Note from Becky Tapley

My Exploration Block organized and ran a very successful blood drive! (We are thinking of having another one in the spring, and I could definitely use a couple parent volunteers for the day of the drive the next time around.) 3rd and 4th grade will be learning about fractions, so talk about fractions whenever you get a chance!

Homework

For students in grades 3-5, practice of math facts would be immensely beneficial.

Upcoming Events

MEAs start March 18^th

Note from Julie Wilson

I am seeing increased kindness, cooperation as well as students choosing more challenging works. We have been monitoring the temperature outside, and experimenting with ice and water…. and observing water freeze into ice. We have also been working. Super proud of Pre-k/K’s knowledge of the geometric solids, and of some wonderful collaborative games that we play to help each other learn the names of the solids. Our favorite new terms have been “ellipse” and “ellipsoid”. Our shape detectives figured out that if we were able to squish an ellipsoid, the flat shape that would be created is an ellipse… and our rug IS an ellipse!

We will be studying “Me on the Map” and learning our addresses. I will be sending home some “homework” for the Pre-k/K students to fill out so that they are able to complete their classwork. We are also counting up to the 100th day of school, and many students have completed the 100’s board- a very complex work requiring students to lay down numbered tiles from 1-100 in sequential order. We will also be introduced to the golden beads to concretely explore place value and quantities from 0- 9999! WOW!

Homework

The most important literacy work starts at home! Reading out loud, reading together, modeling a love of books is the best homework for the Puffins, Pre-k and K students.

Upcoming Events

If we do not have any snow days, our 100th day of school celebration will be on Friday the 15th. Also, we will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with both classrooms…. Please do not send any candy on the cards. We have 22 students between both classrooms, and 4 staff. A sign up for these two special days will go up on Bloomz. Please let me know if you are not able to receive or read Bloomz updates! Puffin’s Nest early release is at 12:00 Noon on Friday the 15th Pre-k/K early dismissal time is at 1:30 on Friday the 15th. School Vacation is the week of February 18th!

Parent Help

• This week and every week we could use help on Thursday mornings to help our library time run more smoothly for the Puffins and the Pre-k.
• We are also looking for fun materials to make Valentine’s Day cards… please no glitter or glitter glue little stickers, ribbons, fun paper.
• If you are free to help with the Valentines Day Celebration or the 100 days of school please let me know!