Mrs. T. Poole's Updates

Thank You and God bless You!

2009-04-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who shared their time, talents and treasures during the spring Scholastic Book Fair. It was truly successful! A special thanks to Mrs. Heather Silvera for working so hard as the book fair chairperson. God bless you.
May you enjoy a happy, healthy and holy Easter Season.

Spring Book Fair

2009-03-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

Sisters from the Daughters of St. Paul will sponsor a religious book fair on March 10th in OLM School's library. They will have a wide selection of Catholic books for children. Members of this order will also talk to the children about their vocation.

The Our Lady of Mercy School Library will sponsor a Scholastic Book Fair during the week of conferences (March 16 through March 19). The book fair will be open from 8:00am until 3:30pm each day. A large selection of books, posters, and other items will be offered. Everyone is welcome. We hope to see you there. As always, we appreciate your continued support.

Scholastic Book Fair

2008-11-16T16:47:00.000-08:00

Thank you for visiting the Scholastic Book Fair last week. So many people checked out the many books and other educational materials. Thanks to all who helped to make this book fair such a success. There will be another book fair next spring! Keep reading!

Library Notes

2008-09-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

Come to the Scholastic Book Fair in November. More information will follow.

Quotes to remember:

The man who enters a library is in the best society this world affords;
the good and the great welcome him, surround him,
and humbly ask to be allowed to become his servants....
Andrew Carnegie, 1895
Related: PBS The American Experience - Andrew Carnegie

"We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable.
It would be wise to use that time adoring our families,
cherishing our friends, and living our lives".
Maya Angelou

Thank you to the students from Mrs. M's 4th grade class who helped me "pick up" the library. You were demonstrating how to be responsible citizens and active faith-filled people. Keep up the good work!

Library Humor

2008-09-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Announcing the New Built-in Orderly Organized Knowledge Device, otherwise known as the BOOK!

It's a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so easy to use even a child can operate it. Just lift its cover. Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere--even sitting in an armchair by the fire--yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information s a CD-ROM.

Here's how it works: each BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information. These pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence. By using both sides of each sheet, manufacturers are able to cut costs in half.

Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. The book bay be taken up at any time and used by merely opening it. The "browse" feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward and backward as you wish. Most come with an "index" feature which pinpoints the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval.

an optional "bookmark" accessory allows you to open the BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session--even if the BOOK has been closed. Bookmarks fit universal design standards; thus a single bookmark can be used in books by various manufacturers.

Portable, durable and affordable, the BOOK is the entertainment ( and educational) wave of the future, as many new titles are expected soon, due to the surge in popularity of its programming tool, the Portable Erasable-Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus...

hhtp://www.ifla.org/l/humour/humour.htm

Welcome to a New School Year!

2008-08-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Families,

Welcome back! AND Welcome to Mrs. Poole's library blog. That's right! I am serving Our Lady of Mercy School as its librarian!

It is an honor to serve the students, families, teachers and staff of Our Lady of Mercy School in this capacity. It will be an exciting year… as we learn and grow together.

Check out the library blog as I will update it from time to time with library news and information. Thank you and God bless you for your support and prayers.

Yours in Christ,
Mrs. T. Poole

P.S. Check out the article below regarding setting up a library at home.

Set Up a Library for Your Children

By L. Reynolds

Set Up a Library for Children! Books draw us out into the greater world and develop our imagination so that anything is possible. They allow us to learn from minds that are older and wiser than ours. A library of his own gives your child an alternative to the adolescent short-attention-span world electronic media and gives him a physical place where he can think and dream. Books give kids something to imagine and discuss with siblings, improving communication skills. Books give parents a way to share ideas with and communicate values to children, both in what we read with them and in what we chose for them to read. A home library for your child is a good way to build a collection of books so that they will have treasures to share with their children.

