October 31, 2014
Happy Halloween! Today one of our mom's brought us a scary snack! Thank you so much. The Frankenstein cups were so yummy! We then got dressed in our costumes and walked in the parade. There were lots of tables set up for local businesses to give us treats. Thank you to all the parents that came to help get the kids dressed and to watch our parade. Thank you to all the businesses that made our trick or treating so much fun! We had such a fun day but there was one more surprise yet to come: Ms. Hagaman came for a visit!
October 31, 2014
Mrs. Allen brought a science experiment for us to do. It was creepy, crawling worms! Everyone added a tablespoon of baking soda to vinegar and warm water then we gave it a little stir. Next, we added gummy worms and we had to wait for 10 minutes. The worms started to move thanks to the bubbles from the baking soda. The best part of the experiment was eating the leftover worms! :)
October 30, 2014
Our recipe this week was amazing. It was cheesy hashbrown potatoes. It was a huge hit with the kids. Be sure to watch for this recipe to come home so you can make it with your child. It was super simple and super good.
October 26, 2014
How many seeds are in these fruits? That was the question posed to each student in my room. We guessed if there was one, few or many. After we made our guesses for each fruit, we cut into it and counted the seeds except for the ones that had many seeds. After we counted the seeds we sampled the fruit. I was so happy to see the number of kids that enjoyed the avocado. I was also pleased at the way the kids tried the various fruits. This was another fun science activity. After the experiment we cut our pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern.
October 20, 2014
Today, I tested my 1st-4th graders on their sight words. I had two students get them all correct and the other two had huge improvements. What is a teacher to do when her kids show such growth in a short period of time? We had to celebrate their achievements with a little song and dance. :) My kids love music and they can certainly dance.
October 17, 2014
Have you ever made popcorn in the microwave? I have before with prepackaged bags or just putting popcorn in a brown paper bag. Today we popped popcorn in a bowl using butter and salt! This was a new way for me. It turned out to be really good so we had to make more! Please add this to your list of recipes to try as a family.
October 17, 2014
We had a science activity that went along with Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. We made stress balls to help us relax when we have a day like Alexander. It was a simple activity where the kids filled a balloon with uncooked rice. We then put a second balloon
over the first and we had a great fidget!
over the first and we had a great fidget!
October 16, 2014
Today was the Great Central US Shake Out! We participated by practicing our earthquake drill. Everyone did a great job showing how to "drop, cover and hold on!" If you want to read more about this awareness program or what to do in case of an earthquake you can go to this website: http://www.shakeout.org/centralus/
October 15, 2014
We made Cherry Salad as part of our Unique reading series. We are reading a story about a boy going to Washington D.C. to visit the White House. Our second story for the month is about George Washington and the cherry tree. The kids enjoyed making this salad because it was so hands on for them. Most loved eating it too.
October 13, 2014
Happy Columbus Day! I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend. We have an exciting week scheduled for us. It is our PBIS Spirit Week. Here is the important information:
We've got spirit, yes we do!
How about you?
Starting October 14th LaSalle students will be able to participate in a spirit week. Since the school year began, the students have been working hard to follow our three major guidelines that encompass all the school rules. Each day, the students are reminded of different ways to be respectful, be responsible, and be safe. During spirit week, we encourage the students at LaSalle to participate in the following theme days, to demonstrate our school motto.
Tuesday October 14: BE RESPECTFUL! Show your respect for LaSalle School and the United States of America. Wear RED, WHITE, and BLUE.
Wednesday October 15: BE RESPONSIBLE! Help light the path and show others the correct way. Wear NEON/BRIGHT colors.
Thursday October 16: BE SAFE! Remember it is your actions that keep this school safe. Wear SUPERHERO attire.
Friday October 17: T.E.A.M. Together Everyone Achieves More. At LaSalle School if we can work as a team we all will be soaring high like eagles. Wear SPORTS TEAM attire.
October 10, 2014
Grandparents' Day was today for our class but our preparation for the big day started weeks ago! The kids made a planter complete with a potted plant to give their grandparents. They were so proud of their gifts. We only had one grandparent available to come celebrate the day with us but the rest of our grandparents were in our hearts and thoughts today. I hope that you are able to help your child deliver their gift of love to their grandparent.
The first thing the kids had to do was stain their wood pieces.
Then the kids painted their little wooden flowers.
Next, we had to follow the step by step directions to
build our planter.
build our planter.
Yes, I would say that is a pretty proud group right there.
You can't garden without getting a little dirt on yourself or
on my table, chairs and floor!
