We are heading into our last week before Spring Break. I always feel like after we return from Spring Break, the weeks just fly by. We have a lot to pack in during our remaining 45 school days, so keep supporting your children at home by reinforcing concepts and doing lots of reading & writing.
Classroom Help
I added more dates to the Sign-Up Genius for parent volunteers in April.
Field Trip
We have a field trip coming up on April 24th! We will be going to Prusch Farm Park. This is always a great trip, as there are often baby animals to see at this time of year. We will also go on a hay ride and look at their crops. A permission slip for this field trip will come home in this week's Wednesday envelope. There will be two permission slips: one from Union School District, and one from the City of San Jose. The city's permission slip is a general form they use for all sorts of city activities (and for all ages, including adults) to gather information about those who participate in city programs. Please do not feel like you need to fill out the entire form for the city. Please read through the information we're attaching to the permission slips about which boxes are required on the city form.
Field Trip Chaperones
While we wish we could take all who wish to go on this trip, we are very limited on space due to the farm's restrictions and can only take 4 parents per class. If you are interested in chaperoning, please read through this document carefully.
Spring Fling
This Thursday the 4th we have a special event called Spring Fling. We will use both the indoors and outdoors for the activities. Children will do STEAM activities and various crafts and activities. Parent helpers for this event, please arrive at 12:20, just like at center time. Thank you!
This Week In Class
Language Arts
Our sight word this week is here. We will continue reading books with a Spring-theme this week.
We will continue to focus on digraphs in Fundations, particularly sh, ch, wh, th, and ck. Parent tips for this unit can be found here.
Math
We will continue with Module 4: Number Pairs, Addition & Subtraction to 10. We will spend the remainder of this school year on subtraction, then move to addition & subtraction word problems and fluency. Parent tips for this module can be found here.
STEAM
We had another fun visit to the Makerspace last Wednesday, where we worked with Strawbees again. We had a 3D shape challenge, and first built one cube as a group, then a cube that they could fit inside. Challenge #2 proved to be quite difficult. This week, our STEAM activities will be at Spring Fling, and we will head back to the Makerspace after Spring Break.
Reminders
**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.
**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your Bulldog t-shirts to show your school pride
This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday:
Tuesday: Centers @ 12:20 (Marianne & Amanda)
Wednesday: Library @ 8:30 (Zachery & Francesca, Makerspace, Dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday: Spring Fling @ 12:20 (Raji, Kaela, Janelle)
Friday: Music @ 12:30
Upcoming Events
Thursday, 4/4: Spring Fling
4/8-4/12: Spring Break
Wednesday, 4/24: Field trip to Prusch Farm
Friday, 4/26: AV Family Dance
Friday, 5/3 @ 5:00: Kindergarten Movie Night
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Week of March 18th
We are looking forward to returning to centers this week! Center time allows me to instruct children in a small group setting, while other students are doing crafts, projects, and educational games with parent helpers. There are a few future openings for centers and library readers on the Sign Up Genius. I've also added a new special event to the sign up, Spring Fling. This is a fun event with Spring-themed crafts and activities that will be on Thursday, 4/4. I hope some of you can join us!
We had a lot of fun on Thursday with the leprechaun traps. The kids were so creative and were true engineers! I look forward to hearing back from them on Monday about what happened to their traps. We also have a trap set up in our classroom, so we'll see what happens over the weekend!
Language Arts
Our sight word this week is said. This is another "heart word." Children should know the beginning sound and the ending sound from their phonics knowledge, but the middle ai is the part they will need to learn "by heart."
We will be reading a lot about rainbows this week, both fiction and non-fiction books. By the end of this week, you should be hearing many rainbow facts from your children.
Math
This week, we return to Module 4: Number Pairs, Addition & Subtraction to 10. We will spend the upcoming weeks on subtraction, then move to addition & subtraction word problems and fluency. Parent tips for this module can be found here.
STEAM
We will take our first trip to the Makerspace on Wednesday, and will be working with Strawbees. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) activities give the students an opportunity to work together to create, as well as solve problems. We look forward to getting started in the Makerspace!
