Kindergarten Snack Tips

Dear Families,

We are so proud of our kindergarteners for bringing healthy snacks! We have seen lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and other nutritious foods. We reward them for eating healthy snacks with praise or stickers.

Tip #1: Please pack a SMALL snack. Children have about10 minutes to eat and need only to eat enough to give them a boost through the morning. They need the rest of snack recess time to be active and use their large muscles. Please consider the following suggestions:
· about ½ cup of fruit OR
· veggies, OR
· half a sandwich, OR
· a small serving of leftovers, etc.

If your child is in the enrichment programs please tell him or her which items are for snack and which foods are for lunch. There has been some confusion.

Tip #2: Bottled water or 100% fruit juice (box or pouch) work
very well.

Tip #3: We recommend that you avoid fruit cups as they
can be tricky to open and they spill easily.

Thank you.

Mrs. T. Poole

Kindergarten Newsletter 08/28/06

Welcome to the end of August and the beginning of September! There is a lot of information for you this week. Please save this letter and other enclosed materials for future reference.

Child Safety Message! If you pick up your child early, you must obtain an early dismissal slip from the office and give it to the teacher or supervisor before taking your child off campus. Please remember to get an admit slip to the teacher when your child returns to school.

Themes/Topics
*The letter of the week is Nn as in nest.
*We will also practice discerning left and right.
*In this packet you will find a metal ring with ten sight words attached. Please save this set. Each week we will focus on one sight word. Our first word is “the”. As the list grows, I will send home more word cards for you to add to the ring. Practice the words with your child. Help him(her) to recognize them in print; help him(her) to print the words and use them in complete sentences.
*If you have a set of alphabet cards, use them regularly to practice letter and sound recognition with your child.
*Another important item in this packet is the September Homework Calendar. Please save this calendar. It is your child’s responsibility to write his or her name at the top of the sheet the school way; then each day complete the task of the day and check it off the calendar. The calendar (NOT the assignments) must be turned in at the beginning of the following month. The September sight words are on the back of the homework calendar.

Catalog Fundraiser
The catalog/cookie dough sale information went home on Friday. Please go through it carefully. There is so much important information. The fundraiser ends Wednesday, September 13th. Remember, there are class and individual prizes.

Lunch and Milk Count
Just a reminder…please let me know via the lunch/milk sign-up sheet whether or not your child will be having snack milk, lunch milk, or lunch each day. Thanks to those who keep me informed…It minimizes the confusion. Please check the blue pocket chart regularly to make sure your child has enough milk/or lunch tickets.

Sharing Reminder
Your child may bring one thing to school on his or her sharing day. Please limit it to something that pertains to our theme or topic or letter of the week.
Your child knows his or her group color.

School Mass
Mass will be celebrated at school Friday, September 1st, at 8:15am. Please join us. Remember…girls must wear their jumpers and boys must wear their corduroy pants as no shorts are allowed at Mass.

Friday, September 1st is a minimum day. Dismissal is at 12:30pm for those in the enrichment program.
There is no lunch service.

What’s Next?
Open house is Sunday, September 10th, from 12 to 2pm. All are welcome to visit Our Lady of Mercy School Campus and facilities.

Please remember to pray for peace!

God bless you!
Mrs. T. Poole

Kindergarten Newsletter 08/21/06

Wow! Our first week of school was really exciting! We are gradually learning our daily routines.

Snack and Milk
Thanks for monitoring your child’s tickets and for using the lunch and milk sign-up sheet in our classroom.
We are also delighted to see so many children bringing healthy snacks.

Uniform Update
Thanks for complying with the updated uniform policies. For their safety and modesty, girls must wear shorts under their jumpers. Girls’ hair should be pulled away from their faces. One bow or ribbon is allowed. Kindergarten boys are not required to wear a belt as it is difficult for some boys this age to buckle and unbuckle independently.
See the updated handbook regarding hair, uniform and other policies.

Volunteers
If you intend to volunteer in the class or as a driver/chaperone please attend one of the Safe Environment training sessions offered. You will also need to be fingerprinted.
As stated in last week’s church bulletin: Pre-registration is required at least 48 hours prior to any Safe Environment Training Session. To pre-register please call (559) 584-4349.
8/24 7-9pm St. Patrick’s Parish Hall Classroom (English)
9/6 7-9pm St. Patrick’s Parish Hall Classroom (English)
9/28 7-9pm Sacred heart Parish Hall, Dos Palos (English)
9/29 7-9pm St. Patrick’s Parish Hall Classroom (Spanish)
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Blackburn.

Emergency Forms
Please return all emergency forms. We also need to know about any allergies (bees, food, etc.) your child might have.

Themes and Topics
Each week we will focus on a one letter of the alphabet, a sight word, and a theme or topic. This week we will review our knowledge of the alphabet and continue with the themes of “Getting Together” and “All About Me”.

It’s Share Time!
Starting tomorrow, the children will have the following share schedule:
Red group---Tuesday
Yellow group---Wednesday
Green group---Thursday
Blue group---Friday
Students are encouraged to bring in one item that pertains to any one of our weekly themes or topics. Please monitor the appropriateness of your child’s “share” item.

