OCTOBER MID-MCMONTHLY UPDATE

UPCOMING DATES NOT LISTED ON OCTOBER'S CALENDAR

Fri., Oct. 15:                          Yearbook Orders Due

Fri., Oct.  22:                         School Photo Orders Due

Mon., Nov. 1:                        Photo Retakes

***Word Study Homework Clarification: 
*MONDAY:  Choose only one assignment for Monday's homework.  Keep words in baggy at home.
*TUESDAY:  Study words and word patterns.
*WEDNESDAY:  Study words and word patterns.
*THURSDAY: Study words and word patterns.  Prepare for Friday's Spelling Check-up by spelling words out loud or by writing them down as family member "quizzes" students.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST FEW WEEKS!

We have been very, very busy in first grade so far!
We started learning words in a new way called Word Study.  Some of us tried this in kindergarten.  Now we have new word lists, and we're experts at sorting our words the right way.
We had our first spelling test.
We went into the Computer Lab to try activities with grown-ups.
We started having Superstar of the Week.
We had our first Mystery Guest.  We had fun guessing who it would be.  It was Officer Mark, Mia's Dad.
We also had our first Activity Afternoon.  It was Apple Tasting Day.  It was yummy!

OCTOBER MCMONTHLY NEWS

October has begun with some exciting new responsibilitiesaround the corner - Spelling, homework, small-group reading, and independent activities.  The children are excited about taking these new challenges seriously.  We already had our first Activity Afternoon and are having our first Writers' Celebration the first week of October!  We will continue those efforts as we begin even more grown-up first grade regular activities, such as Literacy Centers, Mystery Guest, Computers and more!  We will also consume apples and pumpkins in our major subject areas as we anxiously await Halloween.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Our reading and writing programs are taking us through many letters, sounds, word patterns, and print concepts.  We have enjoyed investigating the shape, the syllables ("beats"), and vowels in each other's names.  We have jumped right into our balanced literacy program, are learning to choose "just-right" books, and are working hard on our very-difficult writing responsibilities.

MATH

We are beginning to add and subtract numbers to 10 and focus on the parts (the numbers) that make up the total.  We will continue to use literature and manipulatives to reinforce problem-solving.

BIRTHDAYS

Fri., Oct.1:                          Olivia Pistone

Sat., Oct. 2:                        Valentina Cuccolo

REMINDERS

Fri., Oct. 8:                          Scholastic Due

Mon., Oct. 11:                     No School

                                            Columbus Day/Staff Dev.

Fri., Oct. 15:                         Boo-Grams Due

Fr., Oct. 29:                          Halloween Celebration

                                             Wear Halloween colors

UPCOMING EVENTS

Mon., Nov. 1:                       Nature Walk at school

                                             Weather permitting,

                                             wear outdoor clothing

Tues., Nov. 2:                       No School

                                             Election Day/Staff Dev.

Nov.  1 - 3:                           Book Fair (Mon. - Wed.)



SPECIAL NOTES

* Thank you for helping to make the first month of your child's first grade a success!  It was nice to meet those of you who were able to attend Open House.

* A special Thank You goes out to our Room Moms, Marijke Hart and Nancy Lombra, for coordinating our Volunteer schedule.  A special thanks goes out to the rest of you too!  The children and I are excited to have all of you help us in the class (or help out at home too!)  Your time is most appreciated!

* A special thank you to all of you who made our Apple Tasting Day such a success!  We enjoyed some tasty creations.  Apples have 20 to 25 percent more air in them than most fruits, so we're glad to know why our apples floated.

* Thank you for helping your child choose his/her favorite book to share with the class last month.  We enjoyed investigating the selections!

* Box Tops will be collected once again this year.  More info coming!

SEPTEMBER WORDS

Andrew

Austin

Ben

Charly

Chase

Freddie

Jack

Jack

Jacqueline

James

Jeremiah

Josephine

Katelyn

Madden

Matthew

Mia

Nicole

Olivia

Paige

Peter

Sami

Simone

Valentina



OUR FIRST SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDER ARRIVED!