What a great job my kids did on their Grandparents' Day gift!
on my table, chairs and floor!
What a great job my kids did on their Grandparents' Day gift!
The grandma that was able to spend the day with us enjoyed her lunch with her granddaughter and her granddaughter's friends, ate a snack that we made, and played a game. She was also thrilled with her gift. I hope she had a good time being honored at our school.
October 10, 2014
Our News-2-You paper was about the movie Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. We talked about some different ways you can turn a bad day around or help a friend that is having a bad day. What a better way to turn your day around than by cooking? Today we made Good Day Dip. It tasted similar to pumpkin pie cheesecake!
All of our weekly recipes come home with the kids in their small News-2-You newspapers. The recipes require simple ingredients, have easy to follow directions and are fun to make, eat and share! Why not try to make one of the recipes with your child today?
October 9, 2014
We studied about Hispanic Heritage Month with our News-2-You paper. One of the activities that went along with the paper was making maracas. What fun we had making and playing our new instruments! Can you say "Conga Line!"?"
October 7, 2014
Today we worked on counting coins using our TouchMath Coins that were provided by the PNC FirstGrant program about a year and a half ago. We have been spending time learning to count by tens and fives this year. Those skills now flow into counting money and telling time. I was so proud of how quickly and easily the kids picked up this concept of counting a variety of coins this year. Thanks to PNC for the grant that awarded the materials!
October 6, 2014
Today the fire department came to school to watch us during our fire drill to make sure everyone was being safe. When the drill was over we walked over to check out the fire truck. Later, we had a fire safety assembly.
We learned to "stop, drop and roll" if our clothing ever catches on fire. We also learned to "get low and go" if there is smoke in our house. The firemen put their masks, air tanks and suits on to show us what they look like and what they sound like if they ever have to come into our homes during a fire.
The firemen told us to check our smoke detectors to make sure there are batteries and to have an emergency plan on how to get out of the house safely and where to meet our family so they know we are safe.
Firefighter Gard took extra special care of my class. It was wonderful of him to take the time to help my students not be afraid of a suited up fireman.
October 3, 2014
Mrs. Allen made us some wonderful dolphin treats to enjoy while we watched Dolphin Tale. They were not only yummy but so healthy!
October 2, 2014
Today was our walking field trip to the Family Video store. We went to rent the Dolphin Tale movie to go along with out News-2-You newspaper. We were worried about the weather since it was raining before our trip but the rain held off until after we returned. At Family Video we checked out the kids' free movie section. We played some counting and comparing games using the different videos. (How many Dora movies? How many Diego movies? Which had more? Neither, they both had 8 so they were the same! How many Scooby Doo movies? There were 18 Scooby Doo movies so there were more than Dora and Diego put together!) Unfortunately, our movie was checked out but we had a backup plan. Mrs. Allen brought her video from home so we were able to watch some of it today. When we were done at the store, Brandy gave all the kids stickers! She also invited us to come back to the store to see her again soon. The kids did such a good job being respectful, responsible and safe just like our PBIS song says.
Leaving the school behind on this wet, dreary day.
Brandy at Family Video gave Despicable Me stickers
to all my minions.
to all my minions.
On the way back to the school we stopped to check out the radar speed sign outside the school. The kids were really curious about it even though it has been there since before the start of the school year. We watched the speed of several cars that came by as we were looking at it. They were all being safe. It even registered 6, 7, and then 8 miles an hour as we walked toward the sign! I love how curious my kids are.
Making sure that everyone is being safe!
October 1, 2014
We just completed a science project on germs! We doodled germs on our hands (washable markers, don't panic!) and then we washed our hands quickly with water, quickly with soap, and for 30 seconds with soap to see which way worked to removed the germs.
Here we are with germs on our hands and our yucky
looks on our face!
looks on our face!
We found out that we needed to wash our hands for 30 seconds with soap to make the germs go away. If you hum or sing the ABC song that takes about 30 seconds and it is the right amount of time to wash your hands.
We like our clean hands! Being healthy makes us smile.
Book It! Kick Off
October is the first month for Book It! A form came home today for you to fill out this month as you listen to your child read. List 5 books on the form that they have read to you or that you have helped them read and return it to me. I will send home a certificate for a free 1 topping personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.
September 25, 2014
I haven't updated this page since last fall due to some technical difficulties. It looks like those issues are behind us and I can now keep our page up to date.
