Weekly News

We have one more week before winter break, and it is going to be a busy one!

Winter Break

Winter break is from December 20-January 4.  We will return to school on Monday, January 5.

Gingerbread Houses

For the last couple of weeks, we have read several versions of the Gingerbread Man.  As a class, we have discussed how the various stories are similar and different.  The culminating activity for this unit is decorating Gingerbread houses.  We will do this on Friday, December 19.  I need a little help.

     -If you are available early in the week to come in and help construct the gingerbread houses.

     -We need jars of frosting in various colors.  

     - Last call for leftover Halloween candy!

     - We will need Marshmallows, waffle pretzels, M&Ms, etc.

     -Popsicle sticks for spreading frosting.

     -Volunteers to come in and help!

If you can help with any if these, please let me know.  

Thank you!

Pajama Day!

In addition to decorating gingerbread houses on Friday, we will also have pajama day!  Everyone is invited to wear their favorite pajamas to school for a fun, comfy-cozy day!  

Exercise Balls

A HUGE Thank You to our PTO!  Our classroom was selected for grant money.  With our money, I purchased exercise balls to replace chairs in the classroom.  We have 6 balls in the classroom.  I put them at one center so everyone has a chance to sit on them.  The children seem to enjoy them.  If things continue to go well with the exercise balls, I would ultimately be interested in replacing all chairs with exercise balls.  

Assessments

Next week we will be administering the district literacy assessment.  

Gingerbread Man

On Monday, we read The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone.  After the story, we created a Brace Map which helps us think and talk about the parts of the Gingerbread Boy.  As always, the children eagerly participated in the discussion and remembered some very important details!

Mitten Tree

Legacy Elementary Student Coucil has put up a Mitten Tree.  Students are encouraged to bring in new mittens, scarves, gloves or hats to hang on the mitten tree.  The items collected will be donated to a support organization that can supply families with the items they need to stay warm this winter.

Weekly News

Book Orders

The deadline for book orders has been extended to Monday, December 8.  I will place the order that night and the order will be here before winter break.  When you purchase $10 of books, you can select a book valued at up to $5 for free!  If you order online, use coupon code CVC97JW.

Report Cards

Report cards for the first trimester are available on Infinite Campus (https://ic.svvsd.org/campus/portal/stvrain.jsp). The report card indicators can be found at https://drive.google.com/a/svvsd.org/file/d/0B_M8gCx2vvngTXh6QjZESHplWWc/edit.  The indicators describe specifically which skills were considered when the children were graded.  

Let me know if you have any questions.

Winter Assessments

We will be administering the winter assessments the week before winter break.  Please remember to practice letter recognition, letter sounds, and sight words with your student to help them prepare and read with them every night.  This will help students work through the assessment with less anxiety.

Gingerbread Man

Today we read The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth and The Gingerbread Cowboy by Janet Squires.  After reading the stories, we made a Double Bubble Map comparing the two stories.  The kids listened carefully and were eager to share their ideas about the stories!  

Book Orders

The deadline for book orders has been extended!  I can accept book orders through Monday, December 8 and the books will be delivered before break.  These books make terrific (and inexpensive) stocking stuffers and gifts.  If the books you order are a gift, please let me know and we will make arrangements for delivery.

BONUS:  When you spend $10 or more on a book order, you get a free book worth up to $5!  If you order online, the coupon code is CVC97JW.

Book Orders

Happy Thanksgiving break!  I hope you will enjoy a week of rest and valuable time with your family.  

I intended to send book orders home on Friday, but did not get them out.  Books from the book orders can be inexpensive, but priceless gifts.  Not only does your child have a book they can enjoy,  it they also get valuable time sharing the book with you.  

If you are interested in purchasing books, please visit https://clubs2.scholastic.com.  There are 2 ways to order.  You can browse online and let me know via email which books you would like (pickett_jenny@svvsd.org) or you can order online.  Our class code is  HK26F.  If you would like the books to be a gift, let me know.  I'm happy to make special arrangements for pick up when the books arrive.  

Please place orders by Wednesday, December 3 so we are sure the books will arrive before winter break.  

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

Pumpkin pies!

