check minus. Assessment is ongoing throughout the entire school year.
• We have a scrap paper box in our classroom that the girls use for free drawing or writing. Most of these papers have something printed on one side and the opposite side is blank for the girls. If something comes home that looks questionable, like lesson plans, work that seems too difficult, budgets, lots of Archstone paperwork (thanks Mrs. Stanford), don't worry! It is just scrap for the girls!
• Please remember field trip monies must be cash only!! No checks will be accepted.
• Portraits need to be returned. These are past due.
• Noon dismissal this Thursday.

Weekly Update

Just a quick update....

• Readers Challenge: commitment paper came home today. This is optional and the book reports are on one of our blog's activity websites.
• The girls are not consistently bringing their red homework folders on the first day of each week or their resting mat/towel. Please help them with this responsibility.
• Wednesday is our field trip to Panola Mountain! Please remember to dress your little one for the weather and pack a lunch in disposable containers only (NO lunch will be provided by the school).
• Sign up for parent-teacher conferences on the class writeboard.
• Please review address and phone number with your little darling...we are assessing this week for the first trimester.
• This week we are working on the letters Bb & Kk, day and night, pumpkins, and sequencing. We are also wrapping our "My Place in the World" unit.

Oh, my goodness!!

Wow, I haven't blogged in some time!! I am so sorry about that! There has been so many inconsistencies with sickness, fall break, etc. But here is some general info and updates to get things caught up.

News to Know

• Field trip permission slips and money were due yesterday for our Panola Mountain field trip. If you have not sent those in, we are resending the paperwork. It must be turned in tomorrow to ensure a space for your little darling on the trip. Don't forget to pack a lunch next Wednesday for the trip in disposable containers!
• With the arrival of the cooler weather we are wearing sweaters, coats, jackets, gloves, hats, etc. Please be sure that these are all labeled so that in case they are misplaced, we have a better chance at recovery!
• Noon dismissal on this Thursday, October 22.
• Lunch menus MUST be turned in for November on Thursday as well.
• Saturday is the IWIA International Festival from 3pm - 6pm. Please see the school website for more information.
• Parent teacher conferences are on Thursday, November 12. Check the writeboard soon for a time slot.
• We are low on tagboard (a bit thicker than posterboard, but thinner than cardboard). We use this for templates and stencils. If you come across pieces we can recycle into use in the room, please send it our way....you might come across it as support in a package, dividers in paper, the back of a notebook, etc.

Academic Update

• We are now writing our first and last names on our assignments. Please continue to use the handwriting practice sheet at home with washable markers.
• This week we are continuing with our "My Place in the World" IB unit. We are focusing on living or non-living and rocks and soils. Also, we are continuing our learning of fall with a focus on apples. We will even have a taste test on Friday to see similarities and differences between different varieties. We are working on the letters Ll and Hh, their sounds , and formations and main idea in reading groups. In math, we are reinforcing patterning, number writing, matching numbers to corresponding sets, and graphs.
• Next week: Bb & Kk, pumpkins, day and night, and our field trip to Panola Mountain
• Sight word testing will be completed today for last week and on Monday for this week. No sight word testing on this Friday.....next Monday. Then back on regular schedule.

Class News

• Thanks again go out to the volunteers that have been helping in the classroom. Your time and talent is greatly appreciated!
• Thanks to all of those who participated in the Sally Foster sale! WE WON THE $50 PRIZE for the highest percentage of participants!! YEAH!!
• Please be reminded that IWIA does not accept checks for field trips, etc. Please send cash only!
• We have been working on alternatives to tattling in the class. We encourage the girls to solve their problems on their own by talking to their friend first, telling them what they don't like, or ignoring the problem. They should try these before coming to a teacher.

Weekly Update

What a short, interesting week. I hope this finds everyone drying out and safe from the flood. Due to our short week, there was not a weekly progress report sent home.

