Room D-6 News

Yesterday we made pumpkin pie at school. Each student got to help in some way. Some cracked eggs, others poured in ingredients, and some stirred and stirred. All the kids tried a slice of pie, and everyone liked it! A special thanks to Bertha Ross who spent her entire morning watching the pies in the oven. Thank you, Bertha!

Science Fair

This year MRES will host its first Science Fair! There will be a clinic after school this Friday to show you a completed project, help you narrow down your focus, and educate you on the requirements. Click here to download the packet.

11/9/09

Conferences Next Week

I will share your child's progress report with you at our fall conference. In effort to keep on schedule (25 minutes is never long enough!) please come prepared with any questions you may have. Thanks, and looking forward to chatting with you!

Friday is College Day
Wear your college t-shirt or sweatshirt on Friday!

Science Fair clinic this Friday
In an effort to offer support to all of our students who are thinking about entering the Science Fair we will host several Science Fair clinics after school. The first clinic will take place this Friday after school. The clinics are open to any students interested in getting help planning, brainstorming, and/or selecting a project. All students are welcome.

Coffee Chat with Dr. Newman this Friday
This Friday Dr. Newman will be hosting Coffee with the Principal in the library after Friday Flag. He will be providing updates about our school, sharing tips about how best to support your child at home, and answering your questions.

Dine out at Islands
Come and enjoy a meal with our school community at Islands this Thursday. A portion of all sales will go to our school. Islands is located at 12224 Carmel Mountain Road and the fundraiser takes place from 4PM to 9:30PM. Don’t forget to print out the flyer from the e-packet and bring it with you to the restaurant.

Recycling this Thursday
Our next recycling day will take place on Thursday, October 12th. Don’t forget to bring your cans and plastic bottles (please no milk cartons). This is a great way to help our planet, earn Butterfly Catches, and raise funds for our school.

Winter Wonderland and Family Craft Fair
On Thursday, Nov. 19th from 3-7pm we will host our first ever Winter Wonderland (MREF) Boutique and (PTA) Family Craft night. Come shopping at our own little boutique featuring MRES parents and their businesses/crafts. There will be great projects for the kids to do. We will also have a bake sale! All parents are welcome to participate and donate 20% of sales back to the school. We will decorate the MRES Adopt a Family tree. You can donate new, unwrapped toys and make greeting cards for seniors and military families! Special guest performances from Danceology. Bring the family for a very special evening!

PTA Helping Hands
The PTA ’s Helping Hands Committee is proud to support the Adopt A Family (ADAF) program. If you would like to adopt a family or a single child, please email roxands@yahoo.com. Feel free to choose a certain age, male or female. We can get you the perfect match! We will also need volunteers to host the ADAF tree at Friday flags, family nights, and before or after school.

11/3/09

Canned Food Drive

For the next 3 weeks, our school will be collecting non-perishable food items for our Canned Food Drive. Please look in your pantry for food items to donate. Cans of food, pasta, cereal, and peanut butter are just a few examples of great items to donate. Our student council is sponsoring this drive as part of this month's character pillar, Caring.

10/21/09

Oma's Pumpkin Patch & Farm field trip

Next Wednesday we head off to the farm. Please remember to pack a lunch for your child, and dress him/her in comfortable shoes and clothes. Mrs. Kane and I will be tie-dying the t-shirts this weekend, and will have them for you on Monday or Tuesday. The bus is scheduled to bring us back to school about 1:15; please plan to come a little early and stay a little late in case the bus is early/late. You can take your child home when we get off the bus.

Reading books

Next week I will begin assessing for our Fall Progress Reports. I need to assess each child individually in math and reading, so you can imagine how many days this takes! I will try my best to read with each reading group once or twice a week until my assessments are done, then we should be back to our regular schedule. Please continue to have your child read nightly. You can read with and to your child as well. Thanks!

Dad's Club

Like to design and fly paper airplanes? Like to spend time with your children? Like to wear your Halloween costume? Like ice cream? Well, if you said yes to any of these then you should come out to our Dad's Club event, next Thursday 10/29. Dad's (and uncles, grandpas, moms and others, too) Club is a great way to get dads involved in school. Meet us in the MP Room for a night of fun. Contests like furthest flight and best design could win you bragging rights. Don't miss out on this free event (sponsored by PTA).

New clever words

Corduroy taught the boys and girls two new important words, going and am. Make flashcards and play Memory, write them in the sand, use fun markers... anything to motivate your child to practice, practice, practice! Don't forget to practice his old words, too! Check the Reading page for a current list of words we know.

