Week of October 28, 2019

Dear Families,

I know your first grader can't wait to show off their costumes!  It will certainly be a day filled with excitement! On Thursday, students should wear their costumes to school.  Please make sure your child can use the restroom on their own with their costume.  The Costume Parade starts at 8:30 on the Primary Playground.  Our class party will begin at about 8:50 (following the parade).  Parents are welcome to stay for the party. Please find childcare for younger siblings.

Please read our school newsletter for information about Halloween costumes, https://www.smore.com/h6zkv

Thank you to our parent helpers this week! 

Our class would appreciate donations of baby wipes.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Important Dates:

Thursday, October 31: Halloween Parade at 8:30 am (Class party to follow)

November 4 - November 14: Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:15 Dismissal

Monday, November 11: Veteran's Day (No school)

Tuesday, November 12: 1st grade Hearing Screening

November 25 - November 29: Thanksgiving Break

December 23 - January 3: Winter Break

January 15: Family Science Night

Mondays (And every other) Wednesdays: PE with Mr. Thomas

Tuesdays: Music with Mrs. Threet

Thursdays: Library (With our amazing Library Volunteers)

What We’re Doing in Class this Week

Language Arts:  Working in our RTI (Cougar Time) reading groups. Within RTI, we are working on Daily 5 centers: Guided Reading with the teacher, word work, read to self, and listening to reading. We are reviewing consonants sounds and short vowel o.  In grammar, we are focusing on verbs.

Math: We are in Module 1 in our Eureka Math curriculum. This module sets the foundation for students to master sums and differences to 10. (We are almost finished, there are 40 lessons in this module!)

Writing: We will be focusing on personal narrative writing this trimester.

Social Studies: Respect and Community, Time in the Past and Present

Technology: Zearn, Sock Puppets, Lexia, Scratch Jr., Raz Kids, Reflex Math

Sharing Assignment: Something that reminds you of Halloween

Special Person of The Week: Noa

Week of October 21, 2019

Dear Families,

We had an exciting Spirit Week!  Thank you for helping your child get ready each day!

We had a great Cornerstone Lesson today with Nina and Nisha.  They read the story, My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig and had a great discussion.

Please return your AV School Library book on Thursday.  I do remind the students to check their backpack for their books, but I do not check it for them; if you pack the book for your child, let them know as well. 

I hope to see you tomorrow at the Walk-a-Thon!  Make sure your child is wearing their Walk-a-Thon t-shirt if they pre-registered, so they can collect lap tallies.  Here is the website if you need more information. Altavistawalkathon.dojiggy.com

Thank you to our parent volunteers this week! 

I hope to see you tomorrow!

Important Dates:

October 17-23: Book Fair

Saturday, October 19: Walk-a-thon at 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Thursday, October 31: Halloween Parade at 8:30 am (Class party to follow)

November 4 - November 14: Parent Teacher Conferences 1:15 Dismissal

Tuesday, November 12: 1st grade Hearing Screening

November 25 November 29: Thanksgiving Break

Mondays (And every other) Wednesdays: PE with Mr. Thomas

Tuesdays: Music with Mrs. Threet

Thursdays: Library (With our amazing Library Volunteers)

What We’re Doing in Class this Week

Language Arts:  Working in our RTI (Cougar Time) reading groups. Within RTI, we are working on Daily 5 centers: Guided Reading with the teacher, word work, read to self, and listening to reading. We are reviewing consonants sounds and short vowel o.  In grammar, we are focusing on verbs.

Math: We are in Module 1 in our Eureka Math curriculum. This module sets the foundation for students to master sums and differences to 10. (We are almost finished, there are 40 lessons in this module!)

Writing: We will be focusing on personal narrative writing this trimester.

Social Studies: Respect and Community, Time in the Past and Present

Technology: Zearn, Sock Puppets, Lexia, Scratch Jr., Raz Kids, Reflex Math

Sharing Assignment: Something orange

Special Person of The Week: Reese

Week of October 14, 2019

Dear Families,

We had a great first Art Vistas lesson and project on Monday.  Thank you to our parents who helped (Jenny, Sonya, Mark, Ruchi, and Pablo)!

If you would like to get the song and e-book from our Be Seen and Be Heard assembly, you can go to www.victorpacini.com/bsh 

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up in November, please sign up for a time here.  During our conference days (November 4-14), students will be dismissed at 1:15.

Next week is Spirit Week:

Monday: Mustache Monday (Draw or stick-on)

Tuesday: Twin Day (Dress like a friend)

Wednesday: Pajama Day (No slippers)

Thursday: Crazy Hair Day 

Friday: Color Day (First Grade is RED)

Don’t forget to register for the Alta Vista Walkathon (Event is on Saturday, 10/19).  Even if you can’t make it that day, your child will receive a t-shirt with a $50.00 donation.  The t-shirts are usually passed out in class on the Friday before the event. Altavistawalkathon.dojiggy.com

The committee is still in need of volunteers; here is the link to help out.  https://avhsc.ivolunteer.com/wat_2019

They still need donations from 1st grade: granola bars, protein bars, and bottled water.  Donations can be dropped off in front of the school office.

Please remember the library books for Thursday.

