We certainly filled our four day week!

Last week we started our Alphabet work with the letter A, in uppercase and lowercase formation with our Itchy’s Alphabet page and craft.  The second part of our Alphabet work includes brainstorming words that begin with the letter sound, drawing and colouring pictures that begin with our letter, and completing a set of printed letters for the children’s Alphabet Book.  In Kindergarten, the children will work weekly on their Alphabet Book and you will be amazed with their printing and drawing over the 26 letters!

As part of our Social Studies Personal Identity Unit, we are talking about ourselves and what makes us special and unique.  Of course, one of those things is our name, and on Wednesday we represented our names in beans! These are such a cute craft, and a great exercise in strengthening tiny fingers for fine motor work.

On Mondays all the Kindergarten has Physical Education together in the gym.  This week we learned about our “home spot,” responding to whistle commands (one whistle is FREEZE, and two whistles are return to your home spot.”  The children are practising their locomotor movement skills (walking, running, galloping, skipping, hopping (1 foot), jumping (2 feet)), stopping on command and personal space.  They did an exceptional job in listening and being mindful of others in a small gym.

We have now had our second visit to the Library and everybody has had the opportunity to take out a Library book.  During Library time, all children are expected to listen attentively, treat all books respectfully and independently join the line to sign-out their weekly books; students can peer reference (look to others) the other children for what to do.  We do give verbal reminders as well to draw the children’s attention to the checkout desk.

Here are the Library Rules from Mrs. Kennedy, our Teacher-Librarian:

-Listen to the teacher and story

-Quiet voices

-Hands and feet to self

-Be gentle with the books

-Return your book on time and not damaged

-Tidy up after yourself

-Read your book silently after you sign it out

We had our kick-off assembly for the Terry Fox Run on Wednesday.  Thank you to our Grade 6 students for their excellent presentation why we run in memory of Terry Fox.

All students will participate in the Terry Fox Run on Thursday, September 26 at 1:15.  Kindergarten students will NOT run the street route that Grades 1-7 run; rather, we will walk/run laps around the gravel field with our Grade 7 Buddies.  We encourage our children to wear Canada’s flag colours of red and white to show their support for Terry Fox’s attempt to run across Canada, and their running shoes.

We are trying to collect $2 (a toonie for Terry) from each Ridgeview student for cancer research.  If you decide to donate $5, then your name will be entered in the draw for a Terry Fox t-shirt.

Upcoming Events and Reminders

Hot Lunch:  Please let your child know if he or she receives hot lunch on a particular school day.  It’s very upsetting for the children to receive food they were not expecting, or unfamiliar with, at school.  Please also note that the classroom is not the place to introduce new foods to your child; this needs to be done at home.  We want your children to eat so they have enough fuel in their body to manage a full day of school, and to keep in mind that eating is calming and a significant part of their self-regulation (we are trying to prevent feeling “hangry,” or hungry and angry at the same time).

If your children receives hot lunch, please send cutlery, a lunchkit or large ziploc bag each time.  All Ridgeview students who eat hot lunch are expected to pack out their dirty utensils, and the food packaging which needs to be disposed of at home.  For everyone, teaching your child to wipe his or her mouth with a napkin or paper towel after eating is a social gesture appreciated by everyone who works with your child in the afternoon.

We cannot place the previously opened hot lunch containers in your child’s backpack – past experience has shown us the food containers will spill open.  You’ll need to take some time to show your Kindergarten child how to deal with the empty containers. We will help them as much as possible but any independence they can show helps greatly with the large number of children eating hot lunch in the classroom.

We’re expecting the weather to be wet and rainy this week.  Please ensure your children have their raincoats and rainboots at school for outdoor recess.  Children are not permitted to take umbrellas onto the playground during playtime for everyone’s safety.

Monday, September 23:  please ensure your child has their runners to change into for PE in the gym.

Wednesday, September 25: Kindergarten children will meet their Grade 7 Buddies!  We are excited to finally see our Big Buddies!

Thursday, September 26:  At 1:15, Ridgeview students will gather together on the school grounds for a warm-up before our run.  The Kindergarten children and their Buddies will then complete their run on the gravel field; the Grade 7s will then leave to finish the road run while our classes wait on the playground for the rest of the school will finish.  When everyone returns, we will have a few closing remarks and the draw for the Terry Fox t-shirt.