Congratulations to Jaelynn

Jaelynn is the first student I have ever had to pass 250 AR tests.  What a great first!!!

Week 36

This is an unreal blog for me to write.  The end of so many things are going to happen by the end of this week:  the end of RVPS, the end of my teaching career (42 years is a LONG time) and the end of this school year with my final class.  


This week will be filled with cleaning, packing, and moving.  Please excuse the less than educational things we may do since we will have no desks, etc.  We are scrubbing today and bringing home all our school things.  I will send report cards tomorrow so I don't forget.  Please have your child continue to bring a backpack. We probably will continue to have some great give aways.  


I am going to send home a packet that has some ideas for summer activities.  It was a plan made last year so the dates are wrong but the activities are still good.  Just adjust the timing. 


I am so glad to see that so many accepted the reading challenge.  I hope more than one finish.  Only one did last year.  I hope this bunch costs me a bunch at the end of summer.


A good web site for math skills is IXL Math.  Your child can do 20 questions per item for free.  A family membership is $9.95/month or $79/year.  That would allow all the children in your household to do the game not just the first grader.  It starts at pre-school if I remember correctly.  It might not be a bad family investment, especially if you have more than one child.


Andrea Rhoton threw me a great retirement party on Friday night.  What a surprise.  My children and wonderful friend from Florida flew in for the occasion. . .it was so special.  RVPS has made a great school family of wonderful, and caring teachers.  I have also made so many friends in the parents of students and in students who are now adults.  What a great place this has been!!!


Retirement is going to bring its blessings and it challenges.  It is kind of scary when teaching is the only thing I know.  I'm sure in late July my "get ready to go back to school" clock will kick in.  It will be interesting to see what I chose to do then and how I feel.  That is still a mystery!!!


Thanks you so much for sharing your child with me.  It has been a great ride!!!

Catching up on AR

Week 35

It is hard to believe that we are at the last story in our reading series. It is an informational fiction piece called "Baboon". Parts of this story are made up but parts give information about different African animals. The phonics skill is /oo/ making the sound it does in the word cool. The new vocabulary is:

• against
• careful
• fine
• quietly
• shook

In math we will be starting double digit addition without regrouping. 

Please try to help your child to get to list 25 in spelling.  That is the goal for the year.

On Friday we will do a Read-a-thon.  Your child may bring a pillow and blanket, etc to be comfy to read.  Hopefully we can finish up some of those AR reading goals.  Please have your child bring a snack to share so they can munch while they read.

Once again the calendar has changed.  Please note these changes.

• May 16 - Walk to the park.  The kids will need a lunch and to wear their class shirt.  Makes for easy finding of them in a giant group.
• May 17 - Trip to the new RVES to tour the building. Last AR Lunch in the room.
• May 18 - Monster Sandwich Day.  Class shirt requested. Read-a-thon.
• May 22-24 - Early Release for packing and moving.  Notice the addition of Tuesday also.
• May 25 - Last Day

Have a great week!

Week 34

This week we are reading "Sleep is for Everyone." It is a nonfiction story giving information about why sleep is important, and giving facts and details about sleep. The phonics skill is the short e sound made by the letters /ea/ as in the word head. The New vocabulary is:

• afternoon
• bicycle
• carry
• hours
• parents

In math we will be finishing up fractions and starting the last unit in the book.  It is 2 digit addition.  I will be sending home the rest of the book.  It has a section on looking forward to second grade.  The kids love to play school and this will be fun for them for the summer.

Speaking of summer, I am going to offer my summer reading challenge.  I will be sending a letter home.  If you are interested in your child participating, please sign it and return it.  Last year only one child finished the challenge.  I really want kids to read over the summer.  Research shows this is so helpful for remaining a great reader.

Friday is Dome Day.  I'd rather not deal with backpacks so please don't send them on Friday.  Remember they will need a lunch and comfortable clothing.  Please read the notes carefully. They give info on where you are to pick up your child if you normally do that.  FYI. . .The school packed hot lunches are usually not very exciting.  A lot of the fun of going on a trip like this is choosing what you take in your lunch.  YOUR CHILD MUST BE WEARING THEIR CLASS SHIRT!!  This makes it so easy for me or any supervising person to find my kids.  I could still use some more adult helpers if you are available.

