Newsletter Sept. 28th - Oct. 2nd

 Thank you, thank you, thank YOU to all of the parent volunteers who helped us today at Apple Festival and with picture day.  It was a LOT to do in one day and we appreciate your donations and help with our events. 

Fire Safety Week is upon us!  We are SO very fortunate to be visited by the fire fighters from our local fire station this Tuesday. 

Here’s what’s coming up for this week… 

·        If you did not turn in your child’s picture day money, we cannot collect it in the classroom.  You will have to do picture day make-ups.  We will let you know when it is as soon as we know.

·        PROGRESS REPORTS will be coming home the week of October 5^th.  These will explain how many letter names, sounds, high frequency words and number writing your child is able to demonstrate that they know.  Students will receive an N in writing and conventions.  Although we are writing every day, most kids are not yet ready to understand what they are doing.  Please do not panic about an N in writing.  The most important things for now are letter names, sounds and high frequency words.  Sounds must come first in order for them to begin stretching out and writing words. Please continue to help your child practice their letter sounds and high frequency words. Further details regarding our end of the year standards will come next in your child’s report card and parent conferences in November.

·        Please sign one copy of your child’s progress report and return it to school.  You may keep the other copy for your records.

·        IMPORTANT FIELD TRIP INFORMATION:

Please be sure to fill out and return that form for field trip driving and also be sure to be fingerprinted by our district if you plan to drive.  We NEED DRIVERS in order to take field trips this year.  Taking a bus costs approximately $2,000.  We have always taken 1 field trip due to the bussing expense.  This year, we plan to take 3 field trips with the savings.  Please help us to make this happen.

Oct. 26^th  -  Silveyville Pumpkin Patch in Dixon

April 21^st – Vacaville  Performing Arts Theatre

And we are planning a trip to Loma Vista Farm in May as well.

We will need lots of parent drivers to have this many adventures. 

·        Holiday Fair—Our Nelda Mundy Holiday Fair will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6^th from 10 –2.  Each grade level will be decorating a tree with a different theme, that will be raffled off at the end of the day.  This year’s Kindergarten tree theme will be Outdoors.  You will soon recieve a sign up genius asking for donations for our tree. 

·        Homework this week—We’re continuing to work on proper handwriting for homework, as well as high frequency words and writing a sentence.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE work on letter sounds with your child at home.  There are 30 letter sounds that we test your child on, 26 letters in the alphabet and the digraphs, /sh/, /ch/, /th/, /wh/.  ALL students need to continue to work on sounds, as well as High Frequency Words.  We work on them every day in class, but if you are doing flashcards or put them on the fridge or on the wall at home for more exposure, you will notice that they will learn them much quicker. 

·        Sharing for this week: Bring something that begins with the letter Jj.  Please have your child bring their item in a bag along with three written clues.  If your child is able, please have them write the clues and help them work on stretching out their sounds when they write.  Items should be small and fit inside of a bag that is not see through.  It is fun for the class to listen to the clues and try to guess what the item is.

·        Our theme this MONTH is Fire Safety, and our new word wall word is “can.”    NOW, we know the following High Frequency Words: I, a, like, the, see, is, and, my & can.

·        Writing—We continue to write every day!  We are expecting your child to know the words “I, see, a, the, like, is, and, my & can.”  Please encourage them to write those every day.  You can even start writing simple sentences such as, “I like the ____.”  OR “ I see a _____.”  You can stretch out the sounds of the unfamiliar word or draw a picture.  If your child is ready, please encourage MORE in their writing!!!  We always encourage more detail and words in sentences if kids are ready.  Daily writing practice helps tremendously.

·        Guided Reading Books—We have begun to send home little guided reading books with your child.  These are the books that we read with your child each day.  Please help us to keep these beloved and VERY important books safe.  Please return them EVERY day in your child’s folder in the little Ziploc bag provided.  ****If your child does NOT receive one, it is because he/she is not ready for books at this time and is still working on letter sounds and high frequency words.****

           

·        LIBRARY—please return your library books BY Monday or Tuesday, as we will go to the library each Wed.  Please help us by reiterating the process of checking out a book--- find one you’d like, take it to Mrs. Sagara our librarian, find your library card on the table, check out your book.  We still have some confusion about taking it home without checking it out!  J  We are still learning!!

Folders & Homework— Just a friendly reminder, we do NOT send folders home on Wacky Wednesdays and we do not collect homework until Fridays. Thanks!!!

Thank you again for all that you do at home to support your child’s learning.  We appreciate all that you do!  Please feel free to email with any concerns or questions!  Thank you!!

