The days of fall!

Can you believe that October is almost over?  I surely can't!  We have been so busy in preschool that the time is flying by.  We have been learning about the letters D, E & F....We have learned letters 4, 5, & 6 and the colors Orange and Black.  We also learned what colors make orange!  That was a really fun art project.

Frog Fire Hall trip

Fish Fire Hall Trip

I would first like to thank my parent volunteers who have graciously come in on a morning or two and helped with sorting papers, stapling, or were just the extra set of hands that we have needed.  This month I am doing assessments to get ready for our Parent/Teacher Conferences that will be held in November, and Sheila has needed that extra pair of hands to help out when I am working one on one with a child.  So a great, BIG THANK YOU!  To all of you that have helped!  We now have two students from SMSU that are coming in on Monday's and Friday's  for their class lab experience.

Pumpkin Patch with the punkins!

We had the best time at the Pumpkin Patch in October!  We couldn't have asked for better weather and there was so much to do!  If you ever have a Saturday to take your family out to Poppe's Pumpkin Patch, do it!  It will be a great afternoon of fun.  We did a wagon ride to pick pumpkins, played miniature golf, played on the play ground...it was just alot of fun.  Thanks to the drivers and chaperones that came as well.


We have some dates and fun activities planned in November too.  First off we will have Parent/ Teacher Conferences on 17th and 18th.  These will start after-school both days and run until late Wednesday night and mid evening on Thursday night, so we should be able to accommodate everyone's schedules.  I will have the sign up sheet at the sign in desk the first of November.  If you can't come in and sign up, just give me a call and we can pick a time.


Next, the children get a great experience to go over to Senior Dining and sing some Thanksgiving songs and eat lunch with the folks there on the 22nd @ 11:15.  This is something we started last year and the patrons of Senior Dining really look forward to it.  The cost of the lunch will be the same $2.75.  I believe the lunch that day is Tator Tot Hot dish.  If you think your child won't eat it you may send a lunch for them and we will take it over with us.  If you would like to come over and watch and eat lunch with us, please feel free to.  Lunch for an adult is $4.75 I think.  I will check to make sure.


Also on the 22nd and 23rd we are adding an event Wee World has never had.  From 8 am to 9 am we would like the Dad's to come and have juice and donuts with their children.  This will be our Donuts for Dad's!  Since we get out of school much before Father's Day and we have our wonderful Muffin's for Mom's we thought it was time to honor our Dad's.  BUT....we have to wait for harvest to be over!  Luckily, with the weather cooperating the way it has, harvest should be close or at least over by the 22nd  & 23rd so we hope you can make it.  This will be really informal so just come when you can between those hours and sit and have a donut.  Sometimes it is such a small thing we do as parents that our children remember the most.  We hope this is one of those great memories that are created.


There will be No School on the 24th, 25th, 26th of November.... have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!




Lastly to just put down on your calendar for upcoming events is our Christmas Social.  On the 9th of December we will be at the MinnWest Bank in Tracy singing @ 11:00 am.  This is an activity for BOTH classes.  It is on a Thursday and we will have a regular class time for the Fish class.  They may come in nice clothes if you wish to send them, we don't do alot of art that day.  For the Frog's; you may meet us at the bank @ 10:55 in order to get accessories on the kids and get them handed out.  After we perform, we will then head over to the Fire Hall to have  a potluck and socialize.  If you would like to drop off your food before the performance, please feel free too.  More details will come as it gets closer.


Whew!  Another busy month ahead and this one isn't over yet.  I look forward to seeing all of you at conferences and getting to know you a little better at our Social.  I am enjoying all of your children and I love watching them learn.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call or e-mail me.


With gratitude,
Shelly

First month of fun!

This has been a month of fun!  From our first field trip with the Frogs to our first art projects and walk with the Fish.  We have seen such growth and change in both of the classes it is amazing!  You all have such wonderful children and should be so proud.


This last week we have done some beautiful art and worked on our alphabet letters.  We have also finished up our Apple and Back to School units and will be starting our Safety and Fall/Pumpkin units.  The whole month of October is busy and we have many things jam packed in it.  Next week will be our safety week.  We will start having fire drills this next month also.  The state requires that we have 1 drill a month.  Our "Safe Zone" for our school will be across the street.  Ask your children next week about our drill and talk to them about your home and where your Safe Zone should be.  We will be taking our field trips to the Fire hall next Wednesday and Thursday.  This is always a fun trip and the firemen do a fabulous job of explaining to the children the need to be safe.  We will also talk about water safety, and home safety.  


By now you are probably hearing some songs we sing at school.  Mainly our Thank You song.  This is a song we sing daily in sign language before we eat snack.  Our snack helper helps set up snack, then we seat the children and ask them to keep their hands in their laps until everyone is sitting down together.  We then lead the children in the Thank You song.  One of the lesson's this teaches the children is to be considerate of the other children and also to be grateful.  Often times we hear "I want a white one" or "I don't like that."  We understand if someone has a real dislike for chocolate or can't eat a specific food, but sometimes we have to say "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit" or  "Take a bite to be polite".  Children understand when someone says they don't like the snack they have brought to school and feelings can be hurt.  I make rhymes often so they can remember rules and by December other children will remind another..."You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."  Being grateful for things we have is a learned thing that too often children go with out learning.  Sheila and I work hard to talk to them about treating our toys, pencils and all of the friends at Wee World with respect. 


Our "Scoop on Reading" ice cream cone grew this week with the addition of all the book titles we have read in a month!  It is awesome!  I love to see just how much literacy time we spend during the month when we add our scoops to the wall.  My goal every year is to have it go out into the hall way.  Also in our classroom, Corny the Caterpillar grew!  He is our alphabet caterpillar and he grows each month with the new letters we are learning.  


Remember to check out the tabs for the newsletter, snack calendars, and lunch menu's for the month. October's newsletter will be the last hard copy I send out.  We have a big group and to save on paper, I will add it to the blog monthly.  It will always be out on the first.  Snack calendars and lunch menu's will come home also unless you would like to print them off of the blog.  Sorry if there was confusion about he first extended day of preschool for the Frog class.  I just thought it would be less confusing having it start on a Monday rather than a Friday.  The blog will be updated weekly and monthly with all the new items under the appropriate tabs for you to download and print off.  You can sign up to get notifications on the right side under Followers.  Every time it is updated you will get a notification in you e-mail.


Have a great weekend and enjoy our beautiful fall weather.  


Shelly