This is a fun activity that we did last week. We had our friends in Mrs. McEndollar's 4th grade class vote to tell us what their favorite sport was. We also voted in my classroom. The next day we tallied up the votes and put them on a bar graph. The kids then answered some questions using the bar graph. If you have a second, ask your child what color had the most votes and which color had the least. :)
This is a fun activity that we did last week. We had our friends in Mrs. McEndollar's 4th grade class vote to tell us what their favorite sport was. We also voted in my classroom. The next day we tallied up the votes and put them on a bar graph. The kids then answered some questions using the bar graph. If you have a second, ask your child what color had the most votes and which color had the least. :)
Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year!
September 12, 2013
I had a parent stop in to ask me if we would be having the Scholastic book order forms coming home this year. Typically, I do not do these since we are required to have a minimum of $20 in sales to receive the free shipping for the order. That is a hard number to reach with only 7 students. I believe, as a teacher and as a parent, that the book orders are one of the best ways to build an affordable library for our children. Many times you can find an interesting book for just a $1.
I will send these orders home this week. You also have the option of going online to place an order. Just click on this link: https://orders.scholastic.com/GJJW2 I believe that when you set up an account you can look at several different book orders at several different reading levels. Our class account is GJJW2. A new item that I haven't noticed before is the eBooks. These books can be used on tablets, phones, and computers. I am going to purchase a few for the classroom and I can let you know what I think of them. I like that there are activities built into the books for the kids to do and a tracking program to see which books the kids have utilized. It is also a way to help build their independence since the books can read to the child. We have come a long way from books on tap: beep, turn the page.
If you are interested in placing an order you can send the order form back to me with a check to Scholastic or cash. You may also place an order online. There is no tax required. The book orders will be due on Thursday, September 26th. Please don't feel pressured to make a purchase. This is just a service I am providing for you and your child.
I will send these orders home this week. You also have the option of going online to place an order. Just click on this link: https://orders.scholastic.com/GJJW2 I believe that when you set up an account you can look at several different book orders at several different reading levels. Our class account is GJJW2. A new item that I haven't noticed before is the eBooks. These books can be used on tablets, phones, and computers. I am going to purchase a few for the classroom and I can let you know what I think of them. I like that there are activities built into the books for the kids to do and a tracking program to see which books the kids have utilized. It is also a way to help build their independence since the books can read to the child. We have come a long way from books on tap: beep, turn the page.
If you are interested in placing an order you can send the order form back to me with a check to Scholastic or cash. You may also place an order online. There is no tax required. The book orders will be due on Thursday, September 26th. Please don't feel pressured to make a purchase. This is just a service I am providing for you and your child.
September 9, 2013
Wow, what a hot start to the school year! We are all adjusting well to the new year and our new students are figuring out the routine of how our classroom and school run.
This week we are starting our nightly homework. Most week nights your child will have a small amount of homework to do to review the skills that we are working on in the classroom. Right now it will be letters and numbers that your child missed during our assessment time. As the year progresses the homework will change to revolve around what skills we are working on together. If you ever feel that there is too much to do please let me know. I want the homework to be a meaningful review of our day not a horrible, time consuming chore. At this point, my goal is 10 minutes of homework a night or less. If your child completes their nightly homework every night and you sign off on it every night, I will reward them with a pick from my prize box at the end of the week. They will also be rewarded by learning their skills quicker and being able to show those skills in a variety of settings which leads to mastery!
We wrap up our color words this week. At the end of the week watch for color word books to come home. Every child made 10 different color word books over the past two weeks. Please have them read or sing them to you. On the left hand side of this page you will see a tab for the color word songs. The kids LOVE these songs and I promise they will stick in your head too if you listen to them. You are welcome. *grin*
This week we are starting our nightly homework. Most week nights your child will have a small amount of homework to do to review the skills that we are working on in the classroom. Right now it will be letters and numbers that your child missed during our assessment time. As the year progresses the homework will change to revolve around what skills we are working on together. If you ever feel that there is too much to do please let me know. I want the homework to be a meaningful review of our day not a horrible, time consuming chore. At this point, my goal is 10 minutes of homework a night or less. If your child completes their nightly homework every night and you sign off on it every night, I will reward them with a pick from my prize box at the end of the week. They will also be rewarded by learning their skills quicker and being able to show those skills in a variety of settings which leads to mastery!
