Mrs. Poole's Updates

February 2012

2012-02-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

Catholic Schools Week 2012
What an exciting week we had for Catholic Schools Week! We are truly blessed to be a part of Our Lady of Mercy School.

Thanks!
Thanks to all who have donated materials to the library. Your contributions are greatly appreciated!

Spring Book Fair
The Spring Scholastic Book Fair is scheduled for March 19 - 22. The theme is "Book Fair Luau - It's a reading celebration". You can preview the book fair by visiting the web site below:
scholastic.com/bookfairs/books/preview/2012/spring/

A Blessed Advent!

2011-12-05T21:48:00.001-08:00

Blessings to you all during this holy season of Advent!
As many of you know, I have a number of Nativity Scenes on display in the library during Advent and Christmas. I am inviting OLM students and staff to participate in a Nativity Scene Game. Each student is to count the Nativity Scenes that are on display in the library and know their locations. Those with the correct information will get a small treat.

Here are a few questions to ponder...
Can you locate at least one Nativity Scene that is new this year?
What are the basic elements of a Nativity Scene?
What does the word Nativity mean?
Have a happy, healthy, holy Advent and Christmas Season.

Book Fair Thank You!

2011-10-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who made the Fall 2011 Scholastic Book Fair a success. I particularly want to thank Mrs. Heather Silvera for all her many hours of hard work. She is a blessing! I also want to thank the parents and students who volunteered their time and talent in service to the book fair.

A special "Thank You" goes to Clifford for visiting our school and sitting with the students for pictures. What a treat!

Our next Scholastic Book Fair will be in spring 2012, during conference week.

Check the library blog regularly for updates.

2011-10-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

It's Book Fair Time!

Come in and check out the Scholastic Book Fair. You'll find selections to please pre-schoolers to adult! Are we out of the book you want? Can't make it to the book fair?
Go on line this week between now and Monday, October 31st to place an order and our school gets credit. http://www.scholastic.com/schoolbookfairs/2904311

The books will be sent to our school with no shipping fee. The Scholastic book fair runs through Friday of this week. Wednesday and Thursday 8am to 4pm; Friday 8am to 3pm. Remember we have two contests going! The winners will be announced Friday, October 28th, after morning prayer. Don't miss it!

September 16, 2011

2011-09-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

Thank You!
Thanks to all who donated books to Our Lady of Mercy School Library. Some of them are brand new. They will be available to check out very soon.

Scholastic Book Fair
The Fall 2011 Scholastic Book Fair runs during conference week (October 24 - October 28). The theme is "Reading is out of this world!"

Welcome Back

2011-08-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Blessings to all!
Wow! The 2011-2012 school year is off and running! Library classes begin next week.

Facelift!
Thanks to Mrs. Vera Hoffard for refinishing the rolling book cart and a shelving unit. She worked hard on it this summer. What a great upgrade to our library!

Thank You!
A big thank you to all who have donated books and other materials to OLM's library. Many items were added to the collection. Some books went to the teachers. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Check it out!
Our Lady of Mercy School's library offers the students a good selection of both fiction and nonfiction titles. Younger students might want to check out The Magic Treehouse series. We also have Junie B. Jones, Amelia Bedilia, Nate the Great, Magic School Bus and more. Students can also find a good selection of illustrated classics. Older students might want to read The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Book Thief, or any of a number of award winning books. They might want to consider reading
The Hunger Games Trilogy, a recent addition to the library.
Students are welcome to come into the library during there scheduled library class or during their recess (if I'm not with a class) to make a selection.

Book Fair
The fall Scholastic Book Fair is scheduled for October 24 - 28 (during conference week). More information will follow in future updates.

Scholastic Book Fair

2011-02-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you!
First things first! Thanks to all who have donated their time and materials to OLM library. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Scholastic Book Fair
Our spring Scholastic book fair is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for March 21 through March 25 (It's parent/teacher conference week) for the spring Scholastic book fair. The book fair will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 4:00pm and Friday from 8:00am to 3:00pm.

Note!
Go to the following web site www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/books to take an interactive look at some of the exciting books available at our spring Scholastic Book Fair!

Catholic Schools Week 2011

2011-02-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

A Catholic Schools Week Prayer

Blessed are you, O Lord our God. You give us time for growing and learning and you give us the gift of Catholic education.
May we, with your servant, Saint Thomas Aquinas, thank you for our school.
Response: We thank you, Lord.
And with your servant, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, we thank you for our learning.
Response: We thank you, Lord.
And with your servant, Saint John Bosco, we thank you for our faith. Response: We thank you, Lord.
And with your servant Saint Katharine Drexel, we thank you for all your gifts to us.
Response: We thank you, Lord.
As these holy men and women have been your servants, help us also to serve you and work toward a faith-filled future. Amen.

Martin Luther King Jr. Trivia

2011-01-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

"I have a dream!"
Martin Luther King Jr (MLK)

I hope all of you are enjoying this three-day weekend. As we honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his message of equality and peace please take a look at the following trivia questions.

