Friday, September 30, 2016

Kindergarten Newsletter October 3-7th 2016

Kindergarten Newsletter
October 3rd – 7th       

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

·        Progress reports won't be sent home till the week of October 11th rather than the week of the 3rd due to district technical problems. Thank you for your understanding!

·        Royal Dance- Our Kindergartners will get to participate in a very special dance class here at school Oct 3-11. We are so excited! This is a free program for our children and they have a great time learning new skills. It is during our class time so be sure to ask your children about it! The PM Kindergarten class will have their dance lesson the last half hour of the day therefore the PM Kindergarten will be released from the MPR doors Monday-Thursday next week. Thank you for being so flexible. We truly appreciate it!!

·        Auction Tickets are NOW ON SALE in the office!  The Kindergarten classrooms will be auctioning off special projects that the kids helped to design and make!!!  This is SUCH a fun night for our families!  Buy your tickets today!  Don’t miss out!

·        October 5th is International Walk to School Day! Please try to walk to school that morning. Students will receive tickets which can be exchanged for prizes.

·        Our Halloween party will be here before you know it.  Be on the lookout for the Sign-Up Genius to help out with our Halloween party!

·         Our theme this week is PUMPKINS, and our new word wall word is “go.”    NOW, we know the following High Frequency Words: I, a, like, the, see, is, can, my, have & go.  Please encourage your child to use these words in their writing every day!

·        Pride Card Prizes-Your Kindergarten may have shared his/her excitement for earning a Pride Card for being caught doing something thoughtful or responsible.  Every Friday, we will pull 3-5 pride cards and award prizes.  If you would like to donate prizes for our Kindergarten prize bucket, please send in small items from the dollar bins from Target or the 99cent store.  THANK YOU!

·        SHOE LACES-Learning to tie your own shoes is a very important skill in Kindergarten. Please help your child practice this at home at every opportunity. Thank you!!!

·        Reading groups have started. You should see small books coming home in a Ziploc bag with your child’s name attached. PLEASE return these each day! We can not give your child a new book until the old one is returned. Some children are forgetting it at home and missing out on valuable practice with you as well as feeling sad that they can’t take a new one. We look for the book in their folder each day. Thank you for helping us with this important part of our reading program!

·        EVERY FRIDAY IS SPIRIT DAY! Wear our school colors, GREEN & GRAY, OR wear Nelda Mundy spirit wear that can be purchased on line.  Please show your school spirit!

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





Friday, September 23, 2016

Kindergarten Newsletter for September 26th-30th


 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 very fortunate to be able to have our local fire fighters visit us next week on either Wednesday or Thursday from 11:00 –12:00. We will let everyone know which day it will be as it approaches.

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

·        Our theme next week 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.

·        Super Hero Day is Thursday, September 29th.  Come dressed as your favorite Super Hero. Checkout Pinterest for some great ideas and no sew capes.
    The last Thursday of each month will be a designated spirit day. Show your Mundy spirit by participating in as many as you can.

·        Pictures- If you did not turn in your child’s picture day money today, we cannot collect it in the classroom.  You will have to do picture day make-ups on October 27th.

·        PROGRESS REPORTS will be coming home the week of October 3rd.  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 be discussed at your child’s parent-teacher conference in November

·        IMPORTANT FIELD TRIP INFORMATION:
Please be sure to fill out and return the Volunteer Personal Automobile Use and DMV form for field trip driving, along with a photocopy of your current driver’s license and auto insurance declarations page. Additionally, you will need to be fingerprinted by our district if you plan to drive (please call 399-5078 to make an appointment).  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 at least 4 field trips with the savings.  Please help us to make this happen.

October 26th  - Silveyville Pumpkin Patch in Dixon
October 28th – Rockville Terrace Retirement Home in Fairfield
November 18th – Lion King Play in Vacaville
May 2nd – Loma Vista Farm in Vallejo

We will need lots of parent drivers to have this many adventures. Please complete ALL of the paperwork and fingerprinting early.

·        Holiday Fair—Our Nelda Mundy Holiday Fair will be held on Saturday, December 3rd.  Each grade level will be decorating a tree with a different theme that will be raffled off at the end of the day.  In the next few weeks you will recieve a sign up genius asking for donations for our tree.  Please help with this very important school fundraiser.

·        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: the 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. 

·        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 THURSDAY of each week, as we will go to the library every Friday to check out one book.  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, and 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, your child needs to bring their folder to school EVERYDAY and place it in the bucket 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




Friday, September 16, 2016

Kindergarten Newsletter September 19th-23rd


Picture Day is HERE !!!  Picture Day will be  Friday, the 23rd.  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 next week… 

·        Apple Festival!!  Our annual apple festival is Friday, the 23rd 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!

·        Friday is a busy day as we will also have our whole school Beach Party and Carnival from 2:30-5:30 presented by our wonderful MCA. We are desperately in need of volunteers. Each class is responsible for a booth. Therefore we need supplies as well as your time. We need parents to work the booths to ensure a good time for all the children. PLEASE sign up on our SIGN UP GENIUS. We really need your participation so all the work doesn’t fall on just a few parents. Thank you for helping us to make this fundraiser success!

