Mr.Stearns

Mr. Stearns is our media specialist. He comes into our classroom on Friday afternoon and reads us a wonderful book. We are practicing how to sit and listen while he reads to us. We love the great voices he makes when he reads different parts! Later in the year, when we are ready, we'll begin to go into the Media Center and we'll hear our story there. Right now, this is a great start for us!

Our class play

We have been hard at work on a class play, called "Big Pumpkin". We practice every day so that we'll know how to say our lines, where to stand, and what to do with the props. This is really giving us a lot of opportunity to practice those important learning skills - listening, following directions and cooperating. The kids are doing a wonderful job, and we're very excited about it!

We plan to do our play for all of our family and friends on Tuesday October 25th at 2:00. I hope that many of you will be able to come - we'll have a little reception afterwards too. If you are at work that day, or unable to come, maybe a grandparent or other person who is important to your child would like to come. All are welcome! I think you will feel very proud of your child and the progress she/he has made this fall!

Making Yummy Applesauce!

First, we cooked some apples. Then, we used a grinder to smash them all up. Next, we added sugar and spice.

Finally, it was time to eat our wonderful applesauce!

Officer McKaig Visits

Officer McKaig visited our classroom today to talk about safe school behavior. He told the boys and girls that it was important to listen to the teachers and follow their directions so that they would be safe and would be able to learn new things. Officer McKaig is our school-police liason officer, and will probably stop in to visit other times as well. He is a wonderful resource for our students, but he is very clear and firm about rules and wants school to be a safe and productive place for all students. You can support our work here at school by expecting and reinforcing safe and compliant behavior at home. This is so important for learning, and we have many wonderful things to learn this year! Much thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing you Thursday night at the Ice-Cream Social!

Ice-Cream Social

I hope that all of you will be able to stop in at the Loon Lake Ice-Cream Social on Thursday evening. I plan to be there from about 6:20-7:30, and will be scooping ice-cream from 7:00-7:20. The ice-cream is free and the event is held outside on the playground. The whole family is welcome!

Center Time

Center Time is an important time for building social skills, learning how to share and take turns and learning how to put toys away when the clean up bell rings.

Little Steps...

The first days of school are challenging for many of our students, especially little ones who may be new to a full day of school. It is hard work for everyone, but we are beginning to see some progress! I've noticed that most of the students are now able to come in to the room quietly in the morning, put their folders in the yellow basket, put their lunches in the purple basket, hang up their backpacks, sit down and look at a book basket for 20 minutes! This is a wonderful start to our day. We have learned how to clean up our centers when I ring the clean up bell, and after we put our toys away, we've learned that we need to sit back down and wait for the next direction. I was impressed with the way our students were able to pack up at the end of the day too - and walk quietly down the hall to our buses! These little steps all add up to big steps in learning - being able to listen, follow directions and cooperate are the important foundation skills that children need in order to learn academic tasks like reading and writing and addition. We expect your child to struggle with some of these things, but we'll be there to help support, guide and teach him or her. I have big dreams for your children - I know you do too!

The Ladies Who Love Working With Your Children

Mrs. Kerrigan, Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Aldrich

Mrs. Brown is our speech teacher, Mrs. Schnieders is our social worker, and Mrs. Alt is our social work intern this year.

First day was exciting!

Our first day of school was a very busy one. We are just getting to know one another and we're learning about the rules and expectations of our classroom. This can be a very challenging time of year for many children as they begin to adjust to a full day of school, new teachers and the many transitions of the school day. We know and plan for this - we know that our students need many opportunities to learn and practice our routines and behavioral expectations, and we understand that this is not easy for them. Please remember that we will always help and support your children as they learn these new skills, and trust us when we say that although the process is challenging, you will celebrate the outcome! I loved working with each of your children today, and look forward to a wonderful year of learning and change with them!

Welcome to School!

Grab hold of a magic pencil
Open your eyes and mind
For now begins a journey
Of the most exciting kind.
A journey into learning
A step . . . a start . . . a glow,
And we will be there with you
To help and watch you grow.

I'm excited to see each and every one of you in the morning!

Breakfast and morning snack

We have a mid morning snack break every day. Children may bring a snack from home to eat. Loon Lake WILL continue to offer a breakfast program this year. (I incorrectly wrote that it was not available in my letter.) It is available at no cost to eligible free students, $.30 to eligible reduced price students, and for $1.25 to all other students. The breakfast may be used for the mid morning snack.