Dear Parents,                                                                                  Jan. 5, 2009

"Happy New Year" to all of my wonderful parents and students. I hope this will be a fabulous year for all of you and your families. I hope each of you had a blessed and relaxing holiday season and were able to spend time with family and friends.

As the new year begins, our class will be discussing what resolutions we can make to help us become better people, improve in any areas or help others. We will be talking about many new beginnings in 2009. We will welcome a new president, begin cursive writing , work on telling time, present our book projects, learn about polar animals and much more! It should be a fun month for us.

We ended our year with a wonderful Christmas Party and many activites. I want to thank Mrs. McCauley and Mrs. Martini for their help, kindness, generosity and energy as they worked so hard each week so that the children , and their teacher, could have such a meaningful holiday season. "Thank you" so very much for everything! The sand art cookies were delicious and I hope you all enjoyed baking them as much as I did. I even took a jar to Sister Mary Carol so she and the sisters could enjoy baking some, too.

I would like to thank all of you for your gifts, cards and kindness during the holiday season. I also want to thank all who donated to the teacher gift fund and the PTAO for a delicious Christmas luncheon. Thank you for your generosity and thoughtfulness. All were very much appreciated.

Fancy Folder Book Project- Due for class presentation on Jan. 14th. A letter and all directions were sent home before Christmas.

Cursive Writing- We will begin to learn the cursive alphabet the week of Jan. 12th.

Homework and Books- Please help your child remember to bring their homework to school on time and their reading books each day. This has been a bit of a problem lately.

Please help your child remember to bring Gym clothes on Mondays and homework and reading books each day. Thank you for your help.

Please check planners each night and sign.

Please return Wednesday folders on Thursday. The office needs them back .

 Please be sure your child is bringing their homework back to school on time. weekly homework is due the next morning.

Students need to bring reading books home each night and return them the next morning. We have been having some difficulty with this this past week, Thank you for your help! 

New Websites to try:

www.sparky.org

www.oswego.org (click math games and Math Magician)

www.classbrain.com

Gym Class- Please remember that our class goes to gym on Monday so they need to bring gym clothes to school each Monday. Thank you.

Spelling Homework-  Spelling should be completed on lined paper. Please have your chils go all the way over to the left margin each time. Sentences should be 5-7 words long and spelling words should be underlined. All sentences should begin with capital letters and end with the correct punctuation. If using notebook paper, please have your child skip a line between sentences.Work should be completed neatly. Hope this helps answer some questions.

Snacks- Many thanks to all who have been sending in snacks. They are appreciated more than you know.

Please be sure to review the VMA Dress Code , in the Villa handbook, with your child.

"Super Star"- Our class "Super Star" is Emily Egbers !" Fantastic!"

Weekly Homework-  Spelling- ABC order due on Wed., sentences due on Friday, test on Friday. Math- homework on Mon., Tues., Wed., due in the next morning. Reading every night- some will be assigned and some will be Free Choice.

Planners- please check these and sign each night after homework is completed. Students should bring these each day.

Family Folders- these come home on Wed. to check. Please sign the back and return to school on Thursday morning. The office needs them to pack the papers for the next week. Thank you!

 Please be sure to check our web pages weekly for class news and events, They are usually updated by Monday morning. 

Gym Class- Students will need gym shoes that fit and a change of clothes for class. Shoes will be kept in our lockers . We have Gym on Mondays.

Snacks and Treats- Students may bring a small snack to class each day. We usually eat these in the afternoon. Please make sure they have some type of nutritious snack and not just candy.

Blue Apple Awards-  We had four more lucky winners last Friday!

Star Student- A student will be chosen each week for this honor. Names will be drawn by other students on a random basis. I will send a poster home to be completed and returned to school. Posters usually go home on Friday and should be returned to school on Monday. Students will present their posters during Morning Meeting and we will display it in our classroom. We love to see these and learn more about each other!

What's Happening in Class?

Reading- We will begin our new year with a Jigsaw Jones Mystery about a snowboarding adventure. We will continue to work on identifying main characters, setting, problem and solution in the story. We continue to work on fluency and comprehension skills. Sometimes the children want to rush through work without  a lot of thought to what is actually being taught. I am trying to get them to answer their questions , in class and on homework, in complete sentences. This is a skill expected in third grade.

 Spelling- Spelling #18  - The lists are sent home at the end of each week. They are also listed on our website. Students should turn in their ABC order page on Wednesday. The words should be in ABC order but written three times each. On Fridays, students should turn in the spelling sentences with spelling words underlined.These papers should be neatly done and contain 5-7 words per sentence.  Spelling work may be turned in early. Points are taken off for late work.

Phonics-  We are learning about syllables in words, compound words and words ending in "le".

Math- We will review regrouping with subtraction (borrowing) and then begin a unit on telling time. We will start with hr, 1/2 hr, 1/4 hour.

Writing- The class will journal about their Christmas and vacation time. We will work on our resolutions and write seasonal stories.

Science-  We will review our six main animal groups and get more into hibernation and polar animals.

Health- Mr. Ridley will continue working on Nutrition as he teaches the children to read labels and plan healthy snacks and meals. They will be discussing the foods in the various food groups. One good book for kids nutrition is "Eat This and Not That". It is very helpful and there is an adult version also.

Religion-Prayers for reconciliation.

Social Studies-  Our focus will now be on new president Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, Jr., Polar Regions and map skills.

Cool Math Web Sites- 
www.mathfactcafe.com
www.superkids.com
www.kidzone.com
www.aplusmath.com

Hope all of you have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Ridley

Important Information:

Lunch and Recess- (10:45-11:30)

Student Snacks- Small snacks may be brought each day.

Gym Class - Students must bring a change of clothes and gym shoes on Mondays. Failure to do so will result in lowering of the gym grade.

Water Bottles- Students may bring a water bottle to class. Please be sure it has a spout or screw top so water won't spill if knocked over.

Math Homework- Students will have assignments on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesdays.The work is due the next day for a grade.

Contact me at sridley@villamadonna.net or send a note. The VMA number is 331-6333. Ext. 206 ( Notes or e-mails are best as the phone does not always work properly.)

Important Dates to Remember:

Jan. 5th- Classes resume

Jan. 7th- Early Dismissal- (2:15- Faculty Meeting)

Jan. 14th- Fancy Folder Book Project due

Jan. 19th- School Closed ( Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

CLASS SCHEDULE OF SPECIAL CLASSES: For 2-R