Reminders
**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.
**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your Bulldog t-shirts to show your school pride
This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday:
Tuesday: Centers @ 12:20 (Naira & Marianne)
Wednesday: Library (Phil & Gina), Makerspace, Dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday: Centers @ 12:20 (Need helpers)
Friday: Music, Clay
Upcoming Events
Saturday, 3/23 2:00-4:00: USD Health & Wellness Fair @ UMS
4/8-4/12: Spring Break
Friday, 5/3 @ 5:00: Kindergarten Movie Night
We had a lot of fun on Thursday with the leprechaun traps. The kids were so creative and were true engineers! I look forward to hearing back from them on Monday about what happened to their traps. We also have a trap set up in our classroom, so we'll see what happens over the weekend!
Language Arts
Our sight word this week is said. This is another "heart word." Children should know the beginning sound and the ending sound from their phonics knowledge, but the middle ai is the part they will need to learn "by heart."
We will be reading a lot about rainbows this week, both fiction and non-fiction books. By the end of this week, you should be hearing many rainbow facts from your children.
Math
This week, we return to Module 4: Number Pairs, Addition & Subtraction to 10. We will spend the upcoming weeks on subtraction, then move to addition & subtraction word problems and fluency. Parent tips for this module can be found here.
STEAM
We will take our first trip to the Makerspace on Wednesday, and will be working with Strawbees. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) activities give the students an opportunity to work together to create, as well as solve problems. We look forward to getting started in the Makerspace!
Reminders
**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.
**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your Bulldog t-shirts to show your school pride
This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday:
Tuesday: Centers @ 12:20 (Naira & Marianne)
Wednesday: Library (Phil & Gina), Makerspace, Dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday: Centers @ 12:20 (Need helpers)
Friday: Music, Clay
Upcoming Events
Saturday, 3/23 2:00-4:00: USD Health & Wellness Fair @ UMS
4/8-4/12: Spring Break
Friday, 5/3 @ 5:00: Kindergarten Movie Night
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Week of March 11th
I have enjoyed meeting with most of you already for parent-teacher conferences, and I am looking forward to meeting with a few more of you this week-- it's great to share your child's successes with you. It's hard to believe that we are already in our last trimester of kindergarten. The time will pass quickly in these last 3 months, and before you know it, we will be moving on to first grade! After we meet, please be sure to praise your children for the progress they've made, and also continue to support them in areas where they still need reinforcement to meet end-of-year standards. If you need to confirm your time next week, click here. Remember that the 1:15 dismissal time will continue through Wednesday the 13th, with only Thursday being a 1:40 dismissal day this week.
There will continue to be no centers this week due to parent-teacher conferences. We do have library (as usual) on Wednesday, and our special leprechaun trap making activity on Thursday at 12:20. Thank you to Fiorella, Gina, Kristen, and Ryan for helping with the leprechaun traps.
Auction Update
The AVHSC Auction last week was a successful fundraiser and they exceeded their fundraising goal by over $5000! Our kindergarten movie night was also very popular, and 18 students in our class will be joining in for the event on May 3rd. The AVHSC has generously agreed to reopen ticket sales for a few more days in case you missed the auction last weekend & would like your child to join in. The final cut-off (no exceptions!) will be this Friday the 15th. Here is the link if you're interested in one of the remaining 5 tickets: https://altavistahsc.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/9451
Language Arts
Our sight words this week are you and your. We call both of these words "heart words" because they have a part in them (ou) that is not decodable with our regular phonics rules.
We are in the 5th week of Unit 3 of Fundations this week. The children are doing very well with blending sounds to read & spell CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words.
Math
We are continuing Module 5: Numbers 10-20; Count to 100 by 1s and 10s. We've already covered the counting portion of this module, so our focus now is writing and decomposing numbers in the teens. Parent tips for this module can be found here. We will return to Module 4 for the subtraction portion of that module the following week.
Upcoming Events & Activities
Leprechaun Traps: This Thursday, 3/14, children will be designing and creating their own leprechaun traps! We will send the traps home with the children on Thursday since St. Patrick's Day is on a Sunday. I look forward to hearing about what happened to their traps when they return to school on Monday!