Things You’ll Need:

Bookshelves
Books

Step1

Start small. Find a little bookshelf at a garage sale or in a ready-to-assemble kit. Paint it to go with the nursery and put any books received at baby showers on one shelf. Use the others to store blankets, display stuffed bears or other shower gifts. As your child receives books, the shelves will fill. The important idea is that your child will remember that there were always books present in her life. Share the books and read them often, even if your child is very young and if you read each book a million times. She will not tire of hearing it and you'll have a challenge to find a new way to make it exciting each time you read the book.

Step2

Enroll your child in a public library reading program as soon as he's old enough. Go to the library and browse with him. These experiences will guide you in choosing books to add to your child's library--and to suggest to family members for birthday and holiday gifts.

Step3

When your child begins to read, give her a children's dictionary and show her how to look things up. It is unimportant that she won't learn to use a dictionary until the next grade in school--she's curious about words now, as she learns to recognize them. Buy new dictionaries as her skills grow. As she gets older, add a thesaurus and a good atlas to her reference collection so she learns that you don't need an Internet connection to browse or look up basic information about your world. When she's fifty, she'll have several good reference books and dictionaries, one or two of which she can use to help her grandchildren learn about the world she grew up in and the language they speak.

Step4

Give your favorite books to your children. I still have copies of "The Wind in the Willows" and all four A.A. Milne books, given to me by my mother and a copy of "The Little Lame Prince", a gift to my father in 1934. They sit prominently between theology and law books belonging to great grandparents, in a place where I can reach for them to read to little people who visit us. I have given my own children other books given to me over the years but these are precious and I will give them away only when my eyes grow too dim to treasure their words.

Step5

As your children grow older, encourage them to choose their own books--and to share the books they no longer want by giving them to friends or the local library's "give-away" table. Help your children to see that the gift of a beloved book is an act of generosity. Through this, they will learn that only when the gift has value to the giver is the giving truly an act of love.

Thank You and God bless You!

2008-06-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Kindergarten Families,
Mrs. Pedrozo and I extend our heartfelt thanks for a wonderful year! Thank you for all your support and prayers. We also thank you for the thoughtful "end of the year" gifts. We hope you have a happy, healthy and holy summer vacation.
God bless you all.

Kindergarten News 05/26/08

2008-05-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

Final Newsletter
This is the last newsletter for the 2007-2008 school year! It is hard to believe that our last day of school is Thursday, May 29^th! This week I will send home a bag of “goodies” for each child. This will include the remaining pages of our workbooks. These are great for summer enrichment at home.

Do not return the blue folder.

Thanks and God bless!
Thanks again to all the families and friends who helped us throughout the school year. Thanks for assisting us in the classroom, preparing materials at home, bringing in supplies, helping at our parties, chaperoning, providing transportation for field trips, and for doing so much more! Your contributions of your time, talents, prayers and resources are blessings to us all!

A big Thank You goes to Mrs. Kaaren Abbate for serving us so well as our room mother.
Thank you all and God bless you.

Last Week of School
Wednesday, May 28^th, is our field day. Kindergarten students are allowed to wear free dress. Students may bring a towel, a favorite G-rated movie or games.

Thursday, May 29^th, is the last day of school for kindergarten. Our closing prayer service will be at 8:15am in the auditorium. The children must arrive at school at the regular time (no later than 7:50am).

Students are to wear their uniforms. Boys will wear navy blue corduroy long pants and girls will wear their jumpers (with shorts underneath).

Friday, May 30^th, There is no school for kindergartners. However, all are welcome to attend OLM School’s last day of school Mass at 8:30am.

Certificates & Report Cards
Your child will receive a certificate of participation in kindergarten during the prayer service (nice photo opportunity). Please see me after the ceremony to receive your child’s final report card and pre-ordered Keepsake DVD.

Remember to take home your child’s “paper star & rainbow” after the prayer service.

Students will be dismissed for the summer as soon as you receive the report card (around 9:30am).

Cookies and juice will be available after the prayer service.

Slide Show DVD

Thanks to all who turned in the DVD request form and money. Your DVD’s will be available after the prayer service. Thanks to Mr. Hoffart for preparing the DVD.

