August Snack and Specials Calendar

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21 Conferences 10-6	22 Mrs. Jenison PE/TAG	23 Celebrate Vanessa’s B-day 8-20 Art	24
25	26 Celebrate Jadyn J’s B-day 8-9 Music	27 Celebrate Damian T’s B-day 8-11 PE/TAG	28 Happy Birthday Jack! Art	29 Happy Birthday Sierra! Music	30 Celebrate Derek’s B-day 8-1 PE/TAG	31

Welcome to Kindergarten 2013-2014

Dear Parent(s),          

We would like to welcome you and your child to kindergarten!!!   We are so excited to meet and get to know your youngster.   Kindergarten is such a fun and exciting year of school--We look forward to sharing the experience with your family!  We would like to touch base on a few things before the year begins.   Please know that we always welcome your questions and comments.   Feel free to contact Mrs. Jenison at school at 444-4300 ext 350, Mrs. Markwardt at ext. 375, and Miss Maas at ext. 362.   The extensions ring directly into our classrooms, so please limit such calls to before and after school hours (unless it is an emergency) so our instructional time is not interrupted.   Otherwise our secretary would be happy to connect you to our voice mail, and we can then return your call during a break in the day.   If you need to speak directly with one of us after school hours, you are welcome to contact us at home; however, we do ask that phone calls be made before 8:30 pm.  

Parent letters will be sent home on Fridays.   Depending on how busy our weekly schedules are, this may be each week or every other Friday.   Please make sure to look over the letters.   They will keep you posted on what is happening in our classrooms and will include some things you can be working on at home with your child.   For those families with internet access, newsletters and grades can be viewed online.   If you need more information on how to set up an account, feel free to contact the school.   Our secretary at Jacobson would be more than happy to help you. 

Each child will be given a “take home” folder.   This folder will be sent home each night.   Please empty it with your child.   This will provide an excellent opportunity for your child to tell you about his/her day and explain what we learned about in the classroom.   The folder should accompany your child back to school each day.             

Our classes will take a milk/snack break each afternoon.   A snack bin will be sent home on a class rotation.   Please refer to the student handbook if you have any questions regarding snacks.   Unfortunately, we cannot accept anything “homemade” and all snacks must meet certain nutritional guidelines or they will need to be returned home.   Snacks also need to be prepackaged.   A monthly snack bin “schedule” will be sent home, in an effort to give you adequate time to purchase snacks.   Please know that this “schedule” will not be written in stone and may need to be altered because of someone being absent, birthdays, etc.   On the average, each family will be responsible for sending treats once every 4 weeks.   And...we will have extra snacks in our classrooms in case someone forgets the bin at home!!!   Currently, we have 24 students in each of our classrooms; however, we ask that each family send 28 snacks in the bin in case we have visitors, a new student, etc.   Occasionally we will “clean out the kitchen cupboard” and have a left-over day.   The snack bin is not meant to be a financial burden to any family, so if you are unable to provide treats for our classroom, please contact us, and we will make other arrangements.          

Show-and-tell will be a part of our daily schedule.  Your child will have sharing the day they take the snack bin home.  Please limit the items your child brings in the snack bin to one or two things. Your child will need to be able to tell the class about what he/she brought, so please practice this skill with your child.

Book orders will be sent out once or twice each month.   Please know that you do not have to order from these clubs.   However, they do provide an excellent opportunity to build a library at home relatively cheaply.   If you choose to order and pay by check, please be sure to make checks payable to Scholastic.             

We will attempt to schedule an occasional cooking activity in our classrooms. Each child will be assigned one item to bring for our activity.   The kids are always so eager and excited to participate when we cook--it truly is a special learning experience for us all.   Our creations (if edible) will then take the place of the snack bin for that day.          

Your child will be introduced to visual phonics this year.   Visual phonics is a program that combines hand signs with specific sounds; however, it is NOT sign language!!!   When working with visual phonics, it is important to remember that it is the SOUNDS in words that have a hand sign, not the LETTERS.   The program is of benefit to each child because it helps them to identify the various sounds within a word.   The kids are better able to learn and retain the material because of being able to see, hear, and utilize all components of the program.   We have been utterly amazed at its success!!!   We encourage you to have your youngster teach you the signs as he/she learns them.          

 Once we have become accustomed to our daily routine and have gotten to know each other better, your child will be assessed on such things as letter, sound and basic word recognition, as well as a variety of other reading skills.   The students will also be assessed using the MAP testing on the computer three times a year.  The MAP testing is a test that assesses language and math skills.

