We had a busy week once again.  We began our lessons in Geometry this week.  We also started our work with fractions.  We will be focusing a great deal on these this year.  I am also using DWL’s (daily written language) this year in our classroom.  The level 1’s and 2’s are doing these in small groups with myself and Ms. Brec and the level 3’s are encouraged to work independently.  This is our third week using them and they are proving to be very valuable for mini lessons.

Monday, I will be sending home bag books for some of our first graders, these need to be read every night and brought back on Friday.  Every Monday you will receive a new book.  I will also be sending home reading logs with several students.  I would like for us to have a habit as a class for reading every night for 20 minutes with our children.  This alone will improve your child’s reading and help them in all academic areas.  I will be working hard to increase our reading performance within the classroom and would ask for your support within your home.

MAPA general meeting is this Wednesday the 25th.  This is when background checks can be done for our volunteer drivers.  The cost is $60, but will last for 6 years.  We are going to have to be creative within our classroom in order to make field trips happen.  We are being strongly discouraged from carpools being organized without certified drivers.  I know it can be hard with working parents to get your children to locations and I am hopeful that we will have certified drivers to help with this obstacle.

We do not have school Friday, it is Professional Development.  We will also be having Parent Teacher Conferences coming up in the middle of October.  I will be posting a We Join In link on our blog soon, so you can sign up for a time.  I love your children and look forward to chatting with you and working together for their benefit.