1. In what city was Martin Luther King, Jr. born?
a. Atlanta
b. Albany
c. Austin

2. What prestigious prize did MLK win in 1964?
a. Pulitzer Prize
b. The Congressional Medal of Honor
c. The Nobel Peace Prize

3. What inspired MLK to help the fight for Civil Rights?
a. the killing of civil rights workers
b. He needed a cause for his ministry
c. He saw injustice in segregation

4. MLK led an important protest against what on April 3, 1968?
a. slavery
b. poverty
c. discrimination

5. Martin Luther King Jr. told people:
a. fight back only if needed
b. white people would be punished by God
c. racial equality was all about economics
d. none of the above

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

The Third annual Nativity Scene hunt was successful. All participants enjoyed locating and counting all the Nativity Scenes in the library. Do you remember the bonus blog question?

I hope all of you had a very happy, healthy and holy Christmas season and new year. May God continue to shower you with His many blessings throughout 2011 and always.

Here are a few library trivia questions to start off the new year:
1. How many weeks can you check out a book from OLM library?
* 1 week
* 2 weeks
* 3 weeks
2. What is another word for the section that has true and realistic books?
* fiction
* non fiction
3. What Dewey Decimal Number has Sports Books?
* 700s
* 500s
* 100s
4. Who does the Caldecott Award Honor?
* Librarians
* Illustrators
* Authors

Third Annual Nativity Scene Hunt

2010-12-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

Blessings to you all during this holy season of Advent!
It is time for the Third Annual Nativity Scene Hunt. As many students know, I have several Nativity Scenes on display in the library during the Advent and Christmas seasons. I invite visitors to the library to participate in a Nativity Scene "Hunt". Each person is to count the Nativity Scenes that are on display in the library and know their locations. Those with the correct information will get a small treat.

The bonus blog question is: Who is credited with creating the first Nativity Scene? Tell me the story.
The answer is at the end of this posting.

Here is a little information on how to arrange a Nativity Scene.

Each figure in a nativity scene has meaning, and the manner in which they are arranged will contribute to the significance and visual appeal of a nativity scene. The following guidelines will help you to arrange a meaningful and accurate nativity set.

Nativity sets vary greatly in size and number of pieces, but there are still general rules that can be followed when arranging a nativity scene. Your goal should be to display a nativity scene that is as respectful and accurate as possible. Each figure has meaning, and a proper arrangement will add great depth and significance to a Christmas display.

The Central Figures
A standard nativity set has seven pieces, but nativity scenes can always be enhanced with new figures. Secondary nativity figures are best positioned as onlookers outside the circle of main characters mentioned in the Biblical nativity stories of Matthew and Luke.

The central position in any nativity scene should be occupied by the Christ child. He is the reason for the display. Your nativity set should include a stable and manger. Place the manger at the center of the stable. A nativity tradition is to not place the baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas morning, but it is not necessary to follow this practice.

The nativity figure closest to Christ should be His mother, the Virgin Mary. A common practice is to place the figure of Mary on one side of the Christ child and His father Joseph on the other. However, some nativity icons actually display Joseph at a distance from the manger, looking away from Christ with an old man representing Satan at his side. The purpose of this is to give place in the nativity scene to the role of doubt in human faith.

Spacing and Secondary Figures
Consider the nativity stories in the Bible when positioning secondary nativity figures. Place your nativity figures in concentric circles to emphasize their meaning and increase visibility.

If you have nativity pieces representing shepherds or the three wise men, these can be placed in the first circle. If you have both, placing the shepherds closer than the three Magi would be in keeping with the Biblical accounts, which indicate that the shepherds visited the Christ child before the three kings.

The most common secondary figures are angels and animals. An ideal position for nativity angels is above your nativity set. If this is impossible, they may be placed within the stable behind the holy family.

The animals commonly used in nativity sets are sheep, oxen, and camels. The purpose of these figures is to remind you of the humbleness of Christ's birth, or in the case of the camels, the long journey of the Magi. The best way to incorporate nativity animals into a scene is to place them next to appropriate characters: sheep with the shepherds, camels with the three wisemen.

Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223 a "living" one with the intent to encourage the worship of Christ. The scene's popularity in spired other Christian communities to create ever more elaborate and intricate displays of the the birth of Jesus.

2010-11-07T12:56:00.001-08:00

Thanks to you, the Fall Scholastic Book Fair was successful!
It was wonderful to see so many students and families drop by the library to check out all that the book fair had to offer. Thanks to all the parent volunteers who shared their time and talents during the book fair. Your help was invaluable. A huge thank you goes to our book fair chair person, Heather Silvera, who worked so hard to make sure everything went smoothly. She is truly a blessing. Our next Scholastic Book Fair will be in the spring during parent/teacher conference week.

I want to thank all the families who donate their time, talents and resources to OLM's library. You help us to continue to provide high quality services and reading material to the students and staff of Our Lady of Mercy School.

God bless!

Scholastic Book Fair

2010-10-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

Come to the 2010 fall Scholastic Book Fair October 25 - October 29.
The hours are Monday - Thursday 8 am to 4 pm
Friday 8 am - 3 pm.

