Mrs. O'Connell's Class Connection

Thanks to all who have returned the form letting me know how your child will be picked up each day. If you are still holding onto yours, please send it to school at your earliest convenience.

For those who have indicated that they would like their child to be met by an older sibling anywhere other than the church parking lot, the teachers have been asked to have those children meet in the library, where they can be supervised. So, I will not be having the children wait for their siblings just outside our classroom door as previously planned. Please let the older siblings know that if they are meeting their 1st grade brothers or sisters, they need to head to the library to meet them. Sorry for the confusion!

If your child takes part in the Extended Day program, please let me know which days they will be attending via a brief note. Once we get our routine established, it is easy for me to remember who goes where, but in the meantime, the communication is helpful, especially if your child is just an occasional attendee.

Birthdays
If your child is celebrating a birthday, they may bring in a treat to share with the class. We have 9 boys and 7 girls, for a total of 16. Most like to bring in a few extra treats, so they can visit the other primary classrooms and Office. If your child has a summer birthday, feel free to choose a date in either September or May to celebrate.

A note on birthday party invitations...
If you would like me to distribute party invitations for your child's party outside of school, all the girls or boys in the classroom need to be included, to avoid hurt feelings. Thanks for understanding.

Have a great day!

Please see the note in your child's Home folder regarding uniforms for Friday, 9/2. Because of the extreme heat expected, gym uniforms and shoes may be worn tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to next week when forecast calls for temperatures in the '70s!

It is warm and sticky in here, so we took things quite slowly today! We are really looking forward to cooler days next week so we can go full speed ahead with academics. In the meantime, we are taking things slowly today -- working on the Word Wall Word shoebox project, practicing our prayers, reading stories, journaling, and beginning the first chapter in our Math book.

If you didn't get a chance to send in a shoebox yet, don't worry -- I had several extras, so no one was left out!

Thanks for remembering to send that daily, healthy snack. It is helpful if you put it in a separate pocket of the backpack, so your child knows what is for snack and what is for lunch.

Your child will begin bringing homework home next week. It may be in the form of a Phonics Take Home Reader booklet to read and do word work in, and sometimes a practice page in the Math workbook. When we begin working with the hardcover 1st grade Readers, they will come home twice weekly. Please help your child become responsible about returning all homework daily. On days that no homework is assigned by me, you can help your child by spending some time reading with them. You can find the homework posted on this blog each day.

In your child's shoebox, which came home today, you will find our first set of Word Wall words. They will come home with a couple of sets each week for the next few weeks, then one set a week when we complete the Kindergarten review unit. New words can be added to the box each week and brought out for review.

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Mrs. O'C

Homework for Tuesday:

Read I See! I See! aloud to an adult, then store it in your shoe box.

Parents, please sign and return the last page of the 1st grade curriculum letter in your child's Home folder.

If interested in the after school classes being offered, please return payment in a labeled envelope.

Enjoy the beautiful afternoon!

Homework:

Reread Look, Pat and Nan! aloud to an adult. Circle words that begin with n /n/ and c /k/.
Math Workbook p. 2.

Bring both books back to school on Thursday.

Inside the Home Folder, on the left "Stay Home" side, you will find a small pocket with the most recent High Frequency Word Wall words, that we are studying. They are can, at, and, look, the, and my. The children have been instructed to leave the pocket on the folder, and move these six new words into their Shoe Box, for occasional review.

I'm still missing a few of the following completed forms from a few:
Yellow 2-page Questionnaire
Final page of 1st grade curriculum letter, signed
Final page of School Handbook, signed (if your 1st grader is the oldest or only)

Please send these along at your earliest convenience.

In yesterday's blog post, one of the forms I requested you return was the signature page at the end of the St. Linus Handbook. I didn't realize at the time that you haven't yet received your handbook for this school year! Those will be distributed, I'm told, at Parent Orientation, scheduled for September 22nd at 7 p.m. Sorry for any confusion I caused!

Today we celebrated the birth of Mary by making birthday cards for her. That evolved into an lively discussion about God and weather. I learned from your children that when it rains, either God is taking a shower or the angels are crying for us and the sad things that are happening in the world. Wow! It is amazing to hear what your children think about.

Scholastic Books
Three Scholastic Books catalogs are in your child's Home Folder today. If interested, please return forms and payment by September 15th. If you would prefer to order and pay online, you can use our classroom code H3ZD8.

Thank you to Omar and Mrs. Zayyad, who brought in a big tub of animal crackers. They are perfect for those times when somebody forgot to bring in a snack.

Thursday Homework:
Math Workbook p. 3 Picture Graphs

Today we celebrated GraceLin's summer birthday. Happy Birthday, GraceLin!

