Hello dear friends!
It has been an amazing year of such incredible growth both academically and socially/emotionally. Many of your children started the year with few sounds and very little writing experience. They soared through the curriculum, finding themselves above district standards. Not only did they make amazing growth in academics but the social/emotional growth that we saw this year is something that I will never forget. They embraced the peace curriculum and lived it daily. It was just so rewarding to sit back and observe children helping children, olders guiding youngers, kinds words of encouragement being shared with someone in need, helping hands for someone having trouble, perseverance when things were tough and positive attitudes even when things didn't go their way. Just incredible. Thank you for sharing your children with us and thank you for your trust! Your interest, involvement and staying up on current events in order to prepare your child for school every day is so very important. That partnership made this year one of the best in my teaching career! Keep up the good work! Please make sure your child is practicing reading and writing over the summer. I would recommend five days a week. You can access so many reading resources online as well as at the library. As for writing, have your child write in their summer journal. In school, the children write 3-5 sentences and are fully capable of doing so. I realize how hard this is to accomplish as a parent so just do your best. Another option is to grab a few workbooks from the store and do those each day. Thanks again for a great year! Have a wonderful summer! Mrs.W & Mrs. Anne
Friday
News! June 5, 2015
Bower's Harbor Park field trip was a success! It was a little chilly but we had a wonderful time. Thanks so much to parents & family members who joined us for this special event! Thanks too for the special Talent Show, June 10th beginning at 8:30: It is time for our annual school-wide Talent Show. This is open to any student in the school. The children will perform their talent in front of the entire school in the gymnasium. There is one rule: no lip-syncing. Try-outs will take place on June 8th and are led by Upper Elementary students. Stepping Up Ceremony 2015 You are invited to our Stepping Up Ceremony on Monday, June 8th from 2:00 – 3:00 pm. This whole community event will take place on Thirlby Football Field. During this special celebration, we will first recognize our kindergarteners who are stepping up to lower elementary, followed by our 3rd graders who are stepping up to upper elementary, and ending with our 5th and 6th graders who are stepping up to middle school. Please arrive promptly and sit on the home side, which are the bleachers closest to 13th Street. Immediately afterward, meet your child(ren) at their Peaceful Goodbye location. We hope to see you there! If the weather does not cooperate with us, we will reschedule for Tuesday, June 9th. Date to Remember June 8 – Stepping Up Ceremony - 2:00 pm June 9 – Whole School Pizza Party June 10 – Talent Show 8:30 to 10:30 June 10 – Last Day of School – Full Day 13th Street Parking (School Side) For the Stepping Up Ceremony on Monday, June 8th,parents are welcome to park across from Thirlby Field in the 13th Street field or on the cross streets. Also, please be aware of the no parking signs on the school side of 13th Street. Medication at School This is just a friendly reminder that if your child has medication in our office, it must be picked up by Wednesday, June 10, the last day of school, or it will be discarded by the nursing department. There will be a backpack message also sent home. This medication cannot be sent home with your child so please stop by our office when convenient to pick it up. Thank you for your attention with this. Yearbooks Still Available If you didn’t order a yearbook for your child, with his/her school pictures, there are still some available in the office for $10.00 each. From the Cafeteria Please make sure all your cafeteria balances are up to date by June 10th. Thank you, Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne Friday May 15, 2015
Lessons this week: world map making, sentence building, building complex numbers, butterfly art and our solar system.This week we attended two Model T presentations by the Gilmore Museum. The first presentation discussed Thomas Edison and many of his inventions. We also learned about life before inventions like electricity. The second presentation was a presentation about women in the automobile industry and lastly, students were able to compare and contrast the Model T with a Ford vehicle of today. · Thank you to all of the families who sent in pledges for the move-a-thon! · Please send in the Bower’s Harbor permission slip if you have not already done so. All lost and found will now be in front of the office until school ends or a little before then. Please stop in with your child if you are still missing some personal belongings. Move-a-thon - it's the last weekend to collect pledges. We will have a wrap up next week Friday! Dates to remember: Stepping Ceremony up for Kindergarten: Monday June 8th Bowers Harbor Field Trip: Friday June 5th Thanks to Mrs. Johnson for being a wonderful guest teacher this week! Next Week’s Snack – Churella/Dombroski/Steffen/Bilak Have a terrific weekend! Mrs. W/ Mrs. Anne
May 1, 2015
This week we have been discussing the life cycle of a butterfly. We have Painted Lady caterpillars in our classroom. Almost all of them have formed their chrysalises and will soon become beautiful butterflies. The kindergarten children took the spring NWEA assessment this week. The test covers reading and math growth from fall to spring. Ride your bike to School Day: Wednesday, May 6th is Ride Your Bike to School Day. On that day, your children will also be welcome to ride their bikes on Thirlby Field from 10:50-11:20. This will be the only recess that Primary will ride bikes and we will only be able to do this with adult volunteers. Please let me know if you can help. There will be extra bikes on hand but each and every child will need a helmet. Bikes should be parked inside the playground by the Thirlby Fence. Helmets may come in to the classroom. Next week’s snack is leftovers; however we seem to be very low on supplies since Spring Break. I am asking for any donations to get us through the week, popcorn, pretzels, blocks of cheese, bread, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, etc. anything will be greatly appreciated. Just a little reminder… we have had several of our materials either missing or accidentally taken from our classroom. Some of these items are very small (single golden beads). If you see any items that you feel belong back at school please send them with you kiddo! Thanks so much!! Have a great weekend! Mrs. W and Mrs. Anne Friday News April
24, 2015
This past week we celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd. We talked about recycling, keeping our earth clean and the meaning behind earth day. We also made flowers and trees from recycled paper. Lessons that your child may have had presented: Opinion writing, sight words(because, also, then, finally), odd & even numbers, subtraction, addition of complex numbers, finalizing addition booklets, compound words, ew, and ee sounds, revisiting letter & number practice, Oviparous animals, and plant journals. The Scholastic Book Fair is going on in our Library from Thursday April 23rd to Friday May 1st. Please feel free to stop by during school hours or after school until 4pm. Next week we will be administering the NWEA assessments once again. I like to refer to this test as “computer work.” We start on Wednesday and have until the following Tuesday to complete these. Next Week’s Snack – Weadock/Anderson/Schroeder. Thank you! Dates to Remember April 28 – Move-A-Thon Kick-Off - 2:00 pm Gymnasium April 28 – Girl Scouts April 30 – Science Share May 1 – Book Fair Ends May 5 – Kindergarten Round Up May 5 – City Elections – Gymnasium May 8 – Move-A-Thon May 12 – Girl Scouts May 13 – Upper El Spring Sing 7:00 pm May 15 – 6th Graders to Mackinac Island May 19 – PTO Meeting 3:30 to 5:00 May 25 – No School – Memorial Day May 26 – Girl Scouts May 29 – Habich/Munn Pyramid Point/Sand Dunes - All Day Move-A-Thon The kick-off will be Tuesday, April 28th at 2:00 pm in our gymnasium. Student packets will also be delivered to the students