There is a wide assortment of reading material. View the photos on this blog, then check out the book fair. Students, remember our two contests. Preschool has a drawing contest. Students in grades K through 8 have a reading log contest. Keep reading! There is also a guessing contest. For every book you buy, you get a chance to guess how many seeds are in the jar on the counter. Check it out!

A huge THANK YOU! to Mrs. Heather Silvera, Scholastic Book Fair Chairperson, for all her hard work. We couldn't do it without her.
God bless!

2010-09-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 6 of the 2010-2011 school year at OLM!

Please keep the students and staff in your prayers this week as the students are taking the ITBS tests through Thursday.

School Board Meeting

Our Lady of Mercy school board meets in the library at 7pm on Tuesday, September 21st. You are encouraged to attend.

Funraiser Ends

The catalog sale ends Wednesday, September 22nd. Please return all forms and money as soon as possible.

Feast of Our Lady of Mercy

The feast of Our Lady of Mercy is Friday, September 24th. Remember to call on our heavenly mother as a prayer partner and follower her example as a disciple of Christ.

Scholastic Book Fair

The Scholastic book fair will come to OLM library the last week of October. Please plan to browse the selections. The theme is "Here's to Our Heroes, Reading Saves the Day!"

God bless you and have a great week!

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!

Kindergarten Newsletter 02/04/08

2008-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the parents who sat with us at Mass last Friday.
Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Pellicano for providing a VIA bus for the students to return to school.
Thanks to Mrs. Abbate, who organized the preparation of the class project for the auction.
Thanks to all who generously share their time, talents, and treasures.

God Bless You!
Blessings, Congratulations and Best Wishes the children who were baptized during Mass last Friday as Catholic Schools Week came to a close.

Ash Wednesday/Lent
Lent begins this week! Our School family will gather in the auditorium for Mass and distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday, February 6^tht, at 8:15am. Please join us. We will also gather each Friday morning in Lent to meditate on the Stations of the Cross.

Themes and Topics
The letter of the week is Yy.
The sight word is not.
This week we will:
*work with equal shares and measuring
*learn about Lent

Please return the Family Envelopes.

Progress Reports
Progress reports go home on Friday, February 8^th. Please read, sign, and return your child’s progress report by Tuesday, February 12^th.

Kindergartners Earn a Free Dress Day!
My class has earned a free dress this Friday, February 8^th, for bringing in the most boxtops and Campbell Soup Labels in December. Please continue to send in boxtops and soup labels.

Holidays
There is no school on Monday, February 11^th, in honor of Lincoln’s birthday.
There is no school Monday, February 18^th, in honor of Presidents’ Day.
There is no school Friday, February 29^th, due to the religious education congress in Anaheim.

Valentine’s Day
Thursday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. It is a free dress day. Students are encouraged to wear red, white, or pink. Please review the handbook or check with me regarding appropriate attire. Students are allowed to share Valentines with their classmates. There are 18 students in our class.

I suggest that your child write his or her name in the “from” space and leave the ”to” space blank. This will facilitate the distribution of the cards.

God bless you and have a happy, healthy, and holy Lent.

Kindergarten Newsletter 01/28/08

2008-01-27T15:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Catholic Schools Week!

Monday 1/28
We thank parents, families and businesses for supporting OLM School.

Tuesday 1/29
Buddy Day/Spirit Day. Each kindergartner provides an inexpensive gift ($2.00 maximum) for his or her buddy. Kindergartners brought home a note on Friday indicating who their buddies are. Students are allowed to wear free dress (navy blue and white). Students in the enrichment program must bring a lunch as there is
NO HOT LUNCH.

Wednesday 1/30
Kindergartners (and other classes) provide entertainment at the Cherish Luncheon at 11:30am. Students in the enrichment program must bring a lunch as there is NO HOT LUNCH.

Thursday 1/31
Decades Day. Students participate in games and activities from 1920’s to the present.

Friday 2/01
Students go directly to St. Patrick’s Church for the school Mass.
Classes will sit together. Families are encouraged to stay for Mass. My class will return to school on a VIA bus (Thanks to the Pellicano’s).
OLM faculty/8^th graders play volleyball at 11:15am.
Dismissal is at 12:30pm.

Dinner and Auction

Saturday 2/2
Parent Club Dinner and Auction is at 5:30pm at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall.

Homework Calendar
The January homework calendar is due Friday, February 1^st. The February calendar is in this folder.

Other Themes & Topics
The letter of the week is Xx.
The sight word is am.
Lighting the Way is the theme of Catholic Schools Week.
Groundhogs Day is February 2^nd.

Please pray for peace and healing.

God bless you and have a great week.

