Family Newsletter

Dear Families,

I hope all is well with everyone in this crazy winter weather.  It is hard on the kids when we don't have consistent winter outside for recess fun.  Thank you for sending in appropriate clothes for this every-changing weather!

Reading:
Reading assessments finished last week.  Thank you Ms. Alyssa for helping us out and subbing when I was out for those assessments.  The students did very well and I am so proud of their hard work.
We started reading "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo last week as our new class read aloud.  The students love it so far.  The book offers a terrific plot, but also many opportunities for us to stop and discuss the rich vocabulary and sentence structure.

Writing:
We finished the letter-writing portion of our new opinion writing unit last week.  We will spend the next few weeks perfecting the different elements of opinion writing in other ways.  Since the unit is not fully completed yet, it will not be reflected on the report card.

Math:
First grade mathematicians finished all assessments last week as well.  They did an amazing job.  I am so proud of these hard-working and kind first graders.  We will continue work on off-decade counting and using the number line as a mathematical tool in the next few weeks while we explore addition and subtraction.  Please look for completed math work from class to come home in your child's Friday folders.

Technology:
We started KidBlog last week and we will continue blogging this week as well.  KidBlog enables us to collaborate and share our thinking in a safe online community as we log into it.  We will invite parents soon, but this information will be sent via email as I will share passwords and log-in information.  Stay tuned.

Upcoming Events and Reminders:

• Your child should have brought home a permission slip for our upcoming field-trip to the Flynn Theater (February 3rd).  We will see a show called "Lights, Camera, Math".  Please return this permission slip as soon as possible.  Thank you.
• The WCS Chorus is scheduled for February 1st.  ABS students will attend.  It is an afternoon performance with dismissal from WCS.  Stay tuned for more information as we approach this date.
• Rotating Related Art on Tuesdays switch this upcoming Tuesday.  We will no longer have an extra PE class.  We will have Library class.  We will still exchange books on Wednesdays.
• Team Harmony has planned a school-wide celebration for Wednesday, January 25th between 8:15-8:45am.  We will meet in the gym to do jazzercise to celebrate filling our buzzy jar again as a school!
• Report Cards go home on Friday, January 27th.

Best,
Maria