Please continue to pray for peace and healing!

Thank you for entrusting your child to us for a few hours each day this school year. It has been an honor to work with these children. This has been a year of growth spiritually, academically, physically, and socially.

God bless you and have a restful summer vacation.

Kindergarten Newsletter 05/19/08

2008-05-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks and God Bless You!

Thanks to all our kindergarten families who have helped us throughout the school year. Thanks for assisting us in the classroom, preparing materials at home, bringing in supplies, helping at our parties, and for doing so much more. Your contributions of your time, talents, and resources are greatly appreciated. God bless you!

This Week
This week we will wrap things up, and prepare for the kindergarten prayer service.
Wednesday, May 21^st: awards assembly. There is no lunch service today.
Friday, May 23^rd: eighth grade carnival. Students are allowed to wear free dress. The carnival starts at 10:00 am and concludes at noon. Dismissal is at 12:30 pm. Tickets for carnival games and activities will be available for purchase on Thursday and Friday.

The Last Week of School
Monday, May 26^th: Memorial Day, No School.

Tuesday, May 27^th: clean up day.

Wednesday, May 28^th: kindergarten field day. Kindergarten students are allowed to wear free dress. Please see the student handbook regarding appropriate free dress.

Thursday, May 29^th: last day of school for kindergarten. Our prayer service will be at 8:15am in the auditorium. It will conclude before 9:15am. The children must be in class by 7:50am. Students are to wear their uniforms.

Boys must wear navy blue corduroy pants and blue shirts.

Girls must wear jumpers (with shorts underneath) and white shirts. Uniforms should be clean and in good condition.

Cookies and punch will be available at the conclusion of the prayer service.

Help Wanted
*See me if you are available to chaperone for the 8^th grade carnival.
*We need helpers for the kindergarten field day.
*If you are available to prepare cookies for Thursday, May 29^th, please contact Mrs. Abbate for information on refreshments.

Kindergarten Portfolios
Mrs. Pedrozo and I are completing a large portfolio for each student in our class. Each big book includes photos, writings and other projects completed during the course of this school year. Please come in and pick up your child’s portfolio and other personal belongings by Friday, May 23^rd. The portfolios are too much for the children to carry.

After the closing prayer service, please pick up your child’s “star/rainbow” which will be taped to the front of the stage. Also, see me for your child’s final report card and your pre-ordered keepsake DVD.

Dismissal is immediately following the prayer service.

A special “Thank You” goes to Mr. Ron Hoffart for preparing the keepsake DVD.

God bless you and have a great week.

Kindergarten Newsletter 05/12/08

2008-05-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a blessed Mother’s Day!

Only 13 more days of school! During this busy time we are wrapping things up and preparing for our prayer service.

Please consult last week’s letter or blog posting for important upcoming dates.

This Week
We will…
experiment with sand,
review all sight words,
and prepare for our closing prayer service.

Portfolio
We are assembling samples of each child’s work in large portfolios. They arcontain photos and projects from each month of the school year. Each is a wonderful keepsake and a great way to mark your child’s progress. Please pick up your child’s portfolio on Friday, May 23^rd.

Castle Day
On Wednesday, May 14^th, students will tour castles created by eighth graders who are studying Romeo and Juliette.

Thanks
Thanks to all who share their time, talents and treasures with us. God bless you!

Commemorative DVD
Immediately following the kindergarten closing prayer service on Thursday, May 29^th, there will be a slide show set to music. This slide show features an assortment of photos of the kindergartners taken throughout the 2006-2007 school year. You may pre-order a copy of this DVD at $5.00 each. I will hand them out after the prayer service. Please complete and return the enclosed order form and small fee by Friday, May 16^th.

Please continue to pray for peace and healing for all in need.
God bless you and have a great week.

2008-05-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to May. We are in the last few weeks of school. They promise to be very busy.