September Homework Calendar
Our first homework calendar will go home Monday, August 28th. Please have your child print his or her name at the top of the calendar. Do not turn in the assigned tasks unless otherwise instructed. Just check off each activity as it is completed. Return the calendar to school by the first of the next month.

Mrs. Poole’s Blog
Be sure to check out my blog.
I update it at least once a week.

Please pray for peace!

God bless you and have a great week!

September 2006 Homework Calendar

Please have your child print his or her name at the top of the calendar that was sent home.

Remember to read and pray every day.

Please mark each square as that activity is completed.
Activities may be completed in any order.

Please return the calendar only by Monday, October 2nd.

1 Practice writing your name. Identify as many shapes as you can.
2 Play a memory game with someone at home.
3 22nd Sunday in ordinary time Read and pray. Go to Mass.
4 Learn how to tie your shoelaces.
5 Count to 10 or higher. Learn your telephone number.
6 Take a walk with an adult. Note what you hear, see and feel.
7 Sing an ABC song and work with alphabet cards.
8 Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pray 3 Hail Mary’s with your family for faith,
hope, and love.
9 Read a favorite story with an adult partner. Make a card for Grandparents’ Day.
10 23rd Sunday in ordinary time Go to Mass. Open House at OLM School
Grandparents' Day.
11 Make an AB pattern using cereal.
12 Practice writing your name the “school way”.
13 Learn your address.
14 Play a memory game with a partner.
15 Practice catching and throwing with a partner.
16 Read a favorite book with an adult partner. Draw what happened.
17 24th Sunday in ordinary time Read and pray. Go to Mass. Catechetical Sunday
18 Practice reading and writing the sight words for the month of September.
19 Find 10 things around your home that are the same shape as a penny.
20 Practice saying and writing the upper case and lower case letters.
21 Practice saying your telephone number and your address. It helps if you “sing” it.
22 Practice hopping, skipping, and jumping.
23 Read with an adult partner for 15 minutes.
24 25th Sunday in ordinary time. Go to Mass. Read and pray.
25 Review the SLE’s with your family.
26 How can you be an active faith-filled person?
27 How can you be an effective communicator?
28 How can you be a responsible citizen?
29 How can you be a successful learner?
30 Read something about Johnny Appleseed. (You may try the internet with adult help).

Kindergarten Newsletter

August 14, 2006

Dear Families and Friends,
Welcome to the 2006-2007 school year! Thank you for entrusting your children with us for a few hours a day. This will be a full and exciting year. The children will be growing academically socially, physically, and spiritually.

To reap the greatest benefits of kindergarten, please bring your child to school by 7:50am. Our daily routine begins promptly and tardiness disrupts the learning environment.
Students who come to school before 7:50am must go to the auditorium where they will be supervised. Morning kindergarten dismissal is at 11:45; dismissal for those in the enrichment program is at 2:30pm.

Kindergarten students must be picked up at the classroom or at the extended care facility near the library if your child stays late. Please do not linger and visit near the classroom door as that can be very distracting to the students and the teachers.

For the sake of modesty, girls must wear shorts under their jumpers. The shorts must not show below the hem of the jumper.

Please consult the July newsletter for important information, including a supply list. Be sure to mark all your child’s belongings. Lost and found gets full fast!

Your child will be responsible for bringing his or her own healthy snack each day. Students in the enrichment program must also bring or purchase a lunch.

Lunch and milk tickets are available from Teresa. See the July newsletter for more information. When you bring your child to school, please fill out the lunch/milk form posted in the classroom. Please check the lunch/milk ticket chart regularly to avoid running out of tickets.

Please review the OLM handbook as it contains valuable information regarding uniforms, school policies, schedules, etc.

Each Monday your child will bring home a plastic folder containing a weekly newsletter and his or her work. Your child is to return the folder and any requested items the following school day.

Each week in kindergarten revolves around a theme. We will start with “Getting to Together” to get acquainted.

During the second week of school we will start a “sharing schedule”. Your child will be assigned a “share day” and may bring in one item that relates to one of the topics or themes of the week. Weapons and other items of violence are not allowed.

As of September, your child will be assigned a few minutes of daily homework. Each month (s)he will bring home a homework calendar and a prayer to learn. An adult is to monitor the child’s work then check it off the calendar. Unless otherwise indicated, return only the calendar to school by the beginning of the next month.

Through the course of the year we will compile a “Friends Book” containing photos of our classmates, OLM staff, school activities, etc. Children will take turns taking the book home to share with their families. Please return it the following school day.

We need field trip drivers and chaperones who can accommodate multiple car seats for students who are under six years old or who weigh less than 60 lbs. Please complete and return the necessary forms. See Carnation for more details. Anyone who is interested in volunteering to work with the children must complete a training course and be fingerprinted.

The success of this year’s efforts depends on all of us working together for the children’s benefit. We strongly encourage you to share your time and talents on and off campus. Please see sign-up sheet in rm 5.

I look forward to a rewarding year with you and your child. If you have any questions, please send a note or call Carnation to arrange an appointment.

Please keep this letter for future reference. Keep checking this blog for future updates.

Thanks for your support.

Yours in Christ,
Mrs. T. Poole