We wrap up our color words this week. At the end of the week watch for color word books to come home. Every child made 10 different color word books over the past two weeks. Please have them read or sing them to you. On the left hand side of this page you will see a tab for the color word songs. The kids LOVE these songs and I promise they will stick in your head too if you listen to them. You are welcome. *grin*
March 15, 2013
What a long week. We completed our Illinois Alternative Assessments (IAA) this week! I am so proud of how hard my 3rd and 4th graders worked on their testing. They all did very well having a sub for two mornings and being flexible while I pulled them out one by one to test. We also held a tornado drill earlier this week which threw our schedules off. Today was the end of the 3rd grading period so we had our early dismissal schedules. Even with all the changes this week my kids did a great job.
Next week will be calmer, I promise. The only thing going on during the day next week to throw our schedules off is popcorn day on Wednesday. Yum. We love popcorn day so we will all be happy to have that schedule change! There are several activities going on in the community over the next two weeks. Look for lots of fliers to come home today. Other than popcorn day the three school notes that I wanted to highlight for you is that Monday evening from 5-8 is a LaSalle/Parkview Schools Fundraiser at McDonald's in North Pekin. The schools will receive a donation based on the amount of sales during that time. If you are eating out Monday night maybe a little McDonald's in North Pekin will hit the spot! The other activity that is going on is our Applebee's Pancake fundraiser. It is only $5 a person to enjoy pancakes, bacon and a beverage. The only catch is that you have to pay in advance so be sure to get your tickets. The Easter Bunny will also be on hand to take a photo for $1 each. I hope to see you there!
In the classroom we will be taking a spelling test this week. If your child takes the test with me watch for the words to come home on Monday. The words this week are bed, led, fed, red, Ted and wed. Report cards will come home on Friday.
Have a great weekend and remember to wear green on Sunday!
Next week will be calmer, I promise. The only thing going on during the day next week to throw our schedules off is popcorn day on Wednesday. Yum. We love popcorn day so we will all be happy to have that schedule change! There are several activities going on in the community over the next two weeks. Look for lots of fliers to come home today. Other than popcorn day the three school notes that I wanted to highlight for you is that Monday evening from 5-8 is a LaSalle/Parkview Schools Fundraiser at McDonald's in North Pekin. The schools will receive a donation based on the amount of sales during that time. If you are eating out Monday night maybe a little McDonald's in North Pekin will hit the spot! The other activity that is going on is our Applebee's Pancake fundraiser. It is only $5 a person to enjoy pancakes, bacon and a beverage. The only catch is that you have to pay in advance so be sure to get your tickets. The Easter Bunny will also be on hand to take a photo for $1 each. I hope to see you there!
In the classroom we will be taking a spelling test this week. If your child takes the test with me watch for the words to come home on Monday. The words this week are bed, led, fed, red, Ted and wed. Report cards will come home on Friday.
Have a great weekend and remember to wear green on Sunday!
February 14, 2013
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I hope that you have a special day today. Here are a couple of quick reminders so that we all know what is going on this week. I will be at Planet X tonight so bring the kids out to skate from 6-8. It is $3 per skater including skate rental. An adult must stay with the kids. Friday we will be dismissing school at 11:30 and no lunch will be served. There is no school on Monday!
Midterm reports were given to you at your annual review meeting
this week. If you weren't able to join us, it will be coming to you in the mail
soon. Thank you to all the parents who were able to make the meeting. Your input into your child's education is so important! As always, if you have any questions or concerns send me a note or give me a call.
As you know, some of the kids started spelling tests this semester using our spelling list from our Unique Learning System program. The focus of the spelling lists in this program is for word study-manipulation of letters and sounds. The program was not set up to be used for taking tests from memory or with the use of phonetic skills. I am finding that these first two lists each month, the vocabulary lists, are just too complex for most of my kids. It causes stress for them (and for me) so I don't feel that it is worth it. We will continue to do the word study parts of the spelling lists for the first two weeks and reserve the spelling tests for weeks when we have CVC lists or very simple lists. Now, I know you are sitting there thinking, "How do I know when my kid will have a test?" It is simple. :) I will send a practice list home on the weeks that we will take a spelling test just
like I do now. I will also put it on the homework sheet. It will usually be the
third and fourth week of the month. Thank you for understanding that this is just too difficult for us right now.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. ;)
Midterm reports were given to you at your annual review meeting
this week. If you weren't able to join us, it will be coming to you in the mail
soon. Thank you to all the parents who were able to make the meeting. Your input into your child's education is so important! As always, if you have any questions or concerns send me a note or give me a call.