Halloween Party

Thanks to all who've already signed up to help at our Halloween party! This is a festive event and lots of fun. Those of you who signed up for the first shift (starting at 12:30) will help set-up while the students are at lunch until 1:00. Those who have the second shift will help us clean up and get our room back together. Feel free to dress in costume - as long as it's not too scary!! Siblings are welcome to join us in the fun.

Math rotations

So far, our math rotations seem to be going smoothly. The students enjoy their little "field trips" to another classroom, and come back with a smile on their faces! Each teacher is using Math Expressions to teach our core Kindergarten standards. The pacing is a little different in each class, and what each teacher is using to supplement her lessons with. I know each child will learn to their potential, and feel challenged at the same time. Homework will still be sent home, but my policy is the same - keep homework at home; no need to send it back.

9/29/09

Applesauce Day
We had a great time making applesauce on Friday. Thank you to the moms who came and cleaned, peeled and chopped apples! Only 2 kids decided not to try it; the rest of the kids ate it up! Many asked how they could make it at home. The recipe is simple. Chop apples up into bits, cook until mushy, and add a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar. Yum!

Fall Festival
A huge thank you is owed to LeeAnn Edwards and all the families who donated for our America booth at the Fall Festival. It was a huge success and it's all because of our hard working parent volunteers!

MAP (Measure of Academic Performance)
The students will be visiting the computer lab this week to take 4 MAPS tests. Hopefully you've had a chance to browse the PUSD EdTech central website I gave you last week to learn a little more about MAPS.

I will happily share the results with you once I get them back and have time to review it all. The assessments are broken down into sub-groups. There will be a lot of information, and that's great! It will help me plan my instruction as well as giving you, the parents, a focus for how you can help at home.

9/17/09

Corduroy goes home

Today Corduroy went home for the first time! I've told the students he doesn't like to just sit around and watch TV. He likes to ride bikes, build, pretend, read, play games, etc. He also likes to climb and investigate new things. Parents are absolutely allowed (and encouraged!) to "play along" with Corduroy's personality. Have fun when Corduroy comes to your house, and please return him the very next day. Thanks!

Corduroy's new words Corduroy taught the boys and girls two new important words, and and we. I will send home the guide for forming the letters along with the homework sheet for practicing at home tomorrow. Remember, don't stop practicing writing his words once the homework paper is filled up. Make flashcards and play Memory, write them in the sand, use fun markers... anything to motivate your child to practice, practice, practice! Don't forget to practice his old words, too!

Applesauce Day! On Friday, September 25 we will celebrate Johnny Appleseed's birthday by making applesauce! Tomorrow I will be sending home a note asking each child to bring in 1 apple. We will cut them up, cook them with sugar and cinnamon, and try homemade applesauce! (And, just so you know, I never make kids try the foods we cook in class. If your child doesn't want to try it, he/she does not have to.) If you can come in that day to help me, please let me know!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip On a couple weeks I will be sending home the permission slip for our first field trip. I will be asking for $13 IN CASH. ( Oma's Farm and Pumpkin Patch does not accept personal checks.) $6 goes towards the entrance fee for Oma's (students will get a hay ride, a water bottle, and a small pumpkin), $4 goes for the bus, and $3 covers the cost of the tie-dye shirt your child will receive (to keep!). Please return the signed slip and $13 cash by Friday, October 9th. There is a box to check on the form if you would like to chaperone. The bus will accommodate 10 chaperones. If you would like to chaperone, please arrange for younger siblings to have a babysitter - I need 100% of your eyes and ears on our students!! If more than 10 parents ask to chaperone, I will draw names. Thanks!

9/14/09

Box Tops For Education One of the easiest ways for you to support MRES is sending in box tops! Box tops are worth 10¢ each. General Mills, Pillsbury, Ziploc, Hefty, Huggies, Betty Crocker, Juicy Juice, and Gogurt all participate in BTFE. Clip those boxes and send them in! We will be having a school wide contest to see which class sends in the most Box Tops. Contest ends 10/16.

Win time with Mrs. Scioscia and Corduroy

I've donated a teacher experience called Banana Splits and Board Games. Your child can win an hour or so with Mrs. Kane and I playing games and eating yummy ice cream. Of course Corduroy will be there, too! You can purchase raffle tickets before and after school for a chance to win. Good luck!