School Spirit Day-- Wear Green: Also on Thursday the 14th, there is a schoolwide Spirit Day. Wear green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early!
No School Friday the 15th: Union School District Professional Development Day.
USD Health & Wellness Fair 3/23, 2:00-4:00pm: Hosted at Union Middle School, the fair will include many health and wellness centered activities, exhibits, and resources. Members of our community's first responder agencies, medical organizations, and wellness groups will join with activities highlighting sports, movement and exercise, healthy nutrition, bicycle safety, animal-assisted therapy, and much more. You'll also be able to enjoy exciting live student music and dance performances and a special student creativity showcase highlighting inspiration, imagination, and Technicolor Dreams.
This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday: Conferences, Dismissal @ 1:15
Tuesday: Conferences, Dismissal @ 1:15
Wednesday: Library @ 8:30 (Kaela, Aida)
Thursday: Leprechaun Traps (Fiorella, Gina, Kristen, and Ryan), Dismissal @ 1:40
Friday: No School
There will continue to be no centers this week due to parent-teacher conferences. We do have library (as usual) on Wednesday, and our special leprechaun trap making activity on Thursday at 12:20. Thank you to Fiorella, Gina, Kristen, and Ryan for helping with the leprechaun traps.
Auction Update
The AVHSC Auction last week was a successful fundraiser and they exceeded their fundraising goal by over $5000! Our kindergarten movie night was also very popular, and 18 students in our class will be joining in for the event on May 3rd. The AVHSC has generously agreed to reopen ticket sales for a few more days in case you missed the auction last weekend & would like your child to join in. The final cut-off (no exceptions!) will be this Friday the 15th. Here is the link if you're interested in one of the remaining 5 tickets: https://altavistahsc.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/9451
Language Arts
Our sight words this week are you and your. We call both of these words "heart words" because they have a part in them (ou) that is not decodable with our regular phonics rules.
We are in the 5th week of Unit 3 of Fundations this week. The children are doing very well with blending sounds to read & spell CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words.
Math
We are continuing Module 5: Numbers 10-20; Count to 100 by 1s and 10s. We've already covered the counting portion of this module, so our focus now is writing and decomposing numbers in the teens. Parent tips for this module can be found here. We will return to Module 4 for the subtraction portion of that module the following week.
Upcoming Events & Activities
Leprechaun Traps: This Thursday, 3/14, children will be designing and creating their own leprechaun traps! We will send the traps home with the children on Thursday since St. Patrick's Day is on a Sunday. I look forward to hearing about what happened to their traps when they return to school on Monday!
School Spirit Day-- Wear Green: Also on Thursday the 14th, there is a schoolwide Spirit Day. Wear green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early!
No School Friday the 15th: Union School District Professional Development Day.
USD Health & Wellness Fair 3/23, 2:00-4:00pm: Hosted at Union Middle School, the fair will include many health and wellness centered activities, exhibits, and resources. Members of our community's first responder agencies, medical organizations, and wellness groups will join with activities highlighting sports, movement and exercise, healthy nutrition, bicycle safety, animal-assisted therapy, and much more. You'll also be able to enjoy exciting live student music and dance performances and a special student creativity showcase highlighting inspiration, imagination, and Technicolor Dreams.
This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday: Conferences, Dismissal @ 1:15
Tuesday: Conferences, Dismissal @ 1:15
Wednesday: Library @ 8:30 (Kaela, Aida)
Thursday: Leprechaun Traps (Fiorella, Gina, Kristen, and Ryan), Dismissal @ 1:40
Friday: No School
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Week of March 4th
It's auction weekend! Check out the many wonderful items available in the AVHSC online auction here. Remember-- the auction closes tomorrow night at 6:00 pm, and the kindergarten movie night will be the place to be on May 3rd! To avoid having any disappointed children, please log in and buy your child a ticket to this fun & special night out. **If there is financial hardship, please contact me. An anonymous donor is happy to buy a ticket for anyone who needs one.