We will begin the school year by identifying letters and their sounds, numbers 1-12, and our names.   These are all things that can be reinforced at home as well. We do not teach the concept of how to tie shoes.   Please practice this skill at home with your child, as the teachers no longer help to tie shoes after our winter break. The kindergarten teachers may attempt to send home “homework” with the kids on Fridays with our parent letters.   Please see this as an opportunity to help reinforce what is being taught in the classroom and show your support for your child’s education.   Another way parents can help their child’s progress in school is to read, read, READ with/to your child.   Research shows that children who are read to have a better success rate in the classroom environment.   As the school year progresses and we begin learning to read our kindergarten high-frequency words later in the year, your child will bring home baggie books and will begin reading to you as well.   This will be an exciting process for everyone.          

 We know this is a lot of information to absorb all at once!   The kindergarten staff looks forward to working with you and your child throughout the school year!  

 Mrs. Jenison, Ms. Markwardt, and Miss Maas

Kindergarten News May 27-31

Monday, May 27 Memorial Day No Classes	Tuesday, May 28 E Day:  Elmer the Elephant Literacy Word Work:  a, and, are, for, you Phonemic Awareness: Phoneme Substitution “Bugs” Read Aloud: Baby Animals Play Skill:  Animal Characteristics Video:  Elmer the Elephant Craft:  Tissue Paper Elephants
Wednesday, May 29 D Day:  Drink Day (bring a juice box) Literacy Word Work:  said, see, to, the Phonemic Awareness:  Phoneme Substitution with “Pass the Word” Read Aloud:  The Tale of the Three Little Pigs Skill:  Compare/Contrast Math  Number Sentences Activity:  Creepy Crawly Combinations	Thursday, May 30 C Day:  Clean Our Classroom Literacy Word Work: said, the, play, she, are, he Phonemic Awareness: Phoneme Substitution with Picture Cards Read Aloud:  Feathers for Lunch Skill:  Compare/Contrast Math  Number Sentences Activity:  Pick Up Sticks
Friday, May 31 B Day:  Bronco Spirit Day Literacy Word Work:  have, he, here, I, is Phonemic Awareness:  Phoneme Substitution with Picture Cards Read Aloud:  Which Pet? Skill:  Compare/Contrast Group Work:  Short u Words Math  Activity:  Tangram Time Kindergarten Picnic Leave Jacobson at 10:30 Remember to bring a sack lunch, drink, and dress for the weather!!!	Notes from the Teacher: *Monday, June 3, is our last day of kindergarten. *The kindergarten picnic will be held Friday, May 31, at the Swimming Pool Park.  In case of rain, we will eat in our rooms.  Your child will need a sack lunch and drink.  Please dress your kindergartner for the weather. *Please make sure to return Baggie. *We would like to encourage you to visit the Public Library and sign your child up for the summer reading program!! *Thank you for sharing your youngster with us this year.  We have had a great year in kindergarten and appreciate all of your support throughout the school year!  Have a great summer!!! Mrs. Jass, Mrs. Jenison, and Ms. Markwardt

Updated End of Year Countdown from Z to A

Z                      April 25                              Classroom teachers forgot so we will start tomorrow!

Y                      April 26                              Yellow Day—wear something yellow to school!

X                     April 29                              X-tra recess time!

W                   April 30                              Wear some Wacky socks today!

V                     May 1                                  Vegetable Day—bring your favorite vegetable for snack!

U                    May 3                                  Umbrella Day—make umbrellas in class!

T                      May 6                                  T-shirt Day—wear your favorite t-shirt!

S                      May 7                                  Surprises—Decorate a sack for our Mother’s Day Surprises!

R                     May 8                                  Read with a buddy day!

Q                     May 9                                  Quiet Reading Day—Bring a book from home!

P                     May 10                               Pal Day—Bring a stuffed pal (animal) to school!

O                    May 13                               Oatmeal Cookies—Make oatmeal cookies at school!

N                     May 14                              Necklace Day—Make a necklace today!

M                    May 15                               Mr. Thompson reads his favorite book to the kindergartners!

L                      May 16                               Learn about the Public Library Summer Reading Program!

K                     May 17                               Kiss Day—Your child’s teacher will bring Hershey’s kisses!

J                      May 20                               Joke Day—Bring a joke from home to share with the class!

I                       May 21                               Ice Cream Day—Read a story and make homemade ice cream!

H                     May 22                               Hat Day—Bring a hat from home to wear!