Small Moment Stories We have begun a new unit in writing, personal narratives. In her book, Lucy Calkins quotes researcher Gordon Wells: "Constructing stories in the mind - or storying, as it has been called, is one of the most fundamental means of making meaning." She says, "If children are going to 'be at home' with literacy, they need to read, write, and talk the language that creates new worlds. So, for us, this unit is not only about storytelling, but is also about the sort of responsive listening that can lead us to gasp in empathy and laugh in delight at each other's stories." "Because our goal is to teach youngsters to retell a sequence of events with precise detail, and to write in such a way that a reader could follow those events, we decided that in this unit we would set children up to write very focused vignettes - what we call Small Moments - from their lives. "

You can support this unit at home by "speaking the language of stories", or storytelling. For example, when your child draws a picture of something he or she did, ask, "Tell me the story that goes with your picture." If your child says, "Oh, that's me skateboarding," then you can say, "Oh, so the story goes, 'One day I was skateboarding.' What did you do next? So, let's staple another piece of paper and put that!"

It would be great if you could have a spot in your home where your child has access to blank/lined paper, markers, crayons, pencils, and a stapler. Many of your kids have already begun to think like a writer. When something interesting happens, a writer says, "I should write a story about that!" You can help at home by modeling the same thinking. When your child spills his/her cereal, or loses a tooth, or wrestles dad on the carpet, or finally earns allowance because all the chores get done, say, "You should write about that today at school!"

Library The students visited the library for the first time last week. Each student self-selected a book to take home. Library books are due back by the following Tuesday. We will visit the library every week. Please help your child find a "library book spot" in your house where you will keep the library book. If you keep it in the same place, your child will build responsibility for keeping the book safe and always knowing where it is.

9/8/09

We need YOU!! In last week's e-packet, you received a flyer with some info about escrip. Each time you shop at an escrip merchant, our school earns money. Please visit PTA's site (link on my home page) to find out how to register your Ralph's Card (and others) for free money back to MRES!

Beginning Writer's Workshop Our first unit in writing is Launching Writers' Workshop. The lessons we will work on revolve around the logistics of Writers' Workshop, such as what do I do when I'm done writing, where do I store my work, what tools do I use, etc. as well as fundamentals such as the kinds of smart writing moves writers use.

Today we began Writer's Workshop under the guise that all writers have a story to tell. For some kiddos, that was a tricky concept! Some kids have never been asked to illustrate or even "write" about something that has happened in their life. Many have only drawn stick people, cats, hearts, rainbows, etc. or colored in coloring books. Now I am asking them to draw representational pictures - illustrations with details that tell a story! For example, if you remember a time when your dad took you to the park and watched you go down the slide, then your picture should show all those things.

Along with detailed pictures, the students will add writing that tells the story. For some students, labeling the picture with words such as slide (or "s" or any other letter they write!) is a challenging job. Kids who demonstrate proficient sound/symbol knowledge (i.e. that the word slide is spelled s-l-i-d-(e)) are encouraged to write sentences that tell the story. For example, "My dad took me to the park. I went on the slide. My dad watched me. I went around and around." We will spend the next week or so, and off and on throughout the entire year, on stretching words. This is what we call it when we say a word slowly and record the sounds we hear.

If your child is writing at home, here's a quick list of questions/prompts to help him/her along:

1. Think of a time that you want to write about. 2. Do you have that picture in your mind? Go ahead and illustrate that. 3. I see that you have a great illustration! Tell me about it. 4. Now you are ready for some words. What do you want your words to say? 5. After your child tells you the story, encourage them to write down those words.

If your child says, "But I don't know how to write that!" then say, "Just say its slowly and write down any sounds you hear." If your child records "nonsense" (oyndhhfhp), that's okay! We want all students to see themselves as writers, and...gibberish is a stage of writing! Sound/letter correspondence will come soon!

Math When we begin our full day schedule, math homework will start coming home. It is important for you to check your child's folder each day to look for math homework. Remember, homework is meant to be done and kept at home. No need to send back to school. Also, there may not be journal pages or homework accompanying each lesson. Many of the lessons are done with manipulatives or through math games. So, don't be alarmed if the papers come home sporadically.

Corduroy has two new words for us! Corduroy taught the students 2 new important words, the and to. I sent home the guide for forming the letters, along with the homework sheet for practicing at home. Remember, don't stop practicing writing his words once the homework paper is filled up. Make flashcards and play Memory, write them in the sand, use fun markers... anything to motivate your child to practice, practice, practice!

Guided Reading Books Next week I hope to begin reading instruction. Your child will bring home their very first kindergarten reading book! Please have your child read the book lots of times! If your child is not attending to the words (i.e. the book has been memorized and your child can read it with his eyes closed) make sure that he/she points under each word as it is read. Each time your child reads the book, make a checkmark on the white card which will be included in your child's book bag (don't re-write the title on the next line). And most importantly, return the book bag to school each day so I can trade out books and send another one home!