February 2008 Homework Calendar

2008-01-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

February 2008 Homework Calendar
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Please have your child write his or her full name at the top of the calendar.		Read and pray every day!			1 Look through a section of a newspaper. Circle ten words you can read.	2 Make AAB, ABC and ABBC patterns with coins.
3 Fifth Sunday in ordinary time Practice the prayers you know.	4 Write three words using the sounds you hear. Draw a picture for each word.	5 Listen to and talk to God. Tell Him about your day. What is Mardi Gras?	6 Ash Wednesday Spend time with Jesus by praying.	7 Review tying your shoe laces, saying your full name, address & phone number.	8 Practice running, skipping and hopping.	9 Read a favorite book with a partner. Retell the story.
10 First Sunday in Lent Pray for a Holy Lent.	11 Look at a penny and a $5 bill. Discuss Abraham Lincoln	12 Write three words using the sounds you hear. Draw a picture for each word.	13 Cut out foods from the food section of the newspaper and make up a heart healthy meal.	14 Valentine’s Day As an act of love, do something extra helpful at home.	15 Review letters and their sounds. Play a matching game with upper/lower case letters	16 Draw a picture. Write a sentence about it.
17 Second Sunday in Lent Sing a song from school.	18 Say a prayer for our country’s leaders.	19 Write your full name (first, middle, last) 3x neatly. Use colors.	20 Write a list of as many words as you can spell.	21 Review your birthday, the days of the week, months of the year and season.	22 Count by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s to 100. Practice all the sight words.	23 Play a “Simon Says” game.
24 Third Sunday in Lent Read a Bible Story and pray for peace.	25 Write the numbers as high as you can.	26 Practice tying shoelaces. Find five things that come in pairs.	27 List ten things that are rectangular.	28 Pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary with your family.	29 Leap Day! Practice bouncing and catching a ball, hopping, skipping and jumping.	Return this calendar by Thursday, March 1^st.

Kindergarten Newsletter 01/22/08

2008-01-19T08:27:00.000-08:00

Themes and Topics
*We will learn a little about penguins and do related projects.
*In religion we will discuss how Jesus is our friend.
*The letter of the week is Qq. The sight word is is.
*Can you believe it? This Friday
(01/ 25) we celebrate our 100^th day of school! We will engage in activities relating to this theme.

Show and tell 100!
Students are invited to bring in 100 things for “show and tell” on Friday. Consider the following: pennies, pasta, cotton balls, puzzle pieces, legos, etc.

Feed the Hungry
This Thursday the kindergartners will bring home a lunch bag. Please help your child prepare a lunch for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Bring it to school on Friday morning (01/25).

Catholic Schools Week
Catholic Schools Week starts Sunday, January 27^th. Please attend any one of the Masses Saturday evening or Sunday and represent Our Lady of Mercy School. Students are encouraged to wear their uniform to Mass.

Events
Monday (1/ 28) Parent/Community appreciation day.

Tuesday (1/29) Buddy Day, spirit day (blue/white free dress). Each child provides an inexpensive gift (no more than $2) for his or her buddy.
NO HOT LUNCH

Wednesday (1/30) Cherish Luncheon. Kindergartners will perform some songs for the luncheon guests at about 11:30am.
NO HOT LUNCH

Friday (2/1) Mass at St. Patrick's Church at 8:15 A.M. Please bring your child directly to the Church (NOT the school) at regular school time.
11:15 A.M. Teachers vs. 8th grade volleyball game
12:30 DISMISSAL

Saturday (2/2) Dinner/ Auction in the parish hall.

God bless you today and always!

2008-01-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

“Thanks!” to all who help and support our work in kindergarten. Thanks to all our volunteers who help in and out of the classroom.

Themes and Topics
The letter of the week is Vv.
The sight word is come.
We will look at winter themes.
In math we will identify and work with geometric shapes.

Catholic Schools Week (January 27-February 1) is a national event. Our students, staff, and community will participate in a variety of activities throughout the week.

In this packet you find a permission form. Please return this form as soon as possible.

Uniforms
Mrs. Blackburn has a few uniform reminders. Only OLM sweaters and sweatshirts are allowed in class. Through February, Girls are allowed to wear Dennis uniform pants to school, except on Mass days. Girls are allowed to wear socks or tights (NOT LEGGINGS nor FOOTLESS TIGHTS).

Sight Word Practice
We encourage you to practice the sight words with your kindergartner. He/she should be able to recognize them written and be able to write them.

Please check out my blog for previous newsletters, homework calendar, the lists of sight words and other information.

Report Cards
Report cards went home Friday (1/11). Please read, sign and return them by Monday (1/14).

Important Dates for January

1/15 Free Dress for students whose parents participated in the Capital Campaign Feasibility Study.

1/18 Family Fifties Dance 6pm to 9pm.

1/21 No School: Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday.

1/27 – 2/2 Catholic Schools Week.

God bless you and have a great week!

Permission Form

2008-01-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Catholic Schools Week 2008

Field Trip Permission Slip

The faculty, staff and students of Our Lady of Mercy School will meet at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Friday, February 1, 2008 at 8:15am for Mass as we close Catholic Schools Week. Please bring your child to St. Patrick’s Church by 8:00am. You are encouraged to stay for Mass.

Students in my class will return to OLM School after Mass by VIA Bus (thanks to the Pellicano family).

Please complete and return this form by Friday, January 18, 2008

Thank you.

Mrs. T. Poole

______________________________________

child’s name (please print) has my permission to participate in this field trip.