As you know, some of the kids started spelling tests this semester using our spelling list from our Unique Learning System program. The focus of the spelling lists in this program is for word study-manipulation of letters and sounds. The program was not set up to be used for taking tests from memory or with the use of phonetic skills. I am finding that these first two lists each month, the vocabulary lists, are just too complex for most of my kids. It causes stress for them (and for me) so I don't feel that it is worth it. We will continue to do the word study parts of the spelling lists for the first two weeks and reserve the spelling tests for weeks when we have CVC lists or very simple lists. Now, I know you are sitting there thinking, "How do I know when my kid will have a test?" It is simple. :) I will send a practice list home on the weeks that we will take a spelling test just
like I do now. I will also put it on the homework sheet. It will usually be the
third and fourth week of the month. Thank you for understanding that this is just too difficult for us right now.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. ;)
February 4, 2013
We are working on skip counting by 5's to 100. Below are videos that we are using in the classroom to help learn this skill. Please feel free to watch them at home! :) I have to warn you the last one doesn't have any music/words just the numbers and it is SLOW!
January 15, 2013
We are in the middle of a busy week. Report cards come home this week so we have been doing a lot of testing and updating of goals. Look for those to be in the homework folders on Friday. Wednesday we will enjoy popcorn made by our volunteer parents. Friday will also be an early dismissal due to a school improvement planning day (SIP). We will dismiss at 11:30. No lunch will be served that day.
On a fun note, some of my kids started taking spelling tests last week. We have practiced letters and sounds using spelling lists but this is the first time this school year that we have had formal spelling tests. The kids did very well. It is my plan to only have spelling homework twice a week unless, like this week, we have a difficult list. The way the Unique program is set up our lists are development week one and two from the high frequency vocabulary words that we learn. The spellings lists for week three and four are word families. Word families are words that all end in the same sound such as cat, bat, hat, mat. You can expect easier lists for the last two weeks of each month.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns please send me a note in the communication notebook, email me or give me a call.
On a fun note, some of my kids started taking spelling tests last week. We have practiced letters and sounds using spelling lists but this is the first time this school year that we have had formal spelling tests. The kids did very well. It is my plan to only have spelling homework twice a week unless, like this week, we have a difficult list. The way the Unique program is set up our lists are development week one and two from the high frequency vocabulary words that we learn. The spellings lists for week three and four are word families. Word families are words that all end in the same sound such as cat, bat, hat, mat. You can expect easier lists for the last two weeks of each month.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns please send me a note in the communication notebook, email me or give me a call.
January 11, 2013
Welcome to 2013! We are at the end of the first semester. I don't know where the first half of the year went but it went quickly. There are lots of exciting things planned for second semester so stay tuned.
In case you missed it, Ms. Hagaman returned to our classroom before Christmas break and Mrs. Tobias returned to her RtI program across the hall. As promised at the beginning of the year, this is the year of change. The kids have been very flexible and willing to accept the changes. I'm sure there are many more to come.
Speaking of changes, we will be holding our annual reviews a bit earlier this year. My meetings will tentatively be held in mid-February. Watch for your invitation to come in the mail sometime in late January or early February. I will also put a reminder on homework sheets during the week of annual reviews.
I have posted some new photos on this site from Christmas with some more to come. Keep an eye on the left column for anything new!
Today it is 52 degrees outside. It's January. No, I am not complaining. *Smile* Next week, when "normal" winter weather returns I want to remind you that the kids go outside at lunch recess daily, weather permitting. Please be sure they have hats, gloves and warm coats so they can enjoy their recess.
In case you missed it, Ms. Hagaman returned to our classroom before Christmas break and Mrs. Tobias returned to her RtI program across the hall. As promised at the beginning of the year, this is the year of change. The kids have been very flexible and willing to accept the changes. I'm sure there are many more to come.
Speaking of changes, we will be holding our annual reviews a bit earlier this year. My meetings will tentatively be held in mid-February. Watch for your invitation to come in the mail sometime in late January or early February. I will also put a reminder on homework sheets during the week of annual reviews.
I have posted some new photos on this site from Christmas with some more to come. Keep an eye on the left column for anything new!
Today it is 52 degrees outside. It's January. No, I am not complaining. *Smile* Next week, when "normal" winter weather returns I want to remind you that the kids go outside at lunch recess daily, weather permitting. Please be sure they have hats, gloves and warm coats so they can enjoy their recess.
December 4, 2012
Where did November go? It doesn't seem like it has been over a month since I have posted on my Weebly. I just put up the Christmas program songs at the bottom of the music class songs page. I will get the lyrics posted there too. There are printed copies of the lyrics coming home today. We will be performing at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 11th in the LaSalle School gym. I hope that everyone can make it to the performance.