Info to Know

• Scholastic Orders are due on Friday, October 2nd. Username: pkokpride Password: wearereaders


• The magazine that came home yesterday is for your reading pleasure. Hopefully, we will receive these on a regular basis. There is lots of valuable information in it!


• Sunny D is running a promotion for free classroom books. Please see the participating products and send in the intact UPC code. 20 UPCs = 20 class books

VALID PRODUCTS INCLUDE:
Bottles: 128 oz, 96 oz, 64 oz, 48 oz, 20 oz and 16 oz
6 PACK OUTER WRAPS: 11.3 oz and 6.75 oz
24 PACK OUTER WRAPS: 11.3 oz and 6.75 oz
8 PACK OUTER WRAPS: 6.75 oz
CARDBOARD CASES: 12 packs 6.75 oz bottles, 12 or 24 packs 12 oz cans
1, 2 & 3 LITER BOTTLES

• a handwriting website has been added to the activities links. Check it out! You can print handwriting practice sheets for anything you can type!
• The school is having a "Change for Change Drive" next week. Monies collected will go directly to the Red Cross. A flyer with more info will come home on Monday.

Academic Update

• Sight word testing is completed each Friday. If your daughter is ready to test on an entire list of words, please send me a note or email to test by Friday morning. She must know them well; read them within 3 seconds each.
• Addresses were tested this week. Your little darlings should know their house number, street, city, state, and zip code. We will check this again next week. Thanks to those who already know this valuable information in case of emergency.
• IB news: This week we concluded our All About Me unit with our at home project presentations and in-class assessment collages. They are all displayed in the hallways. Be sure to come check them out!! They are SO awesome! Next week we start our new unit, My Place in the World. We will discuss our state, maps, and Johnny Appleseed.
• ELA: With the short week, we continued with reading groups all focusing on our "tool kits." Ask your little darling about the tools that she has in her belt to help her read. (sounding out words, looking at the pictures, and sight words) Next week: the letters Nn and Dd
• Math: Shapes are all around us! See how many your family can find in and around your environment. Next week: numbers up to 20, writing numbers, coins, and patterns.

Classroom News

• Thanks again to our classroom volunteers!!
• Snack (and Show and Tell) this week:

M: Cleo T: Reagan W: Kymani Th: Willow F: Campbelle

Ooops! A Late Weekly Update

Oops! With all that has been going on, I forgot to blog last week! Here are a few quick updates:

-Scholastic orders came home last week. Please check them out and go online to order or send in your order with payment. These are due on October 2nd.
-We hoped you enjoyed the books on which we have been working hard! Your little darling should be able to read these to you!
-Thanks to all the donations for the Chinese books....we should have a class set soon!
-Thanks also to all the volunteers that are helping out in the classroom on a regular basis! This makes our work and learning so much better!!
-There will be no additional homework packet this week due to the short duration....also there will be no weekly progress report.

Let's Try to Clarify Homework

I know that there is still some confusion about homework....when does it come to school? In what folder? Let me try to help.

• The purpose of homework is two-fold: (1) to provide responsibility to the girls each night and (2) to be a tool for parents to extend classroom learning at home providing meaningful activities. It is NEVER meant to be frustrating or a burden.
• Reading and discussing what is read each day is the most important part!
• Homework travels to and from school in the RED folder on the first day of each week.
• On the first Monday of the month, a monthly homework calendar will come home. It should stay at home until the end of the month. Please complete the activities at your leisure and check them when complete.
• Activities that should be returned in the clear folder for special assignments will be clearly marked on the calendar. Otherwise do not return homework in the clear folder.
• Math homelinks will come home as we reach the coordinating lesson in the weekly homework supplement. They can be completed at anytime in that week.
• If you have further concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Class Schedule

Mrs. P. Kok’s Schedule

7:45 - 8:10 Morning Labs
8:15 - 8:30 Morning Meeting (includes calendar)
8:30 - 8:45 Literature Read Aloud
8:45 - 9:15 Language Arts/Reading
9:15 - 10:00 ELA Labs
10:05 - 10:45 Specials
10:55 - 11:20 Lunch
11:25 - 11:45 Math
11:45 - 12:45 Centers
12:55 - 1:30 Chinese
1:30 - 1:50 Snack/Recess
1:50 - 2:20 Rest Time
2:20 - 2:45 Review of the Day
2:45 - 3:00 Pack Up & Dismissal

Weekly News

Despite the short week, we accomplished a lot! Five senses, fun stickered water bottles, more superstars....read all about it and have a restful weekend.