______________________________________________________

Parent or guardian name (printed)

______________________________________________________

Parent or guardian signature

Phone numbers

Please complete and return this form by Friday, Jan 18^th.

Kindergarten Newsletter 01/07/08

2008-01-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

Happy, Healthy, Holy New Year!Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas vacation. Thank you for the great Christmas gifts.

Themes & Topics

*As OLM School celebrates its 80^th anniversary this school year, the kindergartners will learn a few things that took place in the1920’s.

*We will work on a project for the auction.

*The letter of the week is Zz, and the sight words are do and up.

*We will work on number order and sequencing.

*We will discuss the Holy Family and the gift of our own families.

Friday, January 11, 2007
This Friday (01/11/08) is a minimum day. Students in the enrichment program will be dismissed at 12:30pm.

Homework Calendar
The December/January homework calendar is now due. You will find the homework calendar for the rest of January in this folder.

A Thought about Sharing
Each week your child is encouraged to share something that pertains to any of our themes and topics, not just the letter of the week. In fact, this week I ask the children to consider sharing experiences of acts of love in their own families. Photos are welcome.

Reading Logs
Soon the students will bring home a book envelope/reading log. More information will follow.

Catholic Schools Week begins Sunday, 01/27/08 and ends Friday, 02/01/08. There will be many special activities throughout that week. A school Mass will be celebrated on Friday (02/01/07) at St. Patrick’s Church at 8:15am. Please bring your child (and car seat) directly to the church that morning not to OLM School. We will need chaperones & drivers to sit with the students during Friday’s Mass and to bring them to OLM School afterwards. Please contact me as soon as possible if you are able to assist us. Remember, all chaperones and drivers must have the safe environment training and be fingerprinted before they may volunteer with the children. See Mrs. Blackburn if you have any questions.

Report Cards
Report cards go home soon. Please read, sign and return as soon as possible.

Please continue to pray for peace!

Homework Calendar January 2008

2008-01-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to school! Bring in the December January Homework Calendar

Practice writing your full name: first, middle, last names.

Review all letters and sounds (upper and lower cases)

Make up a story using some sight words. You may have help writing some sentences. Draw.

Sound out and write 4 words that begin with the letter of the week.

Review the days of the week, months of the year, seasons. Our songs help.

Baptism of the Lord

Talk about your baptism with your family.

Practice tying shoelaces. Count as high as you can by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, 10’s.

Practice writing the sight words on lined paper. Use your favorite colors.

On lined paper, write the upper and lower case letters using your favorite colors.

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

List five things that are triangular.

List five things that are circular.

Practice running, skipping, jumping, throwing, and catching.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pray for peace and healing.

Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday

(observed)

Make up a prayer for peace.

Write as many color words as you can. Use markers, crayons, pencils, etc.

Tell Jesus why you love Him. Write and draw.

What is your favorite winter snack? Why? Write and draw?

Read a story about Winnie the Pooh or Mickey Mouse.

Play a board game with a partner. Sing a song from school.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Catholic Schools’ Week begins.

Write a note thanking your family for sending you to OLM School.

Use lined paper and practice writing numbers as high as you can. Use spaces!

Make a cheerful card for someone who is sick, sad, hurt or lonely.

Do a kind deed for someone else.

Review OLM’s Mission Statement/SLE’s

Find the Mission Statement and Schoolwide Learning expectations on the web sight.

Return the completed January Homework Calendar on

Friday 02/01.

Kindergarten Newsletter 12/17/07

2007-12-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

Bravo!
The kindergartners did a great job leading in a reflection on The Good Shepherd last week. Thanks to all for your help and support.

Thursday
*December 20th, Free dress! Minimum day!
*There will be a Christmas assembly for the whole school right after morning prayer in the auditorium. It will last about 45 minutes to an hour.
*Later, the kindergartners will enjoy a Christmas snack.
*Remember, there will be no lunch service and no extended care on Thursday.
*Dismissal for students in the enrichment program will be at 12:30 pm. At that time OLM school will close for the Christmas vacation.
*Classes will resume Monday, January 7th, 2008.

Themes and Topics
We will continue our look at Christmas traditions and stories.
The letter of the week is Ll.
We will review all sight words to date.

Lunch and Milk Tickets
Please check your child's inventory of lunch and milk tickets. Some children have run out of tickets.

Thanks
"Thank You" to all who worked so hard on the enchilada sale. Your support will help fund the playground project. Thanks to all who continue to help and support us day after day in and out of the classroom. You are an inspiration and a blessing!

Homework Calendar
Your child's current calendar includes dates up to January 6, 2008. Please turn it in on Monday, January 7th, when classes resume. You can find a listing of the homework assignments on this blog. Look for Homework Calendar December 2007 in previous posts.

An Early but Urgent Plea!
I will need drivers to take students (and their car seats) back to school after the school Mass at the end of Catholic Schools Week (Friday, February 1, 2008). Please let me know if you will be available to sit with the kindergartners during Mass and/or drive that morning. I am asking you now because the whole school will need drivers.

Merry Christmas!
I wish all of you a most blessed Christmas.
May the peace and love of the first Christmas remain with you and your loved ones always!
God bless you!