Other big news this week is that midterm reports come home on Wednesday. As always if you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the notebook or call the office at 698-3605 and leave a message. We will be shopping in Santa's Secret Shop on Wednesday morning. Friday is a SIP day. We will dismiss at 11:30 and no lunch will be served. Due to the early dismissal we will not be going to library either. Saturday will be the CC Community Center Breakfast with Santa from 7:30-10:00. I have it on good authority that Santa will be present. :)
For those of you looking ahead to Christmas vacation, we will have early dismissal on Friday, December 21st at 2:00. We will not return until Monday, January 7, 2013!
Other big news this week is that midterm reports come home on Wednesday. As always if you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the notebook or call the office at 698-3605 and leave a message. We will be shopping in Santa's Secret Shop on Wednesday morning. Friday is a SIP day. We will dismiss at 11:30 and no lunch will be served. Due to the early dismissal we will not be going to library either. Saturday will be the CC Community Center Breakfast with Santa from 7:30-10:00. I have it on good authority that Santa will be present. :)
For those of you looking ahead to Christmas vacation, we will have early dismissal on Friday, December 21st at 2:00. We will not return until Monday, January 7, 2013!
October 24, 2012
Changes, changes! I did warn you that this was the year of change. We have had a schedule change with the addition of a computer lab at our old library time and a change to Friday afternoon library. Mrs. Allen will be teaching our computer lab time with the help of Mrs. Tobias. So the big change for library will be that I will take my class to the library with the help of Mrs. Tobias on Friday afternoons. Please remember to have all library books returned to school by Friday for library time! :)
October 17, 2012
There will be a 2:00 early dismissal on Friday to allow teachers time to complete report cards and other paperwork to get ready for conferences next week. Watch the folders on Friday for paperwork indicating your scheduled conference time. Let me know if this time will work for you or not. Have a great weekend.
October 16, 2012
What a fun day at school today for Grandparents' Day! I want to thank all of the grandparents who spent the day with us. Some of you even shared your time with the other kids and that was appreciated. I think we all enjoyed your visit. I have posted some pictures on the last tab on the left. Take the time to check those out. I will be sending home the picture frames soon. I am working on getting those pictures printed.
October 9, 2012
I have added songs from our music class to the menu on the left of the screen. Please feel free to practice these songs at home. The whole school starts each day in the gym together singing our new behavior song and one patriotic song during our Morning Meeting time. It is this time together, as a community, that we say the Pledge of Allegiance; all birthdays for the day are announced while the children stand to a round of applause and any important messages for the day are shared. For the month of October we will be singing My Country Tis of Thee. I had to look up the lyrics so I thought I would share them. Sometimes we get a little rusty on things we don't practice. :)
America (My Country Tis of Thee) Lyrics
My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!
America (My Country Tis of Thee) Lyrics
My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!
September 4, 2012
Hello everyone and welcome to week 3 of the school year. I hope you all had an enjoyable long weekend. In class, I can see that routines are being established and the kids are doing real well. The heat is draining everyone's energy, mine included, so we are taking a few extra drink breaks and trying to spend some time in front of the fan for activities when possible. Speaking of routines, we had a completely new dismissal proceedure that started today. It really only effects walkers and parent pick up students so if your child rides the bus you won't notice anything new. Please be patient as we work all the kinks out of the system. As I have stated many times this year, it is a year of change. :)
Here is a recap of the "Kindergarten Color of the Day" for this week:
Tuesday, September 4--Purple
Wednesday, September 5--Brown
Thursday, September 6--White
Friday, September 7--Black
Monday, September 10--Pink
Tuesday, September 11--Gray
Wednesday, September 12--Rainbow
Thank you for helping support the kindergarten students while they work to learn their colors and color words. Ask your child to sing one of the color word songs to you or click on my page with the color word songs and you can sing along! They can all sing the R-E-D song.
Here is a recap of the "Kindergarten Color of the Day" for this week:
Tuesday, September 4--Purple
Wednesday, September 5--Brown
Thursday, September 6--White
Friday, September 7--Black
Monday, September 10--Pink
Tuesday, September 11--Gray
Wednesday, September 12--Rainbow
Thank you for helping support the kindergarten students while they work to learn their colors and color words. Ask your child to sing one of the color word songs to you or click on my page with the color word songs and you can sing along! They can all sing the R-E-D song.
August 29, 2012
Hot off the press...pun intended...we will have early dismissal Thursday and Friday of this week due to heat. We will be dismissing school at 2:00 on each day. Remember there is no school on Monday due to the holiday.
