Superheroes in Training

The students have seven days of school under their superhero belts now and they are quickly becoming experts on following the classroom rituals and routines. Behavior is a part of your child's grade, so thank you for encouraging them to follow directions and always try their best!
We have quite a few events coming up so don't forget to check and sign your child's agenda daily. Homework will be sent home on Mondays and will be collected from the agenda each Friday. I have some great pictures from the first week of school and I will post them as soon as the county sends us our code of conduct books which contain the media release form.
I hope your little superheroes are coming home each day excited about school and I look forward to seeing everyone again for our Open House on Thursday, September 6, from 6:00-7:30pm.

First Day!

Wow! We had quite a first day in kindergarten. Our day was a non-stop blur of learning about each other and about our classroom rituals and routines. We created self portraits, read stories, played with playdough, practiced our writing skills, explored math manipulatives, and somewhere found time to eat lunch and play outside for recess.
Dismissal was a little hectic due to the severe thunderstorm that decided to pass through, but everyone made it home safely and hopefully happy with their first day.
Please remember to have your child wear his or her transportation tag (the green one they came home wearing today) back to school tomorrow. Kindergarten students need to wear this back and forth each day for the first two weeks of school.
Your child also received his or her agenda today. This is our primary method of communication. Please take some time to look through it and get familiar with the set up. The clear pocket in the front is for sending things back and forth and in the back you will find your child's reading log. Go ahead and start filling it up with all the good books you read at home! If you (or your child) is reading chapter books, each chapter can be written down as one book on the log. Today's date is marked with a colored paperclip. Please make sure you check and sign this portion of the agenda daily.
We have an exciting year planned and I'm looking forward to another great school day tomorrow. :-)

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Hello and welcome to my classroom blog! I hope each of you had a fantastic summer.

It's hard to believe that another school year is already beginning. This year we are using our superhero powers to show our students that Nothing Can Stop NBE Super Learners. Your children are going to set out on a journey that will forever change who they are. Like Clark Kent into Superman or Selina Kyle into Catwoman, your children will learn that they too have the superpowers to become anything they want to be. We will take risks, work hard, try new things, and (of course), have fun!  :-)

See you soon!

Summer Break!

It is hard to believe that your children have already completed kindergarten!
We have had such a great year learning and growing together. I hope each of you enjoy your summer and continue to practice and read with your children at home. A successful first grade year depends on your children retaining the information they learned in kindergarten! So don't forget to look for ways to turn everyday experiences into learning moments.
You have been a great support this year and I know you will continue to help your children flourish and succeed. Have a great summer break!

Field Day & Safety Day

Today was quite an eventful day for our kindergarten students (and teachers)!
We started with Field Day and the students were able to participate in relay races, play with hula hoops and bouncing balls, explore the first grade playground, catch each other in freeze tag, push each other on scooters, and enjoy three different inflatable courses. It was quite a morning of excercise!
After lunch, a little rest, and lots of water, we headed into our safety day rotations. The students had a chance to learn about many different ways to stay safe from various professionals that I invited out to our school for this special occasion. The police officers taught us about personal safety and staying away from strangers. The lifeguards talked about staying safe in the water, beach, and sun. The health volunteers showed us how to avoid poisons and take care of our bodies. The coast guard talked about staying safe on boats and what to do in an emergency situation.  The animal safety guests talked about how to take care of and stay safe around wild and domestic animals. The fire fighters taught us the importance of not playing with fire and having a plan in case there is a fire in our home.
Click the picture below to see some of the fun we had during safety day!

Safety Day

Beat the FCAT!

Although it may seem that FCAT and kindergarten have nothing to do with each other, at New Berlin, we believe all the students should be involved in the upcoming FCAT. Our goal is to support our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders as much as possible as they prepare for next week's FCAT testing.
After the intermediate grades completed their FCAT Pep Rally this morning (complete with real cheerleaders and a middle school band and drumline), they marched the halls for our annual FCAT parade. The primary grades made inspirational posters, stood in the halls cheering, waving pom-poms, and encouraging our friends with smiles and high fives! 
Each primary class also paired up with an intermediate class to provide a little extra dose of support. Our class created note cards, bags filled with various pieces of treats, and a friendly reminder: "Don't fall to pieces... Shoot for Success!"

March is Magnificent

March has always been one of my favorite months - and it's not just because of my birthday! :-)
I love how the plants begin to flower, the trees turn vividly green, and the weather begins to warm up.
At school, March is just as beautiful. The students seem to shine and really show growth during this time, both physically and in their academics. Boys and girls who couldn't write their names a few months ago are blossoming into incredible authors and brilliant thinkers!
March also means that our school year is nearly through. Spring break provides a refresher for students, teachers, and parents and prepares us for our final quarter. As we venture into these last 45 days of school, don't forget to continue to practice daily with your children. Many new and exciting concepts will be introduced and it is important for the students to continue to receive support at home and at school.
Happy Spring!