God bless you and have a Blessed Christmas!

Kindergarten Newsletter 12/11/07

2007-12-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas Program
Students from various grade levels are participating in OLM’s annual Christmas Program on Tuesday evening at 7pm in St. Patrick’s Church. All are welcome.

Wednesday, December 12^th, is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Morning Prayer

On Wednesday, 12/12, the kindergartners will lead the school in a meditation on Jesus as The Good Shepherd.

This Week
The letter of the week is Bb.
The sight word is me.
We will also work with Advent and Christmas activities.

Review Suggestion
The second quarter ends Thursday December 20^th. I have begun testing the students. Please review with your child:

sight words (see over)
letters and their sounds.
numerals and their values
personal information

Lunch and Milk Tickets
Please check your child’s lunch and milk tickets regularly.

Advent Works of Mercy
We continue to see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through your generosity.

The sack lunch program for St. Vincent de Paul continues this week. The kindergartners are asked to bring in one more lunch this Advent (on Friday, December 14^th).

We are collecting money for Relay for Life as we support the American Cancer Society.

Complete a Survey…Earn a Free Dress Day!

Parents, we need your input! Go to olmlancers.com. Click on and complete the on-line survey regarding OLM’s capital campaign by December 18^th. Then send a note to your child’s teacher stating you completed the survey.
Your child will earn a free dress day (date TBA).

Thanks to all who share their time talents and treasures with us in and out of the classroom. You are a blessing to us.

Pray for peace and healing!

Go bless you and have a great week.

Homework Calendar December 2007

2007-12-01T19:24:00.002-08:00

Read and pray every day!
Go to Mass on Sundays.

December
1 Practice writing your first and last names three times. Use colors!
2 1st Sunday in Advent. Discuss your family’s Advent traditions.
3 Play a memory game with a friend or family member.
4 Review the ABC’s and the sounds.
5 Look at ten things around you; say the first letter of each word.
6 St. Nicholas was God’s helper. Pray for children who have less than you.
7 Count as high as you can by one’s, 5’s, 10’s.
8 Immaculate Conception of Mary. Pray for peace and healing
9 2nd Sunday of Advent. How can you prepare for the coming of Jesus?
10 Write the numbers from 0 to 10. Cut them apart, mix them up, then put them in order again.
11 Read a favorite book with a partner. What happened at the beginning, middle, end?
12 Our Lady of Guadalupe. Pray for peace.
13 Review all the sight words.
14 Practice hopping, skipping and jumping.
15 Practice reading the color words. Draw a colorful Christmas picture.
16 3rd Sunday of Advent. Sing a song to prepare for the coming of Jesus.
17 Make up a story about a visit to the North Pole. Write and draw.
18 Practice tying shoelaces. Practice ordinal numbers (first through tenth).
19 Write the ABC’s on cards; mix them up and put them in order again.
20 Make AAB and ABB patterns with dry cereal or beans, etc.
21 Make a Happy Birthday card for Jesus.
22 Play a board game with a partner.
23 4th Sunday.Read about the 1st Christmas.
24 Christmas Eve. What would it be like if you were with the Holy Family at the first Christmas?
25 Merry Christmas! Sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
26 Write a “thank you” note for a gift you received.
27 Review all the School-wide Learning Expectations.
28 Write and draw about a treasured Christmas gift.
29 Practice writing the sight words. Use colored pencils, etc.
30 Sunday within the octave of Christmas. Discuss New Year resolution.
31 New Year’s Eve

January 2008

Have a Happy, Healthy, Holy New Year!
1 Think of something new you want to learn this year. Write/draw.
2 Pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary with your family.
3 Read a favorite story with a partner. Retell the story to your partner.
4 Practice saying your phone number, address, and birthday.
5 Take a walk with an adult. Note what you hear, see and feel.
6 Epiphany of the Lord. Pray for those who do not know or love Jesus.

Kindergarten News 12/03/07

2007-12-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

Advent
Welcome to the season of Advent. During this liturgical season we prepare with joyful anticipation for the three comings of Jesus: the historical coming over 2000 years ago,
the last coming at the end of time, and
the coming Jesus in our daily lives.
Stay awake; be ready. We do not know the hour when the Lord is coming!

Our goal during Advent is to bring in extra lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. We will continue to collect lunches for the next two Fridays (12/07 and 12/14). Each student will bring home a lunch bag to fill. Please make sure your child gives it to me first thing Friday morning as the lunches are delivered early.
We are collecting canned goods for the food drive. See the December Newsletter for more information.

Uniform Notes
Winter weather is here! Girls are allowed to wear Dennis Uniform pants (navy blue cords) from December through February. However, girls must wear their jumpers on Mass days. Girls are to wear shorts under their jumpers. They will be allowed to play on the playground equipment if they are wearing shorts. This is for their warmth and modesty.
As always, only OLM sweatshirts or Dennis Uniform sweaters are allowed in the classroom.

Please review the handbook regarding hair and uniform policies.

This Week
The letter of the week is Jj
The sight word is yes
We continue with our Advent and Christmas projects.
Mass will be celebrated at school on Friday, December 7th. Please join us.

