Halloween Parade

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We will be celebrating Halloween on Friday, Oct. 31st . In the morning, shortly after O’ Canada and announcements, the morning kindergarten classes will parade (in costumes) around the track.  Parents and other classes are welcome to be their audience.

After recess, classes in the Duke building only will parade starting at approximately 10:15 am. We will all meet in the back field.  Parents are welcome to join the parade.

The route is as follows: Exit from the back of the Duke field (where the Red Rocket used to be) and walk west on Queen Street; go north on Greenwood and at Dundas, head east.  Turn south at Highfield and enter the Duke property via the stair entrance near the parking lot. 

In case of rain, we will be parading in the school. Classes will parade only on their own floor.  Parents are welcome to attend but must first sign in at the office.

Costumes: please ensure that costumes are school appropriate (i.e.: not offensive or provocative)

TRICK OR TREAT SAFETY

• Children should NEVER eat any treats until parents have had a chance to go through them and inspect them. Parents should look for tampering of packages and discard any they believe to be unsafe or unknown.

• Have your child carry a flashlight.

• NEVER go into a stranger's house.

• NEVER trick or treat with people you do not know.

• Trick or treat only at homes you know.

• Children should always stay in groups if no parent is present.

• Younger children should ALWAYS be accompanied by an older person.

• Accompany your child when trick or treating.

• If you can not accompany your child then know the route your child will take.

• Flame resistant (retardant) costumes are in order. Keep costumes short and remind children to stay away from pumpkins with candles in them.

• Remind children to stay away from pets they do not know.

• Remind children of road safety rules. Cross only at corners. Do not criss-cross the road. Go up one side of the road and down the other side. Never cross between parked cars. Walk facing on-coming traffic if there is no sidewalk

• If adults are driving their children, drive slowly, with lights on and be cautious when pulling to the side of the road.

• Children should wear their own shoes when trick or treating. Wearing costume shoes/boots can be dangerous and uncomfortable.

• Remind children that not everyone celebrates Hallowe'en, and to avoid any homes that have no lights on. Also remind children not to run through neighbours yards or gardens.

• With older children, be sure to know what other events (such as parties) they plan on attending.

• Set time limits when children should return home.

FIELD TRIP TO THE TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDENS

This Thursday, October the 23rd, our class is going to Toronto Botanical Gardens to learn about seasonal changes. We will be leaving at 9a.m. and be back at school during lunch time.
Thank you to so many of you who would like to volunteer on the trip. As there are numerous requests to volunteer, students and I will have a name draw. I will write a note in your child's agenda if you come with us on the trip. I will put the list of parents volunteers on this blog as well. Thank you for your support.

FRENCH READ UP

French read up is starting this Tuesday, October 21. It will be taking place in the Danny Kitchen ( 3rd floor, Woodfield building) every Tuesday. Teachers and parents will volunteer to read in French with students. This a wonderful opportunity for your child to have some extra help and practice to enhance their reading level in French. Please consider to use this initiative. If you have questions, please feel free to talk to me.

The same initiative exists in English. Students in French Immersion would definitely benefit from both, as having solid reading skills in the native language promotes the same when a child learns other languages.

SMART BOARD IN CLASS

Students and I are excited to let you know that our smart board is set up and running. We were using it in class every day last week. 

The research says that elementary-aged students learn best using a multi sensory approach. This is what an interactive white board (IWB) exactly provides. It allows students to see, hear, and touch the learning material. The main feature of the IWB is interactivity that help:

- keep learners engaged

- differentiate learning and let students with different styles flourish 

- increase meeting students' individual needs

- increase their motivation.

Last week, students were learning to solve a math word problem using the SB. Have a look. Please ask your child what the problem was about, what we did to solve it, and how we found the answer. 

How Does the Class Reward System Work?

As you know, in class we have a reward system up and running.
At the beginning of every week, all students receive 4 marbles/billes in the class jar. If they keep them through the week, then on Friday at the end of the day, they can choose to have a free play. Sometimes, the free play might be replaced by a prize from Madame's treasure box.
As well, the marbles can be taken away. The reasons for that might be:
- misbehaviour (distracting others, socializing, fooling around, being loud, anything that makes Madame interrupt a lesson) during circle and desk time

- not complying with "Walking in Line" rules

- abusing bathroom time by playing there

- not completing classwork because of socializing/distracting others.

Students know that they can earn the marbles back by correcting their behaviour and trying hard to do their best.

To help students learn to walk properly in line, we have A Secret Walker system. At the end of the day, a star goes to those students who remembered to walk quietly in line during every transition time through the day.

And finally, stars in students' agendas. Children receive stars for their success in learning: active participation, great ideas, presenting, something that shows their readiness to learn and share their knowledge. They get a prize from the treasure box for every ten stars.

Please feel free to talk to or remind your children about the rewards. Count the stars in their agendas together, encourage them to take risks in their learning. Your support is sincerely appreciated.

Some Updates

Photo orders are due Friday, October 17.

Field trip (to Toronto Botanical Gardens) forms and money are due Friday, October 17.

Scholastic Orders are due Monday, October 20.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 IS DAY 5.

TAKE A BOOK HOME AND READ

Dear Parents/Guardians,                                                   October 14, 2014

This week, we start our Take-a-Book-Home Programme.

It means that every student will get a book from our classroom library to read at home. The book will stay at home for a week during which students need to read it on a nightly basis.

In class, they have been learning decoding and comprehending strategies that prepare them for reading independently. I demonstrate these strategies in class on a daily basis and remind them consistently to use the strategies during our silent reading sessions. For decoding, students need to point to the words that they read and sound out the letters, making syllables; syllables create words. I encourage students to return to the first letter and reread the word. They also can use pictures to recognize words in order to read them correctly. Students might choose to read from memory which is a helpful strategy, as well. However, in class, I always ask them to check the letters   in the word to make sure that they read it correctly. And double check the picture in that case.

To understand what they read, the pictures are helpful. Also, they have learnt that they can look for small words within bigger ones and figure out the meaning that way. In class, I will be teaching them how to use dictionaries both paper and digital ones.

Your child will get a book on the day of their Show and Tell presentation and read it back in class a week later. For example, Johnny's Show and Tell day is Monday, then he will get his book that day. Next Monday, Johnny needs to bring the book back to class and I will ask him to read it to me, after which he will get a new book for a week. We will write Livre in the agendas on the day that the book is due back in class.

Please remind your child to be respectful to the books and not let younger siblings play with them as the books need to serve other first graders to come. Also remind your child to return the book to the classroom library on his/her day.

Your co-operation and support of our reading programme are highly appreciated.

Thank you,

Mme Volokhova                  

If you recognize these goggles, please let me know.

Children don't know whom they belong to.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I wish all my students and their families a wonderful long weekend!
Please remember that there is no school on Monday, October 13.