Important Dates:

October 17-23: Book Fair

Saturday, October 19: Walk-a-thon at 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Thursday, October 31: Halloween Parade at 8:30 am

November 4 - November 14: Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:15 Dismissal

Tuesday, November 12: 1st grade Hearing Screening

November 25 November 29: Thanksgiving Break

Mondays (And every other) Wednesdays: PE with Mr. Thomas

Tuesdays: Music with Mrs. Threet

Thursdays: Library (With our amazing Library Volunteers)

What We’re Doing in Class this Week

Language Arts:  Working in our RTI (Cougar Time) reading groups. Within RTI, we are working on Daily 5 centers: Guided Reading with the teacher, word work, read to self, and listening to reading. We are reviewing consonants sounds and short vowel o.  In grammar, we are focusing on verbs.

Math: We are in Module 1 in our Eureka Math curriculum. This module sets the foundation for students to master sums and differences to 10. (We are almost finished, there are 40 lessons in this module!)

Writing: We will be focusing on personal narrative writing this trimester.

Social Studies: Respect and Community, Time in the Past and Present

Technology: Zearn, Sock Puppets, Lexia, Scratch Jr., Raz Kids, Reflex Math

Sharing Assignment: Something that falls from trees (i.e.: seeds, flowers, leaves)

Special Person of The Week: Rhea

Week of October 7, 2019

Dear Families,

We had a busy and fun day today.  Thank you to Hiromi, Mark, and Brandie for helping us in the Makerspace this morning with our Cardboard Challenge.  I hope you’re enjoying your child’s creations at home.

Thank you to Brandie, Lisa, Jing, Hiromi, Elyce, and Sonya for helping us with our first Clay project.  

This will be our first week of "Cougar Time," RtI – instructional reading groups.  Monday will be a practice and “Getting to know” the students' day. Cougar Time will be Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 9:30-10:30.  I will tell the students which teacher they will be working with on Monday morning.  

In regards to Cougar Time, the teachers do not discuss with the class which reading level their group is at, we know that can cause some hurt feelings.  We do discuss that all of the teachers are so excited to be teaching reading and working with some new friends. I also let the class know that they will have a chance to work with each first-grade teacher throughout the year when we start Science Rotations.

On Monday, we will have our first Art Vistas project which will consist of an art lesson and a project with paint.  Please let me know if you would like to help out with the project.

Don’t forget to register for the Alta Vista Walkathon (Event is on Saturday, 10/19).  Even if you can’t make it that day, your child will receive a t-shirt with a $40.00 donation.  The t-shirts are usually passed out in class on the Friday before the event. Altavistawalkathon.dojiggy.com

The committee is still in need of volunteers; here is the link to help out.  https://avhsc.ivolunteer.com/wat_2019

They still need donations from 1st grade: granola bars, protein bars, and bottled water.  Donations can be dropped off in front of the school office.

Please remember the library books for Thursday.

Important Dates:

Wednesday, October 9: Be Seen and Be Heard Assembly

Friday, October 11: School Picture Retakes

October 17-23: Book Fair

Saturday, October 19: Walk-a-thon at 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Mondays (And every other) Wednesdays: PE with Mr. Thomas

Tuesdays: Music with Mrs. Threet

Thursdays: Library (With our amazing Library Volunteers)

What We’re Doing in Class this Week

Language Arts:  We are reviewing consonants sounds and short vowel e.  In grammar, we are focusing on possessive nouns and verbs.

Math: We are in Module 1 in our Eureka Math curriculum. This module sets the foundation for students to master sums and differences to 10.

Writing: We will be focusing on personal narrative writing this trimester.

Social Studies: Respect and Community, Time in the Past and Present

Technology: Zearn, Sock Puppets, Lexia, Scratch Jr., Raz Kids

Sharing Assignment: Share a fire safety rule that you have at home. (picture, or sentence) You do not need clues for this share.

Special Person of The Week: Rob

Week of September 30, 2019

Dear Families,

We had a great time on our field trip to see The Cat In The Hat.  We will have two more field trips this school year, one to the De Anza Planetarium, and another to YSI and Vasona in the spring.

Don’t forget to register for the Alta Vista Walkathon.  Even if you can’t make it that day, your child will receive a t-shirt with a $50.00 donation.  The t-shirts are usually passed out in class on the Friday before the event. So far we have 9 friends from Room 1 signed up!  Altavistawalkathon.dojiggy.com

We have two fun projects that we need parent help with on Friday, October 4th.

At 9:30 we will be creating Cardboard Challenge projects in the Makerspace.  We would love 5-6 or more parents to help with cutting cardboard and using the hot glue guns.

At 1:00 we will be working on our first Clay project for the school year.  We would love 5-6 parent helpers for prepping, guiding, and help with clean up.

Additionally, we would love your cardboard donations for our project in the Makerspace.  Boxes the size of shoeboxes are perfect. Your child will be bringing home their creations that day.

Please remember library books for Thursday.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Important Dates:

Tuesday, October 1: Family Night

Saturday, October 19: Walk-a-thon at 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Mondays and (Every other) Wednesdays: PE with Mr. Thomas

Tuesdays: Music with Mrs. Threet

Thursdays: Library

What We’re Doing in Class this Week

Language Arts: Partner read and discuss making predictions.  We are reviewing consonants sounds and short vowel e.  Proper use of upper and lowercase letters and correct end marks to sentences.

Math: We are in Module 1 in our Eureka Math curriculum. This module sets the foundation for students to master sums and differences to 10.

Writing: We will be focusing on personal narrative writing this trimester.

Social Studies: Respect and Community, Time in the Past and Present

Technology: Zearn, Sock Puppets, Lexia, Scratch Jr., Raz Kids

Sharing Assignment: A favorite book (Please make sure your name is in the book, or on a post-it note.)  You do not need clues for this share.

Special Person of The Week: Sam