AUGUST 27-AUGUST 31

I hope to see you tomorrow at Open House. You will be able to see your child's classroom and some of their work. Open House is from 11:00 -1:00. A tri-tip dinner is being served from 11:00-2:00p.m. Remember this is an Open House. It is a time to look around your child's classroom. It is not a time for discussion about your child. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Thank you so much for signing those planners. Your children have really gotten into the routine of filling them out as soon as they get settled in the classroom in the morning.

At present we are reviewing the letters of the alphabet. We have started our reading program and are also using a supplemental reader. On Friday your child's first reading packet will go home. There will be a percentage in the corner. That is to let you know what the grade was on those reading workbook pages. I will be sending home a letter explaining the grading system on those pages. The workbook pages go right along with the story that we are reading. Just a note: I am aware that some of the readers seem very easy. That is a good thing. It really helps with reading fluency and expression while reading.

In Math we are reviewing number order and number words. Your child should be able to read the number words zero to twelve. They do not have to spell them. The first timed addition test will be given on Monday, September 10. Sums will be no higher than 10. There will be 25 problems and they will have 2 minutes to complete as many as they can. These tests will be entered into their overall math grade. Please work on these every night.

In Social Studies we are studying about communities, rules, laws and leaders. When finished we will start a unit on the Ecosystem in Science.

In Religion we are learning about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, the Church community, parishes, the Bible, Bible stories and we will then begin God's creation.

In P.E. we are learning about spatial awareness.

VOCABULARY WORDS

over

out

said

and

little

copy

far

away

come

here

now

in

want

bear

A few reminders: Please review reading vocabulary on a nightly basis. In math some students do not know the meaning of the terms greater than, fewer than, one more, or one less. Please work on these concepts with your child.

No more news at this time. Once again, thank you for all of your support. It is greatly appreciated. If you have read this blog, have your child write in their planner the name of the city they live in. Have a great week. GOD LOVES YOU.

AUGUST 20-AUGUST 24

We have completed and survived the first week of school. The first graders are getting into the routine of writing in planners and all the new classroom procedures. You, as parents, are doing great with signing the planners. Remember, Monday is the day that signatures on the planner are required. A note: initial the planner on the far right hand side of the planner as it makes it much easier for us to check. Thank you.

We have been working on our first list of vocabulary words. These are NOT spelling words. Your child must be able to read them, not spell them. Your child has been checked on reading color words. They will be checked on number words to twelve. Another list of vocabulary words will be going home on Monday. Add those to the list you already have. I do not want the vocabulary words sent back to school. We will be starting our first little reader this week.

Your child should also be working on math addition facts whose sum is any number up to 10. We will start timed tests in a couple of weeks.

REMINDERS:

Dismissal on Friday is at 12:30.

Make sure your child knows whether they are buying a hot lunch, milk, or have brought a lunch from home.

Make sure your child knows who is picking them up and where they are to go after school.

A homework paper must be returned the following day.

OPEN HOUSE is Sunday, August 26, from 11-1. A tri-tip dinner is served from 11-2. Tickets are available in the office.

If you arrive before 7:50, please go to the auditorium.

There will be a Safe Environment Meeting Tuesday, August 21, at 6:00 p.m. Remember ALL VOLUNTEERS must be trained even if you were in the past.

VOCABULARY WORDS (words to read)

rain

sun

on

white

it

get

to

do

have

color

Thank you for all of your support and help during this first week. It has been greatly appreciated. Keep signing those planners. If you have read this blog have your child bring Mrs. Mills an apple. If you don't have an apple, have your child draw one and color it and bring it in.

Have a great week and GOD BLESS YOU!

AUGUST13-AUGUST 17

Welcome to Our Lady of Mercy School. I am looking forward to a great year with your children. It was good to see so many of you at Back To School Night. On Monday the first school bell rings at 7:50. School begins at 8:00. You are more than welcome to bring your child into the classroom and to help them find their desk and to get settled. My door will be open a little after 7:30. Mass will begin at 8:30. Because we are going to mass please make sure your child is in uniform. Boys should be in the long blue cords and the girls should be in jumpers. No shorts are allowed on mass days.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This year all parents who want to help out in the classroom or around school MUST attend Safe Environment Training AGAIN. The first training session will be Wednesday, August 15, at 6:00 in the auditorium. No children are to be brought to this meeting. Another Safe Environment Training will be held the following week. It is very important that you attend if you want to help out. This is Diocesan policy.

Dismissal on Monday is at 12:30. Please make sure your child knows where they are to go to be picked up. Feel free to pick them up at my door at 12:30.

Your child should have all of his/her supplies by Friday, August 17. All students should come to school with a planner on Monday. They can be purchased from the office. The planner will be written in each day. It will go home and should be read by a parent and signed. It is to be returned the following day. I will be giving you a week to get into the swing of the planner, as this is important and is considered homework. There is a consequence if it is not signed and returned. A note will go home later during the week with all of the information you need.

Your child will be bringing home vocabulary words to read on Wednesday. Please review them every night. Your child should be familiar with most of them as many of them were sight words they learned last year.

VOCABULARY WORDS TO READ

go

can

we

see

will

not

what

saw

the

went

you

help

did

looking

walking

Have a great week and I will see you on Monday. GOD LOVES YOU!