Upcoming Events and Announcements:
Monday, September 2nd – No School for Labor Day
Tuesday, September 3rd – Late start at 10:00a.m.
Your child’s folder was sent home in their backpack this weekend. In it you will find:
Family Photo Request: To continue to build that home-to-school connection, we are kindly asking that you send in a family photo to be displayed in our space. It should be no bigger than 4 x 6 inches and we would like them by early next week.
Scholastic Book Orders: Due Friday, September 6th, 2024 -Each book you order earns points toward new books in our classroom library. Thank you in advance for your support! Please submit an order online or return the attached flyer and make checks payable to Scholastic Book Clubs. Cash is not accepted. Here’s the link to order online: : https://orders.scholastic.com/PBFGL Class Code: PBFGL
⭐️Save the Date: Ya’ll are invited to a rootin’ tootin’ good time! Country Roads: Boots for Buses September 21, 2024, 6-9 pm WCDS Main Campus Join us for an evening of BBQ, Boots, and Boogyin’. It’s the perfect chance for parents to mingle, get to know each other, and kick up their heels! More details to come, so mark your calendars now. Yee Haw!
Hello JK Families,
The classroom that was once empty and waiting for children has officially come to life! They have discovered the large hillside and stone steps in our outdoor space, the rainbow capes from house center, the ribbon wands, the matchbox cars, the Sharpie markers, the class library, and of course the sandbox! These early days are spent observing the interests and play of the children as well as making the classroom their second home. In order to do that, we had them create several elements in the space including the schedule, cubby tags with their names, and larger nameplates comprised of loose parts. The children were invited to use buttons, feathers, stones, flowers, beads, straws and more to form the lines and curves of the letters that make up their names. We loved the dedication many of them had as they applied the glue and added the fun treasures. In keeping with studying their names, the children also began to explore the idea of self and identity. We started with the book, The Reflection in Me, by Marc Colagiovanni and art by Peter H. Reynolds. In the story, the main character talks to their reflection in the mirror, sharing with it all the wonderful things they see! After the story, the children were invited to look at their reflections in a variety of ways. They were asked to draw their first self portrait of the year and then draw on large mirrors, plexiglass, and even a clear shower curtain! We presented them with the prompt, “what do you like about yourself?” just like the character in the book. Their answers will be added to their self portraits and displayed in the classroom.
The class also took some time this week to practice mindfulness, and in particular, the idea of being present. The beautiful story, Here and Now, by Julia Denos and E.B. Goodale helped illustrate the wonder of life in the present moment. We then asked the children to close their eyes and share with us what they noticed. We recorded their answers in their first journal entry of the year. The class was also asked to share some input on how we can be safe and kind as a class. Here are a few quotes:
Scarlett- “Share- If you are not playing with it and you put it down, then someone else can use it.”
Henry- “If you make a mess, we are going to help clean up.”
Noah- “I help my puppy play so she doesn’t get hurt. We can’t hit.”
Emma- “We can share when we are finished building.”
Lucas- “If people wants to do somethings that you want to do too, everyday you can put it on, but you should share.”
Sophia- “Help people when they fall and don’t push or cut in line.”
Stylee- “Share toys!”
Wendell- “Share books, and help people fix things.”
The children are off to a wonderful start in creating a warm a loving environment in which to learn and grow, and it’s only just the beginning! We wish you a wonderful long weekend. See you Tuesday!
Miss Liz and Miss Claire