Kindergartners Lead Morning Prayer
On December 12th the kindergartners will lead the school in a meditation on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Students should learn the enclosed prayer and wear an appropriate costume for their part. A robe or plain colored adult-size T-shirt is a good start. Add a rope belt and a head covering and that’s all you need!

Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Saturday, December 8th, is the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. It is a holy day of obligation. Check the bulletin for Mass times.

Please continue to pray for peace!

Please Note!
We are learning the Guardian Angel Prayer. The children are to say this prayer at home with their families.
God bless you!

Kindergarten News 11/26/07

2007-11-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

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Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Thank You
Thank you to the families who helped with our Pilgrim and Indian “Feast”. We enjoyed our time together.

Homework Calendar
Please turn in the November homework calendar on Monday, December 3rd. The December homework calendar will go home this week.

Feed the Hungry
The Advent season begins Sunday, December 2nd. My class will focus on community service projects. We will provide extra lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The students are asked to bring an extra sack lunch each Friday for the next three weeks: (Nov. 30, Dec. 7th, and Dec. 14th). I will send reminders in future newsletters.

This Week
This week we will :
• read with our 6th grade buddies
• work with the letter Kk
• work with the words on and no.

Please Pray for peace!

The Good Shepherd!
On December 12th both kindergarten classes will share a meditation on shepherds during morning prayer. I ask that all the kindergartners dress as shepherds as they will represent Jesus under the title of The Good Shepherd. A plain robe or a man’s T-shirt is a good start for a simple costume. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Next Sunday is the First Sunday in Advent. This marks the beginning of a new liturgical year.

God bless you and have a great week.

Kindergarten News 11/13/07

2007-11-10T20:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! I hope you had an enjoyable three-day weekend.

Conferences
Thank you! to all the kindergarten parents. I was happy to talk with all of you. Your love and dedication to your children is inspirational!

Themes/Topics
The letter of the week is Cc /k/ as in cat.
The sight word is said.
This week we will read about the first Thanksgiving and make a book about it.

Reminders
The prayer of the month is the Act of Contrition. A copy of the prayer went home in the family envelope.
Review sight words regularly.
Practice writing the school way every day on lined paper.
Please check the school handbook regarding details such as uniforms and students’ dress code.

Important Dates in November
11/14: Thanksgiving program at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall.
11/15: Principal Appreciation Day
11/15: Indian/Pilgrim Thanksgiving snack.
11/16: Thanksgiving prayer service at 8:15 am in the auditorium.
11/19 – 11/23: Thanksgiving Vacation. Class resumes Monday, 11/26.
11/30 Kindergartners bring lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Sight Words
This is a list of sight words that we will learn this year. We usually focus on one word a week.
For some learning fun you can make your own flash cards using 3x5 index cards (colored or white).

Word List 1
and, the, like, a, I, see, can, you, be, we

Word List 2
did, go, on, no, yes, me, said, in, do, up

Word List 3
where, who, is, it, am, not, my, what, your, to

Word List 4
here, was, she, this, come, look, at, for, of, he

God bless you!

2007-11-03T13:51:00.000-07:00

Thank You!
The Mass in honor of All Saints Day went very well. Thank you to Mrs. Abbate who sat with the kindergartners during Mass.

Conferences
Conferences start today and run through Friday. I look forward to meeting with you and I appreciate your promptness as I have only 15 minutes to meet with each of you.
Dismissal this week is at 12:30pm for those in the enrichment program. This allows the teachers time to prepare for the conferences.

Scholastic Book Fair
Please check out the “Book Fair Blizzard” in OLM School’s library this week. It runs through Friday, November 9th from 8:00am until 4:00pm (3:00pm on Friday).

Themes & Topics
The letter of the week is Ww.
The sight word is did.
We will read stories and do some projects related to scarecrows.

Friends Book
The students will take turns with our Friends Book, a scrapbook with pictures of each child and of our many activities. The children will have opportunities to bring the book home, share it with the family, and return it the following school day. It is important that the children return the book to school promptly as I update it periodically and all the kindergartners really look forward to their turns to take home this book.

Important Dates in
November
11/05 “Dressed” Turkey Family Project is due.
11/05 – 11/09 Conferences/Book Fair
11/09 Veterans’ Day program at 8:15am in OLM School’s auditorium.
11/12 Veterans’ Day – No School
11/14 Fall Program/Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall.
11/16 Mrs. Poole’s class (Native Americans) and Mrs. Mill’s class (Pilgrims) share a Thanksgiving snack.
11/16 Thanksgiving Prayer Service at 8:15 am in OLM School’s auditorium.
11/19 – 11/23 Thanksgiving Vacation

Advent
Advent, a time of joyful and prayerful anticipation for the coming of Jesus, begins Sunday, December 2nd. Kindergartners will put their faith into action this Advent by bringing in extra lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

God bless you & have a great week!

Kindergarten Newsletter 10/29/07

2007-10-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Greetings kindergarten families!

Red Ribbon Week was a big success last week. Students and staff got into the spirit of making healthy choices.

