February KinderNews

February, 4, 2013

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We had a very busy January.  The students have been taking care of the animals in the Vet Centre creating and sharing puppet shows with our new theatre and have been building structures using a variety of materials.   Thank you for all the donations to our Vet Centre and the various art supplies. 

This month we will be furthering their inquiries, as well as focusing on personal hygiene and exploring money.   The students have requested to change the Vet Centre into a Supermarket.  We are looking for donations of: empty food boxes, cash registers, children grocery carts, money tray, grocery flyers, reusable shopping bags, and old phone books.

Please remember that with the cold weather upon us, children must be dressed warm because we will continue to have outdoor learning twice a day, unless the wind shield is too low.    Windsor weather changes very quickly, please send your child with a warm coat, snow pants, a hat, mittens, and boots every day.  Also, they must have shoes to wear indoors.

Many students have been sick with the flu and colds.  If your child is sick with the flu or flu like symptoms, please do not send them to school.  Sick children don’t have energy to learn, and they infect other students and staff.  

 IMPORTANT DATES

·       February 4^th - Report cards go home. 

·       Thursday, February 7^{th –}Parent-Teacher Conferences Please call the office if you would like to meet with us.

·       February 8^th - PD Day (NO school for students)

·       February 14^th –Valentines’ Day

Wear PINK, RED and WHITE DAY!    Currently, we have 28 students in the class.  If you child would like to send Valentine’s to their peers, feel free to just write  ‘From your child’s name’.   This makes it easier for your child to pass out their Valentines.    

·       February 18^th - Family Day  (NO SCHOOL)

·       February 20^th - Kindergarten Open House for 2013- 2014 Registrations from 4:00pm till 5:30pm

·       February 21^st – 100 Days of School

Students are to bring in a collection of 100 items.

(i.e. pennies, cheerios, pebbles, Lego pieces, ect.)

·       February 22^nd – Community Visitor from the Windsor Humane Society visiting the classroom

Your Partners in Education,

Mrs. Taylor and Miss Zilio

First day news

 

We had a great first day!

 

It was so nice seeing many familiar faces, eager to learn and excited to explore their new classroom.  Stay tuned for classroom pictures to appear later this week.  The students have been busy observing the grasshoppers, collaboratively block building, pretending in the house centre, creating art to personalize the walls of their room.and so much more.  


PARENTS as PARTNERS     


Studies have shown that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success.  Throughout the year, I will communicate to you primarily through our class blog.  Personal messages will be sent home in the Note totes or communicated through telephone calls, reports, or conferences.  All news and important messages will appear on this blog, please check it regularly. 

1.    Read with your child every day for at least 20 minutes.  

2.    Go on adventures with your child to collect objects from the natural world to bring into the classroom to share. (leaves, shells, bird’s nest, etc.).   

3.    Visit the class blog regularly and discuss with your child what they learned at school today. 

4.    Contribute Beautiful Stuff  (ribbons, clean yogurt containers, used cards, stickers) to the classroom through the year.  Visit the Blog for more ideas on Beautiful Junk.  

5.    Actively participate with your child when they bring home the message of the day, mystery object and literacy or numeracy bag.  (more information will follow)

 

Also, throughout the year, I will be asking for Guest readers and volunteers.  Volunteers may be needed for special days, field trips, to share any specialized skills/hidden talents, to share your cultural celebrations and to make Playdough for the class.

 

This year your child will grow and learn through purposeful play that will be both student driven and teacher directed.  Play is how every child learns best, regardless of age.  It is significant for the emotional, social, cognitive and physical growth, and overall well-being of your child.  This year will be amazing.  Students will have opportunities to collaborate with others, ask and answer questions, use their imagination, take risks, problem solve and be curious about the world around them.

Thank you for entrusting me with your child this year.  Your child will have many opportunities to play, explore and learn while forming friendships and developing social skills needed in everyday life.

Your partner in Education

 

Busy Week

Kindernews: Just a few Friendly Reminders

This week we have many exciting things happening in our Early Years Program.


Monday, Feb. 13th 
A community helper will be visiting each class -- a Vet Technician.  She will teach us how to be  safe when we see pets walking down the street or at the park.

Tuesday, Feb. 14th  - Happy Valentine's Day

Students are welcome to bring treats to share with the class or cards to give to friends.  Please remember that all food must be peanut-free.  If students are bringing cards, we ask that students sign each card with their own name, but there is no need to address each card.  This will make it easier for us to pass them out in a timely fashion.  Teachers will be wearing red, white and pink to celebrate this day, and students are invited to do so as well. 

Wednesday, Feb 15th- Numeracy Night and Kindergarten Open House

Prince Edward will be hosting a Numeracy Night on February 15^th.  This is an opportunity for parents to visit the school to learn more about math activities that can be used at home to further promote students’ math skills.  Students and parents will visit primary classrooms. 

Come on out to learn more about MATH…… and what you can do to help your child succeed.  

The kindergarten classrooms will only be open for new students that are registering for September 2012.  All children born in the year 2008 are invited to Prince Edward on February 15^th to learn more about our program and to register for the 2012 school year. 
Kindergarten registration will also take place on February 15^th.

Friday, Feb 17th- 100's Day
We will celebrate the 100th day of school on the 17th of February.  Students are asked to bring in a collection of 100 items... marbles, elastics, cheerios.... whatever suits your family.