on that day. Save the Date!! The Upper Elementary Spring Sing is around the corner!! Our concert featuring the awesome sounds of all the Upper El classes is Wednesday, May 13 at 7:00 pm. Come see and hear all the wonderful music! TCAPS Montessori Science Share Thursday, April 30th, 8:00 – 6:00 in the gym Do you LOVE science? Then start exploring, experimenting, brainstorming a project that you can do in our annual Science Share. You can complete any of the following: Conduct a Science Experiment Do a Study Create a Poster Build a masterpiece Make a mobile Anything to do with science! The rest is up to you! We can’t wait to see your project! Just one rule, NO LIVE ANIMALS! BE SOMEONE’S HERO TShirts! If you did not get to order the Be Someone’s Hero, Bully Free T-shirts, we are placing another order. We will be accepting orders until April 20th. T-shirts should be delivered on May 18th! Show your support by ordering a shirt for your student! It would be great to have many of our school population wearing our shirts next fall during "Anti-Bullying Month" in October! :) Order forms are in the office. LEAP 2nd and 3rd Grade Rallyball (#1 In Nation) - Sign Up Now In its first year, Traverse City's Rallyball program was the largest in the nation (according to the United States Tennis Association) and after 10 years it continues to introduce hundreds of students each spring to the life-long benefits of Team Tennis. Click HERE to watch video of students participating in Rallyball. Rallyball is a form of tennis that students can play and be successful immediately. Rallyball takes place right after school in the gym for 1 ½ hours at your school starting May 8th and will continue each Friday in the month of May (5/8, 5/15, 5/22 and 5/29). Saturday, June 6th, will be the City Championships in which teams from all of the schools will play against each other. Instructors for this program are members of the Traverse City Central and West Senior High tennis teams. Fee: Fee: $40 - Reduced rates are available for those who qualify for the Free/Reduced Meals Program: Reduced: $20 Free $10.00 Registration deadline is May 1st. Click HERE to register and to view the videos of Rallyball in action! From Our Art Department Celebration for Young Children City Opera House 11 am - 1 pm: Hands-On Activity Center hosted by GTAEYC Horizon Books 11 am - Noon: Wings of Wonder Noon-1 pm: Author & Illustrator Talk, Karen Trolenberg & Christopher Smith A Flight of Magizzewas 1 - 2 pm: Author Reading & Q&A, Matthew Baker If You Find This State Theatre 10 am: Kid’s Matinee: Rio 2 10:30 am Sensory Friendly Version at Bijou Activities in Downtown Shops Brilliant Books Central United Methodist Church The Cheese Lady Great Lakes Bath & Body/Paperworks Studio Morsels Espresso + Edibles My Secret Stash Peppercorn Children’s Art Work Displays Saturday, April 25 11 am to 1 pm Brilliant Books The Cheese Lady Downtown Office (next to Scalawags) Gliks Great Lakes Bath & Body Haystacks Horizon Books Kay’s Miner’s North Jewelers My Secret Stash Peppercorn Toy Harbor
Friday News
Hello families and friends! As most of you know I was out 2 days this week due to a respiratory influenza. I am finally feeling better and so is my husband and daughter. I hope that all the students are well too! We have had many absences this past week. My goodness!! It feels good to get back to a normal routine! Thanks to Mrs. Anne and Mrs. Johnson. Lessons this week: Planting seeds, sunflower planting, lima bean planting, and worm experiment. A few dates to remember… April 21 – PTO Meeting 6:00 to 7:30 April 23 – Scholastic Book Fair Begins April 28 – Girl Scouts April 30 – Science Share May 1 – Scholastic Book Fair Ends May 5 – Kindergarten Round Up May 8 – Montessori Move-A-Thon May 12 – Girl Scouts May 15 – 6th Graders to Mackinac Island May 17 – NMC BBQ May 19 – PTO Meeting 3:30 to 5:00 May 25 – No School – Memorial Day May 26 – Girl Scouts Ride your bike to School Day: Wednesday, May 6th is Ride Your Bike to School Day. On that day, your children will also be welcome to ride their bikes on Thirlby Field from 10:50-11:20. This will be the only recess that Primary will ride bikes and we will only be able to do this with adult volunteers. Please let me know if you can help. There will be extra bikes on hand but each and every child will need a helmet. Bikes should be parked inside the playground by the Thirlby Fence. Helmets may come in to the classroom. The flyer indicates that they will ride on Wednesday and Thursday but we will only be riding Wednesday during the morning recess. Stepping Up Ceremony will be held on June 8th at 2:00 on Thirlby Field. This ceremony is for students who will step up to lower el (or first grade) next year. If your child will be spending another year with us here in primary, you will not need to prepare for this event. Bower's Harbor Fieldtrip: Our final fieldtrip will be a day spent at Bower's Harbor Park. This will take place on June 5th.
Friday April 10th, 2015
This week and this month we will continue to focus on plants and things that grow. Our focus this week was an introduction to seeds and plants. Next week we will plant beans and watch them grow over the next few weeks. Mrs. Yamasaki presented a seed lesson and dissected a bean with a magnifying glass. Lessons presented this week: Opinion writing, more & fewer, seeds, how plants grow, life cycle of a plant, colored bead addition, measuring spoons, cutting and skinning carrots, making sentences with the moveable alphabet. Our author this week was Lois Ehlert. She is an author and illustrator of children's books, most having to do with nature. Ehlert won the Caldecott Honor for Color Zoo. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ehlert grew up painting and sculpting. Even in her early years-she always erased her drawings and was never satisfied. Her favorite art technique was and remains to this day to be cutting and pasting. With Earth day (April 22nd) approaching we are in need of clean recycled boxes and paper. This could be cereal boxes or any dry food boxes. This activity involves very colorful paper! I will be collecting over the next two weeks! Next week’s snack: Quillen Reed/Guerin/Jonas Have a terrific weekend! Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne
Birch Tree Spring Break News Thursday March 26th
Dates To Remember March 26 – ½ day of School – No Extended Day – School Dismisses at 11:37 a.m. March 27 – No School March 30 – April 6 – Spring Break April 7 – School Resumes April 8 – Timeless Image Spring Fun Pictures April 14 – Girl Scouts April 17 – Montessori Movie Night April 21 – PTO Meeting 6:00 to 7:30 April 23 – Scholastic Book Fair Begins April 28 – Girl Scouts April 30 – Montessori Science Share May 1 – Scholastic Book Fair Ends May 5 – Kindergarten Round Up May 12 – Girl Scouts May 15 – 6th Graders to Mackinac Island May 19 – PTO Meeting 3:30 to 5:00 – School Library BE SOMEONE’S HERO! Order your Be Someone’s Hero, Bully Free T-shirt for the Olweus spring kick-off Friday, April 17th. Show your support by ordering a shirt for your student! They are only $8.25! Deadline for orders is tomorrow, Thursday March 26th. The order form is attached to this communication at the bottom or available in the school office. Payments are due with the order form. If you have any questions, please contact Kathie Cesario, 231-499-6294. Have a wonderful and safe spring break! Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne
Friday March 20,
2015
Lessons this week: Making a map through pinning and tracing our continents, ae and oy sounds, The Bank Game, Building Complex Numbers, Adding with Number Rods, Pastel Art, Reading Eric Carl Books. We officially started our Opinion Writing Unit. We began with a basket full of questions all about favorites. For example, What is your favorite pet and why, what is your favorite food, why? They give their opinion, one reason why and then close with repeating what the favorite is. Thanks to our Fifth Graders who join us for Book Buddies! The students love reading with our friends from upper elementary! Next Week’s Snack –Anderson/Andrews/Goodman Thank you! This past Thursday, March 19, we had a wonderful presentation from Dynamics West. It is called Made In Michigan. The program featured live goats, chickens, doves, geese and more. It was so exciting and hands on! Topics of discussion included:
Dates to remember: Thursday March 26th-1/2 day of school March 27th- April 6th Spring Break April 7th – Return to school Have a Great Weekend! Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne
Week of
February 23rd, 2015
We had a wonderful week and it felt so good to get back into our regular schedule! Hopefully snowdays are behind us! Lessons your child may have had this past week: Addition Booklets and Colored Beads to add single addition. These lessons are the building blocks to the golden bead addition to 2 & 3 digit addition. In writing we are finishing up our informational pieces and will be starting opinion writing soon. This past week we have had several meetings with the students about Montessori Grace and Courtesy, especially caring over this behavior outside of the classroom. We discussed our behavior in the cafeteria, hall, playground and while we are at specials. Show and tell was such a huge success that we will be doing it again! I will send home the schedule next week! A Big thanks to Miss Ellen who has been assisting in our room since the beginning of the school year. The students love her presence in the room and she is always willing to help out in many ways! Thanks to you Ellen!! Next Week’s Snack – Leftovers! Dates to Remember March 5 - Rescheduled Conferences March 10 – Girl Scouts March 17 – PTO Meeting 3:30 to 5:00 March 17 – Kindergarten Information Night 5:30 to 6:30 March 24 – Girl Scouts March 26 – ½ day of School March 27 through April 6 – Spring Break April 7 – School Resumes Have a wonderful weekend. Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne
Week of February 16th
A short week, but very productive! In writing we continue with informational pieces. This past week we fancied up our writing with editing and pictures. I am so proud of our amazing writers and authors! We will be celebrating 100th day this coming week, with all the snow days I’m not sure of the exact day (Ha-ha), however, it’s always a fun time of year! I have posted the schedule for parent teacher conferences on our website under documents. Please check this schedule for your specific day and time for conferences. March 5th is the rescheduled date for our snow day on February 19th. Please let me know if you cannot make the rescheduled time. Many parents have inquired about Intent To Enroll Forms for next year’s enrollment. It looks like I will be sending these home during conferences. Please fill these out as soon as possible and return them to school so that your child is guaranteed placement for next year. Directions state that if your are enrolling in the Toddler or Preschool program to immediately submit this form plus the registration fee of $50.00 and the first weeks tuition in order to hold your position on the enrollment roster. Have a wonderful weekend! Mrs.W and Mrs.Anne
Friday February 13,
2015
Dear Birch Tree Families, Another busy week! Our theme this past week was of course Valentine’s, red, pink, hearts, love and cards! We had a wonderful Valentine’s Day with exchanging cards and enjoying a healthy snack. We watched “Frozen” and in the afternoon the kiddos loved partner work. I will be sending home conference confirmation sheets today in folders. Please take a moment and return so I can confirm your time. Next weeks snack: Weadock /Shullick /Schroeder /Churrella Thanks to all the parents and family members who have volunteered to read with the students! They have truly enjoyed this time together! Have a wonderful warm weekend! Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne
Birch Tree News February
7th 2015
Dear Families, just a few notes for this past week! I will be sending home conference sign-up sheets on Monday. Please return as soon as possible so I may finalize a schedule. I will do my best to accommodate your first choice! This Friday is Valentine’s Day. If you would like your kiddo to bring in Valentines, just be sure to have their names on each card. It is a much easier process if you do not put the recipient’s name on the card. This way the students can just deliver the Valentines without error! I will send home a printed class list. We are not having a planned party; however we will exchange valentines and have a healthy treat in the morning. Snacks for this week: Quillen/Reed/ Guerin/Jonas Wish list: We are in need of fresh flowers of any kind for a special project! Dates to Remember February 10 – Girl Scouts February 11 – State Student Count Day February 17 – PTO Meeting 6:00 to 7:30 February 19 – Parent/Teacher Conf. 4:30 to 7:30 February 24 – Parent/Teacher Conf. 4:30 to 7:30 February 24 – Girl Scouts February 26 – Parent/Teacher Conf. 4:30 to 7:30 March 10 – Girl Scouts March 17 – PTO Meeting 3:30 to 5:00 March 17 – Kindergarten Information Night 5:30 to 6:30 March 24 – Girl Scouts March 26 – ½ day of School March 27 through April 6 – Spring Break April 7 – School Resumes Have a terrific weekend! Mrs. W and Mrs. Anne
Friday January 30, 2015
News from the BirchTree Room What a productive and very busy week we had!! Lessons your child may have had: · Antarctica · Hibernation and getting ready for winter · Winter animals · Black Bears · Golden Bead Addition and Place Value · We continue with, “Informational” writing. Many students are enjoying this area of writing! It is so exciting to read about all the things they know how to do! · Martin Luther King Day Just a few notes about Montessori School/Home Connection: Grace and Courtesy “Montessori education includes explicit instruction on social behavior in a part of the curriculum called Grace and Courtesy, which are on par with lessons in math, music, and language” (Lillard, 2007, p. 198). These may include lessons on how to say please and thank you, politely interrupting someone, making verbal greetings, or introducing friends and acquaintances. Through the lessons of Grace and Courtesy, a child is able to develop and refine social skills while building self-esteem and independence. Montessori stressed the relationship of these exercises to the general happiness and well being of the child. “A child who becomes a master of his acts through… repeated exercises [of grace and courtesy], and who has been encouraged by the pleasant and interesting activities in which he has been engaged, is a child filled with health and joy and remarkable for his calmness and discipline” (Montessori, 2007, p. 93). Lillard (2007) further explains the importance of educating the whole child, “the goal of Montessori education in fact, is explicitly stated to be the education of the whole child, not only the intellect” (p. 198-199). Taken from http://dirigomontessori.pbworks.com/w/page/64871416/FrontPage Parents can do many things at home to foster independence through Grace and Courtesy. The best way to do this is to lead by example. If your child sees you kindly holding the door open for someone else, they will be more likely to do the same. If your children consistently sees you covering your mouth when you sneeze so will they. Grace and Courtesy can also be taught at home through let’s pretend scenarios. First demonstrate the proper behavior, breaking down the lesson into distinct steps. Then give your child opportunities to practice the lesson. Invite siblings and dolls to play along. Let’s pretend mom is on the phone and you have a question to ask her. What can you do to interrupt politely? Act out these scenarios with your child. They love it! You will quickly see them creating opportunities to use these newly taught skills. When your child uses the skill appropriately be very specific with your praise. I was so happy that you said “Excuse me Mommy,” when I was on the phone. Continue these lessons if your child still needs help performing these techniques consistency.Dates to Remember February 2 – Parent Upper El Information Night 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. February 5 – Tubing at Timberlee February 10 – Girl Scouts February 11 – State Count Day! February 17 – PTO Meeting 6:00 to 7:30 February 19 – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30 to 7:30 February 24 – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30 to 7:30 February 26 – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30 to 7:30 TCAPS Montessori Information Night 3rd, 4th & 5th Graders Monday, February 2nd 5:30 – 6:30 in our Library Next Weeks Snack Feb 2- PATEK/BENITIZ & BURDEN Have safe and wonderful weekend! Mrs.W. and Mrs. Anne Week of January 12th-16thDear Birch Tree Families!