Info to Know

• Picture Day- Wednesday, September 17--this will be the picture made for the yearbook. Uniforms should be worn.
• Wednesday, September 24-- All About Me! Home project is due--see clear folders
  

Academic Update

• IB: Our IB unit, Me, Myself, and I, is coming to a close. This week we talked about our five senses. We created another book that will come home next week displaying our learning. Without our five senses, it would be difficult to learn! Next week: personal safety and culmination project.
• ELA: This week we used the letters that we have learned thus far and began to blend them into words. We also talked about rhyming and the -am family. We continued to learn more sight words, wrote in our journals, and really enjoyed learning our poem, "Me." Next week: more blending, the -at family, and last names
• Math: Calendar skills have so much math integrated into the routines. We skip count by five's, practice place value, patterning, and counting. This week we also worked on counting down from 10 to zero, collecting data and analyzing it, and patterns. Next week: number sequence, matching numbers to sets, and our body weight and height.
• In the clear folders, you should find the information and instruction sheet for the at-home IB project for this unit. Please review and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
• Check out the new websites added to the blog! Lots of fun stuff for adults and kids!
• Here is a website on the Five Senses http://www.iit.edu/~smart/essijea/lesson2.htm
  

Classroom News

• Water bottles and rest blankets/towels came home on Friday. Please wash them and return them on Monday. This is imperative for every one's health during the cold/flu season.
• The volunteer schedule has been made and distributed for regularly scheduled volunteers. Please check it and provide feedback as needed. If you are not on the regular schedule, we still would love to see you! Please let us know in advance so that we can best prepare to use your time and talent to its fullest potential. The background scanner in the front office is up and running! Just bring in your driver's license to be scanned the first time you volunteer.
• Thanks to this week's volunteers!!
• Books are in.....look for them in your little darling's backpack on Monday! Thanks again to those who ordered!! Free books for the classroom are ALWAYS appreciated!
• Check out the links on the side of the blog.....good websites and info
• Snack: M-Sadira, T-Shoshana, W-Kameron, Th-Madeline, F-Gigi
  

This Week's News and Info

Info to Know

• No School on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.
• Curriculum Night & PTA meeting: Tuesday, September 8 @ 6pm PLEASE plan to attend the curriculum portion from 7-8 pm in the classroom. This is a parent only night.
• Picture Day: Thursday, September 17 (please reference the flyer in the clear folder)
• Sally Foster fundraiser ends on Friday, September 11. Remember the class with the highest number of participants receives a $50 gift card for school supplies.
• Progress Reports came home on Friday. Please review and return only the signature slip on Tuesday.

Academic Update

• The first part of this past week, we spent catching up from my absence. We completed our shape and color books and stamped our covers. They should come home in the first part of the upcoming week.
• ELA: We are reviewing the letters we have already introduced (Cc, Mm, Pp, Rr, Ss, and Tt). We love using our letter charts with our pictures to write words in our journals. We using Cc word stamps to make patterns. Also, we continue to read books and discuss characters, beginning, middle, and end, and predicting. We will make our Aa chart on Tuesday and begin blending words and learning about the -am word family. Also, next week we will meet in our small reading groups and focusing on how to sound out words.
• Math: This past week we talked a lot about patterning. Ask your little lovely what a pattern does? We displayed the patterns outside on our bulletin board. Come check it out. Also, we used "math words" to talk about finding a partner using strips of paper. We found our partners because the strips were the same length, width, had stickers on the end or in the middle. Use "math words" at home to help with directions and descriptions of objects. Next week, we will continue to talk about patterns, coins, and numbers 0-10
• IB unit: We continue to draw and make a book for our Super Star of each day. Also, we talk about manners, feelings, and using our words to make good choices. Next week will be all about our five senses and completing our second book "All About Me."