Ten years ago this week, a fire damaged St. Linus Church. We talked about it in class today, even though the 1st graders were not yet born when this event occurred. We are grateful that no one was hurt and that our beautiful church has been restored.

We had a class discussion about this Sunday's 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our country. While a few of the children were only vaguely aware of the event, many have a lot of knowledge about the tragedy and have seen footage of the planes hitting the towers and Pentagon. It is important to share what we know and remember about that day with much sensitivity to what our youngest children are able to cope with. So much of the imagery from that day is graphic and frightening to 6-year-olds. Your children may have many questions and fears if they are overhearing current news stories about possible planned attacks.

If you get an opportunity next week, check out our swinging 1st grade monkeys in the hallway outside our room. We've added a writing/art project to the wall and some of them are pretty hilarious.

NO HOMEWORK. Have a wonderful weekend!

Homework:

Take Home Reader I Like to Do That!. Read 2x aloud to an adult and circle all the words that begin with the d /d/ sound.

No math homework today. We took our Chapter 1 Test together because it was our first one.

This week:

Wednesday is individual school picture day. Students should wear something appropriate for a photograph along with gym shoes. Gym uniforms probably aren't needed unless your child is in a dress. Please remember to send your child's order form with payment.

On Thursday, gym uniforms should be worn. Only older students who are in a St. Linus sport will be wearing their jerseys or cheerleading uniforms.

On Friday, the regular school uniform should be worn for group class photos.

Homework:

Reread Wet 2x aloud to an adult. Circle words that rhyme with wet.
Math Workbook, pgs. 5 and 6.

Reminder:
Tomorrow is individual school picture day. Please wear something appropriate for a photo and bring gym shoes to wear for P.E. Students also need to bring their picture day form/payment.

Everyone looked so fine for their individual school photos today. If you mistakenly did not send in your form today, no worries, your child's photo was still taken. Please send in the form and payment asap if you do intend to order school pictures.

Homework:
Math Workbook p. 7

Reminders:

Back to School/Parent Orientation Night is scheduled for Tuesday, September 27. We will meet first in the church at 7 p.m., then head to the classroom. Hope to see you there.

Please remind your child to use the bathroom at home in the morning before school. Many are asking just as we are settling into our morning work around 8:30 a.m. and tell me that they didn't use the bathroom since the night before. ??? Thanks for your help!

The official announcement came today -- St. Linus School has been named one of only 49 private elementary schools in the nation as a BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL! Hats off to all our students, parents, teachers, and administration who worked so hard to earn this recognition.
NO HOMEWORK TONIGHT!

Our class began Social Studies and Science this week. Science occurs in our own classroom and we switch with Mrs. Lehnerer's Room 14 for Social Studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

In your child's Home Folder you will find an order form for a Highlights magazine called Puzzle Buzz. If you would be so kind, please sign and return the form even if you have no interest in subscribing -- your participation will allow our class to receive a free gift or two, such as reward stickers or pencils. We can't have enough of those in here! Thanks!

Reminders:
Friday is picture day for classroom group photos. Your child needs to wear the regular St. Linus uniform.
If you are interested in ordering Scholastic Books using the forms sent home last week, please return your order with payment tomorrow.

READING
This week we are wrapping up Reading Unit 1, which is a kindergarten review. I will be giving the children a Unit Skills Test early next week. I expect that the majority of our class will perform really well on this assessment. You will notice a regular routine after September 26, as we get to work on Unit 2. The children will finally receive their first official hardcover Reader. We will focus on two selections weekly. The phonics skills selection will be read together on Mondays (usually) and your child will bring their Reader home to read it to you for Homework. On Tuesdays, the children will continue to bring home a mini Take Home Phonics Reader that will require some re-reading and word work. Those should be returned on Wednesdays. I'll send them back home as we are finished with them, and they can be stored in the Shoebox for occasional review. On Wednesdays, we read and discuss our Main Selection together, and once again, the Reader will be brought home so that your child can read and review the story with you. The students will have a weekly Selection Test on the Main Selection each Thursday.

SPELLING
Also beginning the week of 9/26, weekly spelling words are introduced on Mondays in class. We work with and play games with these words throughout the week. The words will be posted on this blog, and are an addition to the high frequency Word Wall words (sight words) that come home weekly for the shoebox. Please help your child learn both the spelling and shoebox words by practicing with them at home. Each Friday, there will be a 10-word spelling test, which will include the new spelling words (not the shoebox words.)

GRAMMAR
We have begun working in our Grammar and Writing Handbooks and you will see some of their early work next week. Once we begin Reading Unit 2, you will see graded Grammar work from their Handbooks coming home weekly. Some children are not used to frequent sentence writing and you may hear some complaints as they adjust. Please encourage them to do their best to complete all the sections on these pages to the best of their ability. Much of the early writing work is modeled for them, but my expectations for independent work will rise as they mature.

