Upcoming Dates
Thursday, September 2nd: Back-to-School Night 6:15pm-7:00pm in Room 8
This is a mandatory informational meeting about our classroom procedures and curriculum plan for the year. There will be a PTO meeting in the MP room afterwards from 7:00pm-7:15pm.
Monday, September 6th: No School – Labor Day
Enjoy your three-day weekend!
Friday, September 17th: No School – Staff Learning Day
Teachers will be coming to school, but students have the day off!
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Dear Families,
Thank you to those of you who have given generous donations for our classroom! In addition to the kindergarten supply list, we ask each family to donate $150 (payable to Eaton Elementary School) in order to cover the costs for all the assemblies, field trips, projects, and activities we complete all year long. These programs are not possible without your donations. Currently, we have 2/3 of the class who has donated money. If you are financially able to help, please contribute to our classroom funds! We appreciate your support!
The Eaton PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) also is asking for a $175 donation (payable to Eaton PTO) to help plan school wide events and fundraisers such as Enrichment Day, International Night, Field Day, etc. They also use this money to pay for our amazing classified staff such as our instructional aide, art, music, library, primary PE, and computer teachers! In addition, these funds pay for technology, PE, and emergency supplies for our school! Please consider these donation opportunities, as they greatly help our school!
The first few days of school have been focused on class rules and procedures. Remember to look through and empty the daily yellow and blue folders each day. The work that goes home in the folders should have been completed at school. However, some students may bring back incomplete work. Please have your child finish the remainder of the assignment at home. You do not need to turn it back to me, but it should be finished for your child’s benefit. I also encourage you to take a few minutes every night to review the work with your child and have them tell you what they learned. Please reinforce these concepts at home, whether it’s math or language arts, or other subjects. If there are highlighter markings or notes on the papers, that is an area you can help your child learn. These are some suggestions on how to assist your child at home.
Students are learning to become more independent by unpacking and packing up each day, cleaning up after themselves, and finishing work on their own. I encourage you to let your child do the same at home. Practice giving directions once and have your child respond immediately. At school, some students are not listening to directions and need a lot of repetition. Practicing listening skills at home will help them at school! Also, we are working on following classroom rules when sitting on the carpet, working at the tables, lining up, and during recess or lunch. Last week, we took a tour of the Eaton campus to learn where the office, bathroom, library, computer lab, MP room, etc. is. Please make sure that your child is comfortable going to the bathroom by him/herself (closing the door, flushing, washing hands after, etc) and also is able to open and close their lunches or snacks. Thank you!
Here are some highlights from the week:
• Reading: We continued to read the Kissing Hand and its sequels. We made a handprint using paint to show what our Kissing Hands look like. Also, we have been learning the words to a book called, “We All Sing With the Same Voice,” which describes children around the world who are alike and different. Everyday, we read an alphabet story so that the students are learning their letters and different vocabulary words that begin with each letter.
• Language Arts: We have begun our phonics and handwriting lessons. We learned how to hold a pencil and how to use one-finger spaces. We have been writing our name on lined paper to practice proper letter formation. We worked on A, B, C, and D this week. We practiced big and small letters as well as saying their sounds. I use a highlighter to help the children with letter formations. Please practice at home all of the letters we work on at school! Please keep these ABC books and other 8½ x 5½ sheet booklets together in a safe place. These are called Kindergarten Keep Books and they will be part of our homework this year! In a few weeks, we will be making a box to store these books, but for now, please keep them organized in one place.
• Math: We completed the first chapter in our math book. The vocabulary words we learned included: top/middle/bottom, before/between/after, inside/outside, and left/right. Please look over the work that goes home and also review these concepts and vocabulary words with your child. We also did an art project about ice cream and practiced applying the concept of top/middle/bottom.
• Social Studies: We are learning about ourselves and our community. We drew a self portrait using as much detail as we could. We also completed a Kindergarten Keep Book about school. This book will be going in the boxes that we will be making.
• Art: We had a scissors lesson last week and learned how to properly hold scissors. We practiced cutting different types of lines and then made an art project to the poem, “Blue Sky, Yellow Sun.” We are learning how to glue along the edges of a paper without getting our fingers or the table sticky, and to not waste glue. We are also learning how to try our best when we draw, by outlining edges and coloring in completely.
• Fire Drill: On Thursday, we practiced our first fire drill. We talked about why we have to practice fire drills and other emergencies. We have to line up quietly when the fire bell rings and walk onto the field until we are excused. Some students are still learning where to stand in their ABC order, and to remember all the lining up rules (face forward, hands behind, quiet feet and mouths in line).
• Friday Centers: On Fridays, we will be having special centers where children work in small groups to complete activities. This is a time for children to interact and learn how to socialize with others by sharing, including, and treating others nicely. We are lucky to have Ms. Shama, a Kindergarten and upper grade aide, on Fridays during the small group sessions (9:00-10:35am and 1:10-3:05pm). At back-to-school night, I will be looking for a committed AM and PM parent helper who is comfortable managing and teaching a small group of children during centers. During Friday centers, I get to work with students individually on reading, comprehension, math skills, or language assessments.
• Assembly: We had our first assembly today from Mara the Storyteller! Her specialty is oral storytelling. We are working hard on being good listeners and being a good audience!
• Library: We will have our first Eaton library visit on Monday. Mrs. Glass, our librarian, reads us a story and then we get to read books during this time. For the first month, we will not be having the kids check out books on their own because it takes some time to learn the library procedures and how to choose an appropriate book. Therefore, if you would like to find books for your child at home, please visit the Cupertino Public Library. As a general rule, we have children browse for books, and if they cannot read more than 5 words on a page, then that book is too difficult. For now, alphabet books and picture books are great, unless you are reading to them (then it can be harder).
I am looking forward to meeting all of you next Thursday at Back to School Night! Please plan on attending. Have a wonderful weekend!
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