In addition, to all of these exciting learning opportunities this will be week 2 of the Growing Gardener's visiting our Early Years Program.  The Growing Gardeners are students from the University of Windsor teaching students about eating healthy, caring for plants and other exciting environmentally friendly activities .  There are with us for 6 weeks.  Last week they shared information with the students about the 4 food groups and planted a green bean seed.   

December Kindernews

November has been a very busy month.

Thank you to all families that supported Prince Edward and collected pledges for our Aerob-a-thon. Aerob-a-thon money and all the pink pledge forms are now due. Please remember that all pink pledge sheets need to be returned to the school, even if they are blank.

We would also like to thank all parents who came to discuss their child's progress reports.

The students have voted and decided to turn our bakery into a McDonald's Restaurant. We have worked with the students to make the necessary changes--- sorting foods, moving furniture, hanging signs. The students were very excited to see that we have actual cups and food wrappers from McDonald's for them to use. A big thank you to the McDonald’s located at the corner of Tecumseh Rd E and Drouillard Rd. for their generous donations. We are excited to see the math and language skills developing from this new drama centre.

In addition to McDonald's, we have created a living room for dramatic arts. The students have babies to care for, feed, and cuddle.  Other accessories for the students to incorporate in playful learning are baby clothing, a change table, two rocking cradles, and a push buggy.  We are looking for donations of baby blankets and small doll clothes to further develop the students learning.

Upcoming Learning!!!

Our students will be continuing to learn:

• the different units of measurement (small, medium, large)
• letter recognition and their linking sounds
• various cultural traditions
• numbers
• personal hygiene

Important Reminders

• The winter weather has arrived. Please dress your child appropriately. We will be going outside daily. Your child will need a warm winter jacket, a hat, gloves, snow pants and boots. An indoor pair of shoes will be required to be left at school.
• Aerobathon Money is due. Please return your Pink Aerobathon pledge sheet.
• Tuesday, December 6^th at 4:00 pm.– Our Parent Council is having another Movie Night. Save the date – more information will follow.

Home Connections

• Please continue to read our weekly poem with your child. We send it home every Friday, usually with a simple follow-up activity. Don't forget to sign the page after you have worked with your child. The duo tang is to be returned every Monday.

Please continue to browse our classroom blog. Our blog was created for parents to know what their child is learning each day in school. Together, look at the pictures, read the blog and TALK. Here is the link: http://play-explore-learn.blogspot.com/

Kindernews -- November

     It is hard to believe that Term One is now over!  You will receive your child’s first Progress Report on November 14th.  Interviews will be held on Thursday evening, November 17th from 5:00-7:00pm.  At that time, you will have the opportunity to meet and discuss your child’s progress.  If you would like an interview, please call the office to book an appointment during the week of November14th.  Just a reminder that there will be no school on Friday, November 18th.

    Thank you to the parents who provided our classes with beautiful junk and/ or play dough.  We continue to look for volunteers to make play dough for our class.  If you would like to help out, please send us a note and we will send the play dough recipe home with your child.  Also, thank you to the parents who have donated $5.00 for class pictures.

    A big thank you to Blak’s Bakery for inviting our students to learn about the bakery and for making cookies with us.  The students had a great time!  We would also like to thank all of our parent volunteers for their help on our trip to the bakery.  Field trips would not be possible without your support. 

    It is very important that you remember to check the Note Tote every night.  We use this to communicate with you and to send home important notices.  Please return it to school each day in your child’s backpack.  Also, the poem books are sent home every Friday.  Please read the poem with your child over the weekend.  This will help your child further develop their literacy skills.  Please return the poetry folders on Mondays.

     We continue to ask you to provide your child with a healthy snack.   Please do not send your child to school with candy and/or sugar treats.  Just a reminder that the children do go outside to play so please remember to send your child with hats, mitts and boots since Winter is fast approaching.  Please label all of your child’s items with their names as it is very easy for them to misplace them.   

  As always, your support and cooperation are appreciated,

                           The Early Years Team

KinderNews

October, 2011

We’re into the second month of school already, and we’re so pleased with the progress we’ve seen in the students.  They have done a great job getting to know the school routines and expectations.

Thank you to all parents who made it out to our “Meet the Teacher” evening.  The students were very excited to have the opportunity to show off the kindergarten quilt that we all made together showing each of the students’ talents.

 

 A few reminders for parents:

1)    The Notetote needs to be emptied every night.  Please keep the Notetote in the backpack so we may send notes and reminders home.  This is the only way to ensure that we are receiving any letters or money that has been sent to school from home as well.

2)   Please initial the poem in the poem folder that is sent home on Friday so that we know your child has practised and read the poem at home.  Poem books should be returned to school on Monday.

3)   Due to severe peanut allergies, please remember to send peanut-free products to school only. 

4)   Please label EVERYTHING that is sent to school (ie. jackets, boots, umbrellas, sandwich boxes…)

5)   The school day begins at 8:55am.  If you arrive late, you must enter the school through the front doors to get a late slip.  Please do not knock on the kindergarten door once it has closed.  On rainy days, we will open our doors at 8:45 am.

Our kindergarten bakery was a big success when we opened it on Monday.  Thank you to all families who contributed items.  The students enjoyed using all of the baking equipment.  We are still in need of play-doh.  Please let us know if you are interested in making some for our class.