We start conferences on Monday. I'm looking forward to meeting with you & updating you on your child's progress. If you need to check the schedule, it can be found here. Please note that this is now a "view only" document. If you need to reschedule, please email me. Remember that dismissal will be at 1:15 from Monday, March 4th through Wednesday, March 13th.
We are going to start going to the Makerspace on Wednesday mornings! This will be a time to explore the many STEAM activities available there. We will be kicking off our visits there on 3/20, when we will be building with Strawbees. We will be going to the Makerspace on Wednesday mornings.
Language Arts
Our sight words this week are they and back. Both of these sight words contain digraphs, so we will highlight the digraphs th and ck so that we can orthographically map these words. Here is a great article to read so that you can better understand how words become instantly recognizable and the importance of mapping words so that they can become "sight words."
We are now in our 4th week of Unit 3 in Fundations. Blending sounds to read and spell words is now the main focus in our reading curriculum. There are some great resources in the Unit 3 Fundations Home Support letter.
Math
We are continuing with the module, Module 5: Numbers 10-20; Count to 100 by 1s and 10s. We've already covered the counting portion of this module, so our focus will be writing and decomposing numbers in the teens. Parent tips for this module can be found here. We will return to Module 4 for the subtraction portion of that module after we finish with numbers in the teens.
Upcoming Events & Activities
Leprechaun Traps: On Thursday, 3/14, children will be designing and creating their own leprechaun traps! Most of the materials for this activity are provided by the AVHSC funds, but if you are out and about and see something that looks like a fun addition to our leprechaun traps, we will gladly take your donations for our supply of trap "accessories!" Thank you in advance!
Reminders
**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.
**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your bulldogs t-shirts to show your school pride
This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Tuesday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Wednesday: Library @ 8(Janelle & Aida), Dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Friday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Upcoming Events
3/4-3/12: Parent-Teacher Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday, 3/14: Special Event: Leprechaun Trap Building
Friday, 3/15: No School: Teacher Work Day
Wednesday, 3/20: First trip to the Makerspace @ 8:30
4/8-4/12: Spring Break
We start conferences on Monday. I'm looking forward to meeting with you & updating you on your child's progress. If you need to check the schedule, it can be found here. Please note that this is now a "view only" document. If you need to reschedule, please email me. Remember that dismissal will be at 1:15 from Monday, March 4th through Wednesday, March 13th.
We are going to start going to the Makerspace on Wednesday mornings! This will be a time to explore the many STEAM activities available there. We will be kicking off our visits there on 3/20, when we will be building with Strawbees. We will be going to the Makerspace on Wednesday mornings.
Language Arts
Our sight words this week are they and back. Both of these sight words contain digraphs, so we will highlight the digraphs th and ck so that we can orthographically map these words. Here is a great article to read so that you can better understand how words become instantly recognizable and the importance of mapping words so that they can become "sight words."
We are now in our 4th week of Unit 3 in Fundations. Blending sounds to read and spell words is now the main focus in our reading curriculum. There are some great resources in the Unit 3 Fundations Home Support letter.
Math
We are continuing with the module, Module 5: Numbers 10-20; Count to 100 by 1s and 10s. We've already covered the counting portion of this module, so our focus will be writing and decomposing numbers in the teens. Parent tips for this module can be found here. We will return to Module 4 for the subtraction portion of that module after we finish with numbers in the teens.
Upcoming Events & Activities
Leprechaun Traps: On Thursday, 3/14, children will be designing and creating their own leprechaun traps! Most of the materials for this activity are provided by the AVHSC funds, but if you are out and about and see something that looks like a fun addition to our leprechaun traps, we will gladly take your donations for our supply of trap "accessories!" Thank you in advance!
Reminders
**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.
**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your bulldogs t-shirts to show your school pride
This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Tuesday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Wednesday: Library @ 8(Janelle & Aida), Dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Friday: Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Upcoming Events
3/4-3/12: Parent-Teacher Conferences, dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday, 3/14: Special Event: Leprechaun Trap Building
Friday, 3/15: No School: Teacher Work Day
Wednesday, 3/20: First trip to the Makerspace @ 8:30
4/8-4/12: Spring Break
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