Bears
We learned a few things about bears and had some teddy bear fun last week.
Why didn’t God make two Yogi’s?
Because he made a “Boo Boo”.
Thanks to Peter for the bear joke.

This Week in Kindergarten
The sight words are for and of.
The word ending is –ng.
We will talk about Mary the Mother of God.
We will do some Mother’s Day projects.
In math we will continue to work with addition and subtraction, calendars, maps, and numbers to 100.

Important May Dates
5/8 talent show K-4 1:15pm
5/9 talent show 5-8 1:15pm
5/13 school board meeting
5/15 last computer lab
5/16 Renaissance Day
5/23 8^th grade carnival (free dress)
Minimum day/faculty meeting
5/26 No school. Memorial Day
5/28 Kindergarten Field Day free dress for kindergartners.
5/29 Kindergarten closing prayer service at 8:30am.

Uniform Reminder
Students are allowed to wear Dennis uniform shorts the rest of this month except on May 29^th (kindergarten prayer service). On that day girls should wear white uniform shirts and jumpers with shorts underneath. Boys should wear corduroy pants and blue shirts.

Continue to pray for peace!

God bless you and have a great week.

May 2008 Homework Calendar

2008-04-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

May 2008 Homework Calendar
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Read and pray every day!				1 Count as high as you can by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s. Mary is queen of heaven	2 Write your name and phone number. Say your address and birthday	3 Say the days of the week, the months of the year and the season.
4 Seventh Sunday of Easter Read and pray. Ask God to bless the new week.	5 Practice skipping, hopping, running and tossing a ball.	6 Review the sight words. Write a few sentences using some of the words.	7 Play “Go Fish” with friends or family.	8 Write the upper case and lower case letters in your favorite colors. Review their sounds.	9 How many ways can you add up to 10? Hint: use counters.	10 Review vowels and consonants. Review when to use punctuation marks (. !).
11 Pentecost Mother’s Day Do something nice for your mother, aunt, Godmother, grandmother…	12 Pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?	13 Think about why you are thankful for your family. Write and draw.	14 Find ten things that are round. Write a list.	15 Write five words that rhyme with bake.	16 Write a cheerful note to someone.	17 Read a favorite book. Draw a picture about your favorite part
18 Most Holy Trinity Do an act of kindness for someone.	19 Review the days of the week and the months of the year.	20 Pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary with your family.	21 Read a favorite book. Draw a picture about your favorite part.	22 Read a story about spring or animals. Retell the story in your own words.	23 Write as many words as you can by sounding them out.	24 Make different patterns with pieces of cereal, toys, beans, etc. ABC,AABB,ABBC
25 Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus.	26 Memorial Day Pray for all who have risked their lives in service to our country.	27 Write a few sentences about what you liked best about kindergarten.	28 What are you going to do during the summer? Write and draw.	29 Last Day of Kindergarten Kindergarten Prayer Service and closing ceremony	30 What do you want to learn in school next year? Write and dr	31 Keep a journal this summer. Read and pray every day.

Kindergarten News 04/28/08

2008-04-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Relay for Life
Thanks to all who participated in the Relay for Life activities this weekend. What a great way to serve others

Good bye, April…Hello, May!
May begins Thursday. Students will be allowed to wear Dennis Uniform shorts during May except on days when we celebrate Mass.

Mass and May Crowning
We will celebrate Mass and May crowning on Friday, May 2^nd, at 8:30am in the auditorium. Please join us. Dismissal is at 12:30.

This Week in Kindergarten
1.The digraph of the week is wh.
2.The sight words are who, what, & where.
3. We will learn about bears (in nature and literature) and do related projects. Look for more information in this newsletter.
4. In math we will compare and contrast numbers from 13 – 30.
5.In religion we will discuss what is done in parish churches.

Homework Calendars
Please turn in the April homework calendar on Thursday, May 1^st. The May homework calendar is on the other side of this newsletter.

