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Volume 1 Issue 4 |
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December 2008 |
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December 22,
2008 Dear Families: Happy
Holidays! It’s been a whirlwind of learning these past few weeks. We have
discussed and learned about the winter solstice and four holidays that
celebrate “light”. First, we learned about Hanukkah and what this holiday
means. We pretended to light a menorah and twirled our dreidels. Next, we
read stories about St. Lucia Day. Miss Jane Mitchell visited us during rest
time all dressed up in her white gown, red sash, and lighted crown of
candles. She passed out ginger cookies, which is part of the St. Lucia
tradition. Last week we found out that Kwanzaa means “first fruits” and that
African Americans celebrate the harvest in Africa. We also learned that at
Kwanzaa you light a Kinara with 7 candles as opposed to a menorah that has 8
candles and a leader candle. We made a special gift bag and made a candle out
of fruit, and then ate the candle! Today, we wore our pajamas and read the
book The Polar Express, which is all about the meaning of Christmas.
We each got a bell like the boy in the book to keep forever. We then drank
hot chocolate and ate cookies, just like in the book. As you can see we have
been very busy! I am sending home a few activities we didn’t get to finish
for your child to have fun with over the vacation. Our Holiday Performance is tomorrow
at 9:30. Our class is in the center of the stage. Please have your child wear
festive clothes but we have gym later in the day so bring a change of clothes
for your child to switch into after the show. Please bring your goodies for
the reception afterwards into the multipurpose room tomorrow morning and
place on the provided table. As we head into a new year, please
take the time to read to your child on a daily basis in a nice comfy, cozy
spot and celebrate the accomplishments each child has gained these past 4
months. We will start 2009 learning all about winter and hibernation using
the author Jan Brett and her story The Mitten as well as other
versions. We will also celebrate the Chinese New Year and Martin Luther King
Day. Please have a healthy and happy
holiday! Fondly, Beverly Green “At
one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell
silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no
longer hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for
me as it does for all who truly believe.” From
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg Information
about Kindergarten… §
My name is Beverly
Green. During the year I can usually be reached from 7:45-8:15am and after
school until 3:30 or 4:00 §
The school number is
423-7020 §
The school day runs
from 8:15-2:40. Our classroom assistant and I will meet the children at the
early childhood portion of the playground each morning. If it is raining we
will meet in the cafeteria §
Orientation day is
September 3rd from 9:30-10:30. While your child spends some time
with me in the classroom, parents are invited to speak with the school nurse,
fill out some forms, and meet our principal, Carrie Melucci §
The classroom is
usually hot. Please dress your child in layers with an appropriate t-shirt on
the bottom to make him/her more comfortable. This is true even in the winter §
Your child will need a
full-size
backpack that your child can zip and unzip by themselves, practice with your
child before school begins §
Please put your
child’s name on all clothing and items (coats, boots, backpacks, lunchboxes,
etc.) §
A small blanket
and a small pillow will be needed for rest time (beach
towels work the best!). You will also need a washable bag that can be hung up
to hold the rest items. Please make sure your child can independently put his
or her things into the bag §
Please bring in an
extra change of clothes in case of spills or bathroom accidents §
Please have your child
wear buckle or tie shoes. Sandals or flip flops are dangerous on the
playground equipment and cause problems during our very busy days §
Your child will need
two healthy snacks and drinks each day. Please put the snacks in a separate
container from your child’s lunch with a label to help both your child and me
to distinguish among them. Please make sure your child can manage opening and
closing the lunchbox by themselves, some boxes can be tricky §
I have a web page
(K-2) on the school web site (jamestownri.com/school) that I update every
month §
I look forward to
meeting each and every one of you in September!
Classroom Rules and Discipline Throughout the school year I will be using the following terms: Be Kind - This is the emotional aspect of being nice and respectful to others. For example: saying kind words, being helpful, etc. Be Gentle – This is about the physical motions for others sake. For example: gentle hands, gentle voices. Be Safe – This is the physical safety of themselves as well as others. For example: walking feet, staying with the group, etc. Rules: • Eyes and ears on the speaker. • Participate in all activities (even clean up). • Raise your hand if you have something to say when in a large group. • In lessons and activities, keep a quiet and still body, hands and feet to yourself. • Use low, inside voices. • Use walking feet at all times. • Be silent in the hallways unless you need to speak with a teacher. • Remember to always Be Kind, Be Gentle, and Be Safe. For the safety and consideration of all students, it is expected that your child will follow the classroom rules. Please review these rules with your children at home. Kindergarten children often make mistakes. That is okay; mistakes are often how young children learn. Everything in our kindergarten class is a learning experience; however, there will be consequences for not following the rules. • The first two times a child makes a mistake, he/she will be spoken to (never yelled at) about what they did wrong and what they could have done differently. • The third time with the same mistake will result in a time out as well as explanations of what they did wrong and what could have been done differently. These timeouts will last no longer than 5 minutes. • The fourth time the same rule is not followed I will write or phone home the parents. • If the problem persists, the school behavior specialist will become involved and assist with the issue. This may seem like a lot for kindergarten, but I want all the children to feel safe, comfortable, and have a positive experience in the classroom. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these rules and discipline techniques please contact me at your convenience. Thank you. |
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