G                     May 23                               Gum Day—Your child’s teacher will provide one piece of gum for each child!

F                      May 24                               Fitness Day—Get ready to run at the track meet today!

E                      May 28                               Elmer the Elephant Day—Watch Elmer and make a patchwork elephant!

D                     May 29                               Drink Day—Bring a juice box from home!

C                     May 30                               Clean our classroom day!

B                     May 31                               Bronco Spirit Day—Wear your favorite Bronco clothing!

A                     June 3                                 Amazing Year In Kindergarten!  Have a great summer!

Kindergarten News May 6-10

Monday, May 6 S Day: Decorate Sacks Literacy Word Work:  here, said Phonemic Awareness:  Blending/Segmenting with Picture Cards Read Aloud:  Who Lives on the Farm? Independent Work: Blending Short o Words Math  11-8  Adding or Subtracting Activity:  Listen to a story.  Decide what kind of sign should be used/+ or - Independent Work: Worksheet 279-280	Tuesday, May 7 R Day:  Read with a Buddy Literacy Word Work:  the, said, to Phonemic Awareness:  Blending/Segmenting with “Notice” Read Aloud: A Lion on the Path Skill:  Drawing Conclusions Activity:  Naming Words/Singular & Plural Math    Assessment:  Chapter 11 Assessment Bring a book to school tomorrow for Quiet Reading Day
Wednesday, May 8 Q Day:  Quiet Reading Day Literacy Word Work:  the, said Phonemic Awareness:  Blending/Segmenting words from A Lion on the Path Read Aloud:  Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s Farm Skill:  Naming Words/Animal Babies and Identifying Animal Characteristics Math  12-1 Bundles of 10 Read Aloud: The Spaceguy with 100 Eyes Independent Work:  Worksheet 287-288 Bring a Stuffed Animal Tomorrow	Thursday, May 9 P Day:  Pal Day (stuffed animal) Literacy Word Work: a, is, my, said, play Phonemic Awareness: Syllables in Spoken Words Read Aloud:  Kevin and His Dad Skill:  Sequence of Events Activity:  Identify Action Words from Story Math  12-2  Numbers on a 100’s Chart Independent Work: Practice 12-2
Friday, May 10 O Day:  Make Oatmeal Cookies Literacy Activity:  Cooking Activity Math  12-3  Keep Counting On Independent Work:  Practice and Enrichment 12-3	Notes from the Teacher: *Elementary Track Meet is on Thursday, May 23 in afternoon (K-2).  Rain date is Friday, May 24. *Kindergarten Picnic will be held Friday, May 31 at the Swimming Pool Park.  In case of rain, we will eat in our rooms. *Please make sure to return Baggie Books in a timely manner. Mrs. Jass, Mrs. Jenison, and Ms. Markwardt

Kindergarten News April 22-26

Monday, April 22 Literacy Word Work20 Basic Kindergarten Words Assessment:  Citizenship Benchmark 3rd Grade Buddies:  Earth Day Craft Activity Math  10-6  Addition Sentences Independent Work:  Domino Addition	Tuesday, April 23 Literacy Word Work:  20 Basic Kindergarten Words Read Aloud: Why Should I Recycle? Activity:  Earth Day Video Math   10-7 Adding Pennies Independent Work:  Worksheets 257-258
Wednesday, April 24 Literacy Word Work20 Basic Kindergarten Words Read Aloud:  The Great Trash Bash Activity: Pick Up Trash Around Jacobson Elementary Math  Chapter 10 Assessment Independent Work:  Easy Reader	Thursday, April 25 Literacy Word Work: 20 Basic Kindergarten Words Read Aloud:  Our Earth Activity:  Coffee Filter Earth Craft Math  11-1 Separating Read Aloud:  The Mystery of the Missing Meatballs Independent Work: Practice and Enrichment 11-1
Friday, April 26 Literacy Word Work20 Basic Kindergarten Words Read Aloud: Recycle Everyday Activity:  Mister Recycle Craft Activity Math  11-2 Take Away Independent Work:  Practice and Enrichment 11-2	Notes from the Teacher: *Your child should be able to count objects and recognize random numbers through 40 and beyond, identify consonant and vowel sounds, and be able to read words from our 20 high frequency word list *There will be 1:35 dismissals on April 17th. *Our 20 Basic Kindergarten Words are:  of, was, he, it, is, with, be, as, they, for, a, on, at, and, that, in, to, are, and you. Mrs. Jass, Mrs. Jenison, and Ms. Markwardt