August 19th, Newsletter

August 19, 2013      Classroom 104       Newsletter

To Students and Families, from Mrs. Wise

ABOUT ME:

I am your child’s teacher, Mrs. Wise. This is my first year teaching kindergarten after 6 years teaching First Grade. I am new to Manzano Mesa, although I am acquainted with your neighborhood, for this is where I first lived, 8 years ago, when I came to New Mexico. I have 2 sons, and 5 grandchildren ages 12-2. My husband’s name is Mark. He works at Sandia Casino. We have 2 cats and 11 chickens, and love to garden and cook. My other interests are art, and social and environmental justice. I believe my best qualities are a good sense of humor and an abundance of patience and curiosity.

CLASS GOAL:

My goal for our class is to be a reflective community of learners, equipped to grow and explore. Our focus will be on literacy (reading and writing), both fiction and non-fiction.

CURRICULUM:

We will adhere to the Common Core State Standards. (CCSS)

     + We will begin Fundations this week. Fundations is a “systematic, sequential, multi-sensory method of teaching reading and writing skills” to students, including those who are English language learners. Fundations focuses on lower case letters, which is essential for  reading.  The enclosed Fundations alphabet is for you to use as a reference at home.

     + The backbone of our language arts curriculum is “Treasures.” I will embed Science and Social Studies in our language arts. Students will become familiar with The Daily Five, which we will use to manage our literacy time most efficiently.

The Daily Five are:

1.     Read to self (we will practice this first)

2.     Read to someone, or “buddy reading”

3.     Listen to someone read.

4.     Write (pictures are one way Kinders “write”)

5.     Word work (letters and letter sounds, sight words, and decodable words, word families, such as “man” and “big”)

Vocabulary and comprehension will be practiced in all our learning activities.

     + Math begins with knowing numbers 1-5, writing them and understanding them. Systematically, students learn numbers through 20, and be able to read numbers to 100. We will work a lot with patterns, and build a foundation in math vocabulary.

NEW RULES FOR DISMISSAL TIME:

ALL STUDENTS, other than those going to the buses or daycare vans, will be outside our back door when the bell rings. Designated “Picker-Uppers” will meet their children outside our back door, and sign them out. ALL daycare and bus riders will be accompanied outside to the buses and vans. Brothers and sisters that ride the bus or van together, can meet up outside, in the bus line. NO siblings should come to our door to pick-up brothers or sisters. Any day that you need to change afterschool arrangements, send a note attached to your child!

 I apologize for the chaos on the first few days. It took a few days to figure out the best way to keep everyone safe and secure upon dismissal.

HOMEWORK:

     + Enclosed is a reading log and book report form (on the back). Homework expectations are for your child to share in reading at home for 20 minutes everyday, and to complete 1 book report every week.

     + Additionally, about once a month, I will send home a family project to be completed and returned to school. Families will have at least 2 weekends, and the week in between, to complete family projects. Our first family project will be a life-sized self-portrait of your child. Begin thinking how you might want to do this. Look for the assignment to go home this Friday.

    + When students need extra practice in a particular area, I might send home extra work. Otherwise, I want my students to focus on nightly reading and book reports, and their families.

CLASSROOM NEED:

     Please provide 2 additional composition books (not spirals) for your student. One will be a “HOME/SCHOOL COMMUNICATION” notebook, and the other, a math journal. We are using the composition books we already have as writing journals.  

PHOTOGRAPHING:

     I love sharing student pictures and activities on my classroom blog! Please read thoroughly the enclosed Public Release Form. Return it either signed and giving permission, or with a note stating you do not give permission, to avoid additional copies being sent home!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS:

     Purchasing Scholastic Books is a great way to build your child’s home library, plus helps me refresh our classroom library. Orders can be made online with a credit card, or you may bring cash, check, or money order (payable to Scholastic Book Clubs) with your completed order form, to me. The first order is due on Friday, August 30^th.  

KUDOS:

     1. Thank you for being so generous in providing school supplies for our class! We are very well stocked (except for composition notebooks). When and if we run low on any item, I’ll let you know in my weekly newsletter.

     2. A very big THANK YOU to Mrs. Main, who has helped me set up our classroom, help me know many of the in’s and out’s of Manzano Mesa, and assisted students and I whenever we needed help, while we wait for our permanent E.A. to arrive.

     3. We have an amazing group of students and parents in our class, and I believe this will be a record year for fun, learning and adventure, here at Manzano Mesa! Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to teach your wonderful children!

 

With Love, Mrs. Wise