We had a wonderful time making pumpkin pies today!  Thank you to everyone that contributed!  We learned words like recipe and ingredients.  We talked about the difference between a dry measuring cup and a liquid measuring cup.  We talked about the different sizes of measuring spoons and why it is important to use the correct measuring spoon when making a recipe.  The best part was eating our creation!  

Here is the recipe in case you would like to try it at home:

1/2 can of pumpkin pie filling

1 small package of instant vanilla pudding

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup of milk

Combine ingredients, mix well, and put into either 1 large graham cracker pie crust or 6 individual graham cracker pie crusts.

Weekly News

Today we visited the School Store!  Based on the number of Golden Paws they have earned, they were able to purchase a treasure!  We will be able to visit the School Store again in two weeks.

On Monday we will be making Pumpkin Pies!  This is a fun, no-cook recipe that kids enjoy.  If you are able to help with any ingredients, I would certainly appreciate it.  We need a quart of milk, 3 cans of pumpkin pie filling, 4 boxes of INSTANT vanilla pudding, and 5 packages of personal graham cracker crusts (found on the baking aisle near the pie fillings).  If you are able to send in an ingredient, please send me an email by Sunday night.  Thank you!

The canned food drive continues through November 17.

The school's lost and found area is overflowing!  Please check for any lost items next week.  At the end of next week, anything in lost and found will be donated.

On Wednesday, we read Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens.  After reading the book, we compared the bear and the hare, and created a Double Bubble Map.  

Cold Weather

Obviously, the cold weather has arrived.  Please dress children appropriately for the cold weather including coats, gloves, hats, and boots.  Please write your child's name on each piece of clothing.  We will be going outside for recess even when it is cold outside.  

After experiencing the cold first-hand, we came in and made a Circle Map about things we need in the cold or things we can do in the snow.  The kids did a great job!

Canned food drive

From now until November 17th the school is participating in a canned food drive.  The class that donates the most food will win a PIZZA PARTY!  

Halloween Candy

Please bring any unwanted Halloween candy to school.  Before winter break, we will use the candy to decorate "gingerbread" houses.

Making shapes!

We spent time today making shapes with our bodies.  The kids had a great time with this activity!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween!  I hope you enjoy a fun, safe night of trick-or-treating!

Halloween Party
A HUGE thank you to all the parents that contributed and helped with the Halloween Party today!  The kids had a great time playing BINGO, decorating cookies, making spoon puppets, and walking on a spider web.

Lockdown Drill
This morning, after the Halloween Party, the school had a lockdown drill.  The children did a great job of listening and following directions.

Homework 
I realized after the kids left today that I forgot to include the poetry for homework.  I will send it home on Monday.

Next week we will be studying pumpkins.  Please remember that Wednesday is a late start day so kids will need to arrive at school at 11:30.

Weekly news

5th Grade Buddies
On Wednesday, we went for a nature walk with our 5th Grade Buddies.  We walked around collecting various leaves.  When we returned to the classroom, we compared and contrasted the leaves.  The 5th Graders also taught the kindergarteners about the water cycle and how the weather changes in autumn. 

Red Ribbon Week
Next week is Red Ribbon Week.  During Red Ribbon Week, we encourage kids to stay away from drugs and lead a healthy lifestyle.  Students are asked to participate by wearing red on Monday, October 27, wearing red, white, and blue on Wednesday, October 29, and wear sweats on Friday October 31.

Trick-or-Treat Night
Thursday, October 30 from 6:00-7:30, Legacy will be holding its annual Trick-or-Treat night.  Trust me...you do not want to miss this!  The teachers dress up in costume and give treats away.  There are also a number of activities in the building to participate in.  I look forward to this night every year!  The sign up page has already been sent home, but if you need another one, I will be happy to get one for you.  I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Halloween Party
We will have a Halloween party WITHOUT COSTUMES on Friday, October 31.  We will have several fun activities in the room.  Students are welcome to bring treats to school to share.  One of the stations will be decorating cookies.  I need plain sugar cookies and orange frosting.  If you are willing to donate these, it would be very much appreciated.  Let me know if you plan to send cookies or frosting.  If you would like to volunteer for the party, let me know.  Thank you!

Late Start
The next Late Start day is Wednesday, November 5.  School will start 11:30 that day. 