The Kindergarten Team

Mrs. Barnes:  sarahba@fsusd.org

Mrs. Barron:  erinba@fsusd.org

Mrs. Ron:  kimr@fsusd.org

Ms. Davila:  theresad@fsusd.org

Newsletter Sept. 21st-25th

Picture Day is HERE !!!  Picture Day will be THIS Friday, the 25^th.  We will be taking pictures as a whole class, up on the risers, so keep in mind that your child’s whole body will be in the picture!  So cute!  

Here’s what’s coming up for this week… 

·        Apple Festival!!  Our annual apple festival is THIS Thursday, the 24^th during center time.  We will have many fun centers in both classrooms, as well as outside.  We would LOVE to have parents to help us run the centers outside!  If you are willing/available to volunteer, we’d love to have you.    See you there!

·        DONATIONS NEEDED--We will be using lots of apples on Thursday, tasting, and measuring, and stamping them.  If you are able to donate yellow, green or red apples, please let your teacher know!  THANK YOU!!!  If you are interested in donating an apple pie or other fun apple treat, please see your child’s teacher.

*SHARING*  We are starting Sharing in Kindergarten.  Due to the larger morning classes, we will need to do sharing every day, Monday through Friday, in order to get every child a chance.  Your child will be bringing home a sharing schedule with their day of the week.  Please help your child come in prepared on their day with their item in a bag and a few simple clues written on a piece of paper.  We will send home the sharing assignment in the weekly newsletter.  We will now send the newsletters on Fridays in order for the Monday kids to come to school prepared and ready to present.  Sharing is important for your child to do in order develop their public speaking skills.

SHARING TOPIC:  Please send your child ready to present something that starts with the letter G.  We are still working on our letter sounds and this will be a great way to reinforce them.

·        Homework this week—We’re continuing to work on proper handwriting for homework, as well as high frequency words and writing a sentence.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE work on letter sounds with your child at home.  There are 30 letter sounds that we test your child on, 26 letters in the alphabet and the digraphs, /sh/, /ch/, /th/, /wh/.  ALL students need to continue to work on sounds, as well as stretching out/segmenting sounds in simple CVC words on their own.  We work on letter sounds and High Frequency Words every day in class, but if you are doing flashcards or put them on the fridge or on the wall at home for more exposure, you will notice that they will learn them much quicker. 

·        Our theme this MONTH continues to be APPLES, and our new word wall word is “my.”    NOW, we know the following High Frequency Words: I, a, like, the, see, is, and & my.

·        Writing—We continue to write every day!  We are expecting your child to know the words “I, see, the, like, is, can & my.”  Please encourage them to write those every day.  You can even start writing simple sentences such as, “I like the ____.”  OR “ I see a _____.”  Have your child stretch out the sounds of the unfamiliar word or draw a picture.  If your child is ready, please encourage MORE in their writing!!!  We always encourage more detail and words in sentences if kids are ready.  Daily writing practice helps tremendously.

·        Guided Reading Books—We have begun to send home little guided reading books with your child.  These are the books that we read with your child each day.  Please help us to keep these beloved and VERY important books safe.  Please return them EVERY day in your child’s folder in the little Ziploc bag provided.  ****If your child does NOT receive one, it is because he/she is not ready for books at this time and is still working on letter sounds and high frequency words.**** 

·        LIBRARY—please return your library books BY Monday or Tuesday at the latest, as we will go to the library each Wed.  Please help us by reiterating the process of checking out a book--- find one you’d like, take it to Mrs. Sagara our librarian, find your library card on the table, check out your book, and then take your book home in your backpack.  We still have some confusion about checking out books.  J  We are still learning!!

Folders & Homework— Just a friendly reminder, we do NOT send folders home on Wacky Wednesdays and we do not collect homework until Fridays. Thanks!!!

Thank you again for all that you do at home to support your child’s learning.  We appreciate all that you do!  Please feel free to email with any concerns or questions!  Thank you!!

The Kindergarten Team

Mrs. Barnes:  sarahba@fsusd.org

Mrs. Barron:  erinba@fsusd.org

Mrs. Ron:  kimr@fsusd.org

Ms. Davila:  theresad@fsusd.org

Kinder news Sept. 14-18

Kindergarten Newsletter

September 14 - 18^th   

We have a big favor to ask…if you are the last one through the gate after the school day starts, will you please CLOSE the gate behind you? Thank you! 

Here’s what’s coming up for this week… 

·        Our theme this MONTH is APPLES, and our new word wall word is “and.” So NOW, we know the following High Frequency Words: I, a, like, the, see, is & and.

·        This week we will also be celebrating Constitution Day, as it falls on Thursday.  We LOVE Constitution Day in Kindergarten and have planned some super fun activities for center time.  Please encourage your child to wear red, white & blue on Thursday!  We love any chance we get to dress up around here!

·        Parent volunteers are in full swing!!!!  If you signed up to volunteer for center time, please COME IN!  We would love to have our volunteers come from 8:15 – 10 am for the morning session, and 11:45-1:15 pm for the afternoon session.  Please check in with the office and get your volunteer badge, and come in through our back doors!  Thank you!!!!!! 