End of Year Assessments
As this academic year comes to a close I am assessing students’ progress. I advise you to continue to read with your child and to review all sight words. Refer to the kindergarten booklet or previous blogs for all word lists.

Bears
As mentioned earlier, we will learn about bears. The children are

encouraged to share their favorite bear or bear story. On Thursday each student may bring his or her favorite bear for pictures and a teddy bear snack.

Closing Prayer Service
You are invited to attend the kindergarten closing prayer service on Thursday, May 29^th, at 8:30 am in the auditorium.

Boys are to wear their blue corduroy pants and girls must wear their jumpers. Cookies and juice will be available after the prayer service. Students will receive their final report cards then be dismissed for the summer.

Thanks to all our helpers!

Kindergarten Newsletter 04/21/08

2008-04-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

This Week
1. In religion we will learn that through baptism we belong to the family of God, the Church.

2. We will talk about the gift of this earth and the need to care for it.

3. The digraph of the week is th.
4. The sight words are he/she.
5. In math we will continue to build on addition and subtraction skills. We will identify and compare numbers that are greater than ten.

Relay for Life
Relay for life cancer walk is this weekend April 26 – April 27. Thanks for your continued support.

Please pray for peace and healing.

Talent Show
If your kindergartner wishes to perform in OLM School’s annual talent show on May 10^th, he/she must let me know and perform his or her act for me and show me the costume by April 25^th.

Spring Program
The kindergartners did a great job at the spring program…Bravo!

Thank You.
Thanks to all who help us in and out of the classroom. You are a blessing.

God bless you! Have a great week!

OLM Spring Program 04/15/08

2008-04-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

My class, along with a few others will perform TOMORROW NIGHT at OLM School’s annual spring program. Please make sure your kindergartner is in the classroom by 6:30 tonight. He/she should wear plain dark pants (clean jeans with no holes are fine) and a plain, white, short sleeved shirt. (We will provide your child with a colored shirt for the performance.)

You may pick up your child in my classroom (room 5) after the program has ended.

Thank you for your cooperation. See you at the show!

God bless you.

Kindergarten Newsletter 04/14/08

2008-04-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

This Week
1. In religion we will discuss the fact that our families are where love begins and grows.
2. We will talk about the importance, uniqueness, love and support of our families.
3. We will continue our look at insects.
4. The digraph of the week is ch.
5. The sight word is look.
6. In math we will continue to build on addition and subtraction skills.

Spring Program
My class will perform two songs in the Spring Program this Wednesday evening. Your child should wear plain dark pants and a simple short sleeved white shirt. We will provide a colored shirt for your child. Please be in our classroom by 6:30pm that evening.

Conferences
Thank you for meeting with me last week for parent/teacher conferences. We had 100% participation!

Thank You
Thanks to all who help us in and out of the classroom. You are a blessing.

Congratulations to the students who received their First Holy Communion last Saturday.

Relay for Life
We are trying to raise money for this year’s Relay for Life by collecting money in our jar just inside the classroom, and selling raffle tickets for great prizes. Ask Mrs. Tyler or Mrs. Wennberg for more information.

Pancake Breakfast!
Enjoy a hearty pancake breakfast on Sunday, April 20^th, at the parish hall. Tickets are $8.00 each.

God bless you! Have a great week!

April 2008 Homework Calendar

2008-03-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

April 2008 Homework Calendar

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Read and pray every day.

Read a Winnie the Pooh story.

Count as high as you can. Play a numbers matching game.

Make a Grandparents’ Day card for someone you love.

Play marbles or jump rope or statues, games from the 1920’s.

Play “Go Fish”.

Go to OLM School’s 80^th anniversary celebration.

Third Sunday of Easter

Pray for an increase in faith.

Sound out and write 4 words that begin with “sh”.

Practice saying your full name, address and phone number.

Draw a picture using the 6 basic shapes.

Write a story using color words. Draw a picture.

Play a board game with a family member.

Review coins. What do they look like? How much is each?

Make fair trades.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Pray for an increase in hope.

