Important Dates and Reminders

Dear Parents,

Please mark your calendars for these important dates THIS WEEK! 

It's Bucket-Filler Week!

Monday, March 25:  Wear RED to put a STOP to bucket-dipping.

Tuesday, March 26:  Wear YELLOW to make a new friend.

Wednesday, March 27:  Wear ORANGE to stand up against bully behavior.

Thursday, March 28:  Wear BLUE to remember to be a bucket-filler every day.

Friday, March 29:  Teacher Workday and the start of Spring Break for students

If you have not turned in your Boosterthon pledges, please do as soon as possible.

The last day for turning in Old Salem money and field trip forms is this Thursday, March 28!

I look forward to a fun-filled, four-day week with your second graders!  I hope you have a wonderful, safe Spring Break!

~Ms. Letchworth

Homework Helps and Winter Party

Pressed for time to read with your second grader?  Real life happens, but it's just as vital that they are being read TO as it is that they are reading independently.   Find excellent stories and animated readers (who are also famous actors) HERE. 

Click HERE  for a website chock-full of great second grade math games. From the above site, HERE is a fun visual for breaking down numbers into tens and ones the way we do in class.

The Winter Party is Thursday, December 20th from 1:00-2:00 pm.  Please plan to join us in the classroom following our 12:30 pm presentation of "Seussical" in the gym.

Welcome to the website!

I hope this will be a helpful communication tool for you to stay in the know with happenings in second grade and across Matthews Elementary!

Here's what will I will update on a weekly basis:

• Event Reminders

• Special Requests and Classroom Needs

• Lions' Links
• I'll periodically post links to great websites of books, games, and activities for your second grader.

Though I prefer to communicate with you individually via email, you may leave comments or questions  on posts so that other parents may respond.


Hope everyone enjoyed the lovely weather this weekend!

Tutoring

I apologize for misinforming you about tutoring dates. Tutoring will start tomorrow, January 31st from 3:00 until 4:00. This is also a reminder that tutoring will only be on Mondays, not Wednesdays this semester. Thank you for understanding!

Welcome back and welcome to 2011!

Dear Parents,

I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing vacation. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the States to see family and friends, and then to Machu Picchu and areas of the Sacred Valley with Ms. VanderLinden. However, I am excited and ready to be back with your children!

This semester we will be busily working together to prepare your little first grade lions for second grade. Here's a look at what we will be studying over the next few weeks:

• Reading: Readers Bring Word Power to Their Reading
• Writing: Authors as Mentors
• Math: Money and Time
• Health: Substance Abuse
• Social Studies: Economics

Please mark these important dates on your calendars:

• January 21st--Holiday; no classes
• January 27th--"The First Grade Store" (more information to come!)
• February 1st--First day of after-school tutoring
• February 4th--First day of after-school dance class
• February 15th--Half-day; dismissal at 12:00 p.m.

Other important notes:

• Happy birthday to Ian Tejada (February 18th)!
• This semester I will only be offering tutoring on Mondays. I hope this does not conflict with your schedules, and that if your child needs extra help he or she will be able to stay starting February 1st.
• We have a new weekly schedule, a copy of which will be sent home. Note that lunch is now at 11:00 a.m. and snack will be in the afternoons.
• New H.I.S bus contracts will be sent home this week and should be signed by parents and students who ride buses, and returned promptly.
• As we get into the routine of things again, please remind your first grader to complete weekly homework and memorize the week's Bible verse to be checked every Friday.
• If you have not already, please send one or two boxes of tissues and one roll of paper towels with your student. Thanks so much!

As always, should you have any questions regarding curriculum, your student's progress, or other classroom matters, you may contact me by phone at school or at jenny.letchworth@gmail.com.

I look forward to and will cherish the next six months with your children!

Sincerely,

Jenny Letchworth

November Updates

Wow! We're already half-way through November! Time is flying!

Our field trip to Toco Todo is this Thursday, November 18th. I had plans to email them to you today but do not have your email addresses with me. Permission forms will therefore go home tomorrow. Please send them back to school, preferably on Wednesday, along with the Bs. 25. Thanks for understanding!

Also, don't forget that tomorrow, Tuesday the 16th, is a half-day. Other important dates coming up include...

• Friday the 19th: White Tiger Day (white tiger tee shirts and jeans)
• Monday the 22nd: Crazy Hair Day (any kind of crazy hair; jeans are allowed with crazy hair)
• Tuesday the 23rd: International Day (traditional outfit/costume from any country)
• Wednesday the 24th: Team Day (team color)

Wednesday, November 24th is a half-day and begins our Thanksgiving vacation. Classes will begin as normal on Monday, November 29th.

We are also continuing to bring in items for needy children in Bolonia. Our class should bring in games and shoes if possible, but other items are also welcome.

Even though Thanksgiving is not a Bolivian holiday, I hope you are able to reflect on God's great blessings and how you can share them with others during this season.

Thank you for all you do to love, help, discipline, challenge, care for, listen to, and encourage your first grader. You parents do a wonderful job!

October Happenings

We are already coming to the close of the first quarter! I have counted each day of the past eight weeks with your little ones a blessing. They are truly a joy to teach.

Thanks to all of you who donated items, bought raffle tickets, helped to organize and came out for the Spring Festival last Saturday! It was a great success, and I hope that everyone who came enjoyed themselves. I loved seeing all the families that make Highlands a wonderful community.

Here's what's happening this month:

• In reading, we just celebrated choosing and reading books that are just right for us. We're continuing to learn fundamentals of reading and how to read with fluency.
• In writing, we will be "writing for readers," using words from the word wall, sounding out words, remembering to space, etc. so that others can easily read our pieces. (We just celebrated "Small Moment" writing. This is a correction from the September announcements. Sorry!)
• This week we will review math concepts since the beginning of the year (counting and comparing numbers, patterns, adding and subtracting, word problems) in preparation for the first quarter assessment.
• Word Study continues to help us understand how words and letters work to help us in reading and writing.
• We just finished our unit on plants and will begin our Social Studies unit on good citizenship.

Important Dates:
October 14 and 15--Teacher-Parent Conferences. You will receive a time slot from Valeria for one of these days to discuss your child's progress in first grade.
October 19--Half-day

October 28--Kindergarten/First Grade field trip to Toco Todo

Happy birthday to these lions:

Ms. Yuki--October 5

Amelia--October 13

Thank you for your continued help with your child's weekly homework. Please also make sure your first grader practices reading and writing the spelling words as well as committing the Bible verse of the week to memory.

Thanks again, parents, for helping your first grader. You make my job easier, and your caring and loving support makes a world of difference in your child's life. Keep up the good work!