We can feel the winds a-changing, the temperatures are getting cooler, our summer blue sky has become moody and the Kindergarten children are settling into their classroom routines…sounds like Autumn is here.

We’re enjoying a little burst of sunshine to help illuminate the beautiful greens and reds around us as the trees are turning colour.  But we definitely have a call now for rainboots and coats…we realise many families are taking these home for the weekend but we must have them back for Monday.  The children are not comfortable walking around in wet socks and shoes, and it’s not very hygenic for their feet to be damp all day.

We’re progressing slowly in our Alphabet but will start to pick up the pace next week as the children’s stamina for some classwork activity increases.  We had fun making our “b” is a bird craft and practise printing lowercase “b” (down to the line, lift, around and close). We’re using a program called “Printing Like a Pro,” which all Grades K-3 use in our school.

Look at these pretty patterned squares to represent the AB pattern….we were very impressed with the children’s attention to precision as they created their patterns.

We have many, many special and memorable times during the Kindergarten year.  But we’d say over the last number of years the time spent with our Grade 7 Big Buddies has been quite magical, and regarded by both grades as notable for the wonderful friendship and connection formed between primary and senior students.  

Our children have the benefit of knowing and forming an attachment with older students who can help (our Buddies are also our lunch and recess monitors) on the playground, observing positive role models, and taking delight in having a Buddy with whom to make crafts, colour pictures and read aloud stories.

For our Grade 7s, many of them are former Kindergarten children, they are given a position of leadership which reinforces their roles and responsibilities as the oldest students in the school.

Our children were enthusiastic participants in Thursday’s Terry Fox Run.  They ran, walked and skipped their way around the gravel field with their Big Buddies.  In fact, we had to ask the Kindergarten to stop after three or four laps because the Grade 7s needed to start their 2k run!  Thank you to everyone for your generous donations. We exceeded our goal of $1000 and will make a significant contribution to cancer research on behalf of Ridgeview.  Go Dragons!

We have finished a very busy first month in Kindergarten and we noticed our children were starting to slow down a little bit as the week progressed.  They have worked hard, putting all of their energy and focus into listening to the teacher, referencing their peers, remembering the class routines, following the class routines and completing a myriad of teacher-directed activities.  We often hear how Kindergarten children were able to manage very long days at preschool and daycare and now they are tired, a bit short-tempered and not as self-regulated in the evenings.  

Although Kindergarten is all about learning through play, with an emphasis on emotional and social development, formal schooling also means there are clearly defined classroom and school behavioural expectations, a daily schedule of activities and limited choices (usually closed choices, A or B).  It takes time and practise to develop the grit, rigor and resilience needed to be a full-time student. But by Thanksgiving, we will notice a significant change in our Kinders as they will take a huge step forward in their maturity and growth.

Upcoming Events and Reminders

Monday, September 30:  please return your September Homework Calendar for a sticker this week.  October Homework Calendars will be sent home on Monday.

It’s also Kindergarten PE so students will need their running shoes.

Tuesday, October 1:  it’s Library Book Exchange so please bring your Library book back to school so you can get a new one.

ELL parents, please join us for an Information Session with Maria Yioldassis, our District ELL Coordinator for WV schools, from 9-10 am.  Translations in Farsi and Mandarin will be provided. Location: Ridgeview Gym

Friday, October 4:  we will see our Buddies for an apple craft.