The Week In Review

Happy Friday!
We had a wonderful week learning about Autumn.  We learned that Autumn and Fall are the same season!  We will continue learning about Fall next week as well.  Next week we will focus on scarecrows.

Good news!  We will go to the library on Monday.  We have missed our library time for two weeks because of the book fair and hearing/vision testing.  I know the children will be excited to check out new books.

There will be NO SCHOOL next Friday, October 17.  This is a conference compensation day for teachers.

Picture re-take day will be Friday, October 24.

I also have it on good authority that the Legacy Elementary Halloween party will be Thursday, October 30 from 6:00-7:30.  I highly recommend this event!  The children are invited to dress in their Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat around the building.  The teachers also dress up in costumes!  The trick-or-treating is just the beginning.  There are a number of fun and exciting activities around the school to participate in.  I hope to see you there!

Halloween is on a Friday this year.  Although we will have a class party that day, students are NOT to wear costumes to school (that's what the big party the night before is for).  If you would like to volunteer for the party, let me know.

Have a great weekend!

A Few Items

Vision and Hearing Screening
The children will be participating in the district's annual vision and hearing screening on Monday, October, 6. 

Lexia and MyOn
On Friday, I sent home a paper with information on Lexia and MyOn as well as log-in information.  The children work on the Lexia program in the computer lab on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Lexia provides opportunities to practice various reading skills.  MyOn offers books online.  The children can read a book on the computer, or have the book read to them.  If they come to a word they do not recognize, they can click on the word and the program will read it to them.  These programs are excellent and support the skills we are learning in the classroom.  Please help your child learn to log-in by pointing out which keyboard keys they need to push.  It is important that they log-in with your support.  Thank you for your help with this!

Volunteers needed
Two volunteers are needed: 
One person is needed to help with Friday Folders on Fridays. 
One person is needed to tear pages out of the math notebooks.  This can be on either Monday or Wednesday of this week. 
Please let me know if you are interested in helping.  Thank you!

Applesauce

This morning, we made applesauce in class.  The children really enjoyed being part of this activity!  At the end of the day, each child was given a portion of the applesauce they helped make.  Most of the class enjoyed their applesauce.  In case you are interested, here is the recipe:

8 medium apples
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Peel and chop up the apples, and put them in a crock pot.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Cook on high for 5 hours stirring occasionally.  It will make your house smell wonderful and the applesauce is a tasty treat!

Enjoy!

Important Dates

Wednesday, October 1 will be a FULL DAY for kindergarten.  This was previously scheduled to be a Late Start day, but that has been cancelled.  We will be in school during normal hours from 9:00-3:40.

We will not have school on Friday, October, 17.  This is a conference comp. day for teachers.  Enjoy a long weekend!

Exciting Day!

Today was an exciting day!  At the end of the day, Mrs. Davis's fifth grade class visited our classroom.  Children in our classroom selected a partner from Mrs. Davis's class.  Together, they read colorful picture books.  Kindergarteners were thrilled to have one on one time with "the big kids"!  The fifth grade students enjoyed being the "teacher".  We will meet with Mrs. Davis's class on a regular basis to read books and do projects.  Please spend a few minutes talking with your child about this exciting experience!

Weekly News

Conferences
Today I sent home notices about parent-teacher conferences.  If the date and time on the notice is not going to work, please let me know.  In addition to conferences, the Book Fair will be in the library from September 29-October 2nd. 

Apples
For the next two weeks, we will be learning about apples.  This is always a fun and exciting unit for children!  On Monday, September 29, we will make applesauce!  Each child will contribute by peeling their own apple (using a Pampered Chef apple peeler-corer).  I look forward to making applesauce with the children every year!  We will also conduct several science experiments using apples. 

As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
Mrs. Pickett

Monday

Our classroom is a busy place!

Shelter in Place Drill
Today the school had a Shelter in Place drill.  It was just a drill.  This took place toward the end of the day while the students were in the art room.  They did a fantastic job of following directions and staying quiet so the teachers could listen for announcements.  I do not believe this was scary for any of the kids, but it is something you could talk to them about.

Volunteers
I am welcoming volunteers into the classroom.  If you are available and interested in helping in the classroom during the day, let me know.