Read a favorite story with a partner. Retell the story in your own words.

What is the school’s Mission Statement?

List the SLE’s.

What animal would you like to be? Why? Write and draw.

In the spring I like to…

Write and draw.

Practice running, skipping, hopping, and jumping.

Do something nice for someone else with a smile & without being asked.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Pray for an increase in love.

How many ways can you add up to 10? Hint: use counters.

Write three sentences using some sight words and color words.

Practice writing your whole name. Use colors.

Count by 5’s and 10’s to 100. Count by 2’s to 20. Practice all the sight words.

Practice counting money using pennies, nickels and dimes.

Pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary with your family.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Pray for peace and healing

Read a favorite book. Draw and write about your favorite part.

Name the seasons, days of the week, months of the year, birthday, address & phone #.

List 5 things that are shaped like a sphere.

Example: ball

Return the April Homework Calendar on Thursday May 1^st.

80th Anniversary Celebration

2008-03-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

Grandparents Day at OLM School

When: Friday, April 4, 2008

Where: Our Lady of Mercy School
Time: Mass at 8:15am, pancake breakfast to follow. Then visit your grandchild's (grandchildren's) class(es).
Why: We want to welcome and honor the grandparents of OLM School's family as we celebrate the school's 80th anniversary.
Who should attend? Grandparents of OLM students are cordially invited to join us.

80th Anniversary Celebration

When: Saturday, April 5, 2008

Where: Our Lady of Mercy School
Time: Mass at 9:00 am, Open House immediately following until 1:00 pm.
Why: A celebration of Our Lady of Mercy School providing Catholic Education to the community of Merced.
Who should attend? All O.L.M. families, friends, relatives, alumni, parishioners

Please plan to attend and help celebrate OLM School's 80th anniversary. Visit the classrooms and view information on each decade during which OLM has been serving the community.

Kindergarten Newsletter 03/17/08

2008-03-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Holy Week!

This week we will focus on Holy Week and Easter.
We will review all our sight words, initial and final sounds.

Holy Thursday
Our school family will gather for a short prayer service on March 20^th, Holy Thursday, at 8:15 am in the auditorium.

Easter Vacation
OLM School will close for Easter vacation at 12:30pm Thursday afternoon, 03/20. There will be no enrichment and no extended care that afternoon. Classes will resume Monday, 3/31.
Please check the church bulletin for the many services during Holy Week.

Report Cards
Report cards went home Friday, March 14^th. Please read, sign, and return your child’s report card as soon as possible.

April is coming!
The March Homework Calendar is due Tuesday, April 1^st. The April homework calendar will go home Monday, 03/31.

Please continue to pray for peace and healing!

80^th Anniversary Activities
Grandparents Day at OLM School will be Friday, April 4^th. OLM Grandparents are invited to enjoy a pancake breakfast and attend their grandchildren’s classes that day. Please plan to attend.

A Mass in honor of OLM School’s 80^th anniversary will be celebrated on Saturday, April 5^th at 9am at OLM School. Tour through the last eight decades and enjoy the school’s open house immediately following the Mass.

Conferences
Parent/Teacher conferences will be during the week of April 7 – 11. Dismissal will be at 12:30pm every day that week.

Additional Important Dates
Please refer to last week’s newsletter or check my blog for a list of important dates for March and April.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kindergarten Newsletter 03/10/08

2008-03-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

Let the little children come to me!

This Week
The letter of the week is Uu.
The sight word is who.
Thursday, March 13^th, my class will lead in a Lenten reflection during morning prayer.
This week we will learn a little about some Easter symbols.
In math we will continue to work with time and money.

St. Vincent de Paul Lunches
Last Friday kindergartners from my class alone brought in enough lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society to fill THREE shopping bags! We continue to bring lunches this week.

American Cancer Society Donations
We continue to collect donations for the American Cancer Society. We will support this cause throughout Lent. Kindergartners have been very generous.