·        New Volunteer Training will be held Wednesday, September 16^th starting at 8:30am in the MPR.  MCA will train parents on operating copy machines and other equipment.  They will also discuss Room Parent duties.  Any one who plans to volunteer in Kindergarten is welcome to attend. 

·        All of Kindergarten will be having our annual Apple Day Festival on Thursday, Sept.24^th.  This is a fun day where each class travels from Rm. 401, to Rm. 402, and outside, doing different fun apple activities.  There will be two sessions, one in the am and one in the pm, and it will take place during our center time.  We will need parent volunteers to help us run and manage the centers.  If you’re available to come in to help that day, please let your teacher know.  Thank you!

·        Our Homework this week continues to be handwriting!  Please reinforce the letter formation of letters a-f.  Please refer to the top of the handwriting sheet for our phrasing.  We have included the wording on all handwriting pages.  It really helps students to hear the same wording at home as they do from us in the classroom. 

·        Writing—We have already jumped right into writing every day!  We are expecting your child to know the words “I, see, the, like & is.”  Please encourage them to write those every day.  You can even start writing simple sentences such as, “I like ____.”   “ I see a _____.” Or “The _____ is _____.” You can stretch out the sounds of the unfamiliar word or draw a picture.  Daily writing practice helps tremendously!

·        LIBRARY has started!!!  We want to clarify any confusion about library books.  The kids get to “keep” their library books for the whole week.  We just ask that you send them back by Monday or Tuesday so that we can return them to the library by Tuesday afternoon and be ready for check out Wed. morning!  Your child is never expected to return a library book on their own!!  There will be a library return bucket outside in the mornings so the kids can return their library books whenever they are done with them!

•      Picture Day will be on Friday, Sept. 25th.  More details to come!

Thank you again for all that you do at home to support your child’s learning.  We appreciate all that you do!  Please feel free to email your child’s teacher with any concerns or questions!  Please do not hit reply to this email.

Thank you!!  

The Kindergarten Team

Sarah Barnes sarahba@fsusd.org,  Erin Barron erinba@fsusd.org

Theresa Davila theresad@fsusd.org  and Kim Ron kimd@fsusd.org

Kinder news Sept. 8 - 11

Kindergarten Newsletter

September 8 - 11^th

We hoped you all enjoyed a lovely and fun-filled three day weekend!  Here’s to a great short week!  Here’s what’s coming up for the week… 

·        We are off and running with our Kindergarten Program!  We are pounding letter names and sounds, and have already begun assessing your child to see how many they know.  This information will be given to you at our 6-week progress reports in Oct.  At that time, we will give you a heads up as to what your child needs to know for our Report Card period in November.  Please help your child to know ALL letter names and sounds, as well as the High Frequency words that we have introduced.  Daily practice really helps!

·        Our theme this Month is Apples, and our new word wall word is “is.”  So far, we know the following High Frequency Words: I, like, see, a, the, & is .

·        Parent volunteers have started!!!!  If you have signed up to come in to volunteer for center time, please COME IN!  We would love to have our volunteers come from 8:15 – 10 am for the morning session, and 11:45-1:20 pm for the afternoon session.  Please check in with the office and get your volunteer badge, and come in through our back doors!  Thank you!!!!!! 

·        Our Homework this week continues to be handwriting!  There are only three pages because of our short week.  ALL of us need extra help in writing our names.  Please have your child write THEIR OWN NAME at the top of each side of the homework pages.  Please don’t do it for them, and if you take the packet apart, please staple it back together before sending it back to school!  We will check and record your child’s work, but won’t be sending it back anymore unless there is a problem.  Thank you! 

·        Writing—We have already jumped right into writing every day!  We are expecting your child to know the words “I, see, like, a, the, & is.” Please encourage them to write those every day.  You can even start writing simple sentences such as, “I like ____.” Or “I see the _____.” You can stretch out the sounds of the unfamiliar word or draw a picture.  Daily writing practice helps tremendously!

 

·        Birthdays… We have had several birthdays already.  Feel free to send in a birthday snack to share with the class.  If you would like to donate a hardcover book to the classroom, which then goes to our Mundy library at the end of the school year, please do so.  The kids love to see their Kindergarten birthday books when they are older!

·        One last reminder:  Please LABEL EVERYTHING, with a black Sharpie pen that your child could possibly take off or put down. 

Thank you again for all that you do at home to support your child’s learning.  We appreciate all that you do!  Please feel free to email with any concerns or questions!  Thank you!! 

The Kindergarten Team

 Sarah Barnes sarahba@fsusd.org,Erin Barron erinba@fsusd.org

Theresa Davila theresad@fsusd.org, Kim Ron  kimr@fsusd.org