Class News

• Thanks to our first in class volunteer, Mr. Banks, Alexis's dad. I know that many of you are waiting on your background check from PTA. I am hoping that at Tuesday's meeting we will find out more info.
• Also thanks to Mrs. Stanford, Caroline's mom, for providing all the girls with water bottles and stickers to decorate them. We will use them in the classroom and send them home on Friday's to be handwashed. I know that the girls are quite excited about them!
• Poetry notebooks are back on track this week! Please review it with your little one....this week's poem was a bit harder to memorize...and return the notebook before Thursday.
• Thanks so much to all that placed Scholastic Book orders! The response was awesome and I can't wait to order all the free books for our classroom!

Volunteering

Okay folks! Now that we are well on our way with learning the class routines and having a general understanding of expectations in the classroom, we would love some additional help!

In order to volunteer in the classroom, you must have a clear background check. You can do this in a few ways:

1. Use the office system. Pay $10 in the front office and scan your driver's license.
2. Provide a copy of a recent background check.
3. Complete a background check at City Hall East.

Once you have a clear background check, please email me to let me know days and times you are available.

We will need help during learning labs in the morning (9:15 - 10:00) and afternoon (11:45 - 12:45) with monitoring and assistance. If you are not available for these specific times, there are many other items to be completed. There are filing tasks, set-up tasks for learning labs, and general clerical tasks.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Library Check Out

Today we had our first opportunity to check out library books! Here is some basic info and guidelines from Ms. K:

• Each girl may check out one book at a time. Books must be returned prior to checking out another.
• Books are checked out for one or two weeks.
• Our media (library) day is Tuesday.
• Each girl is responsible for her book. If it is lost, the book must be paid for in full prior to receiving a report card.
• Late notices will be sent every other week.

Thanks and enjoy!

Getting Back on Track

So I have returned and we are getting back on track from my two day absence. I think the girls missed me as much as I missed them!! Here are a few quick notes and reminders.

• Scholastic Book Orders are due on Wednesday. Please place your order online or turn in your paper order form in tomorrow's clear folder.
• Next Tuesday, September 8 @ 7pm there will be Curriculum Night held after the scheduled PTA meeting. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE plan to attend! This is the time to ask, ask, ask questions and find out more specifics about how our classroom works, the expectations for the year, grading policies, etc. This is a parent only event.
• Trimester Progress Reports will come home this Friday. Please be sure to review and return the signed slip. If you have not returned last week's weekly report, please do so.
• No school Monday, September 7! Labor Day holiday

Family Directory

Family directories are coming home today! A big thanks to Sadira's mom, Lisa, for compiling the info and Caroline's mom, Anne, for making us color copies! If you see a mistake, please let me know and I will pass along the change.

Also, check out the snapfish account! Thanks Lisa Bobb!!!

Weekly Update

Sorry for the later than usual blog. I am aiming to blog regularly on Thursdays (fingers crossed).

Our second week was another joyful and successful week! I am so please to be teaching a classroom full of angelic geniuses!!

Info to Know

• Sally Foster Fundraiser starts today. Please look in your little darling's backpack for more info on this school wide fundraiser. There is a class competition! The classroom with the highest percentage of sellers will get a $50 Target gift card for school supplies. So if each girl only sells one item we will have 100%....the highest percentage possible!
• Thursday, August 26 will be a half day with dismissal at NOON. Please make arrangements for your daughter to arrive home safely.
• September lunch calendars came home on Friday. Please remember that lunch is a pre-pay program only! Please send in the lunch calendar with your little darling's selections by Friday with payment.
• Scholastic Book Club orders also went home last week. We have some online orders up already!! Check out the link. Orders are due by Wednesday, Sept. 2.
• I will be absent on Thursday and Friday out of the country. I have let the girls know, but please bear with them and the sub if things seem slightly out of whack. Due to this, there will not be any sight word testing this Friday.