Library
We did not go to the library today.  The librarian was not feeling well and left early.  I hope she feels better soon and we will return to the library next week.

Reading
We started reading groups today.  The kids did an amazing job!  Some students are ready to start the take home reading program.  I think I will send books home on Friday.  I will start students on the take home reading program when they know at least 18 letter and 15 sounds.  Keep practicing at home!

Take Home Games
I think I will start this program on Friday as well.  Look for a fun game to come home on Friday!

Pro Kids

This afternoon, the children attended the Pro Kids assembly.  They thoroughly enjoyed it!  Now it's your turn!  There will be a Pro Kids presentation tonight at 6:30 in the gymnasium.  Everyone is invited (and even encouraged) to attend!  The kids will enjoy sharing this presentation with you.  Enjoy!

A Few Items...

Library: On Monday, our class was able to check books out of the library for the first time!  The children will be able to check one book out at a time.  Since Monday is our library day, please return the books by Monday so the kids can check out a new book.  Some of the children seemed a little confused with the check-out system.  They did not understand that they would need to bring the books back when they were done with them.  Please take a minute to talk to them about this so they understand how the library works.  Thank you!

Donations: Kindergarten would appreciate any donation of copy paper.  Thank you for your help with this!

Conferences:   If you have not yet signed up for conferences, please let me know which evening you would like to come in.  I will be available for parent-teacher conferences from 4:00-7:40 September 30, October 1, and October 2. 

Thank you!

Thank you to all the families that came to the parent orientation meetings!  I enjoyed an opportunity to talk to you about an exciting year in kindergarten.  I welcome all feedback on the orientation meetings.  Of course, if you have any questions, you are welcome to call or send an email (email is the easiest way to communicate with me). My email address is pickett_jenny@svvsd.org.


Thank you, and I look forward to a wonderful year!
Jenny Pickett

Short Week!

Next week is a short week.

We will not have school on Monday, September 1 because it is Labor Day.

Wednesday, September 3 is a late start day.  Children will not come to school until 11:30.  We will dismiss at 3:40.

Friday, September 5-we will keep our regular Friday schedule: 9:00-11:40

Enjoy the long weekend!
Mrs. Pickett

Parent Orientation

You are invited to Mrs. Pickett's Parent Orientation!
This meeting will NOT be the same meeting you went to while the children were being assessed.  This meeting will provide information specific to our classroom.  Please plan to attend one of the meetings.

Wednesday, September 3
6:00 pm
Mrs. Pickett's classroom

Thursday, September 4
10:00 am
Mrs. Pickett's classroom

Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you at orientation!

Mrs. Pickett

Individual Picture Day

Friday, August 22 is Individual Picture Day.  If you wish to purchase pictures, please send in the picture envelope. 

Fundraiser Information

"Hello Parents:

I'm sending you this to tell you about the fund raiser the school is currently running.  Due to increased budget cuts, this year's fund raiser is very important to the school.  The catalog you received from your child is full of goodies for your home.  The school receives 40-50% from all items purchased, depending on the product.  The money this year will be going to help support school field trips, teacher grants and free student events.  Any support you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

PTO"

Welcome!

Welcome to Kindergarten!  I am so excited to have your children in my class.  We are going to have a wonderful year!

Let me tell you a little about myself.  I have been teaching for 15 years.  I have been teaching kindergarten for most of my career.  Kindergarten is my favorite!  Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and 2 boys (6 and 8 years old).  I also enjoy working with my family's horses.  In December I will graduate with my Master's Degree in Education:Reading.

There is a lot going on so please visit this blog regularly for the latest news and up to date information.  You are also welcome to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  The best way to get a hold of me is via email.  My email address is pickett_jenny@svvsd.org.

 I will be holding 2 parent orientation meetings.  These meetings are important because I will provide important information about our classroom and the learning kids will be doing throughout the year.  This is not the same information, you received while the children were being assessed before school started.  Please plan to attend one of the parent orientations.  Information at these orientations will be extremely helpful as the year progresses. Keep an eye out for an invitation to the orientation meetings.

Individual picture day is this Friday!  Please sent in picture envelopes if you wish to purchase pictures.

Thank you and keep an eye out for more information on this blog!

Mrs. Pickett