Reminders:

Any last-minute Scholastic Book orders? I will wait until Monday to place the order...

Don't forget to mark your calendar for our Back To School/Parent Night Orientation for September 27 at 7 p.m., in church.

Homework:

Math Workbook, p. 9

We're working with place value concepts (tens and ones) through 31.

Don't forget to return LIBRARY BOOKS on Tuesday.

If you have already purchased addition flashcards, now is a great time to begin practicing regularly on the addition facts. I'll be doing an addition assessment this week just to see where the children are at. In the weeks to come, we will begin weekly fact quizzes that will start with +0 and progress up to +1, +2, +3, etc. If you haven't already purchased flashcards, now would be a great time! I know you can find them at Target or Kmart, even Walgreens. You can also access and print out your own for free from many internet sources. Just Google addition facts flash cards and you will find many sources.

Homework:

Math workbook p. 10

Homework:
Math workbook, p. 11 Greater than or Less than.

Today, your child brought home their Unit 1 Reading Skills Test, which was a kindergarten review. Please look over their score sheet and go over any errors with them. For the reading comprehension section of this test, all the stories were read aloud to them. In the phonics section, the focus was on beginning sounds and rhymes. These were concepts introduced in kindergarten. As mentioned earlier, we begin Unit 2 next week, and there will also be a spelling test that includes 10 words each week, most often on Fridays.

Have a great day!

Homework:

Math workbook p. 12

Reminder:
To celebrate St. Linus Homecoming, students can wear our school colors - blue, gold, white - or any other St. Linus attire on Friday, 9/23. Our pep rally begins at 1:30 p.m. and parents are invited to attend.

Next week is SPIRIT WEEK to celebrate Hawktoberfest!

Monday is Pajama Day! (appropriate p.j.s, not sweats or jeans)
Tuesday is Crazy Hat Day! to be worn with the school uniform
Wednesday is Twin Day! Children may coordinate with one or more friends to dress as twins, triplets, or quadruplets. Wear gym shoes for P.E.
Thursday is Crazy Sock Day! to be worn with the gym uniform
Friday is Blue Ribbon Day! Wear blue!

On Monday, 10/3 Dr. Stritch is treating all to pizza in honor of our Blue Ribbon accomplishment!

Homework:
Reader: The Nap Read aloud to an adult. Please make sure your child packs their reader in their backpack when they are finished with it! They will be bringing it home on Mondays and Wednesdays most weeks.
Math Workbook p. 13 Ordinal Numbers

Here are the Spelling and High Frequency (shoebox) words for this week:

Spelling: at, ran, cat, an, sat, man, will, no, dad, mom

High Frequency: come, down, away, no, will

There will be a spelling test on Friday that will cover the 10 spelling words each week.

For help reviewing the words, visit the website www.spellingcity.com. Navigate the site to locate our class words, then mark it as a favorite and your child can play word games weekly to prepare for the test.

The High Frequency words will continue to come home on Mondays to be stored in their shoebox and reviewed frequently.

REMINDER
Tuesday, September 27 is Parent Orientation Night. We will meet first in the church at 7:00 p.m., then in our classroom. Your children are welcome to attend, if you'd like to bring them.

1st Quarter Progress Reports will be distributed on Friday.

Friday, 9/30 is a Ladies Guild Lunch Day. If you ordered McDonalds, please don't send a lunch that day.

Homework:

Mini Reader My Cat Read 2x aloud to an adult, circle words with a short a vowel sound and mark the vowel.
Math Workbook p. 14

Tonight is Back to School Open House. Hope to see you at 7 pm in church. Children welcome!

Homework:
Read Oh, Cats! in Reader aloud. Selection Test on Thursday (vocabulary and comprehension.)
NO Math Homework. We took a test today.

In Computers today, the children typed this week's spelling words to use as a study guide for Friday's test.

If you haven't already, please return the signature page of the St. Linus Handbook after you have had a chance to go over it. Your child received a handbook if they are the oldest or only student enrolled.

Reminders:
Thursday is Crazy Sock Day to be worn with gym uniforms.
Friday is Wear Blue Day to celebrate our National Blue Ribbon School recognition.
Friday is also a Ladies Guild Lunch Day (McDonalds). No FSP lunches will be served. Please do not send a lunch if you ordered from the Guild.

Have a great day!

Homework:
Study for our first spelling test tomorrow!
Math workbook p. 15

Wear blue tomorrow!

On Monday, Dr. Stritch is treating all to a pizza party, so do not send a lunch!