Academic Update

• ELA-Last week, we worked on Rr and Tt, our 5 sight words, and our first poem. Did you enjoy the Poetry Notebook? We also wrote in our beginning journals and volunteered for sight word testing on the orange list. This week: Pp and Cc, 5 more sight words, 5 more superstars, and the beginning of reading groups.
  
• Math-We worked on our calendar routines and answered daily survey questions using tally marks and counting by 5s. We are almost finished with our first book "Shapes and Colors"! This week: We will work on personal information make a birthday graph, practice writing our phone numbers, and talk about the parts of an address. Look out for a pattern necklace!!
• IB Unit, Me, Myself & I-Last week we discussed our body parts and how we are all different, yet special and unique. Next week: our "Me" book, respecting others, and manners.

Class News

• Thanks to Lisa Bobb (Sadira's mom) for organizing the class social! It was so much fun and it was nice to have an informal time to meet! Also, thanks to all for the donations towards pizza, drink, and other yummy vittles!
• Thanks also to those parents that are helping in smaller, but very important roles (copying, creating, cutting, typing)! I love being able to send home "projects." I feel very supported!
• We are working on getting a Snapfish account to share pictures of the girls via a password protected site....keep your eyes peeled for more info!
• More thanks to the continued supplies and donations! Some immediate items we could use: old cell phones, play food, one small pillow. Also, please be sure to check out the Adopt-a-Classroom site. It allows for monies to be deposited into an account for our class to purchase classroom supplies such as construction paper, printer ink, and manipulatives through school and office supply stores.
• The resting fairy visits good resters each day. The girls are collecting "Resting Fairy Rewards" to visit the Treasure Chest. Each Friday, they may redeem five tickets for a visit. Due to my Friday absence, the Treasure Chest will open for the first time this Wednesday.
• Snack this week: T-Grace, W-Cleo, Th-Reagan, F-Kymani

First Weekly Update

We have made it through our first full week! I have truly enjoyed the first week and getting to know your little darling! Please be sure to check the blog every week and comment as needed. Here you will find important information, academic updates, and news to share.

Info to Know

• Clear folders came home on Friday. This is a very important tool for our communication. This folder will come home everyday for the remainder of the school year. Some days it might be full of information and papers, and some days it may be empty. Either way please check it and have your little P Chick return it everyday. It is also a tool for you to send me any important information; notes about pickup, excuses for illnesses, etc.
• Blankets and towels also came home on Friday. We napped all week on the floor.....turns out there is enough room! Please launder and return a small, comfy towel or blanket that can be stored on the under cubbie hooks.
• Change of clothes update! I feel guilty keeping a change of uniform in the classroom. It is however necessary to keep a change of clothes at school for accidents. If you would like to have the uniform returned to use in the weekly rotation, please send in an alternate set of clothing that is in similar style and colors to the uniform. Once there is a replacement, the uniform will be returned.
• Folders: We use folders for a variety of tasks in our classroom. Color coding helps with organization and memory. I apologize if your P Chick is not using the folder that you specifically sent in. In trying to unload and organize all of the supplies, I forgot to label the folders. I have made sure that all of the girls have a folder and when it comes time for replacement, I will provide those. Sorry for the mistake. Please see below for the use and coding of the folders.
• -green: take home folder--used for the girls to transport work and papers; should be returned to school empty
• -yellow: Chinese--used for Chinese class; may come home when needed
• -blue: "I'm Working on It"--used in the classroom for work; should be kept at school
• -red: homework--taken home and returned on Mondays
• -clear: home/school communication--sent home and returned every day
• -pink/purple/orange: poetry notebook--sent home on Fridays; returned before following Thursday; to be reviewed, initialed, and dated with/by parents
• Lunch is from 10:55 until 11:20. Please help us by not sending food requiring a warm up, as there is not access to a microwave for students. Also, practice opening containers at home so that your little darling can be more independent at lunch. This will help for a smoother lunch period.