Report Cards
The third quarter ended Friday, 3/7. Report cards will go home Friday, 3/14. Please read, sign, and return your child’s report card by Monday, 3/17.

Registration time is here!
Registration forms go home March 17^th. Please complete and return these forms as soon as possible.

Important Dates in March
11 Eighth grade dinner show
13 My students lead in Lenten prayer
14 Stations of the Cross. Report cards go home. Crab feed
18 School Board Meeting 7pm
20 Holy Thursday prayer service; 12:30pm dismissal
21-30 Easter Break

Important Dates for April
2 Jump for Heart
4 All School Mass; Grandparents Day at OLM; 12:30 dismissal
5 80^th anniversary Open House; Mass at 9am at OLM School
7-11 Parent/Teacher conferences; 12:30 dismissal; Book Fair
12 First Communion Mass at St. Patrick’s Church (9am).
14 All School Mass at OLM (8:15am)
16 Spring Program at OLM
20 Parent Club Breakfast at the Parish Hall
26 Relay for Life

Kindergarten Newsletter 03/03/08

2008-03-02T19:56:00.000-08:00

Welcome to March! The February homework calendar is now due. The March homework calendar went home in last week’s folder.

Lenten Activities
Throughout Lent we strive to pray more, fast from certain foods and activities and give alms to the poor as we try to draw closer to Jesus.

*In keeping with this spirit each classroom has a container for collecting money for the American Cancer Society. Our school family has been personally touched by cancer and the children have been generous.
*We continue to bring lunches for the St. Vincent De Paul Society each Friday.
Keep up the good work and God bless you!
*My class will lead in a Lenten reflection on Thursday, March 13^th, during morning prayer.

This Week
The letter of the week is Oo and the sight word is your.
We will discuss matters pertaining to the 1920’s.

Friday, March 7^th, is a minimum day as the teachers have a staff meeting. Dismissal is at 12:30pm.

Stations of the Cross
Join us each Friday in Lent, at 8:15am in the auditorium as we pray the Stations of the Cross as a school family.

Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Savings time begins next weekend. Remember to spring forward one hour Saturday night March 8th.

Remember to pray for peace!

March 2008 Homework Calendar

2008-02-23T17:55:00.000-08:00

March 2008 Homework Calendar
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	Write your name at the top of this page.	Read and pray every day.				1 Spend time with Jesus praying
2 4^th Sunday of Lent Tell Jesus why you love Him.	3 Count as high as you can by 2’s,5’s, 10’s etc.	4 Write your full name 3 times as neatly as you can.	5 Write the sight words. Use your favorite colors.	6 Review tally marks from one to ten.	7 Write two sentences using sight words. Draw a picture.	8 Practice counting money using pennies, nickels, dimes
9 5^th Sunday of Lent Pray for world peace.	10 Write as many words as you can that rhyme with cat.	11 Count as high as you can. Do something nice for someone else.	12 From a newspaper or magazine cut out the letters that spell your name. Glue them to a paper.	13 Write two sentences about a place you would like to visit. Draw.	14 Practice running, skipping, hopping, jumping. Review the sight words.	15 Play a board game with an adult.
16 Passion (Palm) Sunday Read about Jesus’ Passion.	17 St. Patrick’s Day List 10 things that are green.	18 Practice bouncing and catching a ball.	19 Read about St. Joseph. Ask him to pray for us.	20 Holy Thursday Read about the Last Super.	21 Good Friday Read about the crucifixion of Jesus.	22 Holy Saturday Help prepare for an Easter celebration.
23 Happy Easter! Celebrate the feast of the resurrection.	24 Spring has begun! What are some signs of spring?	25 Look around. List 10 things that are rectangular.	26 Review tying shoelaces. Say your full name, address, phone number.	27 Make AABB and ABC patterns with coins, cereal, toys,etc.	28 Make a card for someone who is sick, sad, hurt, or lonely.	29 Go for a walk. List things that God created. Write & draw.
30 Divine Mercy Sunday Second Sunday of Easter	31 Read a Bible story. What would it be like if you were there? Write/draw.	Return this calendar by Tuesday, April 1^st.