·        DONATIONS NEEDED--We will be using lots of apples on Thursday for 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.

·        Guided Reading Books—We will 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.**** 

·        Tying Shoes:  Please practice tying shoes with your child at home.  This is an appropriate time developmentally for your child to work on their fine motor skills as they are now capable of mastering this skill.  We have many students who wear shoes that tie, and many untied shoes that are in need of tying.  We are giving pride cards to the students who show us that they can tie shoes.  It is an awesome skill that they should be proud of!  Thank you for your support at home!

·        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 next week 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, a & 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.

·        LIBRARY—please return your library books by Thursday at the latest, as we will go to the library each Friday. 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  send homework packets home on Mondays and we do not collect homework until Fridays. However, your child’s folder needs to brought to school EVERY DAY. 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



Friday, September 9, 2016

Kindergarten Newsletter: September 12th-16th


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

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

·        Our theme next week is APPLES and AMERICA. Our new word wall word is “is.” We now know the following High Frequency Words: I, see, a, like, & the.

·        Patterning- Students worked on patterning this week. They created ABAB, AABAAB, ABBABB, and ABCABC patterns using beads, cubes, and teddy bear counters. It was a difficult skill for many students. Please work with your child at home on this math skill. For example, have your child make patterns at home using forks and spoons, or cheerios and raisins.

·        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 9:00–10:00 am for the morning session, and 12:00-1:15 pm for the afternoon session. You are also welcome to start earlier, too. Please remember to check in with the office and get your volunteer badge, and come in through our back doors!  Thank you!!!!!! 

·        Constitution Day is on Friday, September 16th. There will be special centers that day. If you’re available to come in and help, please let your teacher know.

·        All of Kindergarten will be having our annual Apple Day Festival on Friday, September 23rd.  This is a fun day where each class travels from 401 to 402, then outside, doing different fun apple activities.  There will be two sessions, one in the a.m and one in the p.m, and it will take place during our center time.  We will need parent volunteers to help us run and manage the centers.  If youre available to come in, please let your teacher know.  Thank you!

·        STARFALL- Please visit www.Starfall.com to practice letter recognition and sounds with your child. Many kindergarteners need extra help in these areas.

·        Our Homework this week continues to be handwriting!  Please reinforce the letter formation of letters a-g.  Please refer to the handwriting sheet from our Back to School Night for our phrasing.  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.”  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 Thursday  so that we can return them to the library by Thursday afternoon and be ready for check out Friday!  Your child is never expected to return a library book on their own!!  There will be a library return bucket outside each kindergarten classroom so the kids can return their library books whenever they are done with them!

·        PICTURE DAY is on Friday, September 23rd. Order forms will be sent home before then. Pictures may also be ordered online at www.Lifetouch. Please use our school code: CR706139Q0 for online orders.

·        END of SUMMER BEACH PARTY is on Friday, September 23rd from 2:30-5:30 pm on the school blacktop (back of school).  There will be 25cent game booths, food for sale, and music. Please join the FUN! This is a wonderful opportunity to show your school support.

·        PRIZES needed- We are in need of small prizes from the Dollar Tree store or dollar bins at Target for our weekly prize box drawing. Thank you in advance for donating to your child’s classroom. Please NO candy/food.

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



Thursday, September 1, 2016

Newsletter Sept 5-9th 2016

Kindergarten Newsletter
September 5-9th   

NO SCHOOL MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH !!!!!

We hope you all enjoy a lovely and fun-filled three day weekend!  Here’s to a great short week!  Here’s what’s coming up for next week.

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

·        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 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 & a.” Please encourage them to write those every day.  You can even start writing simple sentences such as, “I see a ____.” You can stretch out the sounds of the I word or draw a picture.  Daily writing practice helps tremendously!

·        Thank you all for attending BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT!  We still are in NEED of parent volunteers each day.  We all had very few parents sign up for daily volunteering.  If you are considering helping out during center time, we’d love to have you.  This is our sacred time to work closely with small groups of kids to teach reading, while parents monitor our center groups.  This is essential to our success!!  If you are able, please consider coming in!  Thank you!!!!!
 
·        PLEASE complete and return the red emergency cards  if you have not already done so. Thank you.

·        We have three field trips scheduled at this time. More will be added as they can be arranged.
October 26th – Silveyville Pumpkin Patch in Dixon
November 18th – Theatre in Vacaville
May 2nd – Farm in Vallejo
      If you plan on driving please fill out the insurance forms    
located in the office. You will also need to be    fingerprinted if you did not do this at back to school night. You can make an appt at district office.
  
·        Birthdays… We have had several birthdays already.  Feel free to send in a healthy birthday snack to share with the class.  There are several fun things to share on the list, like Rice Krispy Treats!  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 not possibly take off or put down.  Do not allow your child to bring toys to school. We know they are very precious to them and we don’t want them to get lost or broken.

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 , Kimberly Ron kimr@fsusd.org
(707)863-7920