What a nice full week we had at school! Our Montessori Winter Celebration Tubing event is coming up. Please see below for info. Pajama Day: This Thursday, January 22nd will be our primary PAJAMA DAY!! This is a favorite for everyone (even the teachers). Pajama usually consists of a fun cooking project, a movie and popcorn! Your child may wear his/her favorite pajamas and bring one small stuffed toy. Primary Ice Skating day: First Thursday in February - Primary & or Kindergarten Ice Skate Day, (February 5th, 2:40 - 3:10) The ONLY way we can make this happen is to have adult volunteers. Timing is perfect since it is right at the end of the day. We need you so please let us know if you can help out and we will go ahead with our plan for that day. Children MUST have ice skates and helmets to participate. Children without skates/helmets will have regular recess on the playground. Thank you to Bill Clark for making this happen! Make up day for weather for Primary and/or Kindergarten on the 3rd Thursday in February - (February 19th, 2:40 - 3:10.) Preschool raffle (preschool families only) ~ please make sure you send in unused raffle tickets. We are responsible for making sure they are returned to Boardman if they are not sold. Thanks!! School schedule for next week: January 19 ~ School Closed January 22 ~ half day - dismissal at 11:37 January 23 ~ School Closed Next week's snack helpers are Anderson/Andrews/Wagner/Goodman Have a wonderful week! Mrs. W and Mrs. Anne Montessori Winter Celebration Pizza/Tubing Where: Timberlee Resort When: Thursday February 5, 2015. 4:30-8:30ish What: Pizza, Socializing, Tubing, FUN! Who/Why: Montessori children and their families who would like to gather for an evening and share the celebration of winter and friends. ********Pizza will be served starting at about 5:30ish and continue through about 7:30. ******** Tow rope lines tend be longest between 6:00-7:30 Cost: $ 14.00 children Pizza, pop, Tubing. $ 17.00 adults who wish to tube and eat. $ 8.00 Pizza & pop only, no tubing. Pay when you get to Timberlee Please. Please R.S.V.P. to your child’s teacher by Thursday, January 29. Please indicate how many in your family will be partaking in pizza and or tubing. However, if for some reason you don’t RSVP you may still attend. You may send this back as a hard copy, email your child’s teacher Mr. Habich. [email protected] Hope to see you there! The _______________________family will attend! ____ # adults tubing ____ # children tubing ____ # people dining only Birch Tree Room News: Week of Jan 5-9 Hello Families! Wow! We sure had a short week last week! Hopefully next week will be a full week of learning for our children. We started the new year with a “Healthy Living” theme. The children will be learning about healthy eating and nutrition. This week we will make a Rainbow Collage of food that will be displayed in the hall! The children have also begun several new practical life activities: brushing teeth and polishing coins & various wooden objects. Snack families for the week of January 12th are: CHURRELLA/DOMBROWSKI 1 bag Whole grain tortilla chips 1 bag of apples or fruit of choice STEFFEN/BILAK 1 lb of turkey or ham 1 large package of string cheese In addition, we can always use disinfectant wipes, boxes of kleenex, liquid hand soap, colored construction paper, and snack items such as pretzels, crackers, nuts, raisins, apples. Thank you everyone! See you Monday! Mrs. W. & Mrs. Anne Friday December 19, 2014 Dear Birch Tree family and friends, This week we enjoyed a concert from Michigan State Men’s Acapella Singers. They were wonderful and the students really enjoyed this event. Thanks to our class volunteers for reading with the students! Thanks too to Kristi Weadock for her beautiful reindeer art project! We have a new student in our class! Mordecai Benitez. He is from Charlevoix, Michigan and will be joining us in January. Our new snack menu for the New Year has been posted on our website. I have also sent home a hard copy. (Week of January 5th) – WEADOCK/SHULLICK 1 boxes whole Grain Crackers 1 large block of cheese 1 Jar of pickles SCHROEDER/GUERIN 1 large bags of Pretzels 2 bags grapes 1 Jar of Pickles I hope everyone has a very happy and safe holiday! Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne Friday December 12th 2014 Dear Birch Tree Families, This week the students learned about the celebration of Hanukkah and Christmas. We made a Menorah, decorated a Christmas tree, played a Dreidel Game, traced a beautiful poinsettia, Christmas tree stringing, folded holiday napkins and explored decorative ink stamping. Mrs. Yamasaki presented an art lesson about primary colors. We so enjoy her visits! Thanks Susan! Our holiday music performance was beautiful! Thanks to Mrs. Smith for putting together a wonderful program. We enjoyed holiday snacks and visiting with families and friends! What a great morning! Our Monday, Wednesday and Friday friends will now have Library on Mondays at 8:30 am. No Library next week. Please remember to return any overdue library books. Next Week’s Snack – Leftovers, thank you! (However any healthy home baked goods are always welcome) Just a reminder… we have a full week of school next week. Last day before break is Friday December 19th and school resumes Monday January 5th 2015. Have a fantastic weekend! Mrs. W & Mrs. Anne Dear Birch Tree Families, we had a very busy and productive week! A few dates to remember… Last day of school before Holiday Break Friday December19th- School resumes Monday January 5th 2015 Friday December 12th is the date for our class holiday music program. The program will begin at 9:30 and last for 30 minutes, with a social gathering immediately afterwards. The event will conclude at 10:30 am. A few Holiday snacks will be served at this time. We begin NWEA testing next week. The students worked very hard on the last section of this required test. I refer to the test as a “work or computer time.” This usually takes about 2 weeks for everyone to complete. In Reading we are we are comparing the characters, setting and plot of each story against all of the others we have read. We continue to use all of our reading powers to help us become stronger readers. Thanks to all of our parent volunteers for coming in and reading with the kiddos! They love this time together. Practical Life- Skimmer, use of an egg beater and shaving soap. We introduced a Dreidel Game. Math- we are preparing our Albanesi Folders for next week! Language- Sight words for the last 2 weeks- Is, My, His, He. Word families- (at, eep, it, up). A big thanks to Susan Yamasaki for presenting a Traverse City Cultural Lesson this past Thursday! She brings a wealth of knowledge with her! Have a great weekend! Mrs. W and Mrs. Anne Next weeks snack-DOMBROWSKI/ANDERSON/STEFFEN/BILAK
Friday
November 21, 2014
We have extended our date to make Stone Soup until this coming Monday 11-24-14. Thanks for all of your donations. The students are looking forward to this fun and healthy activity! Movie Night Tonight- Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) Next Week’s Snack –WEADOCK, SHULLICK, SCHROEDER, CHURRELLA A Big thanks to Owen and Kate’s mom, Kristi, for volunteering your time to make a beautiful Thanksgiving art project with the students! Thanks too to Allison, Maddie’s mom for helping out! Montessori at Home There are several easy ways to aid your child’s social development as she/he is growing and learning. Your child’s innate motivation to learn will appear through your positive encouragement. It is first helpful for the parent to understand the golden rules followed by Montessori methodology: · To allow freedom within limits · To respect the individuality of the child · To resist imposing your own will and personality on the child. For the youngest of children, parents can begin to “set” the child up for independence. This is a vital step towards your youngster becoming a self-directed, independent learner. By fostering strategic work at home, you will see your child not only become more independent, but also feel a sense of intrinsic pride and support to your family unit. The following is a simple guide of some expected activities for children to be empowered to complete, at home, on a regular basis: Age Level Tasks Toddler Dressing oneself; setting the table; loading the dishwasher; sorting & folding laundry; putting clean laundry away; picking up toys directly after playing with them Primary All of the above, in addition to: Dressing himself – including shoes, socks and outdoor gear; setting the table; loading the dishwasher, washing and drying dishes; sorting laundry; dusting furniture; sweeping floors; shoveling snow or raking leaves Lower Elementary All of the above, in addition to: tying shoes; making a bed; making a packed lunch; helping with cooking tasks; packing & unpacking school bag; putting groceries away Upper Elementary All of the above, in addition to: vacuuming floors; washing clothes; cooking; baking; volunteering in the community Maria Montessori said, “Little children, from the moment they are weaned, are making their way toward independence.” It is our duty as their parents and teachers, to nurture this independence. Parent Resources: Book: Montessori Play & Learn: A Parent’s Guide to Purposeful Play from Two to Six by: Lesley Britton Website: http://www.dailymontessori.com/ There will be no school on Thursday and Friday of next week. School will resume on Monday December 1st. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. Julie and Anne November 14th 2014 Our word of the week was, “COURAGE.” We talked about doing something even if it’s sometimes scary or too difficult (of course within reason) and having the courage to speak up if something is not right! We had a very special guest in our room this past week! Mrs. Susan Yamasaki. She recently retired from TCAPs after 30 years of teaching. It was our pleasure to welcome her into our classroom. She presented a lesson on “A Birds Eye View”, pertaining to mapping and map making. Thank-You Susan!! Some lessons that may have been presented this week… Reading- connecting the picture to the word and does it make sense? Tricky parts and what do we do? Beginning and ending sounds. Math- 1000 chain, 10s board, revisiting counting and writing numbers. Lanaguage- word families, blends, revisiting letters. Writing- What are we thank-full for and what did we did at recess today. We made classroom books with both of these writing pieces. Sensory and practical life- food preparation activities, squeezing oranges and then tasting, grinding cheerios to make bird food, pairing socks, and flower arrangements. On Fridays the students love to work with a partner. We started this a few weeks ago and is has been a success! We also watch a short educational video after lunch. Today we watched "Letter Factory." Please make sure all your of your child’s outerwear is clearly labeled. It is that time of year when hats and gloves are so very easily misplaced. Getting ready for recess and home can be very hectic and things tend to be misplaced at this time. Our school Lost and Found is getting very full. This is located in the breezeway on the way to the lunchroom. If your child is missing personal belongings please check this area on a daily basis, sometimes it takes a few days before something shows up down there. We also send the kiddos down on their time, but they are not always successful at locate their own missing objects among all of the clothing in this area. Usually around once a month all of the unclaimed belongings are bagged up and taken to Good Will so please remember to look in this area often for missing items. Just a reminder…We will be making Stone Soup next week - Please remember to send in the following food item on or before Tuesday November 18th Last name starts with: A through B – 1 large box/can of vegetable broth C through G – 2 Carrots H Through K – 2 stalks of Celery K through L - 1 small onion M through Q - 2 small redskin potatoes R - 1 zucchini S - 1 clove of garlic T through V - 1 yellow squash W through Z – small box of plastic spoons Next Week’s Snack is: PATEK/TOOKER/ BURDEN Have a safe a fun weekend! Julie and Anne Friday November 7th, 2014
A HUGE THANK YOU to all the families that helped out for our Halloween Party! It was such a huge success! The students enjoyed making spider hats, bird feeders and pumpkin crafts. We enjoyed healthy Halloween snacks and listened to spooky music. Our word of the week was, “Attitude.” We discussed the importance of having a great attitude at school and home. We also talked about how a positive attitude can help us focus better and have a productive day! Lessons presented this week may have been: Exploring math beyond simple counting, beginning with the colored beads, place value using materials like the 1000 chain and the 10’s board. Orange, green and blue letters, blends and sight words (the, mom, dad, am). Just a reminder… We will be making Stone Soup the week of November 17th – If you are able, please remember to send in the following food item on or before Friday November 14th. Last name starts with: A through B – 1 large box/can of vegetable broth C through G – 2 Carrots H Through K – 2 stalks of Celery K through L - 1 small onion M through Q - 2 small redskin potatoes R - 1 zucchini S - 1 clove of garlic T through V - 1 yellow squash W through Z – small box of plastic spoons Next week’s snack: Leftovers (however, any homemade goodies are welcome) It’s getting COLD outside, please remember to dress your child in winter wear (Not snow pants yet) but winter coat, mittens and a hat. Have a terrific weekend! Julie and Anne News from the Birch Tree Room October 24, 2014 Our word for the week was PERSEVERANCE. We discussed how to keep going even if we feel like stopping. Many times we can become frustrated with work and want to give up because we don’t understand. If we persevere and give it our best it makes us feel proud! Lessons that may have been presented this week: Reading and retelling, building on small moments, zoo phonics, leaf crushing with mortar and pestle, necklace making, pumpkin journal, horizontal math, pre math red and blue rods with numbers, counting sunflower seeds. With the weather changing so quickly, please do take this opportunity to start practicing snow clothes. It is imperative that your child is able to dress him/herself independently during the winter season!! :-) We do a little chant when it is time to get ready so that the children learn the order of getting dressed. Snow pants, boots, coats, hats, mittens!! Thanks for your help as we prepare for Michigan weather! :-) Thank you to all who contributed to our refrigerator fund$$. Thanks too, to Mrs. Larrea for putting the word out!! We love our new and very cold frig! Our Halloween celebration is planned for Thursday October 30th from 9:45-10:45. Please plan on having your child come to school in their Halloween costumes. We will share our costumes first thing in the morning and talk about their costume and how it relates to a literary character. We also have library at 9:15-9:45 and then will return to the room for the celebration. Our school parade is scheduled for 11:00 am in the morning. Dismissal will follow immediately after. Next Weeks Snack is: CHURRELLA/ DOMBROSKI AND STEFFEN/BILAK Have a fantastic weekend!! Julie News for Friday October 17, 2014 Our word for the week was Responsibility! We learned all about being responsibility in the classroom as well as at home. A few examples that we discussed: School: Doing our best at school, starting and completing our work, putting our materials away so they are beautiful for the next person. At home: helping out at home and doing chores. Parent/teacher conferences are coming soon! Please return the conference sheet that confirms your time if you have not done so. Please plan ahead...P/T conferences are for parents only. Kindergarten Families: The district is asking your kindergarten children to participate in the NWEA testing. We have been practicing with the upper elementary students this week. Testing begins next week for out class. We refer to the test as a “game.” This will hopefully relieve any test anxiety. Website Photo’s: I would love our photo gallery updated at the very least every other week. I know it means a lot to our families that you are able to see some activities that your child is working on in school. I’m finding that this year, with just Ms. Anne and I, taking classroom class photos is last on the list when trying to give lessons to all your little ones. I would love for parents to volunteer to visit our classroom during “work time” to take some photos. If you happen to have a few extra minutes in your day, give me a call and we can set a time up that works for the class. Stop in and ask for my camera. All you have to do is take the photos with my camera and I’ll do the rest! Communication folders: Please make sure you are checking your child's folder every night. Thanks!! Next week's snack helpers: October 20 WEADOCK/SHULLICK 1 boxes whole Grain Crackers 2 large block of cheese 1 Jar of pickles SCHROEDER/GUERIN 1 large bags of Pretzels 2 bags grapes 1 Jar of Pickles Halloween Celebration: Halloween is around the corner. Please take note our school celebrates Halloween as a Literacy Day. We request that all costumes are based on a character from a book. Keep in mind that pretty much any costume can be tied to a book, although we are hoping you will use this as an opportunity to be creative and unique. Costumes do not need to be expensive or elaborate. In addition, it is TCAPS policy to save candy and sugary treats for afterschool events. All Halloween activities will take place on the morning of Thursday, October 30th. Our parade is scheduled for 11:00. Have a Beautiful Weekend! Julie Friday October 10, 2013 Pahls was fantastic! The weather was perfect, the children were amazing and we had so much fun! Thank you to all of our wonderful parent volunteers, we couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you! Check out the photo Gallery for fun pics. Our word of the week: Caring. We talked about caring for others, their feelings and what kindness means. Whether at school or home it is always important to be a kind a caring friend. Kindergarten Handwriting has begun: We have been practicing our numbers first. We are also working on writing our names with one capital letter and