August 28, 2012
It is that time of year again when the Kindergarten students are learning their colors and color words. They ask that everyone in the school participate by wearing the "Color of the Day" with them. I sent the list home last Friday and I've included it at the bottom of the homework sheets but I thought one more place wouldn't hurt.
Here is the list of days and the corresponding color:
Monday, August 27--Red
Tuesday, August 28--Blue
Wednesday, August 29--Yellow
Thursday, August 30--Green
Friday, August 31--Orange
Monday, September 3--No School
Tuesday, September 4--Purple
Wednesday, September 5--Brown
Thursday, September 6--White
Friday, September 7--Black
Monday, September 10--Pink
Tuesday, September 11--Gray
Wednesday, September 12--Rainbow
I have also added a page on here with the color word songs that you can share with your child. Some of our students are still learning to read or spell their colors words plus they enjoy singing along with the videos.
Here is the list of days and the corresponding color:
Monday, August 27--Red
Tuesday, August 28--Blue
Wednesday, August 29--Yellow
Thursday, August 30--Green
Friday, August 31--Orange
Monday, September 3--No School
Tuesday, September 4--Purple
Wednesday, September 5--Brown
Thursday, September 6--White
Friday, September 7--Black
Monday, September 10--Pink
Tuesday, September 11--Gray
Wednesday, September 12--Rainbow
I have also added a page on here with the color word songs that you can share with your child. Some of our students are still learning to read or spell their colors words plus they enjoy singing along with the videos.
August 21, 2012
The student/parent handbooks are coming home tonight. Please review them and then sign and return the last page to me. There is also a fun workbook coming home that you may let your child play with or you may use it to review skills. It was a freebie that the school received so I thought your child would like a copy. Thursday night is our Meet The Teacher Night. I will hold my class meeting at 7:00 (3rd grade time slot) so I don't conflict with any other children's meetings you may be trying to attend. I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!
August 20, 2012
Wow! What a start to the year. We have lots of changes going on here at LaSalle. We have a new principal this year. Her name is Julie McArdle. Mrs. McArdle has lot of ideas on how to make our school even better than before. One of the biggest
changes you are going to notice for your student is that I am now a homeroom teacher. That means that your child reports to my room as soon as we end our opening meeting time. The benefit to my being a homeroom teacher is that your child will only have one teacher and will not be transitioning as much during the day. All notes, forms, lunch money, etc. will now be turned into me. All of
my students will have PE, Library and Music with a 3rd grade class. They will have lunch and recess with the 3rd and 4th grades at 12:20-1:00. They will also attend the morning meeting, which is new this year, at 8:25 in the gym. The morning meeting is a time that the whole school comes together to kick the day off on a positive note. The principal, teachers and students will meet in the gym to do the Pledge of Allegiance, a patriotic song and the new positive behavior song. Mrs. McArdle will also use this time to share any morning announcements that she may have.
This time together will foster a sense of community among everyone at the school. Also new this year is the cancellation of before school recess. When a student arrives at school they will now report directly to the gym unless they are stopping to eat breakfast in the cafeteria first. I wasn’t kidding when I said there are a lot of changes. :) Welcome back to LaSalle.
changes you are going to notice for your student is that I am now a homeroom teacher. That means that your child reports to my room as soon as we end our opening meeting time. The benefit to my being a homeroom teacher is that your child will only have one teacher and will not be transitioning as much during the day. All notes, forms, lunch money, etc. will now be turned into me. All of
my students will have PE, Library and Music with a 3rd grade class. They will have lunch and recess with the 3rd and 4th grades at 12:20-1:00. They will also attend the morning meeting, which is new this year, at 8:25 in the gym. The morning meeting is a time that the whole school comes together to kick the day off on a positive note. The principal, teachers and students will meet in the gym to do the Pledge of Allegiance, a patriotic song and the new positive behavior song. Mrs. McArdle will also use this time to share any morning announcements that she may have.
This time together will foster a sense of community among everyone at the school. Also new this year is the cancellation of before school recess. When a student arrives at school they will now report directly to the gym unless they are stopping to eat breakfast in the cafeteria first. I wasn’t kidding when I said there are a lot of changes. :) Welcome back to LaSalle.
May 14, 2012
Notes: Home stretch! It is our last week of homework. The students were actually disappointed to hear that. I’m sure you are also. Monday is McDonald’s night from 4:30-7:30. Tuesday is the 4th grade field trip to Wildlife Prairie State Park. On Wednesday, I will finish up my annual reviews. Check the homework sheet to see if you have a meeting with me. Friday is our Fun Day all day long with bounce houses, activities and food.