Gift wrap Fundraiser Tomorrow the students will attend their first assembly. The PTA will be presenting their gift wrap fundraiser program to the students. You should receive a packet tomorrow detailing the how/when/why/who of this fundraiser. Our school earns 50% of each item sold so it's a great money maker for us. Please consider calling on friends and relatives for their support!

8/24/09

Corduroy has 3 new words for us! Corduroy has given us 3 new words to learn: a, I and is. You and your child should practice these words at home. Practice writing them, hang them on the fridge and read them each time you see them, make them with magnetic letters, look for them in books, etc. It is very important to learn these words! Look for homework to help your child learn these words to come home soon!

8/21/09

'09/'10 Paperwork If you did not already print registration paperwork from your home computer, a manila envelope was sent home on Thursday. I need to collect 4 forms from each student: Registration, Signature Verification, Trip Permit (walk to park permission), and Attendance letter. Thanks to those who turned in all the forms!

Our First Day of School! Our class had a great first day of school! I am so proud of all the students for coming to school with a great attitude. I also appreciate all you parents! Thanks for making the transition so easy! (But I bet it wasn't so easy for you! How many of you cried in your car like I did on my daughter's first day?)

Kindergarten Folders On Thursday the students took home their kindergarten folder. This will be used in place of/in addition to a backpack. It should be brought to school each day. If you have a note for me, just place it in the folder and I'll see it (that's why we like the clear vinyl!). I am asking for $6 to cover the cost of these folders. Thanks to all of you who sent it in the following day!

Back to School Night Now that your child has started school, I'm sure you have a million questions. Back to School Night is my chance to tell you all about kindergarten. On September 3rd from 5:45 - 6:30pm, come to our class to hear all about my policies and procedures. We'll talk about celebrating birthdays, snacks, field trips, volunteering...and lots more. This meeting is for parents only, so it would be great if you could leave your children with a sitter.

8/17/09

Welcome to My Class! Welcome to kindergarten! In order to ease your student's anxiety (and probably your own!), the kindergarten teachers are hosting a Meet and Greet the day before school. On Wednesday, August 19th from 3:00 - 4:00pm you and your child are invited to come visit your new class! Meet your teacher and new classmates, and learn about the schedule and pick-up/drop-off procedures so that our first day of school runs smoothly! I know it will be tempting, but we will not take out any activities. Your job will be to learn where the bathrooms are, find your cubby, and say Hello to Corduroy. Parents - details about homework, field trips, snack/recess/lunch, birthdays, etc. will be presented at Back to School Night (9/3). I can't wait to meet you!

Drop off/pick up procedures The kindergarten playground will be open after 8:40 each morning. Kindergarten students that come to school before 8:55 may play on this playground. At 8:55, the line up bell rings. Our class will walk out of the kindergarten playground and line up in front of our door. If your child brings a backpack, please hang it up first before getting in line. Your child should have their green folder (I will hand these out on the first day of school), their lunch, and their snack (packed separately from lunchbox) while in line each morning. At 9:00, we will walk in and begin our day.

After school, students will be dismissed from the classroom door. Students attending ESS (on campus after school care) will be picked up at our door by an ESS aide. At 3:20, I will open our door and hand each student off to the approved pick-up person. Please let me know who that will be. If someone other than the normal pick-up person will be picking up your child you will need to let me know ahead of time. You can slip a note for me in your child’s folder or email me.

For the first 3 weeks of school, please follow the same procedures but note that dismissal will be at 1:40pm.

Volunteering at school Classroom and school wide volunteers are welcome and encouraged at Monterey Ridge! However, the safety of our students is of the utmost importance!! Therefore, each parent volunteer needs to have 2 forms on file with the office before any volunteering will be allowed. The first is a current, cleared TB test. TB test results are good for 4 years. Our district offers free TB testing for parent volunteers. Please check the Monterey Ridge homepage for a testing schedule under "For Parents." The second form you must complete is for Megan's Law. If you have already filled out this form at another school in PUSD, you can file it with the Monterey Ridge office and you will not be required to file another one. If you are a new volunteer, please complete and return the form to the office. You can print a form at home from the Monterey Ridge homepage, under "For Parents". The turn-around time for getting cleared for Megan's Law takes several weeks (especially at the beginning of the school year!) so my advice to any hopeful volunteers would be to get these forms to the office ASAP so they can begin processing them.

School Supplies I'm sure your children are anxious to purchase school supplies. Each grade level has a specific list of recommended supplies to purchase. You can find these supply lists on the Monterey Ridge home page. Some of the kindergarten classrooms at our school supply a special folder for your child to use in addition to/in place of a backpack (including me!). I will hand these special "take home" folders out on the first day of school. Your child will not need a backpack so purchasing one is not necessary.