Hand Washing Experts

Today Nurse Jocelyn came to talk with our team about how to keep themselves healthy. She read a funny book and they had a great discussion about hand washing, coughing into their "chicken wings", getting lots of sleep, eating the rainbow, and drinking lots of water. Tomorrow, if the weather cooperates, I plan to take the kids to the SCS track to walk together. I can't wait to do this with them.

Volunteers Needed

Journey Volunteers Needed
The SCS Holiday Craft Fair is on Saturday, December 3rd. If you are able to help sell items that the children have made at our team table, please consider signing up for a time to volunteer on our team Wiki. Sign up the same way you did for conferences. We need two parents in each time slot. To find the Wiki go to scsvt.org, then teams, then Journey Kindergarten, then Journey Team Craft Fair Volunteers. The following times are available. We look forward to seeing you there! Set Up: 8:45-9:30
9:30-10:30
10:30-11:30
11:30-12:30
12:30-1:45 (Includes very little Clean Up)

Classroom Fitness

I am looking for a couple of parents who would be interested in coming in during this month's "Happy Healthy You" unit to teach the kids fitness activities. This could include yoga, stretching, running, walking. The opportunities are endless. I would also like to get the class outside in this nice weather. Anyone interested in coming along on a hike? Email me at ahazen@cssu.org and we can arrange something special for the class.

Learning About Nutrition

This week the kids participated in several activities to discuss the importance of eating a well balanced diet. They learned about eating a variety of foods in moderation. They also learned about how the more colorful foods have more nutrients and vitamins to make them grow big and strong. Today I sent home a little guide for you to discuss with your child that has a wide variety of foods that fit into the "colors of the rainbow".

3-D Shape Museum

Our UVM student teacher did a very fun lesson today with the kids where they created 3-D shapes using marshmellows and toothpicks. It is displayed in the classroom in a "Shape Museum". What a blast!

Journey Doctor's Office is Now Open for Business

Open for business and still accepting donations. Thanks so much to all that have contributed so far. It is a huge hit.

End of the Community Unit Puppet Show

To end our unit on Our Community, the kids watched Mrs. Kendrick and I perform a puppet show that highlighted some local community helpers. It was an interactive performance and the kids loved reading the words with us.

Meet My Little Authors

Today I taught the kids how to create little books on their own. They listened to a story called Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk. In this story, a little mouse loves to write stories and hide them in the library for kids to find. Ask them about our "Meet the Author" box.

Conference Sign Up

Conferences are approaching very fast. Please be sure to sign up by going to our team webpage and following the links for our classroom conference sign up.

Plans for 10/31

Hey everyone! I bet you are gearing up for a very busy Halloween weekend. I wanted to send you a note to let you know that the kids should not bring costumes or Halloween candy to school on Monday. I am planning a very fun day that will include a fun, nutritious snack for Monday afternoon. I know they will be getting a lot of extra treats over the weekend and that evening. I will be making the day fun, special, and educational! Please be sure to keep the candy in the upcoming day out of their morning snack. Thanks for the help!

Popcorn Words

Yesterday I introduced the concept of "Popcorn Words" to the kids. There are 25 of these Kindergarten sight words. These words "pop" up often in books. The kids need to read them by the end of the year. I am sending home the list today. Please keep them in a safe spot and begin practicing them. Knowing how to spell these words is not a requirement but will help with early writing as well.

Calling all Doctors and Nurses

I would like to begin changing out our Dramatic play area from dress up/housekeeping to a Doctor's Office theme. I need some help with this. If you have any items that you think they would love to play with and you can spare, please send them in. I am looking for notepads, lab coats, ace bandages, stethoscopes, crutches, etc. They will love it!

Extra Change of Warm Clothing

Please be sure to send the kids to school with a new change of extra clothing. With the colder weather approaching very fast, I was finding that many kids still had summer clothing as their spare set. They should put their labeled, zip-lock bags in the bottom compartment of their cubby area. Thanks for your help.

Trees

The Hands On Nature topic today was about trees. The children listened to an informative puppet show, dressed me up like a tree, and enjoyed some activities outside between the raindrops.

