We’re back to school and ready to go!

It’s always such a delight teaching the Kindergarten, and none more than in January when we see such a huge jump in the children’s growth and maturity.  They are very ready to return to their classrooms and able to take on more and new learning challenges.  It’s an exciting for them as we begin to explore more deeply mathematical understandings, the rich language of themed based literature and using small equipment in PE activities.

As well, we’re starting our first digital literacy project on Penguins with our Grade 7 Buddies on our school iPads using the app Book Creator this month.  We will be combining our weekly Buddy session with a Mystery Box Inquiry, where we place a mystery object in a special box, and the children ask questions to figure out what is in the box.  Developing strong questioning skills will be a focus for our classes as part of inquiry based learning here at Ridgeview.

After an absence such as the Christmas holidays, it’s important to return to a routine and no one appreciates that more than Christy and myself.  We love routines so much at school, and home, that we’ve written a couple of blog posts about them.

Our Kindergarten Classroom Routines

Start the Kindergarten Day Off Right!

Our children are settling well back into their classroom routines with some gentle reminders.  Thank you as always, for your kind support, in helping us to teach your children to be the best that they can be!

This Week in Our Room:  January 4-8, 2016

Thank you very much for reading our post Food for Thought and reflecting on your child’s lunch food choices.  We are noticing more children are eating and enjoying homemade lunches, and those eating food from the hot lunch program are finding their orders delicious and manageable.  For your interest, many families reduced their hot lunch order or opted out of the program this term.

Our classes were delighted to be able to take out a Library Book this week and we look forward to listening to many good books with Mrs. Kennedy.

We also made our January self-portraits this week!

Upcoming Events and Reminders

Monday, January 11, is Canucks Spirit Day!  Please wear your Canucks gear, or green and blue, to give our local National Hockey League team some support!

We sent home the ice-skating permission forms this week.  Please return your child’s form and cheque soon.  We would so appreciate as many parents as possible to meet us at the arena on our skating days to help lace the children into their skates.  It’s a very big job and made so much easier for everyone with extra adult help.

We are both still missing report card folders in both classes.  Please check one more time at home if you still have yours at home.  We would like to be able to use folders for the second and third term report cards.

Here’s a reminder again about the children’s schedules:

Division 15 (Mrs, Campbell and Mrs. Cantlie)

Monday: Library (please return your library book)

Tuesday: Music; PE (please bring runners to school to wear in the gym)

Wednesday: Big Buddies (most Wednesday’s)

Thursday: Music; PE (please bring runners to school to wear in the gym)

Division 16 (Mrs. Daudlin)

Monday:  PE (please bring runners to school to wear in the gym)

Tuesday:  Library (please return your library book); Music

Thursday:  Music

Friday:  PE (please bring runners to school to wear in the gym ); Big Buddies (most Friday’s)