Every Thursday that all the kids have on their AR shirt, there is no homework.  The same is true on Friday when they are wearing their Class Shirt.  Help your child make sure he/she is not the deal breaker!!

Friday, May 18, will be the last Monster Sandwich Day.  You will not need to send a lunch on that day.  

Next week the class shirt schedule will be tight.  They must have them on for the walk to the park and I would like them to wear them again for Monster Sandwich Day.

Sorry!!  Humor me one last time.

I am giving away a lot of STUFF at school.  I will be starting on books soon.  The kids think I am wonderful and I am sure you are not too pleased about all the STUFF coming home.  Once again humor me.  I hate throwing away stuff that makes them so happy.  Everyday they love looking in the give away tub.

Once again here is the schedule for the rest of the year:

• May 9 - Early Release
• May 10 - We are going to the HS for the Show Choir.  Pick up children will be returned to the school to be picked up as far as I know.  Watch for a note if things are different.
• May 11 - Dome Day
• May 16 - Walk to the park.  The kids will need a lunch and to wear their class shirt.  Makes for easy finding of them in a giant group.
• May 18 - Monster Sandwich Day.  Class shirt requested.
• May 23-24 - Early Release for packing and moving
• May 25 - Last Day

Have a great week!

Week 33

Our story this week is "Poppleton Everyday". The phonics focus this week is long oo sound made by u-e as in tune. The new vocabulary is:

• boy
• bought
• few
• head
• ready

In math we will be finishing up place value and starting fractions.  

Here is the calendar again.  Please note that some changes have been made.  Getting this move fine tuned is causing changes all the time.  I will try to keep you updated.

• May 1 - Early Release
• May 2-4 - DIBELS Testing
• May 9 - Early Release
• May 10 - Show Choir comes to us at 1:15. We may be going to the auditorium so the place is subject to change.
• May 11 - Dome Day
• May 16 - Walk to the park.  The kids will need a lunch and to wear their class shirt.  Makes for easy finding of them in a giant group.
• May 23-24 - Early Release for packing and moving
• May 25 - Last Day

Once again Thursday is AR day.  The shirt is mandatory on that day.  I'd love it if everyone would show up in their shirt so we could take a class picture. Plus if everyone wears their shirt, I cancel homework.  We are still waiting for that to happen.

Lets also wear class shirts every Friday until the end of the year.  Hopefully in 3 Fridays everyone will have it on for another class picture.  

Have a great week.

Week 32

The thought that we only have 5 weeks of school left is just amazing.  Where in the world did this year go???


Thanks to all of you that accompanied us on our field trip to the Forest Service.  It was a nice walk and I think the kids enjoyed finding the animals in the mural.

This week we will read "The Puddle". The story has a mix of realistic and make-believe parts. The sound for the is that -ge and -dge both make the /j/ sound. The vocabulary is:

• angry
• okay
• nearly
• sorry

We will start the unit on Place Value in math.  You might keep counting money at home.  The kids seems to be confusing nickels and quarters.  In this day and age there are so many kinds of coins with the new ones out that these coins can look several ways.  Also in the day of swiping my card, I find that I really don't know what money looks like.  


Several have asked.  The Spelling Goal for the year is List 25.  That is the minimum requirement.  I will let your child know what list he/she is on today.  I have some who are nowhere near that goal.

The move is a very time consuming process.  Even though I am retiring, I still have to leave an empty room.  I will try to leave the room intact for the kids until the last moment.  I will be working on the insides of cabinets and drawers for the most part.  That won't effect the kids much.  I will just get things emptied out and cleaned. 


THURSDAY IS AR DAY.  Everyone has one now!  Thanks to Mrs. Burk who helped us get there.  Please have your child in the shirt.  Several did not get to eat in the room last week because they did not have the shirt on.  I'd like to get a class picture with everyone in his/her AR shirt.


Let's wear class shirts on Friday.  Please have them ready for the week.

Remember that Friday is an Early Release and the School Carnival.  Come and enjoy the evening with the kids and our school family.  It is always a fun evening.  There will be lots of games, face painting, a haunted house (which many kids find really scary) and food (that is where I will be).  Come by and say hello.

Have a great week.