Kindergarten Newsletter 02/25/08

2008-02-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 29^th, is “Leap Day”. Why are leap years needed? Leap years are needed so that the calendar is in alignment with the earth's motion around the sun.

Lent: Pray, Fast, Give Alms

During this Lenten season (as always) we are challenged to give of our very selves to those in need.

We have a collection jar at the door for donations to the American Cancer Society.

We will gather as a school family in the auditorium each Friday in Lent to pray and meditate on the Stations of the Cross.

The kindergartners are asked to bring a lunch for the St. Vincent de Paul Society each Friday in Lent.

This Week

The letter of the week is Ii.

The sight word is to.

In math we will continue to work with dimes, pennies, nickels.

We will discuss God’s gifts of the earth as we learn about plants.

March Begins Saturday
This means that the February homework calendar is due Monday, March 3^rd. You will find the March homework calendar in this folder.

Thursday, February 28^th, is a minimum day.
There is no school Friday, February 29^th, as staff go to the L.A. Congress.

God bless you and have a great week!

Kindergarten Newsletter 02/19/08

2008-02-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back!
I hope you enjoyed the three-day weekend. We still have one more at the end of this month (02/29 – 03/02).

Heartfelt Thanks
Thanks to all who help us in the classroom and at home. God bless you!

Mrs. Pedrozo and I send you our sincere thanks for the thoughtful and generous Valentine cards and gifts.

This Week
The letter of the week is Ee.
The sight word is was.
In math we will work with pennies, nickels, and dimes.

St. Vincent DePaul Lunches
Thank you for performing this corporal work of mercy during this Lenten season. We continue to provide these lunches this Friday, 02/22.

The Roaring 20’s!
We are taking a look at the 1920’s, the decade during which Our Lady of Mercy School was first build. We will learn a few interesting facts of that time. Did you know that Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 and the electric pop-up toaster was developed during the 1920’s? I need a toaster or two for Wednesday, February 20, as we explore this wonderful time in history.

Funding Factory
OLM School continues to accept:
1. Campbell soup labels and box tops for school equipment.
2. Ink cartridges for computer equipment.

Stations of the Cross
Please join us this Friday, 02/22, for the Stations of the Cross!

God bless you!
Have a great week and a holy Lent!

Kindergarten Newsletter 02/12/08

2008-02-11T08:53:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed the three-day weekend.

Thursday, February 14^th, is Valentine’s Day. Students and staff are allowed to wear free dress. All are encouraged to wear red or pink. Students will share a Valentine snack and are allowed to distribute Valentine cards. As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, there are 18 students in our class. If your child intends to distribute valentines, I advise all students to print their names in the “from” space and leave the “to” space blank to facilitate the distribution of cards.
Thank you Mrs. Abbate for organizing the Valentine snacks.

Topics and Themes
Valentine's Day
The letter of the week is Aa.
The word of the week is it.
We will learn a little about heart health.
We will read about George Washington.

Help Wanted
A big “Thank You!” goes to Mrs. Abbate for finding information on the history of Merced. We are in need of information on OLM School at the time it was built (1927). Let me know if you have any information or are willing to do a little research on the history of our school in the 1920’s.

Dates to Remember
Thursday (2/14) is Valentine’s Day. It is a red or pink free dress day.
Friday (2/15) the OLM School family joins together for the Stations of the Cross.
Monday (2/18) is Presidents Day. There is no school.
Friday (2/29) there is no school as staff members attend the L.A. Catechetical Congress.

Send a Spoon
If you send yogurt, pudding, etc. in your child’s snack or lunch please include a spoon. Your child can keep it in his or her lunch kit.

Lenten Act of Kindness
Kindergartners are asked to bring lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society each Friday morning in Lent. It is a small yet meaningful act of kindness.

Please pray for peace and healing.

God bless you and have a great week!