If there is a family that ordered the A to Z Mysteries 4-pack and didn't receive it, please let Mrs. Mc know. 
Thank you for your orders!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK!

We started classroom jobs.
We had our class photos taken.
We learned about our class stoplight.
We learned about Just Right books.
Now we have our own book bins.
We did more stories in writing workshop.
We did more graphing and learned how to use tally marks.
We made bingo boards from Super Names of the day.
We went to all of our special classes.
Our families visited our classroom.

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL!

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR

FIRST WEEK OF FIRST GRADE!

First grade is fun.

We celebrate our names every day and learn the vowels, syllables ("big-kid" word) and spelling.

We remembered that we are expert counters.

We did graphing in math with our names and lunch choices.

We like working in first grade.

We're going to like homework.

We learned a lot of things we'll learn in first grade.

We looked in a special treasure box.  Things inside of it had special meaning.

We have a great class!

FIRST GRADE MCMONTHLY NEWS SEPTEMBER

Congratulations to the first graders!
We had a great first week of school!

THEME

We will be incorporating all major subjects into our main units of study revolving around apples and manners.  We are also getting to know one another in our class "team" and are starting to become experts at all the routines.  Please encourage your child to accept their new first grade responsibilities.  The "Golden Rules" attached to the hard copy of the monthly newsletter will help them keep up the good work!

LANGUAGE ARTS

We are excited to have a balanced literacy program in the classroom which targets a wide variety of learners through guided, shared, and independent reading, and our Words Their Way phonics program.  We will also begin to develop writing skills revolving around a "Writing Workshop" model and our class themes.

MATH

Our Growing With Mathematics program begins by reviewing grouping, patterns, and numbers through 12.  We will be using literature and manipulatives to reinforce problem solving.

BIRTHDAYS

There are no August or September birthdays.

REMINDERS

Mon., Sept. 6:         No School, Labor Day

Thurs., Sept. 9:        No School, Rosh Hashanah

Fri., Sept. 10:          Scholastic Orders Due

Fri., Sept. 10:          Bus Contracts Due

Fri., Sept. 10:          Favorite Book Due

Tues., Sept. 14:       1st Grade Parent Coffee, 9:30-10:15
                                  (Bring datebooks/planners)

Wed., Sept. 15:       Open House, 8:00-8:25, Parents Only
                                  (Bring datebooks/planners)

Thurs., Sept. 16:       School Photos

Sun., Sept. 19:          Family Picnic, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 24:            Get Acquainted Page Due

SPECIAL NOTES

• 
  
  Thank you all for sending in supplies and paperwork!
• 
  
  All Ox Ridge students have been asked to have a bus-time book or magazine available to help maintain peace (and promote reading!) in our hallways.  Please have your child bring a small book for that time.
• 
  
  Ox Ridge Snack:  The children have the opportunity to order an afternoon snack from our cafeteria.  I have encouraged the children to talk to their families about how often, and if, they can buy this extra snack.  The snack money will be deducted from the students' lunch accounts.
• 
  
  If you still have your child's summer reading journal, please send it in to class this coming week, so we can send along the good reading news to the Library!
• 
  
  Please note that when you receive the Photo Day sign-up form, you may choose your background color.  Please send your response back to the classroom before 9/16.
• 
  
  Sharing will occur when a child is Superstar of the Week (details to come).  If they have something they wish to share and simply can't wait for their Superstar week, they can bring it in on Mondays.  If time permits, we will have a brief sharing time that afternoon.
• 
  
  Please feel free to call me at school with any questions or concerns (203-655-2579, ext. 1142).   You can also email me at cmcgettigan@darienps.org; however, there are times when email could be "down," so the phone is essentially more reliable.
• 
  
  I hope to see you all at the Open House evening when I will explain in more detail about our schedule, curriculum, homework, and class routines.  Please bring your calendars, as I will have our Conference sign-up sheet available that evening.

Thank you so much!  I look forward to working with your children in first grade!

Cathy McGettigan