Little Boy Blue

The children were busy working with their rhyming skills using the nursery rhyme Little Boy Blue today. After listening to the song, practicing the words using an overhead, and then making the book, the kids felt like readers and read to friends. We also made haystacks to eat out of chow mein noodles and butterscotch chips.

Foot Handshake

Note about Monday's Field Trip

On Monday we will be going to the Flynn Center to see Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. The bus will leave at 11:15 and return around 2:00. We are eating lunch in the classroom at 10:30. Please be sure to send in a snack as usual as well as a lunch/drink for Monday. We will not be going to the cafeteria for lunch.

Our Friendly Community

Today the students combined their creative minds with our theme work and writing. After reading, On the Town: A Community Adventure by Judith Caseley, I invited the kids to help create a bulletin board that included people, places,and things that make a community a pleasant place to live in. Here is what they did! FANTASTIC! Be sure to come in to see it.

Notes from October PTO Meeting

PTO NOTES & NEWS OCTOBER 2011
We voted on the 2011/2012 BUDGET and our BYLAWS and both were approved.
We have received $725 in DIRECT DONATIONS - thank you!
The INNISBROOK FUNDRAISER brought in $23,6000. Approximately half of that will go directly back to teams.
We were able to get approximately 50 businesses to buy ads in our SCHOOL DIRECTORY. This pays for the printing. Please remember to solicit these businesses who are listed in the back of the directory. The directory will be distributed by the end of this month
The HANNAFORD HELPS SCHOOLS program runs until December 3. If you shop at Hannaford please check for the Hannaford Helps Schools labels on foods which earn our school dollars. The coupons for the dollars you earn can be turned into the kiosk at the store or a box in the school office.
The GRANT COMMITTEE will be meeting on November 9 to give out our fall grants.
INSPIRATION PLAYGROUND was enjoyed by K-3rd graders this past month. Thanks to Joplin James for bringing it to our school. Many people asked if there was a way for our school to buy it.
All K-8 classes enjoyed making homemade salsa during the SCS FEED organized SALSA WEEK.
On September 28 every classroom participated in FIRE PREVENTION DAY. Thank you to the Shelburne Fire Dept. for their support on this.
All students 3-8 took NECAPS last week and this week. Students took exams in reading and math and 4th & 8th graders also took a writing exam. Science NECAPS for 4th & 8th grade will be held in April.
8th GRADE COMMUNITY SERVICE has begun with every 8th grader involved. Opportunities include working at The Arbors, at New Village Farm, at the Town Clerk's office and in the elementary school classrooms. Also during this time groups of students travel to the Shelburne Art Center for lessons in metals, woods or stained glass.
Teachers have been working with Colchester science teacher Heather Barron on DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION. This work will be going on through January. There was some discussion about having Heather do a workshop for parents sometime this year.
A group of teachers, Allegra and Allan will be spending 8 days this year observing and discussing MATH INSTRUCTION with the goal of moving every math class to a deeper level of learning and instruction. This work will eventually involve all math teachers.
A group of teachers, Allan and Allegra are working on our transition to the new COMMON CORE STANDARDS.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Friday, October 14 - Middle school dance to benefit victims of Irene.
Tuesday, October 25, 6:30-8p - UA Curriculum Night
Tuesday, October 25, 2p-8p - Innisbrook pick-up
Walking Wednesdays - Every Wednesday in October.
FREE Webinar on INTERNET SAFETY BASICS FOR PARENTS. Sponsored by e-Vermont it will be held on 10/19, 6p-6:30 OR 10/26, 6p-6:30.
HELP WANTED:
Holiday Fair Coordinator - someone to work with current coordinators to train for next year.
Do you have any great ideas for stories about things going on at SCS? Please contact Lin Stone (lin@windridgepublishing.com) at the Shelburne News. She would like to write weekly pieces on what's going on at our school but needs ideas.

Special Visitor

Today our class had a special visit from Jen Bostwick who works for the Vermont Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She spoke to the kids about what it is like to have trouble hearing. The children learned about the parts of their ears, various reasons why people might have trouble hearing, and how to be sure that everyone in our classroom can hear when they talk/share.