The Halloween Carnival at OLM School went very well Saturday evening. Thanks to all who shared their time, talents and treasures to make it such a success.

Monday (10/29): another busy week!
Report cards are due.
Wednesday (10/31): Costume Parade and Contest. Students are permitted to wear their costumes to school for the entire day. Please make sure costumes are apprpopriate. If your child prefers not to dress in costume, the uniform must be worn. There will also be a Pumpkin Contest. Please refer to information sent home last Friday. Kindergarten Halloween Snack will be at the usual snack time.
Thursday (11/01): All Saints Day. Mass is at 8:15 am in the auditorium. All are welcome. The October Homework Calendar is due.
Friday: Minimum day. There is no lunch and no enrichment. Dismissal is at 12:30 pm.
Halloween Safety
Please check out the web site shown below for Halloween safety tips.
http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/tips/october/octtips.html

Visit the Book Fair November 5th through the 9th.

Themes and Topics
The letter of the week is Ff.
The word for this week is be.
We will learn about All Saints Day.
We will learn and read about scarecrows and do related projects.

November Family Project
This week I will send home directions for a fun family project…dressing a turkey. Please return the completed project by Monday, November 5th.

Conferences
Conferences will be held next week (11/5 through 11/9). I look forward to meeting with the parents. Please keep in mind the conferences are scheduled every 15 minutes. Promptness is essential as our time is brief. These are minimum days for the students. Dismissal is at 12:30 pm. There will be no lunch and no enrichment program.

Veterans Day
All are invited to a "Salute to Veterans" at OLM School on friday, November 9th. at 8:30am. There will be no school on Monday, November 12th, in observance of Veterans Day.

God bless you!

Kindergarten News 10/22/07

2007-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Red Ribbon Week!

Tuesday: SOCK IT TO DRUGS DAY – WEAR CRAZY SOCKS with your uniform.
Thursday: Garden of Hope Day. CJSF will assist students as each plants a bulb of hope.
Friday: Red & White Free Dress,
Rally at 8:15 am.

Dress Code Reminder
Please remember that only OLM sweatshirts or navy blue uniform cardigans are allowed in class.
Boys’ hair must be up off the collar, at least ½ inch above the ears and above the eye brows.
Girls must wear their hair pulled away from the face. A small bow (red, blue, or black) may be worn.
Only post earrings are allowed. No hoops or anything that dangles are allowed. These policies are in place for the children’s safety.
Free Dress Please check the student handbook for appropriate free dress. Please no tank tops, flip-flops, boots or sandals.

Report Cards
The first report card will go out on Friday, October 26th. Please read, sign, and return your child’s report card by Monday, October 29th.

Parent/Teacher Conferences
Conferences are from November 5th through November 9th.

Themes & Topics
This week our topics include:
Red Ribbon Week,
Halloween,
the Rosary. The sight word of the week is we.

The letter of the week is Hh.

Show & Tell
When selecting something to share, students are not limited to the letter of the week. I encourage them to bring in an item that pertains to any of our topics of discussion.

Carnival Help Wanted!
OLM’s Halloween Carnival is Saturday, October 27th. If you are interested in helping at the carnival, please contact Mrs. Abbate or Mrs. Saling. It is a great way to help the school and get volunteer hours.

All Saints Day
Thursday, November 1st, is All Saints Day. It is a holy day of obligation. Mass will be celebrated in the auditorium at 8:15am. Please join us.

Homework Calendar
The October homework calendar is due on Thursday, November 1st. November homework calendars will go home next week.

Book Fair
Come to the book fair Monday, November 5th through Friday, November 9th, 8am until 4pm.

God bless you, have a great week.

Kindergarten News 10/15/07

2007-10-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another busy week.

Field Trip Thank You
“Thank you” to all who provided snacks, transportation and/or who chaperoned our trip to the pumpkin patch last Tuesday. We offer our profound thanks to Mrs. Abbate who organized the snacks and to Mrs. Hanley who drove us to the pumpkin patch in a school bus. We had a great time, and all of you helped make things go so smoothly.
Drivers, please consider driving for us at the end of January 2008 as the whole school will celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Mass at St. Patrick’s Church. Many drivers will be needed. More information will come in January.

New Quarter
Today we begin the second quarter of the school year. My goodness, how time flies! Report cards will go home Friday, October 26th. Please read, sign, and return your student’s report card by the following Monday, October 29th.

Topics and Themes
*The letter of the week is Gg.
*The sight word is see.
*We will continue to talk about spiders. We will also learn about bats and do related projects.
*We will continue to learn about the Rosary.
*In math we will compare sets of objects and practice using tally marks.

No School Friday
There is no school Friday, October 19th as the teachers attend an in-service in Visalia. Enjoy a three day weekend!

Daily Writing Practice
Please practice penmanship (writing “the school way”) using lined paper for primary grades. This paper is available in grocery stores, office supply stores, drug stores, etc. The students need daily practice holding the pencil properly and forming the letters and numerals as instructed at school. This is a good opportunity to practice writing one’s name, the sight words, etc.

God bless you and have a great week!