May 7, 2012
Notes: Another busy week at LaSalle! I will be out of the building on Tuesday morning due to an observation. I will return to school by 11:45 if you need me for anything. On Wednesday, our 3rd graders have a field trip to the Peoria Zoo. Thursday is our Muffins with Mom/Donuts with Dad starting at 7:30. I also have two annual reviews this week. I will send you a reminder if you have a meeting this week with me!
April 30, 2012
Notes: May will be a busy month for us! On Wednesday, we will send home our midterm reports. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please call me at 698-3605. On Thursday, our 2nd graders will be going on a field trip to the Peoria Zoo from 9:30-2:15. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather for them!
On Friday, we will have the fundraiser reward party. Since our school goal was reached all children will be able to participate in part of the day.
On Friday, we will have the fundraiser reward party. Since our school goal was reached all children will be able to participate in part of the day.
April 23, 2012
Notes: On Friday will have early dismissal at 11:30 for a SIP day. It is also the end of our midterm. Watch for progress reports to come home on Wednesday, May 2nd.
April 16, 2012
Notes: Monday is LaSalle School’s Sonic Night from 4-8 pm.
If you don’t have plans for dinner stop in to support your school! Wednesday is popcorn day. I will purchase a bag of popcorn for each of my students to enjoy during the day. If you would like to order a second bag to be sent home, please send in a quarter per bag.
If you don’t have plans for dinner stop in to support your school! Wednesday is popcorn day. I will purchase a bag of popcorn for each of my students to enjoy during the day. If you would like to order a second bag to be sent home, please send in a quarter per bag.
April 10, 2012
Notes: Thursday will be our Planet X skating party from 6 pm until 8 pm. The cost is $3 per skater and an adult must stay with the kids.
April 3, 2012
Update: I just found out that our 3rd and 4th graders will not be participating in the Easter Egg hunt during the lunch hour but will be given a goodie bag instead. This change took place last year and it slipped my mind until just now. I'm sorry for the confusion and I will make sure that my students are aware of this change.
April 2, 2012
Notes: On Thursday morning we will have a small party in our classroom. The Easter Egg hunt will be during our lunch periods and then class parties will be starting at 2:00. We will have
normal dismissal on Thursday. No school on Friday or Monday due to the holiday weekend. I hope everyone has a safe and happy long weekend!
normal dismissal on Thursday. No school on Friday or Monday due to the holiday weekend. I hope everyone has a safe and happy long weekend!
March 26, 2012
Notes: Welcome back to school! I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather we had over break. This week should be a pretty calm one. I will be sending home updated IEPs on Friday for the 3rd and 4th graders. Everyone else received their updated IEPs at the annual review meeting right before break. As always, if you have any questions or concerns you can send me a note in the notebook or call me at 698-3605.
March 12, 2012
Notes: I have annual review meetings with some of my students this Wednesday. If you have a meeting this week, I have written the time on your child’s homework sheet. We have a 2:00 dismissal on Friday and then Spring Break begins! We will resume classes on Monday, March 26th. I hope you have a safe and happy vacation!
March 6, 2012
Notes: This week my 3rd and 4th grade students will be taking the Illinois Alternative Assessment (IAA) or the ISAT. These tests can be stressful so please help your child by making sure they are getting a good night’s sleep this week along with a good breakfast. Thursday is our monthly Planet-X skating party from 6-8pm. The cost is $3 per person including the skate rental. For safety, an adult must remain at the rink.
February 27, 2012
Notes: Monday is our Chuck E. Cheese night from 3-9 pm. Friday is the 1st grade fieldtrip to see the movie The Lorax. We will be starting the Illinois Alternative Assessment (IAA) with my 3rd and 4th graders this week and continuing into next week. ISAT starts next week for the students who are taking that test instead of the IAA.
February 20, 2012
Notes: No school on Monday (2/20) due to Presidents’Day. Wednesday (2/22) is our Spring Pictures. All students will be photographed for class pictures. Flyers have come home but if you need any assistance with that please call the office tonight or early tomorrow. The phone number for our office is 698-3605.
February 12, 2012
Notes: On Tuesday we will have a small Valentine’s Day party with a card exchange in my classroom in the morning and another party in the homerooms at 2:00. Wednesday will be Popcorn Day. I will buy each child a bag of popcorn to eat in my room. Extra bags can be purchased for $ .25 each. Progress reports will come home on Wednesday. Please call me if you have any questions or concerns at 698-3605. Friday will be our annual chili supper from 5-8 pm. No school on Monday due to Presidents’ Day.