Class News

• Please fill out and return the info sheet that you would like to have included in the class distribution list.
• Class schedule will be posted this week.
• PE is on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please be sure your P Chick wears her privacy shorts on these days under her dress.
• Please be on the lookout for info for our first class social. This will provide a great opportunity for our class to meet and interact to set off a great year.
• Thanks to all that have signed up for jobs on the class writeboard. I will be in touch soon with more info.
• Snack this week: M-Madeline, T-Gigi, W-Meghan, Th-Chanel, F-Annabell

Academic Updates

• This past week we began our Shape and Color book. We will continue until complete and send home our first Kindergarten book! Please ask your P Chick to read it to you!
• Mm and Ss were our first two letters! Next week we will study Rr and Tt.
• Homework will begin this coming week. It will come home in the red homework folder on Mondays and should be returned the following Monday.
• Sight words for last week were: a, at, I, like, & am
• Sight words for next week are: me, go, in, see, & the
• Our IB unit is Me, Myself, and I.

It's Great to be a P Chick!

Well the first day of IWIA kindergarten was AWESOME! I am so pleased and excited about our school year; I can barely contain myself. Today we worked on learning basic routines and behaviors, created our classroom agreements (1. Be polite. 2. Be safe. 3. Have fun!), met our Chinese and art teacher, and read some fun stories. We enjoyed our lunch in the classroom, visited the upper playground for recess, and explored some of our learning labs. What a fun, learning-packed day! Please be sure to talk everyday about what we are learning; it helps you stay connected and your P chick recall a variety of important concepts.

I am so thankful to the generosity of all our "pride" for the bountiful school supplies! I have sorted and stored them. Unfortunately, I know that the school supply list online does differ slightly with my requirements so there might still be items you are still rounding up. If you are having difficulty finding large pencils, you can send in a cash donation or donate on our adopt-a-classroom website; I can purchase a class set.

You should find a folder in your P chick's backpack. Inside you will find a few important letters of valuable information and some forms to complete. These are forms for me within the classroom. I appreciate you completing them and returning as soon as possible. This folder will serve as our daily communication folder for the first weeks of school. Anything that you need to send to me should come to school in this folder and anything I need to send home to you will come home in this folder. PLEASE CHECK AND RETURN IT EVERYDAY!!

A few other notes:

• Please be sure to label with permanent marker sweaters, backpacks, towels, blankets, lunch boxes, and any other individual items. There are many girls that have identical items and it becomes difficult to determine their owners if they aren't labeled.
• Lunch menus should be returned with payment as soon as possible.
• Please help your P chick memorize her carpool number. This will help ease the carpool process. It will get smoother!
• Nametags should be worn everyday until further notice. These help the girls with their carpool numbers and identify them to new teachers.

Thanks to all for a successful first day! I look forward to the short 179 more!

Mrs. P Kok

August Snack Calendar

Please be sure to send in 24 Nut free snacks (see suggested snack list) on your daughter's assigned day.

August 10th: Alexis
August 11th: Jasmine
August 12th: Sadira
August 13th: Shoshana
August 14th: Kameron

August 17th: Madeline
August 18th: Gigi
August 19th: Meghan
August 20th: Chanel
August 21st: Annabell

August 24th: Layla
August 25th: Grace
August 26th: Cleo
August 27th: Reagan
August 28th: Kymani

August 31st: Willow

Welcome to Kindergarten!!

I am SO excited for our new year to begin! Please check here for valuable information and weekly news about our classroom.