the rest lowercase letters. Writing Workshop: We continue with the Unit “Small Moments.” We are having a fantastic time writing and sharing many new small moments every week! I have enjoyed getting to know each of the students through their very creative writing! Autumn Themes: The students have been doing many different lessons centered around leaves, pumpkins, apples, corn, and seeds this week. We read stories about leaves, “There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed Some Leaves!” by Lucille Colandro and “The Leaf Man,” by Lois Ehlert, “There Was an Old Woman Who Was Not Afraid of Anything,” to name a few. We went on a leaf hunt to find our own leaves. We have been doing leaf shading in art, we created a tree out of wood chips and fall colored paint, leaf counting in math and learning about the parts of a leaf, apples and pumpkins in science. Library Reminders: We attend library every Thursday, please help your child to remember to return their library books by bringing them to class Thursday morning. Small Refrigerator Needed! Our refrigerator went out this past week and it is not fixable. If you or someone you may know has one they would like to donate... we would LOVE it! Thank you in advance. Snack this week: Larrea/Burden 3 bags of string cheese 1 1b of ham 1 bag of apples Quillen 2 large tubs of vanilla yogurt 1 large box of granola 2 bags of frozen fruit Conferences: Conference confirmation sheets have been sent home this week. Please sign and return these ASAP. I am looking forward to meeting with each of you October 22, 28 or 30th! Classroom Observations: Some families have expressed an interest in observing our environment. If you would like to come into our classroom and observe a work period please contact me directly and we can set up a time and date that would work for our schedules We celebrated Peace Day as a school: on September 23, 2013. We walked over to Thirby Field and created the word, “peace” with our bodies. We had a parent photograph this event from the bleachers above. The students then came together for a group song of peace!!! Its starting to get chilly!! Please have your kiddos wear the appropriate coats/jackets/mittens for outdoor recess. Have a beautiful weekend! Julie October 3rd, 2014
Just a few notes for this week... Field Trip: Please remember to send in your child's permission slip and $6.00 for our field trip on Thursday Oct. 9th. ASAP Thanks!! Conferences: If you haven’t returned the Conference sign-up form, please do so soon. I am working on the final schedule. I am doing my best to schedule every family as close to their desired time as possible. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding. Next week's snack helpers: Wagner/Goodman Large bunch of bananas 3 boxes of whole grain crackers 1 bag of apples Patek/Tooker 1 large box of whole grain cereal 1 gallon of milk 1 bag of dried fruit Halloween: Halloween is around the corner. Please take note our school celebrates Halloween as a Literacy Day. We request that all costumes are based on a character from a book. Keep in mind that pretty much any costume can be tied to a book, although we are hoping you will use this as an opportunity to be creative and unique. Costumes do not need to be expensive or elaborate. In addition, it is TCAPS policy to save candy and sugary treats for afterschool events. All Halloween activities will take place in the morning of Thursday, October 30th. Our parade is scheduled for 11:00. Julie/ Mrs.W |
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September 26th, 2014
We had a very
productive week!!
We continue with reading groups with the Kindergarteners and some preschoolers. We have been assessing numbers and getting ready to get into our math shelves. The Olders have been telling stories by drawing a picture and sharing the story in their picture. Some students have begun to add words to their stories as well. Our science unit is about the “Organization of Living Things.” Students are learning how to distinguish between living and nonliving things, identify plant parts, and sort/compare various seeds.
We have been able to sustain about an hour of work time and we are seeing glimmers of normalization everywhere.
All the students have been working on completing a work cycle. The ‘work cycle’ is a Montessori term used to explain the following:
1. The student choose a work space (a rug or table)
2. The student chooses a work
3. The student complete the work
4. The student makes the work beautiful for the next person to use and places it back in its spot on the shelf.
THIRTEENTH ST. DOORS: are currently for staff and students from now on. These doors will always be locked and we will welcome students starting at 8:00. Many adults are still entering these doors. We apologize if this causes any inconvenience but in today's world, we need to stay on top of safety procedures that have been put in place to keep our kids safe in school!! Thanks for your understanding and help as we strive to have a safe school!!
Practice Drills: We will have several practice drills (lockdown, fire, and wind) this month. We will be reviewing these emergency procedures in the classroom. Please remind your child that these drills are only for practice and that they are safe at school.
.
Check out the photo “Gallery” on our website! I have begun to post some photos of students working.
Bucket Fillers! Peace Day was officially Saturday the 21st. In class we read the book titled, “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud. You may begin to hear some of this language at home. It is a great way to help children understand how our words and actions affect others. It is a story about how everyone carries an invisible bucket. Our bucket’s purpose is to hold our good thoughts and good feelings about ourselves. A full bucket makes us happy; an empty bucket makes us sad. You fill other people’s buckets by showing love and saying or doing something kind. Even sharing a smile will help fill a bucket. When you act kind you are" a bucket filler”. When you make fun of someone, say mean things or do things that are hurtful, you are dipping into the person’s bucket and taking good feelings out. This is being a “bucket dipper”. We will be using this language a lot in school as we learn to get along and treat others how we want to be treated!
Peace Rose: We have a peace shelf in our classroom. One of the many activities on this shelf is a ‘Peace Rose.” The students have had lessons on how to use this rose. It is to be used to resolve conflicts peacefully in our classroom. When a child has a conflict with another child they take the rose off the shelf and find the friend they need to talk to. Each friend gets to hold the rose and explain how the other child’s actions made him or her feel. They then apologize, or decide to not make the same mistakes again. Each child then holds the rose and declares a friendship, once the conflict has been resolved. Ms. Anne and I help the children use the peace rose when needed. Students also use it on their own when they are ready.
Morning Cubbie Routines: A very famous Montessori quote goes as follows, “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” In the mornings, and throughout your child’s days at school, we are teaching them to be independent and to be successful with taking care of their own needs. I am asking for your help and consistency at school and home. Please remember that in the morning your child has very specific duties to perform, taking their coats off, changing their shoes, taking out their folders, turning over their picture cards and making a lunch choice if applicable. For some of our young kiddos we understand that this process may take a while as it is new. However we will afford them the time to do this on their own. It would very helpful for us if families said their goodbyes at the door, as the cubby area is very small, and let your child enter their classroom independently to begin their day. Thank you for your understanding and help.
Rest towels and Pre-k blankets - go home on Friday to be washed and then returned on Monday.
Paperwork – Please make sure you have completed and returned all necessary paperwork from our classroom and the office. You can send in completed forms in your child’s communication folder.
Communication Folders – Please check every day.
Pahls Pumpkin Patch Permission Slips- (October 9th Thursday) Please return permission slips to the class by next Friday. Also please let me know if you are planning on joining us for this fun field trip!
Next week’s snack – Steffen, Bilak, Anderson and Andrews.
October conferences!!! Primary conferences will be held on Wednesday October 22, Tuesday October 28, and Thursday October 30th. Please return the conference form that was sent home this week if you have not done so. This allows me to organize the time slots and hopefully give everyone their choice of times. Thank you!
Just a note: The best way to reach me is either by email or cell phone. I have my cell phone with me at all times. If I miss your call, please leave a message and I will return the call as soon as possible. I check my email several times a day. I am also checking Sarah Socks email as well!
[email protected]
Cell phone: 231-715-6685
We continue with reading groups with the Kindergarteners and some preschoolers. We have been assessing numbers and getting ready to get into our math shelves. The Olders have been telling stories by drawing a picture and sharing the story in their picture. Some students have begun to add words to their stories as well. Our science unit is about the “Organization of Living Things.” Students are learning how to distinguish between living and nonliving things, identify plant parts, and sort/compare various seeds.
We have been able to sustain about an hour of work time and we are seeing glimmers of normalization everywhere.
All the students have been working on completing a work cycle. The ‘work cycle’ is a Montessori term used to explain the following:
1. The student choose a work space (a rug or table)
2. The student chooses a work
3. The student complete the work
4. The student makes the work beautiful for the next person to use and places it back in its spot on the shelf.
THIRTEENTH ST. DOORS: are currently for staff and students from now on. These doors will always be locked and we will welcome students starting at 8:00. Many adults are still entering these doors. We apologize if this causes any inconvenience but in today's world, we need to stay on top of safety procedures that have been put in place to keep our kids safe in school!! Thanks for your understanding and help as we strive to have a safe school!!
Practice Drills: We will have several practice drills (lockdown, fire, and wind) this month. We will be reviewing these emergency procedures in the classroom. Please remind your child that these drills are only for practice and that they are safe at school.
.
Check out the photo “Gallery” on our website! I have begun to post some photos of students working.
Bucket Fillers! Peace Day was officially Saturday the 21st. In class we read the book titled, “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud. You may begin to hear some of this language at home. It is a great way to help children understand how our words and actions affect others. It is a story about how everyone carries an invisible bucket. Our bucket’s purpose is to hold our good thoughts and good feelings about ourselves. A full bucket makes us happy; an empty bucket makes us sad. You fill other people’s buckets by showing love and saying or doing something kind. Even sharing a smile will help fill a bucket. When you act kind you are" a bucket filler”. When you make fun of someone, say mean things or do things that are hurtful, you are dipping into the person’s bucket and taking good feelings out. This is being a “bucket dipper”. We will be using this language a lot in school as we learn to get along and treat others how we want to be treated!
Peace Rose: We have a peace shelf in our classroom. One of the many activities on this shelf is a ‘Peace Rose.” The students have had lessons on how to use this rose. It is to be used to resolve conflicts peacefully in our classroom. When a child has a conflict with another child they take the rose off the shelf and find the friend they need to talk to. Each friend gets to hold the rose and explain how the other child’s actions made him or her feel. They then apologize, or decide to not make the same mistakes again. Each child then holds the rose and declares a friendship, once the conflict has been resolved. Ms. Anne and I help the children use the peace rose when needed. Students also use it on their own when they are ready.
Morning Cubbie Routines: A very famous Montessori quote goes as follows, “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” In the mornings, and throughout your child’s days at school, we are teaching them to be independent and to be successful with taking care of their own needs. I am asking for your help and consistency at school and home. Please remember that in the morning your child has very specific duties to perform, taking their coats off, changing their shoes, taking out their folders, turning over their picture cards and making a lunch choice if applicable. For some of our young kiddos we understand that this process may take a while as it is new. However we will afford them the time to do this on their own. It would very helpful for us if families said their goodbyes at the door, as the cubby area is very small, and let your child enter their classroom independently to begin their day. Thank you for your understanding and help.
Rest towels and Pre-k blankets - go home on Friday to be washed and then returned on Monday.
Paperwork – Please make sure you have completed and returned all necessary paperwork from our classroom and the office. You can send in completed forms in your child’s communication folder.
Communication Folders – Please check every day.
Pahls Pumpkin Patch Permission Slips- (October 9th Thursday) Please return permission slips to the class by next Friday. Also please let me know if you are planning on joining us for this fun field trip!
Next week’s snack – Steffen, Bilak, Anderson and Andrews.
October conferences!!! Primary conferences will be held on Wednesday October 22, Tuesday October 28, and Thursday October 30th. Please return the conference form that was sent home this week if you have not done so. This allows me to organize the time slots and hopefully give everyone their choice of times. Thank you!
Just a note: The best way to reach me is either by email or cell phone. I have my cell phone with me at all times. If I miss your call, please leave a message and I will return the call as soon as possible. I check my email several times a day. I am also checking Sarah Socks email as well!
[email protected]
Cell phone: 231-715-6685
September 19, 2014
A note from Sarah Socks:
Dearest Families,
As you all know I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Lucillia Faith, on August 26th! It has been an amazing three weeks for me! It has been such a joy to bring her home and introduce her to her older brother Jack! We are all adjusting well and I just couldn’t be happier that my two little ones are home with me, healthy and happy!
It is with much thought and reflection that I have decided to remain home for the duration of this school year. While I feel very excited and blessed to have this once in a lifetime opportunity to be home with my children, my heart is missing your little ones as well. Helping to direct your child’s growth and development at school has always been very important to me. I miss all of our returning students and think of them often. I have heard many accounts from Mrs. Wingfield and Ms. Anne about our new students and look forward to meeting them as well.
With that being said I am very confident that it will be a fantastic year in the Birch Tree Classroom under the direction of Mrs. Wingfield and Ms. Anne. My wish for each child is a year full of wonder and discovery so as to instill a deep rooted love of learning. I will continue to be in touch with Mrs. Wingfield and Ms. Anne and I can always be reached by email throughout the year!
Best Wishes,
Sarah Socks
Weekly Notes for September19th
Your child may have had the following lessons this week:
Language – Beginning letter sounds, opposites, Zoo Phonics (the letter sounds) shelf placement for language
Writing – Drawing a picture and then telling a story, writing about a small moment
Math – Number Assessments
Sensorial – Geometric Solids; cone, sphere, cube and the geometric cabinet
Art- easel painting, play dough
Peace shelf – The Peace Rose (resolving conflicts peacefully)
Practical Life – Preparing snack, dishwashing
Handwriting – Metal insets, KDG the numbers 10-40
A Few Dates to Remember...
Field day – scheduled for September 25th in the morning. Please do consider volunteering your time. It sure takes a lot of adults to run this very fun event!!
Picture day - September 24th. Please send in your forms with payment by that day. Thanks!!
Save the Date - We will be taking our first field trip on October 9th. We will be traveling by bus to Pahl’s Pumpkin Patch. More info to come!!
Also...
Rest towels and Pre-k blankets - go home on Friday to be washed and then returned on Monday.
Paperwork – Please make sure you have completed and returned all necessary paperwork from our classroom and the office. You can send in completed forms in your child’s communication folder.
Snack Menu – The snack menu for September and the first couple weeks of October is posted on our website under ‘SNACK.’
Please check to see what week you have been assigned. It looks like each family will be responsible for the classroom snack every 6 to 7 weeks. Please send in snacks on Monday morning.
Toys at school – Our classroom policy are that all toys remain at home. We are finding that some children have been bringing toys to school in the backpacks. Please remind your little ones to keep these toys safe at home. If your child has one specific stuffed animal friend that he or she would like to rest with, that may come to school in your child’s backpack, but please limit these items to only one. Thank you.
Missing Classroom Works – It never fails, especially at the beginning of the year, classroom materials seem to go missing. ;-) The Montessori works are set up with a control of error. Each “work” only works if all the pieces are complete. I find that the students at the beginning of the year are so eager to get their hands on the materials that some little pieces may end up going home. Many of these materials may look like toys, for example, little cars, animals and other objects. If you happen to find any of these materials at home, please ask your child to return them to the classroom the next day. Thank you for your help!
Mrs. Wingfield & Ms. Anne
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 231-933--5853
Cell : 231-715-6685
A note from Sarah Socks:
Dearest Families,
As you all know I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Lucillia Faith, on August 26th! It has been an amazing three weeks for me! It has been such a joy to bring her home and introduce her to her older brother Jack! We are all adjusting well and I just couldn’t be happier that my two little ones are home with me, healthy and happy!
It is with much thought and reflection that I have decided to remain home for the duration of this school year. While I feel very excited and blessed to have this once in a lifetime opportunity to be home with my children, my heart is missing your little ones as well. Helping to direct your child’s growth and development at school has always been very important to me. I miss all of our returning students and think of them often. I have heard many accounts from Mrs. Wingfield and Ms. Anne about our new students and look forward to meeting them as well.
With that being said I am very confident that it will be a fantastic year in the Birch Tree Classroom under the direction of Mrs. Wingfield and Ms. Anne. My wish for each child is a year full of wonder and discovery so as to instill a deep rooted love of learning. I will continue to be in touch with Mrs. Wingfield and Ms. Anne and I can always be reached by email throughout the year!
Best Wishes,
Sarah Socks
Weekly Notes for September19th
Your child may have had the following lessons this week:
Language – Beginning letter sounds, opposites, Zoo Phonics (the letter sounds) shelf placement for language
Writing – Drawing a picture and then telling a story, writing about a small moment
Math – Number Assessments
Sensorial – Geometric Solids; cone, sphere, cube and the geometric cabinet
Art- easel painting, play dough
Peace shelf – The Peace Rose (resolving conflicts peacefully)
Practical Life – Preparing snack, dishwashing
Handwriting – Metal insets, KDG the numbers 10-40
A Few Dates to Remember...
Field day – scheduled for September 25th in the morning. Please do consider volunteering your time. It sure takes a lot of adults to run this very fun event!!
Picture day - September 24th. Please send in your forms with payment by that day. Thanks!!
Save the Date - We will be taking our first field trip on October 9th. We will be traveling by bus to Pahl’s Pumpkin Patch. More info to come!!
Also...
Rest towels and Pre-k blankets - go home on Friday to be washed and then returned on Monday.
Paperwork – Please make sure you have completed and returned all necessary paperwork from our classroom and the office. You can send in completed forms in your child’s communication folder.
Snack Menu – The snack menu for September and the first couple weeks of October is posted on our website under ‘SNACK.’
Please check to see what week you have been assigned. It looks like each family will be responsible for the classroom snack every 6 to 7 weeks. Please send in snacks on Monday morning.
Toys at school – Our classroom policy are that all toys remain at home. We are finding that some children have been bringing toys to school in the backpacks. Please remind your little ones to keep these toys safe at home. If your child has one specific stuffed animal friend that he or she would like to rest with, that may come to school in your child’s backpack, but please limit these items to only one. Thank you.
Missing Classroom Works – It never fails, especially at the beginning of the year, classroom materials seem to go missing. ;-) The Montessori works are set up with a control of error. Each “work” only works if all the pieces are complete. I find that the students at the beginning of the year are so eager to get their hands on the materials that some little pieces may end up going home. Many of these materials may look like toys, for example, little cars, animals and other objects. If you happen to find any of these materials at home, please ask your child to return them to the classroom the next day. Thank you for your help!
Mrs. Wingfield & Ms. Anne
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 231-933--5853
Cell : 231-715-6685
September 12th 2014
What a successful first week of school! What an amazing group of students and families! I feel blessed to be apart of your child's learning experience! These are some of the lessons that took place this week; Writing Kdg. – preparing binders, story telling with pictures. Language – assessing for sound recognition, pre-language, beginning letter sounds, the moveable alphabet. Reading - reading workshop, reading to self and to a partner, superpowers when reading ( pointing, chunky monkey, and eagle eye) Math – Pre-Math, red and blue rods. Sensorial – Manipulatives, pink tower. Art- cutting practice, crayons and markers, easel coloring, hole punching. Practical Life – toileting, hand washing, rug rolling, carrying a rug, pouring, spooning, tonging, sitting on the line, interrupting an adult or friend and morning and dismissal routines.
Birthday information on the website. Birthdays in the Montessori classroom are celebrated in a very unique way. This special celebration includes the children in class, parents, siblings and any other family members you wish to invite. Please contact me at least one week before your child’s birthday so that we can plan for the date and time of each event! Thank you
Carline/13th Street . Due to the safety of the community, there will no longer be parent access through these doors at anytime. After carline the 13th street doors will remain locked for the rest of the day. Thank you for your help and understanding in this matter.
Independence in the lunch room! Between Ms. Anne and I we were able to eat in the lunch with the students several days this past week. I will not be able to continue this routine for the year. I am hoping to get in there at least one day a week and share our lunch together. While there are assistants in the lunchroom there to help it would be very helpful to start practicing some independence at home with mealtime. Please help teach your child how to open and close their lunch box and containers. Also explain to them what you would like them to do with leftover uneaten food. A reminder to start with the main course first might be a good conversation as well. This will help tremendously in the lunchroom. Please be aware that the student only have 20 minutes to eat. I have been talking with the class on a whole about sitting down and eating right away, and then they can socialize with their peers. You are welcome to join your child in the lunchroom anytime. Our scheduled lunch is from 11:40 to 12:10.
Classroom needs I would like to thank each family who brought in donations of snack, art supplies and other materials this week. I will be sending home an official snack calendar the end of this week to begin the week of September 15th. Also, please see the “Wish List” tab on our website for other classroom needs. Thank you. Julie
What a successful first week of school! What an amazing group of students and families! I feel blessed to be apart of your child's learning experience! These are some of the lessons that took place this week; Writing Kdg. – preparing binders, story telling with pictures. Language – assessing for sound recognition, pre-language, beginning letter sounds, the moveable alphabet. Reading - reading workshop, reading to self and to a partner, superpowers when reading ( pointing, chunky monkey, and eagle eye) Math – Pre-Math, red and blue rods. Sensorial – Manipulatives, pink tower. Art- cutting practice, crayons and markers, easel coloring, hole punching. Practical Life – toileting, hand washing, rug rolling, carrying a rug, pouring, spooning, tonging, sitting on the line, interrupting an adult or friend and morning and dismissal routines.
Birthday information on the website. Birthdays in the Montessori classroom are celebrated in a very unique way. This special celebration includes the children in class, parents, siblings and any other family members you wish to invite. Please contact me at least one week before your child’s birthday so that we can plan for the date and time of each event! Thank you
Carline/13th Street . Due to the safety of the community, there will no longer be parent access through these doors at anytime. After carline the 13th street doors will remain locked for the rest of the day. Thank you for your help and understanding in this matter.
Independence in the lunch room! Between Ms. Anne and I we were able to eat in the lunch with the students several days this past week. I will not be able to continue this routine for the year. I am hoping to get in there at least one day a week and share our lunch together. While there are assistants in the lunchroom there to help it would be very helpful to start practicing some independence at home with mealtime. Please help teach your child how to open and close their lunch box and containers. Also explain to them what you would like them to do with leftover uneaten food. A reminder to start with the main course first might be a good conversation as well. This will help tremendously in the lunchroom. Please be aware that the student only have 20 minutes to eat. I have been talking with the class on a whole about sitting down and eating right away, and then they can socialize with their peers. You are welcome to join your child in the lunchroom anytime. Our scheduled lunch is from 11:40 to 12:10.
Classroom needs I would like to thank each family who brought in donations of snack, art supplies and other materials this week. I will be sending home an official snack calendar the end of this week to begin the week of September 15th. Also, please see the